After a long explanation of the current situation in the market, Lan Rui seemed deep in thought. Then, he furrowed his brows.
"Old Wang, how do you know all this?" he asked.
With a mischievous smile, Old Wang replied, "Who do you think I am? The delay in setting up my stall was because the Crimson Blade Gang invited me to concoct pills."
"If not for the generous reward personally promised by the Crimson Blade True Cultivator, I wouldn't have even batted an eye at this conflict."
One must understand that pills are far more valuable than talismans. Old Wang could easily earn hundreds of spirit stones a day from his sales, yet he hadn't opened his stall for two weeks.
Given his usual schedule, operating once every three days, if he earned around 500 spirit stones per opening, he had forgone over 2,000 spirit stones worth of sales.
The Crimson Blade True Cultivator must have offered him an even greater reward, possibly double that amount, with zero cost on his part.
At that moment, a thought struck Lan Rui. Alchemists were truly wealthy and held more prestige than talisman masters.
"Well, I might not open my stall for another week after this," Old Wang suddenly stated.
Lan Rui was startled. "Why, Old Wang? Is your pocket so full that you're taking a vacation?"
Old Wang snorted. "It's not like that, brat. I'm going into seclusion to break through to the late stage of Qi Refining Realm."
Lan Rui's eyes widened in shock. "Can you really break through at your age? Aren't you over sixty years old...?"
Old Wang immediately scolded him. "You brat! Who told you I'm sixty? I'm fifty-two this year!"
Lan Rui furrowed his brows. "What's the difference?"
Old Wang sighed. "You… Never mind, I'll explain. There's a saying that the best time to attempt breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Realm is before the age of sixty. The success rate is much higher."
"Most low-level loose cultivators treat it as mere rumor, but in reality, it's one hundred percent true. The reason? No one knows for certain. But once a cultivator surpasses sixty, their vitality starts to decline, making breakthroughs far more difficult."
"So, if you aspire to become a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, you must focus on cultivation. Don't end up like me."
"In my youth, I dreamed of reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm, but once I learned alchemy and started making money, I became obsessed with wealth and missed my golden opportunity."
"Even though I no longer dream of becoming a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, I still want to reach the peak of Qi Refining Realm. That way, I can extend my lifespan and catch a glimpse of the Second Rank in alchemy."
Lan Rui saw the hint of regret on the old man's face as he continued sharing his story. He chose not to interrupt, simply nodding to show he was listening.
Time passed unnoticed, and before long, the sun hung directly above, signaling that it was already afternoon.
Old Wang suddenly snapped out of his reminiscing and said, "Oh, look at me, rambling about my youth. Sorry, Xiao Lan. Thank you for listening to this old turtle. If you need to leave, go ahead."
Lan Rui shook his head, indicating he didn't mind. With a wave of his hand, the cloth in front of him vanished. He got up and about to leave.
"Wait, Xiao Lan," Old Wang suddenly called out.
He tossed a jade bottle toward Lan Rui, who caught it instinctively. Curious, Lan Rui opened it and saw ten green pills inside. His eyes widened in shock.
They were mid-grade Qi Condensation Pills. The market price for a single one was one spirit stone. He glanced at Old Wang in disbelief.
"Take it," Old Wang said with a chuckle. "Consider it a gift for listening to this old turtle's rambling."
Lan Rui immediately bowed at a ninety-degree angle and said, "Thank you, Old Wang. If this is the reward, why don't I visit your house every day and listen to your stories? As long as you keep giving me a bottle of these pills!"
Old Wang snapped, "You brat! Get lost before I change my mind!"
Lan Rui laughed and bolted away without looking back, still shouting, "Thanks, Old Wang!"
After Lan Rui vanished from sight, Old Wang chuckled to himself. "He's lively and energetic… just like I was in my youth."
Lan Rui didn't return home immediately but instead headed to the talisman shop to restock his supplies. Remembering Old Wang's warning that prices would likely rise soon, he purchased three sets of materials, enough to draw 300 talismans.
However, the cost was steep 18 spirit stones. He felt a pang of dejection but quickly shook it off. Once he was done, he strolled around the market for a while before heading home.
On his way, he overheard all sorts of rumors from nearby cultivators. Naturally, the main topic was the recent conflict between the two local powers.
Some speculated that the Feng Family was courting death by daring to challenge the Crimson Blade Gang. Others believed the Feng Family would join forces with the other two Immortal Families.
There were even whispers that the Cloud Sword Sect might forcibly confiscate the mine.
All sorts of speculations circulated, but none were as detailed as Old Wang's account. Lan Rui couldn't help but be amazed at the old man's vast network of information.
.....