By the time the sun rose, Jiang Beiran had finally settled all the little treasures Gu Qinghuan had brought back, while also planting the seeds of various flowers, trees, and herbs in the courtyard. Pat pat pat.
Brushing the dirt off his hands, Jiang Beiran walked to the newly placed pearwood table in the center of the courtyard and picked up the teapot to pour himself a cup of cold tea.
Gulp… gulp…
After downing it in one go, the refreshing sensation in his throat made him exhale in satisfaction.
"Senior Brother, there's one more thing I need to report."
Setting down the teacup, Jiang Beiran nodded at Gu Qinghuan.
"Go ahead."
"A few days ago, I found another mansion in Golden Jade Town that perfectly matches your requirements."
"Oh? Another one? That’s just perfect. Alright, go back and rest for today. Come find me here tomorrow at mid-morning, and we’ll head down the mountain to take a look."
"Senior Brother, I’m not tired yet."
"You might not be tired, but I am. Hurry back now."
"Yes."
Without further insistence, Gu Qinghuan cupped his hands in salute and turned to leave. The next day, Gu Qinghuan arrived at the back mountain precisely on time. Just as he finished bowing, he saw his senior brother toss a straw hat and a pair of straw sandals his way.
"Put them on."
Without asking questions, Gu Qinghuan immediately changed into the sandals and hat. Finally, Jiang Beiran handed him a piece of scorched cloth and explained, "This set of magical treasures is called Mundane Disguise. It can greatly reduce your presence.
Wear it whenever you go out from now on." Though Jiang Beiran and Gu Qinghuan had disguised themselves before when going down the mountain, he hadn’t put much effort into hiding his identity—after all, the System helped him avoid danger. But after being cornered by the "Five Golden Flowers," he had no choice but to create this Mundane Disguise set.
Now that it was made, he might as well make full use of it.
"Senior Brother is truly amazing to craft such practical magical treasures," Gu Qinghuan praised with sincere admiration.
"Let’s go. Down the mountain."
Now also wearing the Mundane Disguise set, Jiang Beiran took the lead down the mountain. Golden Jade Town wasn’t far from the Heart Returning Sect. If Jiang Beiran went all out, he could reach it in the time it took to drink a cup of tea.
But since he was bringing Gu Qinghuan along this time, they had to take the longer route across the plains. Halfway through their journey, Gu Qinghuan retrieved a silver bottle from his Universe Ring and poured out a red pill, about to swallow it when his senior brother suddenly called out.
"Don’t take that."
Immediately after, a jade bottle flew toward him. Gu Qinghuan hurriedly caught it and heard his senior brother say, "This is the Azure Spirit Pill I recently refined. Unlike the Triple Essence Pill I gave you before, this one not only restores your stamina but also accelerates the recovery and absorption of your Profound Energy."
One of the key ingredients for the Azure Spirit Pill was the Jade Fragrance he had obtained from Shi Fenglan. Three days ago, Jiang Beiran had finally pollinated it and obtained its seeds, so he could now freely use it for alchemy.
"Thank you, Senior Brother."
After saying this, Gu Qinghuan uncorked the bottle, swallowed a blue pill, and— Hiss… Instantly, he felt the previously indifferent Profound Energy in the surrounding heaven and earth surge toward him wildly, rapidly replenishing his nearly "drained" body. Though Gu Qinghuan’s aptitude wasn’t great, he wasn’t so weak that he’d need pills after just a short run.
The real reason was that Jiang Beiran’s speed was absurdly fast—he had to push his Rolling Cloud Technique to the limit just to keep up, which quickly exhausted his Profound Energy. Now, with the Azure Spirit Pill in his system, Gu Qinghuan felt his condition instantly restored to peak condition. The shock he felt was beyond words.
"Senior Brother, do you plan to sell these Azure Spirit Pills? I know many cultivators who desperately need this kind of pill and are willing to pay high prices."
"I will sell them eventually, but the materials for refining them are still scarce. Let’s wait a while."
"Yes."
Before long, Gu Qinghuan noticed that even while pushing his Rolling Cloud Technique to the limit, his Profound Energy no longer drained away. The reason was simple—his absorption rate now surpassed his consumption. This was an experience he had never had before.
"Incredible… Senior Brother, the pills you refine never cease to amaze me. Even across the entire Peak Province, you’d undoubtedly rank among the top alchemists."
Jiang Beiran smiled faintly at this and replied, "Flattery won’t get you an extra bottle. This is all you’re getting."
"Every word I speak is sincere."
After saying this firmly, Gu Qinghuan’s expression suddenly dimmed.
"It’s a shame that even after taking so many of your excellent pills, my cultivation progress hasn’t improved much. Unlike Senior Brother Wu, who has already broken through to the Mysterious Master realm—truly remarkable."
"Oh? You’ve already met Qingce?"
"Yes. Yesterday, after I woke up, Senior Brother Wu came to see me and gave me many treasures, saying you instructed me to sell them."
Ah~ Jiang Beiran immediately understood—these must be the artifacts looted from the Life-Severing Palace disciples.
"Be careful when selling those. Don’t stir up trouble."
"Understood. Senior Brother Wu already warned me."
Nodding, Jiang Beiran noticed the mix of envy and frustration on Gu Qinghuan’s face and suddenly recalled the True Origin Heavenly Pivot Technique Senior Brother Lu had gifted him.
"A senior brother gave me a rather unique Heart Technique. You can try practicing it when we return—it might suit you."
"Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother."
After chatting about other experiences and observations, the two arrived at Golden Jade Town before noon. Following Gu Qinghuan’s lead, Jiang Beiran met with a broker in a secluded spot. Brokers were essentially middlemen, specializing in helping people sell unwanted goods while taking a cut of the profit.
This broker was clearly familiar with Gu Qinghuan. After exchanging a few cheerful words, the two approached Jiang Beiran.
"This is the actual buyer," Gu Qinghuan introduced, standing beside Jiang Beiran.
Knowing Gu Qinghuan was no ordinary figure, the broker realized the person who could make him play errand boy must be even more impressive. He quickly removed his hat and bowed.
"This humble one is called Xiong Ba. Greetings, Young Master."
"Mm. Tell me about the mansion."
"Of course! The mansion originally belonged to a Mysterious Master, but due to recent circumstances, he’s relocating to Lin Prefecture and wishes to sell it."
Xiong Ba then launched into his sales pitch, extolling the mansion’s virtues as if it were a heavenly abode. The most crucial point was that the estate contained a location with dense spiritual energy.
"I, Xiong Ba, stake my life on this! If you find anything I’ve said to be untrue after purchasing it, you’re welcome to take my head!"
After listening, Jiang Beiran contemplated buying the mansion from this broker.
Huh?
The System didn’t trigger any options this time!?
(End of Chapter)