C7 All Liars Are Liars

"Slimming Pill, ha! More like a laxative, right? Haha..."

The senior brother laughed so hard he had to steady himself against a sapling.

"So, senior brother, you're familiar with our products?"

"Isn't it made with croton seeds? Just take one pill and—bam! Haha! You guys better watch out. Don't cross Wang Chan, or he might come after you, haha!"

"You've got to keep this under wraps for us, senior brother!"

"Of course. Wang Chan has already scammed plenty of Spirit Stones with your Slimming Pills."

Hearing this felt like a knife twisting in Fanh Yichen's heart. It wasn't the loss of Spirit Stones that pained him, but the realization that his dream of slimming down was slipping away.

"We should get going."

They left Spiritual Pill Peak and headed toward the market. Fanh Yichen's steps grew heavier with each move. Without Ning Xiaofan's support, he might have just collapsed to the ground.

"Ah, Xiaofan, I was so close to buying it. I've been saving for years, and now my dream's shattered."

Ning Xiaofan gave Fanh Yichen's chubby frame a reassuring pat and chuckled, "I can help you slim down. Give me half a year, and I'll have you shedding pounds like a rocket."

"Rocket? What's that?"

"Well, it means super fast. 'Rocket' is just a term from my hometown for something speedy."

How could someone from another time explain a concept that didn't exist in this world?

"Are you for real, or are you pulling my leg?"

"Why would I lie to you?"

"Ding! Congratulations, Master, your Charisma has increased by 1 point."

Wow, so Charisma can be boosted like that!

Isn't Charisma supposed to be about attracting women? Why do I feel charismatic even in front of another guy? It's giving me the creeps.

In the distance, they saw a structure nestled among the trees. The trees mirrored the building, and the building mirrored the trees. This was the Sky Burning Valley Market.

This market was exclusive to the sect, seldom visited by cultivators from other factions.

Upon reaching the market's entrance, they were greeted by the sights of the Spirit Herb Pavilion, the Weapon Refining Pavilion, the Divine Secret Tower, the Fortune Talisman Pavilion, and the Drunken Immortal House.

Nestled among the shops stood a towering edifice, the marketplace of Sky Burning Valley. This place was shrouded in mystery and rumored to open its doors only once a decade, attracting cultivators from afar, all seeking access to an enigmatic destination.

Before the small building, a group of more than ten individuals had spread out carpets, their attention fixed on the crowd. The wares within the shops were of fine quality but carried hefty price tags. With their supply of Spirit Stones running low, they were compelled to seek out private sellers for their purchases.

"Xiaofan, I spotted Wang Chan. Should we head over there?" one asked.

"There's no need to avoid him. We're not interested in his medicine pills anyway," Xiaofan replied confidently.

Approaching the pair, Wang Chan greeted them with a grin. "Junior brother, I've got an excellent Slimming Pill here. It'll help you shed a hundred kilos in just a month, guaranteed."

Ning Xiaofan chuckled in response. "Senior brother, we barely have enough Spirit Stones to get by, let alone splurge on weight loss!"

Wang Chan turned his smile to Fanh Yichen, teasing, "Kid, you better start slimming down soon, or it'll only get tougher."

"We'll manage on our own, no need for concern," Yichen retorted, his dream dashed yet again, the disappointment evident in his pout.

"Come on, brother, I wouldn't steer you wrong. I'll help you slim down. Let's go shopping together," one of them insisted.

"Just wait," the other replied, a hint of warning in his tone.

Wang Chan held back, knowing better than to cause a scene. The audacity of these two Worker Disciples, standing up to him and even provoking him, was infuriating. 'They'll get what's coming to them,' he thought.

A chime sounded in his head: "Ding! Congratulations, master, for your benevolence. You've earned 1 point of Virtue."

A glint of malice flickered in his eye. They had dared to undercut his business and act so brazenly. He wouldn't let them get away with it.

Ning Xiaofan had amassed two hundred Spirit Stones, a testament to the wealth of Inner Sect disciples. Together, the two had gathered one hundred and seventy Spirit Stones from their storage spaces, and with contributions from a few others, their total climbed to two hundred and ten.

In addition to the Spirit Stones, their storage spaces were stocked with over a hundred years' worth of medicinal herbs. The value of these herbs was not insignificant, and their worth would ultimately be determined by the buyer's desire.

Money certainly equates to boldness. In his possession, he had several bottles of Energy Refining Pills and a few bottles of unidentified medicine pills, all neatly stored in a separate Storage Space.

As Ning Xiaofan perused the market stalls scattered on the ground, his gaze was relentless in its search. Tucked away in a nondescript corner, he spotted a sign advertising a Pill Recipe for sale. The man behind the sign was surreptitiously scanning the area, eyeing the cultivators nearby with a shifty gaze that belied his otherwise valiant demeanor.

"Brother, are you selling a Pill Recipe?" Ning Xiaofan inquired.

"Yes, but it's already been reserved by someone," the man replied.

Ning Xiaofan sensed a ploy to inflate the price. After all, a Pill Recipe was nothing more than a few written words.

"Could I possibly make a copy? I'm willing to pay the appropriate amount in Spirit Stones."

"Well, it's not out of the question," the man hesitated. "But this Pill Recipe doesn't come cheap. I'm not sure if you can meet the price."

In Sky Burning Valley, only Inner Sect disciples had access to the Mortal Pill Recipes. While many of these recipes were disseminated by Inner Sect disciples, the sect's strict rules meant that most were hesitant to sell them openly.

Was there something amiss with this Pill Recipe? A Worker Disciple like Ning Xiaofan, even with sufficient funds, would struggle to acquire such a recipe unless he joined the Inner Sect.

"What's the price?" Ning Xiaofan pressed.

The man glanced over at Fanh Yichen. "Are you Worker Disciples?"

"Yes, we're eager to master the art of alchemy."

"Fair enough. I won't overcharge you—twenty Low Grade Spirit Stones."

The seller's demand was reasonable, considering that trading Pill Recipes in Sky Burning Valley could be tantamount to divulging secrets, potentially leading to legal troubles.

"It's a deal," Ning Xiaofan agreed without haggling, well aware of the risks involved in such transactions within the Valley.

A flicker of light danced in his hand as he conjured twenty Spirit Stones, which he promptly handed over to the seller.

The Spirit Stones were modest in size, each about half an inch square, meticulously cut from larger stones. Four such stones could be combined to form a square inch.

"One condition comes with this purchase," the man stipulated. "Firstly, you must not share it with anyone else. You are permitted to refine pills solely for your own use and are expressly forbidden from utilizing the recipe within the bounds of Sky Burning Valley."

"Understood."

With a flicker of light in his hand, the man stowed the Spirit Stone into his storage space and handed a slip of paper to Ning Xiaofan.

Ning Xiaofan barely glanced at it before recognizing it as a Pill Recipe. The accuracy of the Pill Recipe was unverifiable, an unavoidable predicament.

"Alright, I had no choice but to do this. You mustn't let word get out!"

"Don't worry!"

The man pocketed the sign and vanished into the bustling market. He wasn't greedy, selling just one recipe a day, which explained why he'd eluded capture.

The Inner Sect was aware of the man selling Pill Recipes; the Energy Refining Pill's low grade was common knowledge among most Outer Sect disciples, so it wasn't considered a significant issue.

What about the Pill Recipe bought for twenty Spirit Stones? What's the quality of its content?

[Ding! The Pill Recipe for the Energy Refining Pill is incomplete. Its medicinal effect is rated as trash!]

Damn, twenty Spirit Stones wasted on trash? Where's that guy now?

Looking for him would be futile; he's long gone. And what could I do even if he were right in front of me?

He sold me a Pill Recipe, for heaven's sake!

"System, is there any way to repair this Pill Recipe?"

"Yes, but it will cost one Cultivation Point."

Damn, that'll leave me with just one point.

"Ah!"

"Go ahead and repair it!"

"Ding! Congratulations, Master, you've obtained the complete Pill Recipe for the Energy Refining Pill."

"Ding! Congratulations, Master, you've gained the ability to deduce."

"Ding! Congratulations, Master, your deduction ability and skill points have increased."

"Ding! Congratulations, Master, your identification ability and skill points have increased."

In an instant, the paper vanished in a flash of light, and the full Pill Recipe for the Energy Refining Pill materialized in Ning Xiaofan's mind.

Twelve Spirit Herbs, each measured with precision down to the gram—yet no such precise scales existed here.

Why did I have to come to Earth? Even without a scale, I can divide by halves, then divide again and again until I reach the necessary quantity. That's the only way to ensure accuracy.

"Xiaofan, did you see the murderous look in Wang Chan's eyes just now? Have we somehow crossed him?"

"Yes, but there's no need to fear him. He tried to deceive you and failed, which probably sparked his anger."

Liars, they're all liars. Not just Wang Chan, but even the one selling the Pill Recipe. It's no surprise they're left unchecked; they're likely cut from the same cloth.

"Should we get out of here, then?"

"No, leaving now won't do us any good. I'm actually curious to see what Wang Chan is capable of."

Fanh Yichen has been close with Ning Xiaofan from the start. He takes Xiaofan's lead and is his pillar of support.

"Let's check out the other stalls."

After wandering for a bit, they came across an elder peddling pill furnaces.

On the ground lay three pill furnaces: a striking golden one, an ancient bronze one, and an iron one, each roughly half a meter in size.

These were standard pill furnaces. If a pill furnace were a Spirit Weapon, it could change size. But these could only remain as they were from creation to the end of their days.

"Elder, what are the prices for these pill furnaces?"

The elder's eyes sparkled at the prospect of a sale, but upon realizing they were Worker Disciples, his gaze quickly turned to scorn.

"Ah, the three pill furnaces have different prices. The Fine Gold Pill Furnace is two hundred Spirit Stones, the Tempered Copper one is fifty, and the Fine Iron Furnace is ten."

"I see. However, I don't have enough storage space. Do you know where I can purchase some?"

The elder assumed the young man couldn't afford it. A Fine Iron Pill Furnace alone cost at least ten Spirit Stones, a sum that would take a Worker Disciple years to save.

"You'll find storage spaces in the general store, but whether you can afford one is another matter."

"Alright, I'll go inquire about the price in Spirit Stones."

Ning Xiaofan and Fanh Yichen made their way to the general store, where a clerk greeted them warmly.

"What can I do for you two?" asked the shop assistant, clearly not one to judge by appearances. "Buddy, I'm looking to buy a storage space. How many Spirit Stones does one cost?"

"Well, we have three sizes available. The one our Worker Disciples use is ten Spirit Stones. The next size up is half a room's worth for a hundred Spirit Stones, and the largest, the size of three rooms, will set you back a thousand Spirit Stones."

"Wow, they come that large?"

"Indeed, but those are beyond what we Worker Disciples could afford."

"Friend, I'm purchasing on behalf of our elder. I need a medium-sized one. Any chance for a discount?"

The shop assistant's eyes widened at the prospect of a large sale. A medium-sized storage space for a hundred Spirit Stones could net him a bonus of at least two Spirit Stones. "Let me check for you."

Shortly after, the shop assistant returned with an elderly man in tow. "This is our shopkeeper. He'll discuss the final price with you."

Ning Xiaofan greeted him with a smile, "Sir, how much for the medium-sized storage space?"

"Well, I can't go lower than 95 Spirit Stones."

"Could you throw in a few small storage spaces as well?"

"Absolutely, I'll give you five."

With a flicker of light in his hand, Ning Xiaofan placed a heap of Spirit Stones on the table. The shopkeeper was taken aback; it had been years since he'd seen such a lavish spender, especially not a Worker Disciple.

The elder's hand glowed briefly as a storage space flew off the shelf, its seals blinking rapidly. "Take good care of it. This is a fine piece crafted by a master."

"Thank you, I'm also making purchases for the sect, so..."

The shopkeeper nodded in understanding; this young man would get at least five small storage spaces and a five Spirit Stone price difference.

Exchanging knowing smiles, Ning Xiaofan left the general store and approached the old man with the cauldrons.

"Elder, about this cauldron..."

"It's sold."