A god-level alchemist, starting by manually crafting forbidden pills.

Manager Wang led Luo Fan through the back hall of Baicao Pavilion and along the long corridor to a quiet courtyard.

There was an old tree in the courtyard, and a woman was making tea at a stone table under the tree.

She wore a light blue long dress made of soft material, with a section of her fair ankle peeking out from under the hem.

She wasn't wearing shoes or socks; she just walked barefoot on the bluestone slabs.

Her toes were like pearls and jade, with a light pink tinge on her nails.

Hearing footsteps, she looked up, and Luo Fan saw her face clearly.

Her features were delicate, like a sketch, with thin, long eyebrows, classic almond-shaped eyes, and slightly upturned corners.

She wasn't alluring; instead, she had a distant and aloof air about her. What was most striking was the way she looked at people.

Calm and clear, like a deep pool, without the slightest ripple.

"Miss."

Manager Wang stopped outside the courtyard gate, bowed, and said, "This is the young friend I mentioned earlier."

He then smiled at Luo Fan and said, "Young friend, this is our boss."

Su Qingyuan put down the tea set, stood up, and her light blue skirt unfurled.

She was not short, and her waist was tied with a ribbon of the same color, outlining an extremely slender curve.

"Su Qingyuan greets fellow Daoist."

She bowed slightly, her voice as clear and calm as her eyes.

"May I ask your name, friend?"

Su Qingyuan was very polite, but she didn't seem very warm.

Luo Fan returned the greeting with a cupped hand, saying, "I am Luo Fan, and I am unworthy of such a greeting from a fairy."

"Please sit down."

Su Qingyuan pointed to the stone bench opposite her.

She picked up the small purple clay teapot and poured water into the empty cup, her movements unhurried and deliberate.

The tea was a pale golden color, steaming slightly, and had a very unique and refreshing aroma.

It's not the smell of tea, it's the smell of medicine.

"This tea is a blend of several calming herbs that I have prepared. Please forgive me for any shortcomings."

She pushed the cup in front of Luo Fan, not looking down on him because of his seemingly low cultivation level.

Those who can make the cold spring and the cold fire automatically recognize their master are certainly not ordinary mortals.

Luo Fan thanked him and took a sip.

As the tea enters the throat, its cooling sensation spreads throughout the body, instantly invigorating the spirit.

What surprised Luo Fan the most was not the tea.

Rather, he sensed that this woman was not an ordinary businesswoman, and he always felt a sense of closeness to her.

That was a resonance from some kind of Dao, which showed that this woman was definitely an alchemist.

"Manager Wang said, 'Fellow Daoist, are you here to discuss cooperation?'"

Su Qingyuan cut to the chase, her gaze landing on Luo Fan's face, "I wonder what kind of cooperation you wish to pursue with us?"

"Some little trinkets, please take a look, fairy."

Luo Fan didn't beat around the bush; he took the jade bottle from his pocket and placed it on the stone table.

Su Qingyuan picked up the jade bottle and uncorked it.

She didn't rush to pour it out, but first brought it to the bottle opening and took a gentle sniff.

The movements were very subtle.

Luo Fan noticed that her fingers, which were gripping the bottle, tightened almost imperceptibly for a moment.

Although it loosened up again very quickly.

Su Qingyuan poured out a small pill into her palm. It was as white as jade, with flowing patterns on it.

She stared intently at the pill, as if appraising some rare treasure.

"When the elixir is of the highest quality, its medicinal power is concentrated and does not dissipate."

She finally spoke, her voice still calm, "May I ask who your teacher is?"

"My teacher has passed away, so it is inconvenient to mention him."

Su Qingyuan didn't press further, but looked at the pill again. "This pill seems to be somewhat different from others."

"In terms of restoring spiritual power alone, it should be three times that of ordinary pills, and its medicinal power is gentle and does not damage the meridians."

She looked up at Luo Fan and said, "If I'm not mistaken, the method of refining this pill is in accordance with the Five Elements theory."

Although it appears to primarily contain only the elements of wood and fire, the elements of metal, water, and earth are also involved and harmonized, though they are hidden from view.

Luo Fan's heart skipped a beat.

This woman has such a sharp eye!

He incorporated some concepts from the Five Elements Alchemy Classic when he refined it, but she saw through his tricks at a glance.

"The fairy has discerning eyes."

Luo Fan could only give a vague reply.

Su Qingyuan glanced at him, but didn't pursue the matter further, and put the pill back into the bottle.

"The pill is a good pill, but it is not uncommon on the market."

A slight smile finally appeared on her face. "I wonder if Yuko has something even more special."

"Who is the fairy?"

"feature."

Su Qingyuan tapped the table with her fingertip, "Or rather, something that makes people remember you."

Luo Fan understood.

He smiled, then took out a small bottle and pushed it in front of the other person.

"Then, fairy, take a look at this one."

Su Qingyuan opened it and poured out a vibrant pill with rune-like patterns on its surface.

"A elixir of rejuvenation?"

Su Qingyuan suddenly smiled again and put the pill back. "This pill is indeed very unique."

She glanced at Luo Fan casually, her eyes showing surprise as well as a hint of indifference.

More than anything, she seemed to have found the answer.

This is because this elixir also contains the principles of the Five Elements.

"It seems the fairy already knows the effects of this elixir?"

Luo Fan took a sip of tea.

Su Qingyuan's eyes flickered slightly; she had naturally heard Manager Wang mention the special features of this pill.

The Rejuvenation Pill is the best among healing medicines, but Luo Fan's pills have some unexpected effects.

It not only has healing effects, but also has the ability to reflect damage.

Even for her, such a pill was unheard of before.

Talent and hard work alone are not enough to refine such unique pills.

There is only one explanation: he was born very different from ordinary people.

She didn't expose them; knowing too much doesn't necessarily lead to friendship.

There is a very high probability that they are enemies.

"What about the Lesser Rejuvenation Pill?"

She asked, "Can it have the same characteristics?"

"Well... it certainly has its unique features..."

Luo Fan touched his nose. "Generally speaking, it's about unique features."

"What does that mean?"

Su Qingyuan looked at her with a smile.

Luo Fan lowered his head and pinched the tip of his nose.

"This pill can quickly restore spiritual energy and can also help people break through cultivation bottlenecks, but..."

"If taken by a male, it may cause nosebleeds and bloating, etc. If taken by a female..."

Luo Fan looked up and chuckled sheepishly, "Maybe... I'm a little lovesick, thinking about men..."

puff!

Su Qingyuan spat out the mouthful of tea she had just drunk.

Even those two deep, watery eyes trembled.

"This... is really interesting."

She remained silent for a moment, then used a smile to cover her embarrassment.

Luo Fan smiled as well, "It's just a minor flaw, nothing serious. What does the fairy think?"

"It's really harmless; in fact, it's a very good selling point."

Su Qingyuan tapped her fingers on the stone table, as if weighing something.

"Bai Cao Ge can cooperate with you. You provide the pills, and we will be responsible for the medicinal materials and sales."

She looked into Luo Fan's eyes. "As for the profit split, you get six, and I get four."

This offer is even more favorable than the 50/50 deal that Manager Wang previously mentioned.

Luo Fan was somewhat surprised. "Isn't the fairy afraid that my pill will ruin your reputation?"

"My Baicao Pavilion is a business that does not engage in forced buying or selling; we only make the best use of resources."

Su Qingyuan smiled and said, "If this Lesser Rejuvenation Pill were to cooperate with brothels, it would definitely be in short supply."

What the hell!

Even Luo Fan was shocked by these words, but he had to admit it was a good idea.

There, regardless of gender, as long as one takes this elixir, the side effects are considered positive effects.

In addition to enjoying the pleasure, both men and women can also improve their cultivation.

In this way, he can improve his strength at a faster pace by sharing cultivation points.

Even though he was an alchemist, he became a supplier of aphrodisiacs.

I wonder if Senior Sister Bai will twist his ear off when she finds out.

"Since the fairy produces spiritual medicine, and the proportion is extremely small, we can follow Manager Wang's suggestion and split it 50/50."

Luo Fan said sincerely.

In addition, he also wanted to see what the other party's purpose was.

Which businessman would relinquish his own interests and ultimately seek nothing more?

Su Qingyuan noticed his confusion, looked him straight in the eye, and told him the truth.

"What I value is not these few bottles of pills, but you as a person."

"I?"

"Being able to refine such a pill is enough to prove that your alchemy skills are far more than what they appear to be."

"The Hundred Herbs Pavilion has no shortage of spirit stones, but it lacks truly capable friends."

I'm willing to take a gamble, betting that you'll come up with something even more amazing in the future.

Luo Fan remained silent.

This woman has a sharp eye and a deep mind.

But the terms of cooperation are indeed tempting.

"Can."

Luo Fan nodded. "I have two requests."

"I'm all ears."

"First, my identity must be kept secret."

"Can."

"Secondly, I need some medicinal herbs that are hard to find on the market, and I hope Baicao Pavilion can help me collect them."

"Make a list, and I'll have someone take care of it."

Luo Fan had anticipated this and handed over the list of required medicinal materials to Su Qingyuan.

Su Qingyuan didn't even look at him, but stared at Luo Fan with an extremely solemn expression.

"In return, I hope you can grant me one request."

Without waiting for Luo Fan's response, she continued, "If you were to refine the Five Elements Creation Pill in the future..."

Su Qingyuan looked into his eyes and said, word by word, "Please hand it over to our Baicao Pavilion for sale."

Luo Fan's heart sank.

How did she know about the Five Elements Creation Elixir?

Who is she?

Or rather, was she testing something?

Luo Fan resisted the urge to use his Eye of Truth to see through her.

If he is not careful, his secret will be discovered, and he will be beaten to death as a pervert.

After all, this unassuming shopkeeper Wang was actually a Golden Core Realm expert.