Immortal Cultivation: Starting from a Pharmacy Apprentice

Chapter 251: Chapter 251: Strange Phenomenon

Wei An glanced outside, his expression growing serious.

"Shopkeeper, I have to tell you something strange."

"This city is huge, yet our little corner of it is where Demonic Cultivators cause the most trouble."

Though nothing major had happened, it was still unsettling.

Bai Mo thought for a moment, then smiled.

"This is no mere coincidence. It’s likely our street has what they’re looking for."

"Don’t you worry about it. I’ll go make some inquiries."

But before that, Bai Mo had Wei An prepare a hearty meal.

Once he had eaten and drunk his fill, he leisurely strolled out the door.

When he arrived at Mountain View Tower, there were far fewer Cultivators inside.

They had likely dispatched personnel to search for and suppress the Demonic Cultivators. As a result, everyone’s workload was immense.

His young senior sister, An Caiwei, had been left behind, as expected.

When Bai Mo saw her, she was full of indignation.

"What’s going on in the Tower?"

Bai Mo asked.

An Caiwei pouted.

"It’s all because of those people, who else?"

"It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack. A complete wild goose chase."

She slapped the documents on her desk.

"Look at this, just look."

"All this work, dumped on those of us left behind to handle!"

Hearing this, a peculiar look came over Bai Mo’s face.

"Could it be that because they’re so hard to find, our senior brothers are using my neighborhood as a trap, waiting for them to walk right into it?"

’The frequent appearance of Demonic Cultivators is such an obvious phenomenon. Anyone who isn’t a fool would have noticed.’

’The fact that nothing has changed can only mean our brothers have another plan in mind.’

An Caiwei paused. "It seems you’re right."

Bai Mo sighed.

"My clerk was badly frightened, which is why I came to ask."

An Caiwei stood up.

"Come on, I’ll take you. The senior brother coordinating the operation is here."

The two of them came to a sun-facing room with its door shut tight.

An Caiwei knocked lightly on the door, and a deep voice answered from within.

"Come in!"

They pushed the door open and went inside. The window was also closed, leaving the room quite dim.

A tall man sat behind a desk. He had a square-jawed, handsome face, which was now marred by two deep, dark circles under his eyes.

He looked utterly exhausted.

This man’s surname was also An, but he was not from the same clan as An Caiwei.

"Ah! Brother An, you look like this and you’re still not resting!?"

An Caiwei exclaimed.

The man waved his hand wearily.

"There haven’t been any major incidents, but there are complications you don’t understand. Prediction, capture, and cleanup are no small tasks."

"Even a lion uses its full strength to hunt a rabbit."

"I have to keep an eye on things, to make sure no one lets a real incident occur."

With that, he looked at the two of them expectantly.

"So, what brings you two here?"

An Caiwei looked to Bai Mo and stepped aside, yielding the floor to him.

"It’s like this..."

Not daring to waste the man’s time, Bai Mo spoke quickly.

"Demonic Cultivators are frequently being captured in my area, yet there are no sect members openly standing guard or patrolling. Is that intentional on your part, Brother An?"

Brother An looked at Bai Mo in surprise.

"Oh! You must be Junior Brother Bai."

He had long heard from his subordinates that there was a junior brother in that area who was a good sort, and his Pills were very well-regarded.

Bai Mo cupped his hands in a fist-and-palm salute.

"Bai Mo. Greetings, Brother An."

Brother An nodded.

"To be honest, we noticed the anomaly long ago. But since it gives us the advantage of letting them come to us, we’re reluctant to disrupt the situation."

"However, I do know why those culprits keep showing up in that particular area."

A flash of delight crossed Bai Mo’s face, and An Caiwei also turned her gaze to the man.

"They are after an ancient painting called the *Distant Mountain Cold Fishing Painting*. The entire group is here for it."

Brother An’s expression grew a little more serious.

"It is said they can sense the painting’s aura, which is why they’re lingering in that area."

He said in a low voice,

"It’s no ordinary object. Unfortunately, we’ve searched every antique and calligraphy shop and still haven’t found it!"

’Of course they didn’t.’

’The residents of that street were either Loose Cultivators or members of Demon Hunting Teams.’

’One group is poor, the other is uncouth. Neither would have any interest in such a refined object. Consequently, the antique and calligraphy shops on that street don’t stock anything of real value.’

’It’s practically impossible for a hidden gem to be gathering dust there.’

Having gotten his answer, Bai Mo knew he shouldn’t disturb the man any longer.

He and An Caiwei backed out of the room, and Bai Mo gently closed the door.

Brother An’s face, his eyes already half-closed, was quickly swallowed by the gloom within.

An Caiwei nudged Bai Mo with her elbow.

"Hey, that painting must be worth a fortune. If you could find it and hand it over to the sect..."

"...you know they wouldn’t treat you poorly."

"Tempted?"

Seeing An Caiwei’s teasing expression, Bai Mo laughed.

"That painting is a magnet for trouble. If I got my hands on it, my threshold would be worn down by unwelcome visitors."

"The money I make is honest, clean money. I’d rather not get involved with things like that."

Bai Mo changed the subject.

"By the way, Caiwei, I have everything I need for the Jade Flower Pill. All that’s left is to fire up the furnace and refine it."

An Caiwei’s eyes lit up.

"Is anything missing?"

"Yes," Bai Mo nodded.

"The most crucial ingredient for the Pill is the Berylwater Jade Flower."

"I’ve gathered a full set of ingredients, but the flower itself is shriveled, small, and old. I’m not sure if its medicinal properties are potent enough."

’The Berylwater Jade Flower he had on hand came from that sordid estate. He had used it to demonstrate his abilities in a deal with Xu Ruyuan to win him over.’

’If it had been a high-quality specimen, the other party surely wouldn’t have parted with it.’

An Caiwei quickly shook her head.

"I’ve heard this Pill is incredibly potent. Its effects come in waves, like the tide, driving one’s cultivation forward."

"If the main ingredient is substandard, how could it possibly have that kind of effect?"

Her eyes darted about as she said,

"Just wait a few days. I’ll figure out a way to get you some better ones!"

...

Back at the shop, Qin Wen was practicing his breathing exercises, a faint rumbling like thunder accompanying each breath.

The shop was empty of customers. Wei An, who had been reading a Pill Book, was startled by the sound. He looked up and was immediately overjoyed.

"Brother Qin, you’ve made a breakthrough with your breathing exercises!"

Qin Wen withdrew his energy and opened his eyes.

"Now that my internal organs have healed, I can finally make some progress."

His face was also lit with a joy he could barely contain.

As someone who had been wounded in the mountains, he had thought his life was over, never imagining he would have a chance to recover.

Wei An thought for a moment. "I’ll go prepare some snacks."

"You can have a few drinks with Senior Xue and the others at noon. They can hold their liquor, so it won’t delay the work in the Alchemy Room."

Qin Wen blinked.

"I saw you make a lot of food this morning. Is there really nothing left?"

Wei An waved his hand.

"The Shopkeeper has a huge appetite. Not a scrap was left."

"He must have been thinking through some complex matters during his seclusion, which would explain his energy consumption."

"You should see the manuscripts he distributed in the Alchemy Room. The portion each person is responsible for is already a heavy burden."

Wei An said, a note of awe in his voice.

"And if you look at the whole picture, it’s even more astonishing. You can tell this Pill Formula is actually designed for cooperative refinement, like something a major sect would use."

But now, Bai Mo had brought that kind of collaborative process, usually reserved for sect members, into his own shop.

Just as they were speaking, someone ambled slowly up to the entrance.

The person glanced around before stepping into the shop.

Qin Wen saw his expressionless face.

"An unfamiliar face..."

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!