Chapter Forty-Nine: Gu Qingzhao’s Invitation

The next day.

Qin Ming spent another half a day cultivating, further consolidating his progress.

As dusk set in, during the hour of You, Qin Ming once again arrived at the Gathering Pavilion.

“Fellow Daoist Qin! You… you’ve broken through to the fifth layer of the Qi Refining stage?”

“Congratulations! Congratulations on your advancement, Fellow Daoist Qin. May your path to immortality ascend ever higher!”

Manager Liao, who had been eagerly awaiting his return, was delighted to see Fellow Daoist Qin again so soon. With the prospect of an imminent promotion from the Pavilion Master, Liao had been basking in the limelight among his colleagues these past two days, feeling quite elated and always thinking about this esteemed benefactor, Qin Ming.

But he hadn’t expected that when he saw Fellow Daoist Qin again, the man’s cultivation had broken through yet another layer…

Wait!

A sudden realization flashed through Manager Liao’s mind. Previously, Fellow Daoist Qin had been at the fourth layer of the Qi Refining stage—had he really advanced to the fifth layer in such a short span? Could it be… he had succeeded in refining a middle-grade spirit pill?

‘If that’s true, doesn’t it mean that Fellow Daoist Qin is now not only a middle-grade spirit herb master, but also a middle-grade pill master?’

“Manager, as we discussed last time, I’ve refined some pills and would like to sell a portion to you,” Qin Ming stated, getting straight to the point.

Overjoyed, Manager Liao replied, “Ah, that’s excellent news!”

“Might I ask, did you succeed in refining the middle-grade pills yesterday?” Though he was hopeful, Manager Liao couldn’t help but ask—after all, breaking through to become a middle-grade pill master was no easy feat. Many pill masters were stuck at that bottleneck for years, even decades.

“By luck, I succeeded,” Qin Ming replied with calm composure.

“What?!” Manager Liao was utterly stunned. Even though this confirmed his suspicions, hearing it from Qin Ming’s own lips was still a shock.

‘For someone as young as Fellow Daoist Qin to already become a middle-grade pill master—his talent in alchemy is surely on par with Master Su!’

Thinking this, Manager Liao shuddered slightly, then quickly said, “Fellow Daoist Qin, our Pavilion Master instructed that whenever you came, I was to invite you to meet with her.”

“Oh?” This time, it was Qin Ming’s turn to be surprised.

In his impression, Gu Qingzhao was always aloof and otherworldly, never concerning herself with mundane affairs. Why would she suddenly want to see him?

Soon after, Manager Liao led him upstairs, announced his arrival, and then left Qin Ming alone.

—

Private suite on the seventh floor of the Gathering Pavilion.

Fragrant wisps of incense filled the air with a subtle, lingering scent.

Gu Qingzhao was dressed in her usual plain robes, but this time, she was not reading her scripture as she so often did. Instead, she gracefully walked to the door to welcome Qin Ming herself, leading him into the elegant chamber.

“Fellow Daoist Qin, I must apologize for any neglect before. Please do not take offense.”

As Qin Ming looked up, he met Gu Qingzhao’s cool, clear gaze and saw a faint smile curve her scarlet lips.

Gu Qingzhao always exuded an air of noble aloofness, untouched by the affairs of common folk, her mind ever absorbed in her scriptures, unbothered by the dust of the mortal world, like a true daughter of the heavens.

To hear such words from her was no small thing.

In the secluded chamber, beads of crystal hung from the window like a curtain.

A man and a woman sat facing each other across a table.

The lamps cast a gentle glow.

Perhaps she had just bathed, for a fragrance, reminiscent of osmanthus and orchid, lingered about Gu Qingzhao, sweet as breath itself. Her skin was like creamy jade, her graceful figure indistinct beneath the plain robes—radiating a beauty that was utterly enchanting.

Faced with such a stunning woman, Qin Ming was momentarily dazed.

Inwardly, he wondered, “What game is this woman playing now?”

“I heard Fellow Daoist Qin has advanced to a middle-grade alchemist?” Gu Qingzhao personally poured him a cup of spirit tea, her smile gentle, her voice soft.

Qin Ming nodded. “That’s right. I’ve come today to sell some pills and to purchase some spirit ingredients.”

As he spoke, Qin Ming took two bottles of Qi Gathering Pills and one bottle of Spirit Convergence Pills from his storage pouch, placing them on the table—five pills in each bottle.

He hadn’t originally intended to sell the Spirit Convergence Pills yet, but seeing that Gu Qingzhao herself was receiving him, he decided to reveal a bit of his strength.

After all, if he wanted to access higher-level information and circles in the world of cultivation, he needed to demonstrate his value.

Gu Qingzhao opened each bottle and examined the pills closely.

Her starry eyes grew ever brighter. She looked at Qin Ming with sincere admiration. “I did not expect Fellow Daoist Qin’s talent for alchemy to be so exceptional. A dual mastery of both middle-grade spirit herbs and middle-grade alchemy is exceedingly rare in the Qingyang Market.”

“These Qi Gathering Pills, our pavilion can purchase at a price of two hundred and twenty-five spirit stones per bottle.”

“As for the Spirit Convergence Pills, we can offer three hundred and fifty spirit stones per bottle.”

“What do you think, Fellow Daoist Qin?”

—

Gu Qingzhao’s voice was clear as a mountain spring, her every smile radiant and captivating.

The prices she offered were ten percent higher than the current market rates.

Qin Ming could sense clearly that she was showing him goodwill.

“Deal.”

“However, I’d like to exchange all the spirit stones this time for several types of ingredients used to refine Spirit Convergence Pills.” Qin Ming agreed readily, then quickly added his request.

Gu Qingzhao flashed a dazzling smile. “It seems that Fellow Daoist Qin can now steadily refine Spirit Convergence Pills.”

“Spirit Convergence Pills are among the most difficult of all middle-grade pills to refine. I imagine… you must have received guidance from a master?” As she spoke, she elegantly poured Qin Ming another cup of spirit tea, her words delicately probing.

Qin Ming hesitated for a moment, then spoke plainly: “That’s correct. My breakthrough to middle-grade pill master was thanks to a fortunate chance and the guidance of Brother Su.”

As soon as he finished speaking—

Gu Qingzhao fell briefly silent, so lost in thought that she didn’t even notice the tea overflowing from the pot in her hand.

“Fellow Daoist Gu, the tea is spilling,” Qin Ming reminded her.

Startled, Gu Qingzhao quickly set down the teapot.

She took out a silk handkerchief to wipe away the spilled tea, her expression a little embarrassed. “Forgive me, Fellow Daoist Qin.”

She had just realized something, and inwardly gave a wry smile. ‘Fellow Daoist Qin must have hidden the truth from me last time. If he and Master Su were merely casual acquaintances, why would Master Su guide him in alchemy? It seems I underestimated him.’

Having sorted it out in her mind, Gu Qingzhao rose at once and, with utmost sincerity, invited Qin Ming, “I would like to formally invite Fellow Daoist Qin to become an honored guest of our pavilion. All terms can be negotiated to your satisfaction.”

“Of course, if you have any conditions, please feel free to state them.”

Qin Ming was taken aback.

He hadn’t expected Gu Qingzhao to extend such an olive branch so directly.

After only a brief moment’s thought, Qin Ming politely declined. “Thank you for your kind offer, Fellow Daoist Gu, but I am used to my freedom and dislike restrictions. So I must refuse your invitation to become an honored guest.”

He carried many secrets and had to remain extremely cautious, even if he now possessed some ability to protect himself.

But if he were to encounter a high-level cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage, he could still be easily subdued.

He had no wish to be caught up in the power struggles between great factions. For now, all he wanted was to quietly tend his fields.

“I hope to maintain our current cooperative relationship with your pavilion. As before, I will continue to sell my pills and spirit rice through the Gathering Pavilion,” Qin Ming said earnestly after a moment’s thought.

Gu Qingzhao was stunned. She hadn’t expected Qin Ming to refuse her offer so promptly, without even considering it.

It was almost exactly the same as Master Su’s reaction…