Chapter 14

C14 – Pill Refining Master

“Young Master Zhuang Xing, what brings you to the Spirit Treasure Pavilion today?” Mu Zhu inquired.

Mu Zhu was familiar with Zhuang Xing. Known as a good-for-nothing throughout Cloud Peak City, Zhuang Xing’s reputation was infamous; there wasn’t a soul who hadn’t heard of him.

“Witch,” Zhuang Xing silently cursed Mu Zhu. She radiated a mature allure, her thin red lips brimming with seduction. Anyone less steadfast would have been easily ensnared by her charm.

“I’m here to make a purchase,” Zhuang Xing stated.

“What exactly are you looking to buy?” Mu Zhu probed further.

Zhuang Xing nodded towards the tray held by an attendant nearby. “That’s what I’m interested in.”

Mu Zhu glanced at the items, her surprise evident. The goods were expensive, easily valued at a minimum of one hundred thousand silver taels – not something just anyone could afford.

“Xiaojie, what’s the situation here?” Mu Zhu questioned.

Xiaojie, the attendant, responded, “He’s completely broke. He’s nothing but a pauper, yet he aspires to buy items from our Spirit Treasure Pavilion.”

Turning to Zhuang Xing, Mu Zhu asked, “Is that true? Young Master Zhuang Xing, do you have any money left?”

Zhuang Xing shook his head. “Not a penny to my name.”

With a faint smile, Mu Zhu gestured politely, her intent clear without a word: she was signaling Zhuang Xing to leave and not disrupt their business.

​The crowd couldn’t contain their laughter, their eyes gleaming with mockery. “He’s making a fool of himself, coming to the Spirit Treasure Pavilion without a dime.” “I saw him take out twenty-five thousand silver taels earlier; I thought he was flush with cash, but he was just putting on airs.” “I’d have hidden away long ago if I were him. This is just too shameful,” they commented among themselves.

Jia Anan watched Zhuang Xing with a cool gaze. To think a man of no substance dared to flaunt wealth in front of her. Zhuang Xing clearly hadn’t taken a hard look at himself to see what he truly was.

Young Master Zhuang Xing spoke with a hint of nonchalance, “I’m curious, would Chief Mu accept a Pill?”

Even with the entire wealth of the Zhuang family at his disposal, Zhuang Xing could deplete it all and still fall short of the resources needed to cultivate the Imperishable Golden Body Spell.

“You’re looking to sell a Pill; does that mean you’re a Pill Refining Master?” Mu Zhu inquired offhandedly.

With a faint smile, Zhuang Xing gave a slow nod under the watchful eyes of the crowd.

​Suddenly, the room erupted into a buzz of conversation. “Zhuang Xing, a Pill Refining Master? You’ve got to be kidding! Does anyone actually believe him?” “I certainly don’t buy that he’s a Pill Refining Master.” “It’s laughable, really. He claims to be a Pill Refining Master? What can he do besides consume Pills?” “If he’s a Pill Refining Master, then I must be the progenitor of all Pill Refining Masters!” The attendees bantered among themselves.

Laughter filled the air as faces were painted with scorn.

Mu Zhu chuckled along, sharing the consensus. She couldn’t fathom Zhuang Xing as a Pill Refining Master, given the stringent prerequisites for the role. Statistically, only one in a million possessed the innate gift required to master the craft.

Jia Anan’s expression was particularly contemptuous. She thought she had Zhuang Xing pegged – a man of no consequence. After five years of practice, he had barely reached the Qi Refining Stage Level Two Heaven. The notion of Zhuang Xing claiming to be a Pill Refining Master was preposterous. Surely, only fools would take his claim seriously.

“Do any of you have interest in this item?” Zhuang Xing posed the question.

Without further comment, he produced a green jade bottle and passed it to Mu Zhu. She accepted the bottle with a curious tilt of her head and tipped out a Pill.

“Is this a Qi Gathering Pill?” Mu Zhu queried.

Though not a Pill Refining Master herself, Mu Zhu, as the general manager of the Spirit Treasure Pavilion, was well-acquainted with various Pills.

Zhuang Xing simply nodded in confirmation.

Zhuang Xing was indeed intent on selling the Pill. The question hung in the air – could he truly be a Pill Refining Master?

“He simply took pills from the family’s stash and sold them off in secret.”

“That can’t be possible, can it?”

“What’s so impossible about it? I’m quite acquainted with members of the Zhuang family. They’ve told me that Zhuang Xing frequently sneaks into the Pill Room to take Pills, claiming he needs them for his cultivation practice. Do you buy that excuse? Because I certainly don’t.”

“Indeed, with access to Pills, it’s inconceivable that someone with even the poorest aptitude could only manage to reach Qi Refining Stage Level Two Heaven in five years.”

“With an abundance of Pills to aid him, yet his cultivation remains at Qi Refining Stage Level Two Heaven—who would believe such a tale?”

“So, what did this good-for-nothing do with all those Pills?”

“He sold them off in secret, of course.”

“He pilfered the family’s Pills and sold them. He’s quite the schemer.”

“If I were the clan leader, I’d have had him beaten to death long ago. Keeping him around is like harboring a termite that will eventually bring the Zhuang family to ruin.”

“His family is strong, so they’re not worried about one termite.”

Mu Zhu wrinkled her nose in distaste, then she hastily returned the Pill to the jade bottle and handed it back to Zhuang Xing.

“Young Master Zhuang Xing, it’s not that we’re unwilling to take it, but Spirit Treasure Pavilion only deals in High Grade Pills. We simply cannot accommodate Middle Grade or Low Grade Pills, I’m afraid.”

Her rejection was clear, and her words were factual. Spirit Treasure Pavilion already sold Low and Middle Grade Pills; they naturally wouldn’t purchase them. However, if it were a High Grade Pill, they would be willing to buy it and resell it in a major city at a premium, profiting from the markup.

Zhuang Xing smirked to himself, thinking this woman was just as vapid as Jia Anan and Xiaojie.

“How can you be sure this Pill is either Low or Middle Grade without having it appraised?”

Mu Zhu’s eyes widened in indignation. She was tempted to order his immediate expulsion. He had the audacity to swagger around, stealing Pills from his own family to sell, utterly shameless.

“Xiaojie, take this Pill to Great Master Chi for assessment.”

He wouldn’t shed a tear until he saw the coffin. If he insisted on disgracing himself, then he couldn’t fault her for disregarding the Zhuang family’s reputation.

“Yes, General Manager.”

Xiaojie grabbed the green jade bottle and hurried inside. At that moment, everyone present looked on with scorn. He was utterly shameless, stealing Pills from his own family to sell. It was no surprise he could suddenly produce 25,000 taels of silver; that’s how he got his money.

“Young Master Zhuang Xing, I must inform you that if the Pill is not of High Grade, the Spirit Treasure Pavilion will not be interested in purchasing it.”

She had encountered her fair share of wastrels like Zhuang Xing, who pilfered from their families to fund their lavish lifestyles. However, she had never seen anyone as brazenly unabashed about it as he was.

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