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

Chapter 188: Some Trivial Investigations

Not long after.

Pill Saint Immortal Market.

Qi Yuan stepped into a sprawling, extravagantly luxurious estate that swallowed up nearly half a street in the exorbitant real estate market of the Immortal Market. The scale was magnificent, a testament to obscene wealth.

At its core stood a towering pavilion, dozens of stories high. From afar, its carved beams and painted rafters exuded an aura of imperial splendor.

This was the largest pill merchant in the market: the Precious Pill Pavilion.

The Precious Pill Pavilion was a direct subsidiary of the Pill Saint Sect, responsible for selling the various pills refined by the sect. It also served as a purchasing hub for rare exotic flowers and heavenly treasures.

More importantly, it was the primary—perhaps the only—channel for outsiders to contact the Pill Saint Sect.

Under normal circumstances, if Qi Yuan wanted to commission Zu Chengzhi to refine a batch of Heaven-Mending Pills, he would have to make an appointment through the Pavilion’s manager.

Of course, not just anyone was qualified to request a Pill Saint’s services. It depended entirely on one’s status. Ordinary cultivators wouldn’t even get a meeting with the floor manager, let alone the boss.

As soon as Qi Yuan entered, a rich fragrance of medicinal herbs washed over him, refreshing his spirit.

The first floor sold the lowest grade of pills—Low Grade Profound Rank. Yet, even as evening approached, the hall was packed with cultivators clamoring to make purchases.

The Precious Pill Pavilion was famous for two things: high quality and extortionate prices. Most customers here were not short on Spirit Stones.

“Fellow Daoist, may I ask what kind of pill you are looking for?”

Qi Yuan had barely begun to look around when a sharply dressed clerk approached him, wearing a practiced, welcoming smile.

The staff here saw thousands of people a day. They had developed a keen eye. One look at Qi Yuan’s extraordinary bearing told the clerk that this young man was either rich or noble. Naturally, the service had to be enthusiastic.

Qi Yuan had come today in his official capacity as the Holy Scion of the Supreme Mystery Sanctuary. His time was limited, so he decided to skip the clichéd “Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing” routine where he pretends to be a nobody, gets insulted, and then slaps everyone’s face.

He nodded slightly and spoke in a calm, authoritative tone.

“I am Qi Yuan. I wish to see the person in charge. Please announce me.”

The clerk’s face flashed with shock. He nodded instinctively, his posture dropping into a deep bow.

“Understood. Please wait a moment, Young Master.”

The clerk turned and sprinted toward the stairs.

Moments later, a middle-aged man wearing the formal robes of the Pill Saint Sect hurried down. Upon spotting Qi Yuan, his eyes narrowed slightly before he quickened his pace, clasping his fists in greeting.

“So it is the Holy Scion of the Supreme Mystery Sanctuary gracing us with his presence. Please forgive my lack of a proper welcome.”

Since ascending to the position of Holy Scion, Qi Yuan’s portrait had begun to circulate. As time passed, more and more people recognized his face.

This was exactly why he preferred to use disguises lately. Being famous in the cultivation world was like being a celebrity in his past life; keeping a low profile was impossible.

If he was recognized while doing good deeds, that was fine. But if he ran into an acquaintance while he was undercover in the Demon Sect… that would be awkward.

The Supreme Mystery Sanctuary had planted plenty of spies within the Demon Sects. Qi Yuan didn’t want to be inexplicably “purged” by his own side during a misunderstanding.

“You are too polite,” Qi Yuan said with a faint smile, cutting to the chase. “I did not come to buy pills today. I have an important matter to discuss.”

The middle-aged man paused, then quickly adjusted his expression to one of solemnity.

“Holy Scion, please follow me.”

The Precious Pill Pavilion had 28 floors. The higher the floor, the higher the grade of pills sold. Cultivators qualified to step above the 15th floor were usually figures of significant standing.

Guided by the manager, Qi Yuan was taken straight to the top floor—a place ordinary cultivators could only dream of reaching.

The penthouse of the Precious Pill Pavilion wasn’t as gaudy as the exterior. Instead, it was decorated with ancient elegance. The style was “great skill appearing artless”—simple and low-key, yet displaying immense craftsmanship in every detail.

Of course, the simplicity was an illusion.

Setting aside the top-tier Spirit Gathering Arrays running silently in the background, even the unassuming potted plant in the corner was a spiritual herb worth tens of thousands of High Grade Spirit Stones.

It was a display of wealth that made even Qi Yuan—who had recently come into a massive fortune—curse inwardly. Filthy rich tycoons.

Is refining pills really this profitable?

For a moment, he seriously considered a career change.

While Qi Yuan was lost in thought, the middle-aged man led him to a warm pavilion with open doors. He bowed.

“Holy Scion Qi, Uncle-Master Yu is waiting for you inside.”

“Thank you.”

Qi Yuan nodded and stepped across the threshold.

Inside the warm room, a white-haired old man placed a purple-hair brush on his desk and rose from his chair.

Void Refinement Stage!

Qi Yuan’s eyes narrowed slightly. He immediately stepped forward and bowed.

“Qi Yuan of the Supreme Mystery Sanctuary greets Senior.”

He was genuinely surprised. He hadn’t expected the Pill Saint Sect to value this commercial branch so highly that they would station a Void Refinement expert here personally.

More importantly, the old man’s brocade robe was embroidered with the insignia of the Alchemist Association, signifying that he was a genuine Heaven Rank Alchemist.

An alchemist of this caliber would be treated with the utmost respect even by the Headmasters of the Seven Great Sanctuaries. Qi Yuan naturally didn’t dare to be negligent.

The old man looked Qi Yuan up and down, his gaze kind and appreciative.

“I have long heard that the Supreme Mystery Sanctuary appointed a new Holy Scion. Seeing you today, rumors do not do you justice. You have a dignified and extraordinary bearing. Truly a rising star with boundless prospects.”

Qi Yuan smiled modestly. “Senior praises me too highly.”

The old man stroked his beard. “I am Yu Yannian, the manager of this Precious Pill Pavilion. May I ask why Holy Scion Qi specifically requested to see this old man?”

“Today, this Junior encountered Junior Sister Zu Xianxian,” Qi Yuan said slowly, his expression unchanging. “She mentioned that some time ago, your esteemed sect was visited by thieves and suffered considerable losses.”

“I have always been a man of public spirit and righteousness. Hearing of this injustice, I felt indignant, so I took it upon myself to conduct some… trivial investigations.”

“Unexpectedly, by sheer luck, I managed to find the trail of the thieves. Therefore, I have come specifically to report my findings to your esteemed sect.”

Out of “loyalty,” he naturally didn’t sell out a certain mischievous Pill God.

At first, Yu Yannian listened with polite detachment. But when he heard the next sentence, his eyes widened into perfect circles, and he cried out in disbelief:

“What did you say?! You found the thieves?!”

Qi Yuan smiled faintly. With practiced calm, he untied the storage bag at his waist and released the four Spirit Grass dolls.

“These are the plant spirits I rescued from the thieves’ hideout. They should belong to your esteemed sect, correct?”

Upon seeing the four slightly listless, “haggard” Spirit Grass dolls, Yu Yannian was struck dumb. He stared at them incredulously for a long moment before his voice trembled.

“Solar Crimson True Grass… Eternal Seven-Stringed Flower… It’s them! By the heavens, it’s really them! It’s these four little ancestors!”

Recovering from his shock, he looked at Qi Yuan with a mix of ecstasy and awe, his entire body shaking with excitement. He immediately bowed deeply, almost touching the floor.

“Holy Scion! This is a great kindness! The Pill Saint Sect will never forget this favor for as long as we exist! Please, accept a bow from this Yu!”

Why is this guy so agitated?

Qi Yuan blinked, actually startled by the old man’s intensity.