"Twenty-five spirit stones per tael now."
Blood essence had originally cost only twenty spirit stones per tael. Now that it had risen to twenty-five, the increase was indeed substantial.
He produced blood essence every day, and since the buyer had already come to his door, Ji Yuan naturally exchanged everything in his storage bag for spirit stones.
There wasn't much, just six taels, which came to 150 spirit stones.
After seeing Shopkeeper Wu off, Ji Yuan returned home, quietly turning the matter over in his mind.
Had the Water Dragon Sect's demand for blood essence increased?
What was blood essence used for? Refining qi-blood pills to treat injuries. From the look of things, the Water Dragon Sect's demand for those pills had most likely risen.
If they needed qi-blood pills, did that mean they were about to go to war?
Or were they already fighting?
After all, only fighting would leave so many cultivators injured. But Ji Yuan knew nothing of the specifics; these were merely his guesses.
Early the following morning.
Ji Yuan was still cultivating at home when he sensed two late Qi Refining auras rapidly approaching from afar. They were unmistakable, without the slightest attempt at concealment.
It was as though they were deliberately announcing their arrival to everyone—or rather, to Ji Yuan.
Who had come?
Ji Yuan rose from his courtyard aboard his Thunder Falcon Boat. Reaching the two visitors, he cupped his hands with a smile. "Greetings, Fellow Daoist Du."
Then he turned toward the unfamiliar middle-aged man beside her.
The man wore black-and-white magical robes and a warm smile. His aura was stronger than Ji Yuan's, too; he was probably at the eighth layer of Qi Refining.
"I am Yao Jingfeng. Greetings, Fellow Daoist Ji."
"Greetings, Fellow Daoist Yao."
The three exchanged pleasantries aboard