Why did you provoke that old man? He's a reincarnation of a deity!

It was already dark when Xiao Nian returned to her dormitory.

The next day, Yu Hu handed Xiao Nian a card, which supposedly contained five million, and could be used to withdraw silver anywhere in Da Jin territory.

Not long after Yu Hu left, before Xiao Nian could even sit down, a series of hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor.

Qian Yukun ran in, covered in sweat, clutching a piece of paper in his hand, his face beaming with excitement.

"Your Excellency! We have news regarding the materials for the Jade Restoration Pill and the Qi Gathering Pill!"

Xiao Nian paused, her hand still holding the teacup. "Where?"

Qian Yukun, panting, said, "The largest black market in the Southwest—only there has someone released a batch of goods, and the quality matches your order perfectly."

"But the seller is someone important; they only entertain insiders, and you need an introduction from a level two alchemist or higher to get in. I've already made connections, and I can go tomorrow night!"

Xiao Nian put down her teacup: "Let's go."

After leaving the academy, the carriage traveled for more than six hours, leaving Xiao Nian and Qian Yukun with sore bottoms.

Since he began cultivating immortality in his previous life, Xiao Nian had never suffered such humiliation. It seemed that he needed to get a flying magic weapon right away.

The two arrived at a small alley in the capital of Kunyue Province in the southwest.

The two came to an extremely dilapidated courtyard gate. Qian Yukun led him through the back gate, through a narrow passage, and pushed open an iron gate, which led to an underground entrance.

Two men in black stood at the entrance, their faces expressionless as they stopped them: "Search them. No concealed weapons, firearms, or muskets allowed inside."

Qian Yukun frowned: "Are the rules that strict?"

"New here, huh? Rules are rules."

Xiao Nian didn't speak, but spread her arms wide.

The man in black patted him all over, even taking the cane and weighing it in his hand to make sure it was just an ordinary wooden stick before returning it to him.

Qian Yukun was also searched, and the silver notes in his pockets were taken out and counted.

"Okay. Go in."

Suddenly, the end of the passageway lit up.

A huge underground trading market appeared before them, with rows of fluorescent stones hanging overhead, reflecting hundreds of stalls and figures.

The air was filled with the scents of herbs, minerals, and various other unidentifiable aromas.

Qian Yukun led Xiao Nian through the crowd, walking deeper into the area, and finally stopped in front of a carved wooden door.

A servant stood at the door and only opened it after Qian Yukun showed his token.

Inside was a small council chamber with rows of candlesticks on all four walls, casting a dim, yellowish light.

A long table was set up in the center of the hall, and six or seven people were already sitting around it, dressed in different ways. When the two people came in, they looked at the two people who entered with different expressions.

Qian Yukun glanced at the people present and felt a chill run down his spine.

He lowered his voice and whispered in Xiao Nian's ear: "Godfather, these people are all top figures in the Great Xia alchemy world."

"Master Qian, why did you bring an old man with you? Is this your father?" a young man said in a deep voice. It was clear that he looked down on Qian Yukun.

"It's alright, he's probably just an elderly servant or a relative. Let him find a seat over there," a person who appeared to be a staff member instructed.

Qian Yukun looked back at Xiao Nian with a troubled expression, seeking his opinion.

Xiao Nian nodded, glanced around casually, found a corner to sit down, and placed her cane beside her legs.

The light from the kerosene lamp illuminated everyone's face.

Sitting at the head of the long table was an elderly man with white hair, beard, and eyebrows. He wore a blue Taoist robe and had a dark green jade pendant hanging from his waist, on which was engraved the character "乐" (meaning "joy").

He tucked his hands into his sleeves and closed his eyes to rest.

Qian Yukun whispered from the side, "That's Master Chen Daoxuan, a registered Level 4 alchemist from the Leyu Pill Sect. He retired from the guild twelve years ago and is said to have taken a step towards Level 5. His Nourishing Essence Pills can sell for 10,000 taels on the black market, and there's still no market for them."

Next to the white-haired old man sat a bald, fat man with a large head and ears, a ruddy complexion, and a string of thumb-sized jade beads around his neck. He spoke in a loud voice.

"This is a rare game tonight. Old Chen, you haven't been out of action for over a decade, but you're in the mood to come today."

Chen Daoxuan didn't even lift his eyelids: "I heard someone brought out a top-grade pill to exchange for materials, so I came to take a look."

Beside the bald, fat man stood a gaunt, middle-aged man in a black robe, with a hooked nose, sunken cheeks, and countless rings on his fingers: "Fatty Qi, don't ask so many questions. You know the rules. The seller doesn't show up, the goods are on the table, and the highest bidder wins."

Qian Yukun leaned closer: "That bald guy is Qi Yuanshan, a level three alchemist, specializing in antidote pills. It's said his Hundred Herbs Pill can cure thirty-three kinds of poisons. The one with the hooked nose is Zhao Han, a level three alchemist from the Tiger Breath Zhao family, notoriously bad-tempered."

"The Zhao family of Huxi?" Xiao Nian had some impression of this name. Wasn't the young man he crippled for Meng Xiaoshan a member of the Zhao family of Huxi?

"The Zhao family of Huxi is notoriously domineering, with connections to the imperial court, and they supply medicines exclusively to the court," Qian Yukun explained.

Sitting opposite Zhao Han was a gentle, middle-aged woman, around forty years old, wearing a plain white dress, her hair tied up in a bun, and a faint smile on her lips. She was slowly sipping a cup of tea.

"That's Master Su Wan," Qian Yukun said, lowering his voice even further, "a current level four alchemist. She comes from a family of alchemists; five of her ancestors were level four alchemists. She was always the emperor's personal alchemist. Her alchemy technique is known as 'flying flowers on the fingers,' its precision is breathtaking."

Sitting next to Su Wan was a young man who looked to be no more than thirty years old. He had a handsome face and a shiny Level 3 Alchemist token hanging on his chest, as if he wanted everyone to see his youthful achievements.

His chin was slightly raised, and his eyes held undisguised arrogance.

He glanced at Xiao Nian and Qian Yukun, and his lips curled slightly.

"That kid's name is Lu Ming," Qian Yukun said with a hint of complexity, "one of the youngest level three alchemists, he just passed the exam last year, and he's incredibly proud. It's said his master is a court alchemist in the capital."

Lu Ming's gaze swept over Xiao Nian without lingering, and he turned to talk to Su Wan.

Two other people were sitting at the end of the table. One was a thin, hunched old man, his clothes worn and unremarkable. Qian Yukun said, "I don't know this one either."

The other was a person dressed in black and masked, completely covered from head to toe except for his eyes. He sat there motionless, and no one dared to speak to him.

Xiao Nian glanced at the people and got a sense of what was going on.

The number of people sitting in this room tonight is roughly equivalent to half the resources of the Pill Refining Guild.

And then there was that last masked man in black—those eyes of his seemed so familiar, he felt like he'd seen them somewhere before!

Chen Daoxuan suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze falling on Xiao Nian, then sweeping over the others: "Can we begin this transaction?"

The candlelight in the council chamber flickered.