Hermit in the Mountains

Zhang Yuanfu's playful expression vanished in the blink of an eye. The time was right. He pulled a small elixir he had prepared earlier from his pocket and placed it on Li Jianguo's desk, his face serious. "I've obtained some miraculous medicine to regulate your body for you. Want 100,000 yuan?"

Li Jianguo's pupils dilated slightly. He picked up the sealed wooden shell with both hands and gently pried it open. A faint medicinal fragrance wafted out, and he felt a cool sensation rush into his brain.

"Is this the elixir that appeared at the pill-tasting ceremony you held?" He raised his eyes slightly and asked Zhang Yuanfu across from him.

He learned that Fushoutang was holding a pill-tasting event and also found out about the effects of elixirs and pills that appeared at the gathering, but he couldn't find out the specific names of the pills.

Seeing his old friend smile and nod, Li Jianguo tentatively asked, "Who in the mountains did you come from?"

Zhang Yuanfu came here to discuss cooperation, and there was no need to hide the fact that the Little Spirit Pill came from Gu Changsheng.

He had taken real elixirs and knew that the difference in efficacy between minor elixirs and elixirs was enormous. Perhaps in Gu Changsheng's eyes, minor elixirs were just semi-finished elixirs, otherwise he wouldn't have used the word "minor".

"The First-Grade Nourishing Essence Pill was indeed made by our predecessor."

When he answered, he emphasized the words "first-class" and "small," leaving Li Jianguo to guess and wonder if there was a first-class elixir, or if there was a second-class elixir, or if there was a small elixir, or if there was a large elixir.

Just as Zhang Yuanfu had predicted, Li Jianguo noticed the change in Zhang Yuanfu's tone and firmly memorized the terms "First-Class" and "Minor Elixir."

Ignoring Li Jianguo's reaction, Zhang Yuanfu stated his purpose for the day: "I've come here today to seek cooperation with you. Consider this little elixir a small gift."

"How do we cooperate?" Li Jianguo asked in return when he heard about cooperation.

"My senior gave me a task: to gather information about the outside world and collect resources related to cultivation. I just remembered you, Old Man Li, and decided to give you an opportunity."

Zhang Yuanfu remained calm and composed, portraying himself as someone who cared deeply for his old friend: "I'm good to you, so I think of you when good things happen."

Upon hearing this, Li Jianguo rolled his eyes and snorted inwardly, "They're all cunning foxes pretending to be innocent." However, he didn't expose them directly but instead launched a verbal attack.

"With the connections, power, and funds of my Li family, why should I cooperate with you? Wouldn't it be better to just go and cooperate with that person in the mountains?"

"Qin Medicine Group and Fushoutang are not even in the same size. I think that person will have new considerations."

After explaining his advantages, he observed Zhang Yuanfu's expression. Unfortunately, the other party seemed completely unconcerned and incredibly confident, as if he wasn't afraid of Zhang Yuanfu seeking cooperation with Gu Changsheng. He frowned.

Zhang Yuanfu's words dismantled Li Jianguo's offensive and the Li family's advantages in connections, power, and capital: "The elders do not like to cooperate with capital."

Upon hearing the words "the senior dislikes cooperating with capital," Li Jianguo's face showed disbelief. He finally understood why Gu Changsheng had always refused his granddaughter's invitations; the crux of the matter lay in this sentence.

He was still unwilling to give up, and he also had his own pride. How could Gu Changsheng expect the Li family to bow down without even showing his face?

He revealed the secret he possessed, saying, "Old Zhang, Gu Changsheng isn't the only one in the world with special abilities. I can find other people."

He noticed the change in Zhang Yuanfu's expression, a smile spreading across his face. He asked smugly, "Old Zhang, you don't think you've got me figured out, do you? Haha."

Zhang Yuanfu was stunned for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure. It was just that there were other cultivators; he was already prepared for that.

The old Taoist priest and the old bald monk who participated in the alchemy gathering acted strangely. Combined with Gu Changsheng's speculation, they basically determined during their conversation on the mountain that the two old guys might have embarked on the path of cultivation.

"You're really something, your information network is so good." Zhang Yuanfu changed the subject, "You must have found out from higher up, right?"

"That's right, do you really think I've been in the business world for nothing all this time..." Li Jianguo hadn't finished speaking when he suddenly realized he'd been tricked into saying something.

Seeing Zhang Yuanfu's smiling face, he was furious. How could he have so casually revealed the secret he had obtained with the greatest favor?

Zhang Yuanfu learned the source of the information from Li Jianguo, and he changed his strategy, no longer arguing with the other party. "I need to tell Gu Changsheng this information immediately."

"Old Li, give me a straight answer, do you want to cooperate with me or not?"

Li Jianguo fell into deep thought, analyzing the pros and cons of the cooperation in his mind.

As Zhang Yuanfu just mentioned, Gu Changsheng doesn't like dealing with capital, which proves that Gu Changsheng won't cooperate with the Li family or other capital entities. Otherwise, they wouldn't have chosen to cooperate with Zhang Yuanfu.

He didn't necessarily have to choose Gu Changsheng. With the Li family's influence, hiring a few retainers wouldn't be a problem, and the Li family could take the lead. Why should he lower himself and choose Gu Changsheng?

Even if the Li family cooperates with the higher-ups, they can still gain some influence. How could they possibly make an unknown orphan bow down?

He knew nothing about the methods Gu Changsheng possessed, and he didn't even know if Gu Changsheng was a fraud.

"Old Zhang, this isn't something that can be decided in just a few words. Before we can cooperate, I need to know Gu Changsheng's capabilities. I can't just agree to it based on your words alone."

Upon hearing that Li Jianguo wanted to know Gu Changsheng's strength, Zhang Yuanfu suddenly sat up straight, his expression turning serious.

Asking Gu Changsheng about his strength is either suicide or death; he won't agree to it and won't ask.

Although he was curious about Gu Changsheng's strength and methods, he dared not and did not want to ask.

Through taking the elixir and what he saw and heard on the mountain, he became absolutely certain that Gu Changsheng was a reclusive master, and there was no doubt about that. All he had to do was unconditionally carry out Gu Changsheng's orders.

If he hadn't known Li Jianguo for forty or fifty years and knew his character, and if Li Jianguo and Li Anlan hadn't already noticed the abnormality in their senior, he wouldn't have recommended Li Jianguo as a partner.

"You should give up on the idea of ​​knowing your senior's strength."

"You're collaborating with me, not with a senior colleague. I had to ask for this opportunity. I can work with someone else; it's not like I absolutely need you."

"If we weren't old acquaintances, you wouldn't even have the opportunity to work with me."

"............................"

Zhang Yuanfu's words became increasingly harsh, and Li Jianguo's face grew increasingly grim; every word the other man uttered seemed to be an insult to him.

Did he really think Li Jianguo had no temper? He slammed his aged right hand heavily on the table.

"Snap—"

"That's enough!"

The teacup on the table shook, spilling tea onto the surface.

"Boss, what happened?" The bodyguard outside the door twitched his ears and heard the boss's angry shouts coming from inside. He immediately ran into the house to ask what was going on.

Li Jianguo regained his senses upon hearing the bodyguard's voice. He waved to the bodyguard, signaling him to step back.

Seeing this, the bodyguard quietly and stealthily withdrew from the room.

Zhang Yuanfu also came to his senses and realized that he had spoken too harshly, because he was anxious to hear that the higher-ups had already noticed that someone could cultivate.

However, what he said is true; Li Jianguo was cooperating with him, not with a senior colleague.

Seeing his old friend's anger blazing across from him, Zhang Yuanfu slowly stood up. He needed to go up the mountain immediately. "I have something to do and need to go out for a bit. Think about it."

After saying that, he didn't mention the small elixir on the table, turned around and walked away quickly.

He had just stepped into the courtyard when he eagerly took out his phone and sent a message to Gu Changsheng. He did not make a phone call, and the message did not mention anything about Gu Changsheng knowing about cultivation.

After sending the message, he immediately called Yang Dashan and asked him to go into the mountains with him.

Zhang Yuanfu's vehicle drove back into the village and disappeared from his sight before the bodyguard turned and went inside.