Raise a sword!

Jiang Peng didn't expect that after seeing Hao Xue off, the relationship with Liu Quan would immediately reappear.

That's quite a coincidence.

Even though the problem of spiritual materials had been solved, Jiang Peng did not refuse the old man's invitation and quickly followed him.

"The young lady I just saw off is a spiritual plant grower from the Song family. She has already taken care of the spiritual materials for me... Old sir, I owe Brother Liu a favor for this matter, so I won't trouble you with the spiritual materials anymore."

After speaking, Jiang Peng prepared to wait for the other party's response, then exchanged pleasantries and saw them off.

But to everyone's surprise, the old man seemed not to hear them and just kept walking forward.

Seeing this, Jiang Peng felt something was wrong, but she still obediently followed.

After all, it was Liu Quan who invited them, and Jiang Peng herself who made the request, so it wouldn't be good to neglect them at this point.

The two walked one after the other, and soon they were out of the southern part of the market.

Looking at the grand houses around her, Jiang Peng became increasingly curious. Which family did this old man belong to?

"Where are you taking me, sir?"

The old man turned around and smiled, then led Jiang Peng to the outside of a house.

The plaque above the mansion reads "Qin Mansion," and it looks no different from the other prominent families in the south of the market.

However, upon entering the Qin residence, Jiang Peng immediately noticed something amiss.

There were no servants or family members in the entire Qin mansion.

The grand mansion, with its three entrances and three exits, was now empty.

Jiang Peng, who was following behind the old man, suddenly remembered something.

The reason he was able to connect with Liu Quan and be valued by Liu Qinghe was that he became a member of the mutual aid society.

It all seems to have started when Elder Qin of the Cangshan Sect praised him for the high quality of the pills he refined.

"Elder Qin, Qin Residence."

Once she understood all of this, Jiang Peng's gaze towards the old man in front of her changed completely.

This is a genius who, with his late-stage Qi Refining cultivation, became a second-tier alchemist.

An alchemist who has transcended a whole major realm!

"Elder Qin?" Jiang Peng called out tentatively in a low voice.

"Hehe, I am Qin Yuan. I am just outside the sect, young friend. You can just call me Old Qin."

Jiang Peng bowed.

"Greetings, Elder Qin."

Qin Yuan didn't mind. He simply led Jiang Peng to a pill-making room and said, "Your Rejuvenation Pill is quite well made, and your fire control technique is quite exquisite."

"Your insight is truly remarkable," Jiang Peng replied, inwardly marveling at his reputation as a second-tier alchemist, whose discerning eye was indeed sharp.

Jiang Peng's fire control techniques were not only inherited from Dan Laomo.

He also absorbed much of the experience from the alchemy scenes in his mind and made some improvements in many details.

This improvement is akin to a "dimensional reduction attack".

With Jiang Peng's cultivation level, he was not yet able to master many of the fire control techniques he had seen in his mind, but even slight modifications were enough to improve the quality of his pills.

Qin Yuan chuckled and took out a set of materials for the Rejuvenation Pill.

"Use my alchemy furnace to refine a batch of Rejuvenation Pills and let's see."

Without hesitation, Jiang Peng immediately started refining pills.

Although he had just started the furnace at home, Jiang Peng was no longer the weak-minded and spiritually deficient man he once was.

Jiang Peng's mid-stage Qi Refining cultivation level was sufficient to support him in continuously refining pills.

Skillfully opening the furnace, controlling the fire, transforming spiritual materials into liquid, and then using divine sense to control the medicinal liquid to condense into a pill.

The entire alchemy process lasted three hours. During the process, Jiang Peng and Elder Qin constantly discussed various issues related to alchemy.

From selecting spiritual materials to improving fire control techniques, and then to liquefying, removing impurities, and condensing the pill with spiritual sense, the two of them did not overlook any step.

One of them is a second-level alchemist with extensive knowledge.

One is a wall hanger, standing on the shoulders of giants, so that he can stand high enough.

At the moment of completion, three pills were formed, each round, plump, and with few impurities.

"Indeed, even the Rejuvenation Pill that I personally refined is only this good."

Qin Yuan held a pill and examined it closely, sighing repeatedly.

In the end, his gaze fell on Jiang Peng.

"Young friend, you are very insightful. Many of your ideas in the discussion just now were truly ingenious. Even I found them to be very helpful and I could draw inferences from them."

"You flatter me," Jiang Peng said modestly.

Qin Yuan's eyes lit up, and he continued, "Whether it's an overstatement or not, I know in my heart... I have received guidance from you today, young friend, and I should give you some compensation."

"I dare not claim to be your guidance; it is you who have mentored me..." Jiang Peng quickly declined.

Before he could finish speaking, a token appeared in Jiang Peng's hand.

The token was inscribed with the words "Cangshan" and the words "Inner Disciple" in smaller characters on the back.

Seeing Jiang Peng's surprised expression, Qin Yuan waved his hand and said, "I won't give you any real benefits, but with your alchemy skills, you shouldn't lack spirit stones."

"However, within the territory of the Cangshan Sect, one should have a respectable identity to keep some demons and monsters in check... But the token I'm giving you only represents your identity and has no other privileges."

When it came to serious matters, Qin Yuan became noticeably more serious.

"You are not currently a true disciple of the Cangshan Sect, and your name has not yet been added to the sect's roster. Therefore, you are not entitled to the many benefits of an inner disciple."

Jiang Peng suddenly realized.

"So this token is just a tiger skin."

"Isn't that enough?" Qin Yuan laughed. "If you're a little thick-skinned, kowtow to me twice right now, and I'll immediately make you a true inner disciple, and I'll impart all my alchemy skills to you without holding back. Once you reach the late stage of Qi Refining, you can then join the sect's true lineage. How about that?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Peng immediately realized that Qin Yuan wanted to take him as a disciple.

Jiang Peng bowed deeply.

"Thank you for your high regard, senior. I still need to consider this matter further, but for now, this tiger skin is enough."

When walking around Cangshan Market, nothing is more useful than bearing the name of a disciple of the Cangshan Sect.

Seeing that Jiang Peng wasn't taking the bait, Qin Yuan didn't mind. He just said with some regret, "I knew you were a free spirit and didn't want to be bound by the sect. It's a pity that I've spent my whole life in the Cangshan Sect. It wouldn't be right to violate the sect rules and take you as my disciple."

The disciples of the Cangshan Sect elders should be disciples of the Cangshan Sect.

This was a pointless statement, yet it was precisely what prevented Qin Yuan from accepting Jiang Peng as his disciple.

"If anything happens in the future, go to Liu Quan to pass on the message... But if I find out that you are doing evil under the guise of an inner disciple, I will not be as accommodating as I am today when I take back your token."

"This junior dares not," Jiang Peng replied.

"I will be staying in the market for a few months. If you have any free time during this time, come here... I just saw you refine a pill, so I should let you see it once, so that we can be even."

Jiang Peng's eyes lit up.

He's not like Hao Xue; he's just an outsider watching the show.

Jiang Peng was truly able to discern the intricacies of alchemy when observing others refine pills.

"In that case, I will inevitably trouble you in the future."

"I was worried you wouldn't come," Qin Yuan said with a smile.