Chapter 128: Chapter 125: Elixir
"What’s wrong? Is there a problem, Brother Si?"
Seeing the change in Si Houqing’s expression,
Shen Changchuan couldn’t help but ask.
"Of course there is."
A bitter smile appeared on Si Houqing’s face.
"To be honest, Younger Brother Shen, my Sanhe Chamber of Commerce might look decent on the surface, but in reality, calling it a ’Chamber of Commerce’ is just us flattering ourselves."
"Small chambers like ours can only pick at the scraps the big chambers around here don’t want. We don’t even have a seat at the main table."
"An Essence Nourishing Pill is a Top Grade Elixir. For people like us, forget about not having a source for them—even if we did, who in this Border Desolate Land could possibly afford it?"
"In fact, Younger Brother Shen, those few bottles of elixirs from the Blood Slaughter Three Demons that you had me sell on consignment were already some of the best elixirs for boosting cultivation in the Seventh Layer Realm that the Sanhe Chamber of Commerce has ever handled."
A look of resignation crossed Si Houqing’s face.
The Cultivators in this Border Desolate Land,
were basically all poor wretches guarding the two or three acres of Spirit Fields they inherited.
There weren’t even many Cultivators at the Qi Introduction Seventh Layer.
Even if there were,
in a place like the Wu Family Collection, for example,
they still wouldn’t be willing to spend Spirit Stones on Essence Nourishing Pills for a Qi Introduction Seventh Layer Cultivator’s cultivation.
It’s not that Essence Nourishing Pills aren’t effective.
It’s that they’re too expensive.
Pouring thousands, even tens of thousands, of Spirit Stones into the cultivation of a mere Qi Introduction Seventh Layer cultivator...
It’s just not worth it!
It would be better to save the Spirit Stones and travel to the more distant Tian Nan City, or even the Yue Kingdom’s Immortal Cultivation Realm, to try one’s luck at an auction for a Soul Emergence Pill.
Something like the Essence Nourishing Pill,
was a luxury that only the legitimate sons and daughters of great aristocratic families could hope to enjoy!
It was reserved for patrons who weren’t short on money!
Even the major cross-border trading companies in Qing City only kept a small stock, displayed simply to show off the company’s strength.
If he wanted this Essence Nourishing Pill,
he, Si Houqing, was truly powerless to help.
After hearing Si Houqing’s detailed explanation, Shen Changchuan was left speechless.
"In that case, what about a lower-grade elixir?"
Since obtaining the Essence Nourishing Pill was out of the question,
Shen Changchuan could only turn his attention to other elixirs.
"If you’re looking for a step down, and it’s still for Qi Introduction Seventh Layer cultivation, then that would be the Cyan Jade Pill."
"This elixir doesn’t have the foundation-stabilizing effect of the Essence Nourishing Pill. However, it contains a trace of Wood Element Vitality, so its properties are gentle. It has the ability to nourish the meridians and muscles, and you don’t have to worry too much about Elixir Poison when taking it. All in all, it’s a decent elixir for the Qi Introduction Seventh Layer."
Si Houqing said after some thought.
But then he looked at Shen Changchuan, his gaze holding a hint of difficulty.
"The major trading companies in Qing City generally sell this Cyan Jade Pill for about five hundred Spirit Stones apiece. But if you want one, Younger Brother Shen, I’m afraid you’ll have to go to Qing City yourself. I can’t help you there."
Seeing the puzzled look on Shen Changchuan’s face,
Si Houqing explained:
"Younger Brother Shen, please don’t blame me."
"It’s not that I don’t want to help, but the Sanhe Chamber of Commerce is just a small operation. Our strength is limited."
"A precious item like the Cyan Jade Pill is not something our little Sanhe Trading Company can afford to handle."
"Right now, a large number of Cultivators are pouring into the Border Desolate Land, making the road from Qing City to Dawan Village extremely dangerous. If word spread that we had purchased Cyan Jade Pills and were transporting them to Dawan Village, their immense value would undoubtedly attract many people who would try to steal them. The Sanhe Trading Company simply doesn’t have the strength to escort them here safely."
Si Houqing shook his head slightly.
He was speaking the honest truth, with no deception.
He recognized Shen Changchuan’s potential. If possible, he wouldn’t have minded helping him buy the elixir, which would also put Shen Changchuan in his debt.
But this was something he truly couldn’t do.
Cyan Jade Pills, worth several thousand Spirit Stones, were valuable enough to attract Qi Introduction Late Stage Tribulation Cultivators to make a move.
And don’t believe for a second that the big trading companies value their reputation so much they wouldn’t reveal a buyer’s identity. You can’t just assume you won’t have to worry about others coveting your purchase.
The shopkeepers and clerks at those big trading companies are just ordinary employees.
Once the stakes are high enough,
they wouldn’t mind selling the information to some ruthless bandit and Tribulation Cultivator gangs outside the city.
The Sanhe Chamber of Commerce didn’t have the ability to protect a shipment of Cyan Jade Pills all the way to Dawan Village.
Besides,
although he was the Shopkeeper of the Sanhe Chamber of Commerce,
there were still several other shareholders in the chamber.
Gambling the future of the Sanhe Chamber of Commerce to transport Cyan Jade Pills for Shen Changchuan,
was something he couldn’t do.
"Younger Brother Shen, I’m truly sorry about this. I’m powerless to help."
Si Houqing said, his face filled with apology.
"Brother Si, there’s no need for that. Just telling me about these elixirs used for cultivation has already been a great help."
"As for the elixir, I’ll just make a trip to Qing City myself when the time comes. At worst, I can find a Cultivation Cave Mansion there and cultivate in seclusion. I won’t trouble you with it, Brother Si."
Shen Changchuan was not the kind of ungrateful wretch who would resent a benefactor over a single refusal.
People help you out of kindness, not out of duty.
No one is obligated to help anyone else.
Moreover, after Si Houqing had explained his difficulties, it was clear that there was truly nothing he could do.
Shen Changchuan naturally wouldn’t make things too difficult for him.
Seeing Shen Changchuan’s calm reaction,
Si Houqing couldn’t help but breathe a small sigh of relief.
’Thank goodness he didn’t hold a grudge over this.’
’It seemed,’
’that he wasn’t a cold-hearted person after all.’
This wasn’t Si Houqing overthinking things;
it’s just that, as the saying goes, "it takes all kinds to make a world." There really were ingrates in this world—the kind you could help a hundred times, only for them to resent you the one time you couldn’t.
"Younger Brother Shen, although I can’t bring back such a precious item for you, I have been doing business in Qing City for many years and have built up some connections."
"I’ll give you a token. If you go to Qing City to buy those precious elixirs, you can use my channels. It might save you a fair bit of money."
Si Houqing said to Shen Changchuan, taking the initiative.
At the same time, he took out a Jade Talisman and handed it to him.
Shen Changchuan didn’t stand on ceremony,
and took it.
He also thanked Si Houqing.
Saving even a few Spirit Stones was worth it, so he certainly wouldn’t refuse the advantage of such a connection.
However, Shen Changchuan quickly thought of something.
If he were to go to Qing City,
it would probably be best not to go showing his real face.
So he asked:
"By the way, Brother Si, do you have any Disguise Techniques or methods here?"
Si Houqing glanced at him, seeming to guess something, but he didn’t press for details.
"Things like that? Of course we have them."
"After all, many people prefer not to show their faces when conducting business, so there’s a definite market for such things."
"What are you looking for, Younger Brother Shen?"
As he spoke,
Si Houqing laid out several Disguise Techniques, as well as the type of masks that change one’s features when worn, before Shen Changchuan.
