Longevity: My Talents Are a Bit Abundant-Chapter 365: Pill Master Tributor

The next day.

Patriarch Wei’s mansion.

Shen Xuan took the initiative to visit Patriarch Wei and stated his purpose.

"Master Shen, you wish to attend the auction at Weihai Immortal City?"

Patriarch Wei was somewhat surprised to learn Shen Xuan’s intentions.

For the past three months, Shen Xuan had been staying on White Crane Island, reclusive, not even leaving his cave mansion, let alone the island.

According to Qing Feng and Ming Yue’s report, Master Shen was indeed an ascetic.

Apart from alchemy, he only practiced cultivation.

Occasionally, he would play for a while with the Silver-Horned Celestial Horse by the Spirit Pool in his cave mansion.

For positions like tributor to a cultivation clan, there is no restriction on personal freedom.

One only needs to complete agreed tasks as per the Spirit Contract.

Of course, generally, the Spirit Contract contains a cultivator’s Spiritual Power imprint, equivalent to a Heavenly Dao oath. If violated, one is prone to suffer from a Heart Demon’s backlash.

Additionally, a cultivator who breaches the Spirit Contract will face accountability from the cultivation clan, and all sects in Song Country will side with the cultivation clan.

Patriarch Wei was unaware that Shen Xuan was an outsider, and Heavenly Dao oaths and Spirit Contracts had little binding power over him.

As for the sects of Song Country siding with the clan, Shen Xuan had no concern.

He himself was a direct disciple of the two branches of the Cyan Cloud Sect, with status and standing.

Not to mention the cultivation clan.

Even if the Profound Celestial Sect demanded accountability, Master Cold Jade and Master Gu Feng would protect him.

"My cultivation and alchemy both require high-tier Water Demon Essence Blood. At the major auction in Weihai Immortal City, some should be available."

Shen Xuan stated solemnly.

Hearing this, Patriarch Wei pondered for a moment.

"Master Shen, I understand your meaning."

"The Wei family indeed does not have a stock of Tier Two Top Grade Water Demon Essence Blood."

Demon Beast materials above Tier Two Middle Grade are considered strategic resources.

Demon Cores can be used to refine Foundation Establishment Pills.

The powerful parts of Demon Beasts can be used to refine Tier Two Magical Treasures.

Essence Blood is used in alchemy and talisman making.

Demon Beast Meat is highly nourishing, comparable to various Tier Two Spirit Pills.

In the past, when the Wei family hunted Tier Two Middle Grade or higher Demon Beasts, they sold them to the Divine Sword Sect, exchanging them for the sect’s merits to redeem Foundation Establishment Pills and other strategic resources.

The Wei family itself doesn’t have skilled alchemists or artifact refiners, so even if they retain some materials, they are prioritized for Wei family members.

The last time, they offered the Illusionary Octopus Essence Blood solely to win over Shen Xuan, bringing out the treasured spiritual object from their reserves.

"Coincidentally, the Wei family will also attend the auction at Weihai Immortal City. How about this, Master Shen, I join you, how about it?"

Patriarch Wei suggested, "If you’re short on Spirit Stones, the Wei family can lend some."

Shen Xuan thought it over.

"Alright, I’ll accompany Patriarch Wei."

Shen Xuan agreed to Patriarch Wei’s proposal.

At auctions, there are all sorts of shady characters.

With a strong and dominating local figure like Patriarch Wei, there’d be fewer troubles.

Shen Xuan has always been someone who avoids trouble.

"By the way, Master Shen, could you do me a favor?"

Shen Xuan was taken aback.

Patriarch Wei chuckled, hiding a trace of embarrassment.

"Yating, come and greet Master Shen."

A slender young girl with a graceful figure, eyes as clear as autumn water, rosy cheeks, and a hint of shyness, lightly stepped in from outside the room.

"I am Wei Yating, a humble greeting to Master Shen."

With a slight bow, a gentle fragrance accompanied her.

"Yating is my great-granddaughter, always eager to study the Dao of Alchemy. I know Master Shen dislikes being disturbed by outsiders."

"This time, could you, for my sake, make an exception and guide Yating in alchemy?"

Shen Xuan glanced at Wei Yating.

He could see through Patriarch Wei’s intentions at once.

To win over foreign cultivators, the most effective methods are resources and beauty.

Shen Xuan, being a Water Technique Alchemist, with skills in alchemy, doesn’t lack ordinary cultivation resources.

The high-tier Water Demon Essence Blood he needs, the Wei family couldn’t provide.

Therefore, they take a different approach, using a beauty with excellent appearance, talent, and character to test the waters.

Shen Xuan had no intention of getting close to Wei family female cultivators.

However, with Patriarch Wei making such a grand gesture, it was hard for Shen Xuan to refuse.

He looked at Wei Yating again.

Water Spirit Root, Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer, in her twenties.

After bowing, her cheeks had a hint of blush, lips pressed tightly, and her delicate hands nervously twisted her clothing, seemingly a bit tense.

"I often engage in closed-door cultivation."

Upon hearing this, a trace of disappointment appeared on Wei Yating’s pretty face, and she involuntarily looked at Patriarch Wei.

Shen Xuan secretly nodded.

Wei Yating’s temperament was calm and composed.

Even when facing setbacks, she wouldn’t be thrown into disarray.

Such temperament suits alchemy.

Shen Xuan continued, "If Miss Wei doesn’t mind the inconvenience, you could come by the Alchemy Room when I’m out of seclusion, to exchange insights on Water Technique Refining."

"Ah!"

A sudden turn of events, Wei Yating let out a low exclamation, her cherry lips slightly parted.

Patriarch Wei glared at her, "What are you daydreaming about! Quickly thank Master Shen!"

"Yating thanks Master Shen!"

In what seemed like an instant, Wei Yating’s eyes displayed a few sparkles of liveliness, lively and adorable.

"Alright then! Patriarch Wei, when shall we depart?"

"How about three days from now? I still have some things to deal with."

"Alright, three days later, we’ll set out together!"

Patriarch Wei personally escorted Shen Xuan out of the mansion.

Upon returning, he saw Wei Yating’s joyful expression and could only shake his head.

"Yating, Master Shen is a Tier Two Water Technique Alchemist, you must seize this opportunity!"

"Yes, great-grandfather, Yating will make the most of it!"

Wei Yating clenched her pink fist, encouraging herself.

Patriarch Wei shook his head.

This child didn’t understand what I meant at all.

Oh well, perhaps it’s better this way.

Everything depends on fate.

It’s too deliberate, making the Wei Family seem small-minded.

...

Shen Xuan returned to the cave mansion and organized the spiritual objects on him.

On Luoxia Lake Island, after trading with the Purple Essence Divine Wood Great Demon, the spirit water of the River and Sea Map was exhausted.

Re-refining it consumed six hundred thousand Spirit Stones.

During Water Technique Refining, spirit water from the River and Sea Map was used, consuming another hundred thousand Spirit Stones.

However, Shen Xuan was quite wealthy.

He earned a million Spirit Stones in betting during the sect competition.

In addition, by exterminating demon cultivators and killing four disciples of Medicine God Valley, he gained five hundred thousand Spirit Stones.

Now, there are still eight hundred thousand Spirit Stones left, more than enough to buy high-tier Water Demon Essence Blood.

Generally speaking, the price of Water Demon Essence Blood is one to two tenths of the total price of the Water Demon.

It’s far less valuable than demon cores, demon beast meat, or special parts used in refining.

The main buyers are pill masters and talisman masters.

A few are those practicing special cultivation techniques.

"However, if there’s a top-quality Water Demon carcass, I must take action!"

Now, with advancement in realm cultivation, Shen Xuan’s divine soul can easily control the Thunder Beast, Shadow Octopus, and Golden Claw Divine Eagle.

After the Silver-Horned Celestial Horse advanced, the role of the Golden Claw Divine Eagle greatly diminished.

Shen Xuan’s plan is to replace the Golden Claw Divine Eagle and re-refine a meat shield type of demon beast corpse beast.

However, opportunities like these are rare and must be seized when possible.

"Time is still a bit short, and handling those stolen goods is cumbersome."

Shen Xuan sighed inwardly.

The stolen goods of the four disciples from Medicine God Valley are worth four to five hundred thousand Spirit Stones.

He fears attracting pursuit from Medicine God Valley, which would be detrimental to his infiltration in the Wei Family.

Therefore, he temporarily set them aside.

"First, I’ll re-refine the Chaotic Heaven Staff."

This upper-grade demon treasure, made of extraordinary material, weighs over ten thousand pounds.

Due to the resistance of seawater, many magical treasures can’t perform to their full potential in the deep sea.

Shen Xuan plans to modify the Chaotic Heaven Staff into a heavy-weight upper-grade magical treasure, adding some water attribute heavenly and earthly treasures.

This way, it can be used with ease in the deep sea, unleashing extraordinary power.

"The Divine Sword Sect is, after all, one of the seven major sects. As long as you can pay the Spirit Stones, modifying an upper-grade demon treasure is not a problem."

"Just as well, take this opportunity to gather information about high-tier Water Demon Essence Blood."

In the cultivation realm, major sects are the true ruling class, monopolizing and controlling most strategic resources.

Strategic resources usually refer to cultivation spiritual objects of tier two and above.

Once they reach tier two middle grade or higher, they’re strictly controlled by major sects.

These strategic spiritual objects are mostly provided to sect disciples, with few leaking outside.

Even the Foundation Establishment Pill, a tier one rank-breaking spirit pill, lacks main herbal ingredients for refining in small and medium sects.

Let alone cultivation clans.

The loose cultivator population is the largest, but loose cultivator alchemists capable of refining Foundation Establishment Pills are extremely rare.

The Divine Sword Sect’s territory is impoverished in resources, with inconvenient circulation, backward trade, and a lack of cultivators skilled in cultivation techniques.

Thus, the Divine Sword Sect’s control is stronger, and cultivation resources are more concentrated.

However, the Divine Sword Sect’s management of territory’s loose cultivators is relatively lenient.

As long as one doesn’t commit wrongdoing in its core territory, disturbing the order, sect cultivators generally won’t interfere.

As for areas outside the core territory, such as the East Sea or the Wilderness, no matter how many lives are lost, they won’t interfere.

Even in the conflicts between subsidiary forces like the Wei Family on White Crane Island, the Divine Sword Sect would only provide material support and wouldn’t rashly step in.

This has become a tacit understanding among the major sects.

Compete openly or covertly, but keep it within certain limits.

The major sects behind all of these should not intervene easily.

For three months, Shen Xuan continuously used the Thousand Transformations technique, having already advanced to a proficient level.

Originally, by employing the Concealing Breath Technique and Illusion Technique, he could hide from Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Now, with Thousand Transformations, as long as he’s not within a yard’s distance, even Fake Pill Masters can’t see through his true appearance.

He’s much less fearful of Fake Pill Masters now.

...

Three days later.

On the Wei Family warship.

Wei Yating gazed enviously at the Silver-Horned Celestial Horse on the warship’s deck.

Its whole body was snow-white, extraordinarily majestic, untamed and proud.

A solid tier two spirit beast!

However, when it came to Shen Xuan, it seemed like an obedient child.

It kept affectionately rubbing against him, wanting Shen Xuan to play with it.

Shen Xuan couldn’t be bothered with it.

He gently patted the Silver-Horned Celestial Horse’s neck, telling it to go away and not disturb him.

At this moment, Shen Xuan was perusing a cultivation scripture.

Similar to a storybook, it described the legendary deeds of some great powers in Song Country.

From White Crane Island to Weihai Immortal City, it takes only two days on the Wei Family warship.

Along the way, Wei Yating consistently appeared in Shen Xuan’s sight, whether intentionally or not.

It was apparent she had meticulously dressed up.

Wearing a pink and yellow immortal skirt, her skin was as white as snow and she exuded youthful vigor.

Her body was straight and tense.

Evidently, Wei Yating was somewhat nervous.

However, she didn’t interrupt Shen Xuan.

Much of the time, she simply stood silently, occasionally stealing a glance.

Her face would then slightly flush.

Who knows what she was thinking.

Shen Xuan pretended not to notice.

He picked up another cultivation scripture, this one introducing nearby cultivation influences.

Shen Xuan was especially interested in the Lu Family from Azure Dragon Island.

They are the millennium-old, archenemy and mortal foe of White Crane Island.

They are highly likely to target him.

Of course, as the top combatant of the family, the Fake Pill Master Lu Family’s ancestor probably won’t act easily.

The other individuals, even Patriarch Lu at Foundation Establishment Perfection, pose no threat to Shen Xuan.

He’s merely researching this for contingencies.

"Alchemist Shen, is this a celestial horse?"

Wei Yating finally couldn’t resist, gracefully stepped forward, and softly asked Shen Xuan.