"No, this is only for the ones who have a low-grade spirit root. Because of its low grade, their Qi’s vigour is inferior and is unable to refine their Meridians after a particular stage.
As a result, they are left with two options. One is to forever stay stuck in that level, and the second is to use these Meridian Refinement Pills to keep pushing on until the Ninth Level in the hope of breaking through to the Qi Absorption Stage
Gao Zhen explained with a hint of ridicule in her voice as she continued
"However, even after one spends an enormous amount of money on these pills, the success rate of breaking through is only one-tenth.
And even if they do, with their aptitude, they’ll forever be stuck in the First Level of Qi Absorption Stage."
"I see. I understand now," Yi Chen nodded like an obedient student and noted her words in his mind.
Seeing this, Gao Zhen finally asked the question she had been wanting to ask him for quite some while now as they were making their way to the staircase.
"Young Master, is this your first time in the capital city? Don’t get me wrong, but even when I was introducing you to all the basic pills earlier, you were listening to me with full concentration.
Therefore, I couldn’t help but think that this was your first time seeing those pills."
Gao Zhen looked towards Yi Chen curiously as she finished her words.
"Well, Manager Gao is indeed right. This is my first time in the capital city. In fact, I only arrived here yesterday."
Yi Chen explained.
"Is that so?" Gao Zhen asked as her eyes narrowed subtly.
The next moment, she said in a joking manner, "Then the Young Master must have done some indescribable thing to win Patriarch Zhou’s favour in this short time?"
Gao Zhen chuckled as she finished her words. However, her attention was fully focused on Yi Chen’s facial expressions, and she waited for his response.
"Haha, Manager Gao is quite right. I indeed helped Master Zhou with something," Yi Chen answered with a smile.
"To think Young Master’s abilities have already reached such a level that you’re able to help the Zhou Clan’s Patriarch..."
Gao Zhen muttered in an astonished manner and paused for a second before finally asking.
"...I wonder just how Young Master was able to do that?"
She bent forward to enter his space and the next moment tilted her head towards Yi Chen in a playful manner as she waited for a reply.
’This...’
Yi Chen subconsciously held his breath, but he was a second too late, and an intense smell of fresh roses invaded Yi Chen’s nostrils as his eyes fell upon Gao Zhen’s spotless face that seemed to have been sculpted by a master artisan.
A desire to share everything about him to impress her evoked in his mind.
However, that desire was immediately squashed by his rational mind.
’Damn! I almost gave in to my impulse...’ Yi Chen thought to himself.
At the same time, wariness grew within him towards Gao Zhen, who, with just this little action, was able to affect his decision-making.
’Beautiful women are indeed dangerous...’ he muttered internally as he did his utmost to pull his gaze away from her face and focused only on her eyes.
Forcing out a smile, he said the next moment, "A man always needs to have a few cards in his sleeves. Isn’t that right, Manager Gao?"
Gao Zhen couldn’t help but raise her eyebrows a little when she heard Yi Chen’s words.
She had thought that just like most men, he too would succumb to her charm and reveal all that she wanted to know.
’He’s a much tougher nut to crack than I had thought,’ she thought with dissatisfaction. However, she had not given up yet.
She started chuckling the very next moment and said, "Young Master Chen is indeed very different from regular cultivators. I would have loved to know about your secrets to know you better...Won’t you be kind enough to fulfil a lady’s curiosity?"
She asked while pursing her lips, while feigning a hurtful expression.
’She really knows what she’s doing...’ Yi Chen thought to himself. Now that he was aware of her intentions, it was much easier for him to control himself.
"With Manager Gao’s means, I believe you’ll find it out eventually. Am I wrong?" He asked with a smile while holding his urge to take a step back. Being in such close proximity to her was a little nerve-racking.
Seeing that Yi Chen was still maintaining his stand, she finally gave up on probing him any further and said with a bitter smile, "Since it’s like this, I’ll just have to respect his decision."
She sighed disappointedly, and the next moment her mood returned to normal as if the previous exchange never happened.
With a cheerful expression, she gestured towards the staircase and said, "Let’s go then, there’s still a lot to show Young Master on the next floor."
"Yes." Yi Chen nodded, and the next moment, they made their way towards the fourth floor.
Unlike the Alchemy Floor, there was a lot less hustle and bustle here.
’Spiritual Artefacts’
The signboard when entering the floor read. Yi Chen moved his gaze all around and noticed that, unlike the Alchemy Item’s Floor, there were a lot fewer people here.
’I wonder why this floor is so empty...’
Yi Chen had just thought over this issue when his gaze fell on the prices of the artefacts that were displayed one after the other.
Yi Chen glanced at one of the spiritual artefacts closest to him.
It was in the shape of a seashell. The next moment, his gaze fell upon the cost that was written on a small card beside it.
’3 High Grade Spirit Stones Only...’ the card read.
’Only?! You call that only?’ Yi Chen wanted to shout out his frustration, but controlled himself.
Even after saving the daughter of a noble clan, Yi Chen was awarded only 50 High Grade Spirit Stones when calculated.
This was enough to signify just how expensive this artefact was.