!
In the Longevity Domain, in the Wu Household Hall, home to one of the Eight Great Households of cultivators.
An old woman with snowy hair and a youthful face, known as Golden Crutch, held three fragrant Foundation Establishment Pills between her fingers. Her voice was low.
"These pills were acquired through trades in the Market District. Although they are only high-grade, they can manifest nine pill rings. This is truly unprecedented."
"But... the pill markings on their surface clearly came from the Ling Lineage. With their abilities, they could not possibly refine spirit pills like these!"
Inside the hall, several Wu Household elders frowned deeply. The bushy-bearded man who had traded with Lin Mo looked utterly bewildered, evidently failing to understand the old woman's meaning.
"And this one."
Golden Crutch took out another pill, her expression growing still graver. "Ying'er sent someone to deliver this pill. It can be called a 'Quasi-Perfect Foundation Establishment Pill.' It, too, was acquired through a trade in the Market District."
"And the pill markings on its surface... actually came from my own hand!"
What?!
The Wu Household elders jerked their heads up. Even the bushy-bearded man realized something was wrong, his eyes fixed on the Foundation Establishment Pill in the old woman's hand.
A High-Grade Foundation Establishment Pill the old lady had personally refined had passed through someone else's hands and transformed into a Quasi-Perfect Foundation Establishment Pill?
Then...
The Ling Lineage's pills seemed to have undergone the same process. Someone had used some method to turn Mid-Grade Foundation Establishment Pills into nearly supreme-grade pills!
"If Ying'er had not taken an extra precaution, we would probably still be kept in the dark."
The old woman put the pills away and said quietly, "The lad who traded with her must possess some Dao of