chapter 25 Not for sale ===

For a full two days, without rest or sleep, Verdantius Liu practiced tirelessly, stabilizing his cultivation at the The Eighth Stage of the Innate realm. With only one day left, he devoted all his efforts to refining Spirit Elixirs. The medicinal herbs on the ground kept diminishing as pill after pill of Spirit Elixirs were produced. As promised, the fifth day arrived. As the gates of the Xu family opened, Arboreus Lei was already standing outside. This sight startled the Xu family's servants, thinking trouble had come, as the Xu family had been quite tumultuous lately. Explaining his purpose, Arboreus Lei was personally greeted by Silvianus Xu. Since the last Beast Arena event without the presence of the Pill Treasure cockloft, today's scene at the Xu family was another spectacle. When Arboreus Lei arrived at Verdantius Liu's courtyard, he widened his eyes in disbelief. The wild-looking figure before him was the same Young Master Liu who had slaughtered recklessly just three days ago. His hair was a mess, and he looked dirty and disheveled. For three days and nights, he hadn't rested, completely engrossed in cultivation and pill refinement. "Have my medicinal ingredients arrived?" Verdantius Liu didn't invite him inside. The two stood in the courtyard, which was a mess, with no place to set foot. "Soon, they've reached the city gate," Arboreus Lei answered truthfully. Five days ago, he had dispatched Ninth sun fruits and Red Spirit Grass from the Imperial City, and today they had arrived in Canglan City. "These are five hundred Spirit Elixirs. Come back to pick up the next batch in ten days," Verdantius Liu didn't reveal the method of refinement. Instead, he took out dozens of vials filled with pills. Selling these could fetch him a significant amount of money to buy spirit stones for cultivation. With his cultivation at the acquired realm, he required a substantial amount of spirit stones. Relying solely on the slow absorption of spiritual energy was inefficient, especially with his peculiar dantian, ancient and desolate, capable of holding true qi several times more than an ordinary person. Arboreus Lei didn't expose anything. Aware that Verdantius Liu was wary of the Pill Treasure cockloft, Arboreus Lei kept the method to himself. If Verdantius Liu got what he wanted and turned his back on them, refusing to provide Ninth sun fruits and Red Spirit Grass, it wouldn't be a surprise. Vigilance was necessary. Opening a vial, Verdantius Liu poured out a Spirit Elixir and consumed it. A pure true spirit burst in his chest, causing a subtle change in Arboreus Lei's eyes. "A fantastic pill." The true spirit has not been completely refined, stored within his body. He lacks the body of the Tai Huang Wilderness, and the speed of refinement is far inferior to that of Verdantius Liu. After brief conversation, Arboreus Lei quickly left. The day before, the Pill Treasure cockloft had already notified the entire Canglan City that new pills would be available today. The prices were reasonable, lower than the Heart-Nourishing Pills but higher than the Essence-Nurturing Pills. However, the effects far exceeded both. Bringing a basin of clear water, Verdantius Liu cleaned himself up. The trash in the courtyard was cleared. It was already late morning when he left the Xu family's residence. An hour later, after squeezing into the Pill Treasure cockloft with difficulty, the five hundred pills obtained in the morning were sold out by noon. It far exceeded Verdantius Liu's expectations. The debut of the Spirit Elixirs swept through Canglan City. The entire day was spent discussing these pills. "We haven't bought any. The Pill Treasure cockloft should quickly restock." Unsatisfied customers pounded on the counter, refusing to leave until they obtained the Spirit Elixirs they desired. "Sorry, but the Spirit Elixirs have already sold out. The next batch will be available in ten days." The attendants couldn't afford to offend the Pill Treasure cockloft's customers. They apologized and explained that the pills were unexpectedly popular, appearing overnight. "Who would believe you? Does the Pill Treasure cockloft not do any business?" This statement held some truth. The Pill Treasure cockloft was also troubled. The introduction of Spirit Elixirs had led to a slump in sales for the Essence-Nurturing Pills and the Heart-Nourishing Pills. Not selling a single pill was not a good sign; it meant the loss of economic income for the Pill Treasure cockloft without Verdantius Liu. Ignoring them, Verdantius Liu walked straight to the counter. "I'm here to get Ninth sun fruits and Red Spirit Grass." Calculated by time, he should have arrived at the Pill Treasure cockloft by now to get the two herbs needed to refine the Prolonging Elixir. "Wait a moment, Young Master Liu. I'll inform Master Lei right away." The two herbs had just arrived not long ago, personally accepted by Master Lei. The attendants were not authorized to handle them, especially after the last commotion at the Pill Treasure cockloft. These attendants, seeing Verdantius Liu, appeared polite on the surface, but their eyes carried a hint of resentment. Among them, several had close ties with Dorothy Zhou and held grudges against Verdantius Liu, who had caused Dorothy Zhou to be expelled from the Pill Treasure cockloft. After waiting for about ten minutes, Master Lei hadn't shown up. Instead, an attendant brought the two herbs. "Young Master Liu, these are Ninth sun fruits and Red Spirit Grass. Please take them. Master Lei asked me to inform you to wait for a moment. He will come out to meet you shortly." The two spiritual herbs were carefully wrapped and placed on the counter. Master Lei was probably preoccupied with the difficulties of refining Spirit Elixirs. In the alchemy room: Master Huo had attempted several times, but each attempt to refine Spirit Elixirs ended in failure. "Master Huo, is there really no way to refine them?" Master Lei asked urgently. With the technique for refining Spirit Elixirs in his hands, Master Lei held the initiative. "It's impossible. It would take a month to figure it out." Master Huo, exhausted and covered in sweat, had eagerly attempted to refine the pills upon receiving them, but each attempt ended in failure. "A month? That means we'll be at his mercy." The Spirit Elixirs were out of stock, and the next batch was ten days away. During these ten days, how many more gold coins would they lose, given that they couldn't sell any pills? It was heartbreaking. "I have no choice. This kind of pill is new to me as well. He should be here by now. Don't keep him waiting." Master Huo helplessly explained. The Chan Zhong acupoint in his body throbbed again, and he didn't dare to continue refining. ... Verdantius Liu reached out to pick up the spiritual herbs, sighing softly. Once he resolved the issue with his veins, his cultivation would experience a qualitative leap. "I want to see your shopkeeper. Bring out the Red Sun Fruits." A group of people rushed in from outside, causing chaos. Ordinary martial artists were knocked over, and many fell to the ground. It was the Lord's Mansion's people! They were the true masters of Canglan City, controlling the lifelines of the city. Even the four major families dared not offend them. The leading man was in his thirties, his gaze icy and intimidating. His guards behind him exuded an air of disdain, dismissing everyone on either side. "Sorry for the inconvenience. We just sold the last Red Sun Fruit to Young Master Liu. You'll have to wait for the next batch," an attendant quickly explained. The answer was far from satisfying for Verdantius Liu. These attendants had harbored resentment ever since Verdantius Liu had slapped them five days ago. Among them were several who were closely related to Dorothy Zhou. Due to Verdantius Liu, Dorothy Zhou had been expelled from the Pill Treasure cockloft. As the attendants spoke, the gaze of the Lord's Mansion's people turned collectively towards Verdantius Liu. The grudge had shifted, and the Pill Treasure cockloft's attendants had successfully transferred the conflict to Verdantius Liu. They could easily tell the Lord's Mansion's people that the Red Sun Fruits had been sold out, intentionally mentioning that they were sold to Verdantius Liu. The intention was clear – to use the Lord's Mansion's power to strike against Verdantius Liu and settle the old grudge. "I heard this morning that the City Lord's daughter was attacked by Shadow Scorpions in the Sunset Mountains during her training. Only Ninth sun fruits can neutralize the Yin energy. If not resolved in time, there will be some lingering effects." The crowd was buzzing with discussions. The news had already spread in the morning, and the City Lord's mansion was actively searching for Yang attribute items. So that's the reason. Ninth sun fruits were the best remedy for neutralizing Yin energy, being extremely Yang in nature. "I don't care who you are. Hand over the Ninth sun fruits. Our City Lord's mansion will buy them at double the price." The leading man, emotionless, took a step forward. A strong aura resonated, causing the surrounding counters to hum. He was at the Half-Step Innate Realm. Verdantius Liu found the demand unpleasant. For refining the Prolonging Elixir, half of a Ninth sun fruit would be sufficient. If the other party were reasonable and willing to negotiate, he might consider sharing. "I won't sell!" Two cold words, a flat refusal. He wouldn't sell them even if they were thrown away. "Do you dare to refuse the City Lord's mansion?" The man behind him erupted in anger. The guards stepped forward, releasing a dominating aura that permeated the entire hall. Both sides were locked in a standoff. "Commander Guo, let's discuss this." The shopkeeper hurriedly stepped forward, not wanting to escalate the situation. The Pill Treasure cockloft wasn't afraid of the City Lord's mansion, but there was no need to make things too tense. "Get lost!" A slap was delivered, leaving the shopkeeper in tears. Commander Guo, filled with pent-up anger, had suddenly burst out, seeking humiliation for himself. Commander Guo closed in, surrounding Verdantius Liu, staring fixedly at the Ninth sun fruits in his hand. "Kid, I'll give you one more chance. Hand over the Ninth sun fruits, or else..." An icy killing intent, overwhelming and pervasive. Over a dozen guards unsheathed their knives, releasing a chilling aura with their sharp blade glints. Onlookers retreated to a safe distance. The City Lord's mansion was known for its ruthless and decisive actions. "Is this kid crazy? Hurry up and give him the Ninth sun fruits! This is the best opportunity to curry favor with the City Lord's mansion. The Xu family is currently in turmoil. With the support of the City Lord's mansion, the Wan family and the Tian family will surely hesitate." Verdantius Liu's identity had already spread throughout Canglan City. Everyone knew him. "Offending the City Lord's mansion is a dead end." Mixed with malicious glee, they wished Verdantius Liu would be killed soon. "And if I don't?" Verdantius Liu suddenly smiled, a bright and radiant smile. This answer exceeded everyone's expectations. Openly defying the City Lord's mansion, was he tired of living? "Good. You're the first to dare speak to me like this. Even if your father-in-law comes, he should be polite when meeting me. Since you're looking for death on your own, I'll help you achieve it." Commander Guo, furious, laughed. He was not interested in exchanging words with Verdantius Liu. Killing him and obtaining the Ninth sun fruits was the goal. As for the Xu family, he truly didn't care. Without further ado, they were ready to resort to killing. The notorious reputation of the City Lord's Mansion had long been ingrained in people's minds. "Commander, why waste words with him? Just kill him!" The guards beside him couldn't contain themselves. No one had ever dared to refuse the City Lord's Mansion before. Liu Wuji was the first, challenging their usual position of authority, and it was unprecedented. As they were about to take action, a burly man walked out from the back hall. Arboreus Lei appeared, ready to welcome Verdantius Liu and discuss the matter of the Spirit Elixirs—whether it could be delivered a few days earlier, as ten days was too long. "What's going on?" He glanced at Verdantius Liu and then at Commander Guo, his brows furrowing. The City Lord's mansion rarely appeared, and they had their own master of refining Elixirs, seldom purchasing from the Pill Treasure cockloft. The shopkeeper climbed up and truthfully answered, without exaggerating. "Commander Guo, I've already sold the Ninth sun fruits to Young Master Liu. You're a step late. If needed, you can pre-order, and it will be available in five days." Arboreus Lei bowed politely, unwilling to offend the City Lord's mansion. "Master Lei, today I must get the Ninth sun fruits. This is between him and me. Please step aside." Commander Guo also didn't want to clash with the Pill Treasure cockloft. Killing Verdantius Liu would naturally secure the Ninth sun fruits.