Chapter 54

Chapter 54

After their meal, the two headed straight for the Spirit Herb Market in Heavenly Pill Valley.

Wen Qiao loved purchasing spirit herbs. She wouldn't disdain any herb, regardless of its grade, and welcomed all with open arms.

As Qin Hongdao had mentioned, the valley was indeed a haven for spirit pills and herbs. Half of the market was dedicated to spirit pills, while the other half was occupied by various spirit herbs. There were only a few scattered shops selling talismans, spiritual artifacts, and array-related items for occasional needs.

They entered a random spirit herb store, blending into the crowd unremarkably.

After browsing for a while, they quickly found nearly ten types of spirit herbs that didn't exist in their space. Without hesitation, Wen Qiao purchased them and moved on to the next herb shop.

In this particular store, Wen Qiao's attention was drawn to an Eighth Rank Heavenly Cicada Spirit Leaf. Its leaf was as translucent as a cicada's wing, but it lacked sufficient age. Due to its inadequate age and reduced medicinal properties, it had been overlooked by alchemists, resulting in its continued availability in the store.

Wen Qiao sensed that the spirit leaf still retained some vitality. With proper care, it might survive. She inquired of the attendant who was attending to them, "How much is this Heavenly Cicada Spirit Leaf?"

"Five thousand yuanjing."

Wen Qiao: "..."

Silently, Wen Qiao turned her head to look at Ning Yuzhou, her expression hesitant.

They didn't seem to have five thousand yuanjing between them.

Ning Yuzhou smiled warmly at the shop attendant and spoke calmly, "We don't have enough yuanjing on us. Would it be possible to reserve this Heavenly Cicada Spirit Leaf for now and come back in two hours to retrieve it?"

He spoke so naturally that it seemed as if they had simply forgotten to bring enough yuanjing, not that they lacked the five thousand altogether. His words did not raise any suspicion, and the shop attendant agreed readily.

To the attendant, although the Heavenly Cicada Spirit Leaf was a high-grade spirit herb, its low age made it unappealing to many senior alchemists. Those who were interested in it were too low in rank to have an immediate use for it and were unwilling to spend the extra money. As a result, the herb had been sitting in the store for quite some time.

The attendant believed that no one else would purchase it, especially since Ning Yuzhou had even given a deposit, indicating his genuine interest.

After leaving the spirit herb shop, the pair headed towards another street that sold spirit pills.

Unable to resist, Wen Qiao glanced at Ning Yuzhou and whispered, "Yuzhou, are you really going to buy it?"

Wen Qiao was well aware of their financial situation. Before leaving Cangwu Town, Ning Yuzhou had entrusted most of his yuanjing and spirit pills to Qianshu for the development of the Quanlin Guards. They didn't have much left, let alone five thousand yuanjing.

One could say they were quite impoverished.

Ning Yuzhou said calmly, "It's alright. On the way here, I refined many spirit pills. I can sell another batch to get more." He held the little girl's hand and walked along the eaves of the houses, avoiding the cultivators in the middle of the road. In a gentle whisper, he said, "You don't have to worry, Ah Chuo. Refining pills is very easy for me, and I'm willing to earn yuanjing so you can buy what you like and support you. I'm happy to do so, just as I'm grateful that despite my cultivation level not being as high as yours, you're still willing to protect me, isn't that right?"

"Of course!" Wen Qiao replied. "As your husband, I'll always protect you."

"Yes, you're my wife, and everything I have belongs to you. I'm happy to refine pills for you too; it's all the same," Ning Yuzhou said tenderly.

Wen Qiao fell silent at once.

How could it be the same?

Since they had been together, he had always been the one giving. She seemed to have done nothing to help him except fight with demonic beasts. Now, she wanted to buy spirit herbs, but he had to sell spirit pills to afford them.

"Ah Chuo has helped me greatly. Without your help in managing the spirit herbs, I wouldn't be able to focus solely on refining pills."

Although the spatial ring belonged to Ning Yuzhou, since Wen Qiao had taken her human form, she had been in charge of the spirit herbs within. Whenever he needed a specific herb, he only needed to tell her, and she would not only cultivate it to maturity but also prepare it and deliver it to him, saving him much effort.

In fact, there was a subtle complementary relationship between the two of them.

In matters of alchemy and their extraordinary bloodline connection.

Under Ning Yuzhou's gentle analysis, Wen Qiao's furrowed brows finally relaxed slightly.

She turned to look at Ning Yuzhou and said earnestly, "You're right! I'll work hard on my cultivation from now on. I won't let anyone bully you."

Her husband had a fondness for supplementary techniques, dabbling in alchemy, talismans, formations, and leaving little time for cultivation. With the added responsibility of nurturing a spatial realm, his progress was slow. So, she would strive to cultivate and grow stronger, to protect him from any harm.

With this realization, Wen Qiao felt a burden lift from her heart, and an unexplained change occurred within her. The suppression on her peak Yuanming cultivation level naturally eased.

Wen Qiao suppressed this shift, and they headed towards the market selling spirit pills.

Arriving at the spirit pill market, they randomly chose a shop to enter.

After half an hour, they left the market, their storage bags bulging once more after replenishing their stock of spirit pills. They returned to the herb store where they had seen the Heavenly Cicada Spirit Leaf and purchased it.

With the acquisition of the Heavenly Cicada Spirit Leaf, they proceeded to the next herb store.

Following Ning Yuzhou's suggestion, since they now had yuanjing, they could buy whatever caught their fancy. Once spent, they would continue refining spirit herbs to sell for more yuanjing. As long as they amassed enough spirit herbs, what kind of spirit pill couldn't be synthesized? Then, they would have all the yuanjing they needed.

Thus, Ning Yuzhou was highly supportive of Wen Qiao's endeavor to collect spirit herbs.

The spirit herb shops in the Heavenly Pill Valley's market were abundant. After spending an entire day, they had only covered a third of the stores. However, their gains were substantial.

As they entered another spirit herb store, before they could even glance at the surrounding plants, they heard a commotion inside.

Looking up, they saw a crowd of cultivators gathered in the first-floor hall of the shop, blocking the view of what was happening. Those entering couldn't discern the situation, but they could hear a voice with a hint of allure:

"....I'm offering a higher price than you, so naturally, this Spirit Fruit is mine. Since your Yuanjing is insufficient, it's clear that the fruit and you were never fated to meet. Why force it and make everyone uncomfortable? Don't you think so?"

An enraged female voice followed: "Nonsense! I was the one who spotted it first, and we already agreed on a price. If not for your interference, how could this have happened? If anyone's making a scene, it's you, and that has nothing to do with others. Wang Qirong, don't assume everyone is as shameless as your Wang family!"

"Oh dear, how can you resort to personal attacks? What good is arguing when you can't compete? Young Miss Shang, you mustn't be so impolite!"

"You..."

Upon hearing this, a look of surprise appeared on Wen Qiao's face.

Disregarding the specifics of their dispute, one of the voices, Wen Qiao's and Ning Yuzhou's, was familiar – it belonged to Shang Hongyue, whom they had encountered in Cangwu Mountain.

Upon hearing the surname of the person arguing with Shang Hongyue, Wang, they couldn't help but associate her with the Wang family from Anqiu City.

The pair didn't rush over but instead stood at a distance, listening to their argument.

While Shang Hongyue was known for her sharp tongue, the other female cultivator, Wang Qirong, seemed to be no pushover either.

After some time, their dispute yielded no conclusion. A few male cultivators nearby chimed in occasionally, all supporting Wang Qirong, indicating her excellent rapport with the men – albeit seemingly exclusively with them.

Finally, Shang Hongyue asked the cultivator selling the Lihuo Fruit in frustration, "Let me ask you, to whom do you intend to sell this Lihuo Fruit?"

"A-A bidder with the highest price, of course," came a male voice.

Shang Hongyue replied, "Your actions violate the rules of Heavenly Pill Valley."

"I-I..."

Wang Qirong's voice, tinged with amusement, intervened, "Young Miss Shang, it has nothing to do with this gentleman. I'm the one who wishes to buy it at a high price. If necessary, I'll pay the penalty fee for him."

"Miss Wang…" The male cultivator selling the Lian fruit spoke with emotion.

Shang Hongyue's pretty face turned cold. Gazing at Wang Qirong's blossoming smile and then at the infatuated look of the male cultivator selling the fruit, she felt a surge of frustration that she couldn't vent.

"Little Sister Shang, I'll be taking this Lian fruit. It will be of great use to me. If I ever refine a Face-Adorning Pill in the future, I'll surely gift you one," Wang Qirong said, her voice soft and enchanting, like a gentle brush stroking people's hearts.

Several male cultivators around them wore smiles, clearly having a high opinion of Wang Qirong.

"Miss Wang is truly broad-minded, a person with a big heart."

"Miss Wang is an Azure Rank Alchemist. This Lian fruit would be more suitable for her."

"Yes, indeed…"

The surrounding male cultivators chimed in, expressing their agreement. It was evident that they held high expectations for Wang Qirong, whether it was due to admiration or her status as an Azure Rank Alchemist. On the other hand, Shang Hongyue, who had failed to secure the Lian Water Pill, wore a grim expression.

With the competition concluded, the surrounding cultivators dispersed, revealing the two figures at the center.

Wen Qiao and Ning Yuzhou could now see the two individuals who had just been arguing.

Wang Qirong was a strikingly beautiful woman, bearing a resemblance to Wang Xiuyuan in her captivating gaze that held a unique allure. When such eyes belonged to a man, they made him charming and irresistible, evoking a mix of love and hate from women. On a woman, they accentuated her sensuality, easily igniting romantic fantasies in others.

Upon seeing Wang Qirong's true appearance, Ning Yuzhou and the others inferred that she must be closely related to Wang Xiuyuan.

Compared to Wang Qirong's bewitching beauty that stirred desire, Shang Hongyue's radiant looks seemed somewhat subdued. At least for many male cultivators, Wang Qirong's allure was more impactful and captivating, drawing their attention more effectively.

No wonder those male cultivators had rallied behind Wang Qirong.

Wang Qirong placed the Lijiao fruit into an exquisite jade box, smiled at the fuming Shang Hongyue, then elegantly left, accompanied by a few fellow cultivators who served as her followers.

Soon, the other cultivators in the shop dispersed, with some remaining to inspect the spirit herbs while the rest followed Wang Qirong out.

In contrast to Wang Qirong's grand entourage, Shang Hongyue stood alone without any support. It was no surprise that she had lost the contest for the Lijiao fruit.

Fixating on Wang Qirong's retreating figure, Shang Hongyue pursed her lips, about to depart when a voice called out, "Miss Shang?"

Shang Hongyue instinctively looked up, her cold demeanor quickly replaced by surprise. She hurried over, exclaiming joyfully, "Young Master Ning, Miss A'zuo, when did you two arrive at Heavenly Pill Valley? Why didn't you come find us?"

As one of the five cities belonging to the Danmeng, the Shang family held its own territory within Heavenly Pill Valley. Their disciples, unlike other cultivators, did not need to crowd into inns, enjoying great convenience. Moreover, locating them was relatively effortless.

Ning Yuzhou offered a gentle smile and said, "We just arrived today. By the way, where's Brother Shang?"

"Big Brother is occupied with the arrangements for this Alchemy Summit, following our elders' instructions. Ah, hold on, I'll immediately send a message to get him here..."

"There's no need for that trouble."

"How could it be trouble? You're our saviors, after all. Since you've come to the Heavenly Pill Valley, we must show you proper hospitality as hosts."

Shang Hongyue was a straightforward person, not one to dwell on past disputes. She had already put aside her earlier disagreement with Wang Qirong and now focused solely on entertaining their two life-saving benefactors.

Fifteen minutes later, they were seated in a restaurant.

This restaurant belonged to the Shang family, and Shang Hongyue ordered their signature dishes and finest wines to be served. Shang Honglang, who hurried over, also urged Ning Yuzhou and the others to drink, insisting they taste the spirit wine brewed by their family.

Ning Yuzhou took a sip and commented, "Not bad, slightly sweet upon entry with a rich and mellow aftertaste. The spiritual energy is slightly apparent, filling the body and lingering around the spirit aperture. It's a rare fine wine. This should be about a decade old, brewed using ingredients like Heavenly Star Ginseng, Sandwood roots, and Powdered Cherry Pearl Fruits... nearly a hundred kinds of spirit herbs, with eight primary spirit medicines..."

Listening to Ning Yuzhou's knowledgeable discourse, the Shang siblings looked at him in surprise.

Wen Qiao drank calmly, occasionally feeding Wen Tuttu. Both human and rabbit seemed to be wine enthusiasts, accepting every offering without hesitation.

"So it turns out that Young Master Ning is also proficient in the art of brewing."

"Nay, just a bit," Ning Yuzhou replied nonchalantly. "The spirit wines from Heavenly Pill Valley are quite good. Ah Chuo enjoys them, so I plan to brew some for myself when I have the time."

Shang Honglang chuckled. "If Young Master Ning doesn't mind, our Shang family's tavern has a few excellent varieties of spirit wine. We can send some over for you to sample." With that, he instructed his sister to retrieve some wine from their tavern's cellar.

The siblings seemed worried that Ning Yuzhou would decline and promptly made their decision, bringing over a variety of spirit wines.

Ning Yuzhou couldn't refuse their generosity, especially since Wen Qiao genuinely appreciated the gifts, so he ultimately accepted them.

After catching up, they broached the subject of the incident at the spirit herb store earlier, asking what had transpired.

Shang Hongyue was reluctant to discuss it, but as the person who had saved her life was asking, she saw no reason to hide anything and gave a brief account of the events.

The situation was straightforward: Shang Hongyue had happened upon someone selling Li Fruits at the spirit herb store that day. As Li Fruits were a vital ingredient for refining Earth Rank pills, she naturally wasn't about to let the opportunity slip. However, just as she had agreed on terms with the seller, Wang Qirong, seemingly informed by an unknown source, swooped in and purchased the fruits at a higher price.

Upon hearing this, Shang Honglang grew irate. "That's going too far! The person selling the Li Fruits clearly violated the rules!"

Shang Hongyue sighed helplessly. "The one selling the Li Fruits is actually one of Wang Qirong's admirers."

Shang Honglang grunted, at a loss for words.

The man was well aware that he had violated the rules, but as an admirer of Wang Qirong, witnessing his goddess offering to purchase the fruit from him with a higher bid than Shang Hongyue, he naturally inclined towards her. The punishment for breaking the rules was of little concern; it would merely entail a fine in Yuanjing, and besides, Wang Qirong was willing to cover it.

Not everyone held the rules of Tian Dan Valley in high regard; otherwise, there wouldn't be so many injustices in the world.

Seeing the siblings' silence, Ning Yuzhou tactfully changed the subject, inquiring about the Alchemy Gathering.

Shang Honglang smiled gratefully at him, convinced that Young Master Ning was indeed a considerate and gentle person. He explained, "Our Shang family also has a participant in this Alchemy Gathering, our third uncle. He initially planned to refine a Grade Earth Poison Transformation Pill, but unfortunately, he hasn't been able to find the Seven-Leaf Tongue Lingzhi. My sister and I heard rumors about its presence on Cangwu Mountain, so we went to try our luck. Little did we expect..."

Upon hearing this, Wen Qiao's expression flickered slightly.

They possessed the Seven-Leaf Tongue Spirit Mushroom, which the White Belly Wolf Spider had snatched from somewhere to trade for the Azure Spirit Pill. After Wen Qiao transplanted it into her space, it had already sprouted several new shoots.

Shang Honglang and his sister were not the type to dwell on misfortune. Since the incident had already occurred, further discussion would be futile. Hence, they quickly changed the subject.

They then turned to discussing the Alchemy Gathering. Shang Honglang invited them to watch the event from the Shang family's private box when it was held, sparing them the need to jostle with other cultivators.

Ning Yuzhou chuckled. "If we do attend, we'll be imposing on you then."

The Shang siblings naturally insisted that they wouldn't dare, for they were people who knew how to repay kindness. Ning Yuzhou and his wife had saved their lives that day; they had already come to regard the couple as close friends.

It wasn't until the sky grew dim that they exchanged voice transmission talismans and finally departed from the restaurant.