Li Yu wove through the crowd until he reached the end of the main thoroughfare—the very place where he had entered the Cultivator Market a month ago.
As Li Yu stepped forward, the thin mist began to thicken. By the time he reached the archway, the white-robed elder spotted him and spoke up.
"Back so soon, young friend?"
"Yes, Senior. I still had some mundane matters to resolve," Li Yu replied respectfully.
"There is an eatery called 'Yizui Tower' in Beishan Town, the closest town to here. If you happen to return this way, would you mind bringing me a jug of green pear wine?"
"Rest assured, Senior. I will certainly bring you some next time."
"That is excellent. Off you go."
"Farewell, Senior."
After taking his leave of the elder, it took Li Yu a month and a half to return to Mingyue Tower in Ning'an City.
He sat down in the same spot he had occupied previously. The waiter immediately bustled over, wiped the table with the towel draped over his shoulder, and asked, "What can I get for you, sir?"
"Just bring me whatever wine and food you have ready."
"Right away! Would you like to try our restaurant's new batch of Yuhuchun?"
"Bring a jug. By the way, is Manager Liang available?"
"Yes, she is! I'll go call her right away." With that, the waiter threw the towel back over his shoulder and scurried off.
Before long, Liang Jie approached with a graceful gait and offered Li Yu a formal curtsy.
"We meet again, young master."
"I have a matter to discuss. Is the lady available?" Li Yu asked, cutting straight to the point without pleasantries.
"You are too formal, young master. I am merely responsible for welcoming guests here, so I am certainly available." Seeing that Li Yu had something important to say, Liang Jie sat down opposite him.
Without a word, Li Yu produced a small vial, placed it on the table, and slid it toward her.
"Open it and see," Li Yu said with a mysterious air.
Liang Jie, confused, picked up the vial, removed the stopper, and poured the contents into her palm.
"This is... an Ageless Pill?!" she exclaimed, staring at the pill, which looked like a jade bead and emitted a rich, floral fragrance.
"You recognize it, Madam?"
"If I may be honest, young master, I have managed this restaurant for many years and am not entirely unversed in such things. I have heard that 'shaped like a jade bead with a subtle, lingering scent' refers to the Ageless Pill. May I ask what your intention is in offering this?" Liang Jie cautiously poured the pill back into the vial, clutching it tightly as she questioned him.
Li Yu understood her reaction perfectly. Beauty fades, and youth is fleeting. What woman could resist the temptation of an Ageless Pill?
"The pill is yours, Madam."
"How can I accept this? This pill is worth a fortune—the entire restaurant wouldn't be worth as much!" Though she spoke these words, her grip on the vial only tightened.
"Nothing is free without reason. I have a request for you. If you handle it well, this pill shall indeed be yours."
"What is it? Please, speak your mind."
"If I were to obtain more of these, do you have the channels to sell them for me?" Li Yu, confident in his abilities, had no fear of Liang Jie playing him false, thanks to his master-level martial arts and his own cultivation at the Early Qi Refining stage.
"To be frank, my family possesses many properties in Ning'an City, and my kin have close ties with the local government. I can certainly assist you. Besides, such a pill is a rare commodity; there would be no shortage of interested buyers."
"Excellent. In that case, shall we discuss the details?"
"Please, follow me to a private room."
"Lead the way," Li Yu said, rising to follow Liang Jie to a private chamber.
The discussion proved mutually beneficial. Li Yu learned the true market value of the Ageless Pill in the secular world, and Liang Jie obtained the prize she had longed for.
Truth be told, this "Ageless Pill" was known in the cultivation world as a "Complexion-Fixing Pill." Li Yu had purchased it at the "Wandan Pavilion" near the market entrance for two Spirit Stones before leaving. To a cultivator, its effects were negligible; it was usually the byproduct of a novice alchemist practicing their technique.
Because Li Yu had once chatted about the Ageless Pill with the elderly man named Wu while traveling in the carriage for the Weiyuan Escort Agency, he had paid special attention when he saw the books *Introduction to Alchemy* and *Identification and Efficacy of Common Spirit Pills* at Wanjuan Bookstore. He knew the pill contained very little spiritual energy and that its effects would only last a decade or two—hardly worth mentioning compared to the long lifespan of a cultivator.
Cultivators do age, but compared to mortals, their aging process is significantly extended. A Nascent Soul cultivator, for example, lives for a millennium; only after seven or eight hundred years does their appearance begin to wither slowly.
Furthermore, when a cultivator breaks through from the Great Circle of the Qi Refining stage to establish their Foundation Establishment, they can use the moment the world's spiritual energy washes over them to reclaim their youth.
Depending on their age when they "knock on the door of heaven," the more primordial energy they can harness, the younger they will appear. Later, every time a cultivator reaches a new major stage, they can once again use their Foundation Establishment appearance as a baseline to rejuvenate themselves with the world's energy.
As a practice pill, the Complexion-Fixing Pill is easy to make and the ingredients are cheap and common. Its downside is its low spiritual content, limited efficacy, and difficulty in turning a profit. However, to Li Yu, if managed correctly, this pill could be a steady source of Spirit Stones.
After resting for a night at the inn where he had stayed previously, Li Yu went to the local bank and exchanged the large stack of banknotes he had received from Guo Yanlin for silver, totaling fifty thousand taels.
Notably, the bank provided armed escort services for large cash withdrawals, sparing Li Yu a trip to the escort agency.
After arranging for the bank to transport the silver to Beishan Town, Li Yu purchased large quantities of dry rations and supplies before departing Ning'an City.
A month later, having traveled all the way using the Wind-Walking Technique, Li Yu finally saw the stone walls of Beishan Town in the distance.
He retracted the small shield that had been fluttering a foot away from his body and walked briskly toward the town. Throughout his journey, he had been practicing the methods described in the *Summary of Spirit Tool Usage* to master the shield and his Spirit Sword.
He wandered the town until dark, locating the bank's local escort branch, the marketplace, and the eatery mentioned by the white-robed elder.
Afterward, Li Yu ordered a few jugs of green pear wine and a feast at Yizui Tower to reward himself, then found an inn to stay the night.
The next morning, just as the sky turned a pale white, Li Yu left Beishan Town. He summoned his Spirit Shield, cast the Wind-Walking Technique, and set off for Wanan Workshop.
The journey passed without incident, and Li Yu returned to Wanan Workshop, dusty and road-weary.
When he presented the green pear wine to the white-robed elder, the old man casually handed him a recipe for spirit wine in return, for which Li Yu expressed his profuse gratitude.
He returned to Wanjuan Bookstore, where Wang Wei was still sitting behind the long table, deeply engrossed in a book.