Bai Sinan and Bai Yulou returned to Shi'an Courtyard. Perhaps because the second branch of the family had moved into the main courtyard, this Shi'an Courtyard lacked any overwhelming display of nouveau riche ostentation.
"Xiaonan, how did you know this wasn't the main courtyard?" Bai Yulou had been curious about this ever since they arrived; now, he finally had the chance to ask.
"Actually, I didn't know which one was the main courtyard." Bai Sinan possessed none of the original owner's memories; she didn't even know what the Bai estate used to look like. However, "I knew that with the personality of the second branch, they would surely occupy the best main courtyard. And given their arrogance, they would certainly look down on me and just find some random courtyard to fob us off with."
She was an expert at manipulating human nature; such petty schemes were simply beneath her.
Bai Yulou patted her head affectionately. "Xiaonan has grown up. You can stand on your own two feet now. Grandfather can finally rest easy."
***
For the next few days, the estate remained calm, and the main courtyard was being renovated in an orderly fashion. It was a mystery why the second branch had suddenly become so quiet.
In her rare moments of leisure, Bai Sinan spent her time refining pills within the Wushang Domain. The domain had changed significantly; the site of the thatched hut had transformed into a small courtyard containing several rooms—a bedroom, a study, a guest room, a storage room, and even a kitchen and a latrine. There was also a dedicated alchemy room, with the Taigu Gilded Cauldron sitting right in the center.
The Taigu Gilded Cauldron was the purple cauldron given to her by Aojiao. She had learned its name from Sister Lingyun, and judging by the look of shock on Lingyun’s face at the time, the Taigu Gilded Cauldron was likely far more than a simple divine artifact.
Since the Wushang Domain had absorbed almost all the spirit stones Luochen and Lingyun had given her, she was now dirt poor. The reason she had been refining pills in the domain every day was to sell them and make some money.
After finishing the final batch of pills, Bai Sinan found that she had run out of spirit herbs in the domain. She stood up, stretched, and walked out of the courtyard. The water in the Spirit Spring lake had increased significantly; the concentration of spiritual energy in the Wushang Domain was now comparable to that of the lake where Aojiao resided—all thanks to the Spirit Spring lake. The water not only contained dense spiritual energy but could also nourish one’s meridians and dantian, though the effect was minimal.
Linger’s memories had also recovered somewhat due to the restoration of the Wushang Domain; she remembered that the effects of the Spirit Spring lake were far greater than this.
The only thing in the entire Wushang Domain that had not changed at all was the Tree of Life. It remained a pitch-black, withered stump. Bai Sinan suspected that this so-called Tree of Life had no life left in it, but when she asked Linger about it, she couldn't remember either.
*Damn it, completely unreliable.*
Bai Sinan left the Wushang Domain with the finished pills. She changed into white men's clothing and consumed a disguise pill, transforming into a gentle, jade-like handsome man. She pulled out a white fan from who knows where, fanned herself, and nodded at the mirror in satisfaction.
Not bad. She had captured the essence. Indeed, the ultimate destination of pretentiousness was the color white.
Yaya had grown close to Bai Yulou over the past few days, and Bai Yulou had grown quite fond of the creature. Just as Bai Sinan stepped out of the room, she saw the man and the mouse sunning themselves in the courtyard.
"Grandfather, I'm heading out for a while."
Her voice was gentle yet carried a low, husky tone. Hearing this strange yet vaguely familiar voice, Bai Yulou paused and looked in her direction. "You are..."
*Cough.* She had forgotten that the disguise pill also altered one's voice.
"It’s me, Xiaonan."
Bai Sinan scratched her head in embarrassment. Yaya, who could sense her aura and knew it was her, hopped onto her shoulder.
"Xiaonan, why have you turned into a man?" Yaya asked.
"I took a disguise pill. It makes it more convenient to handle things outside," Bai Sinan replied.
Bai Yulou was shocked. "A disguise pill? What kind of thing is that? I’ve never heard of such a thing—it’s truly miraculous!"
Bai Sinan explained, "I refined this pill myself. It can change one's appearance and voice, though it only works on those below the Spirit Venerable Realm."
"Xiaonan, you’re an alchemist?!"
Heavens! His Xiaonan was actually an alchemist! On this continent, alchemists were sought after wherever they went!
"Mm, I know a little bit," Bai Sinan said, feeling inexplicably guilty for some reason.
Bai Yulou took her hand. "Xiaonan, tell Grandfather, what rank of alchemist are you?"
"Hmm... Five-star high-grade...?"
"A Five-Grade Pill Venerable?!"
Bai Yulou was so excited his hands were trembling. The head of the Shengzhan Kingdom’s Alchemist Guild branch was only a Five-Grade Pill Venerable—the same level as his Xiaonan! His Xiaonan was truly extraordinary!
Bai Sinan was puzzled. "What’s this 'Five-Grade Pill Venerable' terminology?" She had never heard of it.
Bai Yulou explained, "Those are the titles issued by the Alchemist Guild. Most alchemists choose to join the guild, as recognition from them provides an extra layer of protection. The 'grade' refers to the star-level of the pills one can refine, while low, mid, and high levels are referred to as Pill Master, Pill King, and Pill Venerable, respectively."
Bai Sinan stroked her chin. *The Alchemist Guild, huh?*
After calming Bai Yulou’s excitement, Bai Sinan left with Yaya. Her grandfather had told her that the largest auction house in the Shengzhan Kingdom was the Treasure Pavilion. The Bai family held a VIP card, but it was currently in the hands of Bai Jiahua.
Bai Sinan didn't care; she wasn't here to buy anything anyway. With the pills she had, the Treasure Pavilion would have to beg to make her a VIP!
As she arrived at the entrance of the Treasure Pavilion, she was, unsurprisingly, blocked.
*Is this the part where some princess comes along to mock me?*
"Princess Jingting has arrived! Why haven't the people in front cleared the way yet?!"
*Oh, here comes the entertainment.*
The woman in the center wore magnificent clothing and possessed a sophisticated air, holding herself as high as a deity from the Nine Heavens. She was followed by several guards and maids.
One maid shouted arrogantly, "You commoner, you can't even get into the Treasure Pavilion! Why do you not kneel when you see Princess Jingting?"
Li Jingting’s expression was indifferent yet filled with a haughty air, as if nothing were worth her notice.
*My, what a large sack she has; she certainly knows how to carry it.*
Bai Sinan flicked her fan. "Where is that dog barking from? So noisy. Does this Treasure Pavilion not forbid large pets from entering? If a dog this big gets inside and tears the place apart, what then?"
"Your Highness, your dog biting people at random is quite unbecoming. I suggest you deal with this dog; otherwise, if it accidentally bites the wrong person one day, it will be more than just a matter of being 'unbecoming'."
Women like this cared most about their high-and-mighty posturing. Sure enough, Li Jingting frowned, her voice cold. "Drag her away."
The maid shrieked in terror, "Princess, please spare me!"
Ignoring the maid's pleas, Li Jingting produced a VIP card, handed it to the guards, and walked inside.
Bai Sinan thought: *Wow, she really does have to be the one to do all the posturing.*