C16 Business

"Elder Wu, I'm currently welcoming an esteemed guest. Your forceful intrusion here is quite unbecoming. Do you intend to make a mockery of Skyreach Tower's hospitality?"

Jiang Qingyan let out a yawn, seemingly indifferent to the old man's fury, and spoke with a chilly tone.

Jiang Lu finally arrived, her hands empty and her expression troubled, suggesting her attempt to procure the medicinal ingredients had been anything but successful.

"Esteemed guest? As the steward of Skyreach Tower, you dare to antagonize the Shadowsea Cult for two unrelated individuals. I'm curious to see if you'd still have the audacity to hold your position after I report your conduct."

Elder Wu's mouth twitched visibly, clearly infuriated by Jiang Qingyan's nonchalant demeanor. He had come in a huff to reprimand her, only to be met with such dismissive indifference.

"It seems you've grown senile, Elder. When has Skyreach Tower ever needed to grovel before the likes of the Shadowsea Cult? You've been cooped up in this small town for too long; you might as well be an old tortoise."

Jiang Qingyan, seeing the old man's obstinacy, stood up, hands on her hips, and began to berate him pointedly.

Ning Que, in the midst of sipping tea, burst into laughter at her words, spraying his drink everywhere. His admiration for Jiang Qingyan's sharp tongue grew even more.

"Well, well, well," Elder Wu's face turned a shade of iron, his short stature accentuating his frustration. If he had a shell, he would indeed resemble an old tortoise. He pointed at Jiang Qingyan, his hand shaking so much that he seemed to struggle for breath, his expression one of sheer loathing.

"I'm doing quite well, thank you. If you have any sense, you'll step aside. I'm in the middle of negotiating a significant deal with these two. If you interfere and spoil it, can you handle the consequences? And stop barring Jiang Lu from the storeroom. If it comes to blows, she might not be the one who ends up afraid."

Jiang Qingyan gave the old man a contemptuous glance and waved dismissively, signaling for him to leave.

"Hmph, boasting so boldly, aren't you afraid of biting your tongue? Tell me, what kind of deal are you discussing? You took the Jade Water Flower from the warehouse without permission last time, and I haven't even settled that with you. Do you think the warehouse is your personal property? Taking whatever you please?"

Wu Xiu, the elder, grew even more frustrated at the mention of this. "I must report this to our superiors. Then, we'll see how smug you can be."

"Ha! Go ahead, report it. If you can bring me down, then you'll have proven yourself, Wu Xiu. But let me tell you, even if I were to empty the warehouse, no one would fault me for it."

Jiang Qingyan chuckled, her gaze fleetingly touching the small bottle on the table.

Ning Que had agreed to refine the Spirit Gathering Pill, and with such an accomplishment, even the gravest error could be overlooked.

Elder Wu Xiu noticed this small detail. He moved swiftly, snatching the bottle with lightning speed. Uncorking it, he took a whiff, and his expression transformed dramatically.

"Spirit Gathering Pill?"

Wu Xiu was incredulous. He poured the pill onto his hand for a closer inspection and quickly confirmed that it was, indeed, an authentic Spirit Gathering Pill.

"You little rascal, you can refine Spirit Gathering Pills?"

His voice shook, a mix of excitement and frustration, skepticism thick in his tone.

Ning Que just smiled. Of course, he couldn't refine the Spirit Gathering Pill himself, but fortunately, he had Ling Jing, an excellent assistant. He nodded confidently in response.

"That's impossible. How young are you?"

Wu Xiu shook his head, refusing to believe it. After scrutinizing Ning Que for a moment, he burst into laughter. "Are you the dim-witted son of Ning Chaoping? Hahaha, Jiang Qingyan, if you're going to put on a show, at least find someone credible. Everyone knows this fool has only just recovered his senses. You expect us to believe he can refine pills? Who would buy that?"

"Whether it's a performance or not, time will tell," Jiang Qingyan retorted coolly. "Jiang Lu, proceed to the warehouse and retrieve the medicinal ingredients we discussed. If anyone dares to obstruct you, don't hesitate to take action."

Jiang Qingyan regarded Wu Xiu with an icy stare and spoke in a grave tone. Having received her instructions, Jiang Lu nodded in agreement and departed.

Wu Xiu confronted Jiang Qingyan for a moment, realizing he couldn't intervene. He was somewhat familiar with Jiang Lu's capabilities, but he could only shoot Ning Que a resentful glare before taking his leave with his entourage.

Ning Que inwardly grimaced. It seemed he had picked an unfortunate day to venture out, having first crossed the Shadowsea Cult and now earning Wu Xiu's enmity.

Strengthening his abilities was critical; he needed to ensure he could defend himself in the turmoil that loomed on the horizon.

"Ning Que, my dear brother, I have a piece of advice for you," Jiang Qingyan said, her demeanor shifting back to her usual seductive charm. She crossed her shapely legs, swaying them as she spoke, which made Ning Que's cheeks flush with embarrassment.

"I'm all ears," Ning Que replied, nodding and ready to listen, though he avoided meeting her gaze directly.

"It's best if you no longer stay in Oceanwatch," Jiang Qingyan said, her tone unusually solemn.

"That's a given," Ning Que agreed. "With the Hai family allied with the Shadowsea Cult, there will soon be no place for the Ning family in Oceanwatch. We must plan ahead."

Since Jiang Qingyan was generously offering advice, Ning Que saw no reason to keep the Ning family's relocation plans from her.

"You've already considered this; I was worried for nothing. If you need any assistance from Skyreach Tower during the move, don't hesitate to ask," Jiang Qingyan offered with a light laugh. "That Liu Yunlong from the Shadowsea Cult is no saint. He may look innocuous, but he's vengeful and has a weakness for women. He's caused much suffering under the guise of the Shadowsea Cult's name. I suspect he's taken a liking to Xian'er. Be cautious when dealing with him in the future."

"That man deserves to die," Ning Xian'er muttered, her fists clenched in silent fury. Ning Que quickly patted her head, coaxing her to calm down.

"He's merely a Soul Marshal. Just give me some time, and I'll ensure he never harbors inappropriate thoughts again."

"Haha, if anyone else made such a claim, I'd surely laugh at their hubris. But coming from you, Brother Ning Que, I find myself convinced."

Jiang Qingyan chuckled. Ning Que, once known throughout Oceanwatch as the town fool, had not only regained his wits in a short time but also demonstrated strength on par with a nine-star Soul Weaver. Most notably, he managed to acquire a Spirit Gathering Pill, and it was hard to believe he didn't have a powerful patron backing him.

Maybe the person supporting him didn't even consider the Shadowsea Cult worth their attention.

Soon after, Jiang Lu entered, having gathered all the necessary medicinal ingredients. Ning Que inspected them and stored them in the ring Ning Chaoping had given him.

"I'll deliver the pill once it's ready."

With their business concluded, Ning Que got ready to take his leave, but Jiang Qingyan gestured for him to wait and then presented him with a bag of soulstones.

"Here are one thousand middle-grade soulstones. I've agreed to purchase the two Spirit Gathering Pills from you, and I have no intention of shortchanging you."

Ning Que was taken aback. The ingredients for the Spirit Gathering Pill were common, with the Jadewater Flower being the priciest at only five hundred low-grade soulstones. Yet, once transformed into a pill, its value had skyrocketed.

"That seems rather generous."

Ning Que was astonished, yet he accepted the soulstones. Having once experienced the discomfort of being without them, he now had a particular fondness for soulstones.

"Nonsense, do you think being an alchemist is a trivial matter? Refining pills requires considerable mental effort and wakan. These one thousand mid-grade soulstones are merely the going rate. In areas where pills are scarce, they'd fetch an even higher price at auction."

Ling Jing couldn't contain himself and berated Ning Que through telepathy. Ning Que could almost see his indignant expression.

"You're too modest, Brother Ning Que. Alchemists are exceedingly rare, especially here in the southern seas. You've done me a great service, and I'll be sure to repay you in kind."

Jiang Qingyan had always thought Ning Que was joking; she had no idea that he was not only clueless about pill refining but also completely ignorant of their prices.

Ning Que simply smiled, said little, and, taking Ning Xian'er by the hand, bid farewell. Once outside, he whispered to Ning Xian'er, "Is there anything you want? I'll get it for you."

Jiang Qingyan came out after them, offering with a smile, "Sister Xian'er, if there's anything you fancy, feel free to tell me."

Ning Xian'er remained silent, her eyes scanning the surroundings until they settled on a sleek black dagger. Ning Que, noticing her interest, had someone fetch it. He balanced it in his hand before passing it to Ning Xian'er.

"I'll take it only because you're giving it to me," she said, her previously furrowed brows now easing.

Understanding her, Ning Que inquired about the price, and Jiang Qingyan eventually accepted one hundred mid-grade soulstones for it.

"Sister Xian'er, you have an excellent eye. This dagger is forged from Star Pattern Coldsteel and can enhance wakan by as much as fifty percent," Jiang Qingyan complimented, her smile broadening as Ning Xian'er's eyes sparkled with delight, her grip on the dagger tightening.

Ning Que, pleased to have cheered her up, felt a surge of contentment. He continued to browse until Ling Jing's voice suddenly reached him, "Check out that piece of metal in the corner."

After a bit of searching, Ning Que found the metal Ling Jing had mentioned. He had someone bring it over. The metal was intricately patterned but corroded beyond easy recognition, leaving him somewhat disappointed. It seemed like nothing more than a worthless piece of scrap.

"This metal was retrieved from the southern seas by a fisherman. It has been appraised by Skyreach Tower and is exceedingly ancient. There's a faint residue of wakan within it. Although its exact purpose is unknown, it's certainly no ordinary object, so we've put it up for sale, waiting for someone destined to find it," Jiang Qingyan explained, her patience evident despite her surprise at Ning Que's interest in the seemingly worthless metal.

"Buy it. It might prove useful," Ning Que decided.

Ling Jing pressed for a decision.

Ning Que recognized that the elder had an eye for the extraordinary. Since he showed interest in the metal piece, it surely had its unique features. Yet, Ning Que didn't let on; instead, he feigned a casual smile and joked, "Perhaps I'm the destined one? Since fate has brought us together, I'll purchase this metal piece. After all, I've come into a windfall today."

Jiang Qingyan found his remark amusing and had no reason to suspect anything. She promptly instructed a servant to place the metal in a box and hand it over to Ning Que.

Having acquired their prize, Ning Que and Ning Xian'er saw no reason to linger. While Ning Xian'er expressed a desire to browse the market, Ning Que headed directly back to Ning Mansion.