Spells Grinding: From Basic Sparks to Divine Arts

Chapter 245: Meeting Again

The young man, roughly eighteen years of age, sat clad in pitch-black robes, his expression a mask of cold indifference. Resting beside him was a massive black greatsword that radiated an oppressive, razor-sharp aura.

It was Tang Bai.

Qin Lu clearly recalled the commotion this youth had caused back at the Merit Hall. That day, Tang Bai hadn’t given Liu Qingyan a shred of face. His words to her sycophants had been blunt and ice-cold. It was the classic display of a newborn calf entirely unafraid of the local tigers.

I figured those three arrogant young masters would have quietly assassinated a brash kid like him by now, Qin Lu mused. They hardly seemed the forgiving type. Yet, well over ten days had passed, and Tang Bai was still breathing—thriving, even.

Suppressing his mild surprise, Qin Lu smoothed his expression, walked over, and sat cross-legged across from the youth.

“Greetings, Fellow Daoist Tang. I am Qin Lu,” he offered simply.

Tang Bai didn’t blink. “You know me?”

“I vividly remember your commanding presence at the Merit Hall,” Qin Lu replied with a polite smile.

Tang Bai sneered. “That Liu Qingyan. Relying on a pretty face to snatch whatever she wants. I don’t cater to vixens.”

“Hahaha! Fellow Daoist Tang is truly a dragon among men. You have my utmost admiration!” Qin Lu smoothly laid on the flattery.

Grease the wheels now, haggle later, Qin Lu thought. After all, Tang Bai possessed the Purple Treasure Ginseng he desperately needed. Privately, though, Qin Lu found the youth’s needlessly abrasive and stubborn personality to be an absolute headache.

“Enough talk,” Tang Bai cut in, straightening his posture. “I saw your listing in the main hall. You want the Purple Treasure Ginseng.”

Qin Lu immediately dropped the sycophant act and sat up straight. “Correct. I’ve been hunting for it. Do you have it?”

“Obviously. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be sitting here.” Tang Bai flicked his wrist. Several streaks of light shot from his sleeve, landing gently on the table between them.

Qin Lu zeroed in on the items. They were long, conical roots, thick at the base and tapering at the ends—structurally identical to ordinary ginseng. The color, however, was entirely different. The roots were a dull, sickly purple that radiated a strange energy.

“That’s it!” Qin Lu said, his eyes lighting up. “Where did you find this, Fellow Daoist Tang?”

“Don’t ask,” Tang Bai replied flatly. “You won’t find it anywhere nearby. It’s rare.”

Qin Lu nodded, dismissing the matter. He didn’t care about the source as long as the goods were real. “You’ve done me a massive favor!” Qin Lu beamed.

With a thought, he withdrew 700 Spirit Stones from his Storage Ring, stacking them neatly beside the herbs. The agreed-upon price was 600, but Qin Lu was in high spirits and tossed in an extra 100 as a gesture of goodwill.

However, Tang Bai merely glanced at the pile. He waved a dismissive hand, rejecting the Spirit Stones, and with another flick of his wrist, swept the Purple Treasure Ginseng back into his storage Magical Artifact.

“Fellow Daoist Tang?” Qin Lu blinked, caught completely off guard. “What is the meaning of this?”

“I have no interest in your Spirit Stones,” Tang Bai stated, his tone maddeningly calm. “Show me something of actual value. Only then do we trade.”

Qin Lu’s smile vanished. Of course there’s a catch. He hated dealing with cultivators who refused cold, hard currency. It threw all his calculations out the window.

“This herb is critical to me,” Qin Lu said, his tone lowering. “Can we not make a deal?”

“I already told you,” Tang Bai replied. “Show me something valuable.”

Gods, who knows what a lunatic like you considers valuable? Qin Lu cursed internally, his irritation spiking. “What if I double the Spirit Stones?” he pressed.

“I don’t lack Spirit Stones.”

Qin Lu took a slow, deep breath to steady his temper. He met the youth’s icy gaze. “Then what, exactly, do you want?”

“Empty your storage,” Tang Bai commanded effortlessly. “If I see something I like, I’ll speak up.”

“Fine.” Qin Lu sent his spiritual sense into his storage Magical Artifacts. He had no intention of pulling out anything worth thousands of Spirit Stones; he wasn’t going to let himself be fleeced just because he was eager.

Sorting through the miscellaneous loot he had accumulated recently, he waved his hand and laid out a spread of minor Magical Artifacts, low-grade alchemy materials, beast hides, Demon Beast bones, Pills, and Talismans.

“Just this?” Tang Bai swept his gaze over the pile and immediately looked away. “Garbage. Too common.”

Frowning, Qin Lu tapped his Storage Bracelet. This time, he brought out higher-tier Supplies, some valued well over 1,000 Spirit Stones.

Tang Bai stared at the new pile for a long moment before slowly shaking his head. “Better, but still mediocre.”

“None of this is good enough for you?” Qin Lu asked, a hard edge creeping into his voice.

“No,” Tang Bai answered plainly.

Qin Lu stared at the ground, his expression dark. Watching Tang Bai clash with the arrogant young masters from the sidelines had been entertaining. Dealing with the stubborn, uncompromising blockhead personally was an absolute nightmare. The kid gave zero face to anyone.

Wait, Qin Lu suddenly remembered a passing rumor he’d heard in the Merit Hall. Wasn’t this kid looking for smithing materials? As it turned out, Qin Lu had something exactly like that gathering dust.

Flipping his wrist, Qin Lu extracted a heavy, half-man-sized stone from the depths of his storage. The boulder was perfectly oval, colored a deep pine-needle green. Its surface was remarkably smooth and elegant, emitting a faint, mesmerizing luminescence.

“How about this?” Qin Lu asked.

Tang Bai’s bored eyes suddenly snapped wide open. He shot to his feet, his gaze locked hungrily onto the glowing green stone.

……