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Madam Lan clapped her jade-like hands together rhythmically. The door opened from the outside, and a maid stepped in.
"Go and invite Daoist Yue up," she instructed. "Tell him that the buyer has arrived."
"Yes, Madam," the maid replied respectfully before leaving the room.
As silence settled in, Qi Yuan continued reading his book, completely ignoring the beautiful woman sitting beside him, appearing utterly indifferent to her presence.
Madam Lan smiled. "What kind of book is Master Qi reading?" she teased. "It seems to have captivated you so much that you've completely forgotten about me."
Qi Yuan turned another page, letting Madam Lan get a glimpse of the text before closing the book.
Madam Lan's charming face showed a hint of embarrassment. Despite her experience, she felt a little uncomfortable being alone with him. Jokingly, she said, "I didn't expect Master Qi to have such refined tastes in literature. Would you like me to introduce you to some beauties? It might help relieve your boredom."
Qi Yuan smirked slightly. "I was simply browsing through the bookshelf and came across this by chance," he said. "Tell me, Madam, was this placement intentional on your store's part?"
Madam Lan hesitated for a moment before swiftly snatching the book and burning it to ashes. She then picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip, her moist red lips leaving a faint mark on the porcelain.
Qi Yuan raised an eyebrow. "Madam, that was my teacup…"
Madam Lan's jade-like face turned slightly red, a mix of shame and irritation flashing in her charming eyes. She had brushed off the accidental touch from earlier, but this…
Her husband had passed away long ago, yet that didn't mean her heart had turned to stone.
Fortunately, the awkwardness in the room was interrupted by a knock at the door.
"Madam, Mr. Yue has arrived," the maid announced.
Madam Lan, ever composed, quickly regained her usual poise. "Let him in," she said.
The door swung open forcefully, sending a gust of wind through the beaded curtains.
Madam Lan immediately stood to greet the visitor. "Daoist Yue…"
Qi Yuan also observed the newcomer closely—after all, this was the seller.
The man before him wore plain robes and had an aging face, his cultivation at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage.
Yue Lu stepped into the room, cautiously scanning his surroundings. His gaze lingered on Madam Lan for a moment before shifting to Qi Yuan. A flash of surprise crossed his face.
So young… and already in the Foundation Establishment stage? He must come from an influential family!
His heart grew heavier as he greeted them. "Greetings, Madam Lan. My surname is Yue. May I ask how to address this fellow Daoist?"
Qi Yuan rose from his seat and offered a slight bow. "My surname is Qi."
Yue Lu nodded, running through the prominent Qi family names in Yuanwu State in his mind.
Madam Lan smiled. "Please, both of you, have a seat. Now that we're all here, Brother Yue, why don't you show Brother Qi the escape technique? That way, we can continue the discussion."
Once seated, Yue Lu retrieved a jade slip from his storage bag and placed it on the table. "This contains a partial outline of the 'Soul-Enchanting Divine Step.' Take a look, Fellow Daoist Qi—you'll be able to judge its worth for yourself."
Qi Yuan wasn't particularly concerned with the technique's name—what mattered was its effectiveness. If it was all flash and no substance, it would be useless.
He picked up the jade slip and studied it carefully.
Luckily, during his five years of seclusion in Hong Fu's study, he had read many ancient texts and had developed a keen eye for powerful techniques.
The **Soul-Enchanting Divine Step** granted its user a ghostly, unpredictable movement speed. If a cultivator with weak spiritual awareness stared too long, they would experience hallucinations, making it difficult to track the user. This ability could be used to escape—or to strike back.
Qi Yuan set down the jade slip and addressed Yue Lu. "I heard you weren't satisfied with my original offer. What price are you looking for?"
Yue Lu hesitated, gauging Qi Yuan's interest. "To be honest, I'm about to enter a long period of seclusion and will require a large number of medicinal pills. Because of this, I need to ask for a price higher than the usual market value for techniques of this caliber…"
Qi Yuan didn't bother questioning the validity of his excuse. Instead, he focused on probing Yue Lu's bottom line.
After some negotiation, lasting about the time it takes to burn half an incense stick, they reached an agreement.
Qi Yuan paid a generous amount in spirit stones and successfully obtained all the jade slips containing the complete **Soul-Enchanting Divine Step** technique.
With the transaction complete, Yue Lu wasted no time leaving, heading straight downstairs.
Madam Lan smiled. "Congratulations, Master Qi, on acquiring the treasure you sought."
Regardless of the outcome, Stardust Pavilion always earned a commission for facilitating deals. A successful transaction, however, boosted their reputation and ensured repeat business.
Having obtained what he came for, Qi Yuan saw no reason to linger. After exchanging a few pleasantries, he bid Madam Lan farewell and returned to Qi Yunxiao's residence.
As soon as he arrived, he shut himself in his room and began practicing.
If he didn't master the technique now, when would he?
Waiting until an enemy came knocking would be far too late—by then, the grass over his grave would already be three meters high.
Days passed in diligent study.
Qi Yuan was eventually forced to pause his training when he received news: Qi Yunxiao had finally emerged from seclusion. More importantly, this meant that the magic weapons Qi Yuan had commissioned were ready.
In the main hall, Qi Yunxiao sat somewhat nervously, worried about whether Qi Yuan would be satisfied with his craftsmanship.
Qi Yuan examined the three top-tier magic weapons closely:
- **The Poison Dragon Sword** – A swift and lethal snake-shaped sword. Razor-sharp, it carried a paralyzing venom on its blade.
- **The Black Scale Robe** – A dark, fish-scale-patterned robe that flickered ominously, providing formidable defense.
- **The Jiaolong Spirit Shuttle** – A sleek, dark-red spirit shuttle capable of carrying up to three people. With its dragon-like head and tail, it was built for speed and mobility.
After testing each weapon, Qi Yuan was thoroughly impressed. Their quality was undeniable.
Qi Yunxiao hesitated before asking, "Senior, are you satisfied with the magic weapons?"
"Satisfied," Qi Yuan said, tossing a storage bag of spirit stones over. "This is your payment."
Qi Yunxiao's eyes lit up with joy as he sensed the amount inside. However, after a moment, he looked embarrassed. "Senior, this… this is too much."
Qi Yuan sighed. He had no choice but to compensate with spirit stones. "Take it. It's what you deserve."
Qi Yunxiao immediately expressed his gratitude, bowing several times before suddenly smacking his forehead. "Oh no! I completely forgot about Yin'er's appointment!" He turned to Qi Yuan in a panic. "Senior, I need to step out for a while!"
With that, he dashed out of the courtyard.
Qi Yuan watched him leave, deep in thought.
It seemed he would need to acquire some **Forget Worry Pills** from Han Li upon his return. If he wanted Qi Yunxiao to forget about Xin Ruyin, a large dose of **Forget Dust Pills** would be the best solution.
Breaking a person's heart was far worse than ending their life.
And in the end, only 'he' could save Xin Ruyin. He had the necessary high-grade spiritual medicines to keep her alive, as well as the secret **Yang Transformation Technique** from Nangong Wan.
But first, he would have to take Qi Yunxiao to a few brothels. Once rumors spread, they would inevitably reach Xin Ruyin's ears—marking the beginning of a rift between them.
(End of Chapter)