Ninth In the World

By the time Di Jiu returned to his residence, Black Fire and Little Tree had already turned the first floor of the store into an operational state. Black Fire was the one who refined the shelves for the goods. Little Tree and Mo Yuxuan were only in charge of arranging the setup.

Little Tree had added a cave abode behind the shelves for the goods. It couldn’t be overly casual about it since it would be cultivating there.

Little Tree and Black Fire didn’t know what kind of business Di Jiu wanted to run. However, in their opinion, he had most likely bought this place for the elixir business.

Di Jiu didn’t mind that Black Fire and Little Tree had acted on their own. He began to refine the Great Unity Elixir and the rest of the elixirs that Huo Jianqian had instructed him to the moment he returned.

Di Jiu successfully refined a total of nine Great Unity Elixirs. Three of them were two-patterned elixirs, two were four-patterned, and the rest were nine-patterned.

Di Jiu put away one three-patterned and four nine-patterned Great Unity Elixirs before he put the other four elixirs into a jade bottle for Huo Jianqian.

The other elixirs were too easy for him. He didn’t plan to keep the grade-three immortal pills, so he refined all of them into three-patterned elixirs. The grade-four immortal pills all were three-patterned or below, except those that he kept for himself.

Di Jiu was planning to look for Chi Yuanqing after he finished refining those elixirs. However, he heard a message sent by Little Tree. It said that someone was there to visit.

Di Jiu scanned the place with his Spiritual Force and saw that Chi Yuanqing and a young girl at the late-stage Immortal Lord were sitting in the store. Little Tree and Mo Yuxuan were beside them.

Di Jiu, who had been planning to look for Chi Yuanqing, quickly went downstairs now that he had come over.

“Alchemy Master Di, I was so excited yesterday that I forgot to give you the Array Token for the store. I am sorry. Therefore, I have especially come to give you the Array Token today.” Chi Yuanqing saw Di Jiu the minute he came down.

Although he said so, he knew very well that Di Jiu’s Array Dao was far better than his. It was obvious that Di Jiu didn’t need the Array Token. However, he still needed to say those things.

He knew that he had to befriend a formidable Alchemy Grandmaster like Di Jiu. He had an immeasurable future ahead of him.

Di Jiu laughed as he cupped his fists. “Daoist Chi, you speak too seriously. I can understand given the circumstances at the time. I should be congratulating you instead now that your beloved daughter has recovered and can continue pursuing the Dao.”

Chi Yuanqing was all smiles when he heard Di Jiu congratulate him for his daughter’s recovery. He said, “I owe this to you, Alchemy Master Di. If it were not for you, my daughter would still be in a coma. I have brought my daughter, Chi Xun-er, here especially to thank you.”

The young girl who was sitting beside Chi Yuanqing stood up, bowed and said, “I am Chi Xun-er. Thank you, Alchemy Master Di, for helping refine the elixir.”

“I don’t deserve this. Please sit down quickly,” Di Jiu said hurriedly out of courtesy as he signaled for Chi Xun-er to sit down before he poured a cup of Immortal Spirit Tea for Chi Yuanqing and Chi Xun-er. Then, he said, “I have something to ask of you, Daoist Chi.”

Although Chi Yuanqing claimed that he had come to thank Di Jiu, he had actually come to befriend him. Therefore, when Di Jiu said that he needed his help, he replied without hesitation, “Alchemy Master Di, please speak your mind. I will try my best to help you as long as it is within my abilities.”

Ever since his father, Chi Zhengshan, had gone missing and his daughter’s Principal Spirit had been torn apart, Chi Yuanqing had basically stopped cultivating. Thus, he wanted to settle down and start cultivating now that his daughter had recovered.

Di Jiu said shyly, “Here’s the thing. I have a friend who needs a Seven-Orifice Soul Condensing Elixir. However, I no longer have any of this elixir. Therefore, I’d like to ask you for a Seven-Orifice Soul Condensing Elixir, Daoist Chi.”

“This is simple,” said Chi Yuanqing without hesitation as he took out a jade bottle, poured an elixir, and handed it to Di Jiu.

Chi Yuanqing knew that Di Jiu must have had two Seven-Orifice Soul Condensing Elixirs on him. However, since Di Jiu was denying it, he could give one to Di Jiu, thereby making Di Jiu indebted to him.

Di Jiu took the elixir and said, “Thanks, Daoist Chi.”

Chi Yuanqing then purposefully turned serious and said, “Alchemy Master Di, we hit it off right from the start. It sounds formal to keep addressing each other as Daoist. If you don’t mind, Brother Di, we could address each other as a brother in the future.”

Chi Yuanqing was an Immortal King expert after all. If Di Jiu wanted to have a foothold in the Gigantic Tripod Liberal Immortal City, he naturally had to widen his network of friends to get more support. Thus, he quickly agreed. “In that case, I’ll address you as Big Brother Yuanqing.”

“That’s the spirit. I will call you Little Brother Jiu then,” said Chi Yuanqing as he laughed.

Di Jiu took out two jade bottles and handed them to Chi Xun-er. “I don’t have any quality items to give you for our meeting. I only know how to refine elixirs. Thus, I will gift these elixirs to Xun-er.”

Since he and Chi Yuanqing were now brothers in name, Di Jiu naturally couldn’t address Chi Xun-er as Junior Sister anymore.

“Thank you, Uncle Jiu.” Chi Xun-er had to address Di Jiu like that now that he and her Father possessed the same seniority.

Di Jiu felt embarrassed. He was sure that he wasn’t much older than Chi Xun-er.

“Ah… That’s a four-patterned Great Unity Elixir and a whole bottle of special-class Thousand Mortal Elixir…” Chi Xun-er wasn’t particular about the elixirs that Di Jiu had given her. She had an Immortal King as a father and an Immortal Supremacy as a grandfather after all. She only exclaimed out loud when she scanned the jade bottle with her Spiritual Force.

Her own father would have been capable of getting Great Unity Elixir for her, but four-patterned ones were harder to get. Although the Thousand Mortal Elixir was a top-notch healing elixir amongst grade-four elixirs, Di Jiu had actually given her one whole bottle!

Chi Yuanqing, who was also very pleasantly surprised, quickly thanked Di Jiu. His daughter had been unable to cultivate for such a long time that she had remained stagnant at the late-stage Immortal Lord. This time, he planned to enter reclusive cultivation and help his daughter break through to the Great Unity Immortal Realm at the same time. He hadn’t expected that Di Jiu would offer to give her a four-patterned Great Unity Elixir.

Although the Great Unity Elixir was nowhere as precious as the Seven-Orifice Soul Condensing Elixir, it was what Chi Xun-er needed the most now. Befriending an Alchemy Master was indeed very beneficial.

Di Jiu only waved his hands and said, “Don’t mention it, Big Brother Yuanqing. We are Brothers after all!”

Chi Yuanqing didn’t continue harping on this. Instead, an idea popped up in his mind as he was looking at the first floor of Di Jiu’s store. “Little Brother Jiu, are you going to run an elixir business here?”

Before Di Jiu could answer, Chi Yuanqing said, “The Gigantic Tripod Liberal Immortal City looks peaceful and stable, but there is actually a clash of powers here. This is especially true for the elixir business, which is in the hands of only the top few Elixir Dispensaries. Therefore, it may be a little hard for you to run an elixir business.”

“Then please help Uncle Jiu, Father,” said Chi Xun-er hurriedly.

Di Jiu had saved her life before. Now, he had also given her a four-patterned Great Unity Elixir. She would be able to attain the Great Unity Immortal Realm in the shortest time possible thanks to this elixir.

Chi Yuanqing laughed wryly as he said, “You overestimate your father’s abilities. I am not qualified enough to dabble in the elixir business in the Gigantic Tripod Liberal Immortal City given my limited strength. I was only wondering whether we could explore other businesses.”

“You worry too much, Big Brother Yuanqing. I don’t plan on running an elixir business. I will only be selling Immortal Spirit Tea,” said Di Jiu as he smiled.

Di Jiu felt that he had no other choice. He had known very early on that it would be suicide to attempt to run an elixir business in the Gigantic Tripod Liberal Immortal City. Now that he had heard the same from Chi Yuanqing, he knew that he was correct.

Fortunately, he hadn’t planned to run a suicidal business like this right from the start.

“The Immortal Spirit Tea? But this tea…” Chi Yuanqing didn’t know what to say as he looked at the tea in the cup he was holding. “Little Brother Jiu, I don’t mean to be a wet blanket, but you may not be able to earn a lot of immortal crystals if you only sell this kind of tea.”

Luckily, this store belonged to Di Jiu. Otherwise, Chi Yuanqing would have shot down the idea long ago.

Di Jiu laughed. “Of course I’m not talking about this tea. I have yet to concoct my tea. I will invite Big Brother Yuanqing over to try my tea when I make the first batch.”

“Okay. Please let me know if you need my help then.” Chi Yuanqing knew that Alchemy Grandmasters like Di Jiu had no lack of immortal crystals. Thus, he didn’t even mention sponsoring Di Jiu with immortal crystals.

Di Jiu had an idea. “Big Brother Yuanqing, why don’t we do this? I’ll give you a share of the business for helping me find some Bitter Tea Trees.”

“You can count on me for this. No need to share the profit.” Chi Yuanqing agreed without hesitation.

Di Jiu shook his head and said, “This won’t do. Financial matters have to be settled clearly even between siblings. Although we are friends, we still have to be clear about such things.”

The friendship between him and Chi Yuanqing couldn’t compare to the one he shared with Geng Ji. Di Jiu wouldn’t have mentioned shares to Geng Ji. However, the friendship between him and Chi Yuanqing had been intentionally forged. Thus, it was not as deep as the one he had with Geng Ji.

The Immortal Spirit Tea had yet to be made. If it sold like hot cakes in the future, conflict would definitely arise over sharing the profit.

“In this case, I’ll take a 10% share.” Chi Yuanqing didn’t stand on ceremony now that Di Jiu had said so. However, he didn’t actually think very much of a 10% share of this Immortal Spirit Tea business. Even a 90% share wouldn’t mean much to him.

After chatting for a little while, Chi Yuanqing and Chi Xun-er bade Di Jiu farewell.

Chi Xun-er had just recovered. Thus, she needed a lot of rest. Di Jiu also needed to build an Immortal Spirit Tea arboretum and plant the Immortal Spirit Tea Trees.

Di Jiu had a number of immortal spirit herb gardens with him. He had snatched them from those sect masters previously. Now, he took one out to plant the Immortal Spirit Tea Tree.

Di Jiu split the Star Tea Tree into 1,000 Immortal Spirit Tea Tree branches and planted them neatly in the immortal spirit herb garden. Then, he channeled the nomological Immortal Spirit Qi Law from the outside world with a Dharma Array.

Little Tree would naturally be in charge of managing the tea garden in the future.

Just when he finished doing those things, Huo Jianqian arrived.