Promoting the Pills

"What was I expecting? Sneaking around like that..."

Old Wang curled his lip. Deer Antler Powder was a common aphrodisiac. Whenever his body wasn't cooperating, he always took a little to get things going.

Old Wang was getting on in years, but his mind was quick. He immediately caught on. "What, you have Deer Antler Powder?"

The old man's eyes darted, and he sat up in bed. With a wheezy chuckle, he extended his withered hand. "Come, come, let me test it for you."

"I'm not bragging, but I know Deer Antler Powder's effects better than anyone. I've got plenty of experience."

The old man was so fond of taking advantage of people. Gao Xian looked down on him, but the old man was the perfect candidate, and he had no other options.

"Take these two packets of Deer Antler Powder and give them a try, Fellow Daoist."

Gao Xian placed the medicine in the old man's hand. "If you find it works well, come see me."

Gao Xian had no interest in the lecherous old man. Once he'd said his piece, he hurried off.

"What's so great about selling aphrodisiacs?"

After Gao Xian left the room, Old Wang spat. That young man always acted so arrogant just because he knew how to refine pills. He was irritating to look at.

And yet he was still selling aphrodisiacs. They were all the same kind of lowlife. What was he putting on airs for?

Old Wang tossed the two packets of Deer Antler Powder into his mouth. With a chuckle, he muttered, "I'll take advantage of you for free. You think I'm going to buy your medicine? Dream on!"

Deer Antler Powder was a low-grade medicine, and Old Wang had taken plenty of it over the years. He swallowed both packets at once without a second thought.

Gao Xian's Deer Antler Powder looked a little nicer, but no matter how you dressed it up, it was still Deer Antler Powder. Who would pay extra just because it looked good?

Before long, Old Wang felt a pleasant warmth spread through his body. His energy surged, and even his mind felt clearer.

An old lecher like him couldn't help thinking of women whenever he had energy to spare. He'd been fine until the thought crossed his mind, but now he could barely stand it.

In the past twenty years, Old Wang's cultivation had declined and his vital essence had waned. He'd never been this virile.

Instead of being pleased, Old Wang was alarmed. What kind of potent medicine was this? It was so fierce!

He ran to the kitchen and splashed cold water on his face. The rising heat died down at once.

Yet that pleasant warmth still lingered in his body, making him feel as if he were soaking in a hot spring. He felt comfortable from head to toe.

Old Wang was only at the fifth level of Qi Refining, but he was over fifty and had seen a thing or two.

The medicine's potency had gone straight to his kidneys, then spread throughout his body. Most importantly, it was warming without being harsh. It strengthened his spirit and kidneys while nourishing his foundation.

He immediately realized these two pills were special.

Still, Old Wang couldn't quite believe that a little Qi Refining cultivator in the early stages could refine pills this good.

He decided to test their effects...

Gao Xian had no idea that Old Wang next door was raring to go. He went home and rested for half a day, then lit the furnace and began refining pills again.

With his experience refining Qi Recovery Pills, he found Foundation Strengthening Pills even easier to make.

Two days later, the pills were ready.

As before, he rolled them by hand and produced over two hundred pills.

Pills came in standard sizes, of course. Normally they were weighed, with a hundred pills weighing one jin.

Gao Xian could control each pill's weight precisely to within one-tenth of a liang—that is, one qian.

By his own estimate, the margin of error was never more than 0.01 grams. That was thanks to the wondrous abilities of the Lightning Dragon Hand.

Gao Xian did some calculations. His pill-refining skills had improved considerably, and he could use the ingredients more efficiently to make more pills.

But he'd used a third of the ingredients the previous owner had used to make five hundred White Dew Pills, then traded all of them for Crimson Blood Pills.

There was no way he could make up such a huge shortfall just by refining more efficiently. He could only buy more ingredients.

Gao Xian neatly arranged the pills he'd rolled in a wooden box, thinking he'd deliver the finished products today.

The pills were worth quite a bit. It would be trouble if they attracted thieves or bandits.

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he heard the courtyard gate rattle. Someone outside was knocking urgently, and rather roughly.

Gao Xian touched the pine-patterned steel sword beside him. Could he really defend himself with this thing?

He was afraid it wouldn't protect him and would instead provoke the other person into killing him. That would be disastrous.

A talisman was more reliable!

Gao Xian clutched an Ice Arrow Talisman tightly. It was one of the only three offensive talismans he had.

With Sister Lan's help, he could activate the Ice Arrow Talisman almost instantly. The only problem was that he wasn't sure how powerful it was.

Before Gao Xian could figure out what to do, he saw a furtive old man vault over the wall.

The man moved lightly and nimbly, like a big black rat.

Gao Xian couldn't see his face clearly, but the greasy, blackened Daoist robe was enough to tell him it was Old Wang from next door.

"Old Wang, what are you doing?"

Gao Xian shouted through the window. He was a little afraid of unfamiliar cultivators, but he felt no awe toward Old Wang next door. He disliked the lecherous, seedy old man, but he wasn't particularly afraid of him.

Old Wang chuckled and came closer. "Young Gao, do you have any more Deer Antler Powder?"

After taking two packets of Deer Antler Powder, Old Wang had regained his vigor and laid waste to the pleasure quarters. He'd enjoyed himself for two whole days.

Once the medicine wore off, Old Wang turned back into a limp noodle.

Two days of firsthand experience had convinced Old Wang that Gao Xian's Deer Antler Powder was no ordinary stuff. Its effects were far too strong.

Now that he'd come to his senses, Old Wang hurried over to get more from Gao Xian.

But no matter how good the pills were, Old Wang didn't want to pay.

He gave a dry laugh. "Young Gao, I've been telling everyone how good your medicine is. A few of my friends want to try it."

"If it works well, they'll definitely pay to buy some."

Gao Xian came out of the room. One listen was all it took to know Old Wang was making things up and trying to take advantage of him.

How many people in the whole world could refine Grandmaster-grade Deer Antler Powder?

He'd given Old Wang two packets to try because he wanted to open up a sales channel.

There wouldn't be any more favors like that.

Gao Xian said to Old Wang, "One Low-grade Spirit Stone for ten packets of Deer Antler Powder."

When Old Wang opened his mouth, Gao Xian shook a finger at him. "No bargaining."

Old Wang was in a bind. He risked his life hunting demonic beasts in the mountains, and even then he only made three to five Low-grade Spirit Stones each trip.

He found the price hard to accept.

Old Wang muttered, "Ten Qi Recovery Pills only sell for one Spirit Stone. Young Gao, you're charging way too much."

"Buy it or don't."

Gao Xian had seen right through the old lecher. Getting on in years, he was counting on this pleasure.

He couldn't resist the temptation.

Old Wang hesitated for a good while, then finally steeled himself and took a Low-grade Spirit Stone from his pocket, tossing it to Gao Xian.

"Give me ten."

Gao Xian took the Low-grade Spirit Stone. It was a standard cube, jade-green all over and about the size of an ordinary die.

Once a Low-grade Spirit Stone had been used up, the Mingche glow inside would fade. It was impossible to fake one.

Gao Xian took one look and confirmed the Spirit Stone was genuine. Happily, he counted out ten packets of Deer Antler Powder for Old Wang.

Old Wang looked at the pills in his hand, heart aching. They felt incredible, but damn, they were expensive!

Gao Xian couldn't help looking down on Old Wang's stinginess. He reminded him, "Old Wang, you could sell them too. With your connections, you could easily double your money."

Old Wang was startled, then delighted. That was right! Gao Xian's Deer Antler Powder worked so well that his fellow cultivators would surely love it.

Doubling his money wasn't out of the question!

Having found this golden road to riches, Old Wang left in high spirits.

Gao Xian personally saw Old Wang out. He had high hopes for him.

Deer Antler Powder this effective was bound to sell well.

But Flying Horse Market was small, so the market was bound to be limited.

Selling medicine in a place like that could easily lead to a conflict, or make other people jealous.

If Old Wang went to sell the medicine, selling more would be up to his own ability. Gao Xian was content to make his money steadily.

Two hundred packets of Deer Antler Powder would sell for twenty Low-grade Spirit Stones, enough to buy ingredients and make up the shortfall.

Gao Xian was just about to close the gate and return to his room when someone called from the distance, "Wait!"

Following the somewhat low, hoarse voice, he saw a tall, athletic figure hurrying toward him.

Gao Xian's heart gave a lurch. It was the Eastern version of Wonder Woman, the medicine shop's Boss Lady, Zhu Qiniang.

Zhu Qiniang took a few long strides and stopped in front of Gao Xian. She snorted at him. "How many pills have you refined?"

"Two hundred Qi Recovery Pills and two hundred Foundation Strengthening Pills. I was just about to deliver them today."

Gao Xian answered respectfully. "I didn't expect you to come in person, Boss Lady."

Zhu Qiniang strode right into the main room with her hands clasped behind her back. Gao Xian hurried to the pill room to fetch the pills he'd refined.

The special red wooden box was made to store pills. It protected them and sealed in their medicinal properties.

Gao Xian opened the box. He was just about to explain the pills when Zhu Qiniang suddenly grabbed his hand.

Gao Xian was only half a head shorter than Zhu Qiniang, but with her hand wrapped around his, he felt like a big man gripping a little girl's hand. He couldn't resist at all.

Gao Xian panicked a little. What was this heroine sister planning to do?

"Boss Lady..."

Zhu Qiniang raised her long brows and said, displeased, "Still calling me Boss Lady!"

"...Sister-in-law." Gao Xian had some experience with people, but he couldn't make sense of Zhu Qiniang's intentions. He felt even more nervous.

Zhu Qiniang said calmly, "Don't be afraid. Old Zhu's gone out on business, so I've got all day to keep you company..."