Qin's gaze happened to sweep across Yan Xuan, who was keeping her head bowed in the crowd. Regarding this former senior sister, he held no particular thoughts, merely feeling a subtle stirring in his heart and letting out a soft sigh.

Turning back, he saw Huangfu Bing'er watching him with her pair of clear, icy eyes, a faint, knowing smile playing on her lips.

"Bing'er, our senior brothers are still waiting for us inside; let's go in."

Ye Qin’s face flushed slightly. He smiled, took Bing'er’s delicate hand, and they returned to the pavilion.

The Core Formation and Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Azure Pill Sect who had crossed the sea together gathered in their small pavilion for the better part of the day. After their merriment finally waned, they dispersed one by one.

Several days later.

White Float City.

Ye Qin wandered casually through the bustling streets, occasionally glancing at the street stalls where cultivators had set out raw materials for magic tools and sundry goods, inquiring about prices. He stopped only when he found a large pavilion with a sign reading "Exquisite Jade Pill Pavilion" hanging at the entrance, and he stepped inside.

The front of the Exquisite Jade Pill Pavilion housed the retail shop for spirit pills, while the rear opened into a large courtyard.

Ye Qin did not linger in the pill shop but went directly into the courtyard behind. In the yard stood two or three large alchemy furnaces, where numerous low-level Foundation Establishment cultivators were busy adding herbs, firing the furnaces, and tending the flames. This large courtyard was clearly a substantial alchemy workshop.

As soon as Ye Qin stepped into the yard, he heard the grumbling and cursing of a little old man echoing from within.

A small, yellow-robed old man was patrolling back and forth between the various alchemy furnaces in the small courtyard. Suddenly catching the scent of overly fierce heat, he became enraged. He stormed up to one furnace, pointed at the bronze cauldron, and fiercely berated a corpulent Foundation Establishment cultivator who was tending the fire.

"Shen Bao, you clumsy blockhead, how can you not even manage the flame for a batch of fifth-tier spirit pills? Didn't you claim to be an alchemist from some reputable alchemy sect? Do you even know how to refine pills? I’ve never seen such a clumsy good-for-nothing alchemist come from any third-rate sect! You managed to burn the furnace fire too hot! If this batch of pills explodes, you'll be paying for it, boy."

Nearly forty to fifty low and mid-level Foundation Establishment cultivators in the small yard looked up briefly, some with schadenfreude, before returning to their work. The old man’s thunderous scolding seemed to cause them no disturbance as they kept their heads down.

It appeared they were quite accustomed to the yellow-robed old man’s torrents of abuse.

"Great Alchemist Wang, this batch of fifth-tier spirit pills uses a new formula. We're just getting started, unfamiliar with the precise heat control and medicinal properties. After refining a few batches, I’ll naturally master the technique."

Shen Bao twisted his face into a grimace, his head drooping, and quietly offered his defense.

"What? Wait until you refine a few batches to slowly grasp the heat control? Do you think this is your home, where you can casually practice alchemy to your heart's content! Do you know how much this one batch of spirit pills is worth? Even selling you wouldn't cover the price!"

Hearing Shen Bao’s excuse only fueled the old man's anger. He jumped up excitedly, unleashing a torrent of furious reprimands.

"This batch of fifth-tier spirit pills hasn't even scorched yet! Practice makes perfect; refining more pills is the only way to elevate one's alchemy skill—that is common sense! As an alchemist, how can you avoid ruining a few spirit pills?"

Ye Qin stepped into the compound and interjected in a calm voice.

The cultivators in the yard turned toward the entrance of the large courtyard. Seeing a Golden Core cultivator arrive, they were all startled. This was an alchemy workshop, cluttered everywhere with spirit wood fuel and materials needed for refining. Why would a Golden Core cultivator venture here, and furthermore, why was he defending Shen Bao?

Shen Bao, seeing Ye Qin arrive, was overjoyed, his eyebrows dancing with excitement.

"Senior, this is the alchemy workshop of the Exquisite Jade Pill Pavilion. Outsiders are not permitted to enter casually. I, Wang Chen, Great Alchemist Wang, am the person in charge of this workshop. Although you are a Golden Core senior, you don't seem to have the standing to criticize me for scolding my subordinate alchemist, do you?"

The yellow-robed little old man was merely a fifth-level Foundation Establishment cultivator. Although he dared not offend a Golden Core cultivator, a hint of arrogance remained in his tone.

He was the only Alchemy Master within the Exquisite Jade Pill Pavilion responsible for the entire workshop's operations, accustomed to a position of high respect. All the dozens of low and mid-level Foundation Establishment cultivators in the courtyard obediently followed his orders, indulged by his arrogant temperament.

"I certainly won't interfere with the affairs of your alchemy workshop. However, the alchemist you were just speaking of happens to hail from the same alchemy sect as I. If I heard correctly, you just implied he came from some third-rate alchemy sect?"

Ye Qin pointed at Shen Bao, then fixed his icy gaze upon the little old man, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

The old man was initially dismissive, but as Ye Qin’s cold gaze locked onto him, he immediately felt an immense spiritual pressure wash over him—unbearable, suffocating. He instantly sobered up: this was a Golden Core cultivator, not one of the low-ranking Foundation Establishment cultivators inside the yard.

"N-no, Senior misheard! I was referring to a major cultivation sect; how would I dare insult Senior's lineage!"

The little old man quickly backed down.

Ye Qin withdrew his spiritual pressure. The little old man felt a sudden lightness and breathed a sigh of relief, his gaze towards Ye Qin now laced with a measure of awe.

"Alchemist Wang, Martial Uncle has urgent matters to discuss with me. You watch this furnace fire for now; I'll be right back." Seeing the yellow-robed old man chastised, Shen Bao was spirited and refreshed. Ignoring the alchemy furnace, he swaggered off with Ye Qin, leaving the workshop courtyard.

"You… you brat…" The yellow-robed little old man knitted his brows, glaring impotently but daring not say more. Seeing the furnace fire dim and flicker uncertainly, he hopped up anxiously and hurried to attend to the flames.

Shen Bao happily followed Ye Qin out of the alchemy courtyard. The two proceeded to the front building of the Exquisite Jade Pill Pavilion, into an empty private room, where they had the pavilion's maid brew a pot of steaming fragrant tea, sipping it while they chatted.

"Shen Bao, you asked me to meet you here at the Azure Pill Pavilion just to show off my prestige on your behalf?"

Ye Qin asked, sipping his fragrant tea in a measured tone.

"Brother Ye, that Great Alchemist Wang relies on being the cousin of the Guild Master's second wife, coupled with his decent alchemy skills. He struts around the workshop all day, bossing people around and pointing fingers. I’ve endured his bullying for years. If it weren't for earning spirit stones, I would have quit long ago. Since you’re coming anyway, this is the perfect chance to deflate his arrogance and display the might of our Azure Pill Sect!"

Shen Bao chuckled playfully. He knew Ye Qin’s temperament well—he cared little for etiquette or status, hence the casual manner of address even now without outsiders present, reverting to their old familiar terms.

"Enough. I came to ask you for a favor. Help me look for these alchemy materials."

Ye Qin did not dwell on that matter. His purpose in finding Shen Bao today was to handle a rather tedious task. He took out a list covered in spiritual herbs and handed it to Shen Bao.

"Here, let little brother take a look."

Shen Bao opened the list and felt a momentary blurring of his vision. The list contained hundreds of spirit herbs, encompassing low, mid, and high-tier varieties. Furthermore, there were many ingredients he had never even heard of.

"Why do you need so many spirit herbs, and many of them high-tier ones, seventh-tier and above? Brother Ye, what kind of rare spirit pill are you planning to refine that requires such a quantity of materials? Also, what are this Yellow Dust Sand and Heavenly One Ethereal Water used for?"

Shen Bao was quite shocked after reading it and quickly asked. As a disciple of the Azure Pill Sect, although his alchemy skills weren't brilliant, he knew how difficult many of the high-tier herbs on the list were to procure.

"Don't worry about that. Just help me keep an eye out for these materials. Find as many as you can. Procuring all of them will likely take a very long time, and I have other matters to attend to, making it difficult to dedicate substantial time to collecting them. You are an alchemist at the Exquisite Jade Pill Pavilion now and frequently come into contact with large quantities of herbs. Just pay attention if these spirit herbs appear in the pavilion. If you find any, notify me as soon as possible… Also, be sure not to leak anything."

Ye Qin said lightly. "Alright, leave this to your little brother."

Shen Bao nodded, carefully tucking the list of materials into his storage pouch. Then, with a hint of triumph, he added, "Did you see? Since you arrived today, the expressions of those cultivators in the large courtyard have changed. We now have connections in this alchemy workshop; let's see who dares to look down on me now. Brother Ye, you've done me a huge favor today."

Ye Qin shook his head silently, considering it a case of borrowing a tiger’s might. Shen Bao was clearly trying to leverage his reputation to boost his own standing. However, Ye Qin paid it no mind; it was merely offering a small, casual favor.

As the two were enjoying tea in their private compartment at the Exquisite Jade Pill Pavilion, a middle-aged Golden Core cultivator arrived at the doorway, followed closely by the yellow-robed little old man from the alchemy workshop, Wang Chen.

"I am Wang Hailin, the Pavilion Master of the Exquisite Jade Pill Pavilion. Greetings, fellow Daoist!" The middle-aged cultivator approached the doorway, saw Ye Qin and Shen Bao, and then offered a respectful salute to Ye Qin.

"Pavilion Master Wang, what is the matter?"

Ye Qin returned the gesture, his expression indifferent.

"Fellow Daoist, I hear you hail from an Immortal Alchemy Sect. May I ask the level of your alchemy skills? My Exquisite Pavilion is currently in desperate need of a high-level alchemist. If your skills are profound, our pavilion is willing to offer a hefty sum for your service!"

The middle-aged cultivator looked on with eager expectation. "What high level of alchemy skill could someone from the same sect as Shen Bao possibly possess!" the yellow-robed old man muttered dismissively.

"Oh?"

Ye Qin glanced at the middle-aged cultivator and the yellow-robed old man, smiled faintly, and shook his head. "Probably the standard of an Alchemy Grandmaster. But I regret to say, I don't lack this money, nor do I refine pills for other cultivators."

Ye Qin then left the Exquisite Jade Pill Pavilion.

Pavilion Master Wang and the yellow-robed old man were both stunned.

His intention in seeking out Shen Bao was to refine an extremely rare and precious spirit pill in the cultivation world—the Spirit Root Potential Pill.

The formula for this pill was held by the Azure Pill Sect, and he had recorded a copy long ago. However, within the Azure Pill Sect, almost no senior had ever successfully refined it.

This heaven-defying object required an immense quantity of high-tier spirit herbs, with several key ingredients being exceedingly difficult to find.

In the cultivation world, the existence of the Spirit Root Potential Pill was rarely even heard of. He needed to be cautious. If a Nascent Soul cultivator learned where this pill existed, they would likely go into a frenzy over it.

After all, even a slight increase in spirit root potential, accumulated over many years, would yield an unimaginably significant result.

The difficulty in refining this pill was enormous.

To obscure his true intent and prevent cultivators from guessing his purpose, he had deliberately added a large quantity of other spirit herb materials to the list to confuse the trail. To maintain maximum secrecy, he had specifically warned Shen Bao not to disclose anything.

He aimed to gather all the spiritual herbs necessary for this pill before Bing'er reached the Nascent Soul stage, thereby sparing her the agony of breaking through bottlenecks again.