The three of them had just slain one late-stage Foundation cultivator and one mid-stage cultivator. The other cultivators who had been secretly observing immediately gave up their probing thoughts.
Fu Qingzhou quickly found a place rich in spiritual energy for them to settle down. Mu Li was very pleased with his choice—there were many spirit herbs growing nearby.
Watching Mu Li happily plucking herbs, Fu Qingzhou asked: “Do you plan to refine all these herbs into pills?”
Mu Li nodded. “Of course. It would be a waste not to.”
“But there are so many. You won’t finish refining them anytime soon. Why not leave some and come back when you need them?”
Mu Li hesitated. “We don’t know how long we’ll stay here. What if something happens and we have to leave suddenly?”
Fu Qingzhou looked at her. “Actually, if you want spirit herbs, you don’t need to work so hard. You’re an alchemist…”
“What about being an alchemist?”
“As long as you’re willing, you can trade pills for other people’s materials. Many cultivators can’t refine pills. When they find herbs in the secret realm, they either sell them later or ask an alchemist to refine them. And alchemists usually charge high fees.”
Mu Li suddenly understood. “Right! I can trade pills for their herbs.”
“Exactly. Most of the pills you refine are useful for Foundation cultivators. You make far more than the three of us can use. Why not exchange some?”
“But the other cultivators here seem hostile. Will they really trade with us?”
Fu Qingzhou chuckled. “With so many people, someone will be willing.”
Zou Chong volunteered. “I know quite a few cultivators from Cliff Sea City. I’ll go ask around.”
He was efficient. Soon, he returned with a man wrapped head to toe in a black robe, even disguising his voice.
“I heard you’re willing to trade pills for herbs?” the man asked.
Mu Li glanced at Zou Chong, then nodded. “Yes.”
“I want Detoxifying Pills and Returning Essence Pills. Do you have them?”
Returning Essence Pills were common healing pills for Foundation cultivators—Mu Li had plenty.
Detoxifying Pills, however, were rare and used to purge poisons. She had only refined them once, by chance, when she gathered enough materials. Unfortunately, Duo Duo had eaten most of them out of excitement.
Mu Li said awkwardly: “I only have two left…”
Fu Qingzhou cut in smoothly: “Returning Essence Pills are easy to make. Detoxifying Pills are not. What herbs do you offer in exchange?”
The black-robed cultivator promptly pulled out several herbs from his spatial ring. They were far more precious than the ones Mu Li had gathered earlier.
Fu Qingzhou smiled. “Generous indeed. But since there are only two Detoxifying Pills, we’ll give you twenty Returning Essence Pills at market value. How about that?”
In the secret realm, spirit stones couldn’t guarantee access to pills. The black-robed cultivator had expected to be extorted, but instead, they offered a fair trade. Overjoyed, he quickly completed the exchange, afraid they might change their minds.
Before leaving, he asked eagerly, “Will you keep trading herbs for pills? If I find more, can I come back?”
Mu Li nodded. “Until the secret realm closes, yes. As long as they’re herbs I can use.”
Satisfied, the man departed with his pills.
Curious, Mu Li asked: “Who was that? Why cover himself so completely?”
Zou Chong answered: “He’s an old friend of my parents, surname Xu.”
After a pause, he added, “He owed my parents a debt. After they passed, he often helped my brother and me. But Cliff Sea City is ruled entirely by the city lord. Fellow Daoist Xu disapproves of the lord’s ways, but with his family living there, he only dares to help us secretly.”
Fu Qingzhou nodded. “Understandable. In times like these, most people kick you when you’re down. Few offer help. Good thing I wanted to build a good reputation with our first customer—I didn’t fleece him.”
Mu Li felt relieved to have Fu Qingzhou by her side. She still knew too little of this world, and his presence made things easier.
Zou Chong continued: “Fellow Daoist Xu never wanted to enter the secret realm with the young lord. But nearly all Foundation cultivators in Cliff Sea City were recruited. If he refused, he’d be ostracized. Worse, the city lord’s son treats others as disposable pawns. Fellow Daoist Xu was sent to the front lines, poisoned, and the young lord wouldn’t even give him a single antidote pill. Without finding his own cure, he wouldn’t have survived. That’s why he hid his identity and came to us.”
Mu Li frowned. “Cliff Sea City has many Foundation cultivators. The city lord is only at Core Formation. If they united, surely they could defeat him?”
Zou Chong shook his head. Fu Qingzhou smiled faintly. “You’re oversimplifying. Cliff Sea may be small, but a Core Formation cultivator ruling for so many years must have powerful backing.”
Mu Li sighed and dropped the subject.
Once the first trade was made, others quickly followed. Soon Mu Li was busy with exchanges. Her stock of pills was large, but the demand was endless. Fortunately, the rewards were rich—her spatial ring filled with rare herbs of many kinds.
“Finally, I can try refining those pills I couldn’t before due to lack of materials!” Mu Li said, bubbling with excitement.
Fu Qingzhou looked at her calmly. “If you’d been willing to trade earlier, you could have done this long ago. But some rare pills aren’t very useful. Don’t waste time on every single one.”
Mu Li retorted playfully: “You don’t understand the satisfaction of unlocking achievements.”
“Unlocking achievements?” Fu Qingzhou repeated, tasting the unfamiliar phrase. Seeing she didn’t explain, he added: “But we came here to explore ruins. It’s been half a month, and we haven’t even touched the edge of one.”