First Meeting with Xiao Yi Xian

"Young master, your visit to Wanyao Pavilion is an honor that makes our humble establishment shine!"

"May I ask if you're here to buy medicinal ingredients, or to see Mr. Yao?"

"Oh? You know who I am?"

Xiao Ling looked at the pure-and-sensual maid approaching him in surprise.

"You jest, young master. Is there anyone in Qingshan Town who doesn't know you now?"

A young woman in a tight green dress walked toward him. Her figure was still youthful but already alluring, and she had a face that was both innocent and seductive. When she reached him, she dipped into a slight curtsy and smiled sweetly.

At that, Xiao Ling thought it over briefly and understood what had happened. He waved to the maid with a smile.

"I'd like to buy a Third-tier Wood-attribute Magic Core, a thirty-year-old Red Blood Spirit Ginseng, a twenty-year-old Earth Poria Root, a twenty-year-old Ice Heart Grass, a Thousand Vine Earth Lotus Seed, and a Dew Condensing Flower."

"May I ask if Wanyao Pavilion has these medicinal ingredients?"

"Um... young master, are you an Alchemist too?"

The pure-and-sensual young woman asked in surprise, her mouth falling open.

Xiao Ling had already prepared an explanation. He waved his hand and said with a wry smile, "I'm no Alchemist. My master asked me to buy these."

At that, the young woman finally breathed a sigh of relief. With such a monstrous talent for Dou Qi, if he were also a Third-grade Alchemist, he'd be downright heaven-defying.

Fortunately, the heavens were still fair...

"Young master, please wait a moment. I'll go check with the storeroom."

"Sure. Sorry for the trouble."

Xiao Ling nodded with a smile.

He then looked around Wanyao Pavilion. But as soon as he turned his head, he saw the mercenaries watching him respectfully. When they noticed him looking, they all put on ingratiating smiles. Xiao Ling smiled back, not wanting to seem too aloof.

The burly mercenaries began wondering how they might win over the young prodigy.

After all, his master was at least a Third-grade Alchemist—a major figure with no equal in all of Qingshan Town.

Xiao Ling had no idea what the others were thinking. He was busy studying the medicinal ingredients in the surrounding display cases, hoping to find a rare herb.

But perhaps he'd used up all his good luck. He scanned the cases and found nothing worthwhile, and couldn't help shaking his head in disappointment.

Just then, the pure-and-sensual young woman returned with three wooden boxes in her hands. She came up to Xiao Ling and smiled.

"Young master, these are the medicinal ingredients you asked for. I checked, and we only have the second-grade Dew Condensing Flower, third-grade Thousand Vine Earth Lotus Seed, and second-grade Ice Heart Grass. Together, they come to eighty-one thousand gold coins. Mr. Yao said you can forget the extra thousand, so you only need to pay eighty thousand."

A trace of disappointment crossed Xiao Ling's eyes. He counted out eighty-one thousand gold coins, handed them over, and smiled.

"Keep the extra as a tip."

"This..."

The pure-and-sensual young woman hesitated, but then a voice came from behind her.

"If Young Master Ling gave it to you, go ahead and take it."

"Yes, Mr. Yao." The young woman cupped her hands toward the person behind her, then turned to the white-robed youth before her and curtsied. "Wan'er thanks you, young master."

Xiao Ling put away the medicinal ingredients and studied the middle-aged man in a plain white robe. He nodded slightly, then turned to leave.

Just then, a gentle voice called out.

"Young master, if you need it urgently, I saw what might have been a third-grade Earth Poria Root when I was gathering herbs last time. But I'll need you to wait a little."

Xiao Ling stopped and turned toward the white-robed little angel standing on a short stool. A flicker of surprise passed through his eyes before he smiled and nodded.

"Sure."

The mercenaries waiting in line brightened. They bowed to the two of them and said, "Young Master Ling, Xiao Yi Xian, we just remembered we have something to take care of. We'll head back first. We can bandage these minor wounds ourselves."

Xiao Yi Xian: "Huh?"

She stared blankly at the mercenaries leaving, at a loss for words. This was her first time seeing just how much strength mattered.

"Um, Young Master Ling, I just remembered I have something to take care of too, so I'll take my leave. Another day, I'll—"

"Sure. Take care, Mr. Yao."

Xiao Ling only nodded slightly, as though he were the master of the place. That was the influence of strength—and of his nonexistent master.

"Phew..."

Xiao Yi Xian looked around Wanyao Pavilion. In no time, it was just the two of them left. She sighed, "Young Master Ling, you really are something."

"You flatter me, Xiao Yi Xian. Where's the medicinal ingredient you mentioned?"

Xiao Ling waved his hand and asked with a smile.

A wondrous little valley rose unbidden in his mind.

But he wasn't entirely sure. Could Xiao Yi Xian have already discovered that valley at this point?

The original story hadn't gone into detail, so he didn't know much about it.

At that, Xiao Yi Xian rolled her eyes at him, then explained gently, "I can't tell you just yet. I can only say that it has what you need. But you'll have to hunt down the Third-tier Wood-attribute Magic Core yourself."

"For this deal, all I want is a second-grade pill."

"And I'll also tell you a secret about the Wolf Head Mercenary Group."

"How does that sound? Quite a bargain, right?"

"Deal. If your information turns out to be valuable, I'll give you a surprise," Xiao Ling said.

"Don't worry, you won't be disappointed. Everyone says Mu She, the head of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, is a Da Dou Shi now. But just a year ago, he'd only just reached the Dou Master level."

Xiao Yi Xian paused and looked at the young man's face. Seeing no reaction, she continued.

"—I happened to be gathering herbs alone at the time. I saw a Masked Black-clothed Person give him some unknown pill with my own eyes. After that, Mu She broke through one level after another in just a year. Now he's even reached One-Star Great Dou Master."

Xiao Ling: "???"

"A Masked Black-clothed Person?"

He didn't know who that person was, but that didn't stop him from growing wary.

"Thanks. Your information is very valuable to me. Here's a Fourth-grade Foundation Establishment Powder. Your cultivation is at the Third Stage of Dou Qi, so keep it for when you break through to Dou Zhe."

"This..."

Xiao Yi Xian looked at the Jade Bottle. Inside was a pill shrouded in what looked like clouds, lending it an air of mystery.

"Phew..."

Xiao Yi Xian took a deep breath. Her modest chest rose and fell slightly as she reached out and carefully accepted the Foundation Establishment Powder. She studied it for a while, then looked up at the white-robed youth and smiled warmly.

"Young Master Ling, I'll accept this Foundation Establishment Powder. If... if you don't mind, you can just call me Xian'er from now on."

Xiao Ling smiled and nodded. "In that case, Xian'er, don't call me Young Master Ling either. Just call me Ling Xiao—or you can call me big brother Ling Xiao. I should be older than you."

"Mm. Then remember to come find me in three days, big brother Ling Xiao. I'll take you to get the medicinal ingredients."

"Sure, no problem."

Xiao Ling waved goodbye to Xiao Yi Xian, then left Wanyao Pavilion. He was in an excellent mood on the way back. Xiao Yi Xian really was his lucky star. That Foundation Establishment Powder hadn't gone to waste.

After all, that little valley was full of medicinal ingredients. Just think how many gold coins that would save him—it was almost too much to imagine.

Back in his room, Xiao Ling sat cross-legged on the bed and began sorting through everything he'd gained that day.

The next day, he planned to return to the Magic Beast Mountain Range to look for that cave. He would also hunt the Green Wood Demon Python or Iron Wood Ape. He could plunder their lifespans when he obtained their Magic Cores, making it a win-win.