"An Alchemy Note and a Spirit Herb Encyclopedia!"
Qi Ping looked at the two handwritten copies in his hands, a flash of surprise in his eyes. Even if they were just copies, it didn't affect their value to him! He needed these desperately! Now, when setting his honey brewing plans, he finally had reference materials instead of relying on blind experimentation.
"It's a note from a first-grade alchemist, containing some common recipes and recording some refining experiences. Unfortunately, it doesn't have the high-level recipes you wanted," Boss Gao said with some regret. Given his strength, it was hard to access resources like high-level recipes.
The Spirit Herb Encyclopedia was easier to find—not common, but not incredibly rare. However, the Alchemy Note had been copied by chance and was quite hard to obtain.
"This is already incredibly rare! But these are too valuable; Boss Gao, you should take some spirit stones." Qi Ping felt he was taking too much advantage of him.
"Brother Qi, I said these are gifts for our cooperation. I can't go back on my word. Just make sure to sell all your Spirit-Nurturing Honey to me. Business is tough, and I'm counting on this to feed my family."
Through this deal, Gao could earn a large amount of resources even in these times. As for the alchemy notes, he had several copies. Giving them to those in need was a great way to build relationships. To the right person, these were worth more than a few hundred spirit stones—more precious than rare herbs.
Of course, this only applied to people he deemed worth befriending. As a businessman, he knew how to judge the situation and use his resources to build a network, making friends rather than enemies.
After the transaction, Qi Ping realized that Boss Gao would struggle to find the high-level items he needed as he grew stronger. The Qingshi Market was losing its significance to him. For precious spiritual items and cultivation methods, the best source was now the Qingyuan Sect, or perhaps the central Qingtian City.
But Qingtian City was full of powerful cultivators—many Foundation Establishment and even occasional Golden Core masters. Qi Ping preferred to stay in Qingshi County, where the ceiling was Foundation Establishment. In a place like Qingtian City, he couldn't freely use his beekeeping and spirit-plant techniques without risking being targeted by a Golden Core master.
For now, the Yunwu Mountain Range was his best place to grow! He just needed to secure a source for methods and herbs. Furthermore, he still remembered the cave on Peak 7 in A-District that had yielded the Demon Insect Chapter; his bees' future depended on it. He wouldn't give up on that mysterious cave, though he didn't yet have the courage or urgent need to explore it further.
Under Boss Gao's lead, Qi Ping arrived once again at the courtyard of the tower-like man, Meng Yan. It hadn't changed much since his last visit—a simple yard with almost no decorations, even plainer than Old Man Zhou's old place.
However, a wall in the living room was hung with weapons and armor—mostly mid-grade and high-grade spirit tools suitable for mid to late-stage Qi Refinement. These displays, combined with the rhythmic clanging from underground, spoke of the owner's identity: a first-grade refiner. These tools, each worth over a hundred spirit stones, showed his wealth.
After waiting a moment, the clanging stopped. A sweaty, muscular man at the ninth level of Qi Refinement emerged.
"Apologies for the wait, Brother Qi!" Meng Yan said heartily.
"No matter. It is I who am intruding today, Lord Meng..."
Meng Yan cut him off. "No need for such formalities. Old Gao says you're younger than me; call me Brother Meng if you don't mind! I don't like tea; how about some wine?"
Meng Yan pulled two jars from his storage bag. "I just got two good bottles. One is brewed from North Realm Snow Lotus, crisp and refreshing. The other is from Fire-Raven Root, spicy and invigorating. Which do you prefer?"
Qi Ping matched his straightforwardness. "Brother Meng, let's have the Fire-Raven wine. Thank you for the hospitality."
Meng Yan poured two large bowls and downed a huge gulp immediately. The fatigue from his work seemed to vanish instantly, and he wore a look of satisfaction identical to Old Man Zhou's after a drink.
Seeing his boisterous nature, Qi Ping stopped being overly cautious and took a large gulp as well. He had checked the wine with Natural Perception and felt no threat.
Qi Ping now saw that Meng Yan possessed a special temperament similar to Lin Qingshu—an aura akin to "Intent." This meant Meng Yan was likely a genius of extraordinary character—one with a defined path who wouldn't be swayed by worldly status. In the cultivation world, true geniuses usually possessed a firm Dao-heart.
"Tastes like liquid fire, spicy but not harmful... Good wine!" Qi Ping praised.
Meng Yan looked at him with surprise. "It seems Brother Qi is a connoisseur!"
"My teacher loves a drink, so I have some occasionally."
"And your teacher is?"
"Just a little old man at the fourth level of Qi Refinement, not very famous."
"To teach a disciple like you, he cannot be ordinary!"
Qi Ping was confused. Could Meng Yan see through his disguise? "I'm just a nobody. How can I deserve such praise?"
"Brother Qi, don't be modest! That Li-Fire Crow has an extraordinary eye; it wouldn't acknowledge a mediocre master. That's the first reason. The second: do you know the saying, 'When the Dao-heart condenses, Intent is born'?"
"When the Dao-heart condenses, Intent is born?" Qi Ping shook his head. He had read many books but never encountered this phrase.
"It's normal for a rogue cultivator not to know. My master told me this himself. You know that comprehending a 'True Meaning' is the prerequisite for advancing to Golden Core, right?"
"I am aware. But what does it have to do with the Dao-heart?" Qi Ping nodded. True Meaning was the precursor to Law power, necessary to condense a Golden Core. He realized that Meng Yan's master must be a Golden Core powerhouse!
"Of course it's related. My master said that as one approaches the late stage of Golden Core, one realizes the importance of the Dao-heart. Only those with a firm Dao-heart can truly master the power of True Meaning and Laws without being enslaved by them. They become true cultivators."
"Those with weak hearts are easily controlled by the Laws, failing to see the true essence of power. Heart-demons, spiritual energy backlashes, and becoming a slave to Law—these are not uncommon. Extreme Laws are especially hard to control."
"Cultivation is not just about being a 'Dharma Brute'—someone who just piles up resources and energy. Those people will never find the essence of cultivation. My master said that clarifying the mind and seeing one's nature should start from the beginning of the journey. This allows one to fully experience the path. Some insights can never be regained if missed."
"The first stage for those with a firm heart is to condense an 'Intent.' Sword Intent and Blade Intent are prime examples—they are the combination of True Meaning and one's personal Dao-heart. For instance, Heartless Sword Intent, Red-Dust Sword Intent, or Protective Sword Intent... they are all fusions of meaning and heart."
"When I saw you today, I sensed that you are on the verge of condensing an Intent, just like me. Your ordinary Breath-Concealing Art can't hide that."
"Use this!" Meng Yan handed over a jade slip.
"This is the Fetal Breath Art. it can hide your aura, realm, spirit-soul, and Intent. And take this resonating jade talisman as a meeting gift."
"The Qingyuan Sect is facing internal and external crises. I want an ally who is outside their expectations and surveillance."
"The path to immortality is not easy. That you reached this point as a rogue cultivator proves your extraordinary talent. Besides, I trust the intuition of that Li-Fire Crow. I've spoken much today; would you be willing to form an alliance with me? I can provide the cultivation methods and resources you desire."