Chapter 312: Exchanging Essence

After he spoke, he sized up Chen Qingyang again. “You’re different. Two years at this stage is enough to see a massive gap. You’re very, very close to becoming a Master one day!”

The path of Immortal Cultivation was a series of such steps.

From Qi Refining to Essence Condensation, countless people were held back. From Essence Condensation to Master, it was a one-in-ten-thousand chance, and even that required the ancestors’ blessing.

The Tai Xu Sect currently had over two hundred thousand Inner Sect Disciples, yet it also had a great number of Foundation Establishment Masters. This was simply because Masters could live for a very long time, while those in Essence Condensation slowly aged and died, and were also more prone to accidents.

While they were chatting idly, another person walked up the steps of the Lower Palace. It was none other than his Fourth Senior Brother, Ji Rang, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time.

“Junior Brother! What are you all talking about? It looks so lively, yet you didn’t call for me. I heard from Senior Brother Liu that he didn’t see you at all last month. What have you been up to?”

Chen Qingyang said, “I was busy with my Cultivation and studying the Alchemy Dao, so I lost track of time. I’ve already spoken with the Steward at Wandanyuan. I’ll make up for it all next month.”

“We’re all on the same side; that’s just a small matter. Don’t tell me you were in seclusion?”

It was Liu Wenzheng who answered Ji Rang’s question. “You don’t even know this? And you call yourself his Fourth Senior Brother? From now on, the youngest junior brother of your lineage no longer has the Cultivation of the Essence Condensation First Realm, but the Essence Condensation Second Realm. And he still has plenty of room for improvement. I reckon it won’t be long before he catches up to those two at the Fifth and Sixth Realms.”

‘I had originally agreed with Xu Baoling to delay the news for a few more days, but now it can’t be helped. If Ji Rang knows, it’s the same as Master knowing.’

Hearing this, Ji Rang was first surprised, then cupped his hands in congratulations. “Aiya, Junior Brother, that’s lightning speed! No wonder Master valued you so highly at the last Essence Splitting gathering. You really have what it takes!”

He didn’t actually check Chen Qingyang’s condition for himself; whatever Liu Wenzheng said, he took as fact. He clapped him on the shoulder in a very friendly manner.

“Senior Brothers, please don’t praise me anymore. I’ve only taken a slightly steadier first step in this realm. It’s still too early to say how things will go in Mingtang Hall. If I end up being unable to achieve a breakthrough for a hundred years, I’ll become a laughingstock.”

“Nonsense, absolute nonsense… How can you say such an unlucky thing? Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey!”

‘He’s at the Ninth Realm of Essence Condensation, and according to our fellow disciples’ evaluations, Senior Brother Ji has great potential. If he hadn’t wasted his opportunities, he should be at the Half-Step Foundation Establishment stage by now. Yet here he is, still so superstitious.’

“Junior Brother, when did you break through? Did you go and tell First Senior Brother?”

Chen Qingyang was confused. “Why would I do that?”

“You don’t know? Master is a petty man. If you don’t tell him the news of your breakthrough right away, he’ll think you don’t respect him, and you’ll have a hard time later on!”

Among the thirty-six disciples, only Ji Rang would dare to say such a thing.

As for why he had to tell First Senior Brother, it was simple. Master Jing Yuan was absorbed in his cultivation and rarely concerned himself with such matters. After reporting to First Senior Brother, he would handle what he could. For matters he couldn’t handle, he would weigh them carefully before informing their master.

First Senior Brother was the de facto Vice Sect Leader of their lineage.

“Now that you put it that way, I’ll definitely take it to heart.”

Ji Rang clapped him on the shoulder again. “Don’t just take it to heart, hurry up and go! He values you so much, so if you delay, he’ll be even more petty… Haha!”

To speak so ill of their own master… even Liu Wenzheng, who was standing right there, didn’t dare to respond.

“Yes, I’ll go right away.”

…

After bidding farewell to the two of them, he went to the True Register Elixir Platform. After a careful search, he indeed found a Pill Formula gathering dust in a corner. Its name was the Green Fall Elixir of Longevity.

He took it and flipped through it, mainly to memorize the ingredients for the alchemy. If he was missing any, he would get them from Gentle Breeze.

Carrying the sixty-thousand-odd Spirit Stones he had on hand, he arrived at Gentle Breeze.

Today, he didn’t run into anyone else doing business. Only Shopkeeper Wang was sitting in the back, clicking away at his abacus. Sometimes, Chen Qingyang found it strange. ‘Just how many accounts does he need to settle?’

Besides, cultivators had powerful Divine Souls, so their mental calculation speed was extremely fast. Shopkeeper Wang’s Cultivation at the Qi Refining Sixth Realm was more than enough for the task.

“Senior Brother Chen, an honored guest!” He was overjoyed to see him, and Chen Qingyang felt the same.

“I’m here to discuss a big deal today. How about inviting me upstairs for a seat?”

Shopkeeper Wang glanced at him sideways. He saw that Chen Qingyang had neither a basket on his back nor a cloth sack; he didn’t look like someone about to make a big deal at all.

‘He knows his Cultivation level, so it’s impossible for him to have a technique like Universe in the Sleeve. The last time, I saw him stuff two taels of Star Meteor Powder into his sleeve, perfectly mimicking the posture of someone using Universe in the Sleeve. But you couldn’t do that with elixirs and such, could you?’

Still, he plastered on a smile. “Quick, quick, to the second floor!”

Good tea, good fruit, and a stick of fine incense was lit. In the room, a gentle breeze wafted through.

“I wonder what big deal Senior Brother was referring to?”

Chen Qingyang said only two words: “Very big.”

Shopkeeper Wang was suspicious. ‘Every time this happens, he’s about to swindle me. I have to be careful with this guy.’

“Hehe, I’ve handled deals of all sizes. Why don’t you be a bit more specific, Senior Brother Chen?”

“Let me ask you, how much do you make on a single Fire Element Essence?”

Shopkeeper Wang was secretly delighted to hear this. “Don’t tell me you’re in desperate need, Senior Brother?”

“I am. Desperately. And I brought cash.”

He pulled a handful of Top Grade Spirit Stones from his sleeve—there were at least several dozen.

Shopkeeper Wang eyed his sleeve; it was very large, as if it could hold anything. “Aiya! At five hundred thousand for one, I’m really not making much off of you, Senior Brother. It’s just enough to cover the effort.”

Chen Qingyang asked, “Is there a specific number?”

Shopkeeper Wang said, “Ten thousand Spirit Stones at most. As you know, that’s not a high profit margin. We’re just scraping by and would never think of taking more from you, Senior Brother Chen…”

Chen Qingyang waved his hand, quickly cutting him off. “Is it the same for the other four element essences?”

Seeing him ask in such detail, he really believed Chen Qingyang was about to make a big deal. “That’s right. The difficulty in obtaining them is about the same, so the price doesn’t change. Sometimes the profit is less than ten thousand. Business is tough.”

Having clarified these points, Chen Qingyang leaned in closer. “I have a way for you to make a steady ten thousand every time. Shopkeeper Wang, don’t say I never look out for you, eh?”

If anyone else had said this, Shopkeeper Wang would have been quite happy. But coming from Chen Qingyang, a slight chill ran down his spine.

“Aiya, Senior Brother Chen, please stop teasing me. Just say what’s on your mind. This is a small business; we don’t make much.”

“Alright!”

Chen Qingyang flicked his sleeve, and five Fire Element Essences appeared in a row, leaving Shopkeeper Wang stunned. “Ah! Senior Brother Chen, you’re so wealthy! So you weren’t lacking these at all!”

But to his surprise, Chen Qingyang said, “I am lacking them. Very much so. I plan to use these five Fire Element Essences to trade for the essences of Wood, Earth, Water, and Gold from you. In short, I need to complete a set of five. I’ll also give you an extra forty thousand Spirit Stones so you can make a nice profit. How about it?”

Shopkeeper Wang was dazed. He had considered many possibilities, but he had never imagined that Chen Qingyang would pull out Fire Element Essences himself.

Chen Qingyang patted him again. “It’s a guaranteed profit. You said so yourself. Shall we call it a deal?”

Shopkeeper Wang gave a bitter smile, more bitter than a bitter melon. “Senior Brother Chen, that’s not how you do business. Business can’t be done like this. It breaks the rules, this…”

“You’ve never done it this way because I haven’t come before. Now that I’m here, we can do it this way. If you agree, everything will be easy between us in the future. If you don’t, I really don’t think I’ll want to come to Gentle Breeze anymore!”

It was a direct threat, and Shopkeeper Wang was suddenly caught in a dilemma.

If he agreed, it would be too humiliating. Who does business for such a tiny profit? If word got out, would the reputation of Gentle Breeze even survive? But if he didn’t agree, he wouldn’t make any money from him in the future, and right now, he couldn’t afford to offend him.

“Shopkeeper Wang, you have to look at the long term. There will be plenty of opportunities to make money from me in the future, don’t you think?”

After thinking for a long time, Shopkeeper Wang looked up. “I can agree, but I have a condition. If you don’t agree to it, Senior Brother Chen, then I won’t agree to the deal.”

His tone was firm. Chen Qingyang considered it for a moment. “Fine. Let’s hear it.”