Chapter 5 Shuang’er 

Three days passed in the blink of an eye, and Old Wang returned with a 17-year-old girl in tow.

At a glance, Shangguan Yi noticed the girl in a white robe. Her face, reminiscent of a watermelon, was both pretty and cute. Taller than most 17-year-olds, her pinkish-white skin and well-developed physique indicated she was a young lady from a good family background.

"Shuang'er greets Master Shangguan," the young lady said, having already been informed about Shangguan Yi.

Shangguan Yi nodded and replied, "Welcome, Shuang'er."

He then looked at Old Wang and said, "Thank you, Old Wang."

Old Wang waved his hands dismissively, indicating that there was no need for such politeness. He then handed a small pouch to Shangguan Yi. 

Shangguan Yi accepted it and skimmed through its contents before nodding slightly.

There are 500 batches of low-grade pill ingredients, 100 batches of mid-grade ingredients, and the remaining 500 essence stones.

Shangguan Yi discussed with Old Wang about Shuang'er's duties, explaining that in the future, he might have less time and would communicate all minor matters through her. Old Wang showed his understanding, and when it was time, he took his leave.

After Old Wang left, Shangguan Yi called Shuang'er to discuss her duties.

"I'll be entering a long seclusion, which might last for at least three months. Therefore, if Old Wang comes to deliver the pill ingredients, you will receive them and inform me three days later. At that time, I'll let you know what to do. As for other matters, use your judgment to handle them appropriately. Your room is on the right side," Shangguan Yi informed her before retreating into his room.

It could be said that his room was quite special, with both an inner and outer chamber, each equipped with a small bedroom. Shangguan Yi always resided in the inner chamber, which remained off-limits to everyone. Even Old Wang never ventured inside; instead, Shangguan Yi greeted him in the outer chamber.

Shuang'er, well-educated, nodded in acknowledgment without further questions. She then retreated to her bedroom to commence her cultivation.

Although not yet a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, Shuang'er was on the verge. Upon learning that a pill refining master was hiring a servant, she didn't hesitate to abandon her status as a young lady to take on the role. She set her sights high on future accomplishments.

Indeed, establishing a connection with a pill refiner was a great stroke of luck for Shuang'er, especially when she reached the Foundation Establishment Realm. It significantly increased her chances of obtaining essence pills.

While Shangguan Yi could effortlessly use pills to support his cultivation, the mere exchange of a single low-grade essence pill could drastically impact the lives of many outside.

Time flowed incessantly, like a river winding through the landscape, carrying the seasons from spring to autumn.

Days and nights flowed like a river, as spring yielded to autumn, and three months slipped by.

On this day, Shangguan Yi emerged from his three-month seclusion.

During these three months, he received updates from Shuang'er three times, yet he remained sequestered in his room, devoting every moment to refining pills. The outcome surpassed his expectations; while he had initially aimed to refine 2,000 low-grade essence pills, he exceeded that target, producing a total of 2,500 pills.

His familiarity in the absorption and refining processes played a crucial role, allowing him to replenish his essence in just three days with the aid of a high-grade essence pill.

However, the cost was substantial; he had to utilize 20 high-grade essence pills. Fortunately, he still had 10 pills remaining.

The good news was that his cultivation had progressed by 10%.

Upon arriving at the outer room, Shuang'er was already waiting there for him.

"Master Shangguan, here are the pill ingredients for the past three months," Shuang'er said as she handed a small pouch to Shangguan Yi upon his arrival.

Shangguan Yi accepted it and skimmed through the contents, finding a total of 810 batches of low-grade ingredients inside.

He then handed a small pouch to Shuang'er and said, "Give it to Old Wang and ask him to purchase 100 batches of mid-grade pill ingredients for me."

"Yes, Master Shangguan," Shuang'er replied before leaving.

Shangguan Yi wasn't concerned about Shuang'er stealing and fleeing; after all, they were in Azure Cloud Pavilion, and she wouldn't dare attempt such a thing.

Shangguan Yi reclined on the sofa, allowing himself to relax. He had only slept three times during the entire three months of seclusion.

Shuang'er returned after a while, holding two small pouches in her hand.

To her surprise, she found him peacefully napping, his slumber resembling that of a statue, devoid of any movement. For some reason, watching him brought her a sense of tranquility, as if she had found solace in observing him.

She didn't disturb him; instead, she sat quietly and waited. Occasionally, she would steal a glance at him, her curiosity piqued by his serene demeanor.

She wondered how this man, only slightly older than herself, could achieve such a remarkable feat.

During her three months here, she had encountered numerous geniuses from esteemed cultivation families, each with a substantial background to bolster their pursuits. Reflecting on her interactions, she felt assured that she could achieve similar feats if born into such privileged families. Conversely, Shangguan Yi's narrative intrigued her deeply. Hailing from a humble background in a small town, he had steadily ascended within the pavilion, emerging as an inspiration to countless young individuals.

He had always been a mysterious figure, as the rumors had attested, and she found herself believing them after three months of close interaction. Yet, in this moment, she couldn't deny the sense of calm and security he exuded, a stark departure from his enigmatic reputation.

Whether intentional or not, she found herself yawning and drifting off to sleep right there.

And just like that, as the sun descended, evening arrived.

Shangguan Yi slowly opened his eyes, feeling slightly groggy.

"I just really dozed off." He shook his head slightly to clear his grogginess.

He glanced around and noticed that Shuang'er had also fallen asleep there, her sleeping posture mirroring his own.

"Shuang'er," he called out in a gentle tone.

Shuang'er, who was lost in a sweet dream, suddenly heard her name being called. Opening her eyes, her gaze fell upon Shangguan Yi.

"Master Shangguan," she couldn't help but softly exclaim. However, upon realizing her current situation, she felt embarrassed. She was a well-educated girl; how could she behave like this in front of a man, especially one who was her master?

Shangguan Yi seemed to ignore her reaction and said, "Give me the pill ingredients."

"Yes," Shuang'er immediately retracted her reaction and handed two small pouches to Shangguan Yi.

Shangguan Yi accepted them and scanned through them. One contained the mid-grade pill ingredients, while the other held essence stones, totaling 5,000 in all.

Shangguan Yi then asked Shuang'er about the general situation in Xi'An city during the past three months.

Shuang'er showed herself to be quite capable. Though initially tense, she spoke very clearly and naturally afterward.

Shangguan Yi listened attentively, his expression remaining unchanged.

"Oh, a big auction in three days?" Shangguan Yi's interest was piqued.

"Indeed, it's a significant occasion that occurs every five years in Xi'An. Everyone is buzzing about it," Shuang'er replied with enthusiasm.

"How much do you know about it? Have you learned anything about the items being auctioned?" Shangguan Yi inquired further.

He needed flame crystals, pieces of a flame beast's body, and other ingredients to upgrade his cultivation technique. This auction presented a prime opportunity for him to acquire these items.

"The auction will span three full days. I've heard rumors of a supreme-grade pill making an appearance, but as for the rest, I can't say for certain," Shuang'er replied.

With such an extended duration for the auction, Shangguan Yi nodded slightly, confident that he would likely find a few of the items he needed.

Perhaps he would discuss this matter with Old Wang later on.

Old Wang's extensive experience with auctions in Xi'An could provide valuable insights for Shangguan Yi to learn from.

"Well. I'll rely on you to gather more details about the items." Shangguan Yi concluded the conversation and retreated to his room.

Shangguan Yi settled back into his room, where he promptly consumed a high-grade essence pill and commenced his cultivation session.