Transmigration: The Peerless Immortal Husband

Back at the inn, Chi Changye asked Gu Yao, “Do you want to join the Tianfu Academy?”

Gu Yao nodded. “What about you, Brother Ye? With your spiritual root and talent, you could join any sect you want.”

Chi Changye shook his head. “It doesn’t mean much to me. I’d rather go with you to Tianfu Academy and look around. Besides, I’ve heard that the academy has a Sword Pavilion, and it doesn’t seem ordinary.”

Gu Yao, who had overheard people talking about the Sword Pavilion while strolling around, naturally knew of it. The most exaggerated claim was that of the ten who entered the Sword Pavilion, nine ended up as fools, and one went mad. Nowadays, few dared to set foot inside. However, there was also a rumor that the head of Tianfu Academy himself had successfully emerged from the Sword Pavilion. Originally, his cultivation talent was mediocre, but he suddenly skyrocketed to prominence, becoming the leading figure in the academy. It was because of this headmaster’s presence that, despite its bad reputation, Tianfu Academy still managed to hold its ground on the Tianlin Continent.

“But that Sword Pavilion… could there be something wrong with it? Otherwise, why would there be sayings like ‘nine fools, one madman’?” Gu Yao asked worriedly.

Chi Changye smiled. “Don’t worry, I won’t recklessly charge into the Sword Pavilion. I’ll investigate first. Besides, not just anyone qualifies to step inside.”

Just hearing the name “Sword Pavilion” made Gu Yao think of his own Pill Pavilion. In his mind, he called out to Senior Xu Chen, “Senior, have you ever heard of the Sword Pavilion? There’s the Pill Pavilion and now the Sword Pavilion—could there be some kind of connection?”

Xu Chen, who slowly stirred awake in Gu Yao’s sea of consciousness, snorted lightly, “Once you’ve seen more of the world, you’ll realize that so-called pavilions like the Pill Pavilion, Sword Pavilion, and Artifact Pavilion are all over the cultivation world. Oh, and there are also places like the Pill Tower, Pill Valley, and Pill Peak. Don’t overthink it. Not everyone has the luck to stumble upon treasures just like that.”

Gu Yao thought it made sense and wasn’t embarrassed by his lack of knowledge. For now, he should focus on finding a way to gather more spirit stones.

In Yuanyang Town, finding a spirit bead was already considered a fortunate discovery. Spirit stones, on the other hand, were typically controlled by three major families and other powerful factions, making them nearly inaccessible to ordinary cultivators. However, upon arriving here, Gu Yao and Chi Changye quickly realized that spirit beads were almost insignificant in comparison.

Forget about qualifying for Tianfu Academy—even the living expenses in this Shifang City were several times higher than in Yuanyang Town.

After some discussion, the two decided to discreetly sell a portion of their pills and talismans during this period. Back in Yuanyang Town, they had hesitated to trade their valuable items openly due to concerns about the Gu and Lu families. As a result, even their best-quality pills were never shown to the Tian family. But Shifang City was vast, and no matter how many pills and talismans they sold, their contributions would blend into the market like streams merging into the ocean. As long as they concealed their tracks carefully, it would be hard for anyone to trace them.

Over the next few days, they took advantage of their outings to visit several shops that purchased pills and talismans, selling their items in small, scattered quantities. Gu Yao also made a point of inquiring about the price of premium pills, and the results were indeed promising. High-grade pills were worth double the price of low-grade ones, and supreme quality pills could fetch at least double the price of high-grade ones—sometimes even more. After all, supreme quality pills were rare, with demand far exceeding supply. This made Gu Yao realize that even in the outside world, supreme quality pills were highly scarce and shouldn’t be taken out casually.

After selling their pills and talismans, they used the profits to purchase raw materials for alchemy and talisman crafting. Back in Yuanyang Town, the scarcity of spiritual herbs had prevented Gu Yao from experimenting with certain pills. However, in this larger city, most of the herbs he needed were readily available in the market. With these new materials, Gu Yao could refine pills that would further accelerate his cultivation. As his cultivation improved, he would be able to refine even higher-grade pills, creating a positive feedback loop.

Gu Yao decided to stop using spirit beads and switched entirely to spirit stones in his Spirit Gathering Disk during cultivation. With the dual boost of abundant spiritual energy and potent pills, Gu Yao felt his heart pounding with excitement. His previous cultivation experience felt like driving an old, rusty car, but now it was like riding a roller coaster. For several days, he was so exhilarated that his spirits were constantly high, and his eyes sparkled with excitement.

“You’re getting this excited? It’s just a few low-grade spirit stones. Once you leave here and head to a higher-level cultivation continent, you’ll realize that low-grade spirit stones are nothing more than trifles used to brush people off,” Xu Chen said, dampening Gu Yao’s enthusiasm.

But Gu Yao remained cheerful and unaffected, licking his lips as he replied, “But, Senior, you can’t even produce a single low-grade spirit stone right now.”

So, there was no need to dwell on past glories. People needed to keep their feet firmly on the ground, or they’d end up like Xu Chen, whose physical body was now destroyed.

Of course, Gu Yao kept the rest of his thoughts to himself. He didn’t dare voice them in front of Xu Chen—who knew if he’d get embarrassed and lash out? Gu Yao still thought of the Pill Pavilion residing in his sea of consciousness as a hidden danger. He had considered trying to move it out, but the pavilion seemed to prefer staying in his mind, leaving him with no choice.

After selling a few rounds of pills and talismans, their wealth skyrocketed. When Gu Yao learned that Chi Changye’s spirit stone count had surpassed a thousand, he grinned like a cat that had just stolen some cream.

At that moment, someone came looking for the shop where Gu Yao had sold his pills. “Shopkeeper, do you still have the high-grade Bi Hua Pills (Jade Blossom Pill) I bought here earlier?” the customer asked.

The shopkeeper apologized, “They’ve already sold out. We only have medium-grade and low-grade Bi Hua Pills left, along with other types of pills. Would you like to take a look?”

The cultivator who came to purchase the pills looked deeply disappointed but still held onto hope. He asked, “Do you have any other pills made by the same alchemist who refined the high-grade Bi Hua Pills?”

The shopkeeper could only offer a wry smile. “No, I don’t. The alchemist didn’t provide many pills, which is quite unusual. You’re not the only one to come back asking for more; there have been several others. The pills sold out very quickly. I’ve been waiting for that alchemist to return, but they haven’t shown up. In hindsight, I should have asked more questions.”

In truth, the shopkeeper still couldn’t figure out if the seller was the alchemist themselves or just someone reselling the pills. Since the quantity was small, although the quality was excellent, he hadn’t paid too much attention initially. It wasn’t until cultivators who had taken the pills came back seeking more, and after he personally tried one, that he regretted not investigating further and persuading the seller to stay.

While they were talking, several more cultivators entered the shop. From their attire, it was clear they were disciples of the Beixing Sect. The shopkeeper immediately adopted a respectful demeanor to serve them. Unexpectedly, they too were inquiring about the high-grade Bi Hua Pills and the alchemist who made them. The shopkeeper repeated what he had already explained, all the while feeling even more regretful. If he had managed to retain that alchemist, it might have marked the rise of his shop.

One female disciple noticed her senior brother Yan Yang frowning slightly and quickly interjected, “Senior Brother, the person who sold those pills was so secretive—it’s likely the pills weren’t obtained through proper means. They probably weren’t even made by the seller themselves. I think it’s best to just let it go if we can’t find them.”

Another male disciple added, “Senior Brother, even if the seller was the alchemist, they were probably from another sect. They might have been hiding their sect affiliation to avoid drawing attention. After all, alchemists are difficult to cultivate, and anyone who can produce high-grade pills is unlikely to be a nobody.”

Yan Yang sighed and said, “You both make valid points. Shopkeeper, if that alchemist ever returns, I’d appreciate it if you could inform us.”

The shopkeeper immediately understood that the Beixing Sect had taken a keen interest in this alchemist and wanted to recruit them. Since the Beixing Sect was not a faction he could afford to offend, he quickly promised, “Please rest assured, fellow cultivators. If that alchemist comes back, I will definitely notify you.”

The shopkeeper was well aware of the status of this particular cultivator in front of him—Yan Yang, the Beixing Sect’s direct disciple, held an extraordinarily high position among the sect’s disciples. The fact that an unknown alchemist’s pills had impressed someone of his stature was remarkable. If the alchemist truly were a nobody, the shopkeeper believed that once word spread, the alchemist would likely jump at the chance to join the Beixing Sect.

Yan Yang left a communication talisman behind, saying, “Thank you, shopkeeper. Farewell,” before turning and leaving with his junior disciples.

Even after the Beixing Sect disciples left the shop, their discussion about the pills continued. It turned out that one of their sect members had accidentally purchased a Bi Hua Pill. Previously, he had taken Bi Hua Pills but failed to break through. This time, however, he advanced smoothly to the seventh level of Qi Refinement, crediting the pill for his success. A senior sect elder, upon examining another pill the disciple had purchased, instructed Yan Yang to investigate the alchemist behind it.

From his inquiries, Yan Yang learned that the second pill was called the Hua Wan Pill, also used for breakthrough advancements. Its effects did not conflict with the Bi Hua Pill, but while most cultivators were familiar with the Bi Hua Pill, few had heard of the Hua Wan Pill. The crafting method for the Hua Wan Pill was somewhat unique. If the alchemist had been trained by another major sect, that was one thing, but if they were an independent or from a minor faction, it would be worth recruiting them into the Beixing Sect.

If the alchemist was still young, they had the potential to become an eighth-grade alchemist, which was invaluable. Ninth-grade alchemists were rare, but eighth-grade alchemists, especially advanced ones, were also highly sought after. Even the Beixing Sect would go to great lengths to recruit such talent, as their contributions would be significant.

Junior Sister Yin speculated, “Maybe it’s the descendant of some eighth-grade alchemist, secretly selling pills they stole from their elder. After spending all their spirit stones, they probably decided to sell these pills to make more. Small factions and families might train alchemists, but they usually can’t even produce mid-grade pills. Bringing such alchemists into the sect would just be a waste of resources.”

Even in the Beixing Sect, cultivation resources weren’t handed out freely. There was competition among disciples, and focusing resources on one disciple often meant reducing resources allocated to others.

Yan Yang replied warmly, “Since we came across this situation, it’s worth investigating. If the alchemist isn’t worth recruiting, the sect won’t take them in. The Beixing Sect isn’t like other factions that accept anyone, regardless of their qualifications.”

“Senior Brother is right. Tianfu Academy has become increasingly ridiculous over the years, accepting all kinds of trash. It’s turned into a laughingstock on the Tianlin Continent.”

As Gu Yao and Chi Changye passed by nearby, they overheard the conversation. Only after the group had walked away did the two stop and exchange glances.

Gu Yao hesitated before saying, “The Beixing Sect… are they looking for an alchemist?”

Surely… it couldn’t just be a coincidence. Could it?

Chi Changye shook his head and said, “It’s not impossible.”

Gu Yao was clearly unaware of just how exceptional his alchemy talent was. Chi Changye, on the other hand, had heard of and encountered so-called alchemy prodigies before, but none of them could compare to Gu Yao. “It seems we’ll have to keep an even lower profile. I’ve done some digging—those sects are in desperate need of eighth-grade alchemists, especially advanced eighth-grade alchemists. Xiao Yao, you shouldn’t sell Hua Wan Pills anymore.”

He had initially overlooked the significance of the Hua Wan Pill because it wasn’t rare in Lingyun Sect. When Gu Yao first refined it, Chi Changye didn’t think much of it and treated it like any other pill, mixing it in with the others for sale. However, after traveling to more places and gathering information, he realized that the cultivation environment here was much less advanced compared to where he had been before.

If a sect like the Beixing Sect discovered that Gu Yao was a self-taught “wild” alchemist, they would never let him go.

———————————
TN: Bi Hua Pills ( Jade Blossom Pill): medicinal pill related to growth, vitality, or perhaps healing.