Storage Bag

With Shopkeeper Zhu taken care of and his successful breakthrough to the third layer of Qi Refining, Gao Xian drifted off to sleep in high spirits to meet Sister Lan in his dreams.

For the next few days, Gao Xian set aside alchemy to focus his energy entirely on cultivation.

Having broken through to the third layer, his mana, strength, and speed were improving daily; he was currently in a period of rapid growth.

On the evening of the third day after the incident, Gao Xian was practicing his swordplay in the courtyard when Zhu Qiniang arrived.

Zhu Qiniang wore a deep blue dharma robe that shimmered with a glaze-like, supple luster, making it exceptionally beautiful.

Set off by the robe, Zhu Qiniang appeared two parts more elegant and dignified. The space between her brows had also softened, shedding its former cold rigidity.

This version of Zhu Qiniang possessed a distinct feminine charm, and her allure had increased significantly.

One look at her state, and Gao Xian knew she had resolved her inner conflict; her entire mental state had improved, to the point where she could be described as radiant.

He didn't need her to speak to know that everything had gone smoothly.

Zhu Qiniang also noticed the changes in Gao Xian; his vitality was clearly much stronger, and his physique appeared more upright and powerful.

Bones are the framework of the human form, housing the internal organs and supporting the muscles and skin.

The visible change in Gao Xian's physique was clearly due to his bones becoming stronger and more robust.

"You've reached the third layer of Qi Refining?" Zhu Qiniang asked.

"Yes, I broke through the day I returned."

Gao Xian smiled and said, "It was mainly because my thoughts were clear and unobstructed. Only then could my energy flow through all my bones and meridians in one go."

"Clear and unobstructed thoughts—not bad, that is exactly the right way to put it."

Zhu Qiniang pondered this, feeling that the phrase "clear and unobstructed thoughts" was truly apt.

With Zhu Hong'an gone, the resentment that had festered in her heart for years had vanished in an instant, leaving her feeling so light, comfortable, and happy that she felt as if she were ascending to heaven.

She said, "Zhu Hong'an's body has been transported back to Lianyun City. The Zhu family hasn't said anything. They are all busy squabbling over the control of the apothecary, and no one cares about Zhu Hong'an's death..."

At this point, Zhu Qiniang became more serious and formal: "This matter is all thanks to you. Your plan was meticulous and handled so well that the Zhu family couldn't find a single fault."

Seeing the Zhu family's reaction, Zhu Qiniang felt even more admiration for Gao Xian's strategy.

If she had followed her original plan to kill Zhu Hong'an directly, it would have inevitably aroused the Zhu family's suspicions.

Now that Zhu Hong'an had been killed by an evil spirit, even if someone in the Zhu family felt something was off, they couldn't say anything.

The Zhu family didn't know of Gao Xian's existence, nor would they ever suspect she had teamed up with an outsider to deal with Zhu Hong'an.

Besides, Zhu Hong'an was stingy and greedy; no one in the Zhu family liked him. Knowing he was dead, there were likely quite a few people who were actually happy.

Everything had reached a perfect conclusion.

Gao Xian felt relieved; as long as the Zhu family didn't spot any issues, they were in the clear.

He smiled and said, "It wasn't just me; it was us."

Zhu Qiniang's expression softened significantly. Gao Xian was good with words, and that one sentence had drawn them closer.

She said, "The flying ship makes a round trip once a month. Even if the Zhu family sends someone, it won't be for another month. During this time, stock up on more medicinal herbs. I will help you tear up that apothecary contract..."

With Gao Xian's talent for alchemy, working for the apothecary was a waste of his potential.

Since Zhu Hong'an was dead and no one in the Zhu family knew of Gao Xian, it was the perfect time to destroy the contract he had signed with the shop.

Gao Xian couldn't help but feel a surge of joy; the contract he had signed was essentially a deed of servitude.

Shopkeeper Zhu had targeted his Heavenly Gui Pill and Deer Antler Powder precisely because of that contract.

It was a messy situation, as he had been using the shop's alchemy furnace and herbs, so Shopkeeper Zhu's demand for a share of the profits hadn't been entirely unreasonable.

Gao Xian said excitedly, "That's great, thank you, Qiniang. Without the contract, I have no more worries."

"With Old Zhu gone, these are just trifles."

Zhu Qiniang didn't mind; since they had conspired to kill Old Zhu together, she naturally had to help Gao Xian resolve this trouble.

However, the fact that Old Zhu had hired Gao Xian as an alchemist wasn't a secret, and it also involved Gao Xian's teacher, Xu Mingyuan, so there might be complications in the future.

Seeing how happy Gao Xian was, she decided not to bring up such a mood-killing topic.

She changed the subject: "You have entered the third layer of Qi Refining, which is commonly referred to as the Blood Refining stage. Actually, this term isn't entirely accurate. Strictly speaking, the third layer is about tempering your vitality and condensing the third energy aperture."

"The Five Elements Technique you practice has its energy aperture at the Huiyin point. Opening this point allows you to connect your Dantian to the spiritual energy aperture..."

Zhu Qiniang explained the keys to the third layer of cultivation in simple terms, finally adding, "The foundation of the third layer lies in guiding spiritual energy to wash the marrow and replace the blood. Only when your vitality is at its peak can you open the Huiyin point and condense the energy aperture."

"At this stage, the best pill is the Tiger Blood Pill. I will help you get some."

Most of the cultivators at Flying Horse Market were rogue cultivators who couldn't even afford low-grade pills like the Foundation Strengthening Pill, let alone body-tempering pills like the Dragon Bone Pill or Tiger Blood Pill.

Longevity Hall only sold common, low-grade medicines; to get Dragon Bone Pills or Tiger Blood Pills, one had to place a special order.

Fortunately, the Zhu family was in that business and had specialized channels.

With Zhu Hong'an dead and Zhu Qiniang temporarily managing the shop, handling this was even easier.

"Thank you, Qiniang." Gao Xian was very happy. Having Qiniang guide his cultivation saved him from countless troubles.

The original owner's teacher had truly been negligent, giving him the Five Elements Technique and then leaving him to fend for himself, forcing him to rely entirely on his own efforts.

His natural talent was merely average; the reason he could advance to the third level of Qi Refining so quickly was primarily due to Sister Lan overseeing his cultivation, which had increased his efficiency tenfold.

Coupled with the guidance of Zhu Qiniang, a large supply of Dragon Bone Pills to strengthen his sinews and bones, and his external practice of the Iron Dragon Hand.

It was only through the combination of these various conditions and the accumulation of vast resources that he had made such rapid progress.

Gao Xian did not mention money to Zhu Qiniang; after all, Dragon Bone Pills and Tiger Blood Pills were only low-grade body-refining pills, so even if they were a bit expensive, the price wouldn't be exorbitant.

Bringing up money for such a trivial matter would be counterproductive. By not mentioning it, he was creating a favor, which could further deepen his relationship with Qiniang.

The main issue was that he lacked the pill recipes; otherwise, he could have refined them himself.

"You must continue practicing the Iron Dragon Hand; this body-refining technique is sufficient to carry you all the way to Foundation Establishment."

Gao Xian nodded repeatedly; when it came to cultivation, he was a complete novice, so he followed whatever Zhu Qiniang said.

After finishing their discussion on cultivation, Zhu Qiniang handed Gao Xian a gray leather pouch the size of a palm. "This is a spare storage bag of Old Zhu's; it has one cubic unit of space. It's enough to hold some personal items."

Gao Xian accepted the storage bag with a face full of surprise; every time he saw Qiniang use a storage bag to take away pills, he felt extremely envious.

To carve out an independent space within such a tiny bag—even for a low-grade storage bag, the spellwork involved was quite sophisticated.

He didn't know what material the gray storage bag Qiniang gave him was made of; it felt like some kind of leather, smooth and supple, and it felt weightless in his hand.

Under Qiniang's guidance, Gao Xian used his divine sense to refine the storage bag. Once he untied the drawstring at the opening, he could sense about one cubic meter of space inside, equivalent to a very large storage cabinet.

Gao Xian tried using his divine sense to store and retrieve items, finding it quite convenient.

Putting items in and taking them out of the storage bag made it look to others as if he were conjuring objects out of thin air.

Gao Xian played with it for a while; such simple retrieval might be a bit childish for a kid, but for an adult, it was just right.

Seeing Gao Xian so happy, Zhu Qiniang was in a very good mood as well.

She said, "This storage bag and the Azure Wood Armor were both Old Zhu's personal items. He hid them very well, and no one else knows about them. You can use them with complete peace of mind..."