Cultivation of immortality begins with an eighty-year-old eunuch.

Chapter 441 Cooperation with Baicaotang! Conditions!

Chen Fan did not answer immediately.

He picked up his teacup, took another sip, and quickly began to calculate in his mind.

He had heard of Baicaotang's power. To be able to open a branch in the sealed land, there must be a behemoth backing it.

Cooperating with them is indeed a good thing for Da Yuan, at least in the short term, it provides him with an additional protective umbrella.

Even with all the spiritual plants available, it was still too much for Chen Fan!

"Brother Wei," Old Li added, seeing his hesitation, "Bai Cao Tang values ​​integrity in business. Once the cooperation is reached, we will not only protect Da Yuan, but also send a Nascent Soul expert to be stationed in the imperial city to show our sincerity. As for the Soul Nourishing Wood and the Vitality Elixir... the main branch has abundant reserves, so they may not be without stock. Even if they are not, with Bai Cao Tang's channels, it will be much easier for them to find them than for you or me."

Chen Fan put down his teacup: "Can you make that decision?"

"I can act as a go-between," Old Li said. "The specific terms will need to be discussed in person with the Eighteenth Elder. But I can guarantee that Baicaotang will not mistreat Dayuan."

Chen Fan pondered for a moment, then finally nodded: "Okay."

Old Li was overjoyed: "Brother Wei, you're so generous! I'll send word to the Eighteenth Elder right away!"

He rose and walked to a corner of the inner hall, took out a jade talisman from a cabinet, and infused it with his true essence. The jade talisman glowed faintly, and after a moment, a phantom slowly appeared.

It was an old man with white hair, a gaunt face, and sharp eyes like an eagle. Although it was just a phantom, it exuded the powerful aura of a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.

"Eighteenth Elder," Old Li bowed respectfully, "Fellow Daoist Chen Fan has agreed."

The illusory figure's gaze fell on Chen Fan, and after examining him for a moment, it slowly spoke: "Fellow Daoist Chen, I have long admired you."

Chen Fan stood up and cupped his hands in greeting: "Eighteenth Elder."

"Have you explained all the conditions to me, Old Li?" the Eighteenth Elder asked bluntly.

"That's clear." Chen Fan nodded. "All the spiritual plants will be supplied to Baicaotang. Baicaotang will protect the Great Abyss and assist in finding Soul-Nourishing Wood and Vitality Elixir."

"That's good," said the Eighteenth Elder. "Furthermore, the Hundred Herbs Hall will send two Nascent Soul cultivators to be stationed in the Great Abyss, one for protection and the other for overseeing the delivery of spiritual plants. Does Fellow Daoist Chen have any objections?"

"No," Chen Fan said, "but we have one request."

"Speaking."

"The garrisoned cultivators must not interfere in the internal affairs of the Great Abyss." Chen Fan stared directly at the illusory figure. "The Great Abyss is the Great Abyss, and the Hundred Herbs Hall is the Hundred Herbs Hall. Cooperation is cooperation, but the boundaries must be clearly defined."

An approving glint flashed in the eyes of the eighteenth elder: "That's fine. Baicaotang only does business and doesn't get involved in worldly affairs."

"Then it's a deal," Chen Fan said.

"Excellent." The Eighteenth Elder smiled. "I'll have Old Li deliver the contract jade slip. Also, I've ordered someone to check the inventory for the Soul-Nourishing Wood and Vitality Elixir that Fellow Daoist Chen needs. We'll have news within three days."

Chen Fan's heart skipped a beat: "The main branch has stock? But how will you get it into the sealed land?"

"We don't have the Vitality Elixir, but we do have a section of Soul-Nourishing Wood," the Eighteenth Elder said. "However, it's not in the sealed area and needs to be transported from beyond the realm. It will arrive in a month at most. As for how it will be delivered, you don't need to ask further."

"January..." Chen Fan pondered, "We can wait."

"Alright." The Eighteenth Elder nodded. "In that case, the cooperation is settled. Li Fugui."

"Yes," Old Li replied quickly.

"Give the contract jade slip to Fellow Daoist Chen. Also, from this moment on, you will be the deputy manager of the Sealed Land branch, in charge of the handover with the Great Abyss," said the Eighteenth Elder. "As for the garrisoned cultivators, they will arrive in the Imperial City within three days."

"Yes!" Old Li's voice trembled with excitement.

The phantom slowly dissipated.

Old Li breathed a long sigh of relief, turned to look at Chen Fan, his face full of excitement: "Brother Wei! It's done! Now Da Yuan has a powerful backer!"

Chen Fan, however, remained much calmer: "What about the contract?"

"Here it is!" Old Li took out a jade slip from his pocket and handed it to Chen Fan. "The terms are all inside, Brother Wei, please take a look."

Chen Fan took the jade slip and probed it with his divine sense.

The jade slip contained detailed terms, consistent with what had just been said. It also bore the unique mark of Baicaotang at the end, making it impossible to fake.

He looked at it carefully twice, and after confirming that it was correct, he left his mark at the end with his divine sense.

The jade slip flashed with light, and the contract was established.

"Alright." Chen Fan handed the jade slip back. "When will the spiritual plants be delivered?"

"Right now!" Old Li rubbed his hands together. "Brother Wei, how much stock do you have?"

Chen Fan didn't waste any words and simply waved his hand.

Three storage bags appeared out of thin air on the floor of the inner room.

The bag was bulging and clearly full! Old Li stepped forward and opened one of the bags, and immediately, a rich spiritual energy rushed out.

The bag was filled with a mountain of crystal-clear spirit rice, each grain plump and gleaming like pearls. The purity of its spiritual energy even made Old Li, a Qi Refining cultivator, feel a surge of energy.

"This...this quality!" Old Li's eyes widened, and he quickly untied the other two bags.

One bag of radishes, as white as jade, with intact roots, exudes a sweet fragrance. The other bag of sweet potatoes, with purplish-red skin, are uniform in size and radiate vitality.

"These are all top-quality goods!" Old Li's hands trembled with excitement. "Brother Wei, how many kilograms are these?"

"100,000 catties of spirit rice, 50,000 catties of radishes, and 30,000 catties of sweet potatoes," Chen Fan said calmly. "These are some of our family's savings over the years."

"That's enough! That's enough!" Old Li nodded repeatedly. "This is enough to prove our sincerity to the main hall!"

He quickly took out a storage bag from under the counter, carefully put away the three bags of spiritual plants, and then took out an account book, solemnly recording: "Chen Fan of Dayuan, delivered 100,000 catties of spiritual rice, 50,000 catties of radish, and 30,000 catties of sweet potato, all of superior quality, awarded one Class A merit."

After finishing writing, he closed the ledger, looked at Chen Fan, and said with gratitude in his eyes, "Brother Wei, thank you so much!"

"It's just a matter of mutual benefit." Chen Fan waved his hand. "You must keep track of news about the Soul-Nourishing Wood."

"Don't worry!" Old Li patted his chest, "I'll immediately send a message to the Eighteenth Elder and urge him to transfer the supplies as soon as possible!"

Chen Fan nodded and got up to leave.

"Brother Wei, wait a moment!" Old Li called out to him, taking out a jade bottle from his bosom. "This is the 'Spirit Nourishing Pill' from Baicaotang. Although it's not as good as the Soul Returning Pill, it still helps to nourish the soul. Take it and give it to Fairy Tianxiang to use. Consider it a small token of my appreciation."

Chen Fan took the jade bottle and scanned it with his divine sense. Inside the bottle were three pills with a clear and refreshing fragrance, which were indeed of superior quality.

"Thank you for your kindness." He put the jade bottle away. "Let's go back to the palace first, and wait for the garrisoned cultivators to arrive in three days."

"Okay! I'll see you off!" Old Li quickly followed.

The two walked out of the inner room, where Cuihua was arranging medicinal herbs. When she saw them come out, she bowed.

Chen Fan glanced at her and suddenly asked, "Is Cuihua a paper doll from the Fu Sect?"

Old Li was taken aback, then nodded: "Yes. Brother Wei noticed?"

"Her aura is unusual," Chen Fan said. "Treat her well; it's not easy for a paper doll to become sentient."

"I know," Old Li laughed. "Cuihua has been with me for so many years, we're practically family."

Chen Fan said no more and stepped out of Baicaotang.

Old Li saw Chen Fan to the door, watching his departing figure for a long time before turning back into the shop. As soon as he entered, he couldn't wait to take out the communication jade talisman and infuse it with his true essence.

"Eighteenth Elder! The spiritual plants have arrived! Their quality far exceeds expectations, and that old eunuch even said it's only a portion!"

After a moment of silence on the other end of the jade talisman, the Eighteenth Elder's slightly excited voice came through: "Really?"