In the end, Pill Master Yun purchased the fourteen Qi Nourishing Pills for five hundred and twenty spirit stones on behalf of the Pill Alliance.
Ordinary-quality Qi Nourishing Pills sold for fifteen to twenty spirit stones each.
Standard-quality Qi Nourishing Pills cost fifty percent more.
Most of the five hundred and twenty spirit stones Pill Master Yun spent went toward that premium Qi Nourishing Pill.
Premium-quality pills were treasures one could encounter but not seek out, especially when it came to cultivating good relations with higher-level cultivators.
Giving a higher-level cultivator a premium-quality mid-grade pill was far more useful than giving them a standard-quality high-grade pill.
"Five hundred and twenty spirit stones..."
Zhou Qing's heart settled.
This was an unexpected windfall.
In his original plan, a batch of Qi Nourishing Pills would sell for roughly one or two hundred spirit stones.
One or two hundred spirit stones would barely have been enough.
Now that he had earned five hundred and twenty spirit stones, his short-term needs were fully covered.
"This is the first-tier mid-grade cave abode assigned to you, fellow Daoist..." Pill Master Yun led Zhou Qing to the cave abode. "Among first-tier mid-grade cave abodes, this one is quite good."
Mid-Grade Alchemists in the Pill Alliance could live in First-Tier mid-grade cave abodes free of charge, while High-Grade Pill Masters received First-Tier Upper Grade cave abodes.
Black Mountain Market had been built atop a second-tier spirit vein and could theoretically provide second-tier cave abodes.
However, only Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators could generally afford cave abodes of that caliber.
"Thank you."
Zhou Qing spoke.
"No need for thanks."
Pill Master Yun waved his hand. "Your pill-refining techniques are exceptionally exquisite, fellow Daoist. We could exchange pointers when we have time."
"Mm."
Zhou Qing gave Pill Master Yun another look.
At this point in time, Pill Master Yun was still at the pinnacle of the mid-grade level.
He was still a few years away from becoming a High-Grade Pill Master.
After Pill Master Yun left.
Zhou Qing entered the cave abode.
Whoosh~
Spiritual energy noticeably denser than outside permeated the cave abode.
Zhou Qing immediately looked at the illusory text at the bottom of his vision.
[09:23:11:34:55]
"A cooldown of nine months and twenty-three days..."
Looking at the shortened countdown, Zhou Qing's heart settled.
Back at the Zhou Residence in the mortal Qian Kingdom, the cooldown had been over two years and six months.
After entering Black Mountain Market, Zhou Qing had also glanced at the cooldown. At the time, it had been over one year and ten months.
Now, inside a first-tier mid-grade cave abode, the cooldown had dropped to less than ten months.
"This means there's no need to rush off with the Zhou Family..."
Zhou Qing thought to himself.
The Zhou Family would face a purge in two years.
With the current cooldown, Zhou Qing had more than enough time for two simulations.
With two simulations, even if he could not reach the Foundation Establishment Realm, he could at least reach the peak of Qi Condensation.
When the time came, he would have far more confidence facing the Fourth Prince's purge than he did now.
Half a day later.
Zhou Qing brought Dachun from the foot of the mountain into the cave abode.
In principle, mortals were not allowed into Black Mountain Market.
But principles were merely principles. Zhou Qing was no longer a rogue cultivator without any backing.
He was a Mid-Grade Alchemist and a member of the Pill Alliance, and he was only bringing in Dachun.
Naturally, none of the cultivators standing guard would stop him.
"Young master, this place is..." Dachun's eyes widened as he kept looking around.
Not long before, Zhou Qing had brought him to the foot of Black Mountain, intending to head into the market alone.
Dachun had initially refused, wanting to remain by Zhou Qing's side at all times to protect him.
So Zhou Qing had casually cast a few spells, leaving Dachun thoroughly awed.
Now, he had even brought Dachun into this first-tier mid-grade cave abode.
Although Dachun could not sense spiritual energy, he still felt exceptionally comfortable.
"This is where we'll be living from now on."
Zhou Qing said with a smile.
The cave abode the Pill Alliance had assigned him was less than a hundred square meters.
It was enough for Zhou Qing and Dachun to live in.
"All right..."
Simple-minded as he was, Dachun asked no further questions.
As far as Dachun was concerned, he would do whatever his young master told him to do.
All that mattered was his young master's safety.
"Don't move..."
Zhou Qing raised his hand and pressed it against Dachun's head, letting his magical power flow through his palm into Dachun's body.
"No aptitude for spiritual roots..."
Zhou Qing withdrew his hand, thinking to himself.
In the simulation, several decades later, Dachun's grandson, Zhou Dahu, had possessed spiritual root aptitude.
After settling Dachun in, Zhou Qing went to a shop in the Market Ward.
He intended to purchase a pill furnace.
As a member of the Pill Alliance, he had to fulfill certain obligations while enjoying its many benefits.
Every member of the Pill Alliance had to accept three pill-refining assignments each month.
Of course, these pill-refining assignments could accumulate.
For instance, if he had no time for a few months, he could carry them over to the following months.
After successfully purchasing a pill furnace he liked at the best possible price.
A thought stirred in Zhou Qing's mind. Instead of returning, he went to an inn in the Market Ward.
Inns were much like cave abodes, both providing cultivators with better cultivation environments.
"I'd like to see a first-tier high-grade room."
Zhou Qing spoke without betraying his thoughts.
Before long.
Zhou Qing entered a first-tier high-grade room at the inn.
[08:17:12:33:23]
"A cooldown of eight months and seventeen days..."
Zhou Qing glanced at the countdown.
In an environment with first-tier mid-grade spiritual energy, the countdown's cooldown was over nine months and twenty-three days.
In an environment with first-tier high-grade spiritual energy, however, it was over eight months and seventeen days.
It had shortened by more than a full month.
"A first-tier high-grade room at the inn costs five hundred and eighty spirit stones a month."
"With my current pill-refining skills, I could afford it..."
Zhou Qing thought to himself.
In the end, however, he abandoned the idea.
With his cultivation in the middle Qi Refining period and his status as a Mid-Grade Pill Master, a first-tier mid-grade cave abode was the most suitable choice.
First-tier high-grade? That would make him stand out a little too much.
First-tier high-grade cave abodes and inn rooms were generally occupied by late-stage Qi Condensation cultivators.
Middle Qi Refining period
Cultivators would not gain much cultivation speed by living in First-Tier Upper Grade cave abodes.
If Zhou Qing insisted on renting a First-Tier Upper Grade cave abode, he would most likely draw the attention of certain cultivators.
After all, aside from his ability to run simulations, Zhou Qing's greatest trump card was his knowledge of every event that would occur in Black Mountain Market over the coming decades.
If his abnormal behavior caused a butterfly effect... the future could change.
That was the last thing Zhou Qing wanted to see.
So far, his behavior since entering Black Mountain Market had been entirely unremarkable.
For Black Mountain Market as a whole, the addition of one middle Qi Refining period cultivator and Mid-Grade Alchemist would have no impact.
Refining a premium Qi Nourishing Pill could also be attributed to luck, so long as he did not repeatedly refine multiple premium pills.
After returning to the cave abode from the inn.
Apart from occasionally accepting pill-refining assignments from the Pill Alliance, Zhou Qing almost never went out.
His presence dwindled to practically nothing.
Throughout the entire Pill Alliance, aside from Pill Master Yun and a few other Alchemists, no one even knew that such a low-profile Mid-Grade Alchemist had joined them.
Time flowed swiftly.
In the blink of an eye, nearly ten months had passed.
Inside the cave abode.
Zhou Qing sat cross-legged.
His gaze fell on the illusory countdown at the bottom of his vision.
[00:00:00:00:34]
Thirty-four seconds passed in a flash.
The countdown reached zero.
"Finally... I can run another simulation."
Zhou Qing took a deep breath, his expression full of anticipation.