Chapter 517 - 517: Everyone's a Connoisseur

Zhao Yuan instantly broke out in goosebumps.

Cheng Haoyu was beautiful beyond measure, and his voice was sweet and melodic. If he were a woman, this would have been a real treat. But the damn guy was a man!

Being hugged by a man like that, and a man who was pleading in such a whiny, coquettish tone...

The feeling was simply awful. Zhao Yuan shuddered, a chill running down his spine as his butthole clenched tight.

He hastily struggled out of Cheng Haoyu's embrace and snapped, "Stop! Don't come near me! I'll do it. I'll make you a Storage Ring. Forget the money. Just give me two of those potted plants from your living room downstairs."

A flash of surprise crossed Cheng Haoyu's eyes. "Which two have you set your sights on?" he asked.

Zhao Yuan went straight downstairs to the living room and pointed at the Dixiu and Ghost Grass. "These two," he said.

Cheng Haoyu didn't immediately agree or refuse. Instead, he said, "Brother Zhao, you certainly have a good eye."

As soon as he heard that, Zhao Yuan knew Cheng Haoyu also recognized their value. He absolutely knew the truth about the Dixiu and Ghost Grass.

Ying Ji and Hao Li, on the other hand, looked completely lost. "Can you two speak plainly?" they asked. "What are these riddles you're talking in?"

Zhao Yuan explained, "These two aren't ordinary plants. They're two types of Spirit Medicinal Materials."

"Spirit Medicinal Materials?" Ying Ji recalled the favor Zhao Yuan had asked of her and instantly understood. "Don't tell me they're the Dixiu and Ghost Grass?" she asked.

"That's right. These two Spirit Medicinal Materials are the Dixiu and Ghost Grass. It seems you were looking for them, Brother Zhao?" Cheng Haoyu said, giving Zhao Yuan a meaningful look.

Zhao Yuan waved his hand. "Don't call me Brother Zhao; you're older than I am. And let's not beat around the bush. I am indeed looking for Dixiu and Ghost Grass. I even asked Ying Ji to help me post a request to buy them on the Cultivator Forum. I never thought I'd see them here at your place today."

Most of what he said was true. Zhao Yuan only concealed the fact that he already knew the Dixiu and Ghost Grass were here.

Cheng Haoyu smiled. "You may be younger than me, but your skill in Talisman Creation is so great that I have to admire it. There's nothing wrong with me calling you 'Brother.' But to get to the point, what do you plan to do with these two Spirit Medicinal Materials? To be honest, I'm keeping them because I want to ask a Pill Master to help me refine a certain Pill. If you don't have a critical need for them, please forgive me, but I can't bear to part with them."

"Alchemy?" A thought struck Zhao Yuan, and he asked, "Don't tell me you want to use them to make Qi Condensing Powder?"

Cheng Haoyu's face was a mask of astonishment. "You actually know about this Elixir?"

Ying Ji and Hao Li were baffled and couldn't help but ask, "This Qi Condensing Powder you're talking about… what does it do? Is it something amazing?"

Cheng Haoyu enunciated every word. "The Qi Condensing Powder has only one purpose—to help someone break through from the Marrow Cleansing Realm to the Qi Listening Realm!"

"Hiss!" Ying Ji and Hao Li both sucked in a sharp breath. "No way!" they exclaimed. "An Elixir that magical really exists?"

Cheng Haoyu nodded. "I read about Qi Condensing Powder in an ancient text. Unfortunately, the book was incomplete. Besides describing its effects, it only mentioned that Dixiu and Ghost Grass were needed as the main ingredients. Ying Ji and Fatty Hao know that I reached the Peak of Marrow Cleansing three years ago, but I've never been able to get past that final hurdle. To ascend to the Qi Listening Realm, I moved heaven and earth to get my hands on these two Spirit Medicinal Materials, hoping to have Qi Condensing Powder refined. But I've searched for many Pill Masters, and none of them know the Refining Technique. Even the famous Cold Mountain Elder, Elder Weng, and Lady Hundred Herbs from the Cultivator Forum can't produce this Elixir."

He paused for a moment before continuing, "Since you also know about Qi Condensing Powder, Brother Zhao, your goal must be the same as mine, right?"

Now that it was out in the open, there was no point in lying or denying it. Zhao Yuan nodded. "Yes. I also plan to use these two Spirit Medicinal Materials to create Qi Condensing Powder."

Cheng Haoyu sighed, a bitter expression on his face. "I'd advise you to give up on that idea. I suspect that there's no one left in this world who knows how to refine Qi Condensing Powder."

Zhao Yuan just smiled, noncommittal about his advice. He simply asked, "If you believe no one knows how to refine Qi Condensing Powder, then why are you still holding onto these two Spirit Medicinal Materials?"

Cheng Haoyu gave a bitter smile. "I just can't bring myself to give up. I'm holding out on a sliver of hope."

At that moment, Ying Ji and Hao Li snapped out of their shock and swarmed around Zhao Yuan.

Ying Ji had completely lost her usual air of a cold, aloof CEO. She linked her arm with Zhao Yuan's, acting cute and coquettish. "Zhao Yuan, once you refine the Qi Condensing Powder, you have to give me one! I'll pay whatever you ask. Even another hundred million, that's no problem at all!"

Before the Qi Listening Realm, one was only considered to be in Body Refining, not yet having truly stepped onto the path of Cultivation. Only by entering the Qi Listening Realm could one be said to have truly pushed open the great gate of Cultivation!

To a Cultivator, as long as they could enter the Qi Listening Realm, they wouldn't hesitate to spend a hundred million, or even more! Once your Cultivation rose, would you ever need to worry about money again? What a joke!

Hao Li couldn't act coquettishly, so he could only plead. "Me too, Little Brother Zhao! My dream is to step into the Qi Listening Realm, you have to help make it come true! Besides, it'll be good for all of you after I enter the Qi Listening Realm. My control over Qi will be more sensitive, so I'll be even better at drawing out the essence and flavor from food! Of course, I definitely won't short you on the payment for the medicine."

Cheng Haoyu watched from the side, utterly bewildered. "What are you two doing?" he asked, puzzled. "Didn't you hear what I said? The Qi Condensing Powder is indeed a miraculous Elixir, but the problem is, no Pill Master knows how to refine it."

Ying Ji and Hao Li spoke almost in unison. "That's because the Pill Masters you found weren't skilled enough! If we have Zhao Yuan refine it, there'll be no problem at all, right, Zhao Yuan?"

"But isn't Brother Zhao a Talisman Master?"

Cheng Haoyu felt like his brain couldn't keep up. 'What's the deal with this Zhao Yuan? He's clearly a Talisman Master, so how can he also make Storage Rings? And why are Ying Ji and Hao Li so certain he can refine Qi Condensing Powder? Where did this guy get so many skills? Does he really think he's Bai Xiaosheng or something?!'

At this point, it was difficult for Zhao Yuan to deny it. Besides, from what he could see, Cheng Haoyu had a decent amount of both Dixiu and Ghost Grass. 'If I'm careful and use them sparingly,' he thought, 'I should be able to make a good amount of Qi Condensing Powder. Not only will it be enough for me, but I can also sell the rest for a bit of cash.'

So, he admitted, "I do, in fact, know how to refine Qi Condensing Powder."

Cheng Haoyu was even more stunned. "Are you serious? Brother Zhao, you're not joking, are you? This is the Qi Condensing Powder! Not even the likes of Cold Mountain Elder and Lady Hundred Herbs know how to refine it!"

In her excitement, Ying Ji forgot all about keeping Zhao Yuan's secrets. She rolled her eyes at Cheng Haoyu and said, "What are Cold Mountain Elder and Lady Hundred Herbs? Zhao Yuan just taught them a lesson not long ago!"