```
Time passed quickly.
When the servant led him to meet Yu Qingtan, he introduced the fee and the charging items, and Han Daniu happily paid with spirit stones.
The servant entered, pulled aside the bead curtains, and then retreated.
"Miss Qing Tan, I am Han Daniu from the Green Wolf Gang. Initially, I was in a bad mood today, but after listening to your music and watching your dance, I feel much more at peace. I'm very grateful."
"If I've managed to bring peace to Brother Han's mind, Qing Tan is very happy. Please take a seat, and I'll play 'Small River' for Brother Han," replied Qing Tan.
'Small River' was a zither piece Qing Tan learned from the library, with a gentle melody. After speaking, she began to play.
After listening to it, Han Daniu indeed felt the last bit of displeasure evaporate.
"Miss Qing Tan's zither art is unparalleled, I admire it greatly!" he exclaimed.
"Brother Han flatters me too much. May I ask why you were feeling down today?" she inquired.
"It's all because of that new clerk at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion... I miss the previous Dong brother."
"Oh? That's quite unexpected. To earn Brother Han's spirit stones and yet mock you, I don't think that clerk will last long. But Brother Han, is this Dong brother known as Dong Er?"
"Yes, Dong brother is a good man. Speaking of which, miss, do you also know him?"
"Dong brother had visited me here before. However, I later heard he planned to return to the Mortal Realm to enjoy life."
"I see. Dong brother is someone who can make a decision. Cultivation is not easy, but it's also not easy to give up the slimmer hope of Foundation Establishment. I've been cultivating for over twenty years... Lately, the number of demonic beasts in the periphery of the Yunhua Mountain Range has greatly increased, which has led to very poor profits for our medicine hall. Consequently, the spirit stones I receive are much fewer, to the point that buying an elixir is, ah..."
"It seems Brother Han has had quite a difficult journey," she said sympathetically.
"Here, I have a way to earn spirit stones and was looking for someone to collaborate with. Would Brother Han be interested?" she proposed.
"What method would that be?" asked Han Daniu, a bit surprised, yet curious.
"I happened upon a herb recipe that's very close to an elixir, but the method of preparation is very simple, and I believe it will have a great market. Just now, Brother Han mentioned that most of your medicine hall's herbs are sold to the Song family. With this recipe, you'll surely earn more than before," Qing Tan assured.
"Miss Qing Tan has such a remarkable recipe? May I ask what it is? And how would you like to cooperate?" he asked.
Yu Qingtan took out a piece of paper and explained, "As for the collaboration, I will provide the recipe and will need to receive twenty percent of the profit. Furthermore, the business must not be disclosed as related to me, and I need Brother Han to make a Heavenly Oath to ensure this."
"Hmm, may I first know what effects the recipe has?" Han Daniu asked after some thought.
"Golden Spear Pill," Yu Qingtan slowly uttered the three words.
In the past, she had won the recipe for the Golden Spear Pill in a lottery. Although she didn't need it, she still learned it and found the preparation method to be incredibly simple.
And Qing Tan had found out that there were no similar products in Suichuan Immortal City.
Han Daniu instantly understood, looking at Yu Qingtan somewhat peculiarly.
But Qing Tan merely smiled.
After pondering for a few moments, Han Daniu finally agreed to the collaboration and took a Heavenly Oath.
Yu Qingtan stepped forward and handed the piece of paper to Han Daniu.
"Brother Han, then here's to a pleasant partnership!" she exclaimed.
...
"Miss Qing Tan, I apologize to our leader, wuwuwu!"
One evening, Yu Qingtan received another acquaintance, Hao Can.
At that moment, Hao Can looked sorrow-stricken and began crying on the table.
It turned out that, recently, Hao Can's Adventure Group was searching for cultivation resources in the periphery of Yunhua Mountain Range as usual, but they encountered two Black Wind Tigers; one of which was a rare Second Stage demonic beast that seldom appeared on the outskirts.
```
The two sides clashed fiercely, and the Adventure Group suffered heavy losses, losing more than half of their members before they could escape back to Suichuan Immortal City.
The leader of the Adventure Group also succumbed to his severe injuries and passed away after returning to the city.
One of the leader's fatal wounds was incurred while providing cover for Hao Can to escape.
With the leader gone, the Adventure Group quickly fell apart.
Hao Can was overwhelmed with grief, wracked with self-blame, and utterly lost.
He even considered abandoning cultivation and returning to the Mortal Realm.
But remembering the girl who had encouraged him, he decided he wanted to see her one more time.
Therefore, after several days at Tianxiang Pavilion, he finally got the opportunity to meet with Yu Qingtan.
"Brother Hao, please accept my condolences. Qing Tan once heard a great sage say that before Heaven places a great responsibility on a person, it will first frustrate their spirit and exhaust their body... to strengthen what they cannot. Brother Hao, you must stand strong. Do you really want the leader to see you in such a despondent and evasive state?"
Seeing such a man crying, Yu Qingtan couldn't bear it and thus encouraged him.
Hearing her words, Hao Can indeed stopped crying, raised his head, wiped away his tears, and said, "You're right, I can't be like this; I can't let the leader's life-saving grace be in vain; he left behind his wife and children with no one to rely on, I have to stand strong."
Despite feeling a bit like making a sarcastic comment, Yu Qingtan continued to encourage him, "This is the Brother Hao I know, who never gives up."
"Miss Qing Tan, thank you. It's you who have awoken me again; I'll go and cultivate with all my might, striving to earn Spirit Stones."
...
That night, after finishing her practice of the Ice Skin Jade Bone Art and the Clear Water Technique, Yu Qingtan, as usual, took "Er Ha" out from the System Space, preparing to feed it a Healing Pill.
Just as she crushed the Elixir into water and was about to pour it down, "Er Ha" moved slightly.
Initially, Yu Qingtan did not know if the Healing Pill would be effective on "Er Ha." Since she had no medical skills and it wasn't convenient to take it for treatment, she could only try the Healing Pill, also keeping some for herself.
But after using the Healing Pill, Yu Qingtan found that its injuries had noticeably improved.
After administering two more pills, the claw wounds had already scabbed over, and the severe swelling at the broken leg had also mostly subsided.
As she poured the Elixir in, "Er Ha" opened its eyes.
Immediately, its body shrank back, eyes wary, baring its teeth towards what was in front of it.
"I'm giving you medicine to heal your wounds," said Yu Qingtan, lifting the bowl with her right hand.
Yu Qingtan had probed with her Spiritual Power and found that "Er Ha" was at the latter phase of the First Stage. Before the Fourth Stage, half-demons usually have higher intelligence than demonic beasts of the same level. She judged that it should be able to roughly understand her.
Indeed, "Er Ha" ceased its snarling, turned its head to check its scabbed claw wounds and the splinted back leg.
Turning back, the apprehension in its eyes had also vanished.
"Ao, ao!" It called out twice, resembling a wolf's howl but without any vigor—probably its way of saying thank you.
"Then drink this up, and have something to eat afterward."
Yu Qingtan placed the medicine bowl in front of "Er Ha" and took out another bowl filled with cooked Spotted Pig meat.
Before this, Yu Qingtan had also fed it minced meat soup twice.
"Er Ha" sniffed at it and obediently finished the medicine and then the meat.
"Ao, ao, ao ao ao!"
"I don't know what you're trying to say, but go rest over there; I need to cultivate."
"Er Ha" sat down on the spot, eyes following Yu Qingtan, one could only wonder what was going through its mind.