Is It Wrong to Bully the Novice Village for System Rewards?

Chapter 181: Are Your Pills Guaranteed to Be the Real Deal?

Not long after. Pill Saint Immortal Market.

Guided by Liu Qi, Qi Yuan finally met the legendary “Senior Sister Zu”—Zu Xianxian.

She appeared to be no older than twelve or thirteen, dressed in a light yellow padded dress that made her look soft and warm. Her hair was styled in exquisite double buns, and her palm-sized face was carved from jade, radiating an overwhelming cuteness.

At this moment, this porcelain doll of a girl was standing in front of a pill stall, picking through the merchandise. She casually grabbed a bottle, weighed it in her hand, and asked in a tone far too mature for her age:

“Shopkeeper, are your pills guaranteed to be the real deal?”

“The real deal? Are you looking for trouble, kid?”

The shopkeeper froze. He was about to shoo her away when he spotted the Pill Saint Sect emblem embroidered on her sleeve. His expression instantly shifted to an ingratiating smile.

“Little Immortal Maiden, how can you say that? I’ve been setting up a stall in this Immortal Market for over ten years. Would I sell you raw, unripe trash?”

Zu Xianxian ignored him. She unhurriedly extracted a pill from the bottle and placed it under her delicate nose for a sniff. Immediately, her little face darkened.

“This Young Auntie could smell the problem from a mile away. It’s one thing if your fire control is trash, but you’re cutting corners on materials too? The amount of Purple Sun Mushroom used is a full fifty percent short, and you still dare to claim they’re the real deal?”

The shopkeeper panicked, sweating profusely as he tried to justify himself.

“Little Immortal Maiden, I swear, all my stock comes from a supplier! I sell what I get! There is absolutely no adulteration!”

“Besides, perhaps the supplier’s alchemists adopted a brand-new refining technique? It is normal for a young Immortal Maiden with limited experience to miss the subtleties within…”

Hearing this, Zu Xianxian raised her eyebrows, looking like a furious little adult. She snorted coldly.

“Your excuse is pathetic. Are you trying to bully me because I’m young?”

She whipped a token out of her robes and slammed it onto the counter.

“Open your dog eyes and look! Although I am young, I am already a certified Earth-rank Alchemist of the Alchemist Association! Do you think I can’t tell good pills from bad?”

“If you’re not convinced, call your supplier over! I’ll confront him right here, right now!”

Earth-rank Alchemist?

The shopkeeper’s heart skipped a beat, and cold sweat drenched his back.

He never expected this delicate little girl to be a heavyweight. In the Pill Saint Sect, Earth-rank Alchemists numbered fewer than a hundred. Each one was a figure he couldn’t afford to offend.

To be caught selling counterfeit goods by an expert… he was finished.

The commotion attracted a crowd. Cultivators pointed and whispered, casting disdainful glances at the exposed scammer.

On the sidelines, Piao Genshuo watched the drama unfold. Suddenly, a look of profound relief washed over his face.

“So that’s it,” he muttered, clutching his chest as if a heavy burden had been lifted. “No wonder those Crimson Sun Pills I bought from him didn’t work. It was the pills that were the problem, not my body! Scared me to death…”

He glared at the shopkeeper, spitting on the ground. “Pah! Damned unscrupulous merchant! Ruining my confidence!”

Qi Yuan and Liu Qi exchanged a glance, then silently took two steps back, pretending they didn’t know the man shouting about his erectile dysfunction.

Seeing the public sentiment turning against him, the shopkeeper knew the game was up. He wailed, pleading with a tearful face.

“Little Auntie! I really didn’t know this batch was bad! Please spare me this once! I’ll be careful next time, I swear!”

“In your dreams!”

Zu Xianxian remained unmoved, her face a mask of righteous indignation.

“According to the Pill Saint Sect’s decree, anyone selling unqualified pills in the market will have their license revoked and be fined ten times the value!”

As she spoke, a patrol team of Pill Saint Sect disciples arrived. The leader bowed respectfully to the little girl before dragging the wailing shopkeeper and his fake pills away.

“What an impressive little girl. She saw through the scam at a glance.”

“An Earth-rank Alchemist at such a young age… her conduct is steady and mature. Truly worthy of being a genius of the Pill Saint Sect.”

Basking in the praise of the crowd, Zu Xianxian lifted her chin proudly, ready to inspect the next stall like a sheriff patrolling her town.

Just then, Liu Qi stepped forward with Qi Yuan.

“Little Senior Sister! Busy?”

Zu Xianxian blinked her large almond eyes. “Junior Brother Liu? Weren’t you supposed to be in seclusion researching new formulas? How do you have time to play?”

Then, she frowned, dissatisfied.

“Junior Brother, I’ve told you a thousand times. When you call me Senior Sister, do not add the word ‘Little’ in front of it. Otherwise, don’t blame me for forgetting our fellowship!”

“Ah, right… sorry, Senior Sister…”

Liu Qi grinned sheepishly, rubbing his head. He gestured to Qi Yuan.

“Senior Sister, this Fellow Daoist is Qi Yuan, the Holy Scion of the Supreme Mystery Sanctuary. He is a master investigator. Hearing that Master is still troubled by the theft case, he volunteered to help.”

He winked vigorously at Qi Yuan. “Fellow Daoist Qi, this is my Second Senior Sister, Zu Xianxian.”

Qi Yuan nodded and clasped his hands politely. “Greetings, Miss Zu.”

He had already been briefed. This twelve-year-old girl was a monster of talent—an Earth-rank Alchemist and the great-great-granddaughter of the Pill Saint, Zu Chengzhi. She was the apple of the old man’s eye. In this sect, she was royalty.

“A master investigator?”

Zu Xianxian tilted her head, sizing Qi Yuan up. A playful glint entered her eyes.

“Then can you guess what I’m doing right now?”

Before Qi Yuan could speak, Piao Genshuo swaggered over, eager to prove his intelligence.

“Little Sister, that question is too simple! You just caught a scammer, so obviously, you are rectifying the market atmosphere and fighting crime!”

Zu Xianxian curled her lip in disgust. She turned to Liu Qi.

“This person is too ugly. He doesn’t look like a good person. And not only is he ugly, but he’s also stupid. Is he your friend too?”

Piao Genshuo’s face stiffened. He gritted his teeth, glaring at the child.

“You brat! Do you have any manners? Who are you calling ugly? And who’s stupid?!”

Liu Qi panicked, clapping a hand over Piao Genshuo’s mouth and dragging him away before he could commit suicide by insulting the Pill Saint’s favorite descendant.

“Who are you calling a brat?!”

Zu Xianxian’s eyebrows shot up in rage. Just as she was about to unleash her fury, Qi Yuan stepped into her line of sight, blocking her view of Piao Genshuo.

He spoke calmly.

“My friend has consumed too many inferior pills; his mind is a bit addled, and he speaks recklessly. Please be magnanimous, Miss Zu.”

“As for your question…” Qi Yuan smiled faintly. “If I’m not mistaken, you aren’t here to catch scammers. You are checking the market to see if any unique pills from your Master’s private collection have surfaced. You intend to use the stolen goods as a breadcrumb trail to track down the thief!”

“Oh?”

Zu Xianxian’s eyes lit up. She looked at Qi Yuan with genuine surprise.

“How did you figure that out?”