Chapter 812: Daoist Master Guanghan

When people encounter joyful events, their spirits are high; Ji An is in such a state right now. Including the Blazing Sun Furnace, he already has four Tier Three Middle Grade magical treasures.

The wind brushing past his ears is gentle, and the white clouds in the blue sky resemble smiling faces.

In the future, when facing early-stage Golden Core enemies, perhaps he only has to release a few magical treasures to give the enemy a good beating.

He walked leisurely to the Tripod Fragrance Pavilion, greeting:

“Shopkeeper, serve two of your signature dishes, and also prepare two plates of light vegetarian dishes.”

He’s a regular here, so the rule of paying before eating at Tripod Fragrance Pavilion doesn’t apply to him now.

The shopkeeper greeted him with a smile, “Alright, the Celestial Character No. 1 Room is empty now. I’ll have a clerk lead you in to sit down. I’ll also instruct the maid to serve a pot of Spirit Tea to quench your thirst; the Spirit Tea is complimentary.”

Whenever he comes to dine, he always orders a few signature dishes, showing he’s a generous master.

About half an hour passed, and Ji An was full of food and drink. A familiar face appeared, followed by a young man with an honest look.

Zhang Jun stepped forward; now he is slightly hunched and frost-white at the temples, revealing the appearance of old age.

“Greetings, Daoist Master. Your presence is even more remarkable than in the past, while I have grown old and frail. In the future, I may not be able to serve you personally.”

He pointed to the honest young man behind him, introducing:

“This is my son, Zhang Liangyu. If you have matters that need attention, you can delegate them to him.”

Ji An listened to the slow words of the other party, observed the traces time left on his forehead, and felt the mercilessness of years, realizing that all things are carved by an invisible blade.

It’s been a long time since they contacted each other. Now it seems the other party should no longer be a middleman, but rather enjoying his later years somewhere.

Ji An lightly exhaled, releasing the sentiments in his heart, saying:

“Alright, I’ll exchange Magic Seals with Liangyu.”

In the future, when he opens a shop, middlemen can help with publicity, and he also needs smart and well-mannered people to handle some trivial matters.

Zhang Liangyu was flattered and hurriedly stepped forward; he hadn’t acquired any Magical Mark from a Golden Core Daoist Master yet.

Though he succeeded his father, he couldn’t inherit customers at the Golden Core level, as they were far beyond him. His father couldn’t introduce him to familiar Golden Core cultivators.

Ji An pointed to the opposite side of the table, saying:

“Sit down and talk; let’s discuss slowly.”

He said to the maid beside him, “You can leave now; I’ll call you if needed.”

“Yes,” the maid replied softly, taking small steps out of the room and closing the door tightly.

The two took their seats, with a look of restraint on Zhang Liangyu’s face.

Ji An sipped tea to moisten his throat and said solemnly:

“I’m planning to acquire a shop to run a pill business, purchasing various Spirit Medicines and selling Tier Two and Tier Three Pills. I need you to keep an eye out for suitable shops and notify me.”

In his view, Foundation Establishment Pills’ profit margins are too thin and somewhat unappealing because his main aim is to disguise the Tier Three Spirit Fruit production in his Little World.

Zhang Jun nodded with a smile, looking encouragingly at his son.

Zhang Liangyu coughed twice to boost his courage and said:

“Elder, may I boldly ask, what do you mean by ‘suitable’? What specific requirements do you have regarding location, rent, and the size of the shop?”

The most influential factors in shop business are these two; if not specified, he would have no direction in his search.

Ji An was satisfied with the young man who had already stepped into his role, and smiled:

“My requirements are simple; the location should not be too remote, nor too far from places frequented by Golden Core cultivators. Regarding rent, I’m willing to accept prices slightly above market rates. As for the shop size, it should have two levels. The ground floor will place counters for ordinary customers. The second floor shall have a lounge for Golden Core-level Daoist comrades, with two quiet chambers available for meditation and pill refinement, and a small warehouse measuring a square zhang. Furthermore, the shop must have a Defense Array of Tier Three Middle Grade or above. Hmm, overall, those are the requirements.”

Zhang Liangyu instinctively rubbed his hands, saying:

“I understand; however, suitable shops must be sought, so the elder should be prepared to wait.”

The other’s requirements aren’t low, but for a shop capable of selling Tier Three Pills, such requirements aren’t too high either.

Ji An nodded, “I’m mentally prepared, and I also need time to accumulate a batch of pills.”

He changed his tone, asking with a testing attitude:

“Do you know any forces that can consistently supply Spirit Fruits of tier two and above, and Spirit Medicines with an age of over eight hundred years? I’m willing to purchase at a premium of half above market price, which is valid as long as my shop is in business. If you can be the bridge, upon signing a cooperative agreement, I’ll directly reward you with a Top Grade Spirit Stone. Even if cooperation isn’t reached, you’ll receive five Middle-grade Spirit Stones for your efforts.”

Father and son’s eyes suddenly sparkled; the lure of Top Grade Spirit Stones is truly too great for them.

They indeed know such forces, several Spirit Farmer powers unskilled in alchemy naturally have a need to expand sales channels.

The father and son gave each other a glance, and Zhang Liangyu said solemnly:

“We have contacts in this area and can inquire for you. However, there’s one matter I must clarify for the elder in advance; it’s challenging for you to establish a Major Sect supply agreement with them. As for the reason, you should understand.”

Ji An’s face revealed a delightful surprise, smiling:

“I understand that if my shop fails and cannot continue, those forces that have signed major supply agreements will follow suit and suffer. If I were them, I would have concerns in this regard too. You just help with introductions; I will handle the negotiations myself.”

A new Pill Medicine Shop surviving in the fiercely competitive Immortal City isn’t easy, as it attracts too many artisans.

However, for two Alchemists with the Cyan Lotus Heart-Burning Fire, establishing themselves is quite easy. Those who have tried their pills will inevitably become regular customers.

As long as the materials can be supplied continuously, profits won’t be an issue. The quality of the pills speaks for itself, and the only concern is facing exclusion and malice from competitors.

Before, he didn’t have direct conflicts of interest with others, so he always lived in the sunlight, never having linked to the darker side of the world.

If he starts running a Pill Medicine Shop, things will change; there will undoubtedly be competitors who harbor malice because their business is affected.

These people won’t look for reasons within themselves but will likely backstab and sabotage.

He isn’t worried about his own safety, but he must prioritize Han Yan’s safety.

Zhang Liangyu obediently replied:

“Okay, Elder, please wait for my news. The result will definitely come in half a month at the quickest or a month at the latest. Shall I contact you using the Communication Golden Sword then?”

“Yes, inform me in advance. My Grotto Mansion is at Black Stone Mountain; we can meet there then. Your father knows the exact location.”

Ji An originally intended to sell the Azure Dragon Wood planted outside the Grotto Mansion, but now it seems he should keep it for a few more years. Tier Three Spirit Wood symbolizes strength, providing more confidence during negotiations.

Zhang Jun nodded with a smile, “I’ll take him for a visit and get acquainted with the path.”

Ji An nodded with approval, “Let’s settle it just like that.”

He took out a few Middle-grade Spirit Stones and placed them on the table, pushing them toward the other party, “Here is a little hardship fee for you first.”

Interests most drive people’s subjective initiative, so he has never been stingy.

“You are too kind, Elder.”

Zhang Liangyu revealed a sincere smile. After a short interaction, he understood that the other party was a generous cultivator, and he would certainly receive more rewards in the future.

“When your shop opens, I’ll definitely recommend it to customers, but unfortunately, I cannot enjoy your pills myself.”

He was just an Early-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator who didn’t qualify to use Tier Two Pills.

“Haha, you will have the chance eventually. For every customer you bring who purchases pills, you’ll receive a commission.”

Ji An thought for a moment and said:

“How about setting the commission as half a percent of the transaction price?”

He didn’t know if this proportion was high or low, but the Pill Medicine Shop mainly dealt in High-tier Elixirs, priced at least several dozen Spirit Stones each.

If the customers were Golden Core Stage cultivators, the pills would be priced in Top-grade Spirit Stones, resulting in a considerable commission.

Zhang Liangyu’s smile became increasingly respectful, “Thank you, Elder.”

…

One month later.

Outside the Black Stone Grotto Mansion, Guanghan Zhenren gazed at the lush Azure Dragon Wood, lamenting:

“These spirit woods grow so lushly, indicating that the Alchemist you introduced is equally skilled in cultivation.”

The family also had Tier Three Top-grade Spirit Plants, but the density of High-Tier Spirit Wood was far inferior to here.

Zhang Liangyu chuckled apologetically, “The Daoist Master guesses correctly. Elder Ji’s research into cultivation is as deep as his alchemy skills.”

This was the third representative of the forces he brought, and the previous two had already reached cooperation agreements, earning him two Top-grade Spirit Stones.

If converted into Lower Grade Spirit Stones, it would be more than twenty thousand, enough to buy plenty of pills!

Utilizing all the Spirit Stones, he felt he could possibly breakthrough to the Chao Origin Stage.

At that moment, Ji An emerged from the Grotto Mansion to welcome the guest inside. Upon hearing news of someone coming to discuss cooperation, he remained vigilant in the Grotto Mansion.

After greeting each other and exchanging a few pleasantries, Zhang Liangyu cupped his hands and said:

“Elder, I’ll take a stroll outside while you chat.”

The upcoming conversation between the two Daoist Masters involved sensitive matters, and it wasn’t appropriate for him to remain.

Once he departed, Guanghan Zhenren straightforwardly stated:

“It seems like your Pill Medicine Shop hasn’t chosen a location yet?”

“Yes, currently none of the available shops meet my requirements.”

“I heard from that broker about your conditions. Our family has a shop that fits your requirements and is seeking a transfer. You can go take a look.”

Ji An raised his brows, “Sure, I thought you were here to discuss supply. I have time now; shall we go together?”

Guanghan Zhenren extended his jade hand slightly, “The supply cooperation needs discussion too, along with the shop transfer. However, if you want to take over our family’s shop, there’s a condition: help us cultivate a qualified Alchemist. If you agree to this condition, the shop’s rent will be reduced to eighty percent of the normal price for fifty years.”

Ji An was somewhat reluctant and asked:

“If I don’t agree to the condition, is the lease off the table?”

Guanghan Zhenren shook his head, “Not at all; you can refuse. In that case, the shop’s rental price would be ten percent higher than the normal price. Even then, we are still willing to cooperate with your shop.”