“Master Qingyuan, is this true?” The old man blinked his eyes, somewhat surprised as he turned to Qingyuanzi.
“Indeed, Fellow Daoist Jinyan’s Netherworld River Milk has all been exchanged by me for other items. Brother Xuling, this spiritual milk seems to have no effect on you. Moreover, your clan already possesses a large stock of it. While others may not be able to access it, given your status, it should be effortless for you, no?” Qingyuanzi replied with equal astonishment.
“First, I seek this spiritual milk not for personal consumption but for another purpose. Second, the stock of spiritual milk stored by our Ephemera Clan, after heavy consumption, is not as abundant as you imagine. The remaining reserves have already been exhausted by me. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have come here searching for it. I’ve obtained some from others, but it’s still insufficient. So, Qingyuanzi, regardless of your purpose for exchanging the milk, I’m willing to offer double its value in exchange,” the old man said solemnly.
Upon hearing this, Qingyuanzi’s expression shifted slightly, and he fell into contemplation.
Han Li, standing nearby, maintained a neutral expression, though his heart raced abruptly.
Meanwhile, Jinyanhou crossed his arms and smiled, watching Qingyuanzi and the old man with an air of detachment.
“Brother Xuling, given such a generous offer, I shouldn’t refuse out of ignorance. However, this spiritual milk has already been gifted to Young Friend Han. Even if I wished to agree, I’m afraid it’s no longer possible,” Qingyuanzi finally shook his head.
“Gifted? To this youngster?” The old man frowned, displeasure evident on his face.
“Indeed. I owed Young Friend Han a great debt, and this spiritual milk was my way of repaying him. If you insist on taking it by force, I’m afraid I cannot stand idly by,” Qingyuanzi sighed.
“Oh? It seems the debt you owe this youngster is no small matter, to speak so resolutely. Rare indeed! However, though my temper may be short, I would never forcibly take from a junior. But if he willingly offers it to me, you won’t interfere, will you?” The old man’s eyes flashed with a yellow glint as he yawned.
“If Young Friend Han acts of his own volition, I naturally won’t meddle,” Qingyuanzi stated firmly.
“Good!” The old man nodded in satisfaction, then turned to scrutinize Han Li anew, his expression turning jovial.
“Senior, regarding that spiritual milk…” Han Li, unsettled by the old man’s gaze, hastily clasped his fists to explain.
“Enough! Though I may be domineering, I don’t bully juniors. Even if I need the milk from you, I’ll ensure you hand it over willingly,” the old man waved his hand dismissively, cutting him off.
With a flick of his sleeve, a black mist shimmered over the table before him, revealing over a dozen jade bottles of varying sizes.
“These bottles contain elixirs I’ve collected over the years, all capable of enhancing cultivation for Body Integration cultivators. Their combined value far exceeds a single bottle of Netherworld River Milk. For every bottle of milk you have, I’ll offer you multiples of these elixirs,” the old man chuckled.
Though Qingyuanzi and Jinyanhou had little use for such elixirs, they were still taken aback.
Any one of these bottles would incite fierce competition among Body Integration cultivators if released to the public. For an ordinary cultivator, their collective value indeed surpassed that of the Netherworld River Milk.
The old man’s casual display of dozens of bottles left Qingyuanzi and Jinyanhou exchanging glances before turning their attention to Han Li.
Han Li, too, was momentarily stunned by the sight, but instead of delight, his expression turned peculiar.
After a brief hesitation, Han Li raised his arm and made a grasping motion toward one of the bottles.
With a whoosh, a small bottle flew into his hand. He uncorked it and poured out a green pill.
Holding the pill, Han Li examined it closely.
“This is the Shadowgreen Pill, a sacred elixir of the Qinghai Clan. Consuming one can save you a month of arduous cultivation! And among all the elixirs I’ve presented, this is merely mid-tier,” the old man stroked his sparse beard, clearly proud of his collection.
“Senior’s elixirs are indeed rare treasures, but I’m afraid I cannot exchange them for the spiritual milk,” Han Li sighed after inspecting the pill and glancing at the other bottles.
“What? Do you doubt the authenticity of my elixirs?” The old man’s initial surprise quickly turned to fury.
Qingyuanzi and Jinyanhou exchanged glances, their expressions unreadable.
“Not at all, Senior. To be frank, I already possess numerous elixirs to enhance my cultivation. Thus, no matter how exceptional your offerings, they hold little additional value for me,” Han Li hurriedly explained.
“You already have such elixirs? What kind could possibly surpass mine?” The old man’s disbelief was evident.
Han Li sighed inwardly before continuing, “I wouldn’t dare deceive you, Senior. If you doubt me, you may inspect my elixirs.”
With that, he flipped his hand, and a white jade vial appeared in his palm. He tossed it to the old man without hesitation.
Though still skeptical, the old man caught the vial and uncorked it. A refreshing fragrance immediately wafted out.
His expression shifted as he inhaled deeply, then poured out a thumb-sized pill.
The pill was fiery red, adorned with golden patterns and pulsating with spiritual light, as if alive.
“This is the Corrosive Immortal Pill! You’ve actually found the long-extinct Corrosive Poison Herb?” The old man, a seasoned expert nearing his tribulation, recognized it instantly.
“What? This pill is made from the Corrosive Poison Herb?” Jinyanhou, who had been sitting calmly, abruptly stood up, visibly agitated.
Qingyuanzi’s eyes flickered with surprise.
After a thorough examination, the old man solemnly returned the pill to the vial and tossed it back to Han Li.
“Since it’s the Corrosive Immortal Pill, its potency far surpasses my elixirs. You spoke truthfully. To find the Corrosive Poison Herb and refine this pill marks you as one with great fortune. Incidentally, this herb holds significant value even for Mahayana cultivators,” the old man nodded meaningfully.
“I only knew it could refine elixirs beneficial to Body Integration cultivators. I wasn’t aware of its uses for Mahayana experts. Could you enlighten me, Senior?” Han Li bowed deeply.
“There’s no secret here. If the herb’s toxicity is extracted and consumed during the Mahayana stage, its potent stimulation can, with some probability, help break through bottlenecks. However, this method is perilous—missteps can be fatal. Even if successful, severe vitality loss is inevitable. It’s a last resort for those with no other hope of advancement or survival against the next tribulation. But refining enough poison for a single dose requires an alarming quantity of the herb, making it nearly impossible even in ancient times,” the old man chuckled, glancing at Qingyuanzi and Jinyanhou.
Qingyuanzi smiled faintly, unperturbed, while Jinyanhou’s eyes gleamed with hesitation.
“Very well. Since you lack no elixirs, I’ll offer magical treasures instead. Choose any three from these!”
With a flick of his sleeve, the old man unleashed a dazzling array of treasures—hundreds of them, each radiating formidable auras, some even rivaling Han Li’s silver ruler.
Han Li was momentarily overwhelmed, unsure how to respond.
Jinyanhou and Qingyuanzi exchanged amused glances.
“Brother Xuling, Young Friend Han is no pauper. He might even possess items from the Myriad Spirit Ranking. If you truly wish to trade for the milk, these won’t suffice. Why not bring out a few genuine rarities and let Brother Jiang and me feast our eyes as well?” Jinyanhou suggested with a sly smile.
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