"True enough. You chose to become a Rogue Cultivator, so in the early stages, you'll need all sorts of things from the secular world. In the future, whether it's fitness equipment for cultivation, places to cultivate, or medicinal herbs that ordinary people can buy, you'll need vast amounts of secular wealth. Wealth, companions, methods, and places—the word 'wealth' comes first." Medicine Master laughed heartily. Of course, the "wealth" he spoke of wasn't ordinary money. It referred more to the heavenly treasures, earthly treasures, precious medicinal herbs, high-grade pills, divine weapons, magical treasures, and the like that cultivators used among themselves.
"I don't know what kind of income the others in the group have, but I can teach you a few ways to make money. In any case, secular wealth has already become optional to me." Medicine Master smiled. "Wait until you successfully achieve Foundation Establishment. Then I'll teach you how to refine several kinds of medicinal liquids that are useless to cultivators but highly useful to ordinary people. By then, I'll take you along to show off—ah, no, I mean, I'll take you along to make money and let you soar."
Song Shuhang's eyes lit up at once.
"Then, Senior, is there anything I need to help you with?" Shuhang knew the group's customs: there was no reward without effort. Even when Northern River's Loose Cultivator had wanted to give him a Foundation Establishment technique yesterday, it had been a "prepayment."
"Haha, Little Friend Shuhang, have you already gotten used to the trading practices of the Nine Provinces Number One Group?" Medicine Master laughed. "Speaking of which, when I established this channel for making money back then, it wasn't mainly for wealth. More importantly, I wanted to obtain twenty special deep-sea medicinal herbs from the other party every 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 every year and trading with the other party. At that time, just give me twenty kinds of medicinal herbs and forty percent of the secular wealth you receive from them each year. The remaining sixty percent will count as your remuneration for me hiring you. As for the specific arrangements, we'll talk about them after you successfully achieve Foundation Establishment."
Song Shuhang had no idea how much secular wealth the sixty percent mentioned by Medicine Master amounted to, but he readily agreed to Medicine Master's terms.
The two chatted as they walked.
Before long, they arrived once again at the alley in Great Fortune District where Mr. Song had heroically saved a beauty yesterday.
"Hm?" Medicine Master suddenly stopped.
Then he abruptly turned his head and stared deep into the back of the alley. His gaze was as sharp as a sword, capable of piercing straight through the human soul!
"What's wrong, Senior?" Song Shuhang asked in confusion.
A moment later, Medicine Master turned back and smiled. "Nothing. Just some annoying tagalongs. Every time I go out, someone always likes to send some juniors to follow behind me. Either they want to find an opportunity to come over and curry favor, hoping I'll help them refine some pills, or they want to see whether I'm going out to search for precious medicinal herbs, hoping to pick up some scraps from me. Precisely because those foolish fellows are so annoying, whenever I find a place where medicinal herbs can be dug up, I transplant even the most ordinary Morning Dew Mystic Herb. I won't leave them a single hair!"
So Medicine Master was basically a human treasure-finding device? He always managed to find places with medicinal herbs?
Otherwise, why would anyone specifically follow him around hoping to pick up scraps?
And Medicine Master clearly held an enormous grudge against those tagalongs.
Deep in the alley, a figure leaned weakly against the wall. His trembling hands pulled out a cigarette and silently lit it. Then he revealed his trademark bitter smile—a smile so bitter that even from a hundred miles away, one could still feel its bitterness.
It was precisely the Altar Master whose life story could be written into a tragedy.
"What terrifying pressure. This is already the suppression brought about by the gap in true qi quality."
The instant Medicine Master glared at him, he had felt as though he had nearly died.
The Altar Master had followed Song Shuhang's trail to the Jiangnan Region. He wanted to obtain a Spirit Ghost. Song Shuhang and Soft Feather each had one Spirit Ghost.
But he could forget about the one Soft Feather had.
That girl had traveled thousands of miles to take the Spirit Ghost away and was determined to get it. Moreover, she was powerful and wealthy. The Altar Master believed that even if he knelt down and offered up his entire fortune, she wouldn't give it a second glance. Obtaining the Spirit Ghost from her was completely impossible.
As for forcibly snatching it head-on? The Altar Master had never even considered that. He felt that even if ten of him attacked together, they still wouldn't be enough for that girl to pummel into the ground.
On the other hand, that unfathomable "Senior Song" didn't seem to care much about the Spirit Ghost. Back then, he had only accepted it after Soft Feather had requested it three times. Perhaps this "Senior Song" was so powerful that he looked down on Spirit Ghosts. If so, perhaps he really had a chance to exchange for it!
The Altar Master held onto a sliver of hope and secretly sent people to follow Song Shuhang.
He also instructed his subordinates to gather as much information as possible on "Senior Song," to see whether this senior needed anything. That way, he could cater to his preferences and exchange for the Spirit Ghost.
A day later, "Senior Song's" personal information was quickly delivered into the Altar Master's hands.
Song Shuhang, male, eighteen years old. A freshman in Class 43, Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Mechanical Design and Manufacturing, Jiangnan University. Graduated from Linluo No. 1 Middle School.
Currently residing in Jiangnan University Town.
An utterly ordinary young man. His personal information also noted that he had no negative records and was a good student who enjoyed helping others.
When the Altar Master saw the information of the unfathomable "Senior Song," he was completely dumbfounded.
Had he read it wrong? Was he seeing things? Was this really the profile of a "cultivator," rather than that of an ordinary male university student?
"Is this information fake?" That was the first thought that surfaced in his mind.
He stared at the information for more than half a day. In the two-inch photograph on the profile, the young man wore a gentle smile. There was absolutely no mistake—he was definitely that "Senior Song."
The Altar Master held the profile in his hands and spaced out.
His mind was in turmoil, with a thousand thoughts surging up one after another.
In the end, he chose to personally follow Song Shuhang.
He had to confirm whether his subordinate's intelligence was mistaken—was Song Shuhang a powerful cultivator or a mortal?
If this "Senior Song" really was only a mortal, retrieving the Spirit Ghost would be as easy as turning over his hand!
At the time, the Altar Master swore a vicious oath in his heart: if this Song Shuhang really was a mortal, he would definitely tear out his tendons and skin him, then extract his soul and refine it into a resentful ghost! Only then could he vent the hatred caused by being frightened 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 traveling together with a trendy-looking non-mainstream young man.
He followed them extremely carefully, doing his best to conceal his aura. After all, before confirming whether Song Shuhang was a powerful senior or a mortal, he needed to be cautious.
He felt that he had hidden himself quite well, because Song Shuhang and the non-mainstream young man had never noticed him.
I'll observe this Song Shuhang for a few days, then find an opportunity to make a move and test him, to see whether he's a cultivator or a mortal! That was what he thought.
However, just as he was feeling pleased with himself over how well he had hidden, the non-mainstream young man walking beside Song Shuhang turned around and glanced at him.
Those heavily smoky eyes were actually as sharp as swords! That gaze was like a soaring eagle from the clouds looking down arrogantly at a flock of fat quails in the grass.
It was also like an ancient demon god, grinning viciously as it looked down upon ants between its fingers.
Super terrifying! Just what kind of divine being was this?
The Altar Master had always been timid and cautious. People like him grew more cautious and more cowardly the longer they lived.
He was scared out of his wits.
Only after finishing one cigarette did the Altar Master's trembling hands slowly calm down.
No matter how frightened he was, he still had to face what needed facing.
After forcefully crushing out the cigarette butt, the Altar Master compelled himself to calm down. "This time, as long as I retrieve the Spirit Ghost, I'll return to my old home in the extreme north and cultivate properly."
But first, he would wait until Song Shuhang and that terrifying non-mainstream young man separated before acting when an opportunity arose.
Acting when an opportunity arose again...
Before you continue