Transmigration: The Peerless Immortal Husband

The detoxification pills that the Gu family had previously sold were, of course, not made by the Gu family head or the elders. Instead, they were the work of a junior alchemist refining pills as practice. If we were to judge by their appearance, they might not even qualify as low-grade pills, but for a place like Yuanyang Town, which lacked pills and medicine, they were still highly sought after by cultivators.

Who would have thought that the Tian family, this dark horse, would emerge and ruin the Gu family’s years of reputation in the pill business?

At the “Three-No-Market,” Boss Dong and Steward Fu stood with their arms crossed, watching the scene below from upstairs.

Boss Dong had also gone to the alchemist’s inheritance site. He wasn’t expecting to inherit the alchemist’s legacy, but was hoping to find one or two pills that could help him break through in cultivation. In the chaos, he managed to find one pill, but he was stung several times by golden-ringed bees, forcing him to rely on his cultivation to return. He certainly didn’t lack the money to buy detoxification pills from the Gu family, but he ended up going to the Tian family afterward.

“Boss, is it really as people say outside? The Gu family’s detoxification pills are that ineffective? They can’t completely remove the toxins?” Steward Fu asked curiously, having overheard many discussions from others.

“That’s right,” Boss Dong nodded with a serious expression. “I used two of the Gu family’s pills and still felt toxins remaining in my body. But when I went to the Tian family and used just one of theirs, the effect was immediate. Moreover, the detoxification pill the Tian family gave me was of superior quality, while the Gu family’s pill, which they claimed was low-grade, was actually just a poor version of a low-grade pill. The Gu family is really not being honest.”

Those two detoxification pills from the Gu family were practically useless. Actually, one pill from the Tian family would have been enough. It wasn’t about the money, but more about how the Gu family had monopolized the pill business in Yuanyang Town for so long. Their alchemists, despite not being particularly skilled, acted so arrogantly, thinking they were superior. Boss Dong hoped someone would finally come and suppress the Gu family’s arrogance. That’s why the rumors outside had his backing.

Steward Fu sucked in a breath. “The quality difference is really that huge? Could it be that the detoxification pills were made by Senior Tian Ru? Is Senior Tian Ru an alchemist?”

Boss Dong stroked his chin, deep in thought. “It might not be her; it could be someone else. Either way, let’s just watch the show. When they start causing a ruckus, that’s when we’ll benefit.”

For example, this time, if the Tian family hadn’t suddenly emerged, he might have lost his life in the alchemist’s inheritance site. How could he have seized a pill during the chaos? Of course, the major gains went to the three other families. Having a Foundation Establishment cultivator made all the difference. The only fortunate thing was that none of the pills contained any Foundation Establishment pills; otherwise, if the three families had another Foundation Establishment cultivator, their situation would have been even worse.

Gu Yao was very pleased. This time, he had made a significant profit thanks to the detoxification pills. Since Tian Ru was in charge of the Tian family, he could easily push the matter onto her. It would be hard for anyone to connect this incident to him.

“Ugh, I’m dying of thirst!” Tian Feirong ran over, chugged a large cup of tea, wiped his mouth, then took out a bag and pushed it in front of Gu Yao. “This is for you—it’s all been exchanged for spirit stones and spirit pearls. Gu Yao, you’re really impressive! Among our generation, how many can make money like you? Of course, Brother Chi is no worse than Gu Yao.”

Chi Changye twitched the corner of his mouth. That compliment was more of a drawback than anything. However, he had known for a long time that among alchemists, artifact makers, and talisman masters, alchemists were always the most sought after. Naturally, becoming an alchemist required the greatest investment. No one could make pill refining seem as easy as eating, like Gu Yao could. That was Gu Yao’s unique talent.

Gu Yao felt the spirit stones and spirit pearls in the bag, his eyes narrowing in delight. Earning money was the most enjoyable thing. Then, he sighed regretfully, “What a pity. I can only make this one big profit. Once no one needs detoxification pills anymore, my income will drop significantly.”

Relying on the Tian family’s caravan to sell goods outward, the quantity would definitely be limited.

“The detoxification pills are almost saturated, and there aren’t many spirit herbs left for refining. The Gu family and the Lu family are both despicable; they’ve monopolized the spirit herbs. On top of that, the Gu family has released another batch of detoxification pills, which are of much better quality than the previous ones. Of course, they can’t compare to yours, Gu Yao, but the Gu family’s reputation has been somewhat restored. Most cultivators still prefer to buy pills from their shop,” Tian Feirong said, displeased.

Gu Yao’s eyes shifted as he replied, “That’s for sure. Outsiders think the detoxification pills were made by Senior Tian Ru, but Senior Tian Ru can’t stay in Yuanyang Town for long. In the end, the pill business is still dominated by the Gu family. If you offend the Gu family now, buying pills will be a hassle in the future.”

The Gu family monopolized the pill business, which meant they controlled many cultivators’ livelihoods. As long as cultivators needed pills from the Gu family, they would remain in an unassailable position.

Temporary difficulties were one thing, but completely breaking this situation was a much harder challenge.

“Exactly. The Gu family has been sending people to inquire if my aunt is the one refining the pills. Don’t worry, only a few people in our family know that it was you, Gu Yao,” Tian Feirong patted Gu Yao on the shoulder.

Gu Yao sneered, “I bet even if you tell them, not many would believe you.”

Tian Feirong thought for a moment and realized that was probably true. He had heard that the best detoxification pills the Gu family had released recently were only of medium grade. Gu Yao, on the other hand, could refine high-quality detoxification pills. If someone claimed that Gu Yao, a teenager with only Qi Refining Stage Four cultivation, could outdo the Gu family’s old alchemists, who had been practicing alchemy for decades, people would probably think they were bragging.

Actually, by this time, most of the people in town who needed detoxification had already been treated, and the detoxification pills no longer had much demand. With the spirit stones and spirit pearls earned from this venture, Gu Yao and Chi Changye were now focused on their cultivation, not concerned with the external conflicts.

Lu family.

Lu Minbai was carried back, and after taking the detoxification pill, he confirmed that, just like what others had said, the toxin wasn’t fully cleared. When he cultivated, his spiritual energy didn’t flow as smoothly as before, and there was a sense of stagnation. The Lu family had originally planned to ask the Tian family for a high-quality detoxification pill, but just then, the Gu family sent over a medium-grade pill, so the Lu family decided to give up on that idea.

After using the medium-grade pill, the feeling of stagnation during cultivation finally disappeared, which relieved Lu Minbai. Otherwise, if it affected his cultivation, he wouldn’t be able to catch up to Tian Feiyang. Could he let Tian Feiyang leave him behind? That was absolutely unacceptable!

He was extremely jealous of Tian Feiyang, especially after hearing about Tian Ru’s return. He knew that Tian Ru would surely take care of Tian Feiyang, and by now, Tian Feiyang’s cultivation must have surpassed his own.

“Mother, I’m completely fine now. It won’t affect my future cultivation,” Lu Minbai happily told his mother.

Lu mother nodded gently and asked, “Who sent the pill?”

Lu Minbai’s joyful expression immediately faded, and he awkwardly said, “It was sent by Cousin Gu Yan.”

“Hmph, what kind of cousin is he? I can’t stop you now, you’ve grown up and have your own opinions. Looks like you can’t wait to hitch a ride with Gu Yan now that he’s about to become successful,” Lu mother said, her anger rising when Gu Yan’s name was mentioned, especially due to the family’s casual attitude toward the matter, which only made her angrier. She even blamed her son for it.

“Mother…” Lu Minbai’s face turned red. He had always prided himself on being protective of his sister, but in this matter, he really couldn’t defend her, so he reluctantly changed the subject. “What about Minzhu? Should I take her out for a walk to relax?”

“Forget it. Your sister is in her room, focused on her cultivation. Don’t go disturb her,” Lu mother said, giving her son a stern look.

Lu Minbai awkwardly left after talking for a while.

Lu mother sighed as she looked towards her daughter’s room. She knew well why her daughter was so focused on cultivation—her daughter was doing this to pursue a future. It made her even more resentful of the men from the Gu and Lu families. The men of the Lu family only cared about their own futures, while the women were always expendable.

As time passed, the uproar over the detoxification pills gradually subsided. The monks who had died were quickly replaced by new ones.

Tian Ru never left the Tian family. With her there, the atmosphere in Yuanyang Town felt particularly peaceful, as if the previous disputes between the three families had never happened.

Soon, the Ascension Conference became the new topic of conversation among the monks in the market.

The Ascension Conference was held once every ten years. As long as a monk was selected by one of the sects that attended, they would have the possibility of advancing their cultivation, and their entire family might rise to prominence.

However, the journey to the Ascension Conference was long and fraught with danger. Even though the opportunity to improve one’s prospects was tempting, monks did not dare to travel lightly. Still, those with the right conditions were striving to seize this rare opportunity. If they missed it, they would have to wait another ten years, especially for those who were of an appropriate age—if they missed this time, they would be too old for the next one. So, they did everything they could to join the group heading to the Ascension Conference and catch this opportunity.

The three major families of Yuanyang Town all announced that they would be attending the Ascension Conference, so many monks hoped to join their groups. Currently, the Tian family’s group seemed the safest, as it was said that Tian Ru herself would personally escort the younger generation of the Tian family. With a Foundation Establishment cultivator guarding them, the safety of the journey would be greatly improved, so many people brought gifts to the Tian residence, hoping to join the group.

Soon, the departure day arrived. Since the journey would take a long time, they had to leave more than a month in advance.

Gu Yao and Chi Changye had already made arrangements with Tian Feirong to attend the Ascension Conference. Even if they couldn’t join a sect, they still wanted to take the opportunity to broaden their horizons. So, when the departure day came, the two of them were ready early, and their small courtyard would soon be returned to Tian Feirong.

After staying for several months, Gu Yao felt a bit reluctant as he looked at the small courtyard. After all, this was the first place he had settled since arriving in this world, and it was inevitable that he had developed some attachment to it, much like a fledgling bird. However, the temptation to go out and see the world was greater for him.

Chi Changye called out from outside: “Xiao Yao, it’s time to leave!”

“I’m coming!” Gu Yao responded cheerfully. He closed the courtyard door and climbed into the carriage that Chi Changye had prepared. With great enthusiasm, he said, “Let’s go!”

Chi Changye tugged on the reins, and the two horned-scaled horses started running. This had been prepared in advance for the journey. During this time, the two of them had made a significant fortune without attracting attention and had accumulated quite a bit of wealth.

Gu Yao had earned a lot from his alchemy and pill-making, and Chi Changye’s intermediate spirit talismans were also very popular. With Tian Ru’s protection, even the Lu family dared not act recklessly.

Over this period, members of the Gu family had come by two or three times, but each time they were ruthlessly rejected by Gu Yao.

When the carriage reached the rendezvous point outside the town, Tian Feirong saw them from a distance and waved, calling out. Chi Changye drove the carriage over to meet with the Tian family.

Other groups were also gathered there, and upon seeing these two, they couldn’t help but discuss. Unless they encountered the rarely seen Gu Yao in the market, it was hard to spot him in town. The people here, especially the Gu family, showed an incredulous expression when they saw Gu Yao sitting at the front of the carriage. Could this really be the Gu Yao they knew in the Gu family?

In less than six months, Gu Yao had seemingly undergone a complete transformation. He now exuded an aura of confidence, and his demeanor, with a glance or a smile, was no less impressive than that of younger generations cultivated with care by prestigious families.

As they got closer, someone gasped: “When Gu Yao left home, what level of cultivation did he have? And now he’s at the fifth level of Qi Refining!”

“Impossible, I must be seeing things. How could a cultivation waste like him have reached the fifth level at this age? After leaving the Gu family, how could he improve his cultivation?”

“Even in the Gu family, those cultivation resources wouldn’t have been available to him.”