In the Immortal City Market.
A burly man walked out of the Spirit Treasure Pavilion, muttering under his breath as he went, "Strange. Why did they change the steward?"
This burly man was none other than Li Ping in disguise. He had refined quite a few second-tier lower-grade Essence-Nourishing Pills lately, exhausting all the spirit herbs he had previously purchased.
Thus, he had made a special trip to the Market Ward today to sell some second-tier pills for spirit stones and buy more spirit herbs over a hundred years old to take back for alchemy.
Out of habit, his first choice had still been the Spirit Treasure Pavilion.
But to his surprise, the familiar Shopkeeper Miao was nowhere to be seen. A scrawny old man as thin as a hemp stalk had taken her place.
Failing to see Miao Rou this time left him rather disappointed.
Although the transaction went smoothly, Li Ping felt deeply ill at ease. He shook his head. "I'm not coming here next time."
After leaving the Spirit Treasure Pavilion, Li Ping headed toward the Ten Thousand Arts Pavilion and several other shops.
He had refined rather too many Essence-Nourishing Pills. Selling them all at one shop would draw attention, so he had to spread them out.
In any case, no single shop could supply all the spirit herbs he needed to purchase.
The Jade Cliff Palace.
Li Ping revealed a trace of his Foundation Establishment Realm aura and was soon led to a private room on the second floor by a servant.
Before long, a portly Foundation Establishment Cultivator pushed open the door and entered the room with a broad smile. Li Ping glanced toward him.
This man was another familiar acquaintance of Li Ping's.
He was the very person from whom Li Ping