Chapter 25: How could 79 Spirit Stones be considered expensive?

Young Master Fu, he actually fell from grace.

This was something Yu Qingtan had not anticipated.

If it had been before, she would have been troubled, after all Young Master Fu had used some tricks on her.

Now, who cares.

"But, he did give me the score for ’Purification of Soul’."

"He even marked me with a spiritual power imprint!"

"After all, the Qi family really does have a bad reputation, but he doesn’t seem like a bad person!"

"Qi Hong doesn’t seem like a bad person either!"

"A plant is so annoying, I’m going to sleep!"

...

"Qing Tan, you’re a sensation right now, you’ll probably make it big soon. When you’re rolling in wealth, don’t forget about me!"

"Aren’t you eating what’s mine right now? And you’re popular too. I heard that Song family’s young master has a deep-rooted affection for you, how is it?"

Inside Yu Qingtan’s room, Yu Qingtan and Shen Wanning were enjoying Spirit Rice porridge.

After buying Spirit Rice, Yu Qingtan’s morning and evening meals consisted of Spirit Rice porridge and Spirit Rice meals, sometimes even stir-frying dishes with the meat of the Spotted Pig demonic beasts.

Yu Qingtan had known how to cook in her previous life, and although there were fewer spices here, perhaps because of the spiritual energy, even the simplest foods were delicious.

High-end ingredients often only require the most basic cooking methods.

Shen Wanning naturally came over for meals every day, but she would also bring some spiritual food ingredients.

"What else could it be, could I really marry him? I’m afraid I’d end up in a miserable state."

"That’s true, anyway, you’re doing quite well in Tianxiang Pavilion."

The person pursuing Shen Wannning was Song Zhenfeng of the Song family, who even once offered to buy her freedom and make her his official wife.

However, how could the Song family agree to let their talented junior marry a courtesan? Such words were only for listening; anyone who took them seriously was a fool.

"But, Qing Tan, the brassiere you gave me is really good. It’s comfortable to wear and drives those men wild with desire. A good number of people in the Pavilion are curious about it, but I’ve kept it a secret like you told me to."

Yu Qingtan glanced at Shen’s deeper cleavage and said, "Glad you like it!"

Yu Qingtan had learned how to make brassieres with the skill she’d won in a raffle, making some for both Shen Wanning and herself.

She had no plans to promote them yet, so she told Shen to keep it a secret for now, given that Tianxiang Pavilion was also a competitive place.

Besides, if she became known as the "Mother of Brassieres" in the Cultivation World, it might make other transmigrators laugh to death.

It’s a pity that the brassiere greatly enhanced Shen Wanning’s charm, but it only had an average effect on herself. She hadn’t even needed to bind her chest before, and while she had developed a bit later, it was still barely noticeable.

...

Han Daniu was the deputy hall master of the Green Wolf Gang’s medicine division, an orphan from a loose cultivator background. Originally, he possessed high-quality dual fire and earth Spirit Roots but missed the best time for cultivation and lost the chance to be recruited by a sect.

Unwilling to remain a low-level loose cultivator, he cultivated day and night. After learning about medicinal herbs, he desperately searched for spiritual medicine in the Yunhua Mountain Range. Eventually, in his early forties, he reached the eighth level of Qi Cultivation and became the deputy hall master of the gang’s medicine division.

Unfortunately, he had become increasingly uncertain about his future.

He was still frantically earning cultivation resources, but they were no longer sufficient for his cultivation needs.

He hoped to climb higher within the Green Wolf Gang, but the medicine hall’s master was the protector’s nephew.

The Gang Leader and both the first and second protectors of the Green Wolf Gang were Cultivators at the Foundation Establishment Stage.

Today, he went to the Hundred Treasures Pavilion to buy a Hundred Herbs Pill for cultivation use.

This was his first time purchasing a Hundred Herbs Pill; before this, he had been using a cheaper elixir, but he had developed a severe tolerance to it.

"Hundred Herbs Pill, 79 Spirit Stones a bottle, how many would you like?" His usual familiar clerk wasn’t there, and he was attended by a new clerk whom he had never seen before.

"That’s expensive!" Han Daniu couldn’t help but exclaim.

"Where is it expensive at 79 Spirit Stones a bottle? Don’t talk nonsense with your eyes wide open. It’s always been this price. The Hundred Herbs Pill is refined from hundreds of medicinal herbs through complex methods, with over ten types of spiritual herbs involved. Moreover, it requires an alchemist in the latter stages of Foundation Establishment to have a substantial success rate in making the pills. It’s not easy being an alchemist either. To say that a Hundred Herbs Pill is expensive at 79 Spirit Stones a bottle, perhaps you should look for the reason within yourself. Have you been diligently cultivating these years? Have you properly earned Spirit Stones?"

Han Daniu left the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, a mix of shame and anger in his stride after being talked at by the shop assistant.

Wandering aimlessly through the market streets, Han Daniu was in deep reflection.

But the more he thought about it, the more he realized that despite years of hard work earning Spirit Stones, the truth was that he could not afford enough Elixirs for his cultivation.

"Do I really have any hope of reaching the Foundation Establishment Stage?"

He walked for a long time, and by the time he stopped, night had fallen, and he found himself in front of a brilliantly lit place.

People were occasionally entering through the doors, above which hung a signboard inscribed with "Tianxiang Pavilion."

After contemplating for the duration of three breaths, Han Daniu, who usually kept away from the company of women, stepped inside.

"This brother here, you look unfamiliar. Are you thinking of visiting the outer or inner pavilion? Is there a specific girl you’re looking for?"

Upon entering, a warm and enthusiastic madam immediately came to greet him.

Although Han Daniu had never indulged in such pleasures, he had heard of Tianxiang Pavilion’s ways, so he said,

"The inner pavilion, and no, there’s no one in particular I’m looking for."

"Alrighty, brother, let me tell you, our girls in the inner pavilion are all beautiful and talented. You can watch our girls perform first, and if you like any of them, you can talk things over in private. If there’s no one to your taste on stage, you can pick from the album introducing our girls."

Then, Han Daniu was led by a servant through several long corridors, exchanged one Spirit Stone for a golden flower, and entered a circular hall.

In the middle of the hall were three stages—one large and two small—with the audience seating taking up three sides, seven to eight-tenths of which was already filled with people.

He took a seat in an empty spot.

Many in the audience seats were still conversing; although the voices were relatively low, the multitude of conversations still made it rather noisy.

People continued to trickle in.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a voice came from behind the stage.

"Thank you, honored guests, for coming here tonight."

The audience instantly quieted down.

"Without further ado, the first to take the stage will be our Qing Tan. Today, she will be performing a guqin piece she composed herself, ’Love of Butterfly Lovers,’ and the dance ’Butterfly Dance,’ which she is performing for the first time. Please, enjoy."

"Qing Tan! Qing Tan!"

Yu Qingtan, dressed in a pink costume with butterfly wings, slowly made her way onto the stage.

Walking to the center of the stage, the auditorium again fell silent.

A guqin was already set up on the stage, and without a word, Yu Qingtan took a seat and began playing "Love of Butterfly Lovers."

After she finished, the guqin and the furniture sank beneath the stage.

Yu Qingtan started her performance of the ’Butterfly Dance,’ which she finally mastered to a minor level.

With the story of ’Butterfly Lovers’ ending with the characters turning into butterflies, the ’Butterfly Dance’ fit perfectly, and the manager, Su, approved her request to combine her two appearances into one.

Listening to the pleasant sound of the guqin and watching the graceful dance, Han Daniu’s mood became much calmer.

Who wouldn’t like such a lovely girl? Even Han Daniu, who focused on cultivation and remained single to this day.

After Yu Qingtan bowed and exited the stage, Madam Ni’s voice rang out once more.

"You’ve all witnessed the exceptional guqin and dance of Qing Tan. Those who wish to meet Qing Tan alone, please press the button next to your seat. We will decide the lucky individual by drawing lots. The button next to the chosen seat will flash a red light, and the number of flashes will indicate the order for the meeting."

Without any hesitation, Han Daniu pressed the button.

After a moment, the button flashed red four times.

Han Daniu never thought he would be so lucky, and his gloomy mood improved further.

Envious looks appeared on the faces of those around him; one person even attempted to offer him fifty Spirit Stones for his spot, which he promptly refused without a second thought.

Han Daniu sat waiting in his seat as beautiful girls continued to perform on stage, but in his eyes at that moment,

"My opinion is that none compares to Qing Tan."