Chapter 150: Encounter with an Old Acquaintance, Spirit Beast Hall Master Appears

“Oh?”

Yu Xian was genuinely surprised.

Beast pills and human-consumed spiritual pills were very different — the two types varied greatly.

If one were to use the techniques for refining human spiritual pills to craft beast pills, the success rate would usually be very low.

After all, there were countless species of spirit beasts, each with their own unique requirements. Unlike spiritual pills which could be consumed universally by cultivators, beast pills had to be specifically tailored.

Refining beast pills was often more complex than refining spiritual pills. Because of this, very few people specialized in it — the effort often wasn’t worth the reward. One could better spend their time cultivating or refining spiritual pills.

Only those who truly loved spirit beasts, trained them, treated them as their Dao path, companions, or fellow cultivators, would take the time to deeply study each beast’s traits and thus delve into beast pill refinement.

Such individuals, despite being only Foundation Establishment or even Qi Condensation cultivators, might possess a spirit pet at the Core Formation level.

If you ever came across someone like that… you’d best consider yourself unlucky.

And clearly, the owner of Kunpeng Pavilion was one such cultivator.

No wonder someone with just Foundation Establishment strength could run such a large market.

It was likely that his spirit beasts were no weaker than a Core Formation cultivator!

Anyone who came to stir up trouble or tried to seize territory likely ended up in a beast’s belly.

Yu Xian mused inwardly and smiled, “Then your pavilion master is truly an extraordinary person. I’m impressed. Since that’s the case, why not show me some samples?”

“Certainly, certainly! Please wait a moment, Senior!”

The man was visibly delighted and turned to shout, “Hey! Xiao Zhang! Bring out ten different bottles of Tier 3 beast pills!”

“Got it!”

A voice answered from inside, and a young attendant hurried away.

The shopkeeper turned back with a smile and gestured, “Senior, please have a seat. While you wait, both the map and the pills will be brought out. You may choose as you like.”

“Alright.”

Yu Xian nodded and followed him to a guest area. He gracefully sat down on a tea chair, calmly waiting.

The man chatted enthusiastically, introducing various items in the shop, most of which were related to spirit beasts.

Clearly, he had accurately judged Yu Xian’s current need for beast pills and materials — a seasoned merchant through and through.

Yu Xian listened quietly, and some items did indeed interest him.

Yunzhong Lu needed to advance to Tier 3, and the Little Phoenix Cat to Tier 4. Both required a lot of support from beast pills.

Yunzhong Lu, in particular, was a mixed-blood beast, and logically speaking, should never be able to step into Tier 3. But it had flown with Yu Xian across hundreds of thousands of miles — their bond ran deep.

So Yu Xian naturally wanted to help it evolve to Tier 3, which would dramatically increase its speed, nearing that of a late-stage or even peak Foundation Establishment cultivator’s flight technique.

Its lifespan would also extend, allowing it to accompany him for several more decades.

As for the Little Phoenix Cat, its bloodline was already very pure. Its chance of advancing to Tier 4 was extremely high and didn’t require much support from pills.

So Yu Xian also bought six types of bloodline-stimulating beast pills, which made the shopkeeper grin from ear to ear.

Foundation Establishment cultivators spent far more than Qi Condensation cultivators — even in a large pavilion like this, such a customer was rare. It wasn’t unusual to earn tens of thousands of spirit stones from just one.

Soon, the beast pills were delivered. The map, however, was still being copied.

A massive map of the Eastern Continent could only be owned by Foundation Establishment cultivators. It wasn’t something ordinary Qi Condensation cultivators could even store in their bags.

The shopkeeper completed the pill transaction with Yu Xian and then, apologizing, left to hurry the copying process.

Yu Xian stored the pills and calmly waited, still poised and patient.

But amidst the comings and goings of customers, a figure suddenly appeared before Yu Xian.

He didn’t mind at first — many shoppers passed nearby, and some even dared walk within a few meters.

But this person stood firmly just three meters away, staring at him without saying a word.

Yu Xian frowned slightly.

This was rather impolite. Who just stood there staring like that?

He turned his head and asked calmly, “Fellow Daoist, why are you staring at me?”

The person was a woman, with average looks but a nice figure, and her cultivation was at the peak of Qi Condensation — just one step away from Foundation Establishment.

But that last step was hard. Many cultivators were stuck there for life.

When the woman saw Yu Xian turn to look, she grew flustered, then gathered her courage and asked, “S-Senior, are you Yu Xian, the disciple of the Pill Refinement Pavilion from Baiyun Sect?”

Yu Xian’s expression sharpened. He studied her closely.

And then he remembered her from deep in his memory.

Years ago, she had come to the Pill Pavilion to request a pill. No one else was confident they could do it, so she brought her own herbs and asked Yu Xian.

He had been diligently practicing alchemy back then, so whether it was for practice or to help her, he agreed.

It was a one-time encounter.

Now that he thought about it, her name was Luo Yingmei. She had been a disciple of the Baiyun Sect’s Spirit Beast Hall — and a direct disciple of its master, Jiang Xiaolong.

“Oh, it’s you?” Yu Xian recalled and smiled. “What a coincidence to meet you here.”

“You are Yu-shidi!”

Luo Yingmei’s face lit up with joy.

She hadn’t seen Yu Xian in years. He had completely grown into his appearance — taller, more composed. Back then, he had only been slightly taller than her. Now he towered over her.

And the pressure of his Foundation Establishment aura left her uncertain.

She had been a late-stage Qi Condensation cultivator then, and now she was only at the peak. But he… had become a Foundation Establishment cultivator — a true senior.

She had no right to act familiar.

That moment of joy at recognizing him quickly faded.

“You flatter me.”

Yu Xian smiled. “But what brings you here, shijie? After Baiyun Sect fell, those unwilling to submit scattered and became rogue cultivators.”

“Don’t call me shijie,” she waved quickly. “You’re now a Foundation Establishment cultivator. By Baiyun Sect’s rules, you should be addressed as shixiong.”

Yu Xian chuckled but didn’t object.

In a world where strength reigned, ranks mattered — and he wasn’t about to upset that order.

Luo Yingmei, seeing him smile, relaxed. “Shixiong, this place is my home now. My master is the owner of this building.”

“Oh?”

Yu Xian was surprised. “The Spirit Beast Hall’s master is the owner of Kunpeng Pavilion?”

“Exactly!”

She smiled. “My master refused to submit to the Blood River Sect. He fled with me and… ahem… took over this market. After a few years of development, it became what you see today.”

“I see…”

Yu Xian nodded in understanding.

Jiang Xiaolong, master of the Spirit Beast Hall, was a true peak Foundation Establishment cultivator — and he’d raised countless powerful spirit beasts. Who could stop him from taking a market?

“By the way, shixiong — what are you buying? If it’s not too expensive, I’ll just give it to you.”

She beamed like an old friend seeing a long-lost companion.

But in truth, Yu Xian had only helped her refine a pill once. They weren’t exactly close.

He quickly waved his hand. “That won’t be necessary. I’ve already bought the beast pills. I just need the map now — I’ll pay whatever it costs.”

Luo Yingmei smiled. “After everything… so many of us are dead or scattered. To see you again is fate. And you helped me back then — I haven’t repaid that favor. These beast pills and map are nothing — let me give them to you!”

Yu Xian shook his head, smiling. “No need, truly. I can afford it.”

Luo Yingmei was about to argue again but paused as she saw his calm yet firm gaze.

Right… he was a Foundation Establishment cultivator. What need did he have for free gifts?

She wasn’t offering help — she was trying to buy goodwill.

Her smile softened. “Alright, then.”

Yu Xian nodded and sat again, peaceful as ever. “Is there anything else, shimei?”

Although she was technically an acquaintance, they weren’t truly friends. Polite small talk was enough.

Luo Yingmei froze slightly but quickly smiled. “No, nothing. I was just surprised and happy to see you. I’ll go back to work now.”

Yu Xian nodded. “You’re busy, I won’t keep you.”

“Mm.”

She nodded and turned to leave quickly.

Yu Xian resumed waiting quietly.

It was just a small detour. Once he left this Kunpeng Pavilion and the Da Kun Market, he would forget it entirely.

The map took a long time to copy. Yu Xian waited for the time it would take two incense sticks to burn.

Eventually, the shopkeeper returned, running over with a mid-grade storage pouch.

“Sorry for the wait, Senior! The map is ready!”

Yu Xian’s eyes lit up. He smiled. “No worries. Let’s trade.”

“Certainly!”

They quickly completed the transaction — the massive Eastern Continent map, eighteen meters long and four meters wide, was transferred to his storage pouch.

Yu Xian paid 5,600 spirit stones.

Now, with a map and enough beast pills for Yunzhong Lu and the Little Phoenix Cat to advance, he was ready to depart.

Just as he was about to step out—

“Hahaha! Senior Brother Xiao really accepted a fine disciple! So young and already at Foundation Establishment! His future is limitless!”

—someone laughed loudly nearby.