Chen Ping’s next objectives were clear.

Pills, Alchemy manuals, an Alchemy Furnace…

He wanted to purchase Cultivation Pills, basic Alchemy manuals, and finally, an Alchemy Furnace that could aid him in refining Pills.

Moving between several slightly larger Pill shops, his gaze swept over the jade bottles on the counters, which emanated the rich scent of medicine.

After some inquiries, he learned that the price of Marrow Cleansing Pills fluctuated between three and four Spirit Stones.

Chen Ping had originally intended to purchase other Pills to assist his Cultivation.

But after some comparison, he decided to buy only Marrow Cleansing Pills.

The reason for this choice lay in the powerful dual effects of the Marrow Cleansing Pill.

While cleansing his own tendons and marrow, it could also aid his Cultivation speed and Qi.

It could be said to kill three birds with one stone.

After comparing, Chen Ping found it difficult to choose any other Pills.

He finally stopped in front of a shop named “Spring Return Hall.” The shopkeeper was a middle-aged man with bright eyes.

“Shopkeeper, how much for a Marrow Cleansing Pill?” Chen Ping asked, lowering his voice.

“Fellow Daoist has a good eye. Our Spring Return Hall just received a batch of top-quality Marrow Cleansing Pills. Only four Spirit Stones each.”

The middle-aged shopkeeper smiled amiably.

“Four Spirit Stones each? That’s expensive! The ‘Hundred Herb Pavilion’ up ahead is only three Spirit Stones and fifty fragments. Your price of four Spirit Stones each—isn’t that suspect of a big shop bullying customers?”

Chen Ping’s tone was flat.

He felt perfectly justified in pinning this big label on Spring Return Hall.

The smile on the shopkeeper’s face stiffened for a moment before piling back up again.

“Fellow Daoist must be joking. How can Hundred Herb Pavilion’s goods compare to our Spring Return Hall’s? Ours are the work of Inner Sect Alchemists from the Azure Mystery Sect, with pure medicinal potency… There’s absolutely no such thing as a big shop bullying customers here!”

“How about this? I’ve seen the final transaction prices others paid were all three Spirit Stones. I’ll offer you three Spirit Stones and twenty fragments, and I want quite a few!”

Chen Ping interrupted him, his fingers unconsciously tracing the smooth countertop.

“I want ten Marrow Cleansing Pills. If this price is acceptable, I’ll pay now. If not, I’ll go ask at Hundred Herb Pavilion again!”

The shopkeeper’s eyes darted rapidly, sizing up this customer before him with a wrapped headscarf and an indistinct aura.

A business transaction of ten Pills was not small.

Plus, they were indeed competitors with that Hundred Herb Pavilion.

Struggle and visible pain showed on his face.

“Ah, Fellow Daoist, you… Fine, fine! Consider it making a friend! Three Spirit Stones and twenty fragments per bottle. Ten pills, thirty-two Spirit Stones! Selling at a loss, truly can’t go any lower!”

Chen Ping nodded, saying no more.

These business people were all cunning devils.

He counted out thirty-two Spirit Stones and placed them on the counter.

A small jade bottle was carefully wrapped and handed to him.

Chen Ping stored the jade bottle away.

This jade bottle was crafted from high-quality white jade.

In the mortal world, it could be worth a hundred pieces of gold, enough for an ordinary family of three to live a life free from worries about food and clothing for their entire lives.

But in this world of Cultivators, precious white jade was just useless stone, only good for making bottles to preserve Pill efficacy… barely serving a purpose.

Chen Ping sighed inwardly.

He had truly entered a new world.

Tucking away the Marrow Cleansing Pills, Chen Ping’s gaze turned toward the stalls selling miscellaneous books and old items.

In a corner stall piled with worn-out jade slips, beast-skin scrolls, and rusty Dharma Artifacts, he squatted down and began flipping through the books.

In truth, he already had his target in mind. The reason for acting this way was still to avoid revealing his true purpose.

The stall owner was a dozing old man.

Chen Ping’s fingers brushed over those dusty, tattered scrolls.

His gaze finally settled on a thin booklet bound in coarse beast skin, its corners severely worn.

The writing on the cover was blurred but vaguely discernible as Introduction to Alchemy Records.

He carefully opened it. Inside were recorded several basic Fire Control techniques and rough diagrams for medicinal herb processing.

The last few pages also included a Pill formula named “Spirit Nourishing Pill,” listing several common spirit herbs required and extremely brief refining steps.

In Chen Ping’s eyes, this Spirit Nourishing Pill formula was even more precious than the book itself.

“How much for this?”

Chen Ping picked up that tattered volume.

The old man lifted his turbid eyelids and glanced at it.

“Oh, that? It’s been quite some time; I don’t even remember where it came from. How about this? If you’re interested, young man, ten Spirit Stones. Fixed price.”

“Five Spirit Stones.”

Chen Ping’s tone held no fluctuation.

“Eight Spirit Stones! Can’t go any lower! It has a Pill formula at the end, after all!”

“Six Spirit Stones. Not a single coin more.”

The old man smacked his lips and waved his hand dismissively.

“Take it, take it! This thing irritates me just looking at it!”

Six Spirit Stones exchanged for this musty-smelling tattered volume.

Chen Ping was in good spirits. He carefully stored the book away in an inner pocket and continued searching for the resources he needed.

Today’s luck seemed quite good.

At a stall specializing in second-hand Dharma Artifacts and furnaces, he saw it… a three-legged Alchemy Furnace about half a foot tall.

He remembered the last time he came; no one was selling such things. Chen Ping had already mentally prepared himself for not being able to buy an Alchemy Furnace.

He never expected there actually would be one!

The furnace was a dull bronze color, covered with fine scratches from use and traces of smoke and fire. It had an inconspicuous small chip on its edge.

It looked old, but its overall structure was intact without major cracks.

The stall owner was a burly man with a fierce-looking face who opened with an asking price of twenty Spirit Stones.

Chen Ping squatted down, his fingers carefully tracing over the inner wall of the cauldron body, feeling the extremely faint residual traces of heat and medicinal Qi.

He shook his head.

“Twenty Spirit Stones? Boss, you must be joking?! This furnace is too old, its ear is chipped, and the inner wall has such thick Pill residue buildup it’d be troublesome to clean. Fifteen Spirit Stones. If that works, I’ll take it off your hands!”

The burly man glared.

“Fellow Daoist, you jest? This is an Alchemy Furnace; its price is more than triple that of ordinary Dharma Artifacts! Even if it’s old, its value is there! Eighteen Spirit Stones! Not one coin less! This is a proper Alchemy Furnace!”

“Just fifteen.”

Chen Ping stood up, making as if to leave.

“Old Wu at the stall at the entrance of the alley ahead has new small brass furnaces for just over twenty. In that case, I might as well spend a bit more and buy a new one!”

The burly man stared at Chen Ping’s face wrapped in cloth, seemingly judging the truth in his words, finally waving his hand irritably.

Chen Ping’s expression remained calm, not showing the slightest emotional fluctuation on his face.

Unable to discern anything conclusive, the burly man also lost patience.

This furnace was something he picked up for fourteen Spirit Stones. Since there was profit to be made, it was better to convert it into Spirit Stones first!

“Fine, fine, fine! Fifteen it is! Consider me taking a loss! Take it away quickly!”

Another fifteen Spirit Stones left his hand.

When Chen Ping stuffed that heavy small Alchemy Furnace carrying the aura of years and fire into his embrace, he took a deep breath, then let out a long sigh, a smile appearing on his face.

What Old Wu? It was all lies he made up.

After purchasing this furnace, the remaining Spirit Stones in his inner pocket were only eleven.

Finally, Chen Ping spent one Spirit Stone to purchase an encyclopedia of the Cultivation world titled The Immortal Path.

Regarding the Cultivation world, Chen Ping knew nothing. He decided to read more books to understand the real Cultivation world.

He then spent ten Spirit Stones to purchase three Talismans for self-defense.

Talismans only required basic Qi guidance to activate!

That meant even though he hadn’t stepped into the 1st Level of Qi Condensation, he could still use Talismans.

Three Talismans: two offensive Talismans, one defensive Talisman. For unforeseen circumstances.

After purchasing these…

Chen Ping changed his disguise again. Having reaped a bountiful harvest, it was time to return.