Marketplace - Hundred Treasures Pavilion.
A plain-looking man dressed in the robes of a Purple Profound Sect disciple walked into the shop. A sharp-eyed attendant immediately stepped forward to greet him enthusiastically.
"Welcome, honored guest! What might you be looking for today at our Hundred Treasures Pavilion?"
"Whether it's pills, magical tools, talismans, or spirit materials, we guarantee only the finest quality. Satisfaction guaranteed!"
Li Ye glanced at him, responding in a calm, flat tone:
"Do you sell pill furnaces?"
He asked directly, with no effort to hide his identity or appearance no wide-brimmed hat, no cloak.
After all, every item he now possessed had a proper origin. There was no need to conceal anything.
And in a marketplace operated directly by the Purple Profound Sect, wearing his sect robe openly brought far more deterrence than skulking around in disguise.
Li Ye had already scoped out this shop, the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, during a few of his earlier trips to the market. It had one of the better reputations among the many stores here.
Its backing reportedly came from one of Huan Country's major Foundation Establishment clans the Yue family.
It was said the clan boasted no fewer than three Foundation Establishment cultivators, far outstripping clans like the Li family, which relied solely on a single, elderly cultivator to hold things together.
The moment the attendant heard Li Ye's inquiry, his previously half-hearted expression lit up.
This was a big sale!
He quickly responded:
"Why yes, we do sell pill furnaces!"
"But I'm afraid a lowly attendant like me can't handle such a transaction. Please, honored guest, allow me to escort you upstairs to rest. I'll fetch the manager immediately!"
With a slight bow, he led Li Ye up to the second floor.
Once Li Ye was seated, served with fragrant tea and delicate pastries, a slightly plump, cheerful man soon approached with quick steps.
His eyes swept over the disciple robes Li Ye wore, and he cupped his hands with a friendly smile:
"I am Yue Quan, manager of this humble shop. Might fellow Daoists be looking to purchase a pill furnace?"
"Li Ye. Yes, I'd like to see what your shop has in stock," Li Ye nodded, then added,
"No need for anything too high-grade just something suitable for a beginner."
"Ah, I see."
Yue Quan's smile remained warm.
"It just so happens we have a low-grade pill furnace in storage. Please take a look and see if it suits your needs."
As he spoke, he patted the storage pouch at his waist. With a metallic clang, a half-human-tall bronze pill furnace appeared before them.
Li Ye set down his teacup, rose to his feet, and began carefully inspecting the furnace. He walked around it, lifted the lid for a closer look inside, and then gently tapped several key spots, listening closely to the echoes.
He also circulated his spiritual energy through it, simulating control.
This series of actions made both Yue Quan and the attendant watching nearby pause in surprise.
You said you only needed a beginner-level furnace… but your inspection techniques and knowledge of pill furnaces don't look like something a novice would know!
Wait a second… this kid isn't here from a rival store to mess with us, is he?!
Yue Quan exchanged a quick, uncertain glance with the attendant.
Just then, Li Ye finished his inspection and looked up at Yue Quan.
"Not bad. This furnace is decent."
"There's one spot, though, where the echo sounds uneven likely a flaw in the refining process. That area is a structural weakness. If the flames get too strong in future use, there's a chance it could burn through."
"What price does your shop ask for it?"
Yue Quan's eyes lit up at those words. When this furnace had first been delivered, he recalled the craftsman's note did mention a slight defect in that exact spot.
Even such a subtle flaw was something that even some artifact refiners might not catch right away let alone a novice alchemy apprentice looking to buy a furnace!
Back when Yue Quan first saw this furnace, he glanced over the note and promptly dismissed the issue. He hadn't expected that the very first customer to inspect it would discover the problem so clearly.
"Fellow Daoist, your keen eye has truly impressed me!"
Yue Quan gave Li Ye a thumbs-up, looking sincerely admiring.
"To be honest, I was just about to point out the issue myself, give you a heads-up. I didn't think you'd spot it so quickly with just a casual inspection!"
"This furnace does indeed have a minor flaw. Our shop can let it go for just sixty spirit stones how about that?"
Typically, a low-grade offensive magic tool would sell for thirty to forty spirit stones at most. Defensive ones like shields, robes, or armor were slightly more expensive.
As for pill furnaces and forging cauldrons, even low-tier ones required significantly more intricate craftsmanship. They usually had to be made by higher-level artifact refiners, making their prices often twice as high as other tools of the same rank.
"Fifty spirit stones, and include a basic Qi and Blood Pill recipe,"
Li Ye said flatly as he sat back down and picked up a pastry to nibble on.
Yue Quan's expression shifted at once.
"Daoist friend, that's a bit much, don't you think...?"
Li Ye simply shook his head.
"I specifically asked around the market and only came to your store because of its good reputation. But the first item you bring out already has a dangerous flaw in it…"
"If that's how it is, then I might as well go check out other shops."
He rose to leave.
Yue Quan's performative resistance vanished in an instant, replaced by a beaming smile.
"No need to rush, fellow Daoist! We'll do it your way fifty it is!"
Without a change in expression, Li Ye took out fifty spirit stones from his storage pouch and placed them on the table.
The attendant quickly brought over a copy of the Qi and Blood Pill recipe.
"Safe travels, Daoist friend! If you ever have pills for sale, we hope you'll consider Hundred Treasures Pavilion… we'll make sure you're satisfied with the price!"
"That's very kind. As long as your shop doesn't mind my humble skills, I'll surely come by again."
With the deal done, Li Ye stowed away the pill furnace and the recipe. Yue Quan personally escorted him downstairs, the two exchanging polite words and laughter.
Once Li Ye's figure disappeared into the crowd, the two of them returned to the upper floor.
Only then did the attendant ask, somewhat confused,
"Uncle, we sold that furnace at such a low price and even threw in a recipe. Isn't that a loss for us?"
Yue Quan shook his head.
"You don't know this, but the note that came with that furnace specifically said that if the flaw was discovered by a buyer, we should sell it at a reduced price to protect our shop's reputation."
"Now that it's happened, I'm simply following the protocol."
If no sharp-eyed buyer had noticed, they could've easily sold it at full price and made a tidy profit.
"As for the Qi and Blood Pill recipe… that thing's as common as dirt among alchemists. It's practically worthless. Giving it away costs us nothing."
"Besides, Li Ye is only at the fourth layer of Qi Refining, yet he was able to identify the furnace's flaw. His knowledge of alchemy is far beyond novice level. Most likely, his inheritance is incomplete or pieced together from different sources, which is why he lacks basic recipes…"
"If we build a good relationship with him, we could gain a steady supply of pills in the future. That would be a huge boost to both our positions!"
The attendant nodded in realization, though a flicker of ruthlessness flashed across his face.
"In that case, why not just find an opportunity to capture him...?"
"We could keep the man and get the furnace back. Wouldn't that be perfect?"
Smack!
Yue Quan slapped the boy on the head, his tone sharp and stern.
"Talking about striking someone just like that! You think this guy is some rootless vagabond?"
"He's a disciple of the Purple Profound Sect! If we fail to subdue him in one blow and he escapes to spread the word of it, both of us would be cast out by the family to take the blame!"
"From now on, watch that mouth of yours. One more reckless word and I'll make sure you regret it!"
Frightened by Yue Quan's sudden ferocity, the attendant nodded repeatedly, any lingering thoughts vanishing without a trace.