Cultivation: From Menial Laborer to Immortal Venerable Section 22

A quick scan revealed they were all mid-stage Qi Refining experts.

Only a force like the Hundred Treasures Pavilion could afford to be so extravagant as to employ mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators as guards.

Zhou Xun remained calm and composed, striding inside.

Upon entering, he found himself in a hall no more than ten feet wide.

Shelves lined the walls, filled with numerous treasures, all separated by protective barriers.

Magical artifacts, talismans, pills, formations, flying ships, cultivation techniques...

Everything imaginable was there.

It truly lived up to the name Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

Several cultivators were browsing treasures around the hall, each accompanied by a young attendant explaining things.

"Esteemed guest, what can I help you find?" A young attendant in green robes approached, cupping his fists in greeting.

"I'm here to look at pill formulas!" Zhou Xun stated concisely.

"Pill formulas?"

Upon hearing those words, the attendant's demeanor instantly became much more respectful, though he didn't pry further.

"Please, rest in the inner chamber. Our shopkeeper will be here shortly to personally attend to you," the attendant said, leading Zhou Xun into a private room.

"This is our shop's newly arrived 'Mingxiang Tea.' Please, feel free to sample it while you wait. The shopkeeper will be here soon!"

The attendant poured Zhou Xun a cup of Spirit Tea before respectfully taking his leave.

Zhou Xun sat down, picked up the Spirit Tea, and took a gentle sip.

As the tea entered his mouth, a faint wisp of spiritual energy bloomed from his lips and teeth, leaving a lingering fragrance.

Zhou Xun circulated his Essence Cultivation Art for a moment, refining it. This single sip was equivalent to several hours of his arduous cultivation.

"Good tea!" Zhou Xun praised inwardly, deciding he would buy some to take back.

"Apologies for keeping you waiting, fellow Daoist!" A middle-aged man dressed as a wealthy merchant entered, a smiling demeanor and mid-stage Qi Refining cultivation.

"I haven't been waiting long!" Zhou Xun replied politely.

"I heard you're looking to purchase a pill formula. May I ask which type of pill you require?" The middle-aged man sat to Zhou Xun's right.

"What is the price for the Qi Induction Pill formula?" Zhou Xun asked without hesitation, stating his need directly.

"The Qi Induction Pill formula! So, you are an intermediate-level Alchemist. It's an honor to meet you!" The middle-aged man offered a small compliment before continuing:

"We have several versions of the Qi Induction Pill formula. The most basic version, containing only the recipe for the Qi Induction Pill, is priced at ten Spirit Essence."

"A more detailed version includes all the refining processes for the Qi Induction Pill and is priced at fifty Spirit Essence!"

"As for the complete version, it not only includes all the refining processes for the Qi Induction Pill but also provides detailed descriptions of potential problems encountered during refinement and their solutions."

"I believe if you purchase this, you'll be able to learn the refinement of the Qi Induction Pill very quickly. This one isn't expensive either; it's priced at three Spirit Stones!"

Zhou Xun nodded upon hearing this.

The prices were quite fair. The Qi Induction Pill was a common medicinal pill, and its formula was something most alchemists possessed.

For a proprietary pill formula, they likely wouldn't sell it for thousands or tens of thousands of Spirit Stones.

Each unique pill formula could establish a prosperous immortal cultivation family that would last for hundreds of years.

"I'll take the complete version!" Zhou Xun decided after a moment of thought.

"Our Hundred Treasures Pavilion recently acquired several new alchemy furnaces. Would you be interested in taking a look, fellow Daoist?" The middle-aged shopkeeper, having concluded a business deal, seemed to be in good spirits and continued his sales pitch.

"Alchemy furnaces... I am indeed quite interested!"

Zhou Xun's heart stirred, and he put on an interested expression.

"Please wait a moment, fellow Daoist!"

The middle-aged man smiled slightly, then rose and left the inner chamber.

In the time it took for half a cup of tea to brew, the middle-aged man returned.

He was followed by two young attendants, each carrying a tray.

One tray held a thick booklet, presumably the Qi Induction Pill formula.

The other tray held an alchemy furnace about a foot in size.

"Please, have a look, fellow Daoist!" The middle-aged shopkeeper casually placed the alchemy furnace on the table beside Zhou Xun.

Zhou Xun waved his hand, and the alchemy furnace was gently lifted. He flicked his fingers.

"Hum—"

A clear, low hum resonated.

Then, Zhou Xun slowly infused his spiritual power.

The alchemy furnace instantly emitted a soft, misty halo of light.

"Not bad, a good alchemy furnace!"

Zhou Xun couldn't put it down; this was far better than the one in his own alchemy room.

Seeing Zhou Xun's keen interest, the middle-aged shopkeeper smiled and introduced it:

"This cauldron is named 'Azure Cry.' It was forged using Grade 1 high-quality Azure Nether Copper and the spiritual bones of a Grade 2 Fire-Bearing Beast. The price is eighty Spirit Stones!"

"Eighty?"

Upon hearing the price of eighty Spirit Stones, Zhou Xun immediately lost interest in buying.

That was eighty Spirit Stones, over eight thousand Spirit Essence.

With Zhou Xun's current income, it would take him seven to eight years of not eating or drinking to afford it.

Zhou Xun gently placed the cauldron back.

"It's too expensive. I can't afford it right now!" Zhou Xun shook his head.

The middle-aged shopkeeper showed no surprise at his words and even offered comfort:

"As an alchemist, Fellow Daoist, you'll surely earn this sum of Spirit Stones soon!"

"Oh, and if you refine any pills, our Hundred Treasures Pavilion also purchases them!"

The middle-aged shopkeeper's sincere tone won Zhou Xun over.

Selling to the Hundred Treasures Pavilion was indeed an option.

In his past life, Zhou Xun had seen plenty of instances where sales channels dictated terms to manufacturers.

Having an additional sales avenue would give him more flexibility.

"I'll have to trouble you then, Shopkeeper!"

With that, Zhou Xun took out three hundred Spirit Essence and handed them to the shopkeeper.

He took the Qi Induction Pill formula and left the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

After leaving, Zhou Xun went to other shops to purchase the remaining ingredients for refining the Qi Induction Pill.

The main ingredient for the Qi Induction Pill, Qi-Inducing Grass, had been gifted to him by Dan Xiong Hai's uncle, so he didn't need to buy it.

Otherwise, he wouldn't even have been able to gather all the ingredients for one Qi Induction Pill.

After circling around for a while and confirming he wasn't being followed, Zhou Xun found a secluded corner, changed his disguise, and returned home.

Upon returning, Zhou Xun took out the Qi-Inducing Grass and, referencing the Qi Induction Pill formula, familiarized himself with its medicinal properties.

"If I weren't already a Medium Spiritual Root, I'd definitely condense you!"

Looking at the Qi-Inducing Grass before him, Zhou Xun shook his head.

According to the Ningshun Sutra, the higher one's aptitude, the higher the grade of spiritual plant required for improvement.

"However, does the essence condensed by the Ningshun Sutra only serve to complete the foundation and improve aptitude?" Zhou Xun had a flash of inspiration.

Zhou Xun was a person of action. As soon as the idea struck him, he found a neighbor who worked as a spirit farmer and, under the guise of studying spirit plant pharmacology, asked for a few spirit grain seedlings.

He planned to start experimenting.

Following the same process, he circulated the Ningshun Sutra, and that profound, mysterious feeling reappeared.

He placed his hand on the two-inch-tall spirit grain seedling, and a green light spot quickly appeared.

Compared to the previous time, the phenomenon was significantly weaker.

This was due to Zhou Xun's increased proficiency and improved control.

"That's good. If every condensation produced such a phenomenon, I might attract unwanted attention!"

Next, Zhou Xun took out the plants he had prepared earlier.

He controlled the light spot to fly towards the plants.