After the talisman transaction, Qin Lu sold forty-two Water Qi Shields, ultimately earning ninety Spirit Stones.

With the Spirit Stones in hand, the two of them began making their way to an alchemy shop.

Having spent nearly two months frequenting the market, Qin Lu had long heard about the rarity of pills.

Like talismans, pills were also divided into nine grades.

The first grade was the lowest, and the ninth was the highest.

Although the grades were the same, the price difference between talismans and pills was quite significant.

Some low-grade, first-grade talismans could generally be purchased for just one or two Spirit Stones, their price being extremely cheap.

But for pills, even the lowest quality ones started at twenty Spirit Stones.

For example, the Spirit Gathering Pill Qin Lu had taken last time cost thirty-five Spirit Stones per pill.

The root cause of pills being so expensive was simply that alchemists were too few.

Training an alchemist was extremely difficult. It not only required a cultivator to possess exceptional talent for alchemy but also demanded massive investment in fire control practice.

Only through long, accumulated effort could one become a qualified alchemist.

Ordinary loose cultivators simply couldn’t afford the expensive alchemical materials or cope with the extremely low success rate of pill refinement.

So even if one had talent, they would often be defeated by the harsh reality.

Proportionally speaking, out of a thousand cultivators, perhaps a hundred talisman masters and ten artifact forgers might emerge.

But it was likely difficult to produce even a single alchemist.

……

On the road.

After some questioning, Qin Lu learned from Cao Mo’s mouth that he wanted to purchase a Vitality Pill to help his mother recover from her injuries.

The Vitality Pill possessed powerful restorative abilities. It could repair the injuries of someone on the brink of death, with excellent efficacy.

Among first-grade pills, it was considered a top-tier pill.

Soon, the two arrived in front of one of the few alchemy shops in Wuji Market.

The shop was located on the most bustling street, occupying a rather large space formed by combining two storefronts. It was named the Divine Pill Shop. At the moment, quite a few cultivators were inside selecting pills, making it rather lively.

After a casual glance, Qin Lu strode in confidently.

“Welcome, welcome. Might I ask what pills you wish to purchase tonight, Fellow Daoist?”

The moment they entered, a young shop assistant walked up to them, greeting them warmly.

Qin Lu didn’t waste words and asked directly:

“Fellow Daoist, what is the price of the Vitality Pill in your shop?”

The young shop assistant’s eyes lit up, and he gave a slight bow.

“Currently, the Vitality Pill in our shop is priced at one hundred and eight Spirit Stones.”

Hearing this price, Qin Lu’s heart instantly twisted in pain. This pill was indeed outrageously expensive.

But in front of Cao Mo, he didn’t hesitate much. He immediately took out Spirit Stones from his own pouch.

After counting the exact amount, he handed them to the assistant.

“Then get me one.”

The young shop assistant hadn’t expected this customer to be so generous, paying directly without even haggling. This couldn’t help but fill him with secret delight.

He hurriedly accepted the Spirit Stones, replying verbally:

“Of course! Fellow Daoist, please wait a moment!”

“Mhm.” Qin Lu responded softly.

The assistant turned and went to the counter to fetch the pill.

Meanwhile, Qin Lu stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his expression calm and even carrying a hint of arrogance, putting on the airs of a wealthy patron.

As if over a hundred Spirit Stones meant nothing to him.

His demeanor immediately attracted the attention of many cultivators present, who began whispering about his back.

This made Qin Lu straighten his posture even more.

Joking aside, having a rare chance to show off, how could he not put on a bit of a show?

Beside him, Cao Mo silently watched Qin Lu, his eyes filled with gratitude.

……

Soon, Qin Lu received the pill, then left the market and walked quickly towards Cao Mo’s home.

Returning to The Slums, that familiar stench of urine once again assailed his senses.

This place was still just as foul.

The journey of two or three kilometers took them less than ten minutes to return home.

It was then that Qin Lu noticed his old house actually had lights on inside.

“Has someone new moved into this house?” he asked curiously.

“Yes, a few days ago. It’s a little old man,” Cao Mo said.

Qin Lu nodded lightly, not paying it much mind, and followed Cao Mo into his home.

Cao Mo’s self-built shack was considerably larger than Qin Lu’s old place, divided into two rooms.

Cao Mo pushed open one of the doors. “Father, Mother, I’m back.”

Entering the room, Qin Lu looked up and saw a woman lying on the bed, asleep. Her face was pale, and she appeared to be on the verge of death.

There were also many blood-stained cloth strips by the bedside.

Sitting nearby was a tall, bearded man. His originally fierce face was now full of bitterness and exhaustion, devoid of vitality.

These two were Cao Mo’s parents.

Cao Yunxi and Qi Xiaofeng.

“Ah Da, where did you go just now? And Qin Big Mouth, what are you doing here?”

Cao Yunxi sat on a chair, speaking weakly.

Before Qin Lu could speak, Cao Mo rushed to say:

“Father! I just went to borrow Spirit Stones from Big Brother Qin. We’ve already bought the Vitality Pill now. Please give it to Mother quickly!”

“What?!”

Hearing this, Cao Yunxi abruptly stood up, looking at Qin Lu with utter disbelief.

In his impression, this Qin Big Mouth was a good-for-nothing failure, obsessed with gambling all day, completely hopeless.

Moreover, he was quite shameless and despicable, unlearned and unskilled.

To prevent Cao Mo from learning bad habits, he had openly scolded Qin Lu several times, engaging in fierce arguments with him. Their relationship couldn’t be considered harmonious.

Recently, he had heard from Cao Mo that this Qin Big Mouth had changed greatly, but he still didn’t take it seriously.

He never expected that today, Qin Big Mouth would disregard past grievances, lend out Spirit Stones, and purchase a Vitality Pill.

Where did he get the Spirit Stones?

What was going on?

Cao Yunxi’s head was full of questions, but when he took the small box containing the Vitality Pill, he instantly pushed all those questions to the back of his mind.

He immediately took out the pill, then gently placed it into Qi Xiaofeng’s mouth, feeding her a little water to help her swallow.

The Vitality Pill worked quite quickly. In less than a few minutes, a flush of color immediately rose on Qi Xiaofeng’s originally pale face, and her brows gradually relaxed.

Seeing this scene, both father and son Cao let out a simultaneous sigh of relief.

“Great, Mother is finally alright…” Cao Mo murmured to himself.

Cao Yunxi immediately turned and gave Qin Lu a solemn bow, saying earnestly:

“Brother Qin! Thank you for disregarding our past enmity and saving my wife’s life today! I will definitely repay this sum of Spirit Stones!”

Qin Lu rubbed his nose and waved his hand with a laugh.

“Brother Cao, you’re too polite. We were neighbors once, helping each other is only right. And what does that little bit of past grievance amount to? I never even took it to heart.”

Qin Lu, of course, hadn’t taken it to heart because the conflict with Cao Yunxi wasn’t something he had personally experienced.

He could naturally easily let bygones be bygones with a smile.

And this indifferent attitude of his made Cao Yunxi feel even more ashamed. He immediately said:

“Brother Qin is truly magnanimous! From now on, if you have any requests, just ask. This old Cao will go through fire and water to help you!”

“Hahaha, with those words from Brother Cao, it is more than enough!”

Qin Lu laughed and accepted the promise.

Cao Yunxi was a tough character who often frequented East Head Ridge, and his cultivation had already reached the late Qi Refining stage. Having his promise of help might truly come in handy someday.

The two chatted a while longer before Qin Lu, using the excuse of not disturbing Qi Xiaofeng’s rest, took his leave.

The Cao father and son were filled with gratitude. Together, they saw Qin Lu out the door before parting ways.

Qin Lu began his return to the market.

The feeling of helping others brought him considerable pleasure, making even his steps feel lighter.

But as he reached a dark corner, he suddenly heard a sinister male voice speak up from behind.

“Devouring Sky Python, you really know how to hide. Finding you hasn’t been easy at all…”

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