Chapter 863: Nan Shan Market
Even a nascent soul-stage cultivator showed deference to a Level 1 Pill King. Nascent soul-stage cultivators primarily used Spirit Grade Level 8 and 9 pills, occasionally supplementing with Heaven Grade Level 1 pills—only Pill Kings could craft Heaven Grade pills.
Ye Mo felt a surge of pride. Though unable to refine the Cao Huan Pill yet, he believed he could within a few months. He nodded seriously. "Yes, my master is a Pill King. He can refine the Cao Huan Pill." He found this fictitious master a convenient asset, readily deploying the claim again.
Li Yuqian was stunned. Ye Mo's background seemed far more substantial than she'd imagined. She surmised he must have met this master after their encounter, as finding a nascent soul-stage master to aid Song Yangzhu and Ye Ling would have been simple.
Gratefully, Li Yuqian said, "Then I am indebted to your master."
Ye Mo smiled. "You are Yangzhu and Ye Ling's master. And without you, I wouldn't have obtained the Cao Huan Fruit. A Cao Huan Pill is nothing compared to that. Since you've decided to go to River State, let's depart as soon as possible. We shouldn't linger."
"Should we leave now?" Li Yuqian, recognizing Ye Mo's superior experience in worldly matters and combat, sought his guidance.
"No, I'm going to the Nan Shan Market first. But first, I'll find a place for Qianbei to recover," Ye Mo replied.
Li Yuqian considered this and said, "In that case, I'll join you at the market after I've recovered."
Ye Mo waved a hand. "Qianbei, Zheng Tuoshui will likely soon visit the ruins he mentioned. If he finds none of you there, he'll suspect something's amiss. He won't rest easy and will search for one of you. Given your Golden Core stage reputation, Zheng Tuoshui will immediately know if you go to the market. It's best you discreetly return to my residence to recover. You should also alter your appearance."
Ye Mo intended to sabotage the ruins, making it appear as though three of the four cultivators had perished, with Li Changsheng escaping. However, he knew this was beyond his current capabilities. Even knowing they'd overcome Qian Tuoshui's trap formation, he dared not risk it. An encounter with the Great Elder would have been insurmountable.
Li Yuqian nodded. They gathered their belongings and departed swiftly.
Within half a day, they were over 100,000 kilometers from the battle site. Li Yuqian's injuries were severe, forcing Ye Mo to wait for her recovery. With three days until the auction, he wasn't overly pressed.
After a day, Li Yuqian had significantly improved. She produced a mask. "This is for you."
"Your ability to remain unnoticed beside me and Li Changsheng demonstrates exceptional stealth cultivation. I possess nothing comparable. This mask, the 'Nine Transformations,' can, upon spirit control, assume nine different faces. No one below Hollow Spirit stage will recognize you. It's yours."
Ye Mo recognized the mask's value—likely significant to Li Yuqian as well. He quickly refused. "Qianbei, I have few enemies. You should keep this."
Li Yuqian shook her head. "I'll mask myself upon arrival in River State City. I'll remain within China Pharmaceuticals until reaching the nascent soul stage, barring unforeseen circumstances. I don't need it. But you might require it for the auction."
Ye Mo, persuaded, accepted the mask. He also retrieved the Burst Soul Pill from Li Changsheng's storage ring and gave it to Li Yuqian. Knowing its limited use to him, she accepted, and the two cultivators parted ways.
…
Ye Mo reached the Nan Shan Market in a single day. This independent, large-scale cultivation market was reputedly protected by a peak nascent soul-stage cultivator, assuring its patrons' safety. None dared offend such a powerful individual.
Ye Mo sought lodging for the night but found many hotels full. Cultivation homes were available, but he considered renting one for a single night excessively extravagant.
At the eighth hotel, he finally secured a room, though at double the usual price—fifty spirit stones per night.
"Very well, I'll take this room."
Suddenly, a crisp, arrogant voice declared, "Are there any superior rooms available?"
Ye Mo turned to see a striking woman in her twenties, clad in pink, with fair skin and intricately styled hair adorned with butterfly ornaments. She was even more beautiful than Song Yangzhu and, remarkably, already at Foundation Establishment Level 7.
A less handsome young man, also in his twenties, with darker skin and a square face, followed her silently. He too was at Foundation Establishment Level 7.
The receptionist, momentarily stunned by the woman's beauty, responded, "There was one superior room, but this gentleman already took it. A lower-grade room is available for eight spirit stones."
Ye Mo wondered why the receptionist hadn't mentioned this earlier; he could have saved forty-two spirit stones. The difference lay only in the room's spirit chi quality.
The woman immediately addressed Ye Mo. "Give me your superior room; you can have the lower-grade one."
Had she been polite, Ye Mo might have agreed. But her entitled tone angered him. Without hesitation, he tossed fifty spirit stones onto the counter. "I need to rest. Expedite the procedures."
Ignoring her, the woman's eyebrow arched. Before she could react angrily, the dark-skinned young man approached Ye Mo, saluted respectfully, and offered ten mid-grade spirit stones. "Forgive us, Big Brother. Please, this is a small token—"
Ye Mo smiled, retrieved his spirit stones, and gave eight low-grade stones to the receptionist. "Consider it on this brother's account; I'll take the lower-grade room."