“This item grew in an extremely frigid spiritual domain, and its most precious trait is its gentle nature. When ordinary cold-attribute spiritual herbs are used in alchemy, their medicinal potency is sharp; the slightest carelessness can damage one's meridians. The Thousand-Year Snow Lingzhi is different—it can harmonize medicinal properties and nourish the foundation of cultivators at the Nascent Soul Realm and above.”
As he spoke, he looked down at it again for a moment.
“This specimen has been preserved remarkably well. Its spiritual aura hasn't dissipated, and its roots are completely intact.”
Hearing this, the errand boy couldn't help but steal another glance at Yun Heng.
A Thousand-Year Snow Lingzhi was not exceptionally rare in Tianque City, but it was not something just anyone could casually present. Especially one in such pristine condition; even within Wanbao Tower, it deserved a place in the second-floor spiritual material display.
Cheng Buyi closed the jade box and looked up at Yun Heng.
“If you wish to sell it directly, Miss, Wanbao Tower is willing to offer fifteen hundred high-grade spirit stones.”
Fifteen hundred high-grade spirit stones was an immense sum for an ordinary rogue cultivator.
But she hadn't come here merely to exchange items for spirit stones. It seemed a Thousand-Year Snow Lingzhi alone was not enough to make Wanbao Tower grant her special accommodations.
Yun Heng raised her hand and retrieved a narrow-necked jade bottle, placing it softly onto the low table.
Cheng Buyi’s gaze followed the movement.
The bottle itself was unremarkable, save for a dense talisman rune sealing its mouth. The moment the rune dissolved, an exceedingly pure spiritual breath wafted from within.
He reached out and picked up the bottle, his movements even slower than before. Opening the stopper just a fraction, the spiritual liquid inside reflected a faint, nearly transparent glow.
Standing to the side, the errand boy held his breath.
Cheng Buyi held the opening near the spiritual verification mirror; not a single streak of impurity surfaced on the mirror’s face.
“Immaculate Spirit Liquid.”
“This liquid can cleanse impurities from spiritual items, nourish meridians, and serve as an ingredient in high-tier pills. Though ordinary Immaculate Spirit Liquid is uncommon, a few bottles can occasionally be found in Tianque City. However, yours, Miss…”
He paused for a moment.
“…is extraordinarily pure.”
Cheng Buyi looked at Yun Heng, his tone growing noticeably more serious.
“If you are willing to sell it, Miss, this item can be placed in tonight's auction. Wanbao Tower will split the proceeds with you ninety-ten—ninety percent for you and ten percent for us. The reserve price can be estimated by our tower, or if you have your own figure in mind, we can discuss it further.”
Yun Heng looked at the jade bottle.
The value of Immaculate Spirit Liquid lay in its purity. Although rare, the item itself wasn't quite enough to make Wanbao Tower truly treat her as a priority.
She pondered for a moment. It seemed she would have to produce that.
Yun Heng raised her hand and placed the third item on the low table.
It was a thin scroll containing a pill recipe.
The paper was slightly aged with yellowed edges, appearing far from grand. Resting beside the Thousand-Year Snow Lingzhi and the Immaculate Spirit Liquid, it looked almost unassuming.
Cheng Buyi froze for a moment.
He had assumed Yun Heng would present an even rarer spiritual material, a magical artifact, or a talisman.
He reached out and picked up the pill recipe, initially giving it a casual glance.
The next moment, his fingers froze. Silence fell over the room as Cheng Buyi looked down again.
This time, he read exceptionally slowly. The more he read, the brighter his eyes shone, and even his posture unconsciously shifted.
Written unassumingly on the paper was the pill's name: Taiqing Nascent Soul Pill.
Cheng Buyi pressed his fingers against the edge of the scroll, his breathing faltering slightly.
Wanbao Tower possessed plenty of medicinal pills designed for Nascent Soul cultivators to nourish their Nascent Souls and stabilize their divine souls. However, he had never seen the medicinal sequence, heat control, or liquid fusion methods detailed on this recipe.
Several medicinal properties within conflicted sharply with one another; logic dictated that putting them into a furnace would cause an immediate pill explosion. Yet, the recipe surprisingly used another spiritual material further down to suppress the clash, turning it into a means to cleanse away residual impurities instead.
Every single detail of this pill recipe was complete, right down to the explicit instructions for the three-turn heat control during the final pill retrieval.
Cheng Buyi suddenly stood up, the breeze from his sleeve causing the teacup on the table to wobble slightly.
The errand boy startled. “Appraiser Cheng?”
Cheng Buyi didn't even look at him.
His gaze remained fixed on the pill recipe, his voice carrying a subtle tremor.
“Is... Is this an ancient pill recipe?”
He scanned two more lines downward, unable to suppress the shock surging in his eyes any longer.
“And it's a complete recipe!”
Wanbao Tower lacked many things, but treasure was not one of them. Yet a complete ancient pill recipe was not something money or spirit stones could simply buy.
Especially one concerning the nourishment of a Nascent Soul.
Due to the Qingming Secret Realm, countless cultivators from various sects and ancient clans had gathered in Tianque City right now. If such an item were released, who knew how many cultivators seeking to break through to the Soul Transformation Realm would be stirred into a frenzy?
Cheng Buyi looked up at Yun Heng.
He placed the recipe back onto the low table, but did not let go. Instead, he kept the palm of his hand pressed against the scroll's edge, as if afraid a gust of wind might blow it away.
“Quickly.”
He turned to the errand boy, his voice hushed and urgent.
“Go fetch Master Yan from the alchemy room!”
The errand boy immediately responded, “Yes, sir!”
This recipe is indeed precious; even an appraiser has lost his composure, Yun Heng thought to herself. She picked up the teacup to her right and took a gentle sip, her expression remaining entirely composed.
Footsteps approached rapidly from outside the door.
Leading the way was still the errand boy from before, but his pace was far swifter this time. Only upon reaching the door did he manage to catch his breath before knocking softly.
“Master Yan is here.”
The door opened.
The errand boy stepped inside first, followed by an elder in a grey robe.
The elder had half-white hair and a thin frame, with bits of pill ash clinging to the hem of his robe, looking as though he had just rushed out from the alchemy room. A red jade token engraved with Wanbao Pavilion's insignia hung at his waist. Before he even fully set foot inside, a faint medicinal fragrance filled the room.
The moment he entered, his eyes locked straight onto the table.
“Where is the recipe?”
His voice wasn't loud, but it was fraught with urgency.
Seemingly long accustomed to his temperament, Cheng Buyi gestured politely. “Master Yan, please sit first.”
Master Yan waved his hand off dismissively. “Sit for what? Let me see the recipe first!”
Cheng Buyi sighed helplessly. “It's right here.”
Only then did Master Yan notice the aged scroll on the table.
Though flustered when entering, he gathered his sleeves carefully upon reaching the table. Instead of reaching out immediately, he leaned down to look, then drew a clean plain handkerchief from his sleeve and thoroughly wiped his fingers.
Sitting across from him, Yun Heng observed his movements.
This Master Yan has a quick temper, but his hands are remarkably steady.
When he picked up the recipe, his fingertips merely cradled the scroll's edge gently, as if fearing that too much force might damage the writing on it.
Silence descended upon the room.
Master Yan looked down at the first line, his brow twitching at the very first glance.
As he read further, his slightly furrowed brow gradually relaxed, only to knit tightly once more. His fingertips slowly traced the writing; with every medicinal herb name he passed, his eyes deepened with intensity.
Cheng Buyi stood off to the side without pressing him.
The errand boy dared not utter a sound either, standing by the door with hands respectfully at his sides.
Yun Heng set down her teacup, the cup making a faint click against the tabletop.
Master Yan seemed completely oblivious, fully immersed in the pill recipe.
“Jade marrow as the catalyst... Qingfrost Vine to stabilize the property... and finally, a three-turn gentle flame to lock in the potency...”
He muttered softly, his voice dropping lower and lower until it became a mere whisper.
Upon reaching a certain passage, he abruptly paused and raised his hand, tracing gestures in midair as though mentally deducing the shifts in furnace flame.
Moments later, his eyes blazed with light.
“Brilliant!”
After a little while longer, when he reached the final pill retrieval method, the expression on his face transformed completely.
“To think it could be approached like this...”
His grip on the pill recipe tightened for a fraction of a second before quickly relaxing, as if afraid he might accidentally crush the paper.
Cheng Buyi glanced at him. “Master Yan?”
Master Yan paid him no mind, reading through it from the beginning once again.
This time, even slower than before.
No one spoke in the room.
After a long while, Master Yan finally raised his head.
An uncontrollable joy radiated across his face, smoothing out even the wrinkles around his eyes.
Master Yan stared at the pill recipe in his hands and let out another chuckle.
“It really is a complete ancient pill recipe!”
Having said that, he looked down at it once more.
Standing by the door, the errand boy lowered his head even further.
Cheng Buyi remained silent for a moment before glancing at Yun Heng, who looked back at him. Their eyes met, both displaying somewhat peculiar expressions, yet neither spoke a word.
Only Master Yan's hushed muttering echoed in the room.
“This herb is used masterfully... suppressing the force early on while dispersing it cleanly later... No wonder it's named the Taiqing Nascent Soul Pill. It cleanses the impurities within the soul and nourishes the clarity of the Nascent Soul...”
After a considerable while, Master Yan finally looked up from the scroll.
As if only just remembering there were other people in the room, he looked first at Cheng Buyi. “Who brought this recipe?”
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