Pill Pavilion

The Ghost Bride laughed foolishly.

As she imagined the scene she had described, she couldn't help licking her vivid, fiery-red lips seductively. She looked utterly alluring.

"Heh..."

At that, Zhao Huaian merely gave a cold laugh.

"What? Does this fellow Daoist refuse?"

Hearing Zhao Huaian's cold laugh, the Ghost Bride's smile gradually faded, and her expression turned chilly.

"Humans and ghosts follow different paths, and you still want to suck out my yang essence? What a sweet dream!"

Zhao Huaian shook his head disdainfully, unmoved by the Ghost Bride's alluring figure and peerlessly beautiful face.

"Your strength may be formidable, but I'm no pushover either. I just don't want to waste my trump cards on you. You'd best not chase after me. Otherwise, when we meet again, it'll be the day your soul scatters into nothingness."

Waving a hand, Zhao Huaian gave the Ghost Bride a warning look, then stepped onto a lone boat and drifted away.

Just as the Ghost Bride was about to give chase, mist surged beneath her feet, forming a barrier around her.

The Soul Bewildering Array!

The moment the Ghost Bride had appeared, Zhao Huaian had secretly activated the Soul Bewildering Array's formation disk and discreetly set it up there.

But he hadn't rashly attacked.

The main reason was that it simply wasn't worth it.

After all, the Ghost Bride had no valuable possessions on her. If he wasted too many Spirit Talismans and Elixir Pills just to kill her, that would be a huge loss.

Now that the Soul Bewildering Array was in place,

the Ghost Bride would be trapped inside for at least the time it took an incense stick to burn.

With that much time, Zhao Huaian was sure he would have vanished without a trace.

"A first-tier mid-grade formation?"

Trapped in the Soul Bewildering Array, the Ghost Bride furrowed her brows.

With her current cultivation and strength, she naturally couldn't force her way out in a short time.

For now, she could only watch helplessly as Zhao Huaian left.

Shaking her head helplessly, the Ghost Bride thought of Zhao Huaian's warning and ultimately had no choice but to give up chasing after him.

"What a pity. Such a handsome young man, and he doesn't even know how to enjoy himself..."

Huai'an Water Region.

Greenwood Sect, Outer Sect.

Three days had passed. A travel-worn figure, holding an identity token, passed through the Greenwood Sect's Outer Sect formation barrier.

"Phew... After three days, I've finally made it back to Greenwood Sect."

Back at Greenwood Sect, Zhao Huaian let out a breath of relief, a long-missed smile appearing on his face.

Fortunately, everything had ended without incident.

After using the Soul Bewildering Array to trap the Ghost Bride, Zhao Huaian had encountered no further mishaps along the way and had returned to Greenwood Sect without trouble.

"There's no time to lose. I'd better submit those three missions, collect the rewards, and then go into seclusion to cultivate."

Back at Greenwood Sect, Zhao Huaian murmured to himself as he headed for the Mission Hall.

Mission Hall.

It was the beginning of the month, and people kept streaming in to submit missions.

Zhao Huaian squeezed through the crowd and waited until Lei Yangwen was free before stepping forward.

"I've completed those three missions. Here are the mission proofs. Please take a look, Senior Brother Lei!"

Standing before Lei Yangwen with a smile, Zhao Huaian took out the three mission proofs he had prepared in advance.

"Not bad. You were pretty quick!"

After checking the mission proofs and confirming that everything was in order, Lei Yangwen nodded with a smile.

Zhao Huaian had completed the three missions so quickly. His efficiency was indeed quite good.

As he spoke, Lei Yangwen did some quick calculations and took thirty-seven Low-grade Spirit Stones from beneath the counter.

Handing the Spirit Stones to Zhao Huaian, Lei Yangwen smiled. "Junior Brother Zhao, this is your reward for the missions."

Looking at the reward of just thirty-seven Low-grade Spirit Stones, Zhao Huaian couldn't help shaking his head inwardly.

Too little. Far, far too little!

Compared with his current wealth and what he had spent on these missions, this reward was hardly worth the several days he had put in.

After all, while carrying out the missions, he had used a great many Concealment Talismans and Protective Talismans, as well as Elixir Pills to replenish his Spiritual Energy.

On top of that, most importantly, he had used up two charges of the Soul Bewildering Array's formation disk.

Fortunately, these three missions had earned him three months of peaceful cultivation, and he had also unexpectedly obtained the Storage Bags of Lin Zihao and that Daoist.

Otherwise, with only these mission rewards, wouldn't he have taken a loss big enough to reach his ancestors' graves?

Of course, setting aside the unexpected complications, and judging only by the apparent difficulty of the three missions, thirty-seven Low-grade Spirit Stones was actually quite a generous reward.

But Zhao Huaian said nothing.

He didn't report the mishaps that had occurred during the missions either.

After all, he didn't want to expose his current strength.

Better to avoid trouble when possible. The missions were done, and the reward was what it was. He might as well quietly accept the Spirit Stones.

Without showing anything, he took the Spirit Stones.

After thinking it over, Zhao Huaian's face broke into another broad smile. He took seven of the thirty-seven Low-grade Spirit Stones and discreetly slipped them into Lei Yangwen's hand.

But the Mission Hall was crowded, with eyes everywhere. To be safe, Zhao Huaian chuckled. "By the way, Senior Brother, these are the Spirit Stones I borrowed from you last time. Please count them and see if they're right."

"That's right, that's right!"

Lei Yangwen took the Spirit Stones and paused for a moment before catching on. Laughing heartily, he nodded. "Not one more, not one less. Exactly the seven you borrowed from me last time. Junior Brother Zhao, you keep your word. When you want to take on missions again, remember to come back to your senior brother."

"Of course, of course!"

Zhao Huaian nodded with a smile and slowly walked away beneath Lei Yangwen's approving gaze.

"That kid's pretty quick-witted... He even came up with an excuse to show his appreciation..."

Watching Zhao Huaian walk off, Lei Yangwen murmured to himself, his fondness for Zhao Huaian growing a little.

If everyone were as quick-witted as Zhao Huaian, would he ever have trouble finding takers for the easy missions he'd been stockpiling in the Mission Hall?

After leaving the Mission Hall, Zhao Huaian didn't return to the Residential Area to cultivate right away. Instead, he headed straight for East Street in Greenwood Market.

Unlike West Street, East Street in Greenwood Market wasn't so disorderly. Row upon row of pavilions stood there, and most Outer Disciples passing along the road were at least at the Qi Refining Mid-stage.

Pill Pavilion.

The Pill Pavilion had three floors. People streamed through its entrance, and a faint medicinal fragrance drifted from within.

Zhao Huaian arrived at the entrance of the Pill Pavilion.

Looking at the steady stream of people going in and out, he thought for a moment, then strode inside.

He had built up a decent reserve of wealth by now. He could no longer be so casual about the Elixir Pills he bought specifically to aid his cultivation.

After all, the Elixir Pills sold at the stalls on West Street might be cheaper, but their quality and effects were entirely a matter of luck.

Zhao Huaian had experienced this firsthand after buying many Elixir Pills from the stalls on West Street.

That was precisely why he had decided to buy from the Pill Pavilion on East Street, which specialized in selling Elixir Pills.

After all, the Pill Pavilion had earned a strong reputation and the Greenwood Sect's trust over many years. Its Elixir Pills even came from the Alchemy Hall.

With a reputation like that, its Elixir Pills were naturally trustworthy.