Cultivation Starts with Rejuvenation

(The ending of the previous chapter was slightly modified, still three days left.)

Pill Cauldron Pavilion.

Three stewards sat below, looking somewhat worried at Shopkeeper Wu.

Another steward sat alone to the side, a smile in their eyes.

”No rush, there’s still three days. It’s quite normal for a Pill Master in seclusion to deliver once a month,” Shopkeeper Wu said calmly, seemingly not worried at all.

However, internally he was a bit uneasy.

The Nine Tripods Commerce Association isn’t just one person’s business; the owner is responsible for the Golden Splendor Immortal City branch and also accountable to the headquarters.

And as the shopkeeper of the Pill Cauldron Pavilion, he also needs to be accountable to the Pavilion.

One of the evaluations is the delivery situation of recruiting Honored Guest Elders within the Pavilion.

Li Ji’an was appointed as an Honored Guest Elder by the owner, but naturally, it couldn’t be the owner who signed him on the surface. As a subordinate of the owner’s faction, he would naturally share the owner’s burdens and take the blame when necessary.

On the surface, Li Ji’an was signed by him as an Honored Guest Elder.

Indeed, with the owner around, even if Li Ji’an couldn’t deliver as stipulated, it wouldn’t affect his standing with the owner; it would just be a minor setback.

However, the current situation is that the headquarters is continuously sending people to this branch, and he’s really worried they might change leadership.

If that happens, if the owner backs out, his situation would become difficult.

”Shopkeeper Wu, for a seasoned Upper Grade Pill Master, or even a Second Tier Pill Master, delivering once a month is quite normal, given they have abundant resources and aren’t in a rush to liquidate. But this Alchemist Li, as this old one knows, is merely a Qi Cultivation 6th Layer Pill Master. Normally, they wouldn’t have abundant resources, so it would be normal to sell once a batch is out. They haven’t delivered for nearly a month... Could it be that they haven’t refined qualified pills yet?” Steward He, sent from the headquarters, asked with a knowing smile.

Shopkeeper Wu took a sip of spirit tea: ”Are you implying that I made an error in judgment, Steward He?”

”Hehe, I wouldn’t dare. I’m merely concerned about this month’s evaluation and truly want to help relieve the Shopkeeper’s worries,” Steward He said with a smile.

”Relieve my worries? Well, then Zhao, register Alchemist Li under Steward He’s name,” Shopkeeper Wu directly ordered.

Steward He abruptly stood up, the playful smile vanishing from his face: ”Shopkeeper Wu, how can you treat this matter so flippantly?”

He had only arrived at Golden Splendor Immortal City for half a year and had signed two Upper Grade Honored Guest Pill Masters, delivering pills valued at nearly a thousand this month, which is quite a performance.

He’s always strict about signing Honored Guest Pill Masters.

Although the Commerce Association has a flexible rule that, in the Hundred Skills of Cultivation, individuals with potential but currently not meeting standards can be signed as an investment, with certain potential elasticity risk deductions for any personnel above steward level,

Steward He, however, has always been strict. For the Honored Guests he signs, his private baseline for delivering qualified pills is three hundred and fifty spirit stones a month. He often publicly states to be vigilant on behalf of the owner.

Shopkeeper Wu sneered and ignored him, already pondering on how to handle the matter.

Such a minor issue shouldn’t be reported to the owner, maybe tell Zhao Shuyao, or privately arrange with Li Ji’an, and personally cover it once...

”Sister Zhao has always been steady, shouldn’t be like this...”

”Shopkeeper Wu, Honored Guest Li is here!”

At this moment, an attendant reported from outside the door.

Shopkeeper Wu immediately widened his eyes; could it be I underestimated him?

His three trusted stewards immediately perked up expectantly.

Only Steward He frowned slightly, unwilling to believe it.

”Please let Honored Guest Li in,” Shopkeeper Wu’s face lit up with a smile as he got up and went to the door.

Just in time, Li Ji’an arrived, and he cheerfully greeted him: ”Honored Guest Li, please come in, please come in.”

”Shopkeeper Wu, I’m here to deliver the pills,” Li Ji’an stated directly.

”Oh? Great, great, let’s go to the private room where I can personally inspect the pills, please.” Shopkeeper Wu turned his eyes, thought for a moment, and led Li Ji’an to the side.

Before Li Ji’an could follow, Steward He hurriedly spoke up from behind: ”Hey! Why bother with such trouble? Shopkeeper Wu, Zhao and others are all here, evaluating the quality together is naturally faster. After all, Li only delivers once a month, he should have brought a lot, right?

Moreover, since we’re all here, if there’s any uncertainty about the pill quality, they can always consult with us.

Of course, if you have other thoughts, Shopkeeper Wu, feel free to speak.”

Shopkeeper Wu frowned slightly, looking somewhat uncertainly at Li Ji’an.

Li Ji’an nodded slightly: ”Li doesn’t mind either way, it’s all up to Shopkeeper Wu.”

Seeing the clarity in Li Ji’an’s eyes and his calm demeanor unintentionally reassured Shopkeeper Wu quite a bit.

”In that case, let’s do it your way then.” Shopkeeper Wu led Li Ji’an back.

”Please have a seat.” After seating Li Ji’an at the large table, Shopkeeper Wu returned to his main seat as shopkeeper.

Steward He watched Li Ji’an, unable to suppress the smile on his face.

Indeed, sensing for a moment, it really was a Qi Cultivation 6th Layer cultivator, just as he had known before.

Moreover, so young… tsk tsk, this old Wu has quite the audacity to sign such a Pill Master as an Honored Guest?

”Honored Guest Li, why not show us the pills you’ve been accumulating over the past month?” Steward He asked, smiling broadly at Li Ji’an.

”Thank you for your trouble!” Li Ji’an said swiftly, retrieving all the jade bottles from his storage pouch.

”Woah~ so many!”

A full twenty jade bottles.

”Puh~” Steward He had just taken a sip of spirit tea and was choked when he saw so many jade bottles taken out at once.

”Great, great, Honored Guest Li, I knew you were purposefully accumulating for a monthly delivery.” Shopkeeper Wu’s eyes were full of delight.

At least the quantity is there, the attitude is still correct.

”Honored Guest Li, our pavilion doesn’t just require quantity, Shopkeeper Wu should have made that clear when signing you, right? For the larger categories of pills, the minimum requirement is Middle Stage for Qi Cultivation needs, and Upper Grade; even for smaller categories, they still need to be at least Middle Grade.” After calming down, Steward He casually remarked to cover his earlier embarrassment.

Li Ji’an nodded: ”Shopkeeper Wu made it clear at that time.”

”What are you all staring for? Quickly check the quality!” Steward He instructed the other stewards with a stern face.

The stewards paid no attention to him and all looked at Shopkeeper Wu.

Seeing Li Ji’an as calm and composed as ever, expectations gleamed in Shopkeeper Wu’s eyes.

”Inspect them.”

The stewards then began to open the jade bottles.

”Upper Grade Qi Condensing Pill!” The first one opened by a steward surprised him with an Upper Grade pill right from the first grain; he looked at Shopkeeper Wu with eyes full of delight.

”Good!” Shopkeeper Wu was overjoyed.

”Still Upper Grade!”

”This bottle is completely Upper Grade!”

”Wow! This one is also completely Upper Grade, and it’s the challenging Pressure Vein Pill!”

”This is... Upper Grade Soul Condensing Pills! The whole bottle!” The Soul Condensing Pill involves the Divine Soul; even seasoned pill masters can’t guarantee pill formation success rates or quality, thus they’re quite scarce and valuable.

”Upper Grade! This is also Upper Grade, all are Upper Grade!”

...

Shopkeeper Wu went from initial worry, to mid-way expectation, to unstoppable joy at the end.

Clearly, Li Ji’an gave him an immense surprise!

Moreover, when finally assessed, the total value delivered by Li Ji’an in this batch of pills was one thousand and eighty spirit stones! More than the combined contribution of the two so-called seasoned Upper Grade Pill Masters under Steward He.

Under Shopkeeper Wu’s somewhat exaggerated praises, Li Ji’an modestly shook his head.

The Upper Grade pills were mainly Middle Stage elixirs, not highly valued, and due to differing difficulties, the pill formation success rate varied significantly, resulting in small actual profits.

As for the Soul Condensing Pills, his current Pill Fire was still a bit strained; actually, there was a loss for that bottle, but it was due to his deliberate attempt to delve into it.

A few Late Period pills were decent, though not Premium Grade, or else the profit would have been considerably higher.

Overall, this batch of pills had a profit margin of around thirty percent. It wasn’t his highest profit level, but it temporarily met his cultivation planning needs.