Duan Rong and Yin Cong, each carrying a bag, emerged from the three-story ancient building with grey walls and black tiles.
The Green Pupil that Duan Rong secretly exchanged was inside the bag he was carrying.
The whole process went quite smoothly. Yin Cong was absent-minded the whole time and didn’t notice Duan Rong at all. Perhaps he learned from the last incident and only remembered the exchange points Pan Yong had told him.
At the curved counter earlier, the points matched, and Yin Cong felt like there was no mistake this time.
But for Duan Rong, his mission was not yet complete.
He had used Shang Xiangyu’s Star Disc to exchange for the Green Pupil. To ensure the points matched, he had to exchange eighty fewer points of other medicines.
To complete the exchange for the Green Pupil without leaving any trace, he had to replace the missing eighty points of medicine.
However, Duan Rong had already planned for this.
On Pan Yong’s list, there were several herbs he could also exchange for at the registered disciple exchange area.
Duan Rong was now ready to go to the registered disciple exchange area to obtain the missing herbs to make up the difference.
Duan Rong and Yin Cong passed through a gate with a guard tower. A shadow stood atop the tower, holding a strong bow and carrying an arrow tube.
Duan Rong paused slightly and said, "Brother Yin Cong, I’m going to the registered disciple exchange area to get some things, please wait for me."
"Hm." Yin Cong nodded.
Just as Duan Rong turned away, Yin Cong suddenly said, "Wait, I’ll come with you."
Duan Rong’s expression shifted slightly, "Oh, alright!"
The two headed towards a row of low buildings in the corner.
Upon reaching the spot, Yin Cong said, "Little brother, I’m planning to exchange some medicine for injuries. What are you going to get?"
Duan Rong replied, "I’m planning to exchange some pills for cultivation. Are you hurt, brother?"
Yin Cong smiled and said, "Not at all. It’s just been unstable lately, so it’s better to keep some medicine for injuries on hand."
Duan Rong glanced at Yin Cong, understanding his thoughts.
"Then, brother, I’ll wait for you here after I finish my exchange."
Having said that, Duan Rong turned and walked towards the room for pill exchange.
Yin Cong headed towards the room for injury medicine exchange.
Just as Duan Rong reached the door of the pill exchange, he paused, catching sight of Yin Cong having already entered the room for injury medicine. Duan Rong swiftly dashed into the herb exchange room in the center.
Duan Rong quickly completed the exchange for several herbs, stuffed them into his bag, and immediately dashed out.
Despite Duan Rong’s swift actions, exchanging four herbs took him some time.
As he exited, he wanted to use his Divine Sense to check if Yin Cong had come out already, but he dared not; this was the Medicine Pavilion, and recklessly using Divine Sense posed too great a risk.
Duan Rong had already thought of an excuse, if he exited and Yin Cong was there, he would say he finished exchanging the pills, got curious, and went in to have a look. He figured Yin Cong wouldn’t think much of it.
However, as Duan Rong stepped outside, he found the corridor empty.
Duan Rong breathed a sigh of relief, but as he stood with his bag for a while, Yin Cong still didn’t appear.
Duan Rong was puzzled. Does exchanging injury medicine really take this long?
As Duan Rong was pondering, a figure came out from the injury medicine exchange room.
The person shook his head as he walked, saying, "Ten Contribution Points for just one bottle, that’s outrageous!"
Yin Cong approached and asked Duan Rong, "Are you done exchanging too?"
"Yes, I’ve finished exchanging."
"Then let’s go."
Yin Cong tucked his injury medicine into his sleeve, and the two left the Medicine Pavilion, heading towards the Iron Chain along the cliff edge.
At the Iron Chain leading to the Lower Courtyard mountain ridge, the two secured the bags at their waist.
Yin Cong turned his head to remind Duan Rong, "Make sure you tie the bag with the herbs securely."
Duan Rong replied, "Don’t worry."
Yin Cong nodded and slid along the chain into the mist-shrouded valley, vanishing from sight.
As Yin Cong disappeared into the mist, Duan Rong promptly untied the bag from his waist.
He squatted on the ground, opened the bag, and searched through it for a while before pinching out a small green porcelain bottle from beneath the herbs.
Duan Rong’s eyes gleamed with delight as he looked at the porcelain bottle; inside it was the Auxiliary Medicine Green Pupil for cultivating the Fourth Layer of the Fetal Concealment Scripture.
Duan Rong tucked the porcelain bottle into the inner pocket of his clothes, then re-tied the bag on his waist before sliding into the mist.
When Duan Rong jumped off the Iron Chain, landing on the Lower Courtyard mountain ridge, Yin Cong was already there waiting.
Though both were dripping wet, they still needed to slide back along the Iron Chain to return to Shang Xiangyu’s mountain ridge, so drying off now wouldn’t help.
The two walked along the cliff edge, leaving a long trail of wet footprints.
By the time they returned to the mountain ridge, it was already dark, with mist rolling in the distant twilight, enveloping the scene in an eerie and oppressive atmosphere.
They arrived at Pan Yong’s entrance, handing over the bags of medicine and the Star Disc.
Pan Yong glanced at the points on the disc, nodded, and smiled, "You’ve worked hard, junior brothers! Don’t venture out in the coming days; I reckon we’ll be processing herbs again."
They acknowledged Pan Yong and turned to leave.