Chapter 153: The Pot of Wonderful Medicine

Without answering Cheng Yang immediately, Qi Xiu turned slightly to glance at Daoist Yunxiong behind him.

Sensing the inquiry in his disciple's gaze, Daoist Yunxiong maintained his composed and unhurried demeanor as he said, "The Cheng family is wealthy and renowned throughout Dian and Chuan. Xiu'er, if you happen to know the whereabouts of the magic artifact the young master speaks of, you might as well perform a good deed."

Exchanging a brief glance with his master, Qi Xiu instantly grasped Daoist Yunxiong's intent.

*A massive fat sheep! Fleece him to the bone!*

Understanding everything, Qi Xiu's expression immediately relaxed. The corners of his mouth curled upward into a smile.

"Since Young Master Cheng is so sincere, Qi is naturally willing to make your acquaintance. To tell you the truth, I did indeed encounter your elder brother back then. He was being pursued by an evil fiend at the time and had suffered grievous injuries. Although I risked my life to drive the fiend away, I was ultimately unable to save your brother's life. At that time, your brother indeed possessed a magic artifact—it looked like a feathered fan, am I right?"

His eyes lighting up, Cheng Yang nodded repeatedly. "Yes, exactly."

"After your brother passed away, I buried both his mortal remains and that magic artifact."

"Where did you bury them?" Cheng Yang asked instinctively.

"That place is extremely secluded; outsiders would never find it. However, so many years have passed, and I cannot recall the exact location off the top of my head." Smiling at Cheng Yang, Qi Xiu imperceptibly rubbed his fingertips together.

*Little fellow, are you trying to catch a wolf without offering any bait?*

Realizing the implication, Cheng Yang smiled and said, "I must trouble Daoist Qi to rack his brains. Please feel free to state whatever requirements you have."

Seeing how tactful Cheng Yang was, Qi Xiu was just about to speak when a flash of inspiration struck his mind, reminding him of a certain matter.

"Your surname is Cheng, correct?"

Not understanding why Qi Xiu suddenly asked this, Cheng Yang blinked and nodded, "Yes."

"I wonder how Cheng Juenie is related to you?" Qi Xiu casually uttered a name.

"He is my fifth uncle. Does Daoist Qi know my fifth uncle?" Cheng Yang looked somewhat surprised that Qi Xiu knew Cheng Juenie's name.

After all, his fifth uncle kept an extremely low profile and rarely showed his face even within the family. How did this cultivator from the Divine Firmament Sect come to know him?

"I have heard of him in passing. I heard that Senior Cheng possesses a magic artifact, and I would like to borrow it to admire and appreciate for a period of time. If Young Master Cheng can agree to this, I can bring you the artifact you want tomorrow."

"A magic artifact? What artifact?" Looking at Qi Xiu's smiling face, Cheng Yang suddenly felt a prickle of unease. Could it be that he wants...

"The Miraculous Medicine Gourd!"

Upon hearing these three words, Cheng Yang's heart skipped a beat, and the smile that had consistently hung on his face inevitably twisted into an unsightly grimace.

"How does Daoist Qi know that the Miraculous Medicine Gourd is in my uncle's possession?" Cheng Yang's gaze turned solemn.

The Miraculous Medicine Gourd was the signature magic artifact of the Demon-Devouring Sect, a remnant demonic faction from the Middle Ages. It was only by a stroke of fortune that the Cheng family managed to acquire it and hand it over to Cheng Juenie. Almost no one outside the Cheng family knew about this. How did this Divine Firmament Sect cultivator find out?

"Hearsay, mere hearsay."

Chuckling lightly, Qi Xiu casually brushed the question aside. In truth, he had only learned that the Miraculous Medicine Gourd was in Cheng Juenie's hands because the mysterious Daoist Qingya had once mentioned it in passing. Because the Spirit Pill Pouch and the Miraculous Medicine Gourd came as a matching set, he had silently remembered it when he heard the story. He had not expected it to actually come in handy today.

"The Miraculous Medicine Gourd is my uncle's personal magic artifact, and I cannot make the decision on this alone. Could Daoist Qi please choose something else? Alternatively, I could prepare some Dao coins for you, or perhaps procure some lightning-attribute magic artifacts."

Refusing to agree immediately, Cheng Yang pivoted and proposed an alternative solution.

"What? Does Young Master Cheng believe that my master's disciples are so utterly destitute that we lack even Dao coins and magic artifacts?"

Before Qi Xiu could voice his refusal, Daoist Yunxiong chimed in from the side to back him up.

"No, no, no. Junior absolutely did not mean that."

Since a mighty realm-master like Daoist Yunxiong had spoken, Cheng Yang hurriedly waved his hands to explain, sweating profusely from anxiety.

"Your Highness Qingyue, do you think you could help intercede..."

Seeing Qi Xiu open his mouth wide like a lion demanding an exorbitant price, Cheng Yang turned once more to seek help from Gao Qingyue, who was traveling with them, hoping she could mediate the situation.

"Don't look at me. I came here solely on behalf of my sister to retrieve the Five-Color Treasure Qi Fan; I care nothing for other matters. Since the man has already stated his conditions, you need only comply. What is there to mediate?"

Giving Cheng Yang a cool glance, Gao Qingyue showed him no face whatsoever. Or rather, given her status, she had no need to afford him any face at all.

"This..."

Cheng Yang's expression turned troubled. Gao Qingyue could not be relied upon, and the master and disciple opposite him were acting in collusion...

"This matter is of great consequence. I need to consult the elders of my family before I can make a final decision. I am afraid it will take a few more days. We shall come to find the Daoist again then."

After a brief silence, Cheng Yang had no choice but to temporarily take his leave alongside Gao Qingyue. After all, Qi Xiu had already made his stance abundantly clear.

You want Cheng Hua's magic artifact? Very well.
Trade it for the Miraculous Medicine Gourd.
My Divine Firmament Sect is a powerful and prosperous sect; we lack for nothing.
This is my only demand. If you can fulfill it, we trade. If you cannot, then we part ways.

Watching Cheng Yang and Gao Qingyue depart, Daoist Yunxiong stroked his beard and chuckled lightly, "Xiu'er, how did you know that Cheng Juenie had the Miraculous Medicine Gourd?"

"To be honest, I accidentally overheard it from an expert, Master. Do you think the Cheng family will actually use the Miraculous Medicine Gourd to trade for what they want?" Qi Xiu asked with curiosity.

"They likely will. If Cheng Yang had come alone, there might still have been some room for maneuver. But with Gao Qingyue accompanying him, it shows that the Gao family's stance is extremely firm. If the Cheng family does not want to be suppressed and sanctioned by the Gao family, they must obediently return that Five-Color Treasure Qi Fan.

"However, Cheng Juenie has a notoriously stubborn spine. Born into a prominent arts-and-magic family like the Cheng, he somehow mastered a formidable sword-path of slaughter and holds venomous methods. Yet he keeps a low profile, neither showing off nor revealing his true depth. Now that you have stripped him of his Miraculous Medicine Gourd, I fear you have earned his bitter resentment."

"Resentment let it be, unless he dares to come to the Divine Firmament Sect to find me." Tucking his hands into his sleeves, Qi Xiu exchanged a smile with Daoist Yunxiong, the same gleam of anticipation shining in both their eyes.

Come to the Divine Firmament Sect to pick a fight? Would he dare?

***

Half a month later.

A grievously resentful Cheng Yang and Gao Qingyue returned to find Qi Xiu once more.

Accompanying them this time was a round, delicate, pitch-black gourd of supernatural aura. Its surface faintly shimmered with countless patterns of flying birds, running beasts, and all living creatures, bound by a vibrant crimson silk ribbon.

This object was none other than the signature magic artifact of the Demon-Devouring Sect, the Miraculous Medicine Gourd that formed a matching set with the Spirit Pill Pouch.

"I have brought the Miraculous Medicine Gourd. I wonder if Daoist Qi has found my late brother's magic artifact?" Holding the gourd, Cheng Yang felt a sharp pang in his heart as if he were bleeding money.

This Miraculous Medicine Gourd was an exceptionally rare surviving magic artifact from the Middle Ages with boundless utility. The [Miraculous Medicine] it refined was a rare substance capable of healing the soul and spirit. For high-level cultivators in the Blood-Stained Realm, it was virtually an indispensable medicine. The Cheng family had exchanged the miraculous medicines refined by this gourd for an untold amount of wealth.

Yet now, this golden goose was being handed over to someone else. Everyone in the Cheng family, from top to bottom, felt a heartache too deep for words.

"Naturally."

With a flip of his palm, Qi Xiu produced the Five-Color Treasure Qi Fan he had previously seized from Cheng Hua and Lin Man'er.

"May I take a look?"

Seeing the fan in Qi Xiu's hand, Cheng Yang was so excited he nearly sprang to his feet.

Heaven knows that solely because of this magic artifact, the Cheng family had been blackmailed by Gao Qingyuan for a full six years!

Six years! Do you know how the Cheng family survived these past six years?! Compound interest upon compound interest!

Gao Qingyuan was simply a rapacious, wealth-devouring ghost who swallowed people without spitting out their bones. If they failed to recover the Five-Color Treasure Qi Fan once more, the entire Cheng family would have been swallowed whole by Gao Qingyuan and absorbed into a branch of the Gao family.

Handing the Five-Color Treasure Qi Fan across, Qi Xiu harbored not a shred of concern that Cheng Yang might resort to any tricks.

Where was this? The Divine Firmament Sect! If anyone dared to play clever little tricks in front of a realm-mastering powerhouse like Daoist Yunxiong, forget about the Miraculous Medicine Gourd—they would be lucky to leave both their life and belongings behind. Want to go back? Bring more treasures to ransom yourself!

"Your Highness Qingyue, please check if this is correct."

Taking the fan, Cheng Yang turned and presented it to Gao Qingyue. Since it was her family's artifact, she naturally recognized it clearly.

Accepting the two Five-Color Treasure Qi Fans, Gao Qingyue lowered her gaze to inspect them before nodding and producing an official seal-contract.

"This is the lease contract. We are now even."

"Phew... This is... simply wonderful."

With the object returned to its rightful owner and the debt relationship spanning six full years finally severed, Cheng Yang's hands trembled slightly as he took the contract.

"Ahem, Young Master Cheng, since everything is in order, then the Miraculous Medicine Gourd..."

Seeing Cheng Yang holding the contract in a daze of overwhelming joy, Qi Xiu could only cough twice to prompt him.

"Ah, oh! Forgive me, I lost my composure, I lost my composure."

Apologizing profusely, Cheng Yang reluctantly handed the Miraculous Medicine Gourd over to Qi Xiu. "I hope Daoist Qi treats it well."

Wresting the gourd away from Cheng Yang—whose knuckles had turned white from gripping it so tightly—Qi Xiu offered a warm smile. "Young Master Cheng can rest assured. With such a fine item, Qi will naturally cherish it properly, and it will never fall into the hands of outsiders again."

With a violent twitch in his heart, Cheng Yang hurriedly stood up, bid farewell to Daoist Yunxiong and Qi Xiu, and turned to leave alongside Gao Qingyue.

"You brat, driving the knife in after the kill—truly ruthless," Daoist Yunxiong said softly, standing beside Qi Xiu.

"Since we are destined to be enemies from now on, there is no need to leave any leeway once the offense has been committed."

Raising the Miraculous Medicine Gourd in his hand, Qi Xiu gave it a gentle shake, producing a sloshing sound from within that resembled flowing water. "Master, our Yunti Peak has gained yet another steady stream of wealth."

The Miraculous Medicine Gourd could refine [Miraculous Medicine] capable of healing the soul. Such efficacy held some effect even for formidable realm-master cultivators, let alone cultivators in the Blood-Stained Realm for whom it was a precise match.

Originally, Yunti Peak only had a single financial source in the Yunti Spiritual Fruit. Now, with this Miraculous Medicine gourd, they could refine and sell miraculous medicine; good days were clearly just around the corner.

"Playing clever tricks with your master, are you? If you want me to help you refine and activate this Miraculous Medicine Gourd, just say so directly."

Glancing sideways at Qi Xiu, Daoist Yunxiong punctured his little scheme with a single sentence.

Although the Spirit Pill Pouch and the Miraculous Medicine Gourd could refine spiritual pills and miraculous medicines, they could not conjure materials out of thin air. Qi Xiu was currently residing within the Divine Firmament Sect, and having left the Spirit Pill Pouch unused for a long time, he possessed even fewer materials to activate the gourd and refine medicine now.

Furthermore, he was still in the Dao-Entering Realm, meaning the miraculous medicine was of no use to him. Rather than letting it sit in his hands gathering dust, it was far better to lend it to Daoist Yunxiong first.

"Master, you truly wrong me. I am also a part of Yunti Peak, and naturally I must plan for the betterment of our lineage. For you to say such things breaks my heart."

Displaying a trace of despondency, Qi Xiu shook his head and sighed softly, looking deeply aggrieved.

"Oh~ If you put it that way, then Master truly did misunderstand you."

Dragging out his tone, the corners of Daoist Yunxiong's mouth curved upward. "In that case, how about a seventy-thirty split on the profits from selling the miraculous medicine?"

"No way! At least fifty-fifty!"