Chapter 398: Closing the Shop

In the backyard of the Qingya Pill Workshop, Qin Ming stood before two youths.

"Yang Shu, from now on, change your name to Yang Mu and help me manage the matters regarding the Auction House and the Secret Realm."

"Yes, Sect Master." Yang Shu replied.

Upon hearing Qin Ming's words, Sima Shuo was startled. *This youth knows my master; was this arranged by Master on purpose?*

"Sima Shuo, from now on, you are a Disciple of the Huayu Sect, and Yang Shu is your Senior Brother," Qin Ming instructed.

Sima Shuo cupped his hands and said, "Yes, Master. Greetings, Senior Brother."

*So, Master has a Sect, and he is the Sect Master.*

Qin Ming nodded. After observing Sima Shuo for some time, he found his character to be good. Qin Ming had already accepted him and began to let him slowly integrate into the Huayu Sect.

"Sima Shuo, from now on, your Cultivation Resources will be distributed by your Senior Brother. Listen to him well, and if there is anything you do not understand, ask him."

Qin Ming then looked at Yang Shu, "He is my Disciple in Alchemy; you should also teach him the martial arts of our Sect."

"Yes." Sima Shuo and Yang Shu replied simultaneously.

"Sima Shuo, go practice Alchemy; I have something to discuss with Yang Shu," Qin Ming said.

Sima Shuo left respectfully.

Qin Ming handed a ring to Yang Shu: "There are some perfect elixir here. Go to the Yan City Auction House today and sell them all to first obtain the qualification to enter the Treasure Auction House."

"The qualification for the Treasure Auction House?" Yang Shu asked, puzzled.

"When you go to the Auction House, someone will introduce it to you, and you will understand then. From now on, leave all matters concerning the Auction House to you. As long as the price is not excessive, you are responsible for helping me bid on and acquire all spirit plants above the seventh grade," Qin Ming instructed.

Yang Shu nodded: "Rest assured, Sect Master, I will handle it properly."

"From now on, call me Master, regardless of whether there is anyone around." Qin Ming did this to prevent eavesdropping.

"Yes." Yang Shu bowed.

With the help of the Huayu Sect Disciples and Sima Shuo managing the shop, Qin Ming had become completely idle during this time, spending his days in Alchemy and Cultivation, living quite happily.

Meanwhile, more and more Martial Artists were coming to Yan City. Martial King experts, who were rarely seen in the past, could now be encountered frequently even while just walking down the street.

With more Martial Artists, trouble easily arose. After the City Guards killed some Martial Artists—especially one who was a Martial King—the security of the entire Yan City improved instantly.

As the opening of the Secret Realm approached, the perfect elixir refined by Qin Ming, whether for Cultivation or healing injuries, were sought after by all Powers. During this period, Qin Ming also quietly sold some more perfect elixir.

Over these past three months, Qin Ming had long since repaid the Spirit Stone to Yang Quan and, with the help of the Yan City Auction House, collected quite a few spirit plants.

Especially regarding high-grade spirit plants; with Yang Shu keeping an eye on things, whenever high-grade spirit plants were auctioned at the Auction House, he would acquire them as long as the price was reasonable.

This made it so that whenever a spirit plant was put up for auction, the entire Auction House would stare at Yang Shu's private box, waiting for him to provide an appraisal before the others would decide whether they were willing to raise the price to compete.

Because of the transactions with the Auction House over these three months, Yang Shu had long since become a four-star purple card holder and was treated with great hospitality by the Auction House, almost to the point of being worshipped.

During this time, Qin Ming was not short of spirit plants and began to vigorously perform Alchemy. Since Yan City was not short of buyers, Qin Ming made a fortune. He had no use for Spirit Stone, so he had Yang Shu exchange them all for spirit plants of various grades at the Auction House, then refined them all into Medicinal Pill.

A small portion was sold directly to the various Families in Yan City, while the majority remained with the Shadow. Aside from supplying the Huayu Sect Disciples and the needs of the Qin Family, most were distributed through the Shadow to be sold in various cities. However, the cities that the Shadow had established were still too few, and Qin Ming refined too many Medicinal Pill; the Shadow could not sell them all.

Of course, Qin Ming did not intend for the Shadow to sell that many. Even if they could sell them all, Qin Ming would not be happy. He did not know when he would return after entering the Secret Realm, and the Qin Family and the Huayu Sect required quite a lot of Medicinal Pill; it was better to keep them for them to use slowly.

On this day, with the opening of the Secret Realm drawing near, many Martial Artists in Yan City had already left for the Secret Realm in advance.

Qin Ming called Yang Shu and Sima Shuo to the backyard.

"Sima Shuo, you have been with me for quite some time now, and you should know the situation of the Huayu Sect in detail. Are you willing to live in the Huayu Sect?" Qin Ming asked, looking at Sima Shuo who was standing respectfully.

Sima Shuo cupped his hands and said, "This Disciple is willing, but this shop…"

Qin Ming waved his hand and said, "I intend to close the shop."

"The shop's business is very good every day, and it has even made a name for itself throughout Yan City. Why close it?" Sima Shuo could not help but ask. During this period, not to mention the Medicinal Pill sold in the shop, the perfect elixir sold daily alone earned a significant amount of Spirit Stone.

"Wealth moves people's hearts!" Qin Ming shook his head and sighed: "One should only possess as much wealth as one has the strength to hold. Without strength, it is like a child holding gold. The perfect elixir I have sold have already earned enough to make the Five Great Families of Yan City envious."

"If I do not stop now, I probably won't have the chance to stop later."

"How can that be? Yan City has rules…" Sima Shuo looked at Qin Ming, his face full of shock.

Qin Ming gave a mocking smile: "Rules? The rules they set were only to earn more Spirit Stone. If one day they see greater benefits, why wouldn't they break those rules!"

Currently, most of Qin Ming's income came from various different Families, and all were secret transactions, which made it difficult for others to figure out exactly how many perfect elixir he had sold, let alone how much profit he had made.

However, Yan City belonged to the Five Great Families; sooner or later, the truth would be revealed, so it was better to leave early.

In any case, he had earned enough Spirit Stone, and the Shadow had already taken root here. If he wanted Spirit Stone, couldn't he just sell some perfect elixir in scattered locations to get them?

perfect elixir were far more popular than Spirit Stone.