The woman was graceful and attired in a plain robe.
It was none other than his neighbor, the Female Cultivator Su Shuangjiang.
'Why is she looking for me?' Lin Changheng couldn't understand her motive, but he wasn't opposed to her visit. In fact, he was the one who had a favor to ask.
He wouldn't mind if their relationship deepened.
"Fairy Su, are you looking for me?"
The male voice came from behind. The Female Cultivator, at the Sixth Layer of Qi Cultivation, seemed to have sensed him. She turned, smiling openly, and gave a slight curtsy.
"Greetings, Mr. Lin. I just returned from the Wilderness and heard the rumors spreading through the market: that after ten years of honing your craft, you have finally become an Alchemist. I am astonished and full of admiration for such incredible perseverance! As your neighbor for many years, I came to offer my congratulations."
"Thank you for your well wishes, Fairy Su. Please, come inside my humble home and have a cup of Spirit Tea."
Lin Changheng parted the simple protective Restriction that came with his cave abode, opening the door and inviting her inside.
"It would be rude to refuse."
Su Shuangjiang smiled and nodded, accepting his offer and following him inside.
Inside, Lin Changheng invited the Female Cultivator to take a seat while he went to brew the Spirit Tea.
Su Shuangjiang glanced at his bustling figure, her eyes sweeping over the room. Aside from a table, chairs, and a few essential tools, the place was practically bare. It was incredibly spartan.
'Mr. Lin has become a Pill Master, yet he still lives so frugally? He must be one of those ascetic cultivators, uninterested in comfort or pleasure.'
'It's a shame his Spirit Root must be poor. Otherwise, he wouldn't still be stuck at the Early Stage of Qi Cultivation after so many years…'
"Fairy Su, please have some tea."
Lin Changheng worked quickly, serving the tea before sitting down across the table from her.
"Mr. Lin, this is just a small token of my esteem. It's nothing grand."
Su Shuangjiang pushed a gift basket toward him. Inside were two Spirit Stones and two Lower Grade Talismans, which shimmered with a faint Spiritual Light.
"No, no, this is far too generous. I can't accept a reward for which I've done nothing to deserve."
Lin Changheng glanced at the contents and shook his head, refusing to accept it.
A Tier One Lower Grade Talisman was worth one or two Spirit Stones, making the total value of the basket at least four Spirit Stones.
Such a valuable gift only made him more uneasy.
'After all, every gift has a hidden price tag. I can't just accept things recklessly.'
Su Shuangjiang, however, insisted, saying there was no sense in taking back a gift once offered.
"Since it is a token of Fairy Su's goodwill, I will accept it. I have no other particular talents, but I do know a little about Alchemy. If you have any need for Elixirs in the future… well, perhaps I can be of assistance."
Lin Changheng finally nodded, but chose his words carefully.
The implication was clear: he would help with matters related to Elixirs as much as he could, but anything beyond that, he was sorry, but he was powerless to help!
With the various powers shrinking their Influence and planning to pull back, the market was showing signs of instability, and chaos reigned outside. Lin Changheng had to prioritize his own survival.
'I can't afford to take any risks... not a single one!'
Hearing this, Su Shuangjiang studied Lin Changheng for a moment, took a sip of her Spirit Tea, and said with a faint smile, "Of course."
Then she suddenly asked, "I was wondering, Mr. Lin, do you have any Elixirs that advance one's Cultivation?"
"I do, but they're all Lower Grade Red Flame Pills. I doubt Fairy Su would have any use for them."
A thought flickered in Lin Changheng's mind, but he maintained his calm smile.
"Those will do!" Su Shuangjiang actually nodded. "How many do you have?"
Seeing the confusion on Lin Changheng's face, she pursed her red lips and explained.
It turned out that among Demon Hunters like her, there were loose alliances. Many Loose Cultivators gathered together to help each other, occasionally even teaming up for trips into the Wilderness.
With the Upper Sect's great reclamation imminent, any increase in strength meant a higher chance of survival. This created a huge demand for Elixirs. But since they risked their lives fighting beasts—licking blood from a demon's maw, as the saying went—they were extremely protective of their Spirit Stones, to the point of being miserly.
Because of this, they were reluctant to buy directly from the shops run by the major powers. Instead, they sought out Pill Masters themselves, hoping for a lower price.
Some Loose Cultivators, desperate to support their families and short on funds, even resorted to buying and consuming Inferior Pills.
They'd laugh and say things like, "I'm going to end up in a Demon Beast's stomach sooner or later anyway. Might as well let my body accumulate some poison so those things can get a taste of how treacherous the world is and how sinister people can be!"
"A little over ten."
Lin Changheng didn't reveal his full stock. This was their first time doing business, after all; he had to be prudent.
"That's enough!"
A look of delight appeared on Su Shuangjiang's face. "What price are you asking, Mr. Lin?"
"Why don't you name a price, Fairy Su?"
Lin Changheng countered.
"Well... how about eighty percent of the market price?"
A trace of embarrassment flickered across Su Shuangjiang's pretty face. The discount amounted to forty Spiritual Sand per pill, which seemed a bit steep.
But she was also leaving room to negotiate. The moment Lin Changheng objected, she was prepared to raise her offer.
Lin Changheng simply tapped his fingers on the tabletop. The TAP... TAP... TAP... echoed through the room as he seemed to consider it.
After a long moment, he shook his head.
Just as Su Shuangjiang bit her lip, sighed inwardly, and was about to raise her offer...
"I can give them to you for seventy percent," he said, "but I might need you to do me a small favor in return, Fellow Daoist."
Su Shuangjiang was stunned. "Seventy percent?"
She couldn't help but ask again, "Are you serious, Mr. Lin?"
Before Su Shuangjiang could even wonder if they were 'too cheap to be Genuine,' Lin Changheng had already stood and turned. He made a show of opening a drawer, but in reality, he retrieved fifteen Red Flame Pills from his Storage Bag. Returning to the table, he pushed them in front of the Female Cultivator.
He raised an eyebrow, motioning for her to open one.
Su Shuangjiang was now completely under his lead, subconsciously following his cue and beginning to inspect the pills.
She randomly opened five or six of the small wooden boxes. The Pills inside were all perfectly round and plump, their fragrance was potent, and the patterns on their surfaces were intricate. They were all Genuine Red Flame Pills!
"Brother Lin, you've only just reached the Entry Tier, yet your Alchemy Skill is already so profound. I am truly impressed. The quality of these Pills is excellent, and thank you for the generous discount."
Su Shuangjiang said sincerely, her lovely eyes sparkling.
The address "Mr. Lin" had quietly been replaced with "Brother Lin." This change was reasonable; after all, Lin Changheng was a few years her senior. Even though his Cultivation was lower, the title was fitting.
"Oh, there's no need for that!"
Lin Changheng shook his head. "Fairy Su, you can come to me for Pills whenever you need them. I won't ask what you do with them, who you sell them to, where, or for what price. I will have no part in it. However, there is one thing I require you to promise me, Fairy."
"Please speak, Brother Lin."
Su Shuangjiang's expression grew solemn as she listened intently.
"Do not reveal to the Outer World that these Pills came from me. You can attribute them to any other Pill Master or shop you like, Fairy Su, but do not mention my name. Heh, I simply wish to pursue my Cultivation in peace and not be disturbed. Do you understand, Fairy? Can you do that?"
"I, Shuangjiang, can swear a Daoist Oath! If I go back on my word, may my Dao Heart fall into chaos when I attempt to break through my next bottleneck, and may I suffer the consequences!"
"Oh, there's no need for that. We've been neighbors for a long time; we should be able to trust each other."
Though Lin Changheng said it was unnecessary, a trace of satisfaction appeared on his face as he watched Su Shuangjiang complete her Daoist Oath.
Su Shuangjiang immediately took out twenty-one Spirit Stones and handed them to Lin Changheng, completing the transaction.
The two continued to chat over tea for a while, and the atmosphere between them grew noticeably closer.
Only then did Lin Changheng ask with a smile:
"I was wondering, Fairy Su, when you are out Demon Hunting, do you often encounter a Demon Beast called the Fire Crow?"