Chapter 25: Female Cultivator Visit

Seeing Zheng Hai's shocked expression, Han Yi felt secretly thrilled inside.

"Really... really? Are you telling the truth?" Zheng Hai pressed.

Han Yi nodded, "Is there any doubt? Even Brother Guan Di said my Pill Refining skill is strong."

"Moreover, only if my Pill Refining skill breaks through can I pass the Sect Returning Examination. Otherwise, how would I manage it?"

With repeated assurances from Han Yi, Zheng Hai temporarily believed him.

"Han Yi, you, you're defying the heavens."

"It's only been a year and you feel like a completely different person."

The speaker was unintentional, but the listener took it to heart.

Han Yi's proud heart suddenly shuddered.

This was the Cultivation World; if someone noted the vast difference in him over the past year and took an interest, especially if that person was in the Late Stage of Qi Cultivation or even at the Foundation Establishment stage, then his troubles would be numerous.

This was unacceptable.

In the following years, he had to keep a low profile and not draw too much attention.

Han Yi was a cautious person.

At this moment, he was glad that he hadn't impulsively accepted the offer from Vice Peak Lord Shen Yu of Little Green Cloud Peak or from Guan Di to go to other external peaks, exposing himself under more watchful eyes, which would have been like using a magnifying glass to scrutinize him, easily revealing his secrets.

"By the way, where were you recently? I went to Little Pan Stone Peak to find you but got no reply."

Zheng Hai shook his head, "Just happened to be out with some matters, let's not talk about that. Let's go, you're back, let's have a few drinks."

Han Yi slightly opened his mouth, about to suggest taking Zheng Hai to the Drunken Immortal Tower to celebrate, but then he realized he didn't have a single Spirit Stone in his pocket, only some pills he'd just refined.

"Don't worry, it's on me," Zheng Hai, seeing Han Yi hesitating, enthusiastically slapped his chest.

Han Yi had put on a front before, and now it was his turn.

Subconsciously, he still saw Han Yi as a friend who was lacking in Spirit Stones and struggling; it was natural for him to treat.

Han Yi didn't reject the offer, thinking that once he'd sold his pills and refined and sold more, earning Spirit Stones, he'd repay him next time.

Between the two, there was no need for such formalities.

Xuandan Sect had over a hundred external peaks, each peak having as few as a few hundred disciples or as many as three thousand.

Essentially, each peak was a small society unto itself.

Thus, almost every peak had its inn, varying only in size. On Little Lingxu Peak, there was the Little Lingxu Building.

After spending thirty taels of Spirit Sand, they carried up two small barrels of Spirit Fruit wine and started drinking in the Little Lingxu Building.

According to Han Yi's original memory, they would meet here nearly every year.

As they drank and chatted, most of the conversation was dominated by Zheng Hai, telling anecdotes about Xuandan Sect, which brother had advanced to the seventh level, which inner disciple had achieved Immortal Path Foundation Building, which brother had found a beautiful partner and how another had fallen in his cultivation over the year. "Women really are calamities," he said.

"By the way, Han Yi, anything interesting happen during your year down the mountain? Let's hear it."

"Nothing, what interesting things could I have done? Just Pill Refining and cultivating, so boring. I hardly spent two or three days outside. Otherwise, how do you think I improved so fast? It's all because of my diligent cultivation."

"I thought as much. Haha."

The Spirit Fruit wine in the Little Lingxu Building was so-so at best. Even when they were at the second layer of Qi Cultivation, they could afford it as it wasn't priced highly. Although the fruit wine contained Spirit Energy, the amount that could be truly absorbed was not significant.

After finishing, they each went their own way.

Han Yi first headed to Vermilion Bird Peak.

He exchanged all the pills he had on hand for sect points.

Nine bottles of exorcise evil spirits pills, of which seven bottles were from the current refining session and two bottles were surplus from last time. Originally there had been three leftover bottles, but he had used one during his breakthrough to the fourth level of Qi Cultivation.

Twenty bottles of Nurturing Qi Pills.

In total, he exchanged for three thousand five hundred sect points.

Calculated at a rate of ten sect points to one Spirit Stone, that was three hundred fifty Spirit Stones.

The duty officer at Vermilion Bird Hall was still Brother Ma Yu, who had been there during the last assessment.

"Brother Han, this is quite a fortune. I've been saving for so many years and only accumulated a thousand Spirit Stones, but here you've matched thirty percent of my assets in one go."

"I'm envious."

Ma Yu expressed his sentiment.

Han Yi humbly replied, "Brother Ma, these pills are painstakingly accumulated over the past year. Otherwise, how could there be so many?"

"The next batch of pills, who knows how long it will take to gather."

Ma Yu nodded.

That made sense, if Han Yi could easily produce such a large quantity of quality pills within just two months, that would indeed be bizarre.

After Han Yi had exchanged all his points for two hundred Spirit Stones and pill refining materials, he walked out of the Great Hall and his brow suddenly furrowed.

"I cannot come back here for a short time."

"Next time, I must go to the markets on the external peaks."

In the Xuandan Sect, there is an official trading platform, which is the Great Hall that uses points as a transitional currency.

There is also a semi-official trading platform, the market.

With over a hundred subsidiary peaks, there are eighteen markets set up, backed by the high-ranking members of the sect, including those at the Foundation Establishment stage and even Golden Core stage cultivators.

These markets, similar to the Lei family market in Mengshan City, are more equitable and rarely witness robberies. This is a firm principle within the sect, as stability forms the foundation of their governance.

The reason Han Yi had such thoughts was because of Ma Yu's remarks.

His terrifying success rate in pill refining and product provision was seemingly relentless.

Making use of the sect's Great Hall as a middleman created records which, with careful inquiry, could lead observers like Ma Yu to notice if frequented more often. It could be easy for others to deduce Han Yi's refining success rate.

Which would inevitably lead to trouble.

And Han Yi detested trouble.

If he used the semi-official markets of the sect without records, despite a somewhat lower price, it would be more secretive and safer.

This was Han Yi's recent train of thought.

"Moreover, it's also time to acquire a couple more Pill Formulas. Relying solely on Nurturing Qi Pills and Exorcise Evil Spirits Pills is too limiting. Next time at the market, I can look for higher-grade formulas to purchase."

"In addition to that, in the market, one can also buy Magic Skills, which are worth paying attention to."

Han Yi's internal plans followed one another, yet each was meticulously arranged.

He cherished this feeling of having everything under control.

When he returned to Little Lingxu Peak, preoccupied with numerous thoughts, he saw two female cultivators standing at the entrance.

From a distance, he didn't recognize them.

Indeed, within the Xuandan Sect, Han Yi didn't know any female cultivators.

As Han Yi approached, one of the female cultivators asked with a salute.

"Excuse me, are you Junior Brother Han?"

Her voice was ethereal and gentle, quite pleasing to the ear.

Han Yi subconsciously nodded and scrutinized the visitors.

Both female cultivators wore the grey robes of external disciples.

The one who spoke, smiling, stood around one hundred and seventy centimeters tall, with delicate features, bright eyes, and long hair draped over her shoulders that accentuated her graceful figure.

This female cultivator, judging by her appearance and voice, seemed about three or four years older than him.

The other, possessing a more curvaceous figure but fairly ordinary looks and an indifferent, even cold, demeanor.

"Who might the two senior sisters be?" Han Yi returned the greeting with a salute.

"Junior Brother Han, greetings. I am Chu Jinmo, and this is my junior sister, Yan Ru."

"We come from Small Guanhai Peak."

Her ethereal voice continued as Chu Jinmo introduced them.

"Small Guanhai Peak?"

"What brings you here?"

Han Yi's brow furrowed.

He knew of Small Guanhai Peak, one of the external peaks with the most female cultivators.

In front of him, one with a pleasant voice and attractive appearance, the other with a stunning figure, both were easy on the eyes. Yet, he couldn't understand what connection he could possibly have with them.