Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan Chapter 2114 1527: Prying Eyes

A hint of bitterness surfaced on Li Zhirui's face as he listened to the other's doubt, his guise as a white-haired old Daoist making him appear laden with unspoken grief.

"Alas!"

He let out a sigh and declared, "You two Fellow Daoists are unaware that my reluctance to enter the city stems not from choice, but from sheer apprehension!"

These words immediately sparked their interest. While maintaining their vigilance, their constant guard lessened, and they assumed a more attentive posture.

"In my life, I possess no exceptional talents, save for a minor aptitude in the art of Alchemy. I once harbored thoughts of leveraging this skill to advance my Dao, but unexpectedly, a Pill shop took notice of me..."

Li Zhirui's voice grew hoarse and choked as he continued, "They demanded I sign a contract, binding me to refine Pills exclusively for their establishment. The contract's terms were utterly exploitative, designed to profit solely from my labor..."

"At that time, being young and defiant of constraint, I refused. Consequently, when I later attempted to sell Pills within the city, I was met with relentless obstacles. No fellow cultivators would engage with me, and naturally, my Pills went unsold."

"Subsequently, I was compelled to venture to more remote marketplaces and Immortal Cities to peddle my wares. At times, I resort to selling outside the city walls, as I am doing now, in secret."

As he spoke, he employed subtle, bewildering techniques, causing the two to overlook certain details and thus more readily accept his fabricated narrative.

As a result, they readily believed his tale, pitying the old Daoist's supposed plight.

Even Li Zhirui himself was somewhat astonished by the effectiveness of his performance.

Unbeknownst to him, his fabricated story inadvertently struck a chord. In truth, there had been a Pill shop within the city that had faced exposure for similar exploitative practices, making his tale highly believable.

"What Pills do you currently have on your person?" one of them inquired.

"I haven't refined a large quantity this time, only these few bottles of Mid-grade and Low-grade Pills for mana replenishment."

With that, he produced the Pill bottles, offering them a selection.

The absence of top-grade elixirs was deliberate, as their rarity would contradict the image of a destitute old Daoist. Such potent items would have obviated his current predicament.

Indeed, even the refinement of these mere Mid-grade and Low-grade Human Immortal Rank Pills presented a significant challenge for Li Zhirui.

It is noteworthy that he had been refining Heavenly Immortal Rank Pills for many years, consistently producing at least Top Grade elixirs, even without utilizing the Purification Principle.

Now, intentionally reducing his standards to produce Human Immortal Rank Pills of lesser grades proved to be a considerable test of his abilities.

During the actual refinement process, his initial attempts yielded Top Grade Pills, failing to meet his deliberately lowered qualifications.

Ultimately, with no other recourse, Li Zhirui intentionally introduced errors into the refining process, finally succeeding in producing these few bottles that met the stipulated conditions.

"The quality of the Pills you've refined, Senior, is truly exceptional. What is the price?"

They were not novices; after a thorough inspection, his prior account seemed even more credible, piquing their interest in purchasing the Pills.

Li Zhirui was unaware of the city's current Pill prices. Fabricating a figure would instantly expose him, so he vaguely responded, "You two Fellow Daoists are honorable individuals; surely you wouldn't seek to profit from an old man. Let us set the price at half a step below the market rate."

"Are you certain, Fellow Daoist?!"

Although categorized as Low-grade to Mid-grade, these Pills were superior within their respective tiers. Not only were they offered at market price, but the cost was further reduced!

Upon reselling them, they stood to gain a substantial amount of Spirit Stones!

Consequently, enticed by the prospect of profit, they didn't hesitate, fearing Li Zhirui might reconsider. They promptly produced Spirit Stones and accepted the Pills.

"When might Senior return to sell more Pills?"

It was evident they wished to continue this effortless method of acquiring Spirit Stones.

"I cannot provide a precise timeframe, primarily due to the arduous acquisition of Spiritual Medicine. It depends greatly on fate and luck."

Li Zhirui's objective in selling Pills was to gather information about this world, not genuine profit, so he aimed to politely dismiss their inquiry.

"What a pity."

Though slightly disappointed, they still exchanged Communication Talismans, stating, "If Senior decides to sell Pills again, feel free to contact us directly. It will save you considerable trouble."

"I appreciate your kindness."

"Pills of such high quality are tremendously beneficial to our cultivation; we should be thanking you, Senior."

Thereafter, the two bidding farewell to Li Zhirui departed.

Without delay, they were observed soaring with fervor towards the bustling Marketplace.

With this matter settled, Li Zhirui journeyed southward once more. His exploration revealed a landscape dominated by swamps, overgrown with dense forests and cloaked in heavy miasma, rendering it unsuitable for settlement.

Despite these drawbacks, the region pulsed with abundant Spiritual Energy and teemed with life, making it a promising sanctuary for concealment.

He mused that if no more favorable location emerged, he might find refuge in the swamp for a period, thereby lulling the inhabitants of This Realm into a false sense of security.

However, this course of action required consultation with Fu Chengguang, awaiting the fruits of his investigations before a definitive choice could be made.

After scrutinizing two separate directions, Li Zhirui then set his course for the resonant tree hollow.

As twilight descended, he made his return.