Back then, Lord Xingde had been badly injured. Liu Xiaolou had no choice but to run an errand for him and buy some medicine. He ended up buying Heart-Nourishing Pills from Yan Sanfei. His pills were quite cheap, but when he had brought them back, they had worked surprisingly well. Word was, they're made by the Miao Feng Alchemy Sect.
Liu Xiaolou couldn't help but feel a surge of irritation. This idiot just had to show up now, of all times? Do I look like I want to talk to you? Can't you take a hint?
"Elder Brother Liu, there's something I need to tell you."
Even though Liu Xiaolou was clearly much younger than Yan Sanfei, Yan still put on a thick face and called him "Elder Brother Liu."
Liu Xiaolou sighed, adjusted his bamboo hat, and said quietly, "You're too kind. If you've got something to say, say it."
Yan Sanfei leaned in and spoke in a hushed, mysterious tone. "Don't go into the Hongji Tavern."
Liu Xiaolou tensed. He made a quick hand sign, then followed Yan Sanfei to a quiet corner. "Go on," he said.
Yan Sanfei explained, "Here's the deal, Elder Brother Liu. A couple of days ago, someone was wandering around the marketplace, hanging around the Hongji Tavern. The moment I saw him, I could tell he was up to no good. So I went up and tried to strike up a conversation, using the excuse of selling him some Heart-Nourishing Pills. Just as I suspected, he started asking all kinds of questions; he wanted to know what was going on around the tavern back in early Third Month. He even asked if I'd seen anyone suspicious going in or out during that time. So I stuck around the past couple of days and let a few friends in on it. From what I can tell, something bad might be about to happen at the Hongji Tavern. If you're not in a rush, it might be smart to lay low and drink somewhere else for now."
"That guy, what did he look like?" asked Liu Xiaolou.
"About this tall… not fat, not skinny, with a high nose bridge… oh, and his left shoulder is a little lower than the right."
Liu Xiaolou was sure now. The person Yan Sanfei was describing had to be Hou Sheng from the inner circle of the Qingyu Sect. That also cleared something up for him. Hou Sheng probably caught wind of him at the Hongji Tavern. After all, back then, Wei Hongqing had sent quite a few people to dig around for info on Qingyu's encirclement of Taoyuan. Thinking about it now, he and Wei Hongqing hadn't exactly kept a low profile.
As for why Hou Sheng was sniffing around the tavern in the first place, he'd need to go in and talk to Wei Hongqing to find out.
Liu Xiaolou cupped his hands in thanks. "Much obliged, brother."
Yan Sanfei chuckled. "Come on, we're friends. No need for thanks. By the way, Elder Brother Liu, my Miao Feng Alchemy sect just put out a fresh batch of high-quality Heart-Nourishing Pills. Their healing effects are way more effective than the old ones, but the price hasn't changed. Want to keep one on you, just in case?"
So this was the price of the tip. To be fair, the intel really was useful. Still, one spirit stone for a single pill was steep. But if you looked at it differently; one spirit stone for a pill and a valuable tip. It wasn't a bad deal. The only thing was that this particular pill was clearly from the black market. It was fine for personal use, but impossible to resell.
That was just how things worked in this world. Liu Xiaolou wasn't about to mess with those rules. If he did, he probably wouldn't be hearing from Yan Sanfei again. So even though it hurt, he grit his teeth, pulled out a spirit stone, and traded it for a Heart-Nourishing Pill.
"This one's even better than the last batch?" asked Liu Xiaolou, a little skeptical.
"Of course," Yan Sanfei said, thumping his chest with confidence. "Honestly, our Miao Feng Alchemy Sect's pill refining techniques is every bit as good as those so-called prestigious sects. If you're interested, Brother Liu, you should come visit Miao Feng Mountain sometime. One look and you'll see for yourself."
Liu Xiaolou shook his head. "I don't know the first thing about alchemy. Even if I went, I wouldn't understand a thing. Just know this; if the pill doesn't work, I'm coming back to find you."
Yan Sanfei grinned. "You've got nothing to worry about. I'm here often, and I stand by what I sell. Honest business, no tricks. My reputation's on the line. That said, alchemy's actually not as hard as those big-name sects make it out to be. If you're interested, why not join us? In Miao Feng Alchemy, it's really not that hard to learn. Give it a try and you'll get the hang of it in no time. I won't make wild promises, but making one or two spirit pills a month? Totally doable. And besides Heart-Nourishing Pills, we also make Detox Pills, Spiced Spirit Pills, Tiger Bone Pills—"
"Spiced Spirit Pills?" Liu Xiaolou interrupted.
"They clear the mind, sharpen your senses, and ward off snakes and insects. Perfect if you're traveling through the Ten-Thousand-Mountain region of the Southern Wilds."
Liu Xiaolou came from a family that specialized in incense-refining, so this caught his interest. If I ever get the chance, he thought, it might be worth checking the place out. Judging by how Yan Sanfei described it, the Miao Feng Alchemy Sect didn't seem like one of those centuries-old righteous sects. It sounded more like a loose band of rogue cultivators; come together if it works, drift apart if it doesn't.
"Do you guys have Foundation Establishment Pills?" he asked suddenly.
Yan Sanfei's tone turned serious. "Well… to be honest, Elder Brother Liu, our sect doesn't have a formula for Foundation Establishment Pills... not yet. But our elders and fellow cultivators are working hard on it. If they manage to crack it, it would be a huge breakthrough for rogue cultivators like us."
Liu Xiaolou nodded. "If that ever happens, it'd be a real blessing for rogue cultivators like us."
The two parted ways. Liu Xiaolou made his way back into the Hongji Tavern. The innkeeper spotted him right away and personally led him to a private room on the third floor, where food and wine were already being laid out.
Liu Xiaolou waited patiently. It wasn't until evening that Wei Hongqing finally arrived.
It had been half a year since they last saw each other, and Wei Hongqing seemed noticeably more composed. His presence was more grounded, and there was a faint sense that his cultivation had advanced as well. But Liu Xiaolou's own level was too low to get a clear read, so he asked, "Wei, your cultivation's improved again?"
Wei Hongqing smiled. "I reached the sixth layer of Qi Refinement two months ago."
Liu Xiaolou couldn't hide his envy. "That fast? Damn…"
Wei Hongqing let out a sigh. "The prestigious sects have access to blessed lands and spiritual resources, and they can cultivate without distractions. It's not something rogue cultivators like us can even imagine. Of course, I'm just an outer sect steward, so my situation isn't that ideal either. I've only made quick progress because I had someone helping me out. Anyway, what brings you here today, Xiaolou?"
Liu Xiaolou got straight to the point. "That incident back in Third Month... I heard the Qingyu Clan has started watching the Hongji Tavern."
Wei Hongqing nodded. "Yes. They found the bodies of Lu Yuanlang's younger brother and that steward named Zhang in an old tomb passage. They returned the corpses, so now even Tianmu Mountain is looking into it. Lu Yuanlang's lost his mind over it. Eventually, they traced things back to the night of the second of Third Month, when his young brother was last seen, right here at the Hongji Tavern."
Liu Xiaolou tensed up. "Wei, are you alright?"
Wei Hongqing gave a calm smile. "Lu Yuanlang asked me about it too, but I've got a clear conscience. I was in the tavern the entire night and didn't leave once. Eventually, they found out that Lu Yuanlang's younger brother and Steward Zhang both left the Hongji Tavern together, and someone saw them leave. That much, Sect Master Lu personally reported to the Qingyu Clan. So now both sides are looking into it. Don't worry, Xiaolou. Just being at the tavern that night doesn't prove anything. You don't have the ability to kill either of them, let alone sneak into Taoyuan, which the Qingyu Sect had locked down tight. So there's nothing to be afraid of."
"The thing is," Liu Xiaolou said, "one of their patrolling inspectors, a man surnamed Hou, he's been asking around. I don't know exactly what he's found out, but he's definitely got his eye on me. Yesterday, he cornered me in Wuchao Town and questioned me about where I was that night; and also about Lord Xingde's whereabouts. This Hou Sheng guy saw me at Xingde Mountain, when they were driving out all the rogue cultivators from Taoyuan. Lord Xingde vouched for me back then, and the one who handled it all… was Hou."
Wei Hongqing paused, frowning. "That… could be a problem."
"How so?" asked Liu Xiaolou,
"That Inspector Hou from the Qingyu Sect is pretty well-known. He's one of their top investigators. If he's locked onto you, things could get difficult."