JSCMU-Chapter 77: Profound and Unfathomable

Yun Jin took a glance.

“Gu Jinghong: Dual Water and Earth Spiritual Roots. Early Nascent Soul stage.

Spirit Beast: Mud Worm Beast (Earth attribute, Mid-grade, Foundation Establishment stage).

Cultivation Technique: Blood Qi Art (High-grade Xuan-level manual; Extremely fast advancement speed, but the more one cultivates, the more twisted one’s personality becomes, and the stronger the craving for blood).

Mastered Skills: Sixth-level Eight Trigrams Palm (Low-grade Xuan-level), Sixth-level Eight Trigrams Step (Low-grade Xuan-level). Proficient in level two formations. Has preliminary mastery of level three formations.”

Yun Jin read with a hint of disdain.

That’s all?

Isn’t Gu Jinghong’s list of skills a bit too short?

Even she had more skills listed than this.

If Gu Jinghong knew what Yun Jin was thinking at that moment, he would definitely feel extremely wronged.

They say not to bite off more than you can chew. Although cultivators have long lifespans, cultivation is a very difficult path. For him to be able to train the formation techniques to the second level alongside his own cultivation was already quite an achievement.

Yun Jin continued to nitpick.

And he even had a spirit beast, yet it was still in Foundation Establishment after raising it for so long.

Her own Gun Gun could probably reach Foundation Establishment in no time.

Useless.

This Gu Jinghong is truly useless.

If not for her desire to torment him, finding such a servant would really lower her standards.

But for now, with only Gu Jinghong as her servant, she could only make do.

While Yun Jin was tallying her gains, many others were spending a sleepless night.

Ming Heng immediately reported to his sect that Yun Jin had modified the Foundation Establishment Pill recipe and successfully used it to refine a perfect-quality pill.

At the same time, many who had witnessed this miracle also reported the matter to their higher-ups.

Inside Baicao Pavilion’s secret chamber.

Chen Changrong and Yue Zhao sat across from each other, drinking tea.

“Brother Ren, good thing your junior sister left quickly. Everyone is looking for her outside,” Chen Changrong said with feeling.

Yue Zhao smiled faintly. “My junior sister is focused solely on alchemy, she never bothered  with such mundane matters.”

“Oh?” Chen Changrong was surprised. “So your junior sister actually works hard in private?”

Yue Zhao sighed, speaking against his conscience. “As the saying goes, the reason you can appear effortless is because you’ve shed enough sweat in the shadows. In this world, nothing comes without hard work. My junior sister’s private efforts are more than I can bear to watch.”

Indeed, he truly couldn’t bear to watch because Yun Jin had hardly put in any effort at all!

Chen Changrong nodded repeatedly. “So that’s how it is! It seems being a genius isn’t so easy either.”

Yue Zhao calmly nodded.

Chen Changrong’s gaze shifted, and he probed, “Brother Ren, this perfect-quality Foundation Establishment Pill is no small matter. This market will likely become lively soon, and many people will want to know your identities.”

This “Ren Woxing” was clearly a disguise.

But in the cultivation world, altering one’s appearance was perfectly normal. If someone forcibly probed it, it would be considered provocation and could easily lead to conflict.

Since Chen Changrong wanted long-term cooperation with Yue Zhao, he naturally wouldn’t do such a thing.

But those gathering here for the Foundation Establishment Pill might not be so polite.

To uncover Yue Zhao and Yun Jin’s true identities, some people would likely resort to any means necessary.

After all, finding them first meant gaining the upper hand.

If one could bring such a genius under their wing, never mind anything else, just the ability to refine a perfect-quality Foundation Establishment Pill would greatly strengthen their sect’s foundation.

“They want to investigate?” Yue Zhao looked utterly disdainful. “Then let them come.”

His arrogance was so blatant that Chen Changrong was momentarily stunned.

Cautiously, he asked, “Brother Ren, could it be that your backgrounds are not ordinary?”

Yue Zhao smiled faintly. “Could ordinary families cultivate an alchemy genius like my junior sister?”

The logic was flawless, Chen Changrong had no choice but to refute it.

“Chen Pavilion Master should have looked into my background. I began appearing at this market about three years ago. That’s because my junior sister and I were out traveling, and three years ago we happened to arrive here. At the time, my junior sister was in seclusion, devoted to researching alchemy techniques. I had nothing to do, so I came to the market to pass time and make a little money,” Yue Zhao said casually.

Chen Changrong’s heart jolted.

He had indeed investigated this “Ren Woxing” and found that he only began frequenting the market three years ago.

Moreover, this man has sharp business acumen. Many merchants held him in high regard, were it not for his lack of backing and capital, he would have already built a great enterprise.

But thinking more carefully.

How could someone with such business acumen have no backing? No capital? Without a family’s nurture, such instincts wouldn’t appear from nowhere.

Chen Changrong was suspious before, but now he understood, he understood everything.

This “Ren Woxing” was doing business here purely to kill time. He never intended to devote himself to it!

He and that mysterious alchemist must hail from an upper-level sect, perhaps even a super sect or… a Holy Land?

The thought made Chen Changrong shiver.

If that were true, was his previous treatment of Yue Zhao sufficiently respectful?

Seeing Chen Changrong’s face turn pale, Yue Zhao had no idea what wild scenario the man  imagined. He simply sipped his tea with an even more inscrutable air.

“Brother Ren,” Chen Changrong said, wiping cold sweat from his forehead and lowering his voice, “soon, many people will be asking me about your identities. How should I respond?”

Yue Zhao lowered his voice and spoke slowly. “Pavilion Master Chen, Let me ask you, do you want Baicao Pavilion to handle this pill business exclusively, or share it with others?”

Chen Changrong’s expression shifted. “Brother Ren, you mean…”

“We signed an agreement giving Baicao Pavilion priority supply. My junior sister and I intend to honor it. But if others come to pressure you, and you can’t handle that, then even if we wish to keep the agreement, we won’t be able to,” Yue Zhao said pointedly.

Chen Changrong nodded repeatedly.

The previous Biling Pills had been one thing, he was able to keep the covetous people at bay.

But the Foundation Establishment Pill…

The impact was simply too great.

“Pavilion Master Chen,” Yue Zhao said softly, “you alone can no longer hold the stage. Let the higher-level figures come forward.”

“I’ll say this in advance. My junior sister and I are not concerned about our identities being exposed. At most, we can just leave this place, and I doubt anyone would dare touch us. But in that case, our pill business would no longer be possible. If you still wish to cooperate with us, Baicao Pavilion will need to think of a proper solution. Now, the pressure is on you, not us. Do you understand, Pavilion Master?”

Yue Zhao’s gaze was sharp, his entire bearing radiating the oppressive air of someone in command.

A chill ran down Chen Changrong’s spine.

At this point, he dared not harbor any further doubts.

With an aura like that, who would believe he never commanded thousands before?

And any sect with thousands of disciples would at least be an upper-level sect.

This Ren Woxing’s cultivation might not be high, but if he could command so many, his position in that sect was likely one of great importance!

“I understand,” Chen Changrong said immediately. “I’ve already reported this earlier. Now I’ll report again and make sure headquarters sends several strong experts over.”

Only then did Yue Zhao nod in satisfaction. “Pavilion Master Chen, then let us… work well together.”

When Yue Zhao withdrew that oppressive presence, Chen Changrong quietly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

A mere Nascent Soul cultivator, yet with such a terrifying aura.

This Ren Woxing was anything but simple.

And that junior sister of his was even more extraordinary. This matter would have to be reported thoroughly.