Breakthrough

"Stop!" Since Li Jiabao had already become a deadbeat, he wasn't afraid of anything anymore and directly interrupted, reminding him, "Old man, there are no reporters following us now."

The white-haired old man's face stiffened, realizing he had just let his professional habit kick in. He gave an awkward laugh and said self-deprecatingly, "I was seriously ill recently, so my mind isn't very sharp. I hope you'll forgive my poor performance, Xiao Li."

Li Jiabao wasn't about to bully an old man, so he simply got straight to the point. "Grandpa, just say what's on your mind. I'm just a displaced farmer who didn't even finish junior high school. My greatest achievement in life was opening a supermarket, which has now gone bankrupt. I really can't understand your official dialect."

"Xiao Li is too modest." The white-haired old man glanced at Li Jiabao and said with a smile, "Isn't the Supreme Mystery Sub-Courtyard a great achievement?!"

Li Jiabao may lack education and experience, but he's not stupid. He understood immediately and asked, "So, you want to take over Supreme Mystery Sub-Courtyard at a low price?"

The county had been hinting for some time that it would take back Supreme Mystery Sub-Courtyard and hand it over to a well-connected media company in the provincial capital for operation.

However, neither Li Chengxuan nor Liu Zhijian cared.

Although Li Jiabao was very worried, he could only watch helplessly.

Now, the outcast has indeed come knocking!

"Xiao Li, you've misunderstood again. Although I'm also from the provincial capital, I have no connection with that media company," the white-haired old man explained, then added with goodwill, "Besides, I've already sent them away. They won't be coming back."

Li Jiabao was completely confused. "Then what exactly did you come here for?"

The white-haired old man was somewhat discouraged. He had already seen through Li Jiabao, realizing he was just a puppet and a farmer who hadn't even finished junior high school. Li Jiabao hadn't grasped a single nuance of his subtle hints, so he could only say resentfully, "Doesn't the Supreme Mystery Sub-Courtyard have experimental drugs that can treat pneumoconiosis?!"

"I'm not interested in cultural and tourism projects; I'm more interested in the field of medical technology."

"We can cooperate!"

"Cooperation?!" Li Jiabao wasn't qualified to decide these things, and asked curiously, "How do we cooperate?!"

"First and foremost, it needs to be legalized!" The white-haired old man, already well-prepared, spoke eloquently, "Using those pneumoconiosis patients for human experiments is not only inefficient but also seriously illegal! I can help you quickly streamline the process, conduct legal experiments, and eliminate any future problems!"

"Then, it's about sharing the profits..."

Li Jiabao was completely confused. Wasn't it about planting flowers and installing solar panels to fraudulently obtain subsidies? How did it get involved in human experiments?

This was far beyond Li Jiabao's comprehension.

After the white-haired old man finished explaining the cooperation plan, Li Jiabao quickly said, "I don't understand what you're saying."

"However, I've already notified someone who can understand to come over. You can talk when he arrives!"

"Great!" The white-haired old man was overjoyed.

If we can meet the real person behind the scenes, whether it's Li Chengxuan or that Fairy Hua, then puppets and middlemen like Li Jiabao and Duanmu Ren will become completely unimportant.

With my connections and resources, I can definitely secure a partnership and thus gain control of the miracle drug.

That's a miracle drug that can revive people in a vegetative state, not only restoring their health but also making them look several years younger! It even left Director Wang of the provincial hospital speechless with astonishment!

As someone who has personally experienced the effects of the medicine, the white-haired old man was deeply shocked and has the most authority to speak on the matter.

Fifteen minutes later.

Footsteps could be heard outside the door.

The white-haired old man disregarded his status and got up to greet the person at the door. However, when he saw who it was, his smile froze.

Duanmu Ren, unsurprised, greeted him warmly, "Godfather, you've come to Stone Ridge! Why didn't you tell me?!"

Duanmu Ren was already prepared for his godfather's attempt to bypass him as the middleman.

In fact, if I hadn't joined Supreme Mystery Mountain, my godfather might have actually succeeded.

The godfather regarded Supreme Mystery Mountain as a mysterious overseas medical laboratory and sent people to Stone Ridge County to verify the efficacy of the new drug.

This explanation is clearly more reasonable and normal.

After all, the idea of time travel and cultivation is far beyond the imagination of ordinary people.

When the godfather saw Duanmu Ren appear, he realized that his plan to bypass the middlemen and contact the manufacturer directly had failed.

However, the godfather quickly adjusted his strategy, as if nothing had happened, and began to enthusiastically offer advice on Duanmu Ren's future career.

I'll stay in the Civil Affairs Bureau for a while to gain experience, and then I'll be transferred to the provincial department next year to broaden my horizons and maybe even get a promotion.

In two years, when I return to my hometown, the world will be much bigger and more open.

Duanmu Ren had no objections. After seeing off his godfather, who was in a good mood, he turned to Li Jiabao and said, "Remember to go to the provincial capital tomorrow. A pharmaceutical company will be transferred to your name then."

"Remember to change the name, how about... Rejuvenation Valley Pharmaceutical?"

Supreme Mystery Sub-Courtyard.

Hua Chunning looked at the desolate scene and remained silent.

Thinking back to when I first came here to observe the Spring Phenological Periods, the flowers were in full bloom, and the place was teeming with tourists.

That vibrant scene of life and everything flourishing is still vivid in my mind.

Looking at it now, the autumn wind sweeps across the land, and all things return to silence. It truly feels like a different world, leaving one with countless emotions.

"This place still needs some maintenance." Hua Chunning had already Qi Ingestion and entered the Dao; she was merely revisiting a familiar place and couldn't help but reminisce about the past. She quickly suppressed her thoughts and turned to the idea. "Next autumn, Xiao Hu might come to collect Autumn Phenological Periods and condense the Manifestation. We should prepare in advance to avoid being caught off guard."

Liu Zhijian, however, didn't have such complicated thoughts. He had already prepared his fishing gear and turned around to say, "Junior sister, quickly bring me the bait so we can test its effectiveness."

That's right, Liu Zhijian and Hua Chunning came here today specifically to test the bait.

Liu Zhijian was an honest man. When he went to explain the reason to his master, Li Chengxuan, Li Chengxuan remained silent for a long time.

Hua Chunning didn't dare to speak at the time, fearing that her master would scold her for neglecting her studies and wasting her time on trivial matters.

Fortunately, their master didn't say anything, and after sending the two to the Grotto-Heaven, he shook his head and returned to the sect.

Hua Chunning took out a small wooden box containing several pinkish-white pills.

Liu Zhijian took the bait and smelled it; it had a delicate floral fragrance. He cut off a tiny bit, mixed it into the bait, and stirred it well. While waiting for it to ferment, he couldn't resist sharing his fishing techniques, trying to entice Hua Chunning to try it. "There are many techniques for fishing in autumn, but the key is three words: 'Fishing for the fish.' At this time of year, the fish like to..."

Hua Chunning smiled and nodded, but she actually had no interest in fishing.

It's absolutely impossible for a fairy like me, who smells of flowers, to spend all day walking in mud and getting covered in fishy smells!

Being able to listen quietly without arguing is already a sign of respect for the senior brother.

Seeing that Hua Chunning wasn't very interested, Liu Zhijian didn't say anything more, baited his hook, and started fishing. He caught something in no time and was immediately excited. "This is so awesome! Junior sister, do you want to try it?!"

Hua Chunning politely declined, but in her heart she remembered what Duanmu Ren had mentioned about Rejuvenation Valley Pharmaceutical, which was considered one of her businesses in Grotto-Heaven.

I've heard from my senior brother that the bait and fishing tackle industry in the Grotto-Heaven is quite large, so it might be worth a try for Duanmu.

The eldest disciple was born in Grotto-Heaven and had a great love for fishing.

If I and Duanmu were to give him a piece of the fishing-related business, I'm sure my senior brother would be very happy.

Supreme Mystery Mountain, Ancestral Master Hall.

Li Chengxuan let out a long breath. "Finally, I've reached the Late Stage of Qi Refining."

We have the perfect combination of favorable timing, location, and people.

Such a pace of cultivation is acceptable.

Li Chengxuan got up and walked outside. "Now that we've reached the Late Stage of Qi Refining, we should go take a look there."