Ye Qin’s spiritual sense lingered within his Dantian, meticulously examining the magnificent, five-colored lotus that had just unfurled.

It took immeasurable amounts of high-grade spirit stones to coax a single five-colored bloom from the Ziyou Lotus. In just over a decade more, it should yield the five-colored lotus seeds, allowing him to begin preparing the Spirit Root Potential Elixir. Ye Qin withdrew his spiritual sense from the Dantian, a smile of deep satisfaction spreading across his face.

Bing’er’s imbalance between her ice and fire spirit roots had been his greatest worry; resolving this issue was crucial to dramatically lowering the risk when she attempted to break through to the Nascent Soul stage.

Now that the Ziyou Lotus had bloomed, he felt a twenty to thirty percent certainty in solving this massive problem. The remaining seventy percent of his confidence rested on achieving a further breakthrough in his alchemy—ascending from a seasoned Alchemical Grandmaster to the legendary rank of an Alchemical Divine Master. Achieving that level would require an exceptionally long passage of time.

Ye Qin stood up from the cushion in the center of the secluded chamber and walked out of the room.

He and Huangfu Bing’er had agreed yesterday that they would make a trip to the Green Pill Workshop this morning.

Over the past thirty years, they had spent the vast majority of their time sequestered on Huoyin Island, cultivating and raising beasts, refining elixirs. They only occasionally ventured into Baifu City to sell the elixirs Bing’er refined, meaning they paid too little attention to their fellow disciples at the Green Pill Workshop.

“Decades have passed, and of the forty to fifty Qi Condensation disciples who first crossed the sea here with us, only a pitiful handful have successfully forged Golden Cores—just the two of us,” Bing’er would often lament, feeling ashamed that she hadn't looked after their fellow Qingdan Sect members adequately or fulfilled her responsibility as an elder figure among them.

Ye Qin couldn't remain indifferent to Bing’er’s occasional self-reproach; he took the matter to heart, considering how he might lend a hand to the Qi Condensation cohort.

He stepped out of the cultivation room and into the main hall of the cave abode. There, Huangfu Bing’er, already lightly made up, emerged from her bedroom, smiling warmly at him. “Let’s go!”

Ye Qin smiled, and he and Huangfu Bing’er entered a secret chamber within the dwelling, standing upon a miniature teleportation array. The array whirred to life, dazzling their eyes, and in an instant, the pair vanished from the room, reappearing in the residence they maintained in Baifu City.

They left the residence, crossed a small street and alley, and entered a large courtyard bearing the plaque, “Green Pill Workshop.” This complex, spanning over ten mu, contained numerous large and small gardens, dotted with dozens of large and small alchemy furnaces. This was the refining workshop, the Green Pill Workshop, that Huangfu Bing’er had established with her fellow Qingdan disciples.

In Baifu City, the largest city among the Northern Isles of the East Sea—a place where land prices were exorbitant—maintaining an alchemy workshop of over ten mu was no small feat.

Huangfu Bing’er had initially used the better part of her savings brought from the Central Lands to purchase this ten-plus mu courtyard from a local family, establishing it as their refining base, allowing their fellows to survive in Baifu City.

The Qingdan Sect disciples who had crossed the sea with Ye Qin and Huangfu Bing’er—including the four Golden Core Ancestors, Sun Ran, Chen Weidan, Yuan Ningzhi, and Feng An, along with forty to fifty Qi Condensation cultivators like Shen Bao and Yan Xuan—a significant number remained at the Green Pill Workshop, earning spirit stones through refining to fund their own cultivation. After all, arriving in the East Sea without any established connections or background, solidarity was their only means of survival in this brutally competitive environment.

Over several decades, the Green Pill Workshop had gained a modest reputation among the refining establishments in Baifu City.

Huangfu Bing’er alone, as an Alchemical Grandmaster, commanded high prices for the seventh-grade elixirs she produced. A substantial portion of the Green Pill Workshop’s income derived directly from her. Ye Qin, conversely, rarely sold elixirs. When he did, it was always anonymously.

Few knew the extent to which his alchemy had reached a state of divine perfection. At his level of attainment, widespread fame would only invite a swarm of petitioners seeking aid, which would become a massive nuisance.

Within the Green Pill Workshop, out of those forty to fifty Qi Condensation disciples, only Ye Qin and Huangfu Bing’er had managed to forge Golden Cores thus far.

During these thirty years, while the progress of the forty to fifty Qi Condensation disciples had been rapid—more than half had reached the seventh stage of Qi Condensation, with a few reaching the ninth stage and nearing the Golden Core bottleneck—their cultivation speed simply could not compare to cultivators like Ye Qin and Huangfu Bing’er, who possessed immense financial backing and an inexhaustible supply of elixirs.

After all, they did not possess Ye Qin’s monstrous Grandmaster-level alchemy skills or a Dantian that could rapidly cultivate high-grade spiritual herbs using spirit stones. The meager earnings they brought in from diligently refining elixirs each day were barely enough for each of them to consume one or two mid-grade elixirs every three days. Regular elixir-supported cultivation was a massive drain on any ordinary Qi Condensation cultivator’s resources. And purchasing a Core Forging Elixir, necessary to break through bottlenecks, was an expense almost beyond comprehension. Even a cultivator at the ninth stage of Qi Condensation might beggar themselves and still fail to acquire a single Core Forging Elixir.

Even if one bankrupted themselves and managed, by sheer luck, to buy one, the success rate of core forging was low. Breaking through the Golden Core stage, weathering the minor Heavenly Tribulation—how easy could that be! Success remained entirely uncertain. For the average cultivator, the difficulty of forging a core was immense, a near-impossible struggle.

It was precisely for this reason that Ye Qin and Huangfu Bing’er had long since surpassed the Golden Core bottleneck, their cultivation soaring upward to the fifth stage of the Golden Core realm. In the same thirty years, their dozens of fellow Qi Condensation disciples were only just reaching the late stages, hoping night and day to impact the Golden Core threshold. Yan Xuan possessed decent cultivation talent; several years ago, she had indeed reached the very peak of the ninth stage of Qi Condensation. However, lacking a Core Forging Elixir, she was stalled at that peak realm.

Core Forging Elixirs, being high-grade elixirs, were unobtainable in the Central Lands’ cultivation world.

In the East Sea cultivation sphere, they appeared more frequently, with a small number of large merchant guilds publicly auctioning them. However, the supply was severely limited, and the auction prices were astronomical, enough to financially ruin even the wealthiest ninth-stage Qi Condensation cultivator, leaving them riddled with debt.

Although Yan Xuan had diligently refined elixirs for decades, a large portion was consumed by her own daily cultivation, leaving her far short of the funds needed for a Core Forging Elixir.

In the years after she reached the ninth stage of Qi Condensation, she even dared to venture out to sea to hunt fifth or sixth-grade mid-tier demonic beasts, hoping to earn more spirit stones. But how much money could hunting mid-tier beasts actually bring in?! She couldn't possibly tackle the higher-grade demonic beasts, which commanded far higher prices, given her Qi Condensation strength.

After years spent toiling at sea, Yan Xuan remained short on funds, nowhere near enough for the Core Forging Elixir. If she continued to drag this out, she would needlessly waste her precious lifespan without improving her strength, and her hope of breaking through the Golden Core bottleneck would become increasingly remote. With no other recourse, Yan Xuan sent a message to Huangfu Bing’er asking for assistance.

Within the Green Pill Workshop, besides Ye Qin, the wealthiest individual was the Workshop Master, Huangfu Bing’er. Since Ye Qin rarely sold elixirs, others naturally had no idea how much wealth he possessed. Huangfu Bing’er sold many high-grade elixirs, so all the fellow disciples knew she was rich.

After long hesitation, Yan Xuan finally approached Huangfu Bing’er to borrow a considerable sum of spirit stones, intending to purchase a Core Forging Elixir and repay the loan once she earned money. If she succeeded in forging a core and became a Golden Core cultivator, repaying the large sum would become significantly easier.

Huangfu Bing’er could not ignore this matter, which led her to bring up Yan Xuan and the Green Pill Workshop to Ye Qin, seeking advice on how they might assist their fellow disciples. This led to their current trip.

Ye Qin seldom concerned himself with the internal affairs of the Green Pill Workshop. Thinking of the cultivation hardships faced by his peers, he felt a pang of sympathy. He remembered how arduous his own path had been when cultivating at the Green Pill Sect in the Lingwu Realm.

The cost of refining a Core Forging Elixir, even for him, represented a considerable expense that would delay his own cultivation progress. However, since Yan Xuan had asked, he couldn’t simply refuse. Among the Qingdan disciples, only Yan Xuan and Shen Bao shared a deep bond with him, having faced life-and-death trials together in the Lingwu Realm training grounds. Regardless, he felt he must offer support. Having a few more Golden Core fellow disciples was a good thing; they could mutually support each other in the East Sea. The two entered the Green Pill Workshop. “Uncle-Master Ye, good morning!” “Uncle-Master Huangfu, good morning!”

The alchemists busy stoking fires and setting up their furnaces within the workshop greeted Ye Qin and Huangfu Bing’er before quickly burying themselves back in their work. Dozens of furnaces needed constant supervision; some individuals were tending to several at once, adding fuel and monitoring the flames—they were extremely busy. Ye Qin nodded slightly and followed Huangfu Bing’er to a small garden within the complex piled high with low-grade medicinal herbs.

A disheveled old man with white hair and a ruddy face, covered head to toe in gray dust and soot, rushed out of a small alchemy room attached to the garden, wearing a troubled expression. Seeing Ye Qin and Huangfu Bing’er, whom he rarely encountered at the workshop, he paused in surprise. “Eh, Junior Brother Ye, Junior Sister Huangfu, when did you come out of seclusion?!”

This was none other than Cultivator Sun Ran, one of the former Golden Core Ancestors of the Green Pill Sect, now serving as one of the deputy masters of the Green Pill Workshop. These past years, aside from cultivation, he had spent his days tinkering with his alchemy furnace in the workshop.

“Senior Brother Sun, Bing’er and I have been in seclusion for several months. We had some free time today, so we came to check on the workshop. Senior Brother Sun, what happened to your head, covered in soot?!” Ye Qin asked, surprised by Sun Ran’s pathetic appearance—his hair and eyebrows seemed partially burned off by some kind of true fire.

“I was testing a newly developed seventh-grade elixir formula, and the furnace exploded! I suspect I added the wrong spiritual herb. I need to go back and carefully research which one caused the problem. You two enjoy yourselves; I can’t stay long.” Sun Ran wiped the ash from his face and waved dismissively, forcing a bitter smile.

Ye Qin finally understood and burst into laughter.

“Senior Brother Sun, I was looking for Yan Xuan. Where is she?” Huangfu Bing’er had not seen Yan Xuan since entering the Green Pill Workshop and now inquired.

“That girl Yan Xuan? She’s busy scrambling around trying to borrow money for a Core Forging Elixir. She borrowed thirty thousand low-grade spirit stones from me a few days ago. She’s probably off trying to borrow from her other junior brothers and sisters now. Everyone should have saved some low-grade spirit stones from refining over the years. But I think this is hopeless; Core Forging Elixirs aren’t that easy to buy. If she doesn't have several decades, she won’t save up enough to buy one! If she wastes too much lifespan now, even if she succeeds later, her final achievement will be extremely limited.” Sun Ran shook his head, clearly feeling regretful for Yan Xuan. He wanted to help, but his capacity was limited; he had spent a fortune researching new formulas.

As the three were talking, they heard raised voices arguing from the adjacent garden. “Shen Bao, how much money did you borrow from me?!”

“Senior Sister Yan, look at me, a complete pauper; I can hardly scrape together a few hundred spirit stones! … How about this, Senior Sister, I have a few hundred spirit stones here; take them for now!” The man’s voice trembled with bitterness and misery. Anyone unfamiliar might think he was a destitute cultivator.

“Shen Bao, you don’t have spirit stones!!! Look at the set of exquisite low-grade magical artifacts and robes you’re wearing—they’re worth at least ten thousand spirit stones. You’re the most lavishly dressed person in the whole Green Pill Workshop! Just lend me that set of artifacts first!” The woman’s voice was much sharper with anger. “No! That’s the only set of protective robes I own!” The man shrieked like a slaughtered pig upon hearing the demand to borrow his robes. Ye Qin, Huangfu Bing’er, and the others were momentarily stunned by the noise, then quickly broke into smiles.

Yan Xuan was actually trying to borrow from Shen Bao. Shen Bao was known for his avarice, completely unwilling to suffer even the smallest loss; it was difficult to get anything out of him. Ye Qin immediately walked toward the small garden next door where Shen Bao resided and saw Yan Xuan and Shen Bao confronting each other. Huangfu Bing’er followed.

Yan Xuan stood with her arms crossed, blocking the garden gate, preventing Shen Bao from escaping. She glared at the luxurious set of robes Shen Bao wore, then pouted, clearly not believing he lacked the funds to lend. “Uncle-Master Ye, why the visit today? Please help me quickly! Senior Sister Yan is being unreasonable; she knows I’m short on spirit stones, yet she still demands a loan.” Shen Bao’s face lit up when he saw Ye Qin approach, practically rushing forward to cling to him like seeing a savior.

Ye Qin rolled his eyes, muttering inwardly, You have no spirit stones?

He ignored Shen Bao and looked toward Yan Xuan. Yan Xuan’s cultivation had reached the peak of the ninth stage of Qi Condensation; further training would yield no more essence.

“Uncle-Master Ye, Uncle-Master Huangfu!” Upon seeing Ye Qin and Huangfu Bing’er appear, Yan Xuan quickly stepped aside, her delicate face flushing slightly.

“Yan Xuan, where are you planning to buy a Core Forging Elixir?” Ye Qin asked with a gentle smile.

“I planned to check the city auction tomorrow. Baifu City is hosting the largest auction of the year, and I hear ten Core Forging Elixirs will be publicly auctioned. I’ve borrowed a sum from my senior uncles to try my luck at the auction and see if I have a chance to buy one.” Yan Xuan sounded hesitant and awkward about soliciting loans. “I wonder, could Uncle-Master Huangfu and Uncle-Master Ye also lend me a sum? Regardless of whether I succeed in forging a core or not, I will repay the entire amount.”

“Core Forging Elixirs are extremely rare high-grade elixirs, essential for forging a core. If there are any at the auction, the direct lineage Qi Condensation cultivators from the Immortal Palaces in Baifu City will certainly compete for them. These cultivators have both wealth and power, and the final auction price will likely be astronomical; it will be hard for you to compete against them.” Ye Qin pondered for a moment, expressing little optimism about purchasing the elixir.

“I know it will be difficult to successfully bid for one, but I have to try. Otherwise, I won’t even have one chance in ten thousand.” Yan Xuan’s expression was resolute.

Huangfu Bing’er saw Yan Xuan’s eyes beginning to redden and couldn't help but sigh, turning to Ye Qin. “Husband, can your current alchemy level produce ninth-grade elixirs? Could you refine a batch for Yan Xuan?”

The Core Forging Elixir was a ninth-grade elixir, requiring an Alchemical Grandmaster to have a reasonable chance of success. Moreover, most Alchemical Grandmasters had low success rates; only seasoned ones possessed a higher degree of certainty.

Within the Green Pill Workshop, Ye Qin’s alchemy skill was the highest. He had surpassed the Alchemical Grandmaster level long ago and possessed decades of experience refining high-grade elixirs; ninth-grade elixirs were not beyond him.

Huangfu Bing’er was second; she had broken through to Alchemical Grandmaster only a few years prior and could easily refine large quantities of seventh-grade elixirs. However, for elixirs as difficult as the Core Forging Elixir, she had almost no confidence.

Next were the four Golden Core cultivators, including Sun Ran, who were all at the Alchemical Master level. They had only a very slim chance of refining seventh-grade elixirs and were entirely incapable of refining something like a Core Forging Elixir.

“I can refine it,” Ye Qin nodded after a moment of thought.

“I should have a high probability of success. However, refining a Core Forging Elixir is different from refining ordinary elixirs; it takes an extremely long time. Refining a single batch of Core Forging Elixirs might take several months. That’s a bit too long,” Ye Qin murmured, displaying some apprehension. Huangfu Bing’er understood his concern perfectly.

For cultivators pursuing the Great Dao of Nascent Soul, every day was strictly scheduled; they dared not waste any time on irrelevant matters that might consume their precious lifespan. Otherwise, if they missed the opportunity for the Nascent Soul Dao, regret would be too late. Spending several months refining an elixir for Yan Xuan would certainly delay Ye Qin’s own cultivation progress. “How about this: let’s go to the auction first,” Ye Qin finally made a decision after careful consideration. “If we can acquire a Core Forging Elixir at a reasonable price, we’ll buy it directly. If we can’t, we’ll figure out a way to gather the raw materials, and I will personally fire up the furnace. That way, you save a huge alchemy fee and quite a few spirit stones.” “Really?!” Yan Xuan tightly pressed her lips together, her delicate frame trembling slightly against her will.

All her hard work refining elixirs, risking sea voyages to hunt demonic beasts, and accruing large debts over the years was for the chance to obtain a Core Forging Elixir. Now, true hope was finally visible. All the bitterness and sorrow she had harbored for years surged forth, and she wept from sheer joy.

“No matter what, I will find a way for you to obtain the Core Forging Elixir,” Ye Qin ultimately couldn't harden his heart enough to refuse, making a small promise. Elder Yan of the Green Pill Sect had treated him kindly back then, and Yan Xuan was a companion with whom he had faced life and death during the trials. This made it hard for him to refuse.

“Uncle-Master, please also refine a Core Forging Elixir for me. I’m currently at the eighth stage of Qi Condensation; I should reach the ninth within ten years and can use it then,” Shen Bao shouted excitedly before Yan Xuan could even express her delight.

“We’ll see then. If I fire up the furnace, and a batch yields over a dozen Core Forging Elixirs, you’ll get a share. However, you two will cover the cost of the refining materials. I will only handle the alchemy,” Ye Qin chuckled. “Uncle-Master, just agreeing to refine the Core Forging Elixirs is enough; we will handle gathering everything else,” Shen Bao agreed instantly.

Ye Qin agreeing to refine elixirs was something they usually dared not even dream of. Only those who worked in their Green Pill Workshop truly understood the astounding heights of Ye Qin’s alchemy skill.

At auctions, why were Core Forging Elixirs often priced so terrifyingly high? Because for most Alchemical Grandmasters in Baifu City, nine out of ten batches of raw materials for Core Forging Elixirs ended up being wasted, with only one batch succeeding. The price naturally became ludicrously high.

But when Ye Qin refined, he succeeded with one batch out of every two. His cost for refining a Core Forging Elixir was less than one-fifth of what other Alchemical Grandmasters spent, naturally leaving a huge margin on the cost. This level of alchemy was rapidly approaching the realm of the legendary Alchemical Divine Master.

Across the entire East Sea, the two largest cultivation alliances, the Heavenly Dao Alliance and the Heavenly Demon Alliance, boasted hundreds of Alchemical Grandmasters each, yet neither had a single Alchemical Divine Master.

Ascending from Alchemical Grandmaster to Alchemical Divine Master was no longer just about the quantity of elixirs refined; this step was incredibly hard to take—perhaps ten years, perhaps several centuries; no one knew.

“I find it strange. Alchemy should be quite profitable, so why do the alchemists at our Green Pill Workshop seem to earn so few spirit stones?” Ye Qin asked, puzzled. “Uncle-Master, a large portion of our Green Pill Workshop’s profits are taken by others,” Shen Bao complained. “By whom? Is there someone in the city pressing against the Green Pill Workshop?” Ye Qin frowned, his voice instantly chilling. He found it hard to believe anyone in Baifu City would openly bully the Green Pill Workshop. He was, after all, an Elder of the Purple Sword Palace; pressing against his domain was tantamount to offending the Purple Sword Palace. “It’s not quite like that.”

Shen Bao shrank his head and mumbled, "If we are to refine pills, we first need to purchase medicinal herbs in bulk from the Spirit Herb Plantations. The purchase price for these herbs is extremely high. After refining them into elixirs, we then send them to the major merchant guilds for sale, which incurs another significant expense. Seven to eight-tenths of the profit is seized by the Spirit Herb Plantations and the large guilds, leaving our pill workshop with only a meager two to three tenths as refinement fees. Moreover, all the Spirit Herb Plantations and merchant guilds are backed by the Immortal Palaces.

The large Spirit Herb Plantations cultivate medicinal herbs across vast tracts of land, deploying hundreds or even thousands of Spirit Birds. The major merchant guilds almost completely monopolize the sales channels for all elixirs. If we don't trade through them, there's simply no way to sell the pills.

And these Spirit Herb Plantations and major merchant guilds are all assets under the jurisdiction of various Immortal Palaces. These Palaces have accumulated immense wealth over thousands upon thousands of years. Each Immortal Palace commands no less than hundreds, even thousands, of Spirit Islands, numerous workshops, and various commercial halls. Our strength is too slight,” he trailed off, the implication clear. “We can only manage a small refining workshop, being severely exploited by those plantations and guilds.” Ye Qin understood.

The plantations and guilds controlled by the Immortal Palaces used trade mechanisms to openly fleece the smaller pill workshops, and he was powerless to intervene.

Even though he was an Elder of the Purple Sword Palace, he still had to operate according to the rules of each industry. It wasn't a matter of doing exactly as he wished. This was because the Purple Sword Palace itself owned such industries to earn Spirit Stones.

In the East Sea, the number of Spirit Islands is limited. To become the master of even one Spirit Island requires a Golden Core cultivator. To command hundreds of Spirit Islands, one must necessarily command hundreds of Golden Core cultivators.

The herbs he cultivated on Fire Vapor Island were only enough for Bing'er to use for her own alchemy; they were utterly insufficient for the entire Azure Pill Workshop. This scale certainly couldn't contend with those massive Spirit Herb Plantations boasting hundreds or thousands of Spirit Islands.

“Without an Immortal Palace backing us, without a Nascent Soul cultivator anchoring us, one wouldn't dare open a merchant guild in the East Sea. Otherwise, if disruptive cultivators smashed the storefront, you wouldn't even dare voice retaliation. Only Immortal Palaces with formidable strength have the capability to simultaneously operate pill workshops, spirit herb farms, and commercial halls, retaining all the profits themselves without fearing other cultivators coming to cause trouble. In the East Sea, all large Spirit Herb Plantations, shops, and commercial halls are run by Immortal Palaces. With our level of strength, we can only run a small refining workshop and earn meager wages for manual labor,” Shen Bao explained at length, finally sighing in resignation.

Although Huangfu Bing'er was the Mistress of the Azure Pill Workshop, it was Shen Bao who handled the daily affairs and dealt with those herb dealers and guilds; he understood the helplessness of the situation best. “If only our Azure Pill Sect could produce a Nascent Soul Ancestor.”

Huangfu Bing'er was stunned for a moment, then suddenly murmured, “If that were the case, we could establish our own Immortal Palace—the Azure Pill Palace—recruit a large number of Golden Core cultivators, concentrate numerous Spirit Islands for herb cultivation, set up refining workshops to make pills, and establish commercial halls to sell them. Furthermore, disciples of the Azure Pill Sect coming to the East Sea islands in the future could directly join the Azure Pill Palace, no longer having to rely on others to pledge allegiance to other Immortal Palaces.” She paused. “Martial Uncle Sun and the other four Golden Core cultivators find their own cultivation extremely difficult. After several decades, their cultivation has only advanced by one or two minor levels, still remaining in the mid-Golden Core stage. It’s unlikely they’ll ever have a chance to become Nascent Soul cultivators.”

Huangfu Bing'er gathered her thoughts and turned to Ye Qin, saying, “My husband, both of us have a high chance of attempting to break through the Nascent Soul bottleneck. As soon as one of us succeeds in reaching the Nascent Soul stage, we can establish our own Immortal Palace. This would allow us to earn substantial Spirit Stones, accumulate wealth, and cultivate our sect members. The disciples of our Azure Pill Sect in the East Sea would also have a better life and could cultivate to higher realms.” Ye Qin looked back at Huangfu Bing'er, noticing the brilliant light shining in her eyes, and her resolve.

His heart stirred slightly, and he thought to himself, Previously, when Bing'er and I had low cultivation and weak strength, our focus was entirely on cultivation, trying to catch up to Sun Ran and the other Golden Core Elders of the Azure Pill Sect; we didn't pay much mind to the plight of our fellow sect members.

Now, Bing'er’s cultivation has surpassed the Golden Core Elders like Sun Ran. She cannot bear to see her fellow disciples lag so far behind and wishes to look after them, to pull them along... Very well, since Bing’er wishes this, I will help as much as I can. As long as it doesn't impede my own cultivation too much. The bonds between the Azure Pill disciples are deep, fostering greater mutual trust. In times of danger, they can assist each other promptly. On the path of immortality, relying solely on one's own power is exceedingly difficult. I don't need to worry excessively for myself; with my Purple Mansion, even if the sky collapses, it won't crush me. But Bing'er is different. Having more Azure Pill sect members to support each other is always better. If I happen to be away, the stronger the overall strength of the Azure Pill cultivators, the better they can resist greater dangers.

Ye Qin carefully weighed the pros and cons, his understanding gradually becoming clear. Establishing the Azure Pill Palace and founding a sect once Bing'er reached the Nascent Soul stage might not be a bad idea after all.

As they were speaking, a beautiful woman dressed in a tight-fitting white shirt suddenly flashed into the Azure Pill Workshop with incredible speed, wielding a magnificent, several-zhang-long azure ancient halberd. Her swiftness rivaled that of a Golden Core cultivator using wind-riding techniques. She was clearly a high-level female Earth Clan warrior, possessing strength comparable to a Golden Core cultivator.

But no matter how fast she was, she could not escape Ye Qin's sharp divine sense.

“Xiu'er!”

Ye Qin knew it was Bai Xiu'er without even turning his head.

“Brother Ye!”

Seeing she had been discovered by Ye Qin, Bai Xiu'er was startled. She immediately stopped dead in her tracks, lowered her head, and walked up to Ye Qin.

The azure ancient halberd in her hand was the top-grade ancient weapon Ye Qin had seized decades ago from a high-level Sea-Plundering Clan warrior in the Langya Secret Realm. It was immensely potent, comparable to a top-grade magical artifact.

“Did you go out fighting other warriors again?”

Ye Qin’s expression showed a hint of displeasure, and his voice deepened considerably. “No, I didn’t!”

Bai Xiu'er flinched, ducking behind Huangfu Bing'er to use her as a shield, blinked, and chuckled slyly, “Sister Bing'er, there was nothing much happening at the workshop today, so I went out for a stroll. Now, an entire street block of tribal warriors in White Float City has been subdued by me! An entire block of tribal warriors calls me 'Boss.' There are still over a hundred blocks in the city, and I plan to keep going until all these tribal warriors submit, making Sister Bing'er the boss of my bosses.”

White Float City had strict governance over the Earth Clan. Only Earth Clan warriors of two statuses were permitted to reside there: male warriors mostly served as laborers or slaves for cultivators, while female warriors often served as maids or concubines for cultivators.

In White Float City, Bai Xiu'er was nominally Huangfu Bing'er’s handmaiden, usually staying in the Azure Pill Workshop to do odd jobs. When she had free time, she would run around the city, fighting those tribal warriors. Given her strength, and the rare Earth Clan ancient weapon—the azure halberd—very few could defeat her.

Huangfu Bing'er never required personal service; treating Bai Xiu'er was more like treating a sister. Moreover, Bai Xiu'er’s divine strength was increasing rapidly. In the Azure Pill Workshop, apart from the couple Ye Qin and Huangfu Bing'er, and the four Golden Core Elders like Sun Ran, perhaps only this high-level warrior possessed the strongest cultivation, surpassing even the other Foundation Establishment cultivators—she could be called a genius Earth Clan warrior.

Huangfu Bing'er had no interest in such matters, finding it both amusing and slightly exasperating. “Alright, Xiu'er, you and Yan Ying will come with us to the city auction tomorrow to see if we can acquire a Golden Core Bridging Pill. I recently refined a set of Fire Elemental Nascent Soul Flying Swords and plan to integrate the Ice Soul Cold Light Sword with a Fire Sword Array, but I'm missing a suitable sword array. It’s a good chance to see if we can buy a decent Ice-Fire dual-attribute sword array at the auction.”