The massive flying sword descended gently, its blade sinking into the designated slot at the flight dock with a heavy thud.

Jiang Chen disembarked, descending the stone steps one by one until his boots touched the paved streets of the Loose Cultivator market.

He vaguely recalled his last departure. Back then, a heavy, oppressive atmosphere had hung over [Green City], rumors of a calamity deep within the [Dark Forest] swirling like poisoned smoke.

Now, returning after months of seclusion, he found the city transformed. The tension had evaporated. Pedestrians walked with leisurely gaits, merchants shouted their wares with gusto, and the air was filled with the relaxed hum of commerce rather than the whispers of fear.

It seems the trouble in the forest has been resolved, Jiang Chen mused, raising an eyebrow.

Although he had already arrived in Green City, Jiang Chen didn’t rush to meet his contact. Old habits died hard. His first priority was always security and information.

Near the flight dock, he found a modest establishment named the [Homesick Inn]. He rented an ordinary room on the second floor for three days, the cost a mere single [Low-grade Spirit Stone].

Once inside, Jiang Chen began his transformation.

He stowed his conspicuous [Jade Green Gourd] deep within his robes, swapping it for the nondescript, worn storage bag favored by the vast majority of loose cultivators. Next, he shed the pristine white robes of an Immortal Sect disciple, donning a set of rough, travel-stained grey garbs. Finally, he carefully applied a fake mustache to his upper lip.

In moments, the lofty, unreachable sect disciple vanished. In his place stood a weary, common cultivator, indistinguishable from the thousands of others struggling for resources in the city.

Disguise complete, Jiang Chen slipped out of the inn. His destination: the grain markets.

He moved from stall to stall, inquiring about prices with the practiced air of a buyer looking for a bargain. After visiting several trading points, he had a clear picture of the day’s market.

[Tier-1 Spirit Rice] was categorized into three grades: Inferior, Premium, and Top-quality. The exchange rate for a single Low-grade Spirit Stone remained stable.

However, the market for [Tier-2 Spirit Rice] had shifted significantly since his last visit.

While the prices for Inferior and Premium grades fluctuated normally, the price for Top-quality Tier-2 rice had spiked.

Standing in a shop thick with the aroma of raw grain, Jiang Chen did the mental math. If memory serves, the ratio for Top-quality rice last time was 1:1.3. Now it’s higher.

The increase seemed marginal on paper, but to a professional Spirit Farmer, it screamed a crucial piece of information: scarcity. The supply of Top-quality rice in the loose cultivator market had dried up, driving the price upward.

Satisfied with his intelligence gathering, Jiang Chen proceeded to his next task. He wasn’t ready to meet the Sun family just yet.

Right there in the grain shop, he spent 358 Low-grade Spirit Stones to purchase five hundred jin of Premium Tier-2 Spirit Rice.

I can’t use my own Top-grade stock for the loose cultivator wine, he reasoned. The margins wouldn’t make sense. Premium grade from the market is sufficient for the mass-market brew.

Buying in bulk from the loose cultivator market was cheaper than purchasing through the sect, and occasionally, vendors would throw in extra weight to secure a sale.

Inventory secured, Jiang Chen made his way to the [Wintergreen Trading House] next door. It was time to address his combat deficiencies.

“What does the Immortal Elder need today?” a female receptionist asked, approaching with a practiced, beaming smile.

Jiang Chen waved her off. “I’ll browse first. I’ll call you if I have questions.”

He knew the procedure. He walked directly to an unoccupied [Mirror of Reflection] and pressed his hand against the surface, injecting a pulse of Fire Spiritual Power.

The mirror hummed, glowing with a soft white light before rows of text materialized on its surface.

Jiang Chen navigated the interface, selecting ‘Cultivation Techniques’ and filtering by Spirit Root.

The common Five Elements—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth—populated the list. Below them were the variant roots: Ice, Thunder, Wind.

The numbers next to the variants were all zero.

Not surprising, Jiang Chen thought. Variant techniques are rare enough within the sects. Expecting to find them in a public trading house is wishful thinking.

The Five Elements categories, however, were well-stocked, with dozens of listings each. Of course, these were all incomplete manuals. Any complete cultivation technique would have been siphoned off to the auction houses to spark bidding wars.

Jiang Chen glanced at the Wood-attribute section first. It was the same selection as his last visit—uninspiring and redundant.

He backed out and clicked on the Fire Spirit Root section.

The list refreshed, displaying eight low-tier techniques and spells, and three high-tier options.

Low-Tier Cultivation Techniques (3):

[Scarlet Flame Art] (Incomplete)

[Fire Crow Qi Nurturing Method] (Incomplete)

[Earth Fire Guidance] (Incomplete)

Low-Tier Spells (8):

Fire Bullet, Flame Shield, Blood Burning Escape, Blinding Glare, Earth Fire Eruption, Fire Snake Binding, Explosive Flame Talisman Hand, Blazing Wind Step.

High-Tier Cultivation Techniques (2):

[True Sunfire Scripture] (Incomplete)

Effect: Refines “Sunfire” spiritual power. Extremely high temperature, highly volatile.

Drawback: Missing the “Fire Seed Nurturing” chapter. Prone to spiritual power rampage at the late Foundation Establishment stage.

[Nine Flames Profound Art] (Incomplete)

Effect: Cultivates nine distinct layers of flame colors, each with unique characteristics.

Drawback: Only the first four layers (Red, Orange, Yellow, Blue) remain. Subsequent layers lost.

High-Tier Spells (1):

[Scorching Sun Finger] (Incomplete)

Effect: Condenses extreme heat at the fingertip, capable of piercing high-level defenses.

Drawback: Missing the “Finger Force Transforming into Rainbow” long-range technique. Requires close combat.

Jiang Chen’s heart raced as he read the descriptions. Even incomplete, these are formidable.

He weighed his options. He needed a foundation for his Fire Qi and a potent offensive tool.

After a moment of deliberation, he made his choices: [Fire Crow Qi Nurturing Method], [Nine Flames Profound Art], and [Scorching Sun Finger].

One low-tier technique for basics, one high-tier technique for power, and one high-tier spell for killing.

The cost was steep. The [Fire Crow Qi Nurturing Method] was a manageable 60 Low-grade Spirit Stones, but the two high-tier manuals cost a combined thirty-eight [Mid-grade Spirit Stones].

It was a fortune for a loose cultivator, but for Jiang Chen, it was an investment. Low-tier techniques capped out at Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment. High-tier techniques could carry him through to the Golden Core stage, and even serve as a stopgap in the Nascent Soul realm.

As he walked out of the [Wintergreen Trading House], the weight of his lighter purse was offset by a surge of excitement.

This is the advantage of multiple Spirit Roots, he realized. A single root offers speed, but multiple roots offer versatility. With Wood for sustainability and Fire for destruction, I am building a complete arsenal.

“We bid farewell to the Immortal Elder, looking forward to your next visit!” the receptionist called out, her smile widening at the size of the transaction.

Outside, Jiang Chen pulled out a [Communication Talisman] and contacted Shen Peng.

“I’ve arrived at the market.”

Shen Peng’s reply came quickly, but with a change of plans. Instead of the usual meeting place at the Sun family mansion, he asked Jiang Chen to come to the busiest street in the market district.

Jiang Chen wasn’t annoyed by the change. He had a suspicion about the reason.

It must be related to the grand opening.

The new location was only a kilometer away. As Jiang Chen navigated the crowded streets, the buzz of conversation grew louder, centered around a single topic.

“The Sun family is opening a wine shop?”

“I heard about it. I wonder if the quality will match their reputation?”

“It’s the Sun family. They wouldn’t risk their face on swill. The wine definitely won’t be bad.”

Jiang Chen smiled beneath his fake mustache as he turned the corner onto the main street. The air was thick with anticipation—and the scent of opportunity.