Lottery
The commotion here had already attracted the attention of many people. When everyone witnessed the healing effect with their own eyes, they were instantly excited.
"Is this true? This medicine is too effective!"
"Top-grade elixir! Fifty spirit stones each, practically free!"
"Boss, give me three!"
"Get in line! Everyone, get in line! I was here first!"
Baicaotang, which is usually deserted, was now packed with monks.
Shopkeeper Qian was so busy that he was sweating profusely. In all his time here, he had never seen the business in the store so booming.
Soon, the news spread throughout Luoyun City and spread to the surrounding cities.
"Have you heard? Luoyun Sect's Baicaotang is selling high-grade elixirs!"
"It's more than just top-grade. A friend of mine who was stuck in the middle stage of foundation building for three years took one of their barrier-breaking pills and broke through that very night!"
"My third uncle's old injury was almost completely healed by a top-grade rejuvenation pill!"
For a time, Luoyun Sect's Baicaotang became famous, with queues stretching from one end of the street to the other. The elixirs were in short supply, and the prices were driven up to the sky by scalpers, but there were still people willing to buy them.
In the Luoyun Sect's warehouse, spirit stones were piled up like mountains. Wei Changfeng looked at the numbers in the account book, grinning from ear to ear, and walked with the wind.
The person he invited back was not a supreme elder at all, but a living God of Wealth!
In just half a month, the sky in Luoyun City changed.
Baicaotang is very lively with long queues forming at the door before dawn every day.
"Boss, give me ten top-grade rejuvenation pills! What? Limit purchase to three per person? No, my mercenary group's next mission depends on these!"
"Hurry up! My wife is still waiting for the Qi-nourishing Pill to regulate her body. If you delay me, I will be very anxious!"
"Did you hear about the one-eyed dragon from Black Wind Village who was hacked to pieces by his enemies the day before yesterday, with his intestines spilling out? He was able to hang on to his life thanks to a top-grade rejuvenation pill, and he managed to hold on until the doctor arrived and saved him! This pill is amazing!"
Baicaotang's elixirs became the most talked-about topic among the cultivators in Luoyun City.
The elixirs from Baicaotang are not only amazingly effective but also reasonably priced. This is in contrast to the other two elixir shops in the city, Tianfeng Sect and Qingxia Sect.
In the past, the three shops were in a three-way competition, and each had its own strengths and weaknesses in business.
But now, the business in the "Wandan Pavilion" of Tianfeng Sect and the "Lingcaoxuan" of Qingxia Sect is deserted. Occasionally, there are customers coming in, but they just take a look around and leave.
"It's a mid-grade pill, and the price is ridiculously high. Are you really taking us for a ride?"
Tianfeng Sect, meeting hall.
When Sect Master Li Mingzi heard the words of his dispatched personnel, his face darkened and he slammed his palm on the jade table. "Outrageous! Where did the Luoyun Sect find such a powerful alchemist? In just half a month, he's already taken away 70% of our business!"
Below, Qingxia Sect's leader, Zhao Hou, sat behind him, turning a jade ring in his hand with an equally solemn expression.
He was calmer than Li Mingzi: "Brother Li, please be patient. I have checked. There is a new elder in Luoyun Sect. Her last name is Zhong. The elixir is from her.
Strangely, this person's cultivation seems to be only at the late Jindan stage, and she looks very unfamiliar, so no one knows her origins."
"Late Jindan?" Li Mingzi sneered. "How could an alchemist in the late Jindan stage have such extraordinary abilities? Who would believe it if I told them? That old fox Wei Changfeng must have some hidden tricks up his sleeve."
A gleam flashed in Empress Zhao's eyes. "No matter where she comes from, we can't just sit there and wait for death. Wei Changfeng has made a fortune from these pills. If this continues, within a year, the Luoyun Sect will be far more powerful than our two sects."
"Then according to Brother Zhao, what should we do?" Li Mingzi asked.
The corners of Empress Zhao's mouth curved up. "We've already lost in terms of the quantity and quality of our elixirs. So, why not try a different strategy? Our two sects will join forces and challenge the Luoyun Sect to an alchemy conference."
"Alchemy Conference?"
"That's right." Queen Zhao explained, "We say that true alchemy masters don't compete with these basic elixirs, but with high-grade elixirs.
Each of our three sects will offer a precious treasure as a prize, and then ask the elders of the Eastern Region Dan Pavilion to come and notarize it.
Let's compete. Whoever can refine the highest-grade elixir will be the winner, and the three treasures will belong to him."
Li Mingzi's eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands and said, "Great! The chief alchemists of our two sects have studied the way of alchemy for hundreds of years and are both fifth-grade masters. If we join forces, we may be able to reach the sixth grade.
No matter how powerful the new alchemist from Luoyun Sect is, how powerful can he be? If Wei Changfeng doesn't dare to accept the challenge, then the reputation he has built up in Baicaotang will become a laughing stock. If he accepts the challenge, he will be defeated with full conviction!
Empress Zhao added, "To appear magnanimous, we can propose that there be no restrictions on the level of cultivation or seniority of the contestants. That way, even if Luoyun Sect loses, Wei Changfeng will have nothing to say."
The two smiled at each other.
Three days later, Li Mingzi and Queen Zhao visited Luoyun Sect.
In the main hall of the sect, Wei Changfeng became alarmed after hearing the purpose of the two people's visit.
These two old foxes never come to visit you for no reason. It is true that they are like weasels visiting chickens and have no good intentions.
"Alchemy Conference? This..." Wei Changfeng looked embarrassed and thought quickly in his mind.
Li Mingzi saw this and asked, "Why, Brother Wei, are you scared, or do you not trust the elder Zhong that your sect has just invited?
I've heard that the elder is very skilled at refining pills, so refining high-level pills shouldn't be a problem for him, right?"
Empress Zhao added, "For this discussion, our Qingxia Sect is willing to offer the sect's treasure, the Soul-Nourishing Jade, as a prize."
Li Mingzi followed up with, "My Tianfeng Sect will give you a piece of thousand-year-old black iron."
Their eyes fell on Wei Changfeng, and the meaning was self-evident: it was your turn, Luoyun Sect, to express its stance.
Soul-nourishing jade! Thousand-year-old black iron!
Wei Changfeng was shocked. These two things were priceless treasures. The stakes were huge.
"This matter is of great importance. Let me discuss it with Elder Zhong." Wei Changfeng finally did not dare to make a decision on the spot. He knew very well that the key to this gambling game lay entirely with Zhong Ling.
In Tingyu Pavilion, Zhong Ling was lying on a rocking chair, and Jiuhun had turned into the size of a kitten, napping at her feet.
After hearing what Wei Changfeng said, she didn't even raise her eyelids.
"Alchemy competition?"
Wei Changfeng said anxiously, "Elder Zhong, this is clearly a trap they've set! If we accept the challenge, it will play into their hands. But if we don't, we'll become a laughing stock, and they'll say we can only refine low-level elixirs and are not worthy of being presented."
Zhong Ling asked, "What's the prize?"
Wei Changfeng replied: "The Tianfeng Sect produces the Millennium Black Iron, and the Qingxia Sect produces the Soul-Nourishing Jade."
"Soul-nourishing jade..." Zhong Ling repeated. This thing is actually quite useful.
She sat up from the rocking chair and said casually, "Then let's compete."
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