After leaving Qi Mobai's herb shop, Li Guanqi was in no hurry to depart Yuxu City.
Beneath the cloak of night, Yuxu City bustled with activity.
He asked around for directions and made his way to the largest shop in the city.
Linlang Emporium.
It was an establishment much like Baibao Pavilion.
The entire building was opulent without being gaudy, radiating a restrained heritage.
The moment he stepped inside, an exceptionally attractive maidservant walked up to greet him.
"Good evening, distinguished guest. My name is Xiaoyun. How may I be of service?"
Li Guanqi was greeted by a dazzling expanse of fair skin. Looking up, he found that the woman clad in a pale purple gown was actually a female cultivator in the Body Integration Realm.
True to his reputation as an adept at tempering the heart in the mortal realm, Li Guanqi looked straight ahead, keeping his head slightly lowered as he said in a muted voice, "I'd like to buy a few things, and sell a few things."
The maidservant's eyes instantly curved into crescents of delight. It seemed she would make quite a commission on this transaction.
Soon, Li Guanqi was led into an elegant, secluded private room.
The maidservant never left his side from start to finish.
Bending down to look after Li Guanqi, she made sure spiritual tea and spiritual fruits were fully provided.
Even the temperature in the room had been meticulously calibrated.
Three fist-sized luminous pearls were embedded in the ceiling, their soft radiance illuminating the entire room with pristine clarity.
Before long, a white-browed old man clad in a robe embroidered with dark gold patterns stepped through the door.
The old man carried a tray in his hands and wore white gloves. He gave a slow nod in greeting.
He showed no surprise at Li Guanqi's attire.
With a smile on his face, he sat down across from Li Guanqi and said softly, "This old man is named Qian Ronghe.
"Distinguished guest, you may first place the items you wish to sell onto the tray. All prices are negotiable.
"As for confidentiality, please rest assured. As long as Linlang Pavilion dares to accept an item, no matter who comes asking, we will never disclose a shred of your information."
With that, the old man waved his hand at the maidservant.
The maidservant gave a slight nod and withdrew from the room.
Li Guanqi casually took out an assortment of miscellaneous items from Zhao He's belongings.
Three bottles of medicinal pills: two bottles of Xuanyuan Pills used for cultivation by Mystic Immortal cultivators, and one bottle of Xuantian Pills!
The old man glanced at the items on the tray, looking somewhat disappointed.
It seemed this fellow didn't have much of great value, yet he still maintained the smile on his face.
After a moment of thought, Li Guanqi pulled out a blank jade slip.
He engraved the modified Juque Heart Method onto it.
He would have to replace this cultivation method sooner or later anyway; its current grade was far too low to allow him to unleash his full power.
The old man raised an eyebrow slightly. It was the first time he had ever seen someone engrave a cultivation method on the spot.
Still, his interest was piqued. Cultivation methods were always worth a great deal!
Seeing that Li Guanqi made no further moves, the old man began taking inventory of the items before him.
"Two bottles of Xuanyuan Pills, totaling... mm?"
"Twenty pills, for a total of two thousand Grade One immortal crystals.
"One Xuantian Pill, twenty thousand immortal crystals."
Li Guanqi was taken aback. One hundred immortal crystals for a Xuanyuan Pill came as no surprise to him.
After all, its medicinal potency was at most equivalent to roughly seventy immortal crystals.
However, it was a finished pill, and restoring immortal primal energy in critical moments was its most vital function.
Yet that single Xuantian Pill was actually worth twenty thousand!
For a cultivator in the Mahayana realm, who knew how long it would take to save up such an astronomical sum.
Li Guanqi nodded slightly. The old man picked up the jade slip and asked softly, "This cultivation method... this old man must inspect it first. Would our distinguished guest permit it?"
Li Guanqi nodded. The old man before him was definitely not someone to be trifled with.
Li Guanqi could not perceive the slightest trace of the man's aura or pressure!
That unfathomable aura definitely surpassed the third layer of the Mystic Immortal realm!
The old man pressed the jade slip against his glabella. A moment later, he opened his eyes, an expression of astonishment visible within them.
"This cultivation method... was modified?"
Li Guanqi was not surprised that the old man could tell, and he gave a slight nod.
The old man made a quick mental calculation, a strange look flashing in his eyes as he regarded Li Guanqi.
Qian Ronghe's gaze flickered as he said softly, "Originally, this technique could only be considered the lowest of Grade One methods.
"Yet with this modification... it actually rivals the finest among Grade One.
"The only pity is that its upper limit is too low; at most, it can only be cultivated to the peak of the fourth layer."
After pondering for a brief moment, the old man offered, "How about thirty-four thousand immortal crystals for this cultivation method?"
Li Guanqi was extremely satisfied with the price. He had never expected cultivation methods in the Immortal Realm to be worth so much.
The old man smiled and said softly, "Very well. That brings the total for these items to fifty-six thousand Grade One immortal crystals."
With a wave of his hand, the old man handed over a storage bag.
Li Guanqi checked the count. Finding no issues, he put it away.
Just then, however, the old man's expression shifted slightly, and he abruptly rose to his feet!
The immortal primal energy within Li Guanqi's body roared, readying him to strike.
A moment later, the old man slowly opened his eyes. Without a word, he turned and walked over to the wall behind Li Guanqi.
Raising his hand, he cast a beam of spiritual light. Immediately, a three-foot formation glow appeared on the floor!
The old man tucked his hands into his sleeves and bowed slightly.
A jade slip floating beside him drifted slowly toward Li Guanqi.
"It would be best if our distinguished guest left Yuxu City right now."
Li Guanqi stood up and looked at the old man.
"What is the meaning of this?"
Keeping his head lowered, the old man said softly, "Zhao Chengyong, Vice Hall Master of the Tianshu Ascension Hall, has already arrived at the city gate."
Li Guanqi's heart jolted, his gaze turning as sharp as an eagle's as he stared at the old man!
Unafraid, Qian Ronghe kept his head lowered and said indifferently, "When you took out those medicinal pills earlier, I already deduced your identity.
"Because those pills... bear the precise crafting technique of an alchemist from the Tianshu Ascension Hall.
"News of Zhao He's death has already spread, yet you carry no trace of a soul seal on you.
"However, you shouldn't have brought out Sun Kui's Juque Heart Method from the Sanyuan Sect."
At this point, the old man looked up at Li Guanqi.
"Linlang Pavilion wishes to forge good karma with you, so this old man will act as though you have never set foot here."
A chill ran down Li Guanqi's spine. He had not expected the other party to see through him so early on.
No wonder the old man had hesitated while examining the pills.
He had even been able to tell that the cultivation method had been altered.
Li Guanqi walked slowly toward the teleportation array, reached out to take the jade slip beside the old man, and said solemnly, "I owe Senior a favor. I will remember it."
Qian Ronghe smiled and said nothing.
The teleportation array flared with light. In an instant, Li Guanqi's figure was enveloped in silver brilliance, vanishing from the spot!
After Li Guanqi left, the old man walked out of the room and spoke softly toward the shadows.
"Kill the maidservant who attended to that guest today."
With that, the old man looked down, smoothed his robes, and murmured inwardly, *It has barely been half a month since he ascended to the Immortal Realm, yet his cultivation is already stable at the first layer of the Mystic Immortal realm.*
*He killed eleven Mystic Immortals and possesses the ability to modify cultivation methods.*
*A fellow like that truly makes one shudder...*
A maidservant within Linlang Pavilion vanished without a sound, as though she had never existed.
Atop a mountain towering into the clouds, silver-white light flashed briefly, and Li Guanqi's figure abruptly materialized!
After concealing his aura, Li Guanqi looked back. By now, he was seventy to eighty li away from Yuxu City.
Taking out the jade slip the old man had given him, a human-skin mask inside caught Li Guanqi's attention.
After inspecting it carefully and confirming there were no issues, he placed the human-skin mask onto his face.
As for the jade slip, he hesitated for a moment before putting it away as well.
Sometimes, unprompted kindness was extended solely in hopes of a future return.
Li Guanqi did not mind such transactions.
*Boom!!*
An incomparably immense aura erupted from within Yuxu City.
Several streaks of flowing light could be seen shooting straight toward the northern part of the city!
Chapter 1576