Special Guest

After three consecutive nights of alchemy, Hao Nhien slept for nearly an entire day.

Ever since reaching Foundation Establishment, he rarely truly slept deeply. Most of the time, meditation had replaced ordinary rest. As long as he circulated his spiritual power through several cycles, his body could recover most of its strength. When his Divine Sense grew tired, he would usually quiet his thoughts and allow his mind to sink into stillness rather than sleep like an ordinary person.

This time was completely different.

Three nights of continuously maintaining Fire spiritual power, controlling airflow through his Wind affinity, and dividing his Divine Sense to monitor multiple portions of medicinal power had pushed him close to his limit. The spiritual power in his dantian was nearly exhausted, his meridians ached from repeatedly switching between Wind and Fire, and his Divine Sense had suffered the greatest strain of all. Whenever several medicinal masses condensed inside the cauldron at once, he had to keep each one under separate observation, preventing them from colliding too early while constantly monitoring heat, airflow, and the shifting process of fusion.

By the end of the third night, even remaining on his feet had become difficult.

Tieu Lan did not wake him. She drew the curtains to block part of the light, placed a bottle of warm water beside the bed, then quietly left the room so he could recover without interruption.

While Hao Nhien rested, she finished checking every pill they had refined over the previous three nights.

A portion of the mid-grade pills was set aside for the Quan Family, while the rest would be taken back to Hoa Van for the patrol teams, hunting parties, and later experiments.

In the end, five small jade bottles were arranged neatly on the stone table in the courtyard.

Clearheart Pills, Qi-Recovery Pills, Body-Strengthening Pills, Mystic Yang Pills, and Body-Stabilizing Pills.

Each bottle contained high-grade pills that Tieu Lan had repeatedly checked for medicinal qi, impurities, and stability. The supreme-grade pills remained separately sealed by Hao Nhien.

The following morning, as the first sunlight spread across the green-tiled roofs of Thanh Van City, Hao Nhien finally woke.

He opened his eyes slowly. For the first few breaths, his mind still felt heavy, as though covered by a thin layer of mist. Only after sitting up and circulating his spiritual power once did the sensation gradually fade. His Divine Sense had mostly recovered. His complexion was still slightly pale, but the deep emptiness in his Sea of Consciousness was no longer as obvious as before.

Hao Nhien picked up the bottle of water Tieu Lan had left beside the bed.

It was still warm.

He took a sip and looked at the light filtering through the crack in the door. The first thought that came to him once he was fully awake was still Quan Nha.

Exhaustion might have made him sleep for nearly a full day, but it could not erase that matter from his mind.

When Hao Nhien stepped outside, Tieu Lan was sitting at the stone table. She wore a pale green robe, her long hair tied neatly behind her. In front of her, besides the five jade bottles, lay a notebook filled with the names of medicinal ingredients, seedlings, beast cores, spiritual metals, pill formulas, and tools that Hoa Van still lacked. Beside each entry was a mark indicating its priority.

Hearing the door open, she looked up at Hao Nhien for a moment before asking,

“Young Master, how do you feel?”

“Much better.”

Hao Nhien sat opposite her.

“Any news from Quan Nha?”

Tieu Lan’s expression dimmed slightly.

“None yet. The steward just sent someone to report that Sister Quan Nha and Elder Linh Van still haven’t sent back any jade message or transmission.”

Hao Nhien fell silent for a moment. His gaze passed through the bamboo outside the courtyard and turned toward Elder Linh Van’s residence deeper within the Quan estate.

He did not want to dwell on the worst possibility, but neither would he allow himself to ignore it. Even so, the information they had was still not enough to justify openly mobilizing people to search.

“We’ll go to Heavenly Treasure Pavilion first,” he said. “If there is still no news today, after we finish matters there, I’ll ask Quan Lam more carefully about the places Elder Linh Van usually visited.”

Tieu Lan nodded.

“Yes.”

Hao Nhien looked at the five jade bottles on the table.

“Everything ready?”

“It’s all prepared.”

Tieu Lan checked the seals one last time.

“For each type, I selected the three most stable high-grade pills. Anything I wasn’t completely certain about was left behind. The Mystic Yang Pills and Body-Stabilizing Pills contain stronger medicinal power, so I used thicker jade bottles for them.”

Hao Nhien picked up one of the Mystic Yang Pill bottles. The spiritual wax around its mouth had been applied evenly, and a small restriction on the outside further reduced the leakage of medicinal qi during transport.

He set it down and looked at Tieu Lan.

“With you handling these things, there is always much less for me to worry about.”

Tieu Lan looked at him for a moment, then reached out and lightly pinched the back of his hand.

“Young Master rested for one day and immediately started saying things like that again.”

Hao Nhien laughed.

Before leaving the Quan estate, he did not head straight out. Instead, he and Tieu Lan went to find Quan Lam.

Quan Lam was in the western courtyard with several people, checking the roster of the first group preparing to travel to Hoa Van. When he saw the two of them approaching, he put down the jade slip in his hand.

“Heading to Heavenly Treasure Pavilion?”

“Yes.”

Hao Nhien took out three small jade bottles and placed them on the table.

“Please give these to the Family Head for me.”

Quan Lam looked at the bottles.

“What are they?”

“Clearheart Pills, Qi-Recovery Pills, and Body-Strengthening Pills. There aren’t many, but all of them are in very good condition.”

Quan Lam immediately frowned.

“Father already said the medicinal ingredients were part of the Quan Family’s investment in Hoa Van. Why are you still calculating things this carefully?”

Hao Nhien shook his head.

“This isn’t about settling accounts. The Quan Family gave us formulas, ingredients, a cauldron, and is even preparing people to go to Hoa Van. These pills are only the first results. I want the Family Head and the elders to know those resources were not wasted.”

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Quan Lam looked at him for a while before finally picking up the three bottles.

“Fine. I’ll give them to Father.”

Then he smiled.

“But if you come back to the Quan Family next time and still bring gifts to thank us for every little thing, I’ll have someone keep you outside the front gate.”

Hao Nhien smiled as well.

“Then next time I’ll use the back gate.”

Quan Lam burst out laughing.

Tieu Lan, standing beside them, could not help smiling too.

After reminding Quan Lam to immediately send a jade message if there was any news from Quan Nha or Elder Linh Van, Hao Nhien finally left the Quan estate with Tieu Lan.

By then, Thanh Van City had fully awakened.

The stone-paved streets were far more crowded than in the early morning. Merchants pulled carts loaded with spirit herbs and ore through the intersections, while cultivators from families, sects, and merchant caravans moved between the stalls lining both sides of the road. The scents of hot tea, grilled meat, and medicinal herbs mingled in the air, creating the particular bustle of a major city in the Eastern Plains.

Hao Nhien wore a dark blue robe, his fourth-layer Foundation Establishment aura almost completely restrained. Tieu Lan walked beside him with a small pouch at her waist containing her notebook and inspection tools.

Compared with Hao Nhien, her attention lingered far more often on the medicinal stalls.

Sometimes she noticed a dried fruit that had never appeared in the Western Wastes. At other times, she studied an herb shaped almost like Mystic Ginseng whose roots carried a completely different vitality. She did not stop to buy anything, merely memorizing the locations and prices.

Watching those small movements, Hao Nhien could not help feeling a trace of emotion.

When they had first come to Thanh Van City, Tieu Lan had still tended to walk close behind him and rarely looked strangers directly in the eye. Now she could independently evaluate medicinal ingredients, observe the market, and remember what Hoa Van might need.

The change had not been dramatic, but every step of it was clear.

Before long, the large building of Heavenly Treasure Pavilion appeared at the end of the street.

Its dark red curved roof, tall wooden pillars, and golden silk banners hanging beneath the eaves looked almost exactly as they had before. Above the entrance, the three characters for “Heavenly Treasure Pavilion” were deeply carved into a large plaque, the strokes firm and powerful, giving off a faint spiritual glow beneath the sunlight.

Hao Nhien stopped in front of the entrance and watched the stream of people coming and going for a moment before lightly squeezing Tieu Lan’s hand.

“Let’s go in.”

Tieu Lan nodded.

“Yes.”

Inside, Heavenly Treasure Pavilion was as lively as Hao Nhien remembered. The wooden counters were clearly divided by category, displaying artifacts, pills, spirit herbs, beast cores, talismans, and formation tools. Attendants in dark blue-green uniforms moved quickly but orderly through the hall, while most customers were cultivators or members of merchant caravans.

A young attendant immediately approached.

“Greetings, Young Master and Young Lady. May I ask whether you are here to purchase goods, consign something for auction, or do you already have an appointment?”

Hao Nhien took out his premium guest token from Heavenly Treasure Pavilion.

“I would like to meet Manager Luu Van. Please tell him that Hao Nhien and Tieu Lan have come to visit.”

The attendant accepted the token with both hands. The moment he saw the pattern engraved on it, his manner became noticeably more serious.

“Please wait a moment.”

He bowed and quickly disappeared into the rear hall.

Less than a few dozen breaths later, a middle-aged man hurried out from the interior.

Luu Van looked almost exactly as Hao Nhien remembered him. His robes were neat, his hair carefully combed, and a small jade abacus still hung at his waist. The moment he saw the two of them, his eyes lit up.

“Young Master Hao, Miss Tieu Lan!”

He came forward and cupped his hands.

“So it really is the two of you. This old man almost thought the attendant had misheard the names.”

Hao Nhien returned the greeting.

“Manager Luu, I trust you have been well?”

“Well, of course.”

Luu Van laughed.

“It’s just that the two of you disappeared for so long that this old man once wondered whether we would ever meet again. That medicinal liquid you brought last year had quite a few people asking about its source, but I did not even know where the two of you were.”

As he spoke, Luu Van’s gaze naturally passed over Hao Nhien and Tieu Lan with the practiced habit of someone who had spent many years in trade. The smile remained on his face, but his eyes clearly lingered longer than before.

The last time they had met, Hao Nhien had still been at Qi Condensation, while Tieu Lan’s cultivation had been much lower as well. Now both of their auras had changed substantially, especially Hao Nhien’s. Even though he had restrained his spiritual power, the steady presence of mid Foundation Establishment was difficult to conceal completely from someone who had dealt with countless cultivators like Luu Van.

The manager studied him for a moment longer before shifting his gaze to Tieu Lan, his expression gradually becoming more serious.

“It seems the two of you truly encountered quite a few opportunities during this time.”

Hao Nhien only smiled faintly.

“We traveled through several places. There were plenty of dangers, but also a few opportunities.”

Luu Van did not ask further. He merely nodded, though from the way he now looked at them, Hao Nhien could tell that the manager no longer saw them as the same two young customers who had once brought in a few bottles of medicinal liquid.

“This time, besides visiting an old acquaintance, I also want to discuss something with Heavenly Treasure Pavilion.”

Luu Van immediately gestured inward.

“Let’s speak inside. There are too many people here.”

He led them through the rear corridor into a private reception room. The room was not large, but it was elegantly arranged, with a red sandalwood table at the center and a small incense burner nearby releasing a thin stream of blue smoke.

Luu Van personally poured the tea.

“First, you have to tell this old man where the two of you disappeared to for so long.”

Hao Nhien accepted the cup.

“The Western Wastes.”

Luu Van’s hand paused slightly.

“The Western Wastes?”

“The Western Wastes have not been peaceful lately. Simply returning safely from there is no small matter.”

He looked at Hao Nhien again, then smiled.

“But surely the two of you did not come here only to reminisce.”

“What did you bring this time?”

Hao Nhien did not waste words. He looked at Tieu Lan.

She understood immediately and took five jade bottles from her storage pouch, placing them on the table.

The five bottles formed a shallow arc between the two sides. Each was clearly labeled with the name of the pill it contained.

The smile on Luu Van’s face slowly faded.

His gaze moved from the Clearheart Pill to the Qi-Recovery Pill and Body-Strengthening Pill. When it reached the Mystic Yang Pill and then the Body-Stabilizing Pill, the fingers resting beside his teacup unconsciously stilled.

“Five types?”

“Correct.”

Hao Nhien answered.

“I would like Heavenly Treasure Pavilion to appraise them first. If the price and conditions are suitable, we can discuss the transaction afterward.”

Luu Van looked at him.

“May I open them for inspection?”

“Of course.”

Luu Van picked up the Clearheart Pill bottle first.

After examining the seal, he opened it. A clean, refreshing medicinal fragrance immediately spread through the room, not particularly strong but remarkably stable.

He placed one pill onto a jade tray.

Luu Van first used a medicinal testing stone to inspect the medicinal qi, then briefly examined both the surface and interior with Divine Sense.

“High-grade Clearheart Pill.”

He nodded slightly.

“The medicinal properties are pure, the impurities are minimal, and it was refined fairly recently.”

He did not spend much time on the first bottle before moving on to the Qi-Recovery Pills.

A warmer medicinal fragrance emerged as soon as he opened the bottle. After checking it with the testing stone, he let an extremely thin thread of spiritual power touch the surface of one pill. The medicinal power inside responded evenly rather than surging violently.

“This is high grade as well.”

Luu Van looked at Hao Nhien.

“The medicinal power is full, but not overly aggressive.”

“Correct.”

Tieu Lan nodded.

The Body-Strengthening Pill required less time to inspect.

Luu Van placed the pill back down.

“Also high grade. This should attract body cultivators and beast-hunting teams in particular, especially those who frequently fight at close range.”

Only then did he pick up the Mystic Yang Pill bottle.

This time, his attitude changed noticeably.

The moment the seal was opened, red-gold medicinal qi spread outward, clearly stronger than that of the previous three pills. Luu Van immediately formed a thin layer of spiritual power around the mouth of the bottle to prevent too much medicinal qi from dispersing, then carefully poured a pill onto the jade tray.

The pill was dark red, perfectly rounded, with distinct pill markings and medicinal qi far denser than that of pills intended for Qi Condensation cultivators.

Luu Van did not bring it too close. Instead, he used a different kind of medicinal testing stone, then formed a hand seal and wrapped the surface in a thin thread of spiritual power.

Several breaths later, his expression had become completely serious, and when he spoke, his voice was slower than before.

“High grade.”

He shifted the jade tray to another angle and continued examining it.

“The medicinal power is strong but not chaotic. Its Fire nature has been preserved very well, while the harsh heat normally associated with this kind of pill has been suppressed to a surprisingly low level.”

Luu Van looked at Hao Nhien.

“Heavenly Treasure Pavilion will need to perform additional testing through our own methods before giving an official valuation.”

“No problem.”

Hao Nhien replied.

Luu Van returned the pill to its bottle and moved on to the Body-Stabilizing Pill.

Its medicinal qi was not as forceful as that of the Mystic Yang Pill, but once released, it lingered close to the surface of the table for a long time, carrying a distinctly deep and stable quality.

After examining it with Divine Sense and spiritual power, Luu Van slowly nodded.

“Another high-grade pill.”

“The medicinal power leans toward nourishing blood, strengthening the body, and supporting the meridians. Its effects should not erupt as quickly as the Body-Strengthening Pill, but they should last longer. If those characteristics are fully confirmed, this pill would indeed be highly suitable for places where cultivators must fight or endure harsh environments over long periods.”

“That is exactly why we chose it.”

Hao Nhien answered.

Luu Van did not speak again immediately.

Five jade bottles sat between them. The quantity was not large, but to a veteran merchant like Luu Van, the value of what lay before him clearly did not rest in a handful of pills.

What mattered more was how many kinds the people sitting across from him could actually supply, how consistently they could maintain this level of quality, and most importantly, whether the source could be reproduced.

Luu Van’s gaze slowly moved from the five jade bottles back to Hao Nhien.

This time, his expression was completely different from when they had first entered the room.