Qin Gengyun gave a bitter smile, "But mortals can’t survive at all."
Qiu Zhihe fell silent, rembering the mortals she saw at the foot of the mountain during her ti at the Cyan Lotus Sect, who were often devoured by demonic beasts, killed by bandits, or even wiped out casually by cultivators in a bad mood.
No matter whether it was in the Eastern Cultivator, West Imperial, or South Demon territories, mortals were nothing but ants.
As for the "low-tier loose cultivators" Qin Gengyun ntioned, Qiu Zhihe had never experienced it firsthand, because from birth she had been incredibly gifted and was soon designated as the Saintess of the Cyan Lotus Sect.
She had never been in contact with low-tier cultivators like Qin Gengyun.
If it weren’t for being severely injured and her cultivation completely wasted, she would never have intersected with such a life beneath the dust, except for relying on dual cultivation to restore her strength.
Qiu Zhihe suddenly realized that despite having had several dual cultivation sessions with Qin Gengyun, sharing bed and pillow, there remained a vast chasm between them.
She looked down at the gold-embroidered silk dress with array patterns she wore, sothing she wouldn’t have glanced at twice in the past.
Yet this was the most expensive item Qin Gengyun had ever bought.
Specially bought for her.
Should I try to understand him more?
"Taoist Friend Qiu, Taoist Friend Qiu, what’s wrong?"
Qin Gengyun’s concerned voice rang in her ears, "I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have talked about this with you."
Qiu Zhihe raised her head and took out five stalks of Blood Coagulation Grass from her bosom, speaking softly:
"The remaining Blood Coagulation Grass, along with the Heart Firming Grass and Jade Spirit Flower, I will give them to you progressively. Taoist Friend Mo will need them within seven days. Are you not hurrying?"
Qin Gengyun took the Blood Coagulation Grass, hurriedly standing up, "Taoist Friend Qiu’s reminder is right. I’ll start the alchemy right away!"
Finished speaking, he entered the kitchen, quickly cleaned the Pill Furnace, ignited the Pill Fire, sat down cross-legged but didn’t imdiately start alchemy as thoughts flooded his mind.
In recent days, he gained a Golden Finger and married a wise and capable wife.
He also encountered the opportunity for the Northern Wilderness Trial, earning a fortune he previously wouldn’t have dared dream of!
At this point, he could already leave the Spirit Pill Workshop, rent a big house, and focus on studying the Alchemy Dao.
However, now he must remain low-key, not daring to even sell Pills at the Pill Talisman Tower.
Because if he stands out too much and the Pavilion Master discovers he’s the one who disrupted the Pavilion Master’s big business, it will be dangerous for him.
At best, he would lose all his Spirit Stones, at worst, lose his life.
The cultivation world is ultimately survival of the fittest; if you are weaker than others, you can only be prey.
So, the goal now is to quickly advance to Qi Cultivation Fourth-Layer.
That way he would be equal in cultivation level to the Pavilion Master, and even if the Clear Wind Powder incident were traced back to him, he would have enough capability to handle it.
Regarding how to enhance cultivation, one way is dual cultivation, putting all cultivation points into "Cultivation" until reaching Qi Cultivation Fourth-Layer.
The second way is self-cultivation.
This path had originally been blocked by Pill Poison, but if he could refine a high-grade Yuqing Pill, there might be hope to temporarily suppress Pill Poison and reopen the self-cultivation path.
Then he could even buy dozens of Spirit Marrow pieces from the Immortal Treasure Tower to accelerate cultivation speed, progressing with both dual and self-cultivation simultaneously to advance to Fourth Tier quickly.
This Spirit Marrow is a spiritual treasure from the Northern Wilderness mountains; inhaling a piece while cultivating can multiply cultivation speed.
Many treasure hunting teams venture to the Northern Wilderness to search for treasures, with Spirit Marrow being the most collected item.
However, Spirit Marrow mostly grows in extrely perilous places; there’s an expression, each piece of Spirit Marrow is stained with the blood of treasure-seeking cultivators.
Thus the price of Spirit Marrow is exceedingly high; even a thumb-sized piece costs ten Spirit Stones, which ordinary cultivators can hardly afford.
With seven hundred Spirit Stones in his possession now, Qin Gengyun naturally has the ans to purchase Spirit Marrow.
What needs to be done now is to complete the sixty Spirit Pills for Taoist Friend Mo while attempting to use Yuqing Pill to suppress the Pill Poison inside.
Determined, Qin Gengyun began refining the Blood Coagulation Pill.
In the outer room.
Qiu Zhihe sat silently at the table, a hint of icy coldness appeared on her face.
Master, the trap you set on Celestial Ridge Mountain has finally caught soone!
But, I wonder who Zhenyang Sect will send to die?
Will any of my enemies who surrounded my master and back then be among them?
Qiu Zhihe lowered her head thoughtfully, considering how to gather more information?
Suddenly, she rembered hearing from several junior fellow disciples who liked to venture out that in places where low-tier cultivators gathered, if you want to discuss which places have the most well-inford news, it would be the rchants’ locations or pleasure quarters.
Qiu Zhihe’s eyes glead, her lips curled into a cold smile; the dog she just acquired does have its uses after all.
...
Two hours later.
Inside the kitchen, sitting cross-legged before the Pill Furnace, Qin Gengyun sighed.
For so reason today, the alchemy efficiency was extrely low; he had expected to produce at least two Blood Coagulation Pills in just two hours, but today he only made one.
Wastefully using up a whole stalk of Blood Coagulation Grass.
Qin Gengyun felt a pang of heartache.
This was painstakingly nurtured by my wife, and upon being refined into Blood Coagulation Pills, it could earn six Spirit Stones!
During alchemy, Qin Gengyun’s mind was flooded with thoughts, finally lingering on the comparison between one stick of incense and thirty-five breaths.
This seed to have beco his Heart Demon.
Unless he finds a way to verify and prove his true ability, this Heart Demon will likely follow him perpetually.
Indeed, n care most about such matters.
After spending another two hours, Qin Gengyun struggled to produce a second Blood Coagulation Pill, utterly exhausted, upon leaving the kitchen, he found Qiu Zhihe already asleep.
He quietly got into bed and fell asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow.
At the hour of 3 a.m.
Even cultivators are in their deepest sleep.
In the room on the right side of Qin Gengyun’s.
"Ah, ah! Senior, I’m coming, please withdraw your mana!"
A man cultivator with a wretched appearance woke up screaming, trembling as he dressed and clutching his chest staggered out the door.
Braving the biting cold wind of the winter night, he finally arrived at Willow Smoke Lane, and indeed saw the tall, fiery red figure.
Under normal circumstances, with such a curvaceous female cultivator, ng Yu might have approached to flirt, but facing this senior, he didn’t dare take another look, dropping to his knees with a thud:
"Senior, what are your orders, please let know, this humble one will definitely get it done!"
The red-haired female cultivator’s voice was distant and cold, "Go to Yihong House, and help inquire about Northern Wilderness Celestial Ridge Mountain."
ng Yu was startled, quickly responding, "Senior, my Spirit Stones are already spent, and Yihong House won’t let in. Moreover, my lifeline is severed, how can I go again?"
The red-haired female cultivator coldly replied, "That’s your problem; if you can’t accomplish it, you’ll await your ridians to sever completely and die."
ng Yu was utterly shocked, knocking his head repeatedly, "Senior, I-I have a solution, if I work as a pimp at Yihong House, then I’ll be able to stay inside all day, helping you gather news."
He looked up, only to find no one was there anymore, he hurriedly shouted:
"Farewell, Senior! Rest assured, I’ll go tomorrow to work as a pimp!"
...
The next day.
Qin Gengyun arrived at the Spirit Pill Workshop, still in a muddled state.
Once a cultivator has a Heart Demon, their cultivation might stagnate at any mont, and at worst, it could lead to qi deviation and a blast that kills them.
Only Qin Gengyun had never thought his Heart Demon would be over sothing like duration and timing.
Nearby ca the voices of Wang Ping and Xu Li:
"I heard the courtesan from Zhenyang City is going to sell her first night, Taoist Friend Xu, how about you and I invest together and get that courtesan?"
"Taoist Friend Wang, can you afford fifty Spirit Stones?"
"Well..."
Qin Gengyun’s heart stirred, asking the two of them:
"The courtesan is actually having her first ti?"
Wang Ping nodded, "This courtesan has always been selling skills not herself; it’s unknown why she intends to break precedents this ti here in Yunling Town."
Xu Li looked longing, "Taoist Friend Qin, don’t mind the cost of fifty Spirit Stones, but this courtesan is truly talented and beautiful, extraordinary in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, performing arts, and singing, those who buy her first night can privately enter her boudoir alone, unless the guest agrees, Yihong House absolutely won’t disclose the guest’s information."
Qin Gengyun didn’t say more, quietly slacking.
His shift was supposed to end at 5 p.m., but today Qin Gengyun applied for early leave at 3 p.m.
He arrived at Yihong House, his heart gradually racing.
The thod to resolve his Heart Demon, might just be found within this Yihong House.
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