The Allure of Power

Guan Qiu waved his hand, and a pile of Spirit Stones flew out of his Storage Bag and neatly stacked on the ground.

These Spirit Stones are slightly larger than common Low-Grade Spirit Stones, and their texture is more crystal clear. The spiritual aura flowing on their surface is so rich that it almost overflows with light.

Under the glow of the lamp in the reception room, they resembled a pile of meticulously polished crystals, refracting a delicate yet bright radiance.

"Young Master, this is the income for the whole year. I exchanged it for Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, a total of eight thousand." Guan Qiu reported with his hands clasped.

The Spiritual Qi concentration of Mid-Grade Spirit Stones far exceeds that of Low-Grade Spirit Stones, and they can even be used directly as pills to aid daily cultivation.

This is why Mid-Grade Spirit Stones are far more precious than Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

Generally speaking, it takes one hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones to exchange for one Mid-Grade Spirit Stone. The exchange rate doesn't fluctuate much, making it a very valuable currency.

Lu Yang nodded, his Spiritual Qi swirled slightly, and a gentle spiritual breeze wafted from his sleeve, lifting up the pile of Spirit Stones on the ground and transforming them into a shimmering stream of light, which was then stored in his Storage Ring.

After collecting the Spirit Stones, he said, "From now on, you only need to hand over 600,000 of your annual income. The remaining 200,000 is yours to use as you see fit, whether it's for expanding the shop or for your own cultivation expenses. It's all up to you."

Guan Qiu was taken aback upon hearing this.

She looked up, her wrinkled face beaming with undisguised joy, and quickly bowed, saying, "Thank you, young master!"

Having finished discussing business matters, Lu Yang turned to Lin Ying beside him and introduced her to Guan Qiu, saying, "Guan Qiu, my dao companion is also an Alchemist. She's been staying at the Lin Household's residence in the Taibai Mountain Range these days. Please guide her in the art of alchemy."

Lu Yang hadn't forgotten that he also had a Beauty Cultivation Plan.

The training task at this stage is quite challenging, requiring Senior Sister Lin to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm, which is not something that can be accomplished overnight.

However, in addition to the stage tasks, there is also a random task: to refine a Supreme-Grade Yellow Dragon Pill.

Lin Ying is capable of completing this task given her current abilities.

She has just obtained a superior-grade Fortune Trait and a mid-grade Fortune Trait, and her alchemy talent is now vastly different from before.

With the personal guidance of Guan Qiu, a peak third-tier Alchemist, the completion speed should be quite fast.

Lin Ying was taken aback at first, then a delighted smile appeared on her face.

She had already secretly resolved to do her best to refine the pills for him as Junior Brother Lu had instructed.

However, she lacked confidence in her alchemy skills and was always worried about letting down her Junior Brother Lu's expectations.

If one could receive guidance from this Deft Hands True Person, the difficulty would be greatly reduced.

After all, this is a peak third-tier Alchemist!

Alchemist of this level would be qualified to be an elder in the Pill Peak of the Golden Rainbow Sword Sect.

At Pill Peak, unless one is a disciple personally instructed by an elder, even an inner disciple would find it almost impossible to receive one-on-one guidance.

Not to mention a mere Qi Refining Realm disciple like her, still struggling in the outer sect.

And now, she can actually receive one-on-one personal guidance from Alchemist of this caliber!

Upon Guan Qiu immediately turned to Lin Ying.

Her gaze lingered on the young mistress's face for a moment, her attitude respectful yet natural, her smile warm yet measured, "If the young mistress is willing to learn, I am naturally willing to impart all my knowledge!"

Lin Ying quickly stood up, clasped her hands in front of her, and respectfully cupped her hands in a respectful bow, saying solemnly, "Then I'll have to trouble Senior Guan Qiu!"

The three people beside Lin Mingyue looked at each other, feeling both envious and excited.

This is equivalent to my Sister Yingying suddenly having a Golden Core Realm master, and without even having to go through the formal apprenticeship ceremony!

My brother-in-law is incredibly good to Sister Yingying!

It's a pity that none of the three of them know how to refine pills, otherwise I would have shamelessly asked my brother-in-law if they could also get a taste of it.

Afterwards, Lu Yang chatted with Guan Qiu for a while.

The Guan Qiu's experiences traveling to various places over the years, including the troubles and difficulties she encountered while running her pharmacy, as well as the various confusions and insights she gained on her cultivation journey.

When Guan Qiu spoke of the past, he spoke slowly, his voice hoarse but very steady, as if describing the lingering sweetness of a pot of aged tea.

Especially regarding questions about cultivation.

Guan Qiu was, after all, a cultivator in the Middle Golden Core, and his knowledge accumulated over four hundred years of cultivation was far from ordinary.

Her casual remark, when it reached Lu Yang and Lin Ying's ears, had a profound and insightful quality, as if it had cleared up some of the previously blurred paths.

Lu Yang's intelligence is now close to ten points, and his comprehension is far beyond that of ordinary people.

Listening to Guan Qiu's explanations, he could often immediately draw inferences from one sentence to another, deriving new insights in several directions.

These insights did not directly translate into an increase in cultivation level, but they all sank into the foundation of Lu Yang's cultivation.

Like a seed buried deep in the soil, it will sprout when it breaks through its limits and comprehends the Principle of heaven and earth, becoming its unique accumulation.

Time slipped by unnoticed, and more than an hour had passed in the blink of an eye.

The night outside the window grew deeper, but the lights in the market remained as bright as day, and the distant sounds of cultivators chatting and laughing, along with the occasional low growls of spirit beasts, could be faintly heard from the streets and alleys.

Guan Qiu suddenly sensed something, lowered his head, took out a communication token, probed it with his Divine Sense, glanced at it, and then looked up and smiled, "Young Master, the Fang Household has prepared a banquet to welcome you. They are asking if you have finished your work."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yang gently placed his teacup back on the table, smiled, and nodded. "Let's go."

Lin Ying silently got up with Lu Yang, and moved lightly to stand beside him.

Lin Mingyue and the other two quickly followed behind the two, their faces full of excitement.

This is a banquet hosted by Golden Core level power!

Even their ancestor, Lin Qiaohua, was not qualified to attend a banquet of this caliber!

And now, these three juniors, who haven't even reached the Foundation Establishment, are able to enter it openly and without any problem.

This was a truly transformative experience, a leap beyond my own social class!

For them, it's something they can brag about for a lifetime!

"The banquet is being held at Wang's Restaurant. The restaurant is right next to our pharmacy, and Fang Xun and his group are currently waiting at the entrance..."

As Guan Qiu led the group downstairs, he introduced Lu Yang to several of the larger forces in Taibai Market.

The most powerful is naturally the Fang Household, which has controlled the market for many years and is deeply entrenched in its power.

Besides the Fang family, there are also branches or headquarters of shops of various sects and Golden Core families in this area.

For example, the Wang family is a Golden Core clan within the Taibai Mountain range, and the restaurant in this market is the headquarters of the Wang family.

The group went down the stairs to the first floor.

The wooden staircase creaked steadily underfoot, and the fragrance of medicinal herbs in the air grew stronger.

There were still many customers in the lobby on the first floor selecting pills at the counter. When they saw Guan Qiu personally accompanying the young master down from upstairs, they all lowered their heads and made way to the side, not daring to block his way.

Lu Yang's gaze swept over the rows of pills displayed on the counter, and he suddenly remembered something. He said, "Guan Qiu, pack a batch of first-tier pills for me later. Prepare more pills for cultivation, and also prepare some for restoring Spiritual Qi, healing injuries, and detoxifying."

Guan Qiu didn't press for details about its purpose, simply nodding and saying, "Yes, young master, I'll arrange it immediately."

Lu Yang thought for a moment and then said, "Also, have someone help me purchase a batch of first- and second-tier talismans from the market, pick out a few high-quality magical Law Artifacts, and prepare some spiritual fruits. Just give them to me tomorrow."

"No problem, young master, please rest assured, I will personally supervise." Guan Qiu repeatedly agreed.

As they spoke, the group had already stepped out of the gate of the Miaoshou Pharmacy.

A night breeze swept over me, carrying the unique lively atmosphere of the market at night.

The glow emanating from the spirit lamp, the aroma of food wafting from the Spirit Cuisine restaurant, and the lingering steam from the tea stalls on the street corner all flowed together on the cobblestone streets.

Fang Xun were standing on the edge of the bluestone steps outside the entrance of Miaoshou Pharmacy, deliberately avoiding the area directly in front of the main gate, seemingly afraid of affecting the pharmacy's business.

Even so, the cultivators who originally intended to enter the medicine shop to buy pills hesitated upon seeing these Golden Core True Person cultivators standing at the entrance, stopping in their tracks and not daring to approach.

When they saw Lu Yang walk out of the door, Fang Xun and the others' eyes lit up almost simultaneously, and they all went forward to greet him.

"Young Master Lu! The banquet is ready, and we hope Young Master Lu will do us the honor of joining us!"

An elderly man with gray hair chuckled, his tone tinged with solicitity.

Lu Yang remembered him; this man had introduced himself before, and was none other than Wang Qing, the patriarch of the Wang Household.

Lu Yang nodded slightly and, surrounded by a group of Golden Core cultivators, walked towards the Wang Family Restaurant next door.

Wang's Restaurant occupies a larger area than Miaoshou Pharmacy. It is also a four-story building with upturned eaves and carved beams and painted rafters, which looks quite exquisite and gorgeous under the lights.

A row of large red lanterns hung under the eaves, their warm red light illuminating the bluestone slabs in front of the door.

Outside the three-zhang-wide gate, a row of maids dressed in blue robes stood respectfully on both sides, their hands folded in front of them, their postures as straight as bamboo.

These maids were all exceptionally beautiful; while not stunningly beautiful, they were all quite pretty and charming.

Even if she doesn't reach the 9-point standard of a beautiful woman, a 7-point standard should be no problem.

In their previous lives, they would all have been considered beauties of the department's most beautiful girls.

The light from the lamp fell on their faces, outlining their soft features.

Upon seeing Lu Yang and his entourage approach, they gracefully bowed in greeting, their clear voices ringing out like water droplets falling onto a plate. "Welcome, Young Master Lu!"

It must be said that the patriarch of the Wang Household truly put his heart into it.

This is certainly quite a grand affair.

He appeared calm and composed, his pace unhurried, but a slight excitement stirred within him.

After all, he was just an ordinary person in his previous life and had never received this level of treatment.

It was pretty much the same in this life before the system awakened.

Only after the system awakened did he have Spirit Stones, Golden Core bodyguards, and the confidence to do so.

Faced with such a grand welcome, it would be a lie to say I was completely unmoved; it's hard not to feel a little smug.

That's probably the allure of power.

Just then, Lu Yang suddenly noticed that Lin Ying's grip on his arm tightened.

He turned his head and saw Lin Ying secretly observing the maids in green, her gaze sweeping over their faces one by one, her lips slightly pursed, her eyelashes trembling slightly, as if she were confirming something.

A barely perceptible hint of tension flashed in those gentle eyes.

Lu Yang couldn't help but chuckle and gently squeezed her palm.

Lin Ying's body trembled, as if something had been caught on her mind. She quickly lowered her head, her ears turning bright red, and dared not look at her again.

Led by Wang Qing, the patriarch of the Wang Household, the group stepped into the lobby of the restaurant.

The main hall was brightly lit, and the white jade bricks on the floor were as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the glass lamps hanging overhead.

The air was filled with the rich aroma of cooked Spirit Cuisine and the mellow taste of spiritual wine, making one's mouth water.

"The fourth floor is not open to the public on weekdays." Wang Qing led the way while turning to Lu Yang to explain, with a somewhat ingratiating smile on her face.

"We only open the banquet hall on the fourth floor for internal Wang Household banquets or when receiving visitors from powerful figures. Today, as Young Master Lu arrives, our Wang Household has naturally prepared a banquet of the highest standard to welcome him. Although this may not be much to Young Master Lu, it is a token of our goodwill, and we hope that Young Master Lu will not find it inappropriate."

Fang Xun nearby would occasionally add a comment or two, their tone full of obsequiousness.

The monks and servants who were dining in the restaurant's main hall fell silent.

Some people paused for a long time without putting their chopsticks in their mouths, while others held their wine glasses in mid-air and forgot to put them down.

They watched as the group of high-ranking Golden Core True Person escorted a young master as they slowly passed by, exchanging surprised and uncertain glances, not daring to breathe loudly.

The scene of the flying boats and the group of Golden Core cultivators welcoming us at dusk is still vivid in my mind.

They didn't even dare to dream of how powerful this young master was.

At this moment, they didn't even dare to look directly at the young man's face. Only after the group had passed did they dare to secretly raise their eyelids to catch a glimpse of the last wisp of clothing disappearing around the corner of the stairs.