Although he didn’t get the actual fifth bone but he got the content, it no longer mattered whether Ning Tao found the actual bone. If there were only six bones, then the only one left was the one at Nicholas’.

After successfully refining the fourth edition of the Ancestor-seeking Elixir, Ning Tao entered the crack of time and space afterwards. He was touched by what Hu Ji said when she awoke.

She said: “To find where elixir of immortality hides, catch the elixir’s soul first.”

The woman in red was the elixir’s soul.

It seemed that the only way to catch the elixir’s soul was to put the six pieces together. Whether he could find the complete Ancestor-seeking Elixir and solve its mystery was something to worry about later.

However, taking the elixir prescription of the sixth skull fragment from Nicholas Conway was easier said than done.

Since he already had five elixir prescriptions out of six and knew the location of the last one, Ning Tao wasn’t in a hurry anymore. What he needed to do next was easy. He just had to wait for the clinic to upgrade and improve the team’s power in the meantime, then strike the Black Fire Company and take the last skull fragment at the right time.

Ning Tao wrote down the contents of the photo after he got back to the clinic, and added “three ocean jade cores” to the incomplete elixir prescription. After placing it in the drawer, he opened the convenient door and returned to the room in the Chen Pingdao cave.

Qing Zhui and Bai Jing had shut their doors tight and the whole room was filled with demon aura.

Ning Tao didn’t dare to knock on their doors; he went straight to Yin Molan’s thatched hut and the result was the same. Yin Molan was cultivating in his room, sending out strong demon aura that could be sensed from a distance.

Ning Tao went to the forest in the end; cold air rushed to his face before he was close to Jiang Hao. He carefully walked for a while before Jiang Hao appeared in his sight, and he was shocked.

Trees, soil, rocks in the tens of square meters surrounding Jiang Hao were frozen, including herself. Breaths came out of her nostrils, the only two holes that weren’t frozen. If it weren’t for those signs, nobody would think that she was still alive.

Ning Tao didn’t dare to disturb her so he stepped out of the woods and went to Chen Pingdao’s place.

Howling Celestial Dog and Hu Xiaoji were at his place. Chen Pingdao made a bunch of winter gourd candies which they loved.

Chen Pingdao picked white gourd in his spiritual field as ingredients; with his kitchen skills practiced for two thousand years, the taste was definitively good.

“Dad, you’re back. Try some gourd candies made by Grandpa Chen. They taste delicious Xiaoji rushed to Ning Tao as soon as she saw him; she was holding a candy in her hand.

Ning Tao crouched down and held her up, then bit the candy Hu Xiaoji fed him. The candy melted in his mouth; fresh and sweet but not too much. He tasted the candy and smiled. “Did you behave when I wasn’t at home?”

“Yes.” Hu Xiaoji giggled.

Howling Celestial Dog ran to him with a wagging tail.

Ning Tao put down Hu Xiaoji and touched Howling Celestial Dog’s head. “Don’t get into trouble in front of Senior Chen and take care of Xiaoji.”

Howling Celestial Dog nodded. “Don’t worry, dad. I’m also well behaved.”

Chen Pingdao turned to look at the broken chair and bit back what he wanted to say.

“Senior Chen, can I borrow you for a second?” Ning Tao said.

Chen Pingdao replied, “Let’s speak in my room.”

Ning Tao followed him into his room and closed the door behind him.

Chen Pingdao asked, “Acting so mysteriously, what do you want to say? Have you forgotten that Howling Celestial Dog can easily hear the sound of a crawling ant?”

Ning Tao said, “It covers its ears when I talk.”

As predicted, Howling Celestial Dog folded its ears in the yard.

Ning Tao handed a list he had prepared a long time ago to Chen Pingdao, “Here’s some spiritual material I need. Could I ask Senior Chen to do me another favor?”

Chen Pingdao threw the list back to Ning Tao in horror, looking upset. “Are you out of your mind? First your family occupied my cave, now you boss me around as if I were your servant. You’ve crossed the line! I almost cleared my thousand years of stock to get you spiritual material last time and you want me to do it again?”

Ning Tao responded calmly, “Forget it then. I had planned to refine a dog like Howling Celestial Dog for you in the future if you helped me. But if you’re not willing to help, then that’s it. I’ll figure it out by myself.”

“Refine you said…” Chen Pingdao asked in surprise, “Howling Celestial Dog was refined by you?”

Ning Tao said, “It was just a stray dog, chased by an urban management officer. I saved it and refined it, turning it into a cultivating dog by consecration.”

He didn’t reveal the fact that Chen Pingdao’s Heavenly Hound tripod was the equipment he had used to refine the dog, otherwise Chen Pingdao might hit the ceiling.

Chen Pingdao seemed to be hesitating, stroking his jaw.

“I shall leave since Senior Chen doesn’t approve.” Ning Tao turned around.

Chen Pingdao grabbed Ning Tao’s hand and snatched the list form him. He said while studying the list, “It’s a deal then. If you lie to me, you need to return double the spiritual material you use.”

Ning Tao grinned. “Deal. There’s one more favor I need to ask Senior Chen for.”

Chen Pingdao glared at Ning Tao. “Haven’t you finished?”

Ning Tao said, “The Ancestor-seeking Elixir’s power is so strong that Qing Zhui and the rest are still in isolated cultivation. I have no idea how long it will take for them to finish, but I have other things to handle. That’s why I need Senior Chen to look after them, as well as Howling Celestial Dog. You could teach the dog some cultivation methods.”

“That’s not a problem. Just leave it to me. I have plenty experience in training dogs,” Chen Pingdao immediately promised.

Ning Tao bowed with folded hands to Chen Pingdao and left. Back to the cave for refining pills, he took two royal vases made in Yue ware as well as two plates and opened the convenient door to the Sky Clinic.

He really couldn’t spare time to guard Qing Zhui’s cultivation process. Besides the ten-day promise with Tang Zixian, he also wished Fan Huaying could estimate the value of the Tang-dynasty vases he brought back from the sunken ship. What’s more, the clinic was about to be upgraded and he needed to prepare for that. Not to mention he needed to work for treatment fees after the upgrade, so he needed to make preparations in advance.

Back in the clinic, Ning Tao wiped the vases with surgical cotton he found and dialed Fan Huaying’s number.

“Morning, Huaying. Hope I didn’t wake you up,” Ning Tao said in courtesy.

Fan Huaying’s voice came from the other side with a bit of sarcasm, “You’re joking. I don’t have the leisure of sleeping in. I’m studying German right now.”

“What inspired you to study German?”

“I have a meeting in Germany next month. A local manufacturing company wants to look for German cooperation and the boss is an old friend of mine. I was asked to do a favor for the manufacturing company. So I have to study Germany as a preparation measure.”

“Are you free these days?” Ning Tao had the least interest in a German company.

“Go ahead. What do you want me to do?” Fan Huaying said.

Ning Tao said, “I found a few porcelain pieces from the Tang dynasty in the ocean, a pair of vases and two plates, all made in Yue ware. I’ll send you some pictures later. Can you find some buyers for me and organize a private auction to sell them?”

“Send me some pictures first. If they’re really made in Yue ware from the Tang dynasty, then they are truly precious. I can definitely find some buyers for you. Only…” Fan Huaying didn’t finish the sentence.

“Only what?”

“I’m thinking that you can’t certify that you found them in the sea. We’d have to go abroad for an auction in case they’re confiscated by the government. According to the law, what’s buried in the sea and land belongs to the public, even aerolites. They would need to be preserved by the government.”

Ning Tao said with a bitter smile, “I didn’t know about that until you shared this Info. with me. All right, I’ll send you some pictures first. You can decide how to do it after you take a look. Don’t worry about money. Even reckonings make long-lasting friends. I’ll pay you.”

“Look at you. You don’t regard me as a friend.” Fan Huaying was bit unhappy.

“I’ve got to go. Get ready for the photos.” Ning Tao hung up and sent a few pictures to Fan Huaying via WeChat.

For Ning Tao, porcelain that was worth a few billions was a small business that could be handled by Fan Huaying. Money meant nothing for him at the moment, because he could earn as much money as he wanted. His desire for treatment fees was stronger than money.

He soon received a WeChat message from Fan Huaying. “My goodness. They are really porcelain pieces from Yue ware. I need to find some experts for the evaluation. Wait for my message.”

Ning Tao replied, “OK.”

Fan Huaying added, “Bro, you’ve struck gold this time.”

Ning Tao replied with a funny emoji and walked out of the Sky Clinic.

Snow had stopped and the sky was clear blue, with a golden sun hanging in the east. There was snow on the roofs and the street was basking in bright sunlight.

Ning Tao took a deep breath of fresh air. “Beidu, I’m back. Wu Yue, are you the tyrant I’m looking for?”

He would find Wu Yue even he didn’t come to him. Because wherever the Sky Clinic moved to, he had to bring down the tyrant of that place—that was the mission.

Same logic. He would visit Nicholas Conway even he were in the distant U.S. someday.