The ten years of cultivation Ye Qin demanded was agreed upon; if he could obtain the puppet refining techniques of the four sisters, the price of one Core Formation Pill was absolutely worth it.

The middle-aged cultivator led the way, and Ye Qin followed, winding through the alleys of Xianque City for several hours before arriving before a small, unassuming puppet refining workshop in the eastern district.

This was an obscure, small-scale puppet crafting establishment; the plaque hanging at the entrance was askew, the characters on it barely legible. Inside the narrow shop, spanning no more than ten feet across, sat dozens of low-grade puppets ranging from Tier One to Tier Three.

There were wooden ape-monkeys guarding the yard, iron-shelled puppet laborers for forging, and puppet carriages for hauling goods, among others. These puppets were all very low-grade, made from inferior raw materials. The price tag for such a puppet shop probably only attracted occasional attention from Qi Condensation cultivators from the nearby streets. Foundation Establishment cultivators, unless they were desperately seeking a bargain, would never patronize such a humble establishment for their puppet needs.

“Senior, it’s right here!”

The middle-aged cultivator approached the dilapidated puppet workshop with a touch of excitement.

Ye Qin swept his gaze over the shop, frowning slightly. He couldn't discern any profound puppet refining skills in the owner of this small operation. Business seemed sluggish; there were no customers inside.

Stepping into the workshop, Ye Qin was slightly surprised to find three women within.

One, tall and strikingly beautiful, stood at the counter, meticulously sketching her eyebrows with a fine brush while gazing into a glazed mirror, utterly unconcerned with the shop's lack of business.

A younger, pure-faced woman sat on a wooden chair, propping her chin in her hand, staring blankly, looking utterly idle.

The youngest, perhaps seventeen or eighteen, with a lingering trace of childishness, was crafting a Tier One wooden bird puppet inside the workshop. She was carefully carving the wood with a low-grade spiritual tool awl, her expression occasionally shifting to one of confusion and distress, seemingly encountering a significant difficulty.

The beautiful woman and the pure-faced woman both froze in shock when they saw Ye Qin enter the shop. Their humble establishment had never hosted a Golden Core cultivator before. This was despite Ye Qin deliberately suppressing his aura; otherwise, their fright would have been far greater.

It was the youngest girl who remained the most composed upon seeing Ye Qin.

She set down her work and quickly approached, gazing at Ye Qin without blinking. “Esteemed Senior, what puppet do you require? Our shop stocks over ten different types of low-grade puppets for various uses. If you desire a specialized puppet, I can also craft one specifically for you.”

The disheveled middle-aged man followed Ye Qin into the workshop, his eyes darting away guiltily, seemingly reluctant to face the young woman.

The young woman’s expression immediately soured upon seeing the middle-aged cultivator behind Ye Qin. “Why are you here again?” she demanded coldly.

Though a Foundation Establishment cultivator, the middle-aged man appeared rather timid before the girl, forcing a strained smile. “Su Su, business has been poor. Isn't this me bringing a Senior here to conduct trade?” He immediately turned to Ye Qin and introduced them: “This is Yin Ling Su, the third sister. The eldest is Yin Ling Yu, and the second is Yin Ling Lian. These three are direct descendants of the Saint Emperor Yin lineage.”

“You share the Yin surname? Are you their uncle?” Ye Qin questioned doubtfully.

The middle-aged cultivator quickly explained, “In truth, I do not bear the Yin surname. I am the elder brother of their mother. I only claim the name Yin when traveling outside for convenience. My three nieces know the most about the puppet techniques left behind by the Saint Emperor.”

The young woman did not deny her lineage, but her face darkened considerably, deeply suspicious of the motives bringing the middle-aged man and Ye Qin here. She stated coldly, “We three sisters are indeed descendants of the Yin clan, but we only know the superficialities of puppet refining. This small shop sells some low-grade puppets, Tiers One and Two. If Senior fancies anything, please feel free to take it.”

The middle-aged cultivator interjected, “Su Su, this Senior isn't here to buy these low-grade puppets. Don't you know the high-grade techniques? The Senior wishes to purchase the high-grade puppet refining arts.”

“If we understood the high-grade techniques, why would we still be stuck running this tiny workshop?” the girl retorted, displeased.

The middle-aged cultivator chuckled. “Su Su, don't fool me. I clearly overheard you telling your mother just a few days ago that you wished to learn the Yin family’s high-grade puppet refining art.”

The girl gasped, pointing furiously at the man’s nose. “Uncle! You betrayed us! Mother will not forgive you!”

The middle-aged cultivator had no intention of bearing such blame. He quickly adopted a mournful look, pleading, “Su Su, don’t blame your old uncle. How could I betray my own nieces, my own sister? This Senior is offering a high price for the Yin family’s puppet arts. Seeing your predicament, I intended to help you. He pays high for high, we lose nothing in the exchange. Furthermore, without the cultivation and strength of at least the Golden Core stage, one can never become a true Puppet Refiner. You are only mid-stage Qi Condensation; you can manage a few subpar low-grade puppets, but when in the world will you ever utilize those high-grade arts? Keeping these techniques serves no purpose for you; it’s better to sell them for a handsome price. This Senior will certainly not treat you unfairly.”

Ye Qin, listening nearby, grew increasingly impatient. Unwilling to be drawn into their family drama, he stated plainly, “I am here to purchase your high-grade puppet refining techniques. If you possess them, name your price directly.” He inwardly harbored doubt; if they truly possessed high-grade puppet arts, they wouldn't be here. He had no intention of wasting time.

The girl’s tone was exceedingly sharp. “I apologize, the Yin family techniques are not for sale. Moreover, this is Xianque City; there are patrol teams everywhere. Even if you are a Golden Core cultivator, attempting to seize them by force won't be that easy.”

Ye Qin found himself slightly amused and exasperated. Did he look like the sort to use coercion? This third daughter of the Yin family, like a newborn calf unafraid of a tiger, indeed possessed considerable spirit. She certainly hadn't disgraced the lineage of the Saint Empress, though her cultivation was regrettably low.

At this moment, the other two women inside the shop had snapped out of their shock and quickly approached.

The most beautiful, the eldest sister Yin Ling Yu, her face lighting up with sudden joy upon hearing Ye Qin’s request for the refining blueprints, spoke first. “Senior, the Yin family matters are not for Su Su alone to decide; we all have a say. Before my father passed, he divided the high-grade Yin puppet refining blueprints into four parts, giving one to each of us three sisters, and one to our mother. The four high-grade Armored Guard puppet refining blueprints from the Saint Emperor’s Palace—the Ironclad Guard, Copperclad Guard, Silverclad Guard, and Goldclad Guard—one portion for each person. However, Father was too biased; he gave the Silverclad Guard blueprint to the third sister, the Copperclad Guard blueprint to me, and the Ironclad Guard blueprint to the second sister. The Goldclad Guard blueprint is with our mother. Each of us sisters holds a piece of the refining art. We wonder if Senior can agree to a few conditions? If you can, my sisters and I will consider selling our portion to you.”

The second sister, Yin Ling Lian, nodded in agreement.

“Very well, state your conditions,” Ye Qin replied after a brief moment of contemplation, a faint smile gracing his lips as he glanced at the two women. These two Yin sisters were far more reasonable than the youngest. Obtaining the Ironclad and Copperclad Guard blueprints they possessed would be quite beneficial.

“Sister, how could you do this! These are our Yin family heirlooms!” The youngest girl’s cheeks puffed up in anger.

Yin Ling Yu ignored her, smiling sweetly. “No matter how excellent this puppet refining art is, it cannot compare to preserving one’s beauty permanently. If I could obtain one Longevity Pill, this humble girl would gladly offer her portion of the refining technique to Senior.”

“Longevity Pill?”

Ye Qin paused in genuine surprise. He hadn't expected Yin Ling Yu’s condition to be this. He possessed the formula for the Longevity Pill from the Green Pill Sect. However, this formula demanded an enormous quantity and variety of mid-grade spiritual herbs—as many as six or seven hundred kinds. Gathering the herbs wasn't overly difficult; one only needed to spend money to acquire them. The true challenge lay in the alchemy itself. The refinement difficulty of this pill was nearly comparable to a Core Formation Pill, yet its effect was significantly lesser, which is why it was so rarely seen on the market.

This spiritual elixir possessed the unique effect of eternally preserving youth. Only a select few large-scale spiritual elixir shops in Xianque City stocked it. Although Ye Qin held the Longevity Pill formula and even possessed the seeds for the required ingredients within his Purple Mansion, refining such an elixir would be incredibly taxing on spiritual stones. Moreover, since he had no immediate need for it, he hadn't considered undertaking its creation until now.

The aging process of a cultivator is directly linked to their cultivation level. The higher the cultivation, the slower the physical changes. Based on the lifespan of a Qi Condensation cultivator, around one hundred years, a cultivator at twenty years of age would appear as a mortal of twenty. A Foundation Establishment cultivator, with a lifespan of two hundred years, would only resemble a twenty-year-old mortal at forty years of age. A Golden Core cultivator, with an average lifespan of five hundred years, would only appear as a twenty-year-old Qi Condensation cultivator at one hundred years of age. Of course, if a Qi Condensation elder succeeded in breaking through to Foundation Establishment at the age of sixty, their appearance after the breakthrough would remain that of a sixty-year-old, not reverting to youth. Generally speaking, the earlier one achieves Foundation Establishment or Core Formation, the longer a cultivator’s appearance will remain youthful.

Ye Qin achieved Foundation Establishment in his early twenties and Core Formation in his early forties—both very early. Consequently, his appearance had remained that of a mortal in his early twenties and had not changed thus far. It would likely take another century before his appearance began to subtly shift. Huangfu Bing'er was in a similar situation. With their Golden Core cultivation, both he and Bing'er would retain this exceptionally youthful appearance for the next century, rendering the Longevity Pill unnecessary. Naturally, neither had considered refining such a complex spiritual medicine whose difficulty approached that of a Core Formation Pill.

“Correct, one Longevity Pill,” Yin Ling Yu affirmed, her eyes shining as she stared at Ye Qin. Given her financial standing, purchasing such an elixir was clearly impossible, but her gradually aging face caused her immense anxiety. She yearned for eternal youth, a desire that could only be met through this elixir... If you wish to know what happens next, please log in... [Rest of the sentence is truncated, as per the original text structure.]