On the street, the old man glanced at the storage pouch in his hand, a troubled look surfacing on his face. “Immortals, this amount of spirit stones doesn’t match the price we agreed upon.”
“What was agreed before is irrelevant today! These are just a batch of low-grade spirit herbs, and you’re still trying to haggle? Our Heavenly Dao Sect buying your herbs is already a great favor to you!” one of the Pill Peak disciples sneered at him, unleashing the aura of the Origin Spirit Realm and forcing the old man several steps back.
“May I ask if the immortal senior who used to come to purchase the spirit herbs is present this year?” the old man cautiously asked again.
“You mean Xu Aozi? Trying to complain to him? Let me tell you—he’s already left the sect. From now on, I’m in charge of herb purchasing. Understand?” At the mention of Ling Yun, the Pill Peak disciple’s expression instantly darkened.
“No, no, I didn’t mean that. It’s just that I signed a spirit herb supply contract with that immortal senior last year. The contract expires this year, so I was wondering if he intends to renew it,” the old man said nervously, pulling out a contract from within his robes.
“Oh? So Xu Aozi actually signed a contract with you. Too bad—he’s no longer in the Heavenly Dao Sect. That contract is now void. You, a mere herb farmer, aren’t qualified to renew it.” Without even glancing at the contract, the Pill Peak disciple waved his hand, igniting the paper with a flick. In just a few breaths, it turned to ash.
Looking at the ashes left in his palm, the old man opened his mouth slightly, then silently took his granddaughter’s hand and walked away from the area, his back showing a trace of desolation.
Seeing the old man leave, the young master of the Spirit Herb Pavilion’s eyes lit up. He quickly strode forward to catch up.
“Grandpa, I don’t like that man! Immortal Big Brother is so kind, but why do the other immortals act so rude?” the little girl said unhappily after they left Xiangdao City.
“Nannan, you’re still young and don’t understand much. In this cultivation world, it’s rare for an immortal to treat ordinary herb farmers like us with respect—to walk the fields with us and discuss how to cultivate herbs better. People like Immortal Ling are truly few and far between,” the old man shook his head.
As the saying goes, age brings wisdom. Just from that Pill Peak disciple’s attitude and tone, the old man had sensed something unusual. Ling Yun had clearly left the Heavenly Dao Sect, and the disciples who came to buy herbs were offering even lower prices than before. His signed contract had also been burned. It was obvious—something significant had changed within the sect. Get faster updates on g.com.
He had once considered sending his granddaughter to cultivate at the Heavenly Dao Sect under Ling Yun’s care. But now, it was clear that was no longer an option. Not only that, he would also need to find another buyer for his spirit herbs.
After all, the prices the Pill Peak disciples were offering now were far too low—barely enough even for middle-quality spirit herbs, let alone the high-quality ones he had nurtured with great care.
The only reason herb farmers like him had been willing to sell to Ling Yun at a favorable price was because Ling Yun had always been respectful and had taught them techniques to improve their herb cultivation. They naturally reciprocated his goodwill. But now that Ling Yun was no longer around, and the people coming to buy herbs were arrogant and overbearing, there was no reason to accommodate them.
The spirit herbs he sold earlier were just a small portion of those cultivated in his region. In the past, after selling the initial batch to Ling Yun, he would take him to their herb fields, where Ling Yun would speak with other farmers, exchange knowledge, and collect the rest of the herbs—the real bulk of the trade.
“Perhaps… Immortal Ling foresaw this and left behind a way out,” the old man murmured, reaching into his robe and pulling out a finely carved jade token.
After signing the spirit herb supply contract with Ling Yun a few years ago, Ling Yun had given him this jade token, saying, “If the Heavenly Dao Sect ever breaks off our agreement, take this token to the Spirit Herb Pavilion. They will offer you a fair price.”
“Old sir! Please wait!” A youthful voice called out from behind just then.
The old man turned and saw a richly dressed man approaching with a servant in tow. He recognized this man—he had tried to buy his herbs last year, even offering 20% above market price. But back then, the old man had remained loyal to Ling Yun and politely declined.
When the Spirit Herb Pavilion’s young master saw the jade token in the old man’s hand, surprise flashed across his face. “Old sir, how do you have a jade token from our Spirit Herb Pavilion?”
“So you’re an immortal from the Spirit Herb Pavilion?” the old man asked, now viewing the polite young cultivator more favorably. After all, it was rare to find someone who even slightly resembled Ling Yun in manner.
“I don’t dare call myself an immortal. May I ask, old sir, where did you get that jade token?” the young master asked respectfully.
“An old friend, is it? Then as a friend of a friend, please speak freely. Do you still have more spirit herbs? I’m willing to purchase them at a high price,” the young master said, skipping further inquiry and going straight to the point.
“I do. Please, this way,” the old man nodded.
Hearing the old man’s agreement, the young master’s face lit up with joy.
So it was never truly about loyalty to the Heavenly Dao Sect—it had always been about the person who came to buy the herbs. Now that person was gone, and he finally had a chance to build a connection with the old man.
From atop a nearby wall, Yun Xi dangled her legs and watched them leave with a faint smile. “What a coincidence. Who would’ve thought the young master of the Spirit Herb Pavilion would show up this year?”
“This is good. The force behind the Spirit Herb Pavilion is no weaker than the Heavenly Dao Sect. Even if the sect learns that the farmers sold their spirit herbs to the Pavilion—and that it was their young master who made the deal—they won’t dare pull any tricks,” Ling Yun said, withdrawing his gaze.
“Those people from the Heavenly Dao Sect… they’ve gotten too used to using the top-quality herbs you procured. I’d love to see how they cope now without them,” Yun Xi said with a playful grin.
Ling Yun had earned the herb farmers’ trust and built the relationship step by step. The spirit stones he had used weren’t even enough to buy middle-grade herbs in a typical transaction. Only by earning their goodwill had he been able to purchase such high-quality herbs at low prices.
By the time those Pill Peak disciples returned to the Heavenly Dao Sect, things there were bound to get lively.