"So that's how it is!" Yang Kai nodded slightly, his confidence growing. He reached into his spatial ring, drew out a jade bottle, and held it out to Ge Qi. "I don't have Flowing Flame Flying Fire or Soul-Washing Divine Water, but why don't you take a look, Brother Ge, and see whether this pill satisfies Elder Ge's requirements?"
After their brief exchange, though Ge Qi's expression remained somewhat guarded, his emotions had finally stabilized. Hearing this, he shot Yang Kai a suspicious glance, then forced a smile and accepted the jade bottle with both hands.
Murmuring an apology, Ge Qi carefully uncorked the bottle. In that instant, a fresh fragrance rushed toward him, making his eyebrows shoot up in surprise. The scent filled his nostrils, and his mind grew unexpectedly clear.
He tipped the pill out into his palm, and his eyes went round.
"This is—" Yan Pei, who had been seated to the side, shot to his feet. His gaze locked unwaveringly on the pill, and his face was a picture of disbelief.
Though Ge Qi had lived in seclusion with his elders for many years, as a martial artist of the Void Return Stage, he possessed at least some ability to discern valuable items.
And Yan Pei, as the chief auctioneer of the Gathering Treasures Tower, had handled countless precious goods over the years. His eye for quality was naturally extraordinary.
The two of them instantly recognized the pill's extraordinary nature.
"A Void Grade Upper pill?!" Yan Pei exclaimed in shock, completely abandoning any pretense of composure. He snatched the pill straight from Ge Qi's hand, cradled it in his palm, and examined it closely.
"Is it really a Void Grade Upper pill?" Ge Qi asked in disbelief, as though he were trapped in a dream.
"It is! Without a doubt, it's a Void Grade Upper pill! The color, the fragrance, the medicinal power sealed within—all of it unmistakably matches the standard that only a Void Grade Upper pill can possess!" Yan Pei murmured.
No wonder he had lost his composure. On the Dark Star, a Void Grade Upper pill was nothing short of legend. Here, the highest level any alchemist could reach was Void Grade Lower, with no possibility of advancing further. And it was common knowledge that alchemy carried an enormous chance of failure. So even those Void Grade Lower alchemists couldn't guarantee they would produce a Void Grade Lower pill every time.
Occasionally, by sheer luck, a Void Grade Middle pill might appear. But every single one was a priceless treasure. Even when one was produced, the major factions would hoard it away, and the outside world never got to see it.
As for the even higher Void Grade Upper pill… to put it bluntly, given the alchemical standards of the Dark Star, no one could possibly refine one.
The Gathering Treasures Tower had obtained a handful over its long history, but without exception, they had all been discovered in ancient ruins. After the passage of time, more than half had lost their potency and become unusable. Only a single one had ever been put up for auction, and Yan Pei still vaguely remembered the frenzy that had erupted among the Dark Star's major factions—they had nearly come to blows.
That auction had nearly collapsed. Every time he recalled it, Yan Pei still felt a chill.
And now, after so many years, a Void Grade Upper pill had appeared before his eyes once again. Regardless of what this particular pill did, its value was incalculable.
However, since Yang Kai had produced this pill at precisely this moment, Yan Pei could guess at its purpose.
"This is a Spirit Cleansing Pill. I'm not sure if you've heard of it, Master Yan." Yang Kai smiled faintly and raised his teacup for a sip.
"A Spirit Cleansing Pill—it's actually a Spirit Cleansing Pill!" Yan Pei let out a soft breath. "This is the perfect remedy for the condition!"
"Master Yan, you mean—" Ge Qi looked at Yan Pei from the side, hope and anxiety warring on his face, and asked timidly.
"Take it." Yan Pei placed the Spirit Cleansing Pill back into the jade bottle and tossed it to Ge Qi. "This single Spirit Cleansing Pill is more than enough to resolve Brother Ge's crisis. Its efficacy may not match the Soul-Washing Divine Water, but it actually works even better than the Flowing Flame Flying Fire he needed."
"Really?" Ge Qi was overjoyed.
"Would I lie to you?" Yan Pei snorted lightly. "The reason Brother Ge didn't send you to exchange for a pill was because he assumed no such thing as a Void Grade Upper pill existed in this world. That's why he settled for less, wanting to trade for news of the Flowing Flame Flying Fire or the Soul-Washing Divine Water. But now that we have a superior, perfectly suited remedy, why would he need those? Brother Ge is quite fortunate."
At this, Ge Qi's face lit up with joy. He hurriedly tucked the Spirit Cleansing Pill into his spatial ring and thanked Yang Kai profusely.
"No need. Brother Ge and I are simply each getting what we need." Yang Kai waved his hand with a smile. This Spirit Cleansing Pill had been casually refined during his last period of seclusion. He had produced quite a few pills then, but only two or three had been Void Grade Upper. This Spirit Cleansing Pill happened to be one of them.
At the auction, when he had heard Yan Pei say that the owner of the Star Emperor Token wanted to exchange for the whereabouts of the Flowing Flame Flying Fire and the Soul-Washing Divine Water, Yang Kai had guessed that the other party might be suffering from a spiritual sea affliction. If that was the case, the Spirit Cleansing Pill was undoubtedly the best choice.
With the Spirit Cleansing Pill in hand, Ge Qi naturally handed over the Star Emperor Token. Yang Kai accepted it and turned it over in his fingers, finding it virtually identical to the one he had previously obtained in the Flowing Flame Sand Region—practically a perfect match—before casually tossing it into his spatial ring.
Having completed his mission, Ge Qi was naturally eager to leave immediately and return to his grandfather's side to administer the Spirit Cleansing Pill.
Before departing, Ge Qi clasped his fists solemnly. "If Grandfather survives this crisis, we will surely come to visit in person. I hope Miss Yang Yan will not take offense!"
With that, he bowed to Yan Pei as well and hurried off.