Zhou Shu smiled calmly as he picked up the four demon pills, examining them one by one.
Xiaoyu, smiling beside him, explained, "Young Master, you're buying demon pills for your master's alchemy. This one comes from a two-hundred-year-old golden-ringed Kui Python, reaching maturity..."
Zhou Shu nodded gently, remaining silent.
Seeing Zhou Shu pick up the smallest demon pill, Xiaoyu whispered, "Xiaoyu advises you not to choose this one. Judging by the aura surrounding the pill, it comes from a young Kui Python, less than a hundred years old. If you refine it, the success rate won't be high."
Zhou Shu agreed, saying, "It certainly doesn't have much aura. It looks like a first-tier demon pill."
He gently traced the demon pill with his fingernail, watching a faint flash of golden light. He then withdrew his finger and touched his nose. A faint, strange smell filled his nose, confirming his previous suspicions. He felt a surge of excitement, and a glint of light flashed in his eyes.
Could this demon pill truly be from a young Kui Python, less than a hundred years old?
According to Senior Bai Han's notes, it wasn't. It wasn't from a juvenile Kui Python, but from a mature, advanced Kui Python, a third-level Golden Ring Kui Python!
For a demon beast to advance, it requires not only rare treasures but also a vast consuming of its life essence. If it can't handle this, its advancement will fail and it will perish.
The same was true for the Golden Ring Kui Python. After its advancement, its "vital energy was severely damaged, its skin completely shed, and it was less than a foot long." It looked no different from a juvenile Kui Python. The demon pill, a collection of its essence, also lost much of its medicinal properties and spiritual power, shrinking accordingly.
However, the Kui Python at this point was already a third-level, and so too was its demon pill, fundamentally different from its second-level counterpart. While its external spiritual energy was certainly diminished, its inner essence was many times more powerful.
This difference was discernible only to a select few experienced cultivators, and Senior Bai Han was one of them. Having discovered the Golden Ring Kui Python's weakness, he hunted numerous Golden Ring Kui Pythons and gained a deep understanding of this demon beast.
"The demon pill has a golden spot, and its flavor is sweet and fragrant, a sign of the Kui Python's advancement."
The demon pill in Zhou Shu's hand possessed a tiny golden spot, hidden deep within its veins, invisible without careful observation.
Seeing this golden spot and smelling the unique fragrance, Zhou Shu could confirm that this demon pill was a third-level Golden Ring Kui Python demon pill, far more valuable than any other.
Ruyi Tower hadn't noticed this, perhaps because they didn't care much for such materials. Second-level materials were nothing to Ruyi Tower.
Zhou Shu had made up his mind: he had to buy this demon pill today.
After calming himself, he placed the demon pill back on the tray and looked at Xiaoyu. "Miss Xiaoyu, how much is this, the largest one?"
"Young Master has good taste; he chose the best,"
Xiaoyu nodded with a smile. "This Golden Ring Kui Python demon pill is priced at two hundred mid-grade spirit stones. Since Young Master Zhou is visiting Ruyi Tower for the first time, according to the tower's rules, you can get a 10% discount, so one hundred and eighty will be enough."
Zhou Shu was stunned. "This, Miss Xiaoyu, is too expensive?"
He couldn't believe his ears. He
had expected Ruyi Tower to be expensive, but he hadn't expected it to be this expensive.
In Tianbao Square, a second-grade demon pill would only cost ten to twenty mid-grade spirit stones, depending on its age. Even the Golden Ring Kui Python demon pill, which was relatively rare, would only cost between twenty and forty mid-grade spirit stones. But at Ruyi Tower, the price had increased five or six times.
He had prepared himself for a rip-off, but the Ruyi Tower's knife strike was so ruthless that he hadn't expected it.
Xiaoyu continued to smile, "It's not expensive, sir. In Ruyi Tower, the materials are already quite cheap."
From her implication, it was clear that other items—elixirs, magic weapons, and so on—would likely be even more expensive.
Ruyi Tower, Ruyi Tower, getting Ruyi is truly not that easy.
But things are valuable because they are rare. You can't find them anywhere else, only here. If you really want them, you have to accept the price.
Zhou Shu sighed and said regretfully, "It's indeed a good thing, but I really can't afford it. Miss Xiaoyu, how much is this smaller one?"
"What a shame! Our building's items are very good value. If you don't buy it, you'll miss out. It will be hard to find it later."
Xiaoyu's face showed a hint of regret, but then she smiled again. "That's good. This two-hundred-year-old demon pill is also very good. It would suit you very well. If you want it, you can take it for one hundred and fifty mid-grade spirit stones."
Zhou Shu glanced at the demon pill for a few seconds, then reluctantly looked away. "Miss Xiaoyu, I still can't afford it. Alas, it seems I can only take the smallest one. How many spirit stones?"
Xiaoyu frowned slightly. "The smallest one, eighty mid-grade spirit stones."
"It's still a bit expensive. Can you lower the price?" Zhou Shu frowned, somewhat disappointed.
"Sorry, I can't. We never lower the price of items at Ruyi Building. Since it's your first time here, Xiaoyu is already giving you a very good discount."
Xiaoyu smiled and shook her head, and a hint of impatience finally appeared on her beautiful face.
Zhou Shu thought for a moment, then finally nodded, "Okay, I'll take the smallest one."
"Thank you for your patronage, sir. Xiaoyu will pack it for you right away."
Xiaoyu took out an exquisite jade bottle, carefully placed the demon pill in it, and handed it to Zhou Shu, "Please keep it, sir."
Zhou Shu took out the spirit stones with some pain and counted them out to Xiaoyu.
Xiaoyu shook her head slightly, a trace of barely perceptible contempt flashed in the corner of her eyes, then she bowed and smiled, "Sir, do you have any other needs?"
Zhou Shu shook his head, "No."
"Okay, Xiaoyu will take you down."
Walking down the stairs, Zhou Shu looked around and asked with some confusion, "Can't customers choose items here at will?"
Ever since he entered the building, he felt something was strange. There were basically no customers walking around here. Customers were all waiting quietly, which was very different from other shops.
Xiaoyu nodded. "That's not necessary. We offer one-on-one service. Customers can simply state their needs, and we at Ruyi Tower will satisfy them. This way, we don't waste each other's time. It benefits both the customers and us."
She paused, then smiled slightly. "Those cultivators who aim to collect treasures will definitely not be able to take advantage of us."
Zhou Shu smiled and nodded, praising it. "That's a great idea! It achieves the best of both worlds and eliminates customers with ulterior motives. No wonder Ruyi Tower is doing so well. Goodbye."
"Please take care. Welcome back next time, young master."
Xiaoyu gave him a typical smile, bowed slightly, and then turned and left.
Zhou Shu hurried out of the building, feeling an indescribable sense of satisfaction. If he weren't in the bustling city, he would have shouted out loud.
For only eighty mid-grade pills, he bought a third-level demon pill, a Jinhuan Kuimang demon pill that advanced to a higher level.
The liquid medicine made from third-level demon pills was more effective and long-lasting. It would not only speed up his cultivation, but even have some repair effect on damaged meridians.
This was a really good bargain.