Upon hearing about the matter, Gu Yao readily agreed, but he didn't need special treatment from Master Zhang. He would be content with the same treatment as others, including the deduction of the usual commission.
Seeing Gu Yao's insistence, the shopkeeper agreed to convey the message to Master Zhang and let him make the final decision.
When Gu Yao and Chi Changye left the Qianshi Shop, they took with them a large quantity of spirit herbs. It was apparent that these herbs had been delivered there early, waiting for Gu Yao to come out of seclusion and refine the pills. They couldn't expect him to personally handle the spirit herbs. Gathering enough spirit herbs for these pills might not be feasible for Gu Yao alone.
Back in their rented cave dwelling, Gu Yao didn't immediately enter the alchemy room to refine the pills. He leaned on his chin, lost in thought. Chi Changye patted his head and asked, "What are you thinking about?"
Gu Yao sighed and turned to look at the person beside him, saying, "The information channels of the Merchant Alliance should be much broader now compared to before. It should cover the entire Qianhao Continent, and Master Zhang has considerable capabilities."
Back in Baihe City, it was evident from the praise of Liu Guanshi and Qi Guanshi that even Liu Wangyue, the daughter of Liu Guanshi, admired her father.
Upon hearing, Chi Changye guessed what was troubling Gu Yao. He held his hand and said, "We can give it a try. We can ask Master Zhang to discreetly help us find any traces left by your uncle. He should have left some clues here."
Since arriving in the Qianhao Continent, Gu Yao had been cautious about openly inquiring about his uncle's whereabouts, to avoid any risks for the IIM. However, whenever they passed through towns and cultivator settlements, they would pay attention to local news. Tian Feirong and Xiaopangzi also had this matter in mind, but so far, they hadn't come across any news related to Gu Yao's uncle.
Perhaps they had traveled to too few places, and their sources of information were limited, which is why they had no results.
Gu Yao suspected that even his uncle's name might be fake. How could one search in the vast sea of people?
When he first heard about the establishment of the Merchant Alliance at the restaurant, he didn't think much of it. But later, he realized that the Merchant Alliance could do many things. Just selling information alone would likely bring in a substantial profit. If they entrusted the Merchant Alliance to find someone, it would save them a lot of time and effort. Currently, Senior Zhang Qianfeng should be open to cooperation.
Taking a deep breath, Gu Yao said, "Well, no matter what, we must give it a try." They couldn't afford to run around everywhere to gather information. Gu Yao took out a blank jade slip, pressed it against his forehead, and copied the image of his uncle that he had seen twice from his memories. Chi Changye was also curious about this uncle figure. He took a look and saw some resemblance between Gu Yao's features and his uncle's, but their auras were different. It seemed to be influenced by their respective upbringing environments.
It's quite strange. Little Yao's uncle seemed to be a noble young man carefully cultivated by a prominent family. Even his every gesture and movement in the image exuded an air of elegance and excellence.
There's no need to rush this matter either. The Merchant Alliance was also newly established, and it would take time for Zhang Qianzhi to utilize the network of connections within the alliance. So, Gu Yao would first refine the pills and entrust this matter to them when he delivered the pills to the Qianshi Shop.
This time, Gu Yao increased the quantity of top-grade pills. Even if he included some high-grade seventh-rank pills, more than half of the pills were top-grade. He wanted others to see the value he possessed. As for the wanted status imposed on him by Changxian Sect, it couldn't be easily cancelled or hidden in the current situation. It would be better to use his alchemy skills to strengthen his network and influence.
Half a month later, Gu Yao and Chi Changye arrived at the Qianshi Shop once again, hand in hand. They followed the shopkeeper upstairs, and Gu Yao handed over a storage bag to the shopkeeper, asking him to count the number of pills inside.
The shopkeeper was worried when he saw Gu Yao had completed it so quickly. After all, he had only heard about Gu Yao's alchemy skills from others and had never truly witnessed them. He was afraid that Gu Yao wouldn't be able to produce many good pills in such a short time.
However, when he probed the storage bag with his divine sense and saw the numerous jade bottles and the pills inside them, he was both shocked and pleasantly surprised.
"Dan Master Yao is already a high-grade seventh-rank alchemist? And there are top-grade pills too!" Not just one type either. He had provided Gu Yao with many auxiliary materials, but originally he didn't expect Gu Yao to refine all of them. He had even thought of it as practice for Gu Yao, as the materials had been allocated from higher-ups.
The shopkeeper's face turned red with excitement. High-grade seventh-rank top-grade pills! Their value might not be any less than that of low-grade sixth-rank pills. With this, Master Zhang would also have some face in the Merchant Alliance.
"The talents of Dan Master Yao are truly remarkable. On behalf of Master Zhang, I thank Dan Master Yao for his hard work during these days," the shopkeeper's breath became a bit hurried.
"Oh, it's nothing. We have also received a lot of help from Master Zhang. By the way, I have one more request. The details are all in this jade slip. Please help deliver it to Master Zhang's hands. Once he reads the jade slip, he will understand," Gu Yao said as he placed a jade slip into a jade box in front of the shopkeeper. He then sealed the box. The fact that Master Zhang entrusted the matter of the top-grade pills to this shopkeeper showed that he could be trusted.
Although it was a bit risky, they couldn't do nothing. Gu Yao was worried that if his uncle encountered any danger, receiving the information earlier would give him more time to find a solution.
"Very well," the shopkeeper solemnly accepted, "I will definitely not let Dan Master Yao down. Please rest assured."
"Thank you," Gu Yao smiled and then bid farewell with Chi Changye. The shopkeeper quickly tidied up the items and personally escorted them downstairs.
"Two young gentlemen, what a coincidence to see you again."
Upon hearing a familiar voice, the two on the stairs looked down and felt slightly awkward. It was the fox clan female cultivator they had encountered at the marketplace that day. However, this time her fox tail was safely tucked away instead of swaying behind her.
"So it's a fellow cultivator. We have finished our business, so please take your time," Gu Yao said as he walked downstairs with Chi Changye, holding onto his arm. Without looking back, they headed towards the exit, ignoring Hu Mei.
The shopkeeper, who was following behind, was also a bit perplexed. He didn't know when Gu Yao and Chi Changye had become acquainted with her.
"Do the two young gentlemen not want to see me, Hu Mei? Is it because I, Hu Mei, am not attractive enough?" Hu Mei flirtatiously glanced at the shopkeeper while narcissistically caressing her own face.
Chi Changye had no interest in engaging with Hu Mei and didn't intend to respond. He knew that if he responded, it would likely never end. Gu Yao felt even more embarrassed, glanced at her, and forced a smile, "We're not familiar, we're not familiar at all. You should carry on with your own business."
After they finished speaking, the two quickly left. Hu Mei, who was still inside the shop, stomped her foot unhappily and said in a coquettish voice, "Shopkeeper, do you think I, Hu Mei, am ugly? Is that why these two young gentlemen are avoiding me?"
The shopkeeper broke into a cold sweat. Oh, this fox clan senior sister. It's not that Dan Master Yao and the others think you're ugly; they're definitely just afraid of being endlessly bothered by you. However, the hint of threat in Hu Mei's eyes made him unable to speak his mind. He could only dryly say, "No, Hu fellow cultivator, you are so beautiful. How could the words 'ugly' be associated with you? The two fellow cultivators must have urgent matters to attend to. Yes, it must be something important."
"Hmph!" Hu Mei swayed her hips and circled around the shopkeeper. Seeing the sweat on the shopkeeper's forehead, she let out a disdainful snort. "You humans, how dare you treat us fox clan cultivators like that? Just don't let me, Hu Mei, find out who is tarnishing my reputation behind my back. Otherwise, I won't spare them."
"No, that won't happen, definitely not!"
Finally, the shopkeeper managed to send Hu Mei away after much persuasion. He breathed a sigh of relief and thought of sending a message to Gu Yao and the others. However, he was afraid that Hu Mei would have someone watching him, making things even more troublesome. Ah, it would be better to wait until Dan Master Yao came again and give him a little reminder. But looking at the way Dan Master Yao reacted to Hu Mei, he didn't seem interested in getting involved with her either.
It was just troublesome. It wasn't something he could easily get rid of just because he didn't want to be involved. Two days later, Tian Feirong, who had finished his seclusion, told Gu Yao that a female cultivator had come looking for him. He asked if she was someone he had met during this period. Gu Yao felt a heavy weight on his head.
Chi Changye frowned unhappily. "I'll throw her out!"
Gu Yao quickly grabbed Chi Changye's arm and said, "Forget it, let her come in. Let's ask her what she wants. Otherwise, if we don't resolve it completely this time, she'll probably come knocking on our door again. This female cultivator is probably not of low status within the fox clan. The fox clan is a major faction among the demonic cultivators."
The fox clan is considered to be a clan with higher spiritual intelligence among the demonic beasts. Therefore, their power is significant. Based on the attitude of the shopkeeper at the Qianshi Shop towards that female cultivator the other day, it was clear that he also considered her to be troublesome.
However, they unexpectedly encountered her twice by chance. Now, she even managed to find their residence. It's obvious that she has set her sights on them. This kind of person is probably relentless until they achieve their goal.
Tian Feirong's eyes darted around, his mind spinning with thoughts of what kind of drama was about to unfold. He followed Gu Yao's suggestion and invited the person inside.
Before the person entered, Hu Mei's laughter could be heard. Then Gu Yao and Chi Changye saw Hu Mei gracefully stepping in, even though she didn't show her tail, it still gave the impression that a large tail was swaying behind her. Tian Feirong, who followed behind her, raised an eyebrow as he looked at this female cultivator. He now had some understanding of why she was brought up. Both Gu Yao and Chi Changye's expressions weren't as relaxed anymore.
"The fox clan's Hu Mei is visiting. Do the two fellow cultivators mind?" Hu Mei covered her lips and giggled.
Chi Changye's face darkened. Now that the person was here, did it matter whether they minded or not? Would saying they minded make her leave automatically?
Gu Yao's lips curled up slightly. He gestured for Hu Mei to take a seat. "So it's fellow cultivator Hu. Please have a seat. Our residence is simple, and we apologize for any shortcomings."
Tian Feirong also sat down, a smile still lingering on his lips, but he vigilantly observed Hu Mei, wondering what this fox cultivator really had in mind.
Hu Mei smiled and said, "Since you're so enthusiastic, then I, Hu Mei, won't be polite."
Gu Yao thought to himself, No, I'm not enthusiastic at all, and when did you, Hu Mei, start being polite?
Hu Mei continued, "I would like to ask Dan Master Yao or Dan Master Gu for help in refining a few batches of pills. Is that alright?" Her voice trailed off at the end, rising with an indescribable charm.
However, upon hearing this, Gu Yao trembled slightly. Chi Changye's sharp gaze swept over Hu Mei again and again, while Tian Feirong's gaze became even more serious. When did she manage to dig up so much information about them? Apart from the Qianshi Shop, no one else knows their identities.
If Chi Changye wanted to keep Hu Mei here at this moment, Tian Feirong would readily cooperate without hesitation.
Gu Yao glanced at Hu Mei and chuckled softly, saying, "Since you're seeking pills, let's handle it according to the rules. Leave the spiritual herbs and communication talismans behind, and when the pills are refined, we will notify Fellow cultivator Hu to come and collect them."
Hu Mei blinked and asked, "Should I address you as Dan Master Yao or Dan Master Gu?"
What's with the term "Fellow cultivator"? Gu Yao shook his head and replied, "It doesn't matter. Fellow cultivator Hu can call me whichever you prefer."
Hu Mei, feeling bored by the guarded postures of the three individuals, pushed a storage pouch onto the table and said, "Very well, I'll follow the norm and call you Dan Master Yao, just like everyone else. If Dan Master Yao encounters any trouble, you can come to the fox clan and find me, Hu Mei. I believe that compared to common fellow cultivators, I can provide you with greater assistance, and the fox clan can better protect Dan Master Yao."
After finishing her words, Hu Mei threw a flirtatious glance and swayed away. Once out of the sight of the group, Hu Mei started jumping and even made fox-like squeaking sounds. She glanced backward, gritted her teeth, and eventually left while muttering to herself, "I didn't expect this Thunder-type sword cultivator to be such a stingy person. He even dares to make secret moves. He doesn't have the demeanor of a sword cultivator at all. So, compared to him, Dan Master Yao is more attractive."
Chi Changye's face darkened, and Tian Feirong dared not speak. This fox demon was audacious enough to openly vie for Chi Changye's attention, especially by belittling him.
"Cough," Gu Yao didn't know what to say either. He scratched his head for a moment before saying, "Brother Ye, don't be angry. She's comparing you to the entire fox clan here."
Tian Feirong hastily nodded in agreement, saying, "That's right, what Gu Yao said is absolutely right. Brother Ye bears the weight of the entire fox clan."
Chi Changye gave a cold look at Tian Feirong, which made him shrink his neck and quickly slip away.
Gu Yao wanted to say he should go and refine pills, but his hand was still held by Chi Changye, preventing him from leaving.
Chi Changye sighed helplessly and held Gu Yao's chin, resting it on top of his head. "What are you thinking about? When did I ever care about that? What I care about is that this vixen is openly trying to steal my thunder. Can I not be angry about that?"
Gu Yao lightly bumped his head against Chi Changye's chest and chuckled, "But you should know that Hu Mei is only interested in my alchemy skills. Besides, can I be easily swayed?"
Chi Changye also laughed, causing his chest to tremble slightly. His deep laughter entered Gu Yao's ears, making his earlobes feel hot.
***
Baihe City?
These pills are extremely important, so the Qianshi Shop spent a considerable amount of spiritual stones on a specially designed teleportation array for transporting goods. The array will kill any living beings transported through it.
After receiving the pills, Zhang Qianfeng examined them and the more he looked, the more satisfied he became. Indeed, Gu Yao's alchemy skills were even higher than the rumors and what he had known. His alchemy prowess surpassed his cultivation level, which indicated that his soul was powerful and his control was strong. His spiritual consciousness cultivation level exceeded the level of his spiritual power. People like him had great potential for development.
Zhang Qianfeng arranged the pills and asked Qi Steward and Liu Steward to take a look. Both of them were equally astonished. It was no wonder that the four of them had made such rapid progress in cultivation. With their unwavering dedication to cultivation and the supply of top-quality pills, even cultivators with mediocre spiritual roots could reach higher levels.