With his thoughts running, Li Chonglou found the Master Jianwen he spoke of on the other side of the marketplace.
He was an old man in his sixties, though that was only how he looked; in reality, he might already be eighty. Li Chonglou knew that cultivators could extend their lifespans, and very few people would ever reveal their true age.
It was also possible they had forgotten; age held no meaning for some individuals.
Therefore, Li Chonglou generally treated people based on their apparent age.
His stall was located within the market's designated shop area, though its position was somewhat more secluded. Compared to other shops, his was quite deserted, with not a single customer in sight.
When Li Chonglou entered, the master was lying on a master chair, resting with his eyes closed.
It wasn't until Li Chonglou spoke that he slowly opened his eyes.
"What herb, and what pill do you wish to refine?"
Getting straight to the point from the start?
However, this was fine. Li Chonglou wanted to finish quickly.
"Heaven Soul Grass, I wish to refine a pill that can restore soul injuries to the greatest extent."
Upon hearing this, Master Jianwen's eyes snapped open, and he leaped from his master chair.
"Heaven Soul Grass? You have Heaven Soul Grass?"
Master Jianwen's expression was one of immense surprise, as if he had heard of an incredibly precious treasure.
Li Chonglou directly took out the Heaven Soul Grass from his embrace. Master Jianwen had initially shown some doubt when he saw the cloak. However, when Li Chonglou removed the cloak, a flash of green met their eyes, and his expression changed drastically.
"Damn it, it really is Heaven Soul Grass!"
Master Jianwen confirmed the identity of the herb in Li Chonglou's hand with just one glance. This also relieved Li Chonglou, as he didn't recognize these herbs and feared he had approached the wrong person.
However, in the next moment, Master Jianwen vanished from his spot.
So strong, at least at the seventh level!
Li Chonglou marveled inwardly. Indeed, the underground world was the most hidden place of formidable talents. Even an alchemist, whose cultivation was merely a side profession, could reach the seventh level. If those outside who were stuck at the third level were to know, they would likely be too depressed to sleep for a whole night.
However, compared to his strength, Li Chonglou was more puzzled by his actions.
Had he just run off? Or did he recognize the origin of the Heaven Soul Grass and gone to report it?
As the saying goes, those with a clear conscience have nothing to fear in the dead of night. Li Chonglou, on the other hand, harbored a great demon within his heart!
The moment Master Jianwen left, his instinctual reaction was to wonder if someone was coming to deal with him, or if this master was acquainted with the Little Knife Gang, or even if this mission had been issued by him!
In just a few seconds, Li Chonglou had thought of several possibilities and even devised countermeasures for them!
Then, to his surprise, in the next second, Master Jianwen returned. He wasn't accompanied by anyone, nor was he carrying any weapons, but instead held a large, transparent glass bottle.
Without a word, he then snatched the Heaven Soul Grass from Li Chonglou's embrace.
As he stuffed it into the glass bottle, he cursed, "You're wasting precious resources! Heaven Soul Grass is a quasi-sacred item, and once successfully refined into a Heaven Soul Pill, it becomes a quasi-sacred pill!"
"If others knew you treated Heaven Soul Grass so carelessly, they'd definitely beat you up!"
Li Chonglou finally reacted, scratching his head and saying, "I... I just don't have any experience. I've only heard of its existence."
Master Jianwen had already completely placed the Heaven Soul Grass into the bottle and sealed it with spiritual energy before handing the glass bottle back to Li Chonglou.
Upon receiving the glass bottle, Li Chonglou was surprised to discover that it wasn't made of ordinary glass, but a special material with spiritual energy.
Master Jianwen coldly explained, "This is a spirit cultivation container, specifically designed for spiritual herbs. The more precious the spiritual herb, the stricter the environmental requirements. Your previous handling of it was no different than throwing money onto the street from an armored car!"
Good heavens, the analogy was surprisingly down-to-earth!
Li Chonglou now understood why Master Jianwen was upset and couldn't help but rub his head, saying, "My apologies, I wasn't aware of these things."
Most importantly, he hadn't found such equipment on the members of the Little Knife Gang, nor had Blackie. That's why he thought bringing back the Heaven Soul Grass without issue was fine.
It wasn't until Master Jianwen's next sentence that Li Chonglou truly felt the sting of regret.
"Your method of excavation for this Heaven Soul Grass was incorrect. The root of Heaven Soul Grass is a nature root; without the nourishment of soil, it will absorb the Heaven Soul Grass's energy in reverse. When excavating Heaven Soul Grass, the root should be severed!"
Li Chonglou was stunned. This was beyond his understanding and even contradicted his previous understanding of common sense.
Isn't it generally better to excavate plants with their roots intact? That way, they can be preserved for longer. Who would have thought that Heaven Soul Grass was completely the opposite!
However, Master Jianwen was not finished speaking.
"Furthermore, because you didn't use a spirit cultivation container, your prime Heaven Soul Grass has lost at least twenty percent of its efficacy."
Master Jianwen let out a cold哼, and Li Chonglou's teeth began to chatter, hissing with frustration.
"Hmph, serves you right. Why didn't you come to me beforehand to go together? Don't you know we'll accompany you for free when you find good things?"
Li Chonglou shook his head directly. "My apologies, I had just entered and was immediately given a mission."
Master Jianwen paused, then cleared his throat.
"Where did you find this Heaven Soul Grass? Even with twenty percent of its efficacy lost, I can sense its prime aura. And you're only at the fifth level, aren't you?"
Indeed, he was at the fifth level. On his way back, Li Chonglou had managed to gather medicinal herbs and restore himself to the fifth level, albeit only the early stage of the fifth level.
In the underground world, the more precious the herb, the stronger the mutated beasts around it. This was almost a universal law.
The unique fragrance emitted by the herbs was a fatal attraction to mutated beasts. It was rare to find an herb that had matured without any mutated beasts nearby.
Therefore, a hint of suspicion arose on Master Jianwen's face.
How could a mere fifth-level cultivator, and a newcomer at that, obtain prime Heaven Soul Grass?
Li Chonglou smiled. "Isn't that like the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind?"
Master Jianwen's expression suddenly changed as if he had thought of something.
However, Li Chonglou then asked, "Has Master Jianwen heard of the Little Knife Gang?"
A flicker of suspicion naturally appeared on Master Jianwen's face. Such an instinctive reaction could not be faked, and Li Chonglou immediately formed his judgment.
"Seven days ago, I was on a mission with the Little Knife Gang, but I'm not very accustomed to the environment outside the safe zone..."