"My goodness, that price far exceeds the value of the Purple Ginseng Root, and that alchemist urgently needs this item to break through. Fellow Daoist, sell it to this cultivator."
A bystander couldn't help but chime in, and once he spoke, the others followed suit.
Who didn't know that currently, only the Divine Revelation Academy had seventh-tier alchemists? If one could forge a good relationship with this prospective seventh-tier alchemist, would they ever have to worry about refining high-tier pills in the future?
The masked man was quite pleased with this. After everyone had said enough, he spoke with a seemingly embarrassed tone, "Fellow Daoist, if you require seventh-tier pills in the future, my master will definitely prioritize refining them for you."
It was as if he were determined to obtain the Purple Ginseng Root from Bai Shengyi's hand, as if his master had already successfully broken through.
"Oh, I say, both of you fellow Daoists, this gentleman and his master are so generous, you two should just sell it quickly."
"Exactly, exactly."
Qin Si retracted her aura. Although Bai Shengyi had already reached the late Foundation Establishment stage, she was young. Clearly, not only this masked man but also these onlookers all saw her as an easy target.
Qin Si's phoenix eyes narrowed, and a vast, powerful aura suddenly surged forth. A chilling gale swept through the market stalls, and every cultivator who had spoken out to persuade them felt a sharp killing intent, causing them to shut their mouths in alarm.
This... was clearly a tough opponent!
They had misjudged. This person's aura was even more oppressive than that of the Golden Core late-stage cultivator earlier.
"A mere thousand high-grade spirit stones, can that buy a branch of Spirit-Tracking Wood?" Bai Shengyi retorted.
The masked man clenched his fists.
Spirit-Tracking Wood had long since disappeared from the continent. Encountering it was a miracle. If he could have bought it, he would have traded with that Golden Core cultivator earlier; why would it fall to Bai Shengyi?
Bai Shengyi sneered, "Look, the price you offered earlier, even you yourself feel it's unreasonable, right? Moreover, you've said so much, but you haven't mentioned your master's name. Who knows if the so-called seventh-tier alchemist is real or not?"
"You are insolent! To dare slander Master... *cough*..."
The masked man was about to unleash his spiritual power to teach Bai Shengyi a lesson, but before he could act, he let out a cry of pain and knelt on the ground.
A gust of wind blew off his mask, and Qin Si said coldly, "So, it's Mei Shuying's dog. A waste who hasn't been able to break through in twenty years, is he dreaming this year?"
Bai Shengyi couldn't help but laugh. Qin Si's words were even more venomous than her own, but she liked it.
"Let's go, let's go. It's daytime, we can't stop people from dreaming, can we?" Bai Shengyi added with a smile.
Thanks to Qin Si's powerful deterrence, no one dared to stop them as they left the market.
"The Mei family has produced Mei Caibing; Mei Shuying must be anxious."
Qin Si explained to Bai Shengyi, "The head of each generation of the Mei family is the highest-ranking alchemist of that generation. The highest in Patriarch Mei Shuying's generation was only fifth-tier, and he was suppressed by Feng Xun Guang all along. This time, Mei Shuying is coming to the Pill Competition, perhaps to show off to the Feng family."
After all, among the eighteen great families, only the Feng family was also an alchemist family, and the two families had considerable overt and covert competition.
"Mei Shuying is narrow-minded and petty. Tomorrow, besides the competition, don't stray far from me," Qin Si cautioned.
Qin Si had come as the Vice Dean of the academy. The next morning, someone from the Feng family came to their lodgings to guide them to the Pill Competition square.
On the way, Qin Si seemed to have received some news. She brought Bai Shengyi a few steps behind the guide and asked via telepathic transmission, "A'yi, does the Spirit Root Purifying Pill from Wuyue City have anything to do with you?"
Bai Shengyi raised her eyebrows, "I refined it, what's wrong?"
"Mei Shuying will refine this pill today."
Bai Shengyi's gaze suddenly deepened. So this was the reason the other party was buying Purple Ginseng Root in such large quantities?
Purple Ginseng Root was indeed an indispensable medicinal ingredient for refining the Spirit Root Purifying Pill.
"Your pill formula..." Qin Si couldn't help but worry. Mei Shuying's move clearly indicated that he was confident in his ability to refine an effective pill. Qin Si suspected that Bai Shengyi's pill formula might have been deciphered by the Mei family.
Bai Shengyi understood Qin Si's meaning and shook her head, "Impossible."
The conditions for refining the Spirit Root Purifying Pill were extremely harsh. In addition to requiring divine fire, it also needed her mental power as an aid. Bai Shengyi did not believe that Mei Shuying from the Mei family could meet such conditions.
"Do you know what other herbs the Mei family has bought recently besides Purple Ginseng Root?"
"I'll have someone investigate."
A moment later, as the two of them had just reached the square, the results from Qin Si's side also came out.
"Only Thousand-Year Water Heart Fruit, White Jade Lotus, and Seven-Leaf Red Plum have been found..."
Bai Shengyi was completely reassured. After pondering the names of the herbs Qin Si reported, she even had the leisure to worry about Mei Shuying, "If he eats this pill after refining it, won't he go mad?"
"What going mad? Are we discussing the pill's efficacy?" The Mei family head, upon seeing them, walked up to greet them warmly, "Vice Dean, Young Friend Bai, long time no see. Young Friend Bai is too diligent, still studying alchemy even while walking."
"What diligence? Just cramming before the exam, it's embarrassing." Beside the Mei family head, a effeminate man snorted.
The Mei family head, whether he heard it or not, continued to speak to Qin Si with a smile.
However, Qin Si ignored him and stared coldly at the effeminate man, "Apologize."
"Vice Dean, this... my son Shuying was just joking. For the sake of the family head, there's no need to be so serious, right?" The Mei family head's smile faded slightly.
Even if Shuying was an elder of the academy, he was representing the Mei family's face outside right now. The Vice Dean's actions were too unreasonable.
Moreover, if Shuying had to apologize to a child not yet twenty years old, where would the Mei family's reputation go in the future?
"What are you?" Qin Si's voice was cold.
The Mei family head's expression changed.
Qin Si continued, "And what is he?"
"When did it become the turn of others to point fingers at the people of my Qianxiao Peak?"
"Apologize, or die."
These four domineering words continued to strike, making the Mei family head dizzy. How could he have been so foolishly elated by recent good fortune that he forgot this Vice Dean was someone not to be trifled with?
The Mei family head was still contemplating how to save face for himself and his son. Mei Shuying, who had been flattered and praised recently, could not endure such humiliation.
"Why! I didn't say anything wrong, who..."
"Bang!"
Before he could finish speaking, he was sent flying backward!
To everyone's surprise, the one who attacked was not Qin Si, but the silent Bai Shengyi.
Only then did everyone realize that the coldness on Bai Shengyi's face was no less than Qin Si's.
"Still calling yourself 'this Venerable'? A Golden Core that can't even withstand one move from a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and you call yourself Golden Core?" Bai Shengyi sneered, "If I were you, I'd seize the time to cram before the exam, lest I embarrass myself here."
She directly hurled back everything Mei Shuying had just said.
Mei Shuying scrambled up from the ground, his face flushed red with anger.
"Junior! Don't be too arrogant! Know that there is always someone better! As the only person in this era to research the Spirit Root Purifying Pill, if you offend me like this, from now on, for any of my pills, I will absolutely not supply them to anyone outside the Pill Suppression Peak of Divine Revelation Academy!"