A transmission jade slip was certainly a tempting item for Qin Shu. However, for her current situation, some fasting pills were far more critical.

If she had fasting pills, she wouldn't need to waste time eating every day. This would allow her to reach the second level of Qi Refining faster, enabling her to leave the sect and take on tasks.

Hexin glanced at the palm-sized transmission jade slip in her hand but eventually put it away.

They were still young, and cultivation could be taken one step at a time. But gossip? Once it passed, it would be gone forever!

Besides, when she left home, her father had given her a small pouch of spirit stones—about seven or eight pieces. She wasn't sure where he had managed to obtain them.

If they came across suitable fasting pills later, she would also consider buying some.

After exiting the shop, they saw two rows of small stalls lining the road, some even wearing the robes of their sect.

Hexin and Qin Shu, having never seen much of the world, curiously browsed through the stalls. Wooden birds that could fly, talking vases, immortal swords, cultivation techniques, sword manuals, and pills—everything one could imagine was there.

Eventually, Qin Shu stopped at a small stall selling pills. The stall wasn't large, with just a few porcelain bottles and a sign displayed.

The sign read: "Self-produced and self-sold, affordable prices."

"Do you have fasting pills?" Qin Shu asked directly.

The stall owner, dressed in the uniform of the Xuantian Sect, looked up at the sound of her voice and saw two young girls standing before him.

"Yes, I do! Five low-grade spirit stones per bottle, ten pills in each bottle, and each pill lasts three days."

High-grade fasting pills could last an entire month with just one pill, but due to his limited skills, he could only produce these lower-grade pills.

Qin Shu calculated that five low-grade spirit stones could last her a month, which wasn't too expensive. She asked, "Can I take a look?"

The stall owner handed her a porcelain bottle. "Sure, take your time. I made these pills myself. There's absolutely no problem with them."

Qin Shu took the bottle, removed the stopper, and brought it close to her nose for a light sniff.

She froze for a moment, the scent strangely familiar.

Suddenly, something clicked in her mind, and she couldn't help but smile. Covering the bottle again, she returned it to the stall owner.

"Thank you, Senior Brother."

She turned and started to leave, leaving both Hexin and the stall owner surprised. Hexin asked directly, "What's wrong? Why don't you want it anymore?"

"I feel like I don't really need it at the moment. Let's go buy the transmission jade slip instead."

Hexin was speechless. "Fine, then I'll buy a bottle myself."

Why let someone else get ahead of her? She could play along too.

While retrieving her spirit stones, she casually asked, "Can you make it cheaper? We're from the Dan Sect but haven't learned pill refining yet."

The stall owner hesitated for a moment before smiling. "Alright, I'll sell it to you for four spirit stones."

Hexin happily paid the spirit stones, took the porcelain bottle, and used her newly purchased jade slip to save the stall owner's contact information for future purchases.

She offered to share some pills with Qin Shu, but Qin Shu declined. "No need, I don't need this for now."

Hexin didn't understand what Qin Shu was thinking. Why did she keep changing her mind?

As Hexin paid for the pills, Qin Shu turned around and noticed a gray, unremarkable iron sword on the neighboring stall.

The patterns on the sword gave her an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

Considering that she was learning basic sword techniques but lacked a suitable weapon, she decided to ask, "How much for this sword?"

The stall owner, a middle-aged man, seemed uninterested in the young girl and casually said, "This is a treasure I found in a small spiritual realm. It's not for sale unless it's at least thirty low-grade spirit stones."

Qin Shu frowned. That was far beyond what she could afford.

Just as she was about to leave, a cold male voice suddenly echoed in her mind, "Buy it."

Qin Shu: "..."

Why should she? There were so many things she wanted! How was she supposed to pay for it—with her eight spirit stones? If she spent them, she wouldn't even have money left to take the teleportation array back.

With a resigned attitude, Qin Shu picked up the sword and channeled a bit of spiritual energy into it. But as soon as the energy entered the blade, it disappeared without a trace, like a stone sinking into the ocean.

She looked up at the stall owner and offered, "Six low-grade spirit stones. Will you sell it?"

The stall owner ignored her. Gritting her teeth, Qin Shu raised her bid. "Eight!"

The stall owner glared at her. "Little girl, stop messing around! Go somewhere else if you're not serious!"

If he hadn't said that, Qin Shu might have walked away. But now that he accused her of causing trouble, she couldn't let it slide.

"Uncle, this sword is just ordinary iron. Which cultivator would use plain iron as a weapon? It doesn't even respond to spiritual energy. Be honest—would you pay thirty spirit stones for something like this?" Qin Shu argued reasonably.

The stall owner fell silent, clearly deep in thought. After a long pause, he looked at Qin Shu and asked, "If you believe it's ordinary iron, why are you buying it?"

Qin Shu shrugged. "I'm practicing sword techniques and haven't found a suitable weapon. This one looks about the right size. But I only have eight spirit stones. If you're unwilling to sell, I'll just give up on it."

The stall owner thought for a while longer before finally compromising. "Fine, eight spirit stones. Consider it your lucky day."

Qin Shu placed the sword into her storage pouch and handed over the eight spirit stones to the stall owner.

Hexin couldn't understand her at all. "Why did you buy a sword? Did you forget? You're a pill refiner! Even if you wanted a sword, shouldn't you buy a good one? This sword doesn't even conduct spiritual energy. You might as well have bought two bottles of fasting pills!"

Qin Shu smiled. "I've learned basic sword techniques. Practicing them will at least give me some means of self-defense when I'm out in the world."

Hexin found her reasoning strange. A pill refiner didn't need self-defense techniques—becoming a renowned alchemist would bring plenty of protectors willing to guard them. Why bother with such effort?

But seeing Qin Shu's satisfied expression, Hexin swallowed her words.

Qin Shu was now completely broke and couldn't even afford a transmission jade slip.

She sheepishly asked Hexin, "Dear sister, can you lend me two spirit stones so I can take the teleportation array? I'll pay you back next month."

Hexin sighed helplessly. "Fine, I'll lend you two more so you can at least buy a jade slip. It'll make staying in touch easier."

Qin Shu gratefully clasped her hands. "I won't forget your kindness, sister!"

The two returned to the first shop to buy a white jade slip. Qin Shu insisted that since the pink ones were two spirit stones, the white ones should be cheaper.

The shop assistant, helpless against her persistence, gave her a small gift—a tiny jade hairpin that had a refreshing and mind-clearing effect.

Qin Shu was finally satisfied, using the hairpin to secure her bun.

With a debt of four spirit stones, Qin Shu had no desire to continue shopping and returned to the sect with Hexin.

They agreed to send messages if needed before heading to their respective residences.

Once inside her room, the first thing Qin Shu did was take out the bottle of pills she had stored in her storage pouch when she first joined the sect.

She poured out one pill, and the fragrant scent immediately filled the room, making her feel refreshed and invigorated.

This pill—wasn't it a fasting pill?!