NOVEL NEXT Chapter 52: Condensation Pill
Chapter 52: Condensation Pill
After breakfast, Xu Lian mounted his horse and rode toward the mine.
Despite having stayed up all night, he didn’t feel the slightest bit tired. With his Marrow Refining stage physique, he had undergone a complete transformation, becoming vastly different from ordinary people.
Not long after he left, a white cat leaped over the wall into his estate. It made its way to the highest window of the vacant attic and settled down. The cat alternated between closing its eyes to rest and scanning the surroundings, keeping the entire household under watch.
Last night’s incident served as a wake-up call for Xu Lian. He realized that he needed to consider the safety of the women at home.
Everyone in Green Bamboo Town now knew that he was the new overseer of the mine, with wealth in abundance – grain and silver overflowing. Meanwhile, many outside struggled with empty stomachs. It was only a matter of time before someone with bad intentions tried to break in. Precautions had to be taken.
Even though the mine was managed by Pu Ling, Xu Lian didn’t have to be there every day. Today, his visit wasn’t to oversee the mine, but to seek Han Du’s advice on the Condensation Pill.
The Condensation Pill was critical for advancing to the Bright Strength stage, and that was his top priority. In a chaotic and dangerous world, improving his strength always came first.
When he arrived at the mine, Xu Lian strolled around with his hands clasped behind his back.
This mannerism was something he picked up from Han Du, who often inspected the mine in this posture. Xu Lian thought that it gave off an authoritative vibe, so he decided to adopt it.
The sight of Xu Lian walking through the mine caused the workers to immediately pick up the pace. Xu Lian had recently undergone a remarkable transformation. His every move was marked by a noble demeanor and unshakable confidence. No one dared to treat him as a mere youth anymore, let alone slack off in his presence.
Back at the Stone Town dock, Xiao Mei had spotted him in the crowd at first glance for this very reason. Xu Lian had a striking appearance to begin with, and his bearing made him stand out even more.
After a brief inspection of the mine, Xu Lian went to the granary and instructed Lu Kan to lead the swordsmen in capturing the mountain bandits alive for the blood sacrifice.
The previous batch of bandits had already been used up, executed one by one as time passed. The blood sacrifices could not be delayed.
Even though Xu Lian’s white cat avatar was a Yi Sect disciple and a Pingyang County Inspector, and he himself had favorable relations with the White Fox Quarry Patrol Inspector, he understood the importance of discretion.
On the surface, he was just a minor overseer of the mine. Remaining low-key and performing his duties meticulously was the best way to avoid arousing suspicion among other members of the Yi Sect.
As before, Xu Lian offered Lu Kan and the swordsmen generous terms. Any injuries sustained during the hunt would be compensated with grain rations, and all of the bandits’ booty would belong to the swordsmen. Xu Lian only asked for one thing – the bandits themselves, alive.
The swordsmen were eager and ready to act.
Only Lu Kan understood the bigger picture. With Xu Lian holding a high-level purple jade token, he could command absolute authority with a single word, even without the lucrative incentives.
Without a word of complaint, Lu Kan followed orders and selected five swordsmen to go after the mountain bandits.
For such trivial tasks, Xu Lian couldn’t even be bothered to interfere. He mounted his horse and rode off to Han Du’s mine.
“Just a few days ago, I visited your mine to invite you to the Lichun Brothel for some music,” Han Du began, his tone carrying a hint of curiosity. “But I heard that you haven’t been to the mine for two or three days.”
Han Du’s eyes showed a flicker of understanding as he guessed that Xu Lian must have gone to Stone Town. “So, how did it go? Smoothly?”
Xu Lian didn’t answer directly, but clasped his hands and respectfully said, “I have to thank Brother Han for pointing me in the right direction.”
Han Du immediately understood that Xu Lian had succeeded. With a hint of envy in his eyes, he said, “It seems that Brother Xu has truly stepped onto the path of martial arts. Congratulations.”
He sighed and added, “As for me, I’ve given up hope of ever becoming a martial artist. My family was destitute when I was young – we could barely afford to eat. If it weren’t for my sister’s beauty, which won the favor of the mayor of the old town, I wouldn’t have even become the overseer of this mine. When I finally had some silver, I hired some martial arts instructors, but by then I was too old to start training. All I managed to learn were some basic amateur-level martial arts.”
Xu Lian offered him some words of comfort. “Brother Han, don’t lose heart. Persistence pays off. On the martial arts path, some achieve greatness in their youth, while others blossom later in life. Perhaps your efforts will bear fruit one day.”
Han Du smiled. “From your lips to the heavens.”
After a bit more small talk, Xu Lian steered the conversation towards his goal. “Brother Han, have you ever heard of something called the Condensation Pill?”
“Condensation Pill?” Han Du frowned thoughtfully. “Just from the name, I’d guess that it’s something used by cultivators. But I’m just an ordinary person, how would I know about such things?”
Xu Lian felt a pang of disappointment, even though it wasn’t unexpected. Han Du’s knowledge had its limits, and expecting too much wasn’t realistic.
If all else failed, Xu Lian could always ask the quarry patrol inspector. Given the inspector’s personality, she might casually toss him a Condensation Pill.
However, relationships between people had to be mutually beneficial in order to last. The Quarry Patrol Inspector White Fox had already done a lot to help him, while Xu Lian’s current strength contributed almost nothing in return.
To put it plainly, the inspector’s support was an investment with no immediate return. It was a delicate balance, and Xu Lian wasn’t someone who didn’t know the limits. He understood that constantly asking for favors would only lead to resentment.
Thus, whenever possible, he preferred to solve problems on his own. Only when faced with situations far beyond his capabilities, like last night, did he seek the inspector’s protection.
As if remembering something, Han Du spoke up, “But I’ve heard that there’s a black market for cultivators in Pingyang County. You might be able to find what you’re looking for there. However…”
Xu Lian’s eyes lit up. “However, what?”
Han Du continued, “I’ve heard that cultivators use some kind of spiritual stone as currency for transactions. Ordinary money wouldn’t be accepted in such a place.”
Xu Lian felt a headache coming on. After finally learning of a potential source for the Condensation Pill, he was faced with another obstacle – he had no cultivator’s currency.
How could he obtain these spiritual stones?
He began to ponder.
The Yi Sect was an unconventional organization. Each member joined through an avatar, and there was no regular stipend or monthly salary. If the members wanted cultivation resources, they had to rely on their own abilities.
Xu Lian might not have any money, but he did have authority.
In some cases, authority could be as good as money.
In a sect without monthly stipends, leveraging power for personal gain was an unspoken norm. As long as you didn’t go overboard, the higher-ups would turn a blind eye. After all, without a steady income, everyone was struggling.
This meant that he could use his White Cat avatar’s position as an inspector in Pingyang County to acquire cultivation resources.
“It’s time to visit Pingyang County,” Xu Lian concluded, making a plan.
As the newly appointed inspector, his white cat avatar carried significant authority. The locals in Pingyang County would undoubtedly show their respect.
After all, the Inspector had wide jurisdiction and could intervene in any matter within the county. While Xu Lian wasn’t interested in creating trouble for others, it would be unwise for anyone to ignore him outright.