He had been worried on the road, fearing that the Xie, Wang, and Cui families would cause trouble at the shop in his absence or play dirty tricks, as Wu Siqi alone would be unable to handle them.
Fortunately, all his worries were in vain. To his surprise, the three families had managed to remain patient. However, the Xie, Wang, and Cui families were deeply entrenched and powerful. If they were to plot any schemes against him, he suspected he would find it difficult to cope.
After waking up, Mo Qi had an idea. He wanted to cooperate with the Xie, Wang, and Cui families in selling elixirs. The proposed cooperation was for Mo Qi to sell to them at the current price, and they would then distribute them. He would also continue to sell retail in the future, but at prices consistent with theirs.
Mo Qi first visited the Xie family. Xie Yucai was initially surprised to see Mo Qi arrive at the Xie residence. Upon hearing that he was there to discuss cooperation, and that he was willing to humble himself and lower his status to negotiate, Xie Yucai felt as if he were dreaming. He pinched himself hard to confirm it wasn't a dream, and then became so emotional that tears welled up in his eyes, nearly causing him to faint.
Subsequently, the Xie family, egged on by Xie Yucai, readily agreed to the cooperation. Without it, they saw no way out; their own elixirs were not selling at all, and they were on the verge of closing down.
Yet, an opportunity had suddenly been presented to them. This was like manna from heaven, a great act of charity!
The miraculous effects of Mo's elixirs had been spreading like wildfire in Lexi City over the past few days, practically being hailed as divine elixirs. Even at a higher price, there was no shortage of buyers.
Although Mo Qi's elixirs had a high cost price, the profit from each one sold was many times greater than that of other elixirs. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say "sell one and live for three years."
While at the Xie family's, Xie Yucai was exceptionally hospitable, making Mo Qi truly feel at home.
He massaged Mo Qi's back and legs, served him tea, and prepared his bed. He even offered to find a maid for Mo Qi's companionship, which Mo Qi promptly refused.
The Xie family elders were astonished to see Xie Yucai running around so busily and happily. This unruly child could actually be so well-behaved at times.
He hadn't intended to bring up the matter of the IOU, but after the cooperation was finalized, the Xie family, overjoyed, voluntarily offered to pay. Mo Qi naturally did not refuse; money that came to him was not to be turned away, and he directly put it into his storage bag.
As Mo Qi was leaving, Xie Yucai even expressed a desire to take Mo Qi as his master, which Mo Qi naturally declined.
Leaving the Xie family, Mo Qi walked towards the Wang family's residence, in high spirits. Being served felt truly wonderful. If Shui Ling and Jin Yan could also serve him like this, it would be perfect.
Lost in thought, he heard a commotion ahead. The street was in chaos.
Mo Qi walked closer and saw that the Wang residence stood out prominently amidst the crowd.
Behind him, two lackeys were dragging a young and beautiful girl.
The girl was crying heartbrokenly, struggling as she cried. However, the two lackeys held her tightly, and no matter how much she struggled, it was futile.
Following them was a gaunt old man, frail and with unsteady legs. He stumbled with every step, falling again just a few steps after getting up. Yet, he continued to pursue them with unwavering determination.
As he chased, he cried out, "Young Master Wang, please let my Ling'er go! If you take her away, how can I go on living?"
Young Master Wang walked ahead without looking back, saying nonchalantly, "It's your granddaughter's fortune that I fancy her. If you're afraid you can't live alone, I'll let her return in a couple of days. It's troublesome, though; after taking her back, I'll need to give her a good wash before I can use her."
"No, no!" the old man cried. "Please, have mercy and let her go. She's only fifteen. How will she ever get married in the future?"
Mo Qi asked a tea stall vendor nearby, "Excuse me, what's going on here?"
The tea stall vendor sighed, "Alas, what a sin. Young Master Wang is abducting another innocent girl. He roams this street every day, and anyone he fancies, he forcibly takes back to serve him. After he's done with them, he either keeps them as maids or lets them go. Many girls have been ruined this way."
Mo Qi's heart burned with rage. This scourge! I shouldn't have spared your life last time!
Today, you're as good as dead!
At first, I even considered cooperating with your family. If I hadn't encountered this situation, I might have become an accomplice to evil without even realizing it.
The next moment, Mo Qi's figure flashed, and he directly blocked Young Master Wang's path.
Young Master Wang hadn't seen him clearly at first and remained nonchalant, "Who's so blind..."
When he saw Mo Qi's face clearly, his expression immediately turned to one of terror. "You, you, what do you want?" His tongue was tied due to extreme fear.
"Your life," Mo Qi said coldly. Each word was squeezed out from between his teeth, like a biting cold wind sweeping through.
Young Master Wang's body began to tremble involuntarily.
The two lackeys behind him were so scared they froze, and they unconsciously let go of Xiao Ling.
Xiao Ling, as if granted a great pardon, immediately ran back, throwing herself into her grandfather's embrace.
Her grandfather, no longer caring about anything else, pulled Xiao Ling and hobbled away.
This was a rare opportunity. If they didn't leave now, they might not be able to escape once Young Master Wang regained his strength.
Mo Qi wasted no words. He flicked his claws, cleanly piercing Young Master Wang's body, and then those of the two lackeys.
Cheers erupted from the surroundings. Some people even wept, "Heaven has eyes, heaven has eyes!"
"Good is rewarded, evil is punished. It's not that there's no retribution, only that the time has not yet come!"
"The heavens cycle, and who can escape their judgment?"
A kind person warned Mo Qi, "You should flee quickly. When his grandfather and father arrive, you won't be able to leave even if you wanted to."
Mo Qi directly severed Young Master Wang's head and held it in his hand. "Even if they don't come looking for me, I will go find them."
With that, he soared away.
Everyone around was stunned: Who was this person? A legendary enforcer of good and punisher of evil?
In the Wang family residence, Wang Dao was sitting in the courtyard, leisurely basking in the sun.
With a thud, an object fell to the ground, bloody and furry.
Wang Dao jumped up in fright. Upon closer inspection, it was a human head. He wasn't unfamiliar with seeing heads.
Having experienced much in life, he calmed down instantly. However, at the same time, a sense of foreboding began to rise within him.
Upon looking closer, he realized it was Wang Fu!
Wang Dao's heart and courage instantly shattered. He roared to the heavens, "Who? Who is this heartless wretch?"
Just then, a voice seemed to descend from nowhere, "It is I." Immediately, an arrow of energy shot out, piercing Wang Dao directly between the eyebrows.
In his grief-stricken state, he was completely unprepared. Mo Qi's sneak attack was successful, saving him a lot of trouble; otherwise, it might have taken more effort.
Wang Dao collapsed to the ground with a thud, his eyes wide open.
Before he drew his last breath, Mo Qi revealed himself, appearing before him and saying coldly, "Don't stare at me. Let me tell you why you are dying. Firstly, you abetted evil and committed heinous deeds, acting lawlessly. Secondly, you indulged your grandson's wickedness, oppressed the common people, and your sins are beyond measure. Thirdly, if you were to live, you would surely be a future problem."
Then, Wang Dao finally breathed his last, his eyes still wide open, never to close in death.
At this moment, all the old and young, men and women of the Wang family rushed out from the rooms.
Upon seeing the scene before them, they were all plunged into despair, falling to the ground and weeping.
"Demon, you are a demon," they cursed.
Mo Qi said coldly, "In the eyes of the people, are you not also demons?"
"Where is Wang Qin? Come out and face death! After killing the three of you, I will leave." Mo Qi scanned his surroundings, his killing intent subtly permeating the air.
At this moment, Wang Qin rushed out from the inner room, but as soon as he crossed the threshold, he retreated back.
He hid inside, no longer daring to show his face.
Mo Qi looked at the men and women in the house and suddenly felt a surge of pity. He then said loudly, "Very well, I will spare your life today. However, I will always keep an eye on you and your family. If you fail to teach them properly, I will help you teach them. Today was a profound lesson. The tuition is free, but you still owe me the twenty million spirit stones your son owed me."
With that, he ascended into the sky and left.
Only then did Wang Qin emerge from the house, beating his chest and stamping his feet, roaring to the heavens, "I will kill you!"
Afterward, Wang Qin went to find Cui Xin, hoping he would help the Wang family seek justice.
Cui Xin, having just been humiliated, did not wish to repeat the experience. Moreover, he had a bet with Mo Qi. He intended to defeat him honorably at their appointed time, thinking that Mo Qi wouldn't be able to call upon Shui Ling to deal with him together then.
Therefore, he flatly refused Wang Qin.
Wang Qin then reported the matter to the Zhenghuo Sect, but it was like a stone cast into the sea, with no response.
However, from then on, the disciples of the Wang family no longer dared to act arrogantly or bully the common people. The populace rejoiced, deeply grateful to the one who had eliminated the wicked.
Furthermore, Wang Qin found a suitable opportunity and delivered the twenty million spirit stones to Mo Qi's shop.
This was a later development and not worth mentioning here.
Meanwhile, Mo Qi went to the Cui family to continue discussions about cooperation. To his surprise, the Cui family flatly refused.
They felt that Mo Qi's elixirs were already exorbitantly priced. If they bought them and then marked them up further, would they still sell? What if they ended up stuck with unsold stock?
Mo Qi, too lazy to argue with them for not accepting the pie falling from the sky, turned and left.
As soon as Mo Qi returned to his shop, people from the Cui family chased after him, stating they agreed to Mo Qi's cooperation proposal and were willing to sign a long-term agreement. Why had they suddenly changed their minds? A prodigal son returning is more precious than gold, so Mo Qi did not refuse and immediately signed an agreement. However, it only stipulated their respective supply and sales roles, with no specific requirements for price or quantity. Mo Qi was concerned about the risk of breach of contract later on.
At the same time, Mo Qi suddenly felt immense pressure to supply elixirs to the three families. But he also understood that this was actually alleviating his own pressure.
In any case, he hadn't agreed to any specific supply quantities. It would depend on his mood. If he was in a good mood, he would refine more and give them more; if he was in a bad mood, he wouldn't refine a single one. It also shifted the pressure to the three families. If they couldn't resell the elixirs, and their shops were constantly crowded, once stockouts became the norm, customers could do anything, perhaps even tear down their shops. But if the suppliers were the three families, customers wouldn't be able to direct all their anger solely at one family, would they?
While Wu Siqi was cultivating, Mo Qi began refining elixirs, planning to close himself off for three days and start supplying on the fourth. However, the very next day, a group of people, fierce as wolves and tigers, arrived.
They were the female cultivators from the Zhenghuo Sect, holding order forms and coming to claim what was owed. These were the "romantic debts" Mo Qi had incurred. Since he had dared to sign them at the time, he had to honor them now. But the elixirs he had refined in just one day were hardly enough for them to share. Mo Qi was almost in tears: "How about you come back another day?"
Those who received the elixirs left happily, while those who didn't began to cause a scene, refusing to leave unless he agreed to let them become the proprietress.
Shui Ling immediately rushed in and bowed several times to them, seeing them off. If you want to be the proprietress, you have to ask me first. I am the head proprietress.
Mo Qi sighed from the side, "Only a shrew can handle shrews!"
Thus, Mo Qi had to postpone the opening of his shop and continue refining elixirs.
During his breaks from refining elixirs, he did not forget to cultivate. The fastest way to improve now was to refine the Earth Arrow. By inhaling the spiritual energy of medicinal herbs, he could enhance the Earth Arrow, causing its spiritual power to continuously strengthen. Since the Earth Arrow was completely integrated with his body, the improvement in its spiritual power would drive his own cultivation to gradually increase; the two were mutually reinforcing.
He believed that by improving his cultivation in this manner, he could break through to the Nascent Soul stage within half a year. Combined with the simultaneous improvement in his defensive capabilities, he would then be capable of defeating Cui Xin.
However, this was under the premise that Cui Xin did not experience significant cultivation advancements during this period!
He figured that given Cui Xin's age and constant cultivation, if he could improve, he would have done so long ago. At the very least, it was certain that Cui Xin's rate of progress would not be faster than his own. Therefore, shortening the gap between them was inevitable, though the exact timing of catching up was uncertain. He wasn't sure if setting a one-year deadline was the right decision.
Time passed quickly. Three months later, an unexpected guest arrived at the elixir shop. It was a woman, accompanied by two maids.
The woman was dressed in white clothes and a white skirt, possessing an ethereal beauty, as if she were a celestial maiden descended to earth. The moment she entered the shop, everything around her seemed to dim in comparison. The entire room appeared to be enveloped in a halo. The two male customers in the shop stared with their mouths agape, unable to close them for a long time.