Seeing Yuan Ming hesitate, Zhuo Lingling thought the price was too high, which made Yuan Ming consider giving up on the purchase. She was reluctant to miss out on this deal, so after pondering for a moment, she smiled again and said,

"Young Master Yuan, may I ask how many Golden Flower Pills you intend to buy?"

"Fifteen bottles," Yuan Ming replied.

When Zhuo Lingling heard "fifteen bottles," her breath quickened slightly. In her heart, she couldn't help but exclaim that this Yuan Ming from the Central Plains was indeed her noble benefactor!

From the last transaction alone, she had already earned a considerable commission. Seeing another large purchase in prospect, how could she just watch it slip through her fingers?

"Young Master Yuan, our Longevity Immortal Tower highly values esteemed customers like yourself and is always eager to offer special treatment. On behalf of our Longevity Immortal Tower, I present you with a Longevity Token. With this Token, you will enjoy premium services at any Longevity Immortal Tower shop, including priority purchasing rights for all goods on sale. Additionally, you may use it to participate in private auctions held exclusively for our special clients," Zhuo Lingling said quickly, lowering her voice towards the end, imparting a sense of mystery.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming's attention returned from his own thoughts.

"If that's the case, then my trust in your establishment hasn't been misplaced," Yuan Ming said in an even tone.

Zhuo Lingling was overjoyed upon hearing this, and she quickly produced a white jade Token and offered it with both hands.

Yuan Ming took the Token and examined it. One side bore a relief carving of a quaint Taoist temple, while the other was engraved with the words "Longevity Token." The material wasn't particularly special, but it was exquisite enough.

Afterward, he paid for the "Golden Flower Pills" and left the Longevity Immortal Tower with Zhuo Lingling seeing him off.

Having bought the elixirs, he had only three hundred spirit stones remaining. It was not a lot to say the least, but wasn't too little either. Yuan Ming decided to wander the city to see if he could find any interesting items.

Most importantly, he hoped to find another Magic Artifact, similar to the Gold-plated Gauze, for Xi Ying.

Walking through the markets of the east and west, he noticed little change in the shops, but the stands of smaller merchants were constantly changing. The Immortal Xuanhua, who sold Qingxuan Incense before, was no longer in his usual spot and had likely wandered off to an unknown location.

He roamed until dusk, the sky gradually darkening, and Yuan Ming had yet to find anything he wanted to purchase.

Suddenly feeling peckish, Yuan Ming went to the "Mountain Treasure Building" in the southern part of the city, a place well-known for its reputation.

This was the most famous restaurant in all of Black Rock City, mainly because its ingredients were various spiritual medicines, materials, and rare beasts from the mountains, which, when specially prepared by the chefs, often had some beneficial effects for cultivators.

But what truly set it apart was the taste. Of course, for actual cultivation benefits, consuming elixirs was far more reliable.

As soon as he entered the restaurant, a waiter greeted him and led Yuan Ming to the second floor, heading for a private room.

But just as Yuan Ming started up the stairs, he came face to face with a dignified yet kind-looking middle-aged man.

"Fellow Daoist Huan Shi," Yuan Ming exclaimed in surprise.

The man on the other side was equally astonished upon seeing Yuan Ming and said, "Fellow Daoist Hagon?"

Huan Shi recognized Yuan Ming at a glance.

"Do the two of you know each other?" the waiter hesitated.

"Go bring up that jar of 'Hundred-mile Drunk' I have stored here, and don't worry about anything else," Huan Shi instructed the waiter before leading Yuan Ming back to his private room.

Inside the room was another person—Bai Ye.

Different from the commanding presence of their initial meeting, Bai Ye now had a furrowed brow and an evident look of concern.

Seeing Huan Shi return with Yuan Ming, he also showed a look of surprise.

After exchanging pleasantries, and once the waiter had delivered the wine and the table was laid with dishes, Huan Shi stood up, closed the door, took out a "Soundproof Talisman," and affixed it to the door.

Once the talisman lit up, a faint white glow enveloped the entire room.

"Fellow Daoist Hagon, have you come to Black Rock City today to take on another mission?" Huan Shi asked while urging Yuan Ming to enjoy the food and initiating the conversation.

"I'm just here to buy some elixirs," Yuan Ming shook his head and smiled.

At this, Bai Ye and Huan Shi exchanged glances and, observing the change in Yuan Ming's aura, they both appeared astonished.

Huan Shi looked conflicted and said, "Fellow Daoist Hagon, it has been less than three months since we last parted, but your cultivation seems to have undergone such a remarkable change. How is this possible?"

Yuan Ming was taken aback, as they were not especially close, and under normal circumstances, such a direct inquiry would be inappropriate.

But after a moment's thought, he understood.

Huan Shi and Bai Ye assumed that Yuan Ming had intentionally concealed his true cultivation level during their mission in the Snake King Valley and that what had been revealed today was his actual level.

"You two needn't speculate wildly. After the battle in the Snake King Valley, both my combat experience and insights into cultivation improved greatly. I went into seclusion immediately afterward, which is why I've made such rapid progress," Yuan Ming explained.

Hearing this, they both felt that if Yuan Ming really did possess the ability to conceal his cultivation, he would not have refrained from using it this time.

"With such a rate of cultivation, Fellow Daoist Hagon truly has exceptional talents, and we are ashamed that we cannot compare," Huan Shi couldn't help but exclaim with emotion.

"Fellow Daoist Hagon, do you remember the proposal we made last time?" Bai Ye asked.

"What proposal?" Yuan Ming really did not remember.

"We invited you to join our White Night Scatter Alliance and become our second Vice Alliance Hierarch," Bai Ye said.

Huan Shi, upon hearing this, seemed somewhat surprised and glanced at Bai Ye.

Yuan Ming thought to himself that while he had indeed been invited to join, when had there ever been talk of him becoming the Vice Alliance Hierarch?

"The Alliance Hierarch's kind intentions are sincerely appreciated by me. However, you must also have realized that I have a sect heritage and therefore cannot join your Scatter Alliance," Yuan Ming expressed with a hint of regret.

"If that's the case... it is truly a pity," Bai Ye sighed.

"How is the White Night Scatter Alliance faring now?" Yuan Ming inquired, seeing Bai Ye bring up the subject.

Both Bai Ye and Huan Shi had complex expressions on their faces, but neither began to speak first.

"Both Alliance Hierarchs are Foundation Establishment Cultivators and conduct business with fairness and integrity. With such practices, you really shouldn't worry about your future prospects," Yuan Ming said reassuringly.

"During the last battle in Snake King Valley, the White Night Scatter Alliance brought its core members, but suffered heavy losses, and many of them fell there. Now, the remaining members are seriously lacking in combat power, and indeed, the situation is quite dire," Huan Shi lamented.

"Had Fellow Daoist Hagon not been willing to exchange the Snake Pearl, we would have found it difficult to fulfill the task for White Dragon Island. If the task had failed, all the reputation we've previously built would have been lost," Bai Ye added.

"Still, the Young Master of their side personally came, and the result..." Huan Shi trailed off without finishing his sentence.

What he omitted was naturally the matter of the White Dragon Island Young Master being killed.

Bai Ye, unbothered by taboos, said, "Because the Young Master was killed, White Dragon Island also felt very cautious about the task. Even though we completed it and received the due reward, we have still made enemies with White Dragon Island."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming finally understood just how difficult the situation was for the White Night Scatter Alliance.

Their own losses were substantial, their alliance was lacking in talented individuals, and they had offended a client, which to a certain extent meant their reputation was damaged—it was a significant case of loss outweighing the gain.

No wonder they were willing to offer Yuan Ming, a Qi Refinement Realm cultivator, the position of Vice Alliance Hierarch as a way to win him over.

"Let's not talk about these troubles anymore. Today, my brother and I just wanted to drink to drown our sorrows and temporarily set aside these bothersome matters," Huan Shi said with a carefree smile, opening the jar of "Hundred-day Drunk" and pouring a cup for Yuan Ming.

The intoxicating fragrance immediately filled the air, making even Yuan Ming's eyes light up.

"This wine is rich in fragrance and has a deep, mellow flavor; it truly is a rare and fine liquor," Yuan Ming said admiringly after taking a small sip.

"Haha, Fellow Daoist Hagon has good taste. This is a fine wine aged over a hundred years. The Mountain Treasure Building has a limited stock and it's not normally for sale," Huan Shi chuckled.

"Then I must savor it properly," Yuan Ming quickly took another large gulp.

The three of them clinked glasses and drank, the mood becoming merrier.

"Big brother, I think we shouldn't bother resisting anymore. Since Dawn has shown an interest in recruiting us, why don't we just go? The compensation they're offering is quite generous too; it's not a bad deal," Huan Shi began to loosen up and speak plainly.

"Dawn only wants the strong, and the only clear invitations have been to you and me. Among our subordinates are those at the Qi Refinement Realm, and they most likely won't want them," Bai Ye was still rational and shook his head.

"Let's negotiate, everything can be discussed. What's wrong with the Qi Refinement Realm, after all? Not to speak of others, I certainly don't dare underestimate him. While Dawn has high standards, this time they are clearly looking to expand on a large scale, and I think it's an opportunity," Huan Shi spread his hands and said.

Upon hearing this, Bai Ye fell into deep thought.

"Dawn is...?" Yuan Ming hesitated to ask.

"It's another Scatter Alliance organization, only much stronger than our White Night. They've always been mysterious, their strength unfathomable, and to date, they've never failed a single task they've taken on," Huan Shi explained.

Yuan Ming nodded thoughtfully upon hearing this.

"The key is that no one understands this organization, not even the number and composition of its members. Only through rumors can it be known that they have a very distinct style of doing things, different from other organizations," Bai Ye also said.

"Oh? How distinct?" Yuan Ming asked, curious.

"Apparently, they also accept tasks of hunting down vicious Late-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivators, helping people find missing relatives, and they even dealt with a horrifying extermination case in the central part of the Southern Border... In short, no one can fathom the pattern by which they choose their tasks," Huan Shi responded.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming's mind, like Bai Ye's and the others, reached a consensus: "Dawn is an organization that is mysterious, powerful, with a unique way of doing things, and it's difficult to discern whether they are righteous or evil."

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