Druid Fairy

Chapter 142 Selling Pills
"We can't go on like this, we have to fight!"

While the man in black was distressed by the loss of the amulet, a ruthless look appeared on his face. Who knew how many more talismans this kid had? He had to finish this quickly.

He lightly touched the ground with his toes, endured the pain, and used a "speed talisman" to close in, delivering a punch like a thunderclap.

In his view, how strong could the physical body of an alchemist who only hides behind talismans be?

That punch was enough to break this kid's arm!

However, the moment his fists met, the sinister smile on his face froze.

"boom!"

With a dull thud, the man in black felt an irresistible, terrifying force emanating from the opponent's small fist. He screamed and was sent flying backward, crashing heavily into the bamboo, breaking several stalks in the process.

"you you……"

He struggled to his feet, staring at Li Mengze in disbelief, his eyes filled with horror.

How could this kid's physical strength be so formidable?!
"Aren't you an alchemist!?"

"Who told you that someone who can refine pills can't fight?"

Li Mengze's martial arts talent was unremarkable, but that was only in comparison. Compared to his uncle and Li Yuanhu, two martial arts geniuses, his martial arts were mediocre.

But that doesn't mean he was a weak alchemist.

He moved with the agility of a cheetah, pouncing once more.

"Wait! Don't kill me!"

The man in black panicked. He frantically pulled a yellowish-brown talisman from his pocket, slammed it on the ground without even looking at it, and shouted, "Earth Escape Technique!"

They had to use a stealth technique to escape.

Li Mengze raised his hand, and another talisman flew out, arriving faster than the last one. It transformed into an invisible ripple in the air, instantly covering an area of ​​ten feet in radius.

"Immobilization Talisman!"

The man in black suddenly stiffened, frozen in place, his escape technique abruptly interrupted.

No! Spare me!

He begged for mercy, tears streaming down his face: "Young master, spare my life! I was blind to your greatness! I have an eighty-year-old mother and a three-year-old child to support. My whole family depends on me to live! Please, have mercy and let me go!"

"With elderly parents to care for and young children to raise?"

Li Mengze walked up to him, looking down at him without a trace of pity in his eyes.

"When you tried to kill me, did you never think that I also have parents?"

He slowly raised his fist.

The man in black looked at the approaching footsteps, his eyes filled with despair.

He never dreamed that after years of dominating the black market without any success, he would be defeated by a novice alchemist.

"In your next life, may you be reborn into a better family and not be a cultivator destined for tribulation again."

A sword talisman slashed down.

The man in black trembled, and the light in his eyes quickly faded.

Li Mengze withdrew his fist, looked at the corpse on the ground, his heart churning violently, but he felt no regret.

'Father is right. Mercy towards the enemy is cruelty towards oneself.'

A hint of disgust appeared on his face. After hesitating for a moment, he still reached out to touch the corpse.

"Poor guy."

"I didn't even make as much as I did selling pills last time."

He pocketed all the spoils of war, then flicked his finger, and a fire talisman spontaneously combusted, burning everything to ashes.

After doing all this, he clapped his hands, and his face returned to its obedient and sensible appearance, as if the decisive and ruthless person from just now was just an illusion.

He quickly left the place, leaving behind only a rustling bamboo grove.

…………

Inside the alchemy hall, the fragrance of medicinal herbs wafted through the air.

"Teacher, I consulted ancient books and found that the formula for the Spirit Nourishing Pill seems to have room for improvement."

Li Mengze held a yellowed alchemical text, saying, "If the main ingredient, 'Snake Saliva Fruit,' is replaced with 'Ice Crystal Grass,' and then 'Fire Edelweiss' is added for blending, although the process is more dangerous, theoretically, the medicinal properties of the resulting pill will be milder, and the toxicity of the pill can be reduced by 70%."

Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed in Su Qingxue's beautiful eyes.

This child has already begun to apply what he has learned to other situations and try to improve the prescription?

She took the alchemical text, read it carefully, and a solemn expression appeared on her face:
“Your idea does have some merit, but water and fire clash, and the medicinal properties of Ice Crystal Grass and Firefly Flower are completely opposite. To perfectly fuse them requires extremely high control over the heat and one’s spiritual sense. If you are not careful, the furnace will explode.”

"This disciple would like to give it a try."

Looking into his determined eyes, Su Qingxue seemed to see her younger self. Her heart softened, and she said gently, "Alright, since you have this intention, you may take as many medicinal herbs as you like from the Pill Hall."

With the teacher's approval, Li Mengze immediately began his experiments, working day and night.

The first time, he carefully purified the medicinal liquid of the Ice Crystal Grass, but as soon as it came into contact with the powder of the Fire Edelweiss, with a "boom", a black smoke mixed with the smell of burning came out of the furnace, and only a pool of black dregs remained at the bottom of the furnace.

"Failed……"

Li Mengze's face was as black as charcoal, but he was not discouraged and carefully recorded the reasons for his failure.

The second time, he learned from his mistake and tried to use water-based spiritual energy to envelop the medicinal properties of the Ice Crystal Grass and then slowly neutralize them.

As a result, the two medicinal forces clashed like two armies in the alchemy furnace, causing another explosion. This time, the commotion was even greater, almost blowing the roof off the alchemy room.

The disciples guarding the alchemy hall have been living in fear these past few days. No one dares to ask any questions, but every time they hear a muffled sound coming from the alchemy hall, they instinctively shrink back.

Several days passed in a flash, and it was evening.

After countless times.

As Li Mengze poured the last wisp of his divine sense into the alchemy furnace, carefully maintaining that delicate balance, an unprecedentedly pure medicinal fragrance finally drifted out from the cracks in the furnace.

"It's done!"

He excitedly opened the furnace lid, and there lay a crystal-clear pill at the bottom of the furnace, with five clear pill patterns on its surface!

The improved version of the Spirit Gathering Pill was not only a success, but its quality far surpassed that of ordinary pills!

Su Qingxue came drawn by the fragrance, and when she saw the pill, even with her composure, she couldn't hide her excitement.

"Good! Good! Good!"

She said "good" three times in a row, and one could easily imagine the impact this pill, which had very little erysipelas and was mild in nature, would have on the entire state's pill market once it was introduced.

"With this pill, you can exchange it for all the resources you need for your cultivation within the prefecture! Why don't you give the pill a name?"

"To expel the poison and get to the root of the problem, let's call it the Purification Pill!"

Li Mengze carefully placed the "Qingyuan Pill" into the jade bottle, a slight smile playing on his lips, radiating joy.

'Father... I've refined something amazing!'

…………

The name "Qingyuan Dan" is like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, initially creating only a few small ripples, but not causing much of a stir.

Li Mengze had anticipated this.

There are at least eighty or a hundred pill shops in the prefecture, and every day new pills of all kinds are launched. Most of them are just gimmicks with different names but the same ingredients. Cultivators are already used to it and are more careful with their wallets than anyone else.

"Is your elixir really as miraculous as you claim?"

Inside "Baicaotang," the largest elixir shop in the east of the city, Manager Qian stroked his meticulously trimmed mustache, looking at the unassuming elixir in the porcelain bottle before him with a face full of doubt.

He had a past with Su Qingxue, and only out of respect for Teacher Su did he agree to sell the "Qingyuan Pill" on her behalf. But the price of this pill was 30% higher than that of the ordinary Yunling Pill. Wasn't this blatant ripping people off?
"Manager Qian, you'll know once you try it."

Li Mengze didn't say much, just smiled confidently.

He signed a profit-sharing agreement with Baicaotang; the more he sold, the more the other party earned, so he wasn't worried that the shopkeeper wouldn't do his best.

Although Manager Qian had some doubts, he still perked up.

On the day Qingyuan Pill was launched, Baicaotang displayed a sign at its entrance that read "Strengthening the foundation and purifying the source, a divine medicine for cultivation," attracting many cultivators to stop and watch, but most were just there for the spectacle. "Tch, what new pill is it again? Just a gimmick."

"Erysipelas is almost gone? You're just bragging. What elixir is completely free of erysipelas?"

"One mid-grade spirit stone for a bottle, why doesn't he just rob it!"

"Exactly, look at this pill. The color is nice, but who knows if it's been mixed with glitter? There are so many swindlers in this world these days."

Hearing the surrounding chatter, Manager Qian's face was as long as a donkey's, and he cursed Li Mengze a thousand times in his heart.

Just then, an elderly man with a hunched back and a weathered face squeezed out from the crowd.

He wore a faded gray Taoist robe, his aura was weak, and his cultivation was stuck at the peak of the fourth level of Qi Refining. Clearly, his lifespan was nearing its end, but he was unable to break through.

Such people are most common in the cultivation world; they spend their entire lives only to find that their efforts are ultimately nothing more than a mirage.

The old man stared intently at the jade bottle on the counter, a near-mad desire flickering in his cloudy old eyes.

"Shopkeeper," he said in a hoarse voice, "is this elixir really as good as you say?"

Shopkeeper Qian immediately put on a smiling face: "Fellow Daoist, I, Old Qian, have been running this shop for decades, and I value honesty above all else! This Qingyuan Pill is absolutely the purest pill you have ever seen!"

That cultivator's foundation was damaged in his early years, and he had been stuck at the peak of the fourth level of Qi Refining for ten years. With his lifespan nearing its end and his path to enlightenment hopeless, he had long since lost all hope.

Having heard of a new elixir today, I came here to give it a try, thinking I had nothing to lose.

"Alright! I'll take this gamble today!"

The surrounding cultivators all looked on with expressions of anticipation, as if they were watching a good show.

"Has the old man gone mad?"

"Sigh, I was forced into this situation. If I don't break through now, I really won't have many years left to live."

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the old man trembled as he opened the jade bottle, poured out a pill, and swallowed it without hesitation.

As soon as the pill entered his stomach, his aged face instantly turned bright red, veins bulged on his forehead, and his whole body trembled violently as if he were enduring immense pain.

"See? I told you the effects of this new pill were unclear! It's going to kill people!"

"Look! What's that on him?"

From the old man's seven orifices, wisps of foul-smelling black blood slowly flowed out, and a layer of greasy black sweat seeped from his skin.

"It's pill poison!" a knowledgeable cultivator exclaimed in surprise.

Immediately afterwards, a surge of spiritual energy far more refined and concentrated than before erupted from the old man's body!
The spiritual energy of heaven and earth around him seemed to be drawn in, forming a visible vortex of spiritual energy that surged wildly into his body!

"Crack!"

The bottleneck that had plagued him for decades shattered at this moment.

A powerful aura belonging to a Qi Refining Level 5 cultivator surged into the sky.

"I...I broke through! I actually broke through!"

Feeling the unprecedented power surging within him, the old man burst into tears, "Thank you so much for the miraculous pill!"

Everyone's eyes widened in disbelief. They were told about the cultivation pills, but you actually broke through?
The next second, the crowd erupted!
"Shopkeeper! Give me ten bottles! No! Twenty bottles!"

"Don't push! Don't push! There's always a first-come, first-served order! I saw this pill first!"

"I'll pay double the price!"

The cultivators went completely mad, their eyes bloodshot, waving their spirit stone bags like sharks that had seen blood, and swarmed towards the counter.

Manager Qian stared at the scene before him, his mouth agape wide enough to fit an egg. He had been in business his whole life and had never seen anything like this when it came to selling pills!
Quickly regaining his composure, a broad smile spread across his face as he maintained order while shouting loudly:
"Line up! Everyone line up! One bottle per person!"

…………

Dantang, Orchid Garden.

Upon hearing the news brought back by her disciple, Su Qingxue's gentle and beautiful face revealed a look of both amusement and exasperation.

She called Li Mengze, who was tending to herbs in the garden, to her side and asked in a serious tone, "Mengze, tell me honestly, was that cultivator who broke through on the spot a 'plant' you arranged?"

Although she was not worldly-wise, she knew that there were no such coincidences in this world.

"Teacher, you've wronged me."

Li Mengze said sincerely, "How could this disciple possess such supernatural powers, capable of predicting who is about to break through?"

He paused, "To be honest, I had arranged for someone to do it. I gave Senior Brother Zhang San ten low-grade spirit stones and told him to pretend to take the pill and then shout 'Good pill!' Who knew that before he even got to the stage, that senior broke through on his own."

He shrugged and said helplessly, "Well, that's it. My ten spirit stones were wasted. Senior Brother Zhang San just came to me earlier, saying he had memorized his lines but didn't get a chance to perform. He asked if I could give him those ten spirit stones; he's really upset..."

"Pfft!"

Su Qingxue could no longer hold back and covered her mouth to chuckle, her laughter shaking her body.

She extended her delicate finger and gently tapped Li Mengze's forehead, saying with a mixture of amusement and exasperation, "You little rascal! I really don't know what to say to you!"

Li Mengze smiled shyly, a look of anticipation on his face.

The Qingyuan Pill is selling well; I should be able to earn quite a few spirit stones, right?
…………

The beast tide receded, and everything was in need of rebuilding.

Li Pingcan bid farewell to his elder brother and, with the Azure Dragon in tow, quietly flew towards another mountain range.

"Little carp, let's not go scavenging anymore, where are we going?"

The snake bracelet that the Azure Dragon had transformed into twisted on his wrist, his mind filled with confusion. "At 'Falling Phoenix Slope' ahead, two demonic beasts have just finished fighting and are both severely injured. It's the perfect time for us to make our move!"

Can one keep finding bargains forever?

Lee Pyeongchan replied irritably, "You need to have a long-term perspective."

“That makes sense.” Qingjiao agreed wholeheartedly, then became excited again. “So, shall we go and pull off something big?”

Li Pingcan, too lazy to pay attention to this snake whose mind was full of robbery and plunder, explained: "I learned some information from the memory of an unlucky guy. On the edge of this beast disaster battlefield, there is a temporary 'market for rogue cultivators'. It's a mixed bag there, and many guys who get good stuff from the battlefield go there to sell their stolen goods. I want to go and see if I can find some good materials."

Although the Star Iron Sword was sturdy, it was ultimately a rough draft, lacking spirit. It always felt somewhat sluggish to use, unable to fully unleash the subtleties of the Thirteen Swords of Wind.

He wanted a custom-made magical flying sword.

"A market for rogue cultivators?" The Azure Dragon's interest was instantly piqued. "There must be good stuff there! Let's go! Maybe we'll run into a few clueless fat sheep, and we can grab them..."

"Shut up," Li Pingcan interrupted it. "We're here to do legitimate business."

The two, one human and one dragon, bickered as they rode on a small flying vehicle and soon arrived at the so-called market for rogue cultivators.

This market is located in an extremely secluded valley, its entrance shrouded in natural miasma.

Li Pingcan changed into the unremarkable disguise of a middle-aged rogue cultivator, concealed all his aura, and then stepped inside.

Upon entering, a mixture of smells—blood, herbs, and burning metal—was immediately noticeable.

Hundreds of independent cultivators, or rather, sect cultivators disguised as independent cultivators, gathered here.

Most of them concealed their faces with black robes or straw hats, their eyes wary as they wandered between the stalls, haggling in hushed tones.

The items displayed at the stalls were incredibly diverse.

There were still-warm hides and meat of demonic beasts, freshly skinned; magical artifacts stained with dark red blood; and some broken jade slips...

Li Pingcan dared not be careless and quietly unfolded the [Master's Domain], remaining vigilant about his surroundings at all times.

Instead of rushing to find a weapon refiner, he leisurely strolled among the various stalls, patiently gathering information that would be useful to him.

"Damn it, I've lost big this time. I used up all three of my first-grade mid-level fireball talismans to kill that monster, and all I got was this piece of junk!" A burly man with a thick beard cursed as he looked at a dark, unremarkable piece of animal bone in his hand.

"Be content! I didn't get a single hair, and I almost lost my life!"

A one-eyed man next to him said irritably, "You didn't see it, those bastards from the Seven Star Sect and Cloud Mist Valley are like locusts, they've already looted everything of value!"

Li Pingcan chuckled inwardly. Luckily, he had the Azure Dragon; otherwise, he would have been just like these rogue cultivators, drinking scraps on the border of the battlefield.

He wandered around for a while, getting a general understanding of the prices and trading methods here, before turning his attention to the deepest part of the valley, to the only stall with a roaring fire burning brightly.

Behind the stall sat a short, stocky, and unremarkable middle-aged man.

The burly man, shirtless and revealing his bronze-colored, muscular frame, held a huge iron hammer in his hand, single-mindedly hammering a red-hot iron blank, seemingly oblivious to the surrounding noise.

(End of this chapter)