Cheng Buyi didn't answer, merely shifting his gaze to Yun Heng. Master Yan followed his eyes.
When his gaze landed on Yun Heng, his expression visibly stiffened for a moment.
Upon entering earlier, his eyes had been filled solely with the pill recipe; only now did he truly take in the person sitting across from him.
Dressed in a plain, elegant spiritual robe with cold, serene features, she sat there without the slightest hint of discomfort or nervousness.
Cheng Buyi turned to Yun Heng and introduced, “This is an alchemist of our Wanbao Tower, Master Yan Jue. Master Yan is a Grade Six Alchemist who oversees our alchemy chamber. Most high-grade pills in our tower pass through his hands for inspection.”
Yan Jue cleared his throat softly, seemingly just remembering his previous loss of composure.
“This old man is Yan Jue, humbly serving as an alchemist for Wanbao Tower—a Grade Six Alchemist.”
“Did you bring this ancient pill recipe, Miss?”
Yun Heng replied, “I did.”
If an ordinary cultivator had brought out such a treasure, they would have asked for a price long ago. Yet the young woman before him had remained seated quietly from start to finish, as if what she had produced was merely a common spiritual item.
Yan Jue suppressed the turmoil in his heart and took another close look at her.
He knew a thing or two about the alchemy inheritances of the major sects in the Eastern Region. Whether it was the Xuanxiao Sect, Taihua Sword Sect, Danxia Valley, or even the prominent cultivation clans, if any of them possessed such a complete ancient recipe, they would never send a young woman to bring it to Wanbao Tower alone.
He had also met many members of royal families.
The person before him didn't look like one.
She lacked the nobility typical of royal scions, as well as the ingrained air of a sect's direct disciple.
A thought crossed Yan Jue's mind.
Perhaps she wasn't from the Eastern Region at all.
The Taiyan Continent was vast; beyond the Eastern Region lay the Central State, Southern Border, Northern Wilderness, and Western Sea. What ancient powers lurked in those places were things even Wanbao Tower might not fully grasp.
There were also secluded lineages that kept low profiles normally, but whenever someone among them ventured out into the world, the items they carried could shake an entire region.
If this young woman truly came from such a place, Wanbao Tower could not treat her merely as an ordinary seller.
At this thought, Yan Jue's expression grew serious as he gently placed the pill recipe back onto the low table.
“Miss.”
His tone was far more polite than before.
“This recipe is named the Taiqing Nascent Soul Pill. From what this old man can see, it should be a complete recipe from an ancient alchemy line. The pill refined from it can nourish the Nascent Soul and cleanse away impurities within it, proving immensely beneficial to a Nascent Soul cultivator's foundation before attempting to break through to higher realms.”
He spoke unhurriedly, weighing every single word.
“A pill recipe like this can no longer be valued like an ordinary spiritual item.”
Yan Jue said with a solemn expression, “If you are willing, Miss, Wanbao Tower is ready to purchase this recipe at a high price.”
He paused for a moment.
“In addition, for tonight's auction, Wanbao Tower can reserve an Honored Guest seat for you, Miss.”
An Honored Guest seat.
Lin Yan had mentioned last night that seats at Wanbao Tower's auctions were divided into tiers. Those who could sit in the Honored Guest seats were either direct disciples of major sects or distinguished guests from prominent clans. Ordinary rogue cultivators, even if they had spirit stones, might not be able to gain entry.
She had originally only intended to test the weight of the Taiqing Nascent Soul Pill recipe and secure an entry qualification for the Qingming Command auction. But the terms offered by Yan Jue were far more generous than she had anticipated.
Thoughts whirled through her mind, and she did not reply immediately.
Observing her expression, Yan Jue suddenly felt uncertain.
What is she thinking?
Is she dissatisfied?
Or does she feel Wanbao Tower isn't offering enough?
No, we absolutely cannot let this pill recipe slip away.
If it were merely an ordinary spiritual item, it wouldn't matter if negotiations fell through. But the Taiqing Nascent Soul Pill recipe was different—the emergence of a complete ancient recipe meant that if it fell into someone else's hands, who knew how many factions in Tianque City would be stirred into motion after tonight?
More importantly, this young woman could bring out such an item.
If she had one scroll in her hands, there might be more behind her.
The more Yan Jue thought, the tenser he felt inside.
He turned to the errand boy near the door. “Go fetch the Pavilion Master.”
Yun Heng's eyelashes fluttered slightly.
Hmm?
The errand boy froze as well.
Yan Jue said in a deep voice, “Ask the Pavilion Master to come in person.”
Daring not delay, the errand boy immediately responded and excused himself.
Yun Heng's fingertips rested on the rim of her teacup.
She had simply been contemplating how to respond—why did her brief silence cause him to fetch the Pavilion Master?
Cheng Buyi glanced at Yan Jue too, but did not stop him.
Only then did Yan Jue look back at Yun Heng, his tone even more solemn than before. “Miss, there are some matters this old man cannot decide alone.”
Yun Heng raised her eyes to look at him.
Yan Jue continued, “If you have any demands, Miss, please feel free to state them directly. As long as Wanbao Tower can accomplish it, we will certainly not mistreat you.”
An alchemist understood the value of a pill recipe best.
Especially a recipe like this, which could not be evaluated based on a single batch of pills alone. If Wanbao Tower could master it, every batch of Taiqing Nascent Soul Pills refined in the future would yield a continuous stream of profits and serve as leverage for Wanbao Tower to win over Nascent Soul cultivators.
They valued the recipe, and they were beginning to value her—the person who produced it—as well.
In less than the time it took for an incense stick to burn, footsteps echoed outside the door once again.
The errand boy stopped outside and lowered his voice. “The Pavilion Master has arrived.”
The door was pushed open.
A man dressed in a dark teal robe walked inside.
He was in no hurry as he entered, his eyes sweeping across everyone in the room before settling on the pill recipe on the low table.
Yan Jue took a half-step forward and bowed respectfully. “Pavilion Master.”
The newcomer nodded slightly.
Without beating around the bush, Yan Jue recounted everything that had just occurred.
The Thousand-Year Snow Lingzhi, the Immaculate Spirit Liquid, and the Taiqing Nascent Soul Pill recipe.
With each item mentioned, the Pavilion Master's eyes shifted slightly toward its location on the table. Only when Yan Jue uttered the words “complete ancient pill recipe” did he finally reach out and pick up the scroll.
He did not show the outward excitement Yan Jue had displayed, but he read it with immense focus.
The paper scroll slowly unrolled between his fingers, and all sound in the room quieted down accordingly.
After a long moment, he rolled the recipe back up.
“Has Master Yan verified this?”
Yan Jue replied, “Verified. This recipe is complete, with absolutely no trace of patchwork or piecing together.”
The Pavilion Master pressed his thumb against the scroll, remaining silent for a moment.
The shock in his heart was no less than Yan Jue's.
Wanbao Tower did business across the world and had seen countless treasures. A single pill recipe alone might not be worthy of a personal visit from him. But a complete ancient pill recipe was a different matter entirely.
If any sect in the Eastern Region possessed such a recipe, they would never present it like this. If a cultivation clan had it, they would not allow an unknown young woman to ascend the tower alone with it either.
The Pavilion Master raised his eyes to look at Yun Heng.
Yun Heng remained seated where she was.
“I am Shen Guanlan, the Master of Tianque City's Wanbao Pavilion.”
“Yun Heng.”
Shen Guanlan repeated the name under his breath.
“Miss Yun.”
He placed the recipe gently back onto the low table and asked in a mild tone, “Forgive me for asking so abruptly, Miss, but may I know where you obtained this pill recipe?”
The eyes of everyone in the room turned toward Yun Heng.
Cheng Buyi kept his eyes lowered as though not looking at her, yet his hands inside his sleeves froze involuntarily. Yan Jue likewise paused his movements, awaiting her answer.
This question was bound to come sooner or later.
If she claimed to have obtained it by chance, Wanbao Tower would ask for the location and the origin of the scroll fragments. The more she answered, the more flaws would appear; if she said it was inconvenient to disclose, it would sound too stiff and defensive.
“It is an old family heirloom.”
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