Chapter 277: We Can Talk

"Song Jiulai..."

Lin Qian murmured, "So it’s really her..."

’I just didn’t expect her to be the Sect Master of the Longevity Sect.’

After meeting Song Jiulai that one time, she had never seen her again.

Then again, it had only been a few months.

Lin Qian had heard of the Longevity Sect’s reputation recently. Their disciples had sold a lot of spirit materials and Demon Beast Materials to the Taohua Sect, saying that the members of their Sect loved to train by fighting demon beasts.

Lin Qian didn’t overthink it. Song Jiulai had only omitted that she was the Sect Master; she hadn’t hidden any other information.

With her senior brother and sisters present, she didn’t mention that she knew Song Jiulai.

The group followed a Feique Sect disciple up the mountain, spotting several hurried Longevity Sect disciples along the way.

Since the reconstruction of Wang’an County, mortals were rarely found near the Feique Sect’s mountain, so it was difficult to spot any on the path there.

Of course, none of them were concerned about this.

But after those disciples hurried past, Lin Qian heard one of her seniors ask the Feique Sect disciple with some surprise, "Isn’t the Longevity Sect one of your vassal sects? How do they have so many disciples at the Late-stage Qi Refining realm now?"

After all, for a small sect, even a gap of one minor realm was significant.

The Feique Sect disciple gave her a meaningful look and simply grunted, "Mhm."

’More than just Late-stage Qi Refining.’

’They have people in the Foundation Establishment Stage now!’

’On par with the Longevity Sect’s Old Sect Master from back in the day.’

’Not to mention, their current Sect Master is even more mysterious. She rarely appears, so no one knows what her cultivation level is.’

The group went up the Feique Sect’s mountain to collect their batch of custom-made Magic Treasures.

Luo Xinyao, the senior sister leading the Taohua Sect disciples, asked Steward Tang, "Steward Tang, about next month’s batch of Second-tier Elixir Pills—we’ll be delivering them a few days late. If you also need some Third-rank Elixir Pills..."

Before she could finish, she saw Steward Tang’s expression grow hesitant.

Luo Xinyao immediately changed her tune. "Steward Tang, is that a problem? If you’re in a hurry, we can speed things up... It’s just that the Spirit Grass harvest hasn’t been very good lately."

"No, that’s not it." Steward Tang gave an awkward smile. "We might... not need to order Elixir Pills anymore in the future."

Thanks to the Longevity Sect, they had so many First and Second Rank Elixir Pills that they could offer them to their own Feique Sect members at a wholesale price.

Under these circumstances, there was no longer any need to buy Elixir Pills from the Taohua Sect.

After all, for a small sect, every Spirit Stone was precious.

But when Luo Xinyao heard this, her face fell instantly. She asked anxiously, "Why?"

Their trade with the Feique Sect had always been a stable source of income. A small sect had only so many ways to earn revenue. If the Feique Sect no longer bought from them, who would they sell their surplus Elixir Pills to?

’We have to bring in Spirit Stones somehow!’

Steward Tang felt helpless as well and could only tell her the truth. "We’ve found a cheaper supplier for Elixir Pills, so we don’t really need to buy them from other sects anymore."

Luo Xinyao’s eyes went wide. "How is that possible? The Taohua Sect’s prices are already very reasonable. Even the apothecaries at the foot of the mountain can’t be cheaper than us! How much cheaper could they possibly be?"

The Taohua Sect was a Medicine Sect; they had already optimized the production of First and Second Rank Elixir Pills to its absolute limit.

Any cheaper, and it would be a guaranteed loss.

’We work so hard to cultivate Spirit Grass. We can’t possibly be expected to earn nothing from it, right?’

Steward Tang couldn’t possibly tell them the truth. For the Longevity Sect and the Feique Sect, ever since they started cultivating First and Second Rank Spirit Grass in massive quantities, the Elixir Pills were practically free.

What’s more, the Feique Sect had a 50/50 profit-sharing agreement with the Longevity Sect.

The Feique Sect wasn’t skilled in pill concoction, so the harvested Spirit Grass was processed by the Longevity Sect, who charged a small handling fee. But the Feique Sect had struck it rich all the same. In less than two months, they were already reaping the benefits of switching their crops to Spirit Grass.

This was only the first month, and things were still manageable. In the future, the surplus of Elixir Pills would only grow, and the Feique Sect would even have to figure out how to sell them.

Otherwise, how could the Longevity Sect possibly be providing free Elixir Pills to Feique Sect disciples every month?

With such great benefits on the line, the Feique Sect disciples had signed their agreements so readily, making it even more impossible for them to leak any information.

Steward Tang understood the predicament of the Medicine Sect. Different sects relied on this kind of cooperation to maintain a stable economic cycle. With the Feique Sect pulling out, the Taohua Sect was bound to suffer losses.

After a moment’s hesitation, Steward Tang could only offer, "How about I try asking the Liuyun Sect and the Netherworld Sect on your behalf?"

The Taohua Sect was the only Medicine Sect in the vicinity, so it had never had to worry about business.

But Luo Xinyao’s expression only worsened.

Lately, for some unknown reason, even the Liuyun Sect’s demand for Elixir Pills had weakened.

Besides, the Feique Sect was definitely the closest to the Taohua Sect, making travel between them much less strenuous.

Just then, two Feique Sect disciples in the Late-stage Qi Refining realm approached.

They said respectfully, "Steward Tang, Senior Sister Chen told us the Elixir Pills for the Demon Cave Valley trip are now being distributed here. Is that correct?"

Steward Tang nodded. After looking the two over, he took out twenty Qi Replenishing Pills and Blood Replenishing Pills from his Jiezidai. "Which kind do you want?"

Each of the two disciples took five pills.

Steward Tang then said, "As for the rest, after you reach Demon Cave Valley, a disciple there will distribute them. You’ll need to provide a handprint seal to receive them, understand?"

This was to prevent disciples from taking the Elixir Pills and not going to Demon Cave Valley, thus defrauding the Sect of its assets.

Their security level was still low, so they had to resort to this method.

Of the promised triple reward of Elixir Pills, one-third was given upfront, while the remaining two-thirds would be distributed by other disciples upon arrival at Demon Cave Valley.

The two disciples nodded, and after receiving the Elixir Pills, they left with excited expressions.

Second-tier Elixir Pills were also effective for replenishing energy for those in the Late Stage. If they were frugal, they could stay in Demon Cave Valley for ten to fifteen days straight with just these pills.

This whole exchange left the nearby Taohua Sect disciples dumbfounded.

After a long moment, Luo Xinyao’s voice was a little hoarse as she asked, "Your sect... gives so many Second-tier Elixir Pills to its disciples?"

Steward Tang sighed. "Yes. As long as they’re willing to go out and train, our Late-stage Qi Refining disciples get at least thirty Second-tier Elixir Pills a month for each trip. Even if they don’t go out, they can still receive ten for free every month within the Sect. Now you see why we’re not buying your pills, right?"

Their own consumption was so massive that the quantity of pills from the Taohua Sect was simply negligible.

His words made the eyes of the Taohua Sect disciples turn red with envy.

’For free?’

’How is that possible!’

’And they’re an Artifact Refining Sect!’

Even the disciples of their own Taohua Sect didn’t receive such treatment.

They might have a few dozen pills on them, but those were all painstakingly saved up. Receiving this many every month was the stuff of dreams.

Luo Xinyao’s lips trembled. "Steward Tang... just where are you buying these Elixir Pills?"

’Just how cheap could the price be?’

"Do you want to know, Junior Sister?"

Suddenly, Chen Miaomiao appeared silently behind her. A smile played on her lips as she said cheerfully, "We can talk about it."