The group went to the most upscale tea house in Western Ridge, known as the Fifth Tea House. ( Note: Fifth is Not a Number but a Family Name , Just like Fifth Elder in Celestial Bureau in Southern Domain. He’s an Elder of Fifth Family )

Qin Ruqing found the name “Celestial Bureau” somewhat amusing, as all the family’s related industries never used serious names, always opting for simplicity with “Fifth.”

It boldly proclaimed to everyone that yes, this was their Celestial Bureau’s business, so take a good look.

Qin Ruqing glanced at the person sitting opposite her, dressed in deep blue robes that resembled the uniform of Celestial Bureau officials, albeit with some differences from those in the Southern Ridge.

Officials in the Southern Ridge had robes embroidered with auspicious cloud patterns, while those in the Western Ridge had theirs adorned with mist motifs.

Judging by the intricacy of his uniform, Qin Ruqing deduced that he held a position just below the bureau chief’s trusted aides, likely a steward of sorts, slightly above regular staff.

Sure enough, just as Qin Ruqing had thought, the man who introduced himself as Diwu Qiming began to speak.

“I am Diwu Qiming, a steward of the Celestial Bureau.”

After Qin Ruqing and Lu Wei respectfully greeted him, Qin Ruqing spoke up, “I wonder what brings the steward to us…”

The steward of the Celestial Bureau naturally knew.

Among these four people, the leader was this strikingly beautiful young woman in red.

According to the information he had, Miss Qin Ruqing had actually registered at the Southern Ridge Celestial Bureau and received an elder seat identity card.

“Miss Qin, please forgive my intrusion. I have some important matters to discuss with you.”

Qin Ruqing subtly raised an eyebrow.

Was this what it meant to be from a Celestial family? She had expected they could find her address, but didn’t anticipate they’d also uncover her true identity.

Noticing Qin Ruqing’s expression, the steward admitted, “Miss Qin, please don’t be upset. When you first entered the city, you had to go through identity registration.”

“Oh, I forgot about that when I entered the city.”

Every major city checkpoint was guarded by officials from the Celestial Goods Bureau.

With their resources, a simple check using her name made it easy to identify one or two people.

Qin Ruqing smiled and said, “I have nothing to hide about my identity. Please tell me your purpose directly, steward.”

The steward nodded, “Today, I’ve come for the Revitalizing Qi Pill.”

“Recently, Miss Qin worked with the Yang family and auctioned off three sets of Qi Enhancing pills at the Yang Auction House?”

Qin Ruqing nodded. The steward continued, “Does Miss Qin still have any of these pills left? Could I have a look?”

Qin Ruqing smiled, “Why not?”

She conjured a jade bottle into her palm and handed it to the steward.

The steward handled it with great care, pouring out a pill and sniffing it.

His expression subtly changed.

Just as he was about to speak, Qin Ruqing, as if knowing his thoughts, said, “Consider this bottle of Revitalizing Qi Pills a gift to the Celestial Bureau.”

The steward nodded and, without hesitation, swallowed the pill to personally test its effects.

Qin Ruqing’s smile deepened.

She thought to herself how bold the steward was, not afraid that the pill she offered might have adverse effects.

After a few moments, when the steward opened his eyes again, he looked at Qin Ruqing with visible astonishment. “The effect is indeed…”

“It seems the pill is even better than rumored,” the steward remarked.

“Was this pill developed by the Qin family of the Southern Ridge?”

Qin Ruqing nodded, “It was formulated by our Ancestor Wenxuan, from our clan.”

The steward appeared more reassured. “I’ve heard of Elder Wenxuan, a renowned master of alchemy.”

After a pause, he continued, “So, Miss Wu, your arrival in Western Ridge and your orchestration of the previous auction—does this signify that the Qin family is preparing to collaborate with the Yang family of Western Ridge?”

Qin Ruqing thought to herself, “Finally, we’re getting to the point.” Despite the steward’s serious gaze, she shook her head.

“Hmm?” The steward looked puzzled.

“The Qin family did send me here with intentions to enter the Western Ridge market, but it doesn’t necessarily mean we must collaborate with the Yangs. Or rather, not only with the Yangs,” Qin Ruqing explained.

‘If we had only wanted to collaborate with the Yangs, we could have done so earlier. We waited for this big fish,’ she thought.

The steward keenly sensed that Miss Wu seemed to glance at him mischievously, as if she had already seen through his intentions.

But how could that be possible?

Indeed, when he looked more closely, her expression had returned to normal.

The steward didn’t overthink it.

He was satisfied with Qin Ruqing’s earlier answer and went straight to the point: “Does the Qin family plan to cooperate with the Celestial Bureau?”

“The Bureau intends to purchase a large quantity of Revitalization Pills from the Qin family, and only asks for permission to resell them in Xiling. Given the large volume, the price will surely satisfy the Qin family.”

In essence, the Bureau wants to wholesale and then resell in Xiling.

Qin Ruqing nodded in interest, asking, “Steward, how large is this quantity?”

Since it’s wholesale, they’ll surely get wholesale prices, implying the Qin family should opt for high sales volume at lower margins.

It could work, but the Qin family could focus on high-end products, like the significant amount of spirit stones auctioned by the Yang family.

To wholesale effectively, the volume must be substantial to make it worthwhile for the Qin family.

The steward anticipated Qin Ruqing’s question and calmly replied, confident his answer would satisfy her.

“The quantity is sufficient to supply the cultivation needs of most cultivators in Xiling.”

Qin Ruqing was taken aback.

It was indeed an exaggerated number, explaining the steward’s calm assurance.

However, instead of immediately agreeing, she began to question.

Qin Ruqing wasn’t surprised that the Bureau noticed the Vitality Pills.

In fact, she had planned to lure their attention with the pills.

Yet, she didn’t expect them to request such a large quantity, which seemed unnecessary and risky due to potential oversupply.

“I’m curious, why does the Bureau need such a large quantity? It doesn’t seem like a typical cooperation.”

The steward glanced at Qin Ruqing, surprised by her composure.

“Does the Qin family have concerns about this purchase quantity?”

“Not at all,” Qin Ruqing replied seriously. “Such a large transaction is significant. Since the Bureau trusts the Qin family, we want to understand their intentions clearly before proceeding.”

“If the Bureau stores such a large quantity and it doesn’t sell, causing the pills to expire, it would not only waste money but could also lead to significant consequences!”

Qin Ruqing’s tone was earnest and considerate, showing genuine concern for the Bureau’s interests.

Seeing Qin Ruqing’s genuine worry, the steward softened.

The Qin family’s reputation was indeed commendable; this young member was respectful and spoke sensibly.

Seeing Qin Ruqing’s concern about potential losses if they bought too much, the steward decided to share some straightforward information.

After all, this news would come out sooner or later.

“You don’t need to worry about that. The Bureau only buys what it needs; there won’t be unsold stock. In fact, this purchase of Vitality Pills is not for profit but for public welfare!”

“Due to the geographical and environmental conditions in Xiling, many cultivators suffer from internal fire toxins, which slow their progress.

The Celestial Bureau has issued a decree to overhaul this situation, focusing on three main areas.”

“Firstly, they will open up new paths under the Broken Vein Mountain with the help of influential families.”

“Secondly, they plan to gather master craftsmen from Xiling and even beyond to build an airship capable of crossing the Broken Vein Mountain.”

“As for the third…” The steward glanced at Qin Ruqing with a meaningful look, implying something unsaid.

Qin Ruqing understood the implication from the previous points and naturally deduced the meaning of the third initiative: it involved the pills.

“The cultivators in Xiling are hindered by the fire toxins, slowing their progress to only body refining and artifact crafting. What a significant issue.

If the Celestial Bureau in Xiling wants to make achievements, they must change this situation for Xiling cultivators, which means finding targeted medicines.”

“I heard the Yang family auctioned pills that can accelerate spiritual energy circulation. It seems luck favors those who are prepared. No wonder even the usually aloof Celestial Bureau can’t resist now.”

Qin Ruqing thought through this in her mind and couldn’t help but chuckle to herself.

Perfect, absolutely perfect! This is a huge opportunity for the Qin family!

Who would have thought the Celestial Bureau in Xiling would suddenly prepare for such a massive overhaul without any prior notice?

This isn’t just a minor event; it’s a sensational event that will shake the entire Southern Region!

Imagine if the Broken Vein Mountain is really opened up, connecting Xiling with the outside world.

It would cause a tremendous change in the entire region.

Moreover, with the Celestial Bureau busy with internal reforms in Xiling, they wouldn’t have the time to search for targeted medicines externally.

Even if they found them, they might not be as effective as those produced by the Qin family.

In other words, this time, it’s not the Qin family seeking the Celestial Bureau; it’s the Celestial Bureau seeking the Qin family.

Strength usually decides everything, but in exceptional cases, fortunes can shift.

Leaving aside other matters, our Qin family belongs to the Southern Ridge, under the jurisdiction of the Southern Ridge Celestial Bureau, not yours in Xiling.

Having thought everything through, Qin Ruqing smiled and said, “I’m truly impressed by the ambitious determination of the Celestial Bureau in Xiling. However… I didn’t know the Bureau had such grand plans originally.”

“The Bureau’s reason for purchasing Vitality Pills sounds good, but now that I know, I feel the Vitality Pills are somewhat inadequate.”

Confused, the Bureau steward asked, “What do you mean by ‘inadequate’?”

Qin Ruqing clicked her tongue, “The Vitality Pills are effective but they still fall short. They only speed up spiritual energy circulation and can’t cure the fire toxins, so they only address the symptoms, not the root cause.”

“Well, I know they only treat symptoms, but we don’t have better options!”

But soon, the steward was surprised.

Qin Ruqing pulled out a jade bottle from her storage bag and hesitantly handed it over.

“Take a look, steward. This pill still has its uses.”

“What is this?”

Qin Ruqing smiled, enunciating each word, “This pill is called the Detoxification Pill!”

“The Detoxification Pill? Isn’t that the most common pill out there? Are you kidding me?”

“Oh,” Qin Ruqing suddenly remembered something and added, “This isn’t just any Detoxification Pill. It’s specifically for detoxifying fire toxins.”

Seeing the steward’s stunned expression, Qin Ruqing kindly explained, “Yes, exactly what you’re thinking—fire toxins.”

While the steward was still trying to process this, Qin Ruqing’s mouth curved into a satisfied smile.

Good things shouldn’t be kept hidden!

The Vitality Pills she brought in collaboration with the Yang family were just the lowest-tier among the items she brought.

As for this Detoxification Pill, it was a condition she negotiated with Tang Zifeng when discussing cooperation.

Originally intended for negotiations with the Tang family, Qin Ruqing now considered it wasted on them, given their current situation.

Such a good thing shouldn’t be wasted on a family that couldn’t see its value.

The Detoxification Pill had great potential in Xiling, where cooperation opportunities were abundant.

She could cooperate with anyone, so why not choose the strongest backing?

That’s why Qin Ruqing had set her sights early on the Celestial Bureau.

As the saying goes, “Since we’re here, might as well stay.”

She couldn’t afford to make this trip for nothing.

Helping Tang Zifeng return to his family was just part of the plan.

She aimed to make three moves to find the strongest support for the Qin family in Xiling!

Once she had the Celestial Bureau on her side, backed by the official system, she would have a clear path to success!