Lord of Time: From a Five Elements Cultivator to a Master of All Daos

Chapter 138 Generous Gift
In Yunzhou City, at the Yunji Chamber of Commerce headquarters, Shan Qin went to a dim hall with a pill in hand.

There was no light in the hall, only a ray of sunlight projected from the patio, illuminating an old figure lying in a rocking chair.

The sizzling sound repeated over and over again, and the bamboo rocking chair made the old body sway slowly.

Shan Qin walked up to the old man, greeted him, and then said softly:
"Grandpa Jie!"

The rocking chair stopped rocking, and the sizzling sound also stopped for a moment.

The old man on the chair opened his eyes slightly and glanced at Shan Qin beside him:

"So it's Shan Yatou, what's the matter?"

Shan Qin presented a magic pill and placed it in front of him:

"Please take a look at this pill, Grandpa Jie."

The old man picked it up, and a wisp of pale flame emerged from his fingertips, wrapping around the useless blood ginseng pill. Within a few breaths of time, the pill turned into ashes under the burning of the flame.

The old man was silent for a moment. Shan Qin did not urge him, but waited silently.

The elderly monk in front of him was none other than Jie Yuanrui, one of the fourth-rank alchemists in the Yunji Chamber of Commerce.

He is also a Nascent Soul cultivator and is very close to the Shan family among those present at the meeting, and is their strong supporter.

However, due to his advanced age, he seldom participated in the affairs of the meeting and gradually faded out of everyone's sight. It was difficult for ordinary people to even see him.

Shan Qin was at this moment bringing the elixir she got from Wei Zhong to have it identified.

After closing his eyes and thinking for a while, the old man named Jie Yuanrui slowly said:
"The fourth-level blood ginseng waste pill is only a step away from being a successful pill. Although the fourth-level technique of the refiner is unfamiliar, it can be seen that his foundation is solid.

It should be the work of a third-level alchemist who is trying to reach the fourth level. I wonder if what I said is true, girl?"

Shan Qin was a little surprised when she heard this:

"Grandpa Jie has a brilliant plan!"

The old man chuckled twice.

Shan Qin asked:
"May I ask, Grandpa Shan, how far is the person who refined this pill from the level of a fourth-level alchemist?"

"His skills are solid, but he is not proficient in refining fourth-level elixirs. If he had a few thousand-year-old elixirs to use, the fourth level would only be the finishing touch."

Shan Qin looked delighted.

"It is indeed as Wei Zhong said."

But I heard the old man ask:
"Is this another young man from our club who is about to advance?"

Shan Qin then slowly told the story of Wei Zhong.

Xie Yuanrui nodded continuously when he heard this, and finally commented:

"To have achieved such success within a hundred years is considered a talent."

"Since he is a talented person, why don't you accept him as your disciple, Grandpa Jie?"

The latter was silent for a moment, then shook his head:

"I'm so old, I don't have enough energy, I might die suddenly one day, how can I have the energy to teach apprentices?"

A hint of regret and sadness appeared in Shan Qin's eyes.

"According to what you said, Wei Zhong has been practicing as a free cultivator for a hundred years and has never joined any faction. He is probably a hard-working person who doesn't want to get into trouble.

Even if the Taoist priest came to accept him as a disciple, I am afraid that the other party would have some reservations and would not be willing to do so.

Rather than accepting him as a disciple and binding him to the Chamber of Commerce, it is better to win him over with benefits and treat him sincerely. Over time, he will naturally submit.

Just like your father treated me!"

Shan Qin bowed and saluted:

"Qin'er understands!"

"Okay, step back. I need to rest for a while."

After saying this, he closed his eyes without waiting for Shan Qin to answer.

The bamboo rocking chair began to rock again. Shan Qin looked and saw that the sunlight from the patio illuminated the old man's legs, but he was unable to move upwards at all.

The other person's face is hidden in the darkness and his complexion cannot be seen clearly.

With a slight sigh, Shan Qin bowed again and slowly retreated.

Outside the hall, Miaoli Shan had already been waiting there.

Seeing Shan Qin leaving the hall, he hurried forward and asked:
"What does Master Jie say?"

Shan Qin replied:

"Wei Zhong's alchemy skills are real. Elder Jie said that he only needs a few thousand-year-old spiritual herbs to advance to the fourth level.

Unfortunately, Master Jie has not agreed to accept me as a disciple, so I have to use benefits to win him over. "

Miaoli Shan nodded:
“What Master Jie said is correct. Wei Zhong doesn’t seem like he would submit to one faction.

As a wandering cultivator for many years, he naturally has no trust in people like us.

It is still appropriate to attract interests.”

After saying this, Miaolishan said carefully:
"How is Mr. Jie?"

Shan Qin shook her head slightly:

"I feel drowsy all day, and it seems that the end is near."

Miaoli Shan couldn't help but look sad when he heard this.

······
Wei Zhong, who was far away in Luohe Prefecture, had no idea what opportunity he had missed, but even if Wei Zhong knew about this, he would do the same as what Jie Yuanrui said.

Wei Zhong had no intention of completely devoting himself to any one force, and he was unwilling to even become a disciple of a Nascent Soul cultivator or a fourth-level alchemist.

Moreover, he was a monk whose time was coming to an end. The complicated network of people behind him was what Wei Zhong least wanted to deal with, including factional disputes, love entanglements...

Such troublesome situations are actually obstacles to spiritual practice.

Even if it could bring great benefits to Wei Zhong, it would be meaningless.

As long as Wei Zhong continues to practice steadily, he will be able to earn money for practice with his own strength sooner or later, and he won't have to use this small body of Jindan to obtain the treasure in the fire.

Of course, all this may have come to an end with Jie Yuanrui's falling asleep.

······
At this time, half a year had passed since Wei Zhong refined the Dixuan Pill. He opened his eyes and came out of his meditation.

"Half a year has passed. It's time to inform Yunji Chamber of Commerce that I have been promoted to a fourth-level alchemist."

After Wei Zhong informed Yu Xuxuan of the news, Yu was greatly shocked, and immediately sent his master, Jindan, to personally escort the news to Yunzhou City to report it to Shan Qin.

"Friend Wei, you have kept this from me for too long!"

Xu Xuan said with a wry smile and a look of disbelief on his face.

Wei Zhong bowed and smiled:
"It's just the Chamber of Commerce's cultivation..."

After negotiating with Xu Xuan, Wei Zhong left Yuelan City and returned to Qingbo Island.

“There are many benefits to revealing your identity as a fourth-level alchemist, but there are probably also many hidden disadvantages.

I just hope that those monks who want to do something bad in private will not go too far, otherwise..."

When Wei Zhong said this, he kept shaking his head.

With the krypton-level means of exchanging lives and the [Taoism of Time] at his disposal, Wei Zhong is equivalent to a Nascent Soul with hidden cultivation.

He is also a big shot in Yunzhou and cannot stand being bullied by others.

"If the enemy is unkind, don't blame me for being ruthless."

Wei Zhong brushed his sleeves and went to the cave to retreat again. This time, less than a month had passed, and someone had triggered the Qingbo Island formation.

Shan Qin and Miaoli Shan arrived after learning that Wei Zhong had been promoted to a fourth-level alchemist.

"Congratulations to Fellow Daoist Wei for successfully advancing to the fourth-level alchemist?"

As soon as the two saw Wei Zhong, they bowed and spoke.

Wei Zhong returned the greeting with a smile, led the two to a small courtyard in Yunqing Courtyard, offered them spiritual tea and other things, and started chatting with them.

He took out two jade bottles containing elixirs.

After the two girls identified it, Shan Qin said in shock:

"Blood Ginseng Pill, and, is this the Earth Profound Pill?"

The Blood Ginseng Pill is considered to be one of the easier elixirs to make among the fourth-level elixirs. In the eyes of Shan Qin and others, it is not surprising that Wei Zhong could refine this pill.

But the Dixuan Pill is different. It is a healing pill commonly used among Nascent Soul cultivators.

The difficulty of refining is at the middle level of the fourth stage. Wei Zhong has entered the fourth stage at such a short time, so how could he be able to refine this pill?

The two girls looked up to Wei Zhong even more.

"I'm still not skilled enough. Last time, Fellow Daoist Shan sent me such a long Qingxuan root, but I only refined one Dixuan Pill. It's really a waste of talent."

“Fellow Daoist Wei, you are too serious. For ordinary people who have reached the level of a fourth-level alchemist, it takes many years of practice before they dare to refine this kind of elixir, and the success rate is pitifully low.

Daoist friend, you have been able to refine a low-grade Qingxuan Pill in just one year, which is enough to show that your pill-making skills are superb."

Wei Zhong didn't take the compliment to heart and just chatted with the two about alchemy.

After a while, Shan Qin took out a jade token, which looked somewhat similar to Wei Zhong's guest token, but it was larger.

Miaoli Shan pushed it in front of Wei Zhong and said:
"This is a brand new guest token prepared for Fellow Daoist Wei. It contains a fourth-level protective spell that can withstand a blow from an early Nascent Soul cultivator, thus increasing Fellow Daoist's ability to protect himself."

Wei Zhong picked it up, touched the warm jade token, and saw the constantly flowing spiritual light on it, with some admiration in his eyes.

"Such spiritual materials that can carry fourth-level magic are probably worth a lot of money. As expected of the Yunji Chamber of Commerce, they are so generous in their first move."

"Fellow Daoist, you only need to bring the previous token close to it, and the contribution points will be transferred to it."

After Wei Zhong tried it according to the other party's instructions, he found that it was true.

The divine consciousness probed into the token and saw various spiritual objects with different contribution points of value.

There are even fourth-level spiritual objects on it, but the price is not contribution points, but various high-level spiritual materials, such as fourth-level elixirs.

When Wei Zhong was puzzled, Shan Qin explained:
“Most of the high-level spiritual objects on it are not provided by our Yunji Chamber of Commerce, but come from various Nascent Soul cultivators, or outstanding figures like you who are in the Jindan stage.

It is an act of bartering. Fellow Taoists can communicate with the monks and agree on the transaction price.

Transactions can be conducted through our Yunji Chamber of Commerce or privately.

In addition, the identities of the characters are kept strictly confidential, so fellow Taoists don’t have to worry about getting their identities exposed and causing trouble…”

Shan Qin explained its purpose and Wei Zhong nodded continuously.

The transaction method in this token is very much in line with Wei Zhong's mind. Being able to hide one's identity is exactly what Wei Zhong needs.

Wei Zhong has always adhered to the principle of keeping to himself during his practice, trying to reduce the risks in his practice as much as possible in order to ensure a smooth practice.

Now that he had announced his identity as a fourth-rank alchemist to Shan Qin, the latter did not allow him to participate in the factional struggles of the Chamber of Commerce, but instead provided this kind of trading platform, which naturally made Wei Zhong feel more favorable towards her.

Thinking of this, Shan Qin in front of him did not stop what he was doing and took out two jade slips.

"One of them is a book about alchemy experience written by a fourth-level alchemist in my chamber of commerce. He asked me to hand it over to Fellow Daoist Wei."

What Shan Qin said was not false; this jade slip was obtained from Jie Yuanrui.

When the other party took out the jade slip, he said:
"To win over the other party, you must show sufficient sincerity and don't let them think that my Yunji Chamber of Commerce is petty."

"The alchemy experience of a fourth-level alchemist?"

Wei Zhong looked at Shan Qin with some surprise.

'This item is as precious to me as a thousand-year-old elixir, or even more precious.

It is one of the shortcuts to quickly improve one's proficiency in fourth-level alchemy.

With daily meditation and verification through alchemy, Wei Zhong's alchemy skills are expected to improve rapidly in a short period of time.'

For a moment, Wei Zhong was even a little afraid to take it.

But this is not the end, Shan Qin explained another jade slip:

"I heard that Fellow Daoist Wei has also made some achievements in the way of refining weapons. This jade slip is a fourth-level refining inheritance, which may be of some help to Fellow Daoist Wei."

Upon hearing this, Wei Zhong couldn't help but secretly praise Shan Qin for being so thoughtful, even taking his own weapon refining method into consideration.

"And this storage bag, fellow Daoist, why don't you open it and take a look?"

Wei Zhong watched as the other party took out a small white jade storage bag, and for a moment he felt a little numb.

After taking it, he probed into it with his spiritual sense, and was suddenly shocked. Then he put it on the table, shook his head and said:
"Miss Shan, this gift is too great."

The storage bag contained nothing but various spiritual medicines, including three thousand-year-old spiritual medicines and dozens of thousand-year-old spiritual medicines.

Last time, I only got one Qingxuan root, but there are two segments in it, which are enough for at least more than twenty times of alchemy.

How can this gift not be so precious?

"Miss Shan's gift is too much for me to bear."

When Shan Qin heard Wei Zhong's words, she couldn't help but sigh in her heart.

Just as he expected, Wei Zhong was unwilling to accept the reward without any merit.

If a guest token carrying a fourth-level spell is the standard equipment given by the Yunji Chamber of Commerce to people like Wei Zhong.

Then the two inheritance jade slips represent the investment made by the mysterious senior in the Chamber of Commerce and Shan Qin in Wei Zhong personally.

Wei Zhong still has ways to repay these two inheritances, but these elixirs...

Wei Zhong kept shaking his head in his heart, determined that he didn't want to accept so many spiritual medicines for nothing.

"How about this? I will entrust you with these spiritual medicines to make fourth-level spiritual pills from Yunji Chamber of Commerce. You just need to return ten fourth-level spiritual pills within ten years."

Miaoli Shan on the side said so.

Shan Qin nodded after hearing this idea:

"It's difficult to refine a fourth-level elixir. It's a bit too much to ask Fellow Daoist Wei Zhong to provide ten elixirs for three thousand-year-old elixirs. How about six?"

Wei Zhong shook his head:

"Senior Miao, this is a very good idea," he turned to look at Shan Qin, "but there is no need to reduce the number of elixirs, just increase it to twenty.

The extra amount will be considered as a small return on my investment in Miss Dan."

"this······"

The two girls were surprised for a moment.

The amount of spiritual medicine provided in this storage bag is only enough for at most 20 to 30 alchemy opportunities for a fourth-level low-grade spiritual pill.

Wei Zhong provided twenty elixirs at one time, which was really a bit too arrogant.

The two girls did not think that Wei Zhong was arrogant, but they were worried that he would run into a resource crisis and delay his own alchemy journey.

"Okay, you two don't need to persuade me anymore. Since I have proposed this condition, I am confident in my heart. You two still need to have confidence in me."

Although twenty fourth-grade elixirs seem like a lot, it is not impossible for Wei Zhong, and he even has a great chance of success.

All this can be attributed to Wei Zhong's improved proficiency in fourth-level alchemy over the past few years.

(End of this chapter)