Upon leaving the materials shop, Bai Qiuran looked up at the bright sun in the sky, muttering to himself. After scanning the surroundings with his spiritual sense and ensuring no one was nearby, Bai Qiuran's body suddenly emitted a sound like popping beans. His figure shrank, his features gradually morphed, and his white hair turned black. In the end, Bai Qiuran vanished, replaced by a young boy with black hair and a cherubic face.
"Interesting, truly interesting." At that moment, a middle-aged officer warned, "This is the capital of Shangxuan Kingdom. If wandering orphans start appearing in the capital, it would mean disgrace to the emperor! Be mindful for your life!"
"Come, come, let’s drink."
As the two men clinked cups and began discussing frivolous matters, Bai Qiuran retracted his spiritual sense and stroked his chin. "Sigh, how could we know what the emperor and the national master are thinking?"
The materials he had delivered were all basic items that were practically never out of stock. After all, these materials were primarily used by demon cultivators to concoct pills that enhanced their cultivation. This brought back memories for Bai Qiuran, reminding him of his past wandering near battlefields, scavenging for the dead’s belongings to sell when he had yet to encounter Qingming Daoist.
Demon cultivators, unlike righteous path cultivators who emphasized building a solid foundation step by step, promoted a free and bold approach, exploiting everything in the world for their own gain. Therefore, their techniques tended to be more radical, especially in alchemy.
"Quiet down!" Just then, Bai Qiuran captured a conversation from a table below.
"Interesting, truly interesting." Considering that normal cultivators might also need these materials, Bai Qiuran decided to test the waters again. Aside from the usual materials, he wrote down additional ingredients for a common pill recipe used by demon cultivators, which were still out of stock in the shop.
"Sigh, how could we know what the emperor and the national master are thinking?"
"Oh, this upcoming heaven offering ceremony is such a hassle. In the past, these ceremonies were usually internal affairs of the royal family. Why must we encourage every family to lend their young boys and girls for the ceremony now?" Bai Qiuran understood how special his situation was; for three thousand years, he had tried various methods to build his foundation. He had explored the remains of ancient texts left in immortal caves and sect ruins before the era of great chaos, and even studied the techniques belonging to the demon cultivators, the enemies of the Righteous Dao Alliance.
Could it be that Shangxuan Kingdom has fallen that low? However, after searching the city, Bai Qiuran found nothing unusual. He also paid close attention to the royal palace; whether it was the emperor, the crown prince, or the national master, Sima Yingbo, none of them showed any signs of abnormality.
After a moment, Bai Qiuran smiled faintly, polished off the dishes and wine on his table in a few bites, left behind some silver, and exited the tavern, walking to a nearby deserted corner.
He recalled the scene of Tang Ruowei returning to the palace, presumably to her own quarters in the harem. When Bai Qiuran saw her, this princess, who had a strong opinion against cultivators, had changed into female attire, looking quite charming. However, he noticed she was struggling to stuff something into her robe's collar in front of a tall bronze mirror, making it bulge out.
Occasionally, he would be lucky enough to find leftover rations on soldiers, which he would hoard in his clothing until it bulged, as demon cultivators often used powerful materials to brew pills that had intense effects and side effects. Normally even the demon cultivators, who could withstand more than righteous cultivators, struggled with the potent effects. Therefore, they would resort to using their own demonic techniques to help digest the medicine’s power.
"Interesting, truly interesting."
However, amidst the ongoing conversations, one officer complained, "To find families willing to lend their children, we would need to go to the remote areas and seek out those struggling families, offering a bit of silver... But that's such a hassle. Where can we find orphaned children wandering the streets?"
Bai Qiuran, understanding his unique circumstances over the last three thousand years, thought of all the methods he had employed to build his foundation, from the remains of immortal manuals to ancient scrolls he had dug through.
The situation was indeed puzzling. Just at that moment, Bai Qiuran's keen ears picked up on sensitive topics: "young boys and girls" and "heaven offering ceremony." He promptly opened his spiritual sense to lock onto the source of the sound.
"Could it be they are trying to utilize the luck of the young ones to reverse the kingdom’s fortune?" a middle-aged man speculated. “Most likely, they just want the kids to stand and warm the place up. The situation in the country does not seem optimistic at all."
Bai Qiuran chuckled at the absurdity of his thoughts, recalling the harsh reality he once faced. After ensuring the area was clear, he again shifted his form, preparing for his next move.