Luckily, She Was a Female Cultivator...

Lu Ping looked at Little C, silently gave her a thumbs up, and then banished Little C to the sidelines.

Lu Ping honestly chose A.

[You chose A.]

"Fellow Daoist Ning, since the City Lord has honored me with your presence, I, Lu, am naturally extremely honored."

[You said,]

"Tomorrow at noon, I would appreciate it if Fellow Daoist Ning could arrange a quiet place."

[The second day, at noon.]

[A Gathering Immortals Tower Juxianlou.]

[You push the door open and go inside.]

[Two people were already seated in the private room. Ning Junqiu was sitting at the lower end, brewing tea, the steam rising gently.]

Yin Wuqi and Ning Junqiu

[Seated in the main seat is a woman dressed in a dark gold-patterned robe.]

[Her appearance was extremely cold, with a hint of authority in her eyes and brows; her long, slender fingers rested on the edge of the table.]

[Even though she was just sitting there, the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi seemed to converge towards her, carrying a subtle sense of oppression.]

[Lord of the Nü Zhi City, Yin Wuqi.]

Fortunately, she was a female cultivator.

[You've changed your attire today, imitating the refined and scholarly style of Song Fuan; you do possess an undeniable air of dashing charm.]

[Yin Wuqi had only given you a cold glance at first.]

[Friend of Women, in effect.]

[Work from Home, effective.]

[Workwear Thugs, in effect.]

[After Yin Wuqi's gaze fell on you, her fingers, which were resting on the edge of the table, paused slightly, and the subtle but undeniable pressure she exuded inexplicably subsided by seven-tenths.]

"Grandmaster Lu, I have long admired you."

[Yin Wuqi spoke, his voice low and flat.]

"Lord, you flatter me. I am but an ordinary Alchemist, unworthy of the title 'Grandmaster.'"

You sat down opposite her, your expression calm, neither overwhelmed with flattery nor putting on airs.

[This humble yet assertive demeanor, in Yin Wuqi's eyes, only further confirmed his suspicion that you possess a powerful lineage.]

Ning Junqiu then placed two cups of Spirit Tea in front of you and quietly sat down to the side.

"Since you, young friend Lu, are such a straightforward person, I won't beat around the bush."

[Yin Wuqi flicked his wrist, and a Jade Slip was pushed in front of you.]

"Here is a prescription for a Pill Formula called the 'Six Harmonies Void-Nurturing Pill.'"

"I have already gathered two sets of medicinal herbs, and I only lack someone who can start the furnace. I've heard that Young Friend Lu has an extremely high success rate in producing pills. I wonder if you are confident in taking on this task?"

[You did not reply immediately, but instead probed the Jade Slip with your Divine Sense.]

[Reverse Engineering, in effect.]

[The Artisan Spirit is now in effect.]

[Even within the Earth Grade Pills, there are differences between Pills.]

[Common Pills are divided into four grades: low-grade, medium-grade, high-grade, and top-grade, depending on the quality of the medicinal materials, their efficacy, and the refining method; the grade boundaries are clear.]

[Only those above the fourth rank are considered Earth Grade, said to possess the power to seize the very essence of heaven and earth.]

[But at this level, the difference between each grade of Earth Grade Pills is far greater than that between the previous four grades.]

[During this period, you acquired five new Earth Grade- Pills. After careful comparison, you tentatively categorized Pills into three levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced, based on their efficacy and the depth of their Earth Grade principles.]

[The theory of just the third rank of Earth Grade is enough for you to establish a sect in this realm.]

[The Taiyi Origin-Returning Pill can be considered a mid-grade Earth Grade.]

[Your self-developed Spirit-Binding Gauze is only considered a low-grade Earth Grade.]

[As for the high-grade Earth Grade rank, you haven't encountered it yet, so for now you can only deduce it based on alchemy.]

[Although the Taiyi Origin-Returning Pill is commonly used by Integrated Body Great Talent, and its pharmacological properties are relatively pure.]

[This Six Harmonies Void-Nurturing Pill before us involves the harmonization of six kinds of primordial energy from heaven and earth, and is also related to the transformation of Principle. Therefore, the requirements for the balance between the heat and the medicinal properties are even more demanding.]

[Based on your initial deduction, this pill is at least in the mid-grade of the Earth Grade.]

[It's also significantly more difficult to refine than the Taiyi Origin-Returning Pill.]

[Options pop up.]

[A: I readily accepted the order. A powerful Void Refining personally brought double the amount of spirit medicine to my door; I gave them ample face, so I honestly started the furnace to earn some good karma.]

[B: He bluntly stated that this pill was extremely difficult to make, and took the opportunity to bargain.]

[C: He slammed the Jade Slip on the table, tilted his head at a 45-degree angle, and revealed a mixture of indifference, mockery, and nonchalance on his face. "Hasn't Yin City Lord inquired about my rules? I only refine pills for stunning widows! If you wish to open the furnace, you must first dismember your dao companion into eight pieces as a sacrifice to the heavens, then come to Room Number One of Heaven, dressed in mourning clothes and black silk. I am willing to work through the night and personally 'warm the furnace' for the newly widowed City Lord..."]

Wait, how did Little C escape from the cold palace?

Lu Ping gave Little C another thumbs up, then banished Little C to the sidelines once again.

Asking for an exorbitant price, then haggling on the spot.

Whether the other party agrees or not, there's always a chance to profit.

Lu Ping chose B.

[You chose B.]

[You placed the Jade Slip back on the table, neither immediately agreeing nor refusing.]

"Lord, this Six Harmonies Void-Nurturing Pill requires the blending of six medicinal herbs with extreme properties. The slightest mistake could result in an explosion. It's quite difficult."

[Yin Wuqi looked at you, his tone devoid of emotion.]

"If it were just ordinary Pills, I wouldn't have bothered coming to this Gathering Immortals Tower. Young friend Lu, please feel free to speak your request."

[Having requests is easy; what's worrisome is a "master" like you who has no desires or wants.]

[You ran your fingers along the rim of the glass a couple of times, then slowly began to speak,]

"I've recently been working on a Pill Formula to improve the quality of Spirit Roots. All the other auxiliary ingredients are fine, but I'm lacking the Essence of the Five Elements."

"As the city lord knows, such rare items are extremely difficult to come by. Does the city lord have any relevant information to offer?"

[After hearing your request, Yin Wuqi tapped his fingers twice on the table.]

"The Essence of the Five Elements..."

She hesitated for a moment, her gaze deep.

"This kind of thing isn't in the City Lord's Manor's storeroom. However, I do know where to find it."

[You raise your eyes and wait quietly for the next part.]

"As far as I know, the Desire Sea Pavilion once obtained a Water Element Essence. As for whether this item still exists, you will have to confirm it yourself, young friend."

[Options pop up.]

[A: Going with the flow, indicating satisfaction with the information, accepting the alchemy task.]

[B: This implies that Yin Wuqi should level the Desire Sea Pavilion and seize the Water Element Essence as a deposit for alchemy.]

[C: Slams his fist on the table and stands up: "What kind of the Desire Sea Pavilion is this? It doesn't sound like a legitimate organization at all! City Lord, give me three thousand city guards, and I'll go on a crackdown on prostitution tonight, personally arrest that Hua Yunzhen, and seize the Water Element Essence! Tonight, the two of us will interrogate Hua Yunzhen together..."]