The Terrified Altar Master

"That's right. Since you've chosen the path of a rogue cultivator, you'll need many things from the mortal world in your early stages. Whether it's training equipment, cultivation spots, or medicinal herbs readily available to ordinary people, you'll need a lot of mortal currency. Wealth, partners, dharma, and land – wealth is listed first," said Pharmacist with a hearty laugh. Of course, the 'wealth' he spoke of wasn't ordinary money. It referred more to heavenly treasures, precious medicinal herbs, high-quality pills, and divine weapons commonly used among cultivators.

"I don't know how the others in the group earn their money, but I can teach you some of my methods for acquiring wealth. Anyway, mortal currency is already superfluous to me," Pharmacist chuckled. "Once you successfully reach the Foundation Establishment stage, I'll teach you how to refine a few medicinal liquids that are useless to cultivators but very useful to ordinary people. Then, I'll take you to show off, oh no, I mean, I'll take you to make money and fly."

Song Shuhang's eyes immediately lit up.

"Then, Senior, is there anything I need to help you with?" Shuhang knew the group's custom: there's no reward without effort. Even when Northern River Loose Cultivator wanted to gift him a Foundation Establishment cultivation method yesterday, it was an 'advance payment.'

"Haha, little friend Shuhang, you've already gotten used to the trading methods of the Nine Provinces Number One Group so quickly?" Pharmacist laughed. "Speaking of which, when I established this channel for making money, it wasn't primarily for wealth, but rather to obtain twenty kinds of special deep-sea medicinal herbs from them each year. How about this… after some time, I'll teach you how to refine an interesting medicinal liquid. Then, you'll be responsible for refining some to trade with them annually. In return, you'll give me forty percent of the medicinal herbs and mortal currency obtained from them each year. The remaining sixty percent of the currency will be my payment for hiring you. As for the specific operational details, we'll discuss them after you successfully reach Foundation Establishment."

Song Shuhang didn't know how much the sixty percent mortal currency Pharmacist mentioned was, but he readily agreed to Pharmacist's request.

The two walked and talked.

Soon, they arrived at the alley on Daji Street where Song had heroically saved the damsel yesterday.

"Hmm?" Pharmacist suddenly stopped.

Then, he abruptly turned his head and stared into the depths of the alley, his gaze sharp as a sword, capable of piercing one's soul!

"What's wrong, Senior?" Song Shuhang asked, confused.

A moment later, Pharmacist turned back with a smile. "It's nothing, just some annoying followers. Whenever I go out, there are always people who send their juniors to trail behind me. Either they want to find an opportunity to get close and ask me to refine some pills, or they want to see if I'm out searching for precious medicinal herbs, hoping to pick up some bargains from me. Because these foolish people are so bothersome, now, whenever I find a place to dig for herbs, I even transplant the most common Morning Dew Mysterious Grass, leaving them not even a single strand!"

So, Senior Pharmacist was a human treasure detector? He always found places with medicinal herbs?

Otherwise, why would people specifically follow him to pick up bargains?

And Pharmacist clearly harbored great resentment towards these followers.

Deep in the alley, a figure leaned weakly against the wall, his hands trembling as he pulled out a cigarette and lit it. He then put on a signature bitter smile – a smile that made one feel the bitterness even from a hundred miles away.

It was the sect leader whose life experiences could be written into a tragic novel.

"What a terrifying aura. This is already the pressure brought by the disparity in true temperament."

The moment Pharmacist glared at him, he felt as if he had almost died.

The sect leader had tracked Song Shuhang to the Jiangnan Region. He wanted to obtain the Spirit Ghost. Both Song Shuhang and Yurouzi had one Spirit Ghost each.

However, the one on Yurouzi was out of the question.

That young lady had traveled a long distance to take the Spirit Ghost and was determined to get it. Moreover, she was powerful and wealthy. The sect leader felt that even if he knelt and offered all his possessions, she wouldn't even glance at him. Obtaining the Spirit Ghost from her was simply impossible.

As for snatching it by force? The sect leader hadn't even considered this idea. He felt that even ten of him together wouldn't be enough for her to beat them up.

On the other hand, the inscrutable 'Senior Song' seemed indifferent to the Spirit Ghost. He had only accepted it at Yurouzi's persistent request. Perhaps this 'Senior Song' was powerful and disdained the Spirit Ghost. If so, perhaps he truly had a chance to get the Spirit Ghost back!

With a sliver of hope in his heart, the sect leader secretly sent people to follow Song Shuhang.

He instructed his subordinates to collect as much intelligence on 'Senior Song' as possible, to see if this senior had anything he needed, so he could cater to his tastes and get the Spirit Ghost back.

A day later, 'Senior Song's' personal information was quickly delivered to the sect leader by his subordinate.

Song Shuhang, male, 18 years old. A freshman in Class 43, Department 19, School of Mechanical Design and Manufacturing, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangnan University. Graduated from Linluo First Middle School.

Currently residing in Jiangnan University Town.

An ordinary young man. The personal information also noted that he had no negative records and was a helpful, good student.

When the sect leader saw the information on the inscrutable 'Senior Song,' he was utterly stunned.

Had he misread? Was his eyesight failing? Was this information truly for a 'cultivator,' not an ordinary human college student?

"Is this information fake?" That was the first thought that came to his mind.

He stared at the information for a good half-day. In the two-inch photo on the profile, the young man wore a gentle smile – it was undoubtedly that 'Senior Song.'

The sect leader held the information, lost in thought.

His mind was in turmoil, with thousands of thoughts surfacing.

Ultimately, he decided to follow Song Shuhang himself.

He wanted to confirm if his subordinate's intelligence was accurate – was Song Shuhang a powerful cultivator or a mortal?

If this 'Senior Song' was truly just a mortal, retrieving the Spirit Ghost would be as easy as flipping his hand!

At that moment, the sect leader made a fierce vow in his heart: if this Song Shuhang was truly a mortal, he would definitely skin him alive, tear out his soul, and refine him into a vengeful ghost! Only then could he quell the hatred he had felt from being terrified for several days.

And so… he personally rushed to Jiangnan University Town.

When he arrived in the Jiangnan Region, he happened to see Song Shuhang walking with a trendy, emo-styled man.

He followed cautiously, trying his best to conceal his aura. After all, before he could determine

It was like an ancient demon god, sneering down at the ants between its fingers.

Terrifying. Who in the world was this?

The Altar Master was naturally a timid and cautious person. The longer someone like him lived, the more cautious and timid he became.

He was utterly terrified.

After finishing his cigarette, the Altar Master's trembling hands slowly calmed down.

No matter how scared he was, he still had to face what he had to face.

He forcefully stubbed out the cigarette butt and forced himself to calm down. "As long as I find Spirit Ghost this time, I'll return to my hometown in the far north to cultivate properly."

However, he'd wait until Song Shuhang separated from that terrifying, flashy guy before seizing an opportunity.

"Seizing an opportunity" again...