Chapter 285: Refining Qi, Third Layer

Chapter 285: Refining Qi, Third Layer

The man in the black jacket stared at the Kun Qing herb on the table, his gaze deep and profound.

Finally, he spoke, "Can we meet in person?"

With a deal worth a hundred million at stake, he felt uneasy without meeting the other party.

The death of Qi Yuan was insignificant, but losing a hundred million would be a painful loss.

"Hurry up, I'm busy," Qi Yuan casually replied.

Perhaps in a while, when his cultivation reaches a higher level, he might not even care about a hundred million.

"How about meeting at the Haicheng Pass in Tianyue City in two days?" the man in the black jacket tentatively asked.

In two days, the luxurious Haicheng Pass cruise ship would dock in Tianyue City for three days. During this time, the ship would resupply and also hold a banquet, inviting some social elites.

"Hmm... You guys cover the ship tickets and transportation fees," Qi Yuan agreed.

He figured he might as well take this opportunity to get a free meal.

"The invitation will be delivered to you tomorrow, and a private driver will pick you up the day after," the man in the black jacket arranged meticulously.

This was also a way to flex his muscles.

It was a way of telling Qi Yuan, "I know your information and address."

"Alright, by the way, bring more Kun Qing herbs; I'm running low," Qi Yuan said to the man in the black jacket, then added, "If it's convenient for you, gather some materials for me as well. We can settle the payment during our transaction."

Oh, and the transaction amount should be after-tax."

After giving a few more instructions on the required materials, Qi Yuan ended the video call.

In the border town, the man in the black jacket's expression shifted from dark to bright.

The previous conversation yielded little useful information, and the initiative was in the other party's hands.

As the saying goes, the customer is king.

But he felt that the person named Qi Yuan was the true king.

That casualness and confidence in his words were not something an ordinary person could possess.

As an arms dealer, the man in the black jacket had many men under his command and had killed before. He had seen all sorts of people, but this was the first time encountering someone like Qi Yuan.

The short-haired man's face was filled with displeasure: "This Qi Yuan is too arrogant, not giving any face for a hundred million deal!"

Qi Yuan's attitude left the short-haired man quite dissatisfied.

"Ah Zhi, remember to prepare the materials Qi Yuan mentioned earlier," the man in the black jacket instructed.

Ah Zhi, slightly stunned, asked, "Boss, do we really need to collect them?"

"Hmm... If the meeting is successful, this deal... I guess we'll have to do it," the man in the black jacket knew himself well.

Since he was already tempted.

This deal would definitely go through.

Unless the other party revealed a significant flaw during the meeting.

But the video chat was seamless, and a significant flaw during the meeting was highly unlikely.

"Are we really doing this?" Ah Zhi swallowed hard.

That was a hundred million Qin Yuan coins!

And after-tax, too.

If he had that much money, he would have quit this job and lived a life of luxury.

"We are doing this," the man in the black jacket said in a deep voice.

Ah Zhi seemed to understand something and said, raising his eyebrows, "Should I arrange some people on the Haicheng Pass to... take care of him..."

"What are you thinking? This is a legitimate deal! In business, we must maintain our reputation," the man in the black jacket glared at Ah Zhi.

He understood Ah Zhi's intention, which was probably to cheat him.

But how can we cheat in a transaction involving cultivation techniques? What if it's real, and the other party is a cultivator?

...

"Someone has already booked it, so please refrain from private messages and likes. No refunds will be given."

Qi Yuan thought for a moment and commented on his video, then pinned it.

"Qi Yuan, this is our Ming Wu member group. I've invited you; please accept the invitation."

The second senior apprentice sent an invitation with a link to join the group.

"Alright, thanks, Second Senior Apprentice."

Qi Yuan entered the group named "Ming Wu Gathering."

There were over three hundred members in the group.

Qi Yuan lurked in the group, reading the messages.

"Sigh, the secret items are too expensive; I can't afford them," a female member with the nickname 'Little Fish' complained in the group.

"Little Fish, your husband is about to kick the bucket, and you're still worried about a few hundred thousand for the secret items?" a member laughed.

"The bulk of the inheritance will go to his sons, and I'll only get the leftovers?" Little Fish's words carried resentment.

"Not bad, three years for a billion inheritance; I'm jealous!"

"@Guild Master, can the secret items be cheaper? They're too expensive!" Little Fish said in the group.

Other members echoed her sentiment.

"Cheaper, or we can't afford them!"

"We're so broke, we don't even have pants to wear!"

Reading the messages, Qi Yuan asked, "What are these secret items?"

Qi Yuan, true to his nature, asked when unsure.

"New here, brother? Cultivators at advanced stages require secret items to enhance their power.

Oh, and don't mistake secret items for genetic drugs; they're all-natural."

"At what stage should one consume secret items?"

"Qi Yuan asked again.

'To cultivate the Bright Martial Resonance Fist to the seventh layer, you must start consuming secret substances; otherwise, there's no way to make progress.'

'Usually, we senior students, who have cultivated the Bright Martial Resonance Fist for three or four years or more, will consume secret substances to enhance our strength.' The kind-hearted senior shared a lot of information.

'You've been cultivating for so long, you must be very strong, right?' Qi Yuan asked curiously, 'Can you catch bullets with your bare hands?'

'Cough...cough...' The senior struggled to respond, 'I was just joking...'

'Looks like even the seniors aren't that powerful,' Qi Yuan thought to himself.

He naturally wouldn't share these thoughts in the group chat; that would be too insensitive.

After lurking in the group for a while, most of the messages he saw were complaints about the high cost of the secret substances.

According to the information Qi Yuan gathered from the group, a month's worth of normal martial arts cultivation required the consumption of secret substances worth several hundred thousand.

At this rate, it would cost several million a year.

No wonder only the wealthy could afford to cultivate martial arts.

Ordinary people wouldn't dare spend several million a year on martial arts cultivation.

'I must quickly reach the seventh layer and see what these secret substances are,' Qi Yuan was quite curious.

Qi Yuan had only cultivated the first layer of the Bright Martial Resonance Fist, and the seventh layer was still a ways off.

Moreover, there were many differences between martial cultivation and immortal cultivation.

For example, in the more challenging path of immortal cultivation, Qi Yuan had already reached the third layer of Qi Condensation.

If he had sufficient resources, Qi Yuan could immediately establish his foundation.

But martial cultivation was different; it required actual practice.

It was real training.

Every time Qi Yuan executed the Bright Martial Resonance Fist, he felt a slight improvement.

This improvement wasn't in proficiency but in his martial cultivation.

'However, ordinary people... probably can't persist after practicing a few times a day... But I'm different; I can keep going!'

In the living room, Qi Yuan practiced the Bright Martial Resonance Fist for a while longer.

After finishing his practice, he began cultivating immortal techniques again.

'I estimate that only after forming a Primordial Core, can I summon the projection of the Star Core.

Right now, I'm... too weak; I need to keep a low profile.'

Qi Yuan felt that he was being low-key.

For instance, if he were to sell martial techniques through videos.

There would be numerous comments below, hmm, if it were in the Canglan Realm, Qi Yuan would follow the network line to strike back.

But now, he was merely a small novice at the third layer of Qi Condensation.

Following the network line to strike people?

Too troublesome.

It's too much effort to even consider purifying the social atmosphere, right?

Otherwise, it wouldn't be appropriate to say that I don't eat beef.

In the late night, Qi Yuan laid on the sofa, watching the news after taking a shower.

'Recently, there have been illegal elements roaming the city, so citizens are advised to be vigilant and ensure personal safety.'

'The beloved daughter of the Qin Yuan Kingdom, the sixth princess of Tiancheng, will be holding her coming-of-age ceremony today, and citizens are invited to celebrate with the princess.'

'Cansan Star has become the hottest word of the year, and more and more citizens are eager to immigrate to Cansan Star!'

'Zhancheng Star is imposing a "Rainwater Tax," and protesters are gathering on the streets.'

The news reported various events happening around the world.

'If my memory serves me right, in a few days, the sixth princess will be assassinated, and Zhancheng Star will undergo a coup d'etat.'

Qi Yuan pondered.

In a 619 book, there's no mistake!

He still retained memories of the coming year, although he was unaware of most events.

But for something that could top the trending searches and headlines, a Primordial Seed like him would know.

'With those Reincarnators around, this sixth princess probably won't be assassinated this time.'

Although Qi Yuan hadn't made contact with the Gongyi Clan yet, there were definitely Reincarnators who had already interacted with the Seven Stars Family.

To prevent the princess's death and the coup d'etat, someone would surely take action for such a significant achievement.

At this moment, Qi Yuan's phone rang.

It was a call from Wang Xu.

'How was the blind date, Qi Yuan? Was the person Cui Fan introduced reliable?'

'We didn't hit it off.' Qi Yuan recalled the woman in the tight-fitting outfit, and he had also borrowed a considerable sum of money.

'Don't worry, there will be better opportunities in the future. What about the job I recommended... Are you interested?'

'No, thank you, Class Monitor. I've found something to do that can make money.'

'Make money?'

'Yeah, I'm going to do business, so I won't be working as an employee. Let's talk tomorrow.'

Qi Yuan hung up the phone.

It was hard to refuse such kindness, and he still needed to practice more.

On the other end of the call, Wang Xu was a bit dazed.

'Do business?'

'This is so unexpected.'

After all, who didn't know that Qi Yuan was a mental patient.

A mental patient doing business?

Selling what?

His body?

But the other party had already hung up, so he couldn't say anything more.

'Well, Qi Yuan is doing business... Working is too tiring, and tomorrow I have to work hard to investigate the sea monster, that Sea Star Peak!'

...

'Please take a seat, sir.'

In the residential area, a muscular man in a suit opened the car door, and Qi Yuan sat inside, closing his eyes to rest.

This car was sent by the man in the black jacket to pick up Qi Yuan.

Despite wearing a suit, Qi Yuan still caught a faint whiff of blood.

This man had taken lives.

Such a person, in a civilized city, could scare ordinary people, but for Qi Yuan... well, it was just like that.

"Does your boss have a lot of money?" Qi Yuan casually asked.

The driver, stunned for a moment, responded with a deflated expression in Qin Yuan dialect, "A lot."

"Good, since he's powerful, it'll be convenient to work together."

Qi Yuan was too lazy to search for a partner.

One partner was enough.

Especially since he had gathered all the necessary materials, and all he needed was to cultivate, which was the best option.

The driver remained silent, not speaking.

After about two hours, the car stopped at a port.

"Mr. Qi, please follow me, the boss is waiting for you on the cruise ship."

Qi Yuan nodded and followed the suited man onto the cruise ship.

The Sea Star Pass cruise ship was a medium-sized vessel at the Seastar Pass, nearly 500 meters long, capable of accommodating nearly ten thousand tourists.

Currently docked at the port, uniformed personnel guarded the entrance.

From time to time, groups of men and women boarded, their faces filled with smiles.

Not far away, there were young men and women taking photos with their phones and cameras.

Some were live-streaming, while others were checking in.

Qi Yuan could hear snippets of conversations.

"I heard this cruise ship belongs to Prince Tiel, I wonder if I'll have the chance for a beautiful encounter."

"Stop dreaming, you need money to pay for the ticket, I heard it costs over ten thousand!"

"Oh, there are people who don't pay, my sister and friends went without paying!"

"The VIP channel?"

"Hmm... oh well, unfortunately, I didn't pass the health check, otherwise I might have had a chance to get in!"

On the cruise ship, there were quite a few wealthy and influential people, attracting many young boys and girls.

After all, in this high society, if one could squeeze in, it might change the course of their lives.

Qi Yuan followed the suited man, taking the VIP channel, and boarded the cruise ship under the envious gazes of the young men and women.

The ship was vast, and there were many respectable people inside.

From time to time, one could spot security guards patrolling with guns and other weapons.

"The ship's security is excellent, regular passengers are not allowed to carry weapons, so Mr. Qi, you don't need to worry about your safety." The suited man emphasized.

"Rest assured, I'm not worried."

Although Qi Yuan had only cultivated to the third layer of Qi Condensation, his third layer was different from others.

On this ship, there was nothing that posed a threat to him.

The suited man remained silent, not speaking further.

"Where's your boss? Hurry up, I'm in a rush to get back to my martial arts training."

Qi Yuan followed the suited man, weaving through the cruise ship for about twenty minutes.

"Just a minute, we'll be there, the boss is waiting for you in the hall ahead." The suited man quickly replied.

Along the way, he intentionally led Qi Yuan around, giving the boss more time to observe him.

"Hmm." Qi Yuan nodded, not saying anything more.

At the same time, not far from the cruise ship, a young girl in a formal dress blinked her eyes, seemingly doubtful if she had seen correctly.

"Didn't see anything, I must have mistaken you for someone else. I think you look like a high school classmate, probably a junior..."

"No, I didn't mistake you, you're probably a senior of mine... so handsome, there were a few girls in our class who followed him every day."

"If it weren't for my regular training, I might have pursued a relationship with him, what a pity... now that I'm a public figure, I have to be careful with relationships."

Wu Qi, with her stylish bangs and beautiful face, wore a cold yet glamorous makeup, with heavy eye shadow on her eyelashes. The black dress perfectly showcased her curves.

"Even though I can't openly pursue relationships, with your wealth, aren't you a distinguished alumnus of our school?"

"Nonsense, I'm just a high-class service staff, and later I'll have to accompany clients for drinks..." Wu Qi rolled her eyes.

Her agent couldn't help but say, "If you don't want to attend, I can arrange for you to cancel."

Of course, she was just saying it casually, and canceling was not an option.

"No, I need to seize opportunities like this, it might be a big resource. I don't want to be an idol without any fame for my entire life!" Wu Qi spoke with a pragmatic tone, pulling her dress down to reveal more of her fair skin.

This social event was something she had actively requested.

She understood that in various circles, there were times when she might need to sacrifice herself, but she had still agreed to it.

Such situations were common in various circles, affecting both men and women.

"I hope it's not some fat, old man." Wu Qi thought to herself.

Meanwhile, Qi Yuan entered a grand and luxurious reception hall.

The hall was spacious and lavishly decorated, with no hint of modesty.

A man in a black jacket stood up and looked at Qi Yuan with a smile, "Qi Yuan, I'm Huan Kan."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end