Raise a sword!

Inside Cangshan Pavilion.

Following Lan Yingying's instructions, Jiang Peng randomly found a disciple of the Cangshan Sect and told him that he was a rogue cultivator and alchemist.

Sure enough, he was soon taken to the second floor of the Cangshan Sect and met an inner disciple of the Cangshan Sect who was at the late stage of Qi Refining.

Elder Hao was also an inner disciple, but the person in front of him looked to be no more than middle-aged, and his aura was much stronger than that of Elder Hao.

"My name is Liu Quan, you can call me Fellow Daoist Liu."

"Greetings, Fellow Daoist Liu." Jiang Peng bowed.

Liu Quan looked Jiang Peng up and down, a faint smile playing on his lips.

About three or five breaths later, he took out a thick booklet from his storage bag.

"I don't know where you got this information, but since you're here, I'll just cross your name off. But there's one thing: you'll be assigned the task of refining pills, and you're not allowed to refuse."

"Don't worry, it won't be a pill beyond your capabilities, as long as you are a genuine first-grade low-level alchemist."

"Of course," Jiang Peng said, bowing slightly.

Although he didn't understand what he was hearing, he realized that something big was about to happen and that the upper sect was going to recruit the rogue cultivators in the market.

"Where do you live?" Liu Quan asked.

"No. 42, Dingzi," Jiang Peng replied quickly.

Liu Quan nodded, quickly found Jiang Peng's name in the booklet, and then crossed it out with a pen.

"Alright, you can leave now. Remember, keep your mouth shut and don't tell anyone."

"I'll pretend I've never been here before," Jiang Peng said.

Liu Quan looked satisfied.

...

Courtyard No. 42, Dingzi.

Inside the meditation room.

"Although I don't know what will happen, it seems I'll owe Fellow Daoist Lan a considerable favor," Jiang Peng thought to himself, feeling fortunate.

He cultivated his skills in the market because he valued the stability of the place.

Jiang Peng had absolutely no desire to get involved in any trouble related to the Cangshan Sect.

Putting aside her heavy thoughts, Jiang Peng began to sort out her gains.

This month, 15 batches of Qi Condensation Pills were refined, totaling 60 pills, with 3 pills in each bottle, for a total of 20 bottles.

Including today, a total of 16 bottles were sold, three of which sold for 11 spirit stones each.

I earned 150 spirit stones, and after using them up in cultivation, I still have 2 Qi Condensation Pills left.

The cost is 120 spirit stones.

"After deducting the cost of cultivation each month, I can still save 30 spirit stones. The rent will be reduced by 10, and the spirit rice will be reduced by 10 for every five catties a month."

Jiang Peng looked at the 18 spirit stones remaining in her storage bag and sighed at how difficult it was to save money.

These 18 spirit stones were still the result of not having set aside any rent in advance.

She should have had 20 spirit stones left, but half a month ago, Jiang Peng couldn't resist her cravings and went to a restaurant to try the taste of monster meat.

Anyway, it wasn't very tasty; people in this world don't really care about food and drink.

It's such a pity.

"I'll cultivate peacefully for today, and go buy the materials for two more Qi Condensation Pills tomorrow."

...

Another month has passed.

Jiang Peng has been a little more diligent in refining pills this month, probably because practice makes perfect.

At the end of the month, I calculated my balance and found that I had a whopping 36 spirit stones.

It just so happened that it was time to pay the rent.

When Jiang Peng came out of Cangshan Pavilion, she only had 6 spirit stones left.

Of course, besides spirit stones, there are still a few bottles of Qi Condensation Pills that haven't been sold. After selling the pills tomorrow, Jiang Peng's cash flow will be able to recover.

...

noon.

Jiang Peng sold four bottles of Qi Condensation Pills for 36 spirit stones.

Including what was originally left, Jiang Peng currently has a total of 42 spirit stones.

When they arrived at Baicaotang and mentioned wanting to buy materials for Qi Condensation Pills, they were told that the price of each set of Qi Condensation Pill materials had increased from 8 spirit stones to 10 spirit stones.

"Why did the price suddenly go up? It was the same price when I came a few days ago," Jiang Peng said, somewhat dissatisfied.

Lower-level alchemists don't make much profit to begin with, and their skills aren't yet valuable enough to just barely break even in the market.

With the current rise in raw material prices, a batch of Qi Condensation Pills only earns 2 spirit stones. Considering the time cost, it's not a very profitable deal.

The clerk at the counter replied politely, "Master Jiang, you've asked the wrong person. The price increase was ordered from above, and I don't know the reason."

Jiang Peng sighed softly.

Let the price go up. At least with Qi Condensation Pills, he can guarantee 4 pills per batch, and still make a profit.

Jiang Peng didn't want to venture into the Earth-Ringing Mountains like other rogue cultivators, and since she didn't know any other skills, she had no choice but to accept the situation.

"Give me four sets of materials." Handing over 40 spirit stones, Jiang Peng suddenly remembered something and asked, "Raw materials have gone up in price, but what about the finished pills?"

"The price has gone up too; a bottle of Qi Condensation Pill has increased by 10 spirit stones," the servant replied.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Peng immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

Therefore, nowadays one Qi Condensation Pill can be sold for 4 Spirit Pills.

All things considered, thanks to this price increase, Jiang Peng's profit from each alchemy session has increased by 2 spirit stones.

"A price increase is great, the higher the price goes, the better," Jiang Peng thought to herself with delight.

Of course, these words couldn't be spoken aloud, as there were other independent cultivators in the shop.

After receiving the materials for the four Qi Condensation Pills, Jiang Peng left Baicaotang.

...

Two months later.

In the cultivation room, Jiang Peng finished her Qi gathering cultivation.

"My cultivation progress is pretty good. In about six months, I should be able to break through to the fourth level of Qi Refining."

Before she knew it, Jiang Peng had been living in Cangshan Market for five months.

With the blessing of the Spirit Gathering Array and ample elixirs, Jiang Peng's cultivation has now been put on the right track.

Previously, Jiang Peng had spent 3 spirit points to buy a spirit-testing talisman, which revealed that he had a mid-grade fire spirit root.

Although this aptitude is only considered above average within the Cangshan Sect, it is already rare among independent cultivators. If there are enough opportunities in the future, he may have a chance to attempt the Foundation Establishment stage when he is in his fifties or sixties.

However, the matter of Foundation Establishment was too far off, so Jiang Peng focused on the present.

During this period, thanks to the price increase of Qi Condensation Pills, Jiang Peng had become much more financially secure.

He had just sold some pills yesterday, and he currently had 67 spirit stones saved up.

However, the rent payment date is approaching soon.

"Besides what I need for my own cultivation, I also have three bottles of high-quality Qi Condensation Pills in my hand... I wonder what Fellow Daoist Lan has been busy with lately, he hasn't patronized my business for a long time."

About a month ago, Lan Yingying stopped buying pills from Jiang Peng.

Jiang Peng didn't know where Lan Yingying lived, so she accumulated the pills that could be sold for more spirit stones.

Compared to Jiang Peng's peaceful cultivation, some rumors have been circulating in the market recently.

They say that recently, many rogue cultivators have been losing their lives in the Earth Howling Mountains, and people keep mentioning the rampages of monsters in the mountains.

Although the rumors never really made a ripple each time they appeared, they were clearly suppressed.

However, every time Jiang Peng went to set up her stall, she would hear similar news from different people.

"A storm is brewing," Jiang Peng thought with a slightly heavy heart.

Thinking back to a few months ago when he inexplicably crossed out his name at Cangshan Pavilion, at which time that fellow Daoist Liu said he would refine pills for Cangshan Pavilion later.

Furthermore, the price of materials for Condensing Qi Pills has recently increased.

"So something really must be about to happen, and the only ones being kept in the dark are the low-level rogue cultivators?"