45: Chapter 45 The Appearance of the Elixir Shocks the Market

The next morning.

The market in Luoyun Town was bustling as usual, filled with people coming and going.

However, there was something unusual about the market today.

In the most central and conspicuous location of the market, a storefront that originally belonged to the Wang Family had changed owners. A brand-new plaque hung above the shop, with four large, calligraphic characters written on it: "Gus Pills."

The Gu Family actually intended to sell Medicinal Pills in the market?

This news spread like wildfire throughout the entire market, attracting countless Cultivators and Martial Artists to watch.

But, they only watched from afar.

Everyone stood far away, pointing and whispering, but no one dared to actually step forward and patronize the shop.

There was no other reason.

The "ban" from the Town Mayors Office had already spread throughout the town.

In the eyes of everyone, the current Gu Family was an "ominous family" about to be struck by heavenly lightning from the Upper Sect Immortal Master and reduced to dust.

Who dared to get involved with them at a time like this?

Inside the shop, several clerks of the Gu Family stood somewhat awkwardly, watching the desolate scene outside where few customers visited, their hearts filled with anxiety.

Gu Yan, however, was calm and unhurried.

He sat leisurely on a grand master chair in the shop, sipping tea slowly, as if the cold reception outside had nothing to do with him.

He waited for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, and seeing the crowd of onlookers growing larger, he knew the time was right.

He slowly set down his teacup and said loudly to the people outside: "Everyone must be very curious about what kind of Medicinal Pills my Gu Family is selling."

His voice, imbued with the deep True Qi of the Qi Refining Stage 6, clearly reached everyone's ears.

The originally noisy market instantly fell silent.

Gu Yan stood up and took out a white jade porcelain bottle that had been prepared long ago from under the counter.

He unplugged the bottle, and a rich, cool fragrance of the Medicinal Pill, almost becoming tangible, suddenly permeated out from the bottle's mouth!

This fragrance seemed to have a life of its own, spreading rapidly!

In just an instant, it enveloped an area of several dozen meters!

Everyone who smelled the fragrance, whether Mortal or Cultivator, felt their spirits instantly lifted! The blood and Qi within their bodies became more vibrant!

"So... such a fragrant Medicinal Pill!"

"Heavens! What kind of pill is this? Just by smelling it, I feel that the Bottleneck I've been stuck at for half a year has loosened!"

"This... this is definitely a Divine Pill!"

An uncontrollable exclamation erupted from the crowd!

Especially those Cultivators at the Qi Refinement Stage; their sensations were even clearer than those of the Mortals!

They had bought the Qi Gathering Powder sold in the "Hundred Herbs Hall" of the Town Mayors Office before. But those Medicinal Pills only had a pungent medicinal odor; when had they ever had such a refreshing fragrance?!

The difference was clear!

"This pill is called Qi Gathering Powder." Gu Yan's voice sounded again, "I presume that all the Fellow Daoists present are not unfamiliar with it."

"However, the Qi Gathering Powder produced by my Gu Family is slightly different from the Low Grade products on the market that are full of Impurities."

"Today, our shop is opening. To show our sincerity, this first Medicinal Pill is free of charge!"

His gaze slowly swept across the crowd, finally landing on a Loose Cultivator in gray clothes with a sorrowful expression and unstable aura.

"This Fellow Daoist, I see that your aura is fluctuating and your spiritual power is mixed; you must have been stuck at the Peak of the First Level of Qi Refining for quite some time, right?"

Hearing this, the Loose Cultivator shuddered, his face showing a look of both shock and suspicion.

He had indeed been stuck at the Bottleneck for half a year, suffering immensely. But how did the other party see it at a glance?

"This Medicinal Pill is gifted to you." Gu Yan flicked his finger, and from the jade bottle, a jade-green Medicinal Pill turned into a streak of light, landing precisely in the Loose Cultivator's hand.

Upon taking the Medicinal Pill, it felt as warm and smooth as jade, carrying a strange warmth.

The Loose Cultivator looked at the "Divine Pill" in his hand, which was jade-green throughout, round and smooth, and even had a faint pill pattern, his hands trembling with excitement.

"This... is this really for me?"

"Take it." Gu Yan's voice carried an unquestionable confidence, "It will give you the answer."

A trace of hesitation flashed across the Loose Cultivator's face.

But in the end, the desire for a Breakthrough overwhelmed everything.

He gritted his teeth and, under the envious and nervous gazes of everyone, swallowed the top-quality Qi Gathering Powder in one gulp!

As the Medicinal Pill entered his mouth, there was no bitterness; instead, it turned into a sweet, warm current that flowed down his throat.

The next instant!

Boom!

A pure and massive medicinal force exploded in his abdomen!

The Loose Cultivator's body jolted violently!

The sensation he had expected—of pill poison attacking his heart and his Meridians stinging after taking the Medicinal Pill—did not appear at all!

The medicinal force was gentle yet incredibly powerful!

It turned into the purest Spiritual Qi, scouring his long-dried Meridians and washing away all the clogged Impurities!

He felt that his cultivation Bottleneck, which had been stagnant for half a year, was like paper under the impact of this massive medicinal force!

Crack!

A crisp sound that seemed to come from the depths of his Soul!

The Bottleneck was broken!

"Ah—!"

The Loose Cultivator let out a long, exhilarating howl!

The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi around him began to pour frantically into his body!

His cultivation aura climbed steadily!

Peak of the First Level of Qi Refining... Breakthrough!

Qi Refining Stage 2!

It worked!

When everything calmed down.

The Loose Cultivator, feeling the True Qi in his body that was several times thicker than before, and feeling his own reborn-like transformation, trembled violently due to extreme excitement.

He turned abruptly and bowed deeply to Gu Yan inside the shop!

"Thank you, Immortal Master, for bestowing the pill! This grace of rebirth, this Junior... will never forget!"

His heartfelt shout of "Immortal Master" was more effective than any flashy advertisement!

After a brief silence, the entire market completely... erupted!

"Heavens! A Breakthrough on the spot! One Medicinal Pill, and it made someone break through on the spot!"

"Divine Pill! This is absolutely a Divine Pill!"

"Don't stop me! I want to buy! I'll buy it for any amount of Spirit Stones!"

"Give me ten! No! One hundred!"

The crowd went crazy!

The Cultivators who had previously avoided the Gu Family shop like the plague were now, like a pack of sharks that had smelled blood, eyes bloodshot, frantically squeezing toward the counter of "Gus Pills"!

"Everyone, don't push! Everyone will get some!"

"Top-quality Qi Gathering Powder, grand opening sale today! One pill, only... five Low-Grade Spirit Stones!"

The Gu Family's clerks maintained order at the top of their lungs.

Five Spirit Stones!

This price was two stones more expensive than the Low Grade Medicinal Pills at the "Hundred Herbs Hall" of the Town Mayors Office!

But none of the Cultivators present felt it was expensive!

Are you kidding me?

This was a "Divine Pill" that could make people break through a Bottleneck on the spot!

It was a "top-quality" product with no pill poison and an efficacy more than ten times that of a Low Grade Medicinal Pill!

Five Spirit Stones was practically a steal!

"I'll pay ten! Sell it to me first!"

"I'll pay fifteen!"

The scene was momentarily out of control!

In less than half an hour, the first batch of a full hundred top-quality Qi Gathering Powders that Gu Yan had prepared were sold out!

The Cultivators holding the Medicinal Pills treated them like treasures.

Those who didn't get any beat their chests and stamped their feet in frustration, offering deposits and begging Gu Yan to continue opening the furnace tomorrow.

The news spread like wings throughout the entire Luoyun Town.

At the other end of the market.

Inside the "Hundred Herbs Hall" opened by the Town Mayors Office, several clerks were yawning out of boredom.

In the past, this time of day would have been their busiest.

But today, a whole morning had passed, and not even a single customer had visited.

Just as they were confused and puzzled.

A regular customer who had previously spent a large sum of money here to buy a bottle of Low Grade Qi Gathering Powder stormed in, fuming with rage.

"Refund my money!"

He slammed the porcelain bottle onto the counter!

"You call what you sell a Medicinal Pill? Compared to Old Immortal Gu's 'Divine Pill,' it's just a pile of garbage! It's poison!"

"From today on, I will never buy anything from your Hundred Herbs Hall again!"

After saying this, he turned and squeezed toward the direction of "Gus Pills" without looking back.

The clerks at the Hundred Herbs Hall looked at each other, completely... stunned.

They knew.

The Medicinal Pill market in Luoyun Town...

had changed.