Mist City could be considered the “starter village” of the Misty Realm.
Though small, it was fully equipped, offering many early-stage cultivation items with great value for their price.
For example, in the Weapon Shop, there was a dusty, unremarkable Ancient Sword lying on the ground.
Infused with a bit of spiritual energy, it was quite sharp.
Not quite an Artifact, but still handy enough.
Or the Broken Soft Armor on the lowest shelf of the General Store—if you took it to the Shenhua Sect for repairs, it could once again shine with the luster of a low-grade Defensive Magic Tool.
There was even a Fashion and Accessories Lane selling all sorts of flashy outfits and trinkets.
If one was willing to spend, the Protagonist and Female Lead could be dressed up with new, beautiful character sprites before embarking on the path of cultivation.
But Yun Liu’s target was the Herb Shop.
As soon as he entered, the Old Shopkeeper immediately started pitching the hot-selling items.
“Yo, Young Master Yun, what a rare guest! Looking for Qi Gathering Powder or Healing Medicine?”
Yun Liu had wandered this street countless times in the game.
With a glance, he locked onto the Town Treasure—the Second-Grade Spirit Herb Blue Gem Ganoderma, the main ingredient for refining Foundation Establishment Pill.
He patted his pocket—sadly, he was broke.
All he had on him was the Shenhua Inner Disciple Cloud Robe and the Master’s First-Grade Spirit Sword.
Other than that, he had barely a hundred Spirit Stones, scavenged from a Demon Cult Disciple’s bag.
Clearly, the life of a Background NPC was rough, worlds apart from the starting fortune of someone like Gao Tian, the rich lady.
It was obvious—the Yun Family Couple had truly let their child run wild since young, entrusting him entirely to others, leaving him to fend for himself in East Pole Province.
With this little money, forget about a Third-Grade Reversion Pill—even Second-Grade Foundation Pill Material was out of reach.
The Old Shopkeeper, seeing Yun Liu unmoved, lowered his voice, waggled his eyebrows, and shot him a look every man understood.
“Not interested in those? Then how about our shop’s latest special secret medicine—Jade God Oil! Not to brag, but this is a rare item. In the Royal Capital, demand far outstrips supply. It’s got marvelous effects for Dual Cultivation between men and women, a true savior for the timid! Just one drop and you’ll regain your vigor instantly—but don’t be greedy! Last time, a kid poured in a whole bottle and nearly lost his life…”
“What kind of nonsense is this.”
Yun Liu pondered for a moment, hesitating over whether to pawn his Spirit Sword, when he heard soft footsteps behind him.
He turned his head—Huangmao was still haunting him, following yet again.
Ji Shiyu snorted and said, “What are you looking at? Is this your family’s herb shop? You’re allowed in but I’m not?”
Yun Liu was puzzled too. He thought that once the flag was pulled, things would settle down, and that after falling out with Xiao Xinran, this girl would stop pestering him.
Why was she still clinging on?
There were plenty of other flowers in the world, why fixate on just him?
It seemed this engagement absolutely had to be broken off—there was no other way!
The Shopkeeper’s eyes lit up at the sight of the yellow-clad girl. She was clearly a (big) main (fat) customer (sheep).
“This young lady has spiritual springs surging, a true Dragon and Phoenix Among People. One look and I can tell you’re a Heroine Immortal with profound cultivation. What can I do for you?”
“Whatever he wants, I want too. And I’ll pay double! However much you have, I’ll buy it all! Sorry, Brother♪”
Ji Shiyu hooked her finger, smiling boldly, obviously here to cause trouble.
Today, she was determined to force this brat to explain things clearly.
“Alright! Twenty bottles of Jade God Oil, all wrapped up—two thousand Spirit Stones, hehehe, hehehe…”
The Shopkeeper was overjoyed, grinning slyly as he gave Yun Liu a look, hinting that he’d get a share of the commission.
“What? Two thousand… daylight robbery! What kind of spirit medicine is that expensive? Why haven’t I heard of it?”
That was no small sum—for a Qi Refining Cultivator just stepping into the world of cultivation, it was a fortune, enough to pay a year’s worth of Shenhua Sect Tuition!
Huangmao winced in pain, but the words were already out.
If she backed out now, she’d be slapping herself in the face and making Yun Liu laugh.
She gritted her teeth, paid up, and glanced at the instructions, steam practically rose from Ji Shiyu’s head, her brain overloading.
A… virility tonic?
“W-w-what the hell! You bought this stuff to do what to me, you demonic fiend!?”
Ji Shiyu hugged her chest, taking two steps back, her face pale with shock.
She knew it—no one could escape her damned charm.
This brat was a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
With Xiao Xinran gone, who else could he target but her?
Could it be that Ao Tian was right after all!?
“You’re sick. Who wants to buy that junk? Stop being so narcissistic.”
Yun Liu couldn’t be bothered with the silly Huangmao.
After thinking for a moment, he took out a small bottle, shook it, and placed it on the counter.
“This is… Spirit-Guiding Water. Whoa, top quality. Where did you get it?”
The Old Shopkeeper sniffed it, eyes shining with confusion.
Spirit-Guiding Water was undoubtedly a rare, high-grade first-class elixir, regular herb shops didn’t have it.
Mist City had never even heard of a Pill Alchemist with such skill.
His stock all came from elsewhere, making a profit off the difference.
“Never mind where it’s from. Just tell me, will you buy or not?”
“Buy! Buy! The price is negotiable. How about this much?”
The Old Shopkeeper held up three fingers.
Yun Liu smiled and shook his head.
The Old Shopkeeper hesitated, then added another finger.
Yun Liu turned to leave.
“Don’t go, let’s talk!”
The Shopkeeper gritted his teeth. “Five hundred—no more!”
“Deal.”
Yun Liu knew how to handle crafty merchants.
Spirit-Guiding Water was an excellent supplement for Qi Refinement cultivators, but not something ordinary people could afford.
Only major city pharmacies carried it.
Drinking it greatly increased spiritual energy absorption—progress would skyrocket.
With the Shopkeeper’s sales skills, he could resell it for even more profit.
Cultivators in the Nine Provinces consumed vast quantities of elixirs daily.
A cost of a few dozen Spirit Stones turned into five hundred—a clear sign that Elixir Cultivator was the most lucrative trade in the Misty Realm.
Ji Shiyu watched, recalling the fragrance in the courtyard last night, her mind turning.
“You know alchemy too?”
“A little.”
Basically, he just followed the game’s steps—sequence, timing, everything exactly right.
Yun Liu took out three more bottles of Spirit-Guiding Water of the same quality.
The Old Shopkeeper’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.
Could this kid really have refined them himself!?
Four bottles of top-grade Spirit-Guiding Water—what did that mean?
Clearly, his success rate was extremely high.
Even a Second-Grade Alchemist would be hard-pressed to achieve that.
The Yun family’s youngster had such skills?
Pill Alchemists held a revered position in the cultivation world.
City Lord Xiao would be making a killing with a son-in-law like this!
The Spirit Stones the Shopkeeper had just received didn’t even make it back to the counter—they went straight into Yun Liu’s pocket.
“But… I…”
Ji Shiyu stared, dumbfounded, realizing she’d been played for a fool.
Turns out he came to withdraw money, while she came to give it away.
Somehow, she’d been tricked again!
What use did she have for a pile of Jade God Oil now?
If anyone saw, they’d think she was mining for… something else!
Yun Liu didn’t rush to take the money, he’d need it soon enough.
He pointed out a few rare herbs on the counter, then gestured at the Blue Gem Ganoderma, ready to sweep the “starter village” Herb Shop clean.
“I’ll take all of these.”
The Old Shopkeeper nodded, his attitude becoming extremely respectful, his smile fawning.
Even his way of addressing Yun Liu changed.
“An old customer like you—I’ll give you a thirty percent discount, round off the change, just two hundred more Spirit Stones. Next time you have good business, Master, don’t forget this old man!”
Was business always this good?
Yun Liu seemed to have underestimated the convenience of being an Elixir Cultivator.
“Uh…”
But when he patted himself down, he realized awkwardly, he really didn’t have enough.
This time, Ji Shiyu didn’t make trouble. Her eyes were full of suspicion, maybe Ao Tian was right after all.
Divine Soul was the greatest bottleneck for Pill Alchemists, which meant those with the talent to pursue alchemy were one in ten thousand.
Who would have thought this future senior brother, with his clear Dao heart, also possessed such skills?
A Second-Grade Alchemist emerging quietly at the foot of the Sea of Clouds Peaks Forest—unbelievable, and so young, too.
With such a skill, even if he became a cripple, Yun Liu would never have to worry about being unwanted.
No wonder he wasn’t fazed by his Qi Sea being crippled!
Just then, a plump, fluffy yellow chick suddenly jumped onto the white-robed youth’s hand.
Its feathers were puffy, and a tuft on its head burned like a flame—quite a sight.
The yellow chick, seeing Yun Liu’s dilemma, opened its beak and spat out a handful of Spirit Stones, as if its belly could hold a thousand treasures.
“Cheep!”
Lord Ao Tian puffed out his chest, quite optimistic about this kid, and was willing to grant him a round of angel investment.
“This is…?”
Yun Liu turned back, baffled.
Ji Shiyu rolled her eyes and said irritably, “That’s my Spirit Beast. Never mind it. Since it gave them to you, just take them. Traitor, siding with outsiders!”
“Looks a lot like you, actually.”
?
“Me, like it?”
“Cheep cheep cheep?”
The yellow-haired master and servant stared at each other, neither feeling complimented.
Yun Liu accepted the gift with a shameless grin, packed up his herbs, and left the shop.
“Consider it compensation for the door. You’re getting a bargain.”
“…”
Ao Tian rolled his eyes in a very human-like way, still underestimating this guy’s shamelessness.
Was your door made of gold? One kick and it’s two hundred!?
“How about we make a deal, if you help me explain things to Xinran, I’ll give you back all this damned Jade God Oil.”
Ji Shiyu looked miserable, she’d tried to outsmart him and ended up losing out, offending both sides before even figuring out where her luck lay.
“No need. You keep it for yourself. Take care of your health.”
“You!”
Yun Liu turned and headed back the way he came, busy with his own affairs.
Ao Tian stood on Ji Shiyu’s shoulder, watching the thin figure in white disappear, his gaze burning brighter, ever more convinced.
“‘A little’? That’s just false modesty. Sixteen years old, a Second-Grade Alchemist, and still only a Qi Refining Cultivator—have you ever seen such a thing? I sure haven’t.”
His alchemy talent far outshone even a Heavenly Spiritual Root.
To stay in the Shenhua Sect studying Sword way would be a waste.
“This is infuriating! He’s gone too far—too far!”
Ji Shiyu ground her teeth, realizing she understood Yun Liu less and less.
This person was simply her nemesis.
Ever since meeting him, she’d run into walls at every turn.
How could she ever hope to touch the fate of East Pole Province at this rate…
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Causing her own problems and daring to blame him.