Li Tan drew his gaze back and asked Ming De.
“Kid, how is your father’s illness now?”
“It’s still the same, no improvement at all.”
Ming De sighed helplessly, his exhaustion evident on his face.
“Hmm, have you followed the alchemist’s advice to prepare the herbs and refine the pills?”
“Since Young Master Li explained it so clearly, and I’m not a fool either, I stopped immediately. I also asked senior members from the Alchemy Pavilion to examine my father, but they all said it was a rare illness with no signs of poisoning.”
Ming De and Li Tan walked into a teahouse, found a corner seat, and ordered tea.
Li Tan weighed Ming De’s words slightly and then said thoughtfully.
“If it’s a slow-acting poison, it’s normal for those people at Dan Pavilion not to detect it. Has Chen Yuanxun shown any movement?”
“He hasn’t acted unusually recently, but he often visits my father. Sometimes he goes out at night, and our spies have never managed to follow him.”
What is he doing going out at night?
Ming De might not know, but Li Tan could figure it out easily, so he sneered.
“A wolf with ambitious intentions indeed hides well.”
“Li Gongzi, have you figured something out?”
Ming De asked curiously.
Li Tan paused and then replied.
“More or less. Anyway, be careful. If anything feels off, come find me immediately. Oh, and after I finish my current affairs, I’ll help you resolve the poison affecting your father.”
Ming De’s eyes lit up with joy.
“That would be great, but I wonder if it might take up too much of your time?”
“Don’t be so formal. What are the odds of us meeting in Linjiang by coincidence?
You really think I don’t know what’s going on.”
The waiter just happened to bring the tea, and Li Tan handed over the teaware while giving Ming De a disapproving look.
“Ahhaha, indeed, I can’t hide anything from Li Gongzi.”
Ming De scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
Li Tan added.
“Also, just call me Li Tan. No need for all that ‘Gongzi’ stuff; it feels awkward.”
At the height of the day’s heat, after parting with Ming De, Li Tan didn’t return to the Lin household but went to the mercenary trading point outside the Zhui Xian Domain to purchase some medicinal herbs.
He was quite lucky; combined with the herbs he had bought earlier from the black market, he now had all the ingredients needed for a simple second-tier pill, so Li Tan proceeded directly to the lakeside spot he had used previously.
After staying there for about an hour, Li Tan completed the refining process. As he opened the pill cauldron, a burst of steam rose, revealing three round, smooth pills with distinct pill patterns exposed to the air.
The result of this pill refining session was three top-grade second-tier Qi and Blood Pills.
This was normal, as Qi and Blood Pills were the simplest type among second-tier pills. If he had an internal flame, Li Tan estimated he could refine them even with his eyes closed.
After carefully storing the Qi and Blood Pills, Li Tan donned his black robe and made his way to the Norlan Auction House, where he met the chief appraiser, Meng Tianhua, on the second floor, as he had before.
In the elegantly appointed appraisal room adorned with Indian grass and magnolia blossoms, Meng Tianhua held a small porcelain bottle containing three blood-red pills with swirling patterns. His eyes widened in sudden astonishment.
He thought, whoever can refine top-grade Qi and Blood Pills must be at least a three-star alchemist. How could such a high-level expert appear in a small place like Linjiang?
Moreover, it seemed this Tang Xiansheng was short on money. No matter how much Meng Tianhua pondered, he couldn’t find an answer. Li Tan had no intention or desire to explain anything to him, so he got straight to the point.
“I want to auction them. What’s the lowest price you can offer?”
“Oh, right,” Meng Tianhua snapped back to reality as Li Tan spoke. He hastily straightened his posture, trying to mask his embarrassment by smacking his lips a few times before answering.
“For second-tier pills, the usual starting price at auction is around ten gold coins. However, since these are top-grade quality, each pill could start at about thirty. For all three, I can offer you one hundred, which would be one purple gold coin. Of course, this is just the minimum price. Top-grade pills usually fetch much higher prices, and for any amount exceeding the starting price, we only take a ten percent commission.”
“Ten percent,” Li Tan murmured slightly, lowering his head. Meng Tianhua, fearing dissatisfaction, quickly added.
“Ten percent is absolutely standard commission. You’ll find it’s at least that, if not more, anywhere else.”
“No, I know that. I was just wondering, after the auction ends, can the remaining credits be exchanged for medicinal herbs or similar items?”
“According to the rules, that’s not allowed,” Meng Tianhua gripped his abacus tighter, frowning with difficulty.
“If not herbs, then maybe talismans or low-grade spiritual weapons would work. I think you understand the principle of mutual courtesy.”
Li Tan made his meaning clear. You help me now, and when you need something, you can come to me. Of course, he only made this request because he found mundane money useless. If it couldn’t be done, he wouldn’t insist.
Meng Tianhua weighed the pros and cons of agreeing or refusing. After a short while, he loosened his grip on the abacus and his gaze became determined.
“As for talismans, there probably aren’t any around Linjiang that would meet your standards—mostly just decorative items for nobles’ amusement. However, spiritual weapons should be manageable.”
Actually, Li Tan didn’t really want to use low-grade weapons. He only needed a temporary one because of his cultivation level and issues with the black-robed organization. Therefore, upon receiving Meng Tianhua’s assurance, he didn’t show much happiness, simply saying “Okay” indifferently before taking no further action.
Helping Li Tan would cost Meng Tianhua quite a bit, but considering the possibility that Li Tan might be a three-star alchemist, Meng Tianhua was certain that the benefits outweighed the risks. After finishing the official business, instead of sending Li Tan off as usual, he enthusiastically asked Qi Haodang to entertain him.
However, Li Tan didn’t give him any face. After confirming the time of the auction, he coldly said, “I have things to do,” and turned to leave. But just as he reached the door, he unexpectedly collided with a soft object.
“Oops!”
It was a very delicate girl’s voice.
Li Tan took half a step back, lifted his head slightly, and saw a girl wearing a black and white short skirt with lace trim and the gentle rise and fall of her chest. His face couldn’t help but flush slightly with embarrassment, and he coughed twice awkwardly.
“Sorry.”
He used his disguised hoarse voice again.
“Haha, it’s okay. Old gentleman, why don’t you stay a little longer? Master Meng probably has more to say.”
Someone who could say this must know roughly what Li Tan and Meng Tianhua had been discussing, so she probably wasn’t an ordinary maid.
Li Tan was slightly curious but only let his gaze linger on the girl for a few seconds before withdrawing it.
Under normal circumstances, Li Tan might have found it hard to refuse such hospitality, but right now he had too many things to deal with. Except for Tang Leyin, probably nothing else could distract him from confronting the black-robed organization.
“Old gentleman?”
The girl called out once, but Li Tan ignored her and continued walking.
Li Tan reached the door.
“Earlier today, something big seemed to happen upstream on the river outside the city.”
The girl muttered to herself behind him, her words making Li Tan stop involuntarily.
He questioned sternly.
“You investigated me?”
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