Chapter 67

"Is this... our pills?" Seeing Master Yuan's demeanor as if he wanted to monopolize Xiao Yun, the elders of the major clans all wore troubled expressions, fearing that Xiao Yun would not have time to refine pills for them. They spoke up in unison.

"Go, will your pills run away?" Master Yuan said with a stern face.

"Hehe, don't worry, all you need to do is gather the ingredients," Xiao Yun said with a smile.

"Gather ingredients?" Master Yuan's eyes flickered, "What ingredients do you need?"

"Many," Xiao Yun said.

"Short of ingredients, you can find me," Master Yuan said warmly, "Our Yunhai Merchant Alliance is the largest in the Fengyue Kingdom, with business spread across various countries. With just a word, we can gather all kinds of ingredients in a short time."

"Oh." Xiao Yun's eyes lit up, "Hehe, then I'll trouble Master Yuan." After saying this, he immediately drafted a list of ingredients.

Taking the list, Master Yuan's eyes narrowed, a sharp light flashing in them, "It seems Brother Xiao has a profound foundation!"

In these pills, he sensed something.

"Hehe, just a few ingredients," Xiao Yun said with a smile, "Since Master Yuan is so enthusiastic, I will share all I know when the time comes."

"Really?" Hearing this, Master Yuan's eyes showed excitement. There were many pill formulas in the Yuan family, but not everyone could obtain them. The few he controlled were also very few. If Xiao Yun was willing to share everything, he would benefit greatly.

"Just a pill formula," Xiao Yun waved his hand and smiled, "Our Xiao family will need your help in the future."

"Hehe, Brother Xiao, rest assured, the affairs of the Xiao family will be my affairs, and I will not shirk them," Master Yuan said with a smile.

Beside them, the cultivators from various clans grumbled inwardly.

This old man really doesn't care about anything!

A man in his sixties was actually addressing a young man as a brother.

But upon reflection, it was no wonder Master Yuan would act this way.

Even they, if the young man was willing, would not hesitate to address him as a brother.

However, they wished even more that they could marry their daughters to this young man.

"Pity!" Thinking of how the young man had just rejected them, they all shook their heads.

After some small talk, Master Yuan invited Xiao Yun to the Yunhai Merchant Alliance.

"Hmph, I wish I hadn't brought this old man along," seeing Xiao Yun leave hurriedly, Yan Shiyi stomped her feet, clearly dissatisfied. She hadn't even had a chance to speak to Xiao Yun, "These old men, none of them are good."

The little girl grumbled inwardly.

"Shifei, you must seize this opportunity with Xiao Yun!"

City Lord Yan squinted his eyes and said with deep meaning, "These old men are all eyeing him like tigers!"

"I'm not afraid at all," Yan Shifei blinked her alluring eyes and smiled sweetly, seemingly very confident in the young man.

Xiao Yun soon arrived at the Yunhai Merchant Alliance with Master Yuan.

This was a huge merchant guild, located in the most prosperous area of Ziyun County City.

There were frequent auctions of pills here, and it was also a major market for medicinal powders.

Almost all the forces in Ziyun County City were dependent on the Yunhai Merchant Alliance.

Whether it was the Xiantian Pill, the Blood Coagulation Powder, or the Muscle Regeneration Powder, they were all indispensable to cultivators. Therefore, in the eyes of the people, the Yunhai Merchant Alliance was almost sacred, and they held it in high regard.

Xiao Yun remembered coming here when he was a child, but after his talent was lost, he never had the chance to come again.

"Our Yunhai Merchant Alliance is spread throughout the Fengyue Kingdom, and even has branches in neighboring countries," Master Yuan explained the situation of the Yunhai Merchant Alliance to Xiao Yun with great enthusiasm. He then led him directly to a pill-refining room, where there was a fire vein.

Master Yuan refined pills by controlling the fire from the fire vein.

This was a great test of a cultivator's cultivation.

Moreover, it was easy to make mistakes during the pill-refining process.

"This fire vein is set with restrictions by a powerful person; otherwise, ordinary people would not be able to activate it," Master Yuan explained to Xiao Yun.

Xiao Yun nodded. At the fire outlet, there was a huge tripod directly connected to the fire outlet.

In this way, refining pills was not as convenient as controlling the异火 (alien fire) within his body.

This was also why Master Yuan was only a first-grade pill master.

Soon, Master Yuan began refining pills on the spot, to spar with Xiao Yun.

Saying it was a spar, it was actually to seek guidance from the other party.

From the previous situation, Master Yuan had clearly discovered that this young man's pill-refining skills were stronger than his own.

"You have a good control over the fire, but unfortunately, your soul power is insufficient, which prevents you from being able to focus and refine pills with ease," after watching for a while, Xiao Yun pointed out Master Yuan's shortcomings. This old man had decades of pill-refining experience and had good control over the fire vein, but the only drawback was his own insufficiency, leading to a high failure rate in pill refining.

"Alas," Master Yuan sighed, "My own talent is insufficient, and it's hard to make up for it!"

"I have a method that might help you change your current predicament," Xiao Yun's eyes narrowed.

"Oh, what method?" Master Yuan's eyes lit up. He had long felt that this young man was extraordinary, which was why he had invited him here for guidance. Now, hearing this, he felt his blood boiling, his eyes filled with hope. If this problem could be solved, he might become a second-grade pill master!

"First, you must improve your soul power," Xiao Yun said, "Second, you must combine your soul power with the fire, so that you can control the fire more skillfully. This way, many of your shortcomings in pill refining will be resolved."

"Improve soul power?" Master Yuan smiled bitterly, "How easy is it to improve soul power?"

"I have a cultivation method specifically for pill masters who do not possess alien fire but have earth fire. With this, you can improve," Xiao Yun said, raising his eyebrows.

"Really?" Master Yuan's eyes lit up.

"Yes," Xiao Yun nodded and then informed Master Yuan of the cultivation method.

This was a method to improve soul power, equivalent to a cultivation technique specifically for soul training, essential for pill masters.

At the same time, there was a seal that allowed one to form a seal with soul power, merging it with the earth fire, making the two more compatible.

This was similar to how ordinary people could merge with fire martial souls.

This method was naturally created by the Purple Flame King.

"Hehe, this is truly a world-shocking method, specifically created for pill masters like me with average talent!" Having obtained this secret method, Master Yuan could not help but laugh out loud, tears welling up in his old eyes. With this secret method, he was confident he could immediately improve, and refining second-grade pills would be effortless. In time, he might even advance further.

"Master Yuan, with this method, you won't have to worry anymore," Xiao Yun said with a smile.

"Brother Xiao, you are truly my benefactor!" Master Yuan's face was full of gratitude, "This favor is like a teacher's, please accept my bow."

This old man actually intended to kneel down.

"Don't," Xiao Yun quickly supported the old man, "Hehe, we are just sparring, no need for such formalities."

"Brother Xiao, you are too polite," Master Yuan said with a serious face, "Your foundation in pill refining is far beyond what I can compare."

"I will remember this favor and this sentiment," Master Yuan said earnestly, "If your Xiao family needs anything in the future, I will do my utmost to help."

"Hehe, Master Yuan, you are too polite," Xiao Yun said with a smile, also feeling relieved.

Seeing Master Yuan's sincere expression, he was confident that the Xiao family would be taken care of even if he left Ziyun County City.

In this way, even if Xiao Yun was not a pill master, he could still rise.

"By the way, Brother Xiao, can you really refine the Ningxuan Pill?" Suddenly, Master Yuan's expression became serious.

"What's wrong?" Seeing the old man's expression, Xiao Yun asked in return.

"If you can, I suggest you don't reveal it," Master Yuan said seriously, "If you encounter someone who appreciates your talent, it's fine, but if you encounter someone who envies you or covets your pill formula, it could be troublesome. Even if you do reveal it, wait until you have the recognition of the Tianyuan Sect, then you won't have any worries."

"Master Yuan is right," Xiao Yun pondered and agreed, "But many people already know about this."

"That's not a problem," Master Yuan said, "We can say that you exaggerated to intimidate the Qiu family, and that you are actually just a first-grade pill master. This way, no one will covet your Ningxuan Pill."

"That works," Xiao Yun nodded. A first-grade pill master of his age was enough to gain recognition from the world.

"I will write a letter now to inform my clan members and have them relay your situation to the elders of the Tianyuan Sect," Master Yuan said, "When you go to the Tianyuan Sect for the assessment, you can contact my clan members, and I believe they will arrange everything well."

"Then I'll trouble Master Yuan," Xiao Yun said with a smile.

"That's my duty," Master Yuan said, "Pill masters are extremely rare, especially talented pill masters like you. Once they know your talent, my clan's elders will be delighted and grant us many pills."

"To be honest, I sought you out for this reason," Master Yuan said with a dry laugh.

"I understand," Xiao Yun shrugged, knowing that without benefits, no one would help him rashly.

Master Yuan took out a waist badge, "When you go to the capital for the assessment, if you encounter any problems, you can find any of our Yunhai Merchant Alliance branches, and they will treat you well. I will also give them instructions."

Xiao Yun nodded and took the waist badge.

After that, Xiao Yun and Master Yuan chatted for a while before parting ways.

At the same time, Xiao Yun left the pill formula and asked Master Yuan to help gather the ingredients.

Now that he was about to leave Ziyun County City, he needed to refine more pills for his clan.

After leaving the Yunhai Merchant Alliance, Xiao Yun returned to the Xiao family with a happy heart. Now that he had a connection with the Yunhai Merchant Alliance, he no longer needed to worry too much.

As he approached his courtyard, he felt a strong cold aura emanating.

"Such a strong cold aura," Xiao Yun frowned deeply.

The cold aura was spreading from a room, like a mist enveloping the surroundings.

People far away could feel the chill.

"It seems your sister's cold aura has flared up again!" Swallowing the Heavenly Sparrow also sensed the intense cold aura and released its spiritual sense, "This cold aura is several times stronger than last time. It's strange, what kind of constitution does your sister have?"

It felt that the girl's constitution was far beyond expectations.

"Could it be that legendary constitution?" Swallowing the Heavenly Sparrow looked stunned.

Xiao Yun didn't think too much and rushed towards his room.