Chapter 19 Provocation

Guard Sang took the small bottle and turned to leave.

At this moment, Madam Fangwan called him back and gave him another bottle of pills, instructing him, "By the way, take another thirty-eight high-grade Yang-Yang Pills and give them to my sister to handle as well. Later, I'll wipe the books clean and just say that I bought five hundred high-grade pills."

Guard Sang carefully put the pills away and sighed, "The First Madam and the Madam are already very close, and now that we have these pills, we have even more reason to allocate resources to the Madam. The Madam also has a great chance to advance further."

Madam Fangwan smiled and said, "That's right. Only when you're doing well, can I be doing well too."

·

Guard Sang quickly returned to the Huo family and paid his respects to Lu Xiuyi, the principal wife of the third branch of the family, presenting her with the message and medicine from Madam Fangwan.

Lu Xiuyi accepted the pill with an elegant demeanor and a smile in her eyes: "My dear sister still thinks of me the most."

She was currently at the peak of the Palace Opening stage, ready to advance to the Enlightenment stage at any moment. However, the more she accumulated at this stage, the stronger her foundation would be, so she naturally didn't want to break through easily. But if she remained at this level for too long, her appearance would inevitably suffer, making her a laughingstock, which would also displease her. However, as long as she took the Youth Preservation Pill, she could maintain her appearance unchanged for two hundred years, and then she would have no more worries.

Lu Xiuyi had no doubts whatsoever and took the Yan Dan directly. Sure enough, she looked radiant and felt much lighter.

Guard Sang hurriedly said, "Congratulations, Madam."

Lu Xiuyi smiled, fiddling with another medicine bottle, pondering the effects of the Yang Extreme Pill that Guard Sang had just explained, lost in thought.

The fourth to fifth level of the Heavenly Guidance Realm is an extremely difficult hurdle. Although her subordinates are no longer at this level, who doesn't have a few promising descendants? The better their aptitude, the more money she is willing to spend on them, for fear that they might be ruined during their breakthrough.

Her sister did indeed help her a lot; with these Yang-Yang Pills, she could bestow favors upon many of her subordinates.

It can also shut up the mouths of all those women in the backyard.

·

Lu Xiuyi possessed a low-grade aptitude but was outstanding in other aspects as well. Therefore, at the age of sixteen, she was able to marry into the Huo family and become the principal wife of Huo Ruiji, who possessed a mid-grade aptitude. She was only two years older than Lu Fangwan, and the two sisters' aptitudes were worlds apart. However, Lu Xiuyi always took good care of her younger sister and, knowing that her future marriage prospects would be unsatisfactory, she brought her along when she married into the Huo family.

Many years have passed, but Lu Fangwan has always been Lu Xiuyi's good helper. Lu Fangwan's children are only of the Huang rank, but they are also capable of handling affairs and often accompany Lu Xiuyi's children.

Lu Xiuyi was extremely shrewd. Her relationship with those two alchemy factions was the result of years of planning. With the support of her husband Huo Ruiji, she opened the Xiufang Alchemy Shop and painstakingly built it up, earning the Huo family a great deal of wealth.

However, cultivators cannot neglect their own cultivation, so Lu Xiuyi entrusted the alchemy shop to her most trusted younger sister.

Lu Fangwan is also quite capable; with her sister's connections, she has consistently maintained a thriving business.

Even now, though Lu Fangwan has not yet entered the palace, she is still respectfully addressed as Madam Fangwan, precisely because she is in charge of the alchemy business.

It was all about self-interest. Even though Lu Fangwan had performed admirably, many members of the Huo family still lied through their teeth and tried every means to diminish her achievements and reduce the rewards the clan would give her.

Fortunately, the clan rules were in place, and the head of the Huo family was fairly fair, always following the rules.

With Lu Xiuyi overseeing things, there were never any mistakes when the rewards were distributed.

Besides, because Lu Xiuyi never skimped on resources for her younger sister, Huo Ruiji's concubines always liked to make sarcastic remarks about it. Even though they didn't do anything harmful, they were still disgusting.

Lu Xiuyi didn't care much about the gossip, both inside and outside the family. She grew tired of hearing it and would use her methods to shut them all up.

The interests of the Lu sisters are closely intertwined, and despite years of attempts by outsiders to sow discord, they have never succeeded.

·

Lu Xiuyi put away the Yang Yang Pill, already thinking of many ways to use it.

Then she remembered her youngest son and asked, "I haven't seen Wen'er for the past few days. Do you know where he is?"

Guard Sang knew a thing or two about this and replied, "Young Master Wen and Miss Tian went hunting and sightseeing in the surrounding area."

Lu Xiuyi understood and nodded: "Since they are engaged, it's normal for them to go out together. Did they bring any guards?"

Guard Sang said, "Young Master Wen's bodyguards have been secretly following him and have also brought some self-defense measures."

Lu Xiuyi was satisfied and said no more, dismissing Guard Sang.

Guard Sang left quickly.

He was actually Huo Ruiji's confidant, and was currently working at the Dan shop, also handling some miscellaneous tasks.

Indeed, one cannot be in two places at once for too long.

·

As evening approached, the carriage arrived outside a town.

This is a small town, only a little over a thousand acres in size, with a population of just over a hundred thousand, and the scenery is not particularly beautiful.

However, this area is near mountains, and many cultivators who go hunting or seeking opportunities in the mountains will stop here to rest.

You can find plenty of places to stay anywhere in the town.

The carriage, driven by Xiang Lin, traveled through the town.

After driving a short distance, Zhong Cai heard a commotion outside and couldn't help but look out the car window.

The street was wide but somewhat old, with various shops on both sides, mostly small shops. It looked narrow from the outside, but there were quite a few people coming and going, many of whom looked very energetic.

The stalls were dazzling with a wide variety of goods, and people were calling out to sell their wares everywhere. Many stalls simply unfolded a small cloth, displaying three or five kinds of herbs and minerals, which were often of low quality.

Even so, many cultivators moved back and forth between these stalls, quickly bargaining. Some immediately took out several kinds of medicinal herbs from their mustard seed bags to sell to the stalls, while others didn't even have mustard seed bags, but simply took out a basket or bundle from their backs.

Zhong Cai's gaze then fell on the right, on the open space between the two shops.

Inside, there were twenty or thirty sturdy and large meat racks neatly arranged, with whole, skinned, and processed level-one savage beasts hanging on them. Upon closer inspection, there were several large barrels under the racks, some containing animal hides, others containing animal tendons, blood, and internal organs... Cultivators holding sharp blades stood nearby, waiting for guests to arrive.

Many men and women carrying large baskets were selecting meat from different meat racks. After each selection and some haggling, a cultivator nearby would swiftly cut off the chosen piece with a knife, and the transaction would be completed.

If you want the bones, you can remove them directly.

If a customer wants animal hide, they have to gesture how much it should be, and the monk will quickly cut it open, roll it up, and hand it over.

As for meat, tendons, and internal organs, there's no need to weigh them with a large scale. With a cultivator's control over their strength, they can easily determine the weight with a simple hand gesture, preventing any disputes.

Zhong Cai sighed.

The town is small, but it seems to have a stronger sense of everyday life.

The independent cultivators who roam the mountains and wilderness have a different attitude towards life, which is completely different from the cultivators in the family.

Kunyun City is a large city with a large but not densely populated population. When Zhong Cai went out to shop, he directly chose a shop, and the transaction went smoothly. In both his past and present lives, he had never experienced such a crowded, noisy, yet interesting scene.

Thinking about this, Zhong Cai couldn't help but feel a little sentimental, yet also a little amused.

Wu Shaogan ruffled the back of his head and asked curiously, "What are you looking at and grinning like an idiot?"

Zhong Cai didn't mind, pointed to the densely packed stalls, and said with great interest, "Never experienced this before, have you? Isn't it interesting?"

Wu Shaogan followed and looked over: "..."

I don't think so.

But Wu Shaogan didn't spoil Zhong Cai's fun. Instead, he asked with a smile, "Want to join in the fun?"

Zhong Cai thought for a moment: "A little."

Wu Shaogan then asked, "Do you want to set up a stall or just buy things randomly?"

Zhong Cai pinched his mouth shut and said, "What do you mean by 'buying blindly'?"

Wu Shao chuckled dryly and leaned back, breaking free as he begged for mercy, "I reckon you'd rather set up a stall. After the auction, we can go to the mountains sometime and sell whatever we find, how about that?"

Zhong Cai nodded in satisfaction: "You know me well."

The two chatted briefly for a while, and the carriage gradually drove away.

·

After crossing a street corner, you'll see many inns on both sides of the long street, of all shapes and sizes, and you can tell the difference in environment just by looking at them from the outside.

Bichen, who had been keeping quiet, came to the car window and asked her two masters about their plans for temporary accommodation.

Zhong Cai casually said, "Let's pick the most comfortable place, as long as it's big enough for us to stay in."

Bichen had already reverted to men's clothing, transforming from a charming "girl" into a charming young man, but with a very neat and efficient demeanor. Now, she was also briskly heading to find an inn.

Before long, Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan successfully checked into the best inn in the area.

Zhong Cai was generous; everyone was provided with a room.

However, it was still early, so Zhong Cai said to Wu Shaogan, "Shall we go out for a walk?"

Wu Shaogan raised an eyebrow: "Go to those stalls?"

Zhong Cai shook her head and said, "We'll try out the stalls later, as you said. Let's just go for a walk on the street now."

Wu Shaogan had no objection.

Xiang Lin was to stay by their side to protect them, while Bi Cen and Qiao Hong did not follow. Instead, they stayed at the inn to check what needed to be checked and tidy up what needed to be tidied up.

There were quite a few people in the inn. The group went outside, looking rather ordinary.

·

There are only three streets in the town. The one that Zhong Cai and his group entered by carriage is directly opposite the town gate and is also the most bustling.

After crossing another street, the main street you see is not so crowded anymore.

The shops on both sides are also wider.

As they walked, the two came across a pharmacy, the largest one on the entire street.

A black flag juts out from one corner of the pharmacy, with a few stars painted in the corner as its symbol, giving it a mysterious and magnificent feel.

Zhong Cai looked at the sign, then looked up at the plaque above the shop's entrance, which read "Tianxing Pharmacy" in four large characters.

“I think I saw other shops with this flag just now,” Zhong Cai said thoughtfully. “They should all belong to the same organization.”

Wu Shaogan said, "I remember there's a Tianxing Trading Company in Fengyun City with a logo like this. That trading company is said to be a branch, while the head office is from a second-tier city. They've held many auctions in the past. The one we're going to participate in this time is very likely something they created."

Zhong Cai turned his head and listened to him with great interest.

Wu Shaogan chuckled, “Even as a branch, it’s a top-tier merchant house in Fengyun City. The goods it displays are relatively rare. However, it also has many branches, not only in the city but also extending to nearby counties and towns. These branches mostly sell similar goods, but they are generally quite comprehensive.”

Zhong Cai said confidently, "This is it."

Wu Shaogan nodded with a smile.

Since Zhong Cai was an alchemist, he naturally enjoyed collecting medicinal herbs and couldn't help but peek inside.

Seeing that Zhong Cai was hesitant to move, Wu Shaogan simply pulled him inside.

·

Upon entering, a rich aroma of medicinal herbs wafts towards you.

The pharmacy was managed by an experienced old man who not only purchased all kinds of medicinal herbs but also made accurate recommendations to customers.

Upon seeing someone enter, he did not rush to greet them, but instead flipped through an old book, letting the guest look around as they pleased.

Wu Shaogan accompanied Zhong Cai as they began examining the first medicine cabinet. Upon looking at it, he couldn't help but feel a little dazed.

Although he knew he had learned about many medicinal herbs through Zhong Cai, he was surprised to find that he knew all of the two or three hundred kinds of herbs in this huge medicine cabinet.

Zhong Cai was clearly more familiar with the medicinal herbs and selected them in order.

If he intends to refine the pills as quickly as possible, he will select some of all the medicinal herbs included in the recipe. If he is not in a hurry, he will usually stop after preparing about ten portions.

After more than half an hour, Zhong Cai had selected most of the first-grade medicinal herbs when she suddenly saw something and stopped in her tracks, standing in surprise in front of a sealed medicine cabinet.

Inside the cabinet was a large jade box containing a dozen or so dark-colored medicinal herbs.

Each herb is about three inches long, while the others are only a little over an inch long. Its main stem grows straight upwards, covered with fine, dense hairs, and then branches into three to five leaves. The leaves are narrow and long, with edges as sharp as knives.

Zhong Cai murmured softly, "Soul-Nourishing Grass."

Wu Shaogan had never heard of this kind of grass before, so he tilted his head slightly, waiting for Zhong Cai to explain.

Zhong Cai's expression was somewhat solemn, and her voice was more serious than usual, yet it also revealed a clear hint of joy.

"It's the main ingredient of the Soul Nourishing Pill," he said in a low voice. "I have the formula. If I can refine it, it can nourish the soul."

Wu Shaogan's pupils suddenly contracted!

"...again, because of me?"

Zhong Cai stared at the Soul-Nourishing Grass and said matter-of-factly, "Isn't it normal for me to do this for you? If I wasn't afraid of disappointing you by not being able to find this kind of grass, I would have told you long ago without you even asking."

·

The Soul Nourishing Pill is a type of pill that is said to span from level one to level nine. The level one Soul Nourishing Pill is used for cultivators in the Heavenly Guidance Realm, the level two is used for cultivators in the Palace Opening Realm, and so on.

Zhong Cai only has recipes for Soul Nourishing Pills of levels one to five.

Each level of Soul Nourishing Pill has multiple formulas, with three different formulas for Level 1 alone. The auxiliary ingredients vary, but each has only one main ingredient: Soul Nourishing Grass.

Soul-Nourishing Grass is a first-class precious medicine; when taken raw, it can alleviate spiritual pain to some extent. However, what is actually used in elixirs is its juice, and the amount of juice required varies depending on the specific elixir.

When Wu Shaogan's soul was on the verge of collapse, simply taking the Soul-Nourishing Grass wouldn't have saved him. Even if he took the Soul-Nourishing Pill, the weak connection between his soul and spirit would cause the medicinal effect to dissipate, rendering it almost useless.

However, after he consumed the Soul-Stabilizing Fruit, his three souls and seven spirits were forcibly "bound" together. Although there were still gaps between his souls and spirits, and the holes in his life soul and heavenly soul remained, when he consumed the Soul-Nourishing Pill, the medicinal power could smoothly enter his divine soul to slowly repair the holes—at the same time, it could also strengthen his divine soul. The better his divine soul was nourished, the stronger the attraction between his three souls and seven spirits would be, accelerating the self-adhesion of his souls and spirits and gradually shrinking the gaps.

Zhong Cai had noticed the pill formula long ago, but having lived in Kunyun City for so many years, he had never heard of the Soul Nourishing Pill or the Soul Nourishing Grass. He knew he was young and might be a little ignorant, but since neither the Zhong family's public treasury nor the Wu family's stock of first-grade medicinal herbs contained them, he naturally worried—was there no Soul Nourishing Grass nearby?

If he didn't have it, he wouldn't be able to refine the Soul Nourishing Pill at all, so why bother mentioning it?

But now that he has actually discovered the existence of the Soul-Nourishing Grass, he naturally wants to take credit for it from his buddy!

·

Zhong Cai whispered to Wu Shaogan, "I have some talent. Let's visit all the pharmacies under the Tianxing Trading Company and buy all the Soul Nourishing Herbs. I'll use wood and fire to work harder and refine the best ones for you."

Wu Shaogan's eyes gleamed with an unusual light as he smiled with pleasure: "Okay."

The two continued talking without stopping.

Wu Shaogan followed Zhong Cai, looking through each medicine cabinet one by one, and helped him write down the varieties he wanted to buy.

After finally finishing his selection, Zhong Cai walked up to the old man and greeted him with a smile, "Shopkeeper, please fetch some medicinal herbs."

The old man then put down the medicine book in his hand and said kindly, "Please speak, guest."

Zhong Cai quickly started counting.

"Two hundred plants each of ginger grass and angelica, one hundred plants of thousand-grass grass, one thousand copper fennel seeds, five hundred leaves of gentian yellow, five hundred fruits of cinnamon twig, one hundred flowers of nourishing heart flower, one hundred bundles of ghost-faced hemp, ten branches of three-leaf ginseng... thirty white sage, one thousand plants of nourishing soul grass, one thousand grains of red claw wheat, and two hundred roots of fleeceflower vine."

The old shopkeeper listened with a kind expression and took out various medicinal herbs one by one as Zhong Cai spoke.

The quantity of medicinal herbs was indeed considerable, but for alchemists, purchasing hundreds of doses at a time was commonplace. Some recipes required dozens of doses per batch, and buying more would actually be insufficient.

Just as Zhong Cai finished speaking his last words, the old shopkeeper had already prepared the goods.

Zhong Cai's gaze had been following the old shopkeeper's movements. Now there was no need to count anymore, so she said directly, "Shopkeeper, let's settle the accounts."

The old shopkeeper remained amiable: "The guest can pay 326 gold and 85 silver."

Zhong Cai paid the bill and put away all the medicinal herbs.

The old shopkeeper didn't say much, only saying, "Welcome to come again, guests."

Zhong Cai smiled and nodded at him, then pulled Wu Shaogan out.

The old shopkeeper watched the two leave, pondering slightly.

The young man smelled of medicine, so he must be an alchemist. He bought so many Soul Nourishing Grass, could it be that... he summoned an alchemy furnace with the recipe for Soul Nourishing Pill inside?

If that's the case, we should find out his background and find a way to buy Soul Nourishing Pills.

·

Zhong Cai, having purchased enough Soul-Nourishing Grass, said in a good mood, "Tianxing Trading Company truly lives up to its reputation as a major city; it can produce so many Soul-Nourishing Grass in one go, even in this small place."

Wu Shaogan frowned slightly.

Zhong Cai nudged him: "Old Wu, what are you thinking about?"

Wu Shaogan said, "I feel like something's not right."

Zhong Cai thought for a moment and understood what he meant.

"For those big cities, Soul-Nourishing Grass is nothing, so they probably don't care. There shouldn't be any problem; I didn't sense any malice from him." With that, Zhong Cai climbed onto Wu Shaogan's shoulder and said with a grin, "Oh, don't worry. It's just a formula for a Level One Soul-Nourishing Pill. We can just hand it over. If Tianxing Trading Company really wants to make things difficult for us, even if we include the Wu family, it won't work. Anyway, we're always together."

Zhong Cai spoke jokingly, but she knew exactly what was going on in her mind.

Old Wu, isn't it because he thinks there's no need to buy Soul-Nourishing Grass if it weren't for healing him? If he didn't buy Soul-Nourishing Grass, he wouldn't have met this apothecary owner who seems to have some ulterior motive. That's why he cares so much.

But good friends are loyal, so this little thing is really not worth worrying about.

Wu Shaogan smiled helplessly and said nothing more.

Since the matter originated with him, he will definitely stand in front of the trouble if things really get complicated.

The two continued chatting as they strolled around.

Suddenly, a mocking male voice came from the side.

"I'm not seeing things, am I? Our outstanding, domineering, and powerful... Oh, I almost forgot, it's the young master who's already become a useless piece of trash, yet he still dares to show up?"

·

Zhong Cai immediately raised her eyebrows. Where did this bastard come from? So disgusting!

Wu Shaogan didn't find it strange.

Although he never cared about what others thought of him except for Zhong Cai, there were always a few who would jump in front of him, and he had beaten up far more than just one or two of them.

The shouting sounded familiar, but he couldn't place it.

Neither Zhong Cai nor Wu Shaogan were the type to swallow their anger, so they both looked in that direction.

Across the street, several young men and women were walking together, their clothes flowing in the wind, each with their own unique charm.

The one who made the sarcastic remark was the young man in blue on the right. He was quite good-looking, but his contemptuous expression greatly diminished his attractiveness.

The other men and women looked at each other, their expressions somewhat strange.

·

The young man in blue didn't notice his companion's expression and arrived in front of Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan in the blink of an eye.

The next few paused for a moment, then slowly walked this way.

The young man in blue had a malice in his eyes.

Wu Shaogan's expression slowly changed.

Unlike his lively and cheerful demeanor when facing Zhong Cai, his eyes now held a nonchalant arrogance, as if he didn't care about anyone. His extremely handsome face was devoid of emotion, with only sharp lines revealing a strange coldness.

Seeing this change, Zhong Cai's anger subsided considerably.

Well, his buddy can still put on such a show; it seems he doesn't need to do anything.

The young man in blue was very upset.

The moment he saw Wu Shaogan's appearance, he felt as if he had been pulled back to his past, and he trembled slightly involuntarily. But he quickly became angry and ashamed—Wu Shaogan was a good-for-nothing, how dare he show him such an expression, how dare he look down on him!

·

Wu Shaogan paused for a moment, then casually asked, "And you are?"

Lu Dingxing's face darkened.

Among the few people who finally approached, those who recognized Wu Shaogan paused in their tracks.

Knowing Wu Shaogan was arrogant, Lu Dingxing never expected that his eager attempt to mock him would result in the other party not even remembering him. This was truly...

Wu Shaogan casually added, "Since there's nothing else, I'll take my leave now."

Lu Dingxing was furious and immediately started spouting nonsense.

"I heard you wanted to marry a top-tier Xuan-rank woman from the Zhong family to save your life, but the Zhong family looked down on you and sent you away with a low-rank trash, the one next to you, right? Although he's a low-class male wife, he's still your savior. You should treat him better. When you see an old friend, you shouldn't just ignore him." He then deliberately shouted at Zhong Cai, "That low-rank one over there, you say?"

Zhong Cai curled her lip; this guy really makes a fuss.

A flash of ferocity suddenly appeared in Wu Shaogan's eyes.

The next instant, a fierce gust of wind burst forth, heading straight for Lu Dingxing's face!

Lu Dingxing instinctively dodged and quickly turned his head!

It was extremely dangerous, but I barely managed to avoid it.

Although the strong wind only brushed past Lu Dingxing's side, the place where it hit him felt a sharp pain.

It was a deep red bloodstain, not too shallow, with some flesh faintly exposed.

Then the strong wind subsided, just in time for another young man—Hoven—to catch him.

Hoven looked at the long arrow in his hand, his eyes gleaming.

Behind him stood a tall and handsome young man, whose appearance was only above average, but whose outstanding demeanor made him stand out. Although he did not make any moves and was not very high-profile, anyone who paid attention to him would find him to be quite remarkable.

A hint of surprise flashed in the young man's eyes.

Beside Hoven were two stunningly beautiful women, whose eyebrows were slightly furrowed, clearly indicating that they were not in a good mood.

·

Huo Wen and the others could clearly see that the arrow was shot by Wu Shaogan.

The hard bow was currently held on Wu Shaogan's arm, his face filled with intense killing intent. The bowstring was taut, and the arrow tip on the string gleamed coldly, aimed directly at Lu Dingxing's heart.

Incredibly, Wu Shaogan's arrows can now actually wound Lu Dingxing.

What's even more terrifying is that Lu Dingxing and the others were completely unaware when he fired the arrow.

Lu Dingxing touched his cheek; his hand was covered in blood, making him both ashamed and angry.

The emotions of Hoven and others were very complicated.

Wu Shaogan said coldly, "Although I'm crippled, I still retain the strength of the peak of the Heavenly Guidance Realm. You've only just entered the twelfth level of the Heavenly Guidance Realm. Who gave you the audacity to bully my partner?"

Lu Dingxing blushed furiously: "You—"

Wu Shaogan interrupted him: "It's inconvenient to act in the small town. Since you're indignant, why don't we go outside the town for a talk?"

Lu Dingxing was about to agree, but a girl in a green dress gently tugged at him.

In an instant, Lu Dingxing's mind cleared, and the words stuck in his throat.

Wu Shaogan's aura was terrifying just now, completely suppressing him.

If they were to actually go out and fight, he would be no match for Wu Shaogan.

To lose to such a good-for-nothing would make him a huge joke, someone everyone could kick around.

·

Seeing that Lu Dingxing was timid, Wu Shaogan glanced at him contemptuously, then pulled Zhong Cai away.

Zhong Cai gripped Wu Shaogan's hand tightly, feeling that his body was still tense.

That's true. Although his buddy looks dashing, he's always on guard. If those people behind him make any unusual moves, he can immediately retaliate!

Lu Dingxing stared at the two men's backs, wanting to launch a sneak attack but not daring to, his heart filled with the humiliation and resentment of being insulted.

Hoven paused, intending to ease the awkwardness, but unsure how to begin...

The atmosphere became increasingly awkward.

Lu Dingxing's cowardice was too embarrassing, and he had no face to stay with the others. He simply said, "I have something to do, so I'll take my leave," and turned and left.

He left everyone behind, but none of them chased after him.

The girl in the green dress, Liao Yunfei, and her friend, Tian Xuezhen, exchanged a glance and made their decision.

Huo Wen then turned to the remaining young man, cupped his hands in a gesture of apology, and said apologetically, "Brother Wan, I'm sorry to have disappointed you."

Wan Qingqu said gently, "It was just an accident, Brother Huo, you're too kind."

As they talked, the two of them began to treat Lu Dingxing as a joke.

Then, Hoven politely invited them to dine at a restaurant in town.

·

Behind the screen, Huo Wen poured Wan Qingqu a glass of wine.

Wan Qingqu tentatively inquired, "I am new here and do not know who that person was—"

Huo Wen sighed and said, "That man, named Wu Shaogan, was once the most outstanding prodigy among the dozens of cities around. His talent reached the top level of the Heavenly Grade, and he was enlightened at the seventeenth level. He was incredibly powerful. It's just a pity that he was harmed by someone and ended up in this state."

Wan Qingqu gently stroked his wine cup and did not ask any further questions.

The two girls sitting on the other side leaned against each other, their expressions showing regret.

Honestly, how many women of marriageable age wouldn't want to be with a man like Wu Shaogan? But since there's no hope, it's time to find your own destiny.

Huo Wen brought his fiancée Tian Xuezhen on this trip mainly to introduce Liao Yunfei to potential partners.

·

Liao Yunfei and Tian Xuezhen both come from small families and are good friends.

Tian Xuezhen was chosen as Huo Wen's principal wife because of her superior Xuan-grade aptitude. Liao Yunfei, however, had even higher aptitude, at least at the middle Earth-grade level. Her family simply couldn't afford to support her cultivation, leaving her with no choice but to marry into the family.

Liao Yunfei knew her destiny from a young age and had a clear goal: to marry a man who was excellent in every way.

In this way, she can rely on her husband's family background for her early cultivation, and on him personally for her later cultivation. If she is lucky and develops feelings for her husband, the two can even trust each other and adventure together.

Naturally, Liao Yunfei favored Wu Shaogan the most.

However, Wu Shaogan was aloof and never got close to beautiful women, and her qualifications were actually not enough to match him, so she knew that her hopes were slim.

However, one cannot help but hold onto a sliver of hope.

Later, Wu Shaogan was abruptly dismissed, and all hope was lost. Only then did Liao Yunfei turn her attention to other men.

Lu Dingxing is also of medium rank. He is very attracted to Liao Yunfei's beauty and talent, but Liao Yunfei wants to get to know her better before making a decision. So it is not yet decided.

This time, Lu Dingxing arranged to meet Liao Yunfei through the engaged couple Huo Wen and Tian Xuezhen. Liao Yunfei agreed, and Tian Xuezhen also brought her fiancé along.

·

While hiking in the mountains, Lu Dingxing treated Liao Yunfei very well, and Liao Yunfei also had a good impression of him. Both sides had some intention of getting married. Then the group met Wan Qingqu. After exchanging names, and because Wan Qingqu was really unusual, the group was interested in befriending him, so they simply traveled together for the rest of the trip.

After touring for a while, although the group still did not know the exact origin of Wanqing Canal, they could vaguely tell from his conversation that he came from an extraordinary background, probably from a higher-class city, and of course they were more willing to build a good relationship with him.

After most of the day had passed, the group decided to descend the mountain and spend the night in a nearby town.

None of them expected to encounter Wu Shaogan on the way.

What they didn't expect was that Wu Shaogan showed no signs of dejection or despair. Instead, he remained calm and composed, his every move as before, and his demeanor still outstanding. It was as if he were still the same young master Shaogan who had surpassed all the geniuses and driven them to despair.

·

Liao Yunfei was very glad that she hadn't had time to get engaged to Lu Dingxing yet.

After letting out a soft breath, she whispered in Tian Xuezhen's ear, "If Young Master Dingxing asks you to meet me again in the future, please politely decline on my behalf."

Tian Xuezhen nodded slightly and replied, "Don't worry, I know."

Needless to say, she understood her friend's decision.

Lu Dingxing is too narrow-minded.

He had never had any prior grudges against Wu Shaogan, yet he came to kick him while he was down after Wu Shaogan was dismissed, probably because he harbored resentment for a long time. Not to mention, he even brought up Wu Shaogan's male wife, which was simply despicable and showed a complete lack of magnanimity.

Even if such a person is talented, their future prospects are likely to be very limited.

If Liao Yunfei were only a Xuan-grade, it wouldn't matter; Lu Dingxing's talent could compensate for his lack of character. But since Liao Yunfei's talent is no less than Lu Dingxing's, Lu Dingxing is undoubtedly not a good choice.

Liao Yunfei stopped Lu Dingxing from fighting because she realized that Wu Shaogan's killing intent was genuine; he didn't just want to teach Lu Dingxing a lesson, but to kill him!

Once he leaves the town, Lu Dingxing might really die at the hands of Wu Shaogan.

The Lu family's power was weaker than the Huo family's, and the Huo family was not as powerful as the Wu family, so the Lu family naturally couldn't afford to offend the Wu family.

At that time, Wu Shaogan will have the Wu family as his backer, so nothing will happen. However, the Lu family will definitely think that she is a "femme fatale" - even if Lu Dingxing herself provoked Wu Shaogan, she will still be blamed by the Lu family.

·

On the other side, Huo Wen and Wan Qingqu were also chatting, with Huo Wen formally inviting Wan Qingqu.

"Brother Wan, my wedding with Xuezhen will be in six months. I wonder how long you'll be staying here? Will you have time to come over?"

With an apologetic look in his eyes, Wan Qingqu said, "I am busy with family matters and can only stay for a few days at most before leaving. I am afraid I will not be able to attend your wedding, so I can only offer my congratulations at this time."

Huo Wen smiled and said, "Then thank you very much for your congratulations, Brother Wan."

Upon hearing this, Tian Xuezhen thanked Wan Qingqu as well, and looked at Huo Wen with affection in her eyes.

Hoven's expression was also very gentle.

The couple's relationship was already quite good, and Liao Yunfei was very happy for her friend.

·

Disturbed from their leisure time, Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan returned to the inn.

The two sat side by side against the headboard.

Zhong Cai nudged Wu Shaogan and asked in a low voice, "You really don't recognize those people?"

Wu Shaogan also answered in a low voice, "I really don't know him."

At this moment, Wu Shaogan's anger had not subsided—his being crippled was a given, but no one could mock Zhong Cai.

Zhong Cai didn't care about what had just happened at all. She nudged Wu Shaogan with her head and said with a grin, "That guy was almost driven crazy by you. Did you see his face? If we were at the dinner table right now, I could eat an extra bowl of rice with that look on his face!"

Looking at Zhong Cai's untroubled smile, Wu Shaogan felt a little better, but still a little regretful.

It's a pity that the fellow didn't leave the city with him, otherwise, he would definitely have killed him.

·

Wu Shaogan did not sleep very well that night.

Hearing the person beside him tossing and turning, Zhong Cai thought that his spiritual trauma was acting up and he was experiencing some kind of persistent pain. So he simply pulled the person closer to him and gently patted his back.

He vaguely thought that he still needed to refine the Soul Nourishing Pill as soon as possible...

In the darkness, Wu Shaogan was stunned for a moment.

Then he slowly smiled and finally fell asleep.

·

The next morning, Xiang Lin checked out of the hotel, and the group prepared to leave the small town.

Unexpectedly, just as he stepped out of his room, the young man who had been with Lu Dingxing came out of the other room across the street.

Zhong Cai squinted.

Could it be that someone else has come along to upset his friend?

Wu Shaogan's expression turned slightly cold as he sized up the man.

Seeing their reactions, Wan Qingqu approached and exchanged a few words with them. He then cupped his hands in greeting, introduced himself in a friendly manner, and said, "I heard about Brother Wu's past yesterday, and I felt it was a real pity, so I took the liberty of coming here."

"It is said that many forces in a great state once tried their best to suppress the chosen ones of their rival forces. Many Heavenly Grade and even Immortal Grade individuals were killed as a result, and their companion treasures were destroyed. Later, the governor of another state intervened and stopped this matter. He also found a rare and precious material. As long as it is nurtured in one's soul, when the time is right, it can summon a new companion treasure... The time is too long, and the specifics are no longer known, but this thing does exist."

Zhong Cai pressed on impatiently, "What kind of rare and precious treasure is it?"

Wan Qingqu smiled and said, "Soul, essence, spirit, and heart."

Zhong Cai had never heard of it, but that didn't stop him from having a much better impression of Wanqing Canal. He immediately said, "Thank you."

Wan Qingqu said gently, "I hope this can be of some help to you two."

After that, Wan Qingqu didn't say anything more and went back to his room.

Zhong Cai waved to him, thanking him again from afar.

Wu Shaogan pulled him along and led him downstairs.

Zhong Cai turned back and whispered to Wu Shaogan, "From now on, every time you open a sealed envelope, you have to keep repeating this thing, okay?"

Wu Shaogan chuckled and finally said, "Okay. But don't overwork yourself."

Zhong Cai agreed.

·

The Wanqing Canal project was indeed a spur-of-the-moment decision with a simple purpose: to establish good karma.

·

Young men and women who reach the right age and are willing to marry will not deliberately delay their marriage.

Wan Qingqu and his younger sister Wan Qingyao were the same.

Wanqing Yao people are of superior quality and very interested in their family's business, so they don't plan to get married. Instead, they choose to find a good man to marry into their family—especially if the family is far away or weak.

But she didn't have time to search for it herself, so Wanqingqu had to do it.

While Wan Qingqu was gaining experience in the field, he received a letter from his sister. After thinking it over, he decided that wherever he went, he would first find out which geniuses had the highest aptitude, then observe them and make a judgment.

The reason Wan Qingqu traveled with Huo Wen and the others in the mountains was because he had decided to investigate Lu Dingxing. If Lu was a good match, he could be taken back to marry his sister.

Although Liao Yunfei and Lu Dingxing have already shown some inclination towards each other, as long as nothing is finalized, things can still be worked out.

If this matter succeeds, Wan Qingqu has also figured out a way to compensate Liao Yunfei.

However, things took an unexpected turn. Lu Dingxing was completely unworthy of his sister. He found Wu Shaogan and his male wife more interesting, and quite coincidentally, they ended up staying at the same inn and even bumped into each other...

Wanqingqu provided this information; it was just a matter of saying a few words.

Soul essence and spiritual heart actually come in many different grades, with higher-grade ones being the hardest to find. The worst ones are only level three or four resources, which can help restore a person's aptitude to yellow grade.

Wanqingqu knew nothing more.

But in his opinion, it would be better to have his qualifications restored to some extent than to remain useless forever.

·

Over the next few days, Zhong Cai and his group traveled smoothly, and even when they were looking for a place to rest at night, they did not encounter anyone like Lu Dingxing again.

Gradually, the carriage arrived at the city gate of Fengyun City.

·

Like Kunyun City, Fengyun City does not have an entrance fee.

Their carriage entered the city gate smoothly, and they quickly rented a secluded courtyard with all the necessary facilities.

Qiaohong and Bichen quickly packed up, while Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan chose a popular restaurant to fill their stomachs first.

Zhong Cai called over a shop assistant, placed a gold coin on the table, and said with a smile, "I heard there's an auction here in the next couple of days? We're new here and don't know much about the details, so please tell us about it."

The guy had been doing this kind of explanation work for the past few days, but he usually only received a few silver coins as a reward. This time, he was naturally very happy to receive so much money and immediately started to speak enthusiastically.