Chapter 115: Meridian-Protecting Elixir

Even in the southern part of the city, the most impoverished area for cultivators, He Song had never witnessed such a scene.

Cultivators are, after all, cultivators. Those with spiritual roots are one in ten thousand. Those who manage to become cultivators would never rely on selling their charms to survive. While there are female cultivators who specialize in the arts of dual cultivation, it is merely a matter of mutual need and consent. It is nothing like the mortals, where those with fair faces make a living through such means.

However, after lingering in the northern part of the city for a few days, He Song stopped going. A piece of sudden news caused him to cast all of this to the back of his mind.

One day, news suddenly spread throughout Qingyuan Immortal City: a small-scale auction was to be held within the city, and many precious items would be up for bid.

Initially, neither He Song nor Wei Fan paid much attention, and Meng Guan was not even aware of it. It was only when someone mentioned that a Pulse-Protecting Pill would appear at this auction that He Song and Wei Fan exchanged a look and quickly passed the news to Meng Guan, who was recuperating in his quiet room.

Upon hearing the news, Meng Guan emerged from his seclusion, stepped up to the attic, and sat down to share tea with He Song and Wei Fan, who were already waiting.

Inside the attic, the three men sat facing one another. The faint fragrance of tea permeated the room, filling the space with its aroma. He Song and Wei Fan had been waiting for a long time, and seeing Meng Guan appear, the heavy stone in each of their hearts finally dropped.

Fortunately, the news had come just in time. Meng Guan had not yet begun his breakthrough, meaning he still had the opportunity to use a Pulse-Protecting Pill. He would not have to face the gamble of breaking through without any medicinal protection—a scenario that would truly be a matter of life and death. If they could successfully bid for that Pulse-Protecting Pill, even if Meng Guan failed his breakthrough, he would at least be able to survive.

"I ask my two fellow Daoists to assist me."

After sitting for a moment, Meng Guan stood up and bowed deeply to his two friends. He still had a fair amount of spirit stones, but knowing the price of a Pulse-Protecting Pill, he realized his funds were insufficient. Seeking help from his friends would increase his chances of securing the pill. With the pill in hand, even if he failed his breakthrough, he could recover within ten years and avoid death. Although he had already prepared himself to stake his life—and had been acting accordingly—who would choose death if they could live? Even if the path ahead seemed closed, having fought with all his might and living without regrets could also be considered a way of life.

As Meng Guan finished speaking, a pin-drop silence fell over the fragrant attic. After a long moment of quiet, He Song and Wei Fan exchanged a look and stood up in unison to help Meng Guan back to his seat.

"What are you saying, Brother Meng? Since we have brought you this news, we will naturally do our utmost to help."

When they first heard the news, He Song and Wei Fan had already discussed the matter. While they could not guarantee they would win the pill, they would certainly give it their full effort. Thus, when Meng Guan asked for help, they agreed without hesitation.

However, He Song felt a twinge of regret. Had he known, he would have sold the spirit rice in his storage bag earlier. Most of the thousand-plus spirit stones he had possessed before arriving in Qingyuan Immortal City had already been spent. He now had only about two hundred left. While this was his entire fortune, he did not know if it would be enough. If it fell short, he would have to find another way.

After being helped up by his friends, Meng Guan thanked them again, and the three began to discuss how to secure the Pulse-Protecting Pill.

"From what I know, the price of a Pulse-Protecting Pill is generally around two thousand spirit stones."

The first thing Meng Guan said upon sitting down surprised He Song. *A Pulse-Protecting Pill... is it really that cheap?* This was, after all, a life-saving item for those who failed their Foundation Establishment. While it did not increase the success rate like a Foundation Establishment Pill, nor did it allow for a full recovery within two years, it ensured that even if a breakthrough failed, one could fully recover within ten years. This was the life of a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator. Two thousand spirit stones? Was that not too cheap?

Seeming to notice the surprise in He Song's eyes, Meng Guan paused to explain: "Though the Pulse-Protecting Pill saves lives, it is not particularly rare; it simply takes a long time to gather the medicinal ingredients for a batch. There will certainly be more than one pill available at this auction. Scarcity dictates value, but a single batch usually yields five to ten pills. Even if a batch is only produced every three to five years, it is enough for cultivators in need to purchase one."

"After all, there are few cultivators like me who do not have the time to wait for a Foundation Establishment Pill. If others have time, they will naturally choose to wait for one."

Hearing this, He Song suddenly understood. It was true; few cultivators reached the Great Completion of Qi Refining at the age of nearly sixty like Meng Guan. For most, there was still plenty of time before they turned sixty, allowing them to wait for the appearance of a Foundation Establishment Pill, which actually increased the odds of success. If one were to take a Pulse-Protecting Pill and fail, the ten-year recovery period would inevitably cause them to miss the peak window of opportunity for breaking through before sixty.

A ten-year recovery meant missing that golden window, and even if they tried to break through with a Foundation Establishment Pill later, the success rate would be significantly lower. Thus, rather than risking a failure with a Pulse-Protecting Pill early on, most would wait to compete for a Foundation Establishment Pill, only resorting to the Pulse-Protecting Pill when they truly had no time left.

Only then did He Song truly understand why the price was so low. Two thousand spirit stones—at his current income, he could earn enough to buy one in a year. A glimmer of light flashed in his eyes as he looked into the distance, deep in thought. *It seems I might have a use for this Pulse-Protecting Pill myself.*

"I gained quite a bit from slaying those evil cultivators previously, and I currently have over twelve hundred spirit stones. If my two friends could lend me some, I would be eternally grateful."

Seeing that He Song's confusion had cleared, Meng Guan asked for the loan. Based on his knowledge, the price of the pill was indeed around two thousand spirit stones.