“Ziyi, I’m going to the market district. Wait for me at home.”
After tidying up a bit and carefully storing the few Qi Gathering Pills he had refined, Zhou Kai pushed the door open and left.
The Chen family residence wasn’t far from the Crouching Tiger Mountain market district. Even for a Mortal, it was only about half an hour’s walk.
Zhou Kai didn’t take the main road. Instead, he chose a more secluded mountain path, a habit he had developed over many years. Caution never hurt.
On a certain mountainside of Crouching Tiger Mountain grew a large expanse of purple bamboo. The Wang family occupied this area, providing the Heavenly Spring Sect with a special spiritual liquid called Purple Bamboo Marrow.
This Purple Bamboo Marrow was one of the auxiliary materials for refining Foundation Establishment Pills.
Every twenty years, the Heavenly Spring Sect would reward the Wang family with one Foundation Establishment Pill.
It served as both payment and a means of control, maintaining the delicate yet firm dependent relationship between the two.
“The Foundation Establishment Pill…” Zhou Kai smacked his lips.
It was the holy grail sought after by all Qi Condensation stage cultivators. If one could establish their foundation, it would be like ascending to heaven in a single step, leaping over the dragon gate like a carp, truly stepping onto the path of immortal cultivation.
“I still need to save up some Omni-Points. I can’t let Chen Ziyi remain at the Mortal realm forever.”
“After all, she’s my lucky star.”
“In the future, if there are no beauties to provide cultivation exchange points, I can still use Omni-Points for breakthroughs.”
The bustling and lively atmosphere of the Crouching Tiger Mountain market district drifted over from afar.
Built against the mountain, the market district was quite sizable. Shops of all kinds lined both sides of the streets, alongside temporary stalls set up by Loose Cultivators. Various medicinal herbs, ores, and demon beast materials were displayed along the roadside.
Familiar with the route, Zhou Kai avoided the crowded flow of people, winding his way through until he quickly arrived at the central area of the market district, standing before an imposing three-story pavilion.
On its plaque were three flamboyantly written characters—Baolu Pavilion.
This was the largest official shop in the Crouching Tiger Mountain market district, run by the Wang family. It had the best reputation and the most comprehensive selection of goods.
Upon entering, the noise immediately lessened. The interior was spacious and bright. The Clerks all wore uniform cyan attire, most with cultivation at Qi Condensation level one.
“Well, if it isn’t Guest Elder Zhou! You’re here!” A young Clerk who had been organizing items behind the counter spotted Zhou Kai and immediately came forward with a smile. “Haven’t seen you in a while! What do you need this time?”
This Clerk’s surname was Zhang. The two were quite familiar. The spirit beast meat Zhou Kai “acquired” from the Chen family was also handed over to him for processing.
“Xiao Zhang, I’ve got some pills here and want to exchange them for some Spirit Stones.”
Zhou Kai didn’t waste words. He took out a jade vial from his Storage Bag and placed it on the counter.
Xiao Zhang picked up the jade vial and pulled out its stopper. “Huh? Mid-grade Qi Gathering Pills? Guest Elder Zhou, not bad at all!”
“Is there just this one?”
“Got lucky and managed to produce one,” Zhou Kai replied with a faint smile, not hiding anything, appearing calm and composed.
“Guest Elder Zhou is an alchemist?” Xiao Zhang’s smile grew even more enthusiastic.
“Just barely stepped over the threshold by luck; I guess you could call me first-grade. Mostly just good fortune.”
“Congratulations! Now, regarding these low-grade Qi Gathering Pills… our pavilion’s standard purchase price is two Spirit Stones per pill. But since you’re a regular customer, I’ll give you three Spirit Stones each. How does that sound?”
Of course, if it were a new customer, Clerk Xiao Zhang would say something like, “Since it’s your first time here as our honored guest, within my authority I can…” and so on.
“What about this mid-grade one?” Zhou Kai asked.
Xiao Zhang pondered briefly. “Mid-grade Qi Gathering Pills have far superior efficacy compared to low-grade ones and aren’t common on the market. How about this: I’ll give you seven Spirit Stones for this one! What do you think?”
Zhou Kai’s eyebrow twitched almost imperceptibly. Although lower than what he could get by setting up a stall himself, it was a fair purchase price for acquisition.
Twenty-two Spirit Stones in total wasn’t bad either.
He nodded. “Let’s go with your price.”
Then he fished out a larger bag from his own Storage Bag containing his savings from years of frugal living as a Guest Elder for the Chen family.
“There are four hundred fifty-seven Spirit Stones here. Add those twenty-two; use half to buy materials for refining Qi Gathering Pills, Rejuvenation Pills, and Clear Spirit Pills. The other half…”
“Show me your talismans.”
Qi Gathering Pills went without saying; Rejuvenation Pills were essential healing medicine; Clear Spirit Pills assisted cultivators in entering meditative states—these were mainstream pills for early Qi Condensation stage cultivators and wouldn’t be hard to sell.
The talismans were preparations for hunting demon beasts tomorrow.
He couldn’t very well submit pills right after the Fifth Elder just gave him the alchemy inheritance yesterday!
Xiao Zhang’s eyes lit up; this was a big order!
He promptly replied, “Alright! Please wait a moment; I’ll go prepare your medicinal materials right away!”
While Xiao Zhang went to fetch materials from the storeroom in back, Zhou Kai’s gaze swept over various talismans displayed in the counter cases.
Safety first; can’t skimp on life-saving gear, he thought to himself.
When Xiao Zhang returned pushing a small cart loaded with medicinal materials, Zhou Kai pointed at the talisman section and said, “Also give me fifty Fireball Talismans, ten Water Shield Talismans, and five Gale Talismans.”
Fireball Talismans: one Spirit Stone each; basic offensive talismans; advantage lay in quantity and cheapness.
Water Shield Talismans: five Spirit Stones each; basic defensive talismans; could withstand attacks from mid-stage Qi Condensation cultivators.
Gale Talismans: ten Spirit Stones each; increased movement speed; useful for both pursuit and escape.
Xiao Zhang fetched them one by one and asked again, “Guest Elder Zhou, do you need anything else?”
Zhou Kai’s gaze fell on a stack of pale cyan talismans. The runes inscribed on them were far more complex than those on Gale Talismans, faintly pulsing with wind Spirit Qi fluctuations.
“That is… the Flight Escape Talisman?”
“Good eye!” Xiao Zhang introduced enthusiastically. “This Flight Escape Talisman is top-tier for saving your life! Activate it and you can instantly escape hundreds of feet away! Even late-stage Qi Condensation cultivators might not catch up instantly! It’s just… a bit pricey—thirty Spirit Stones each.”
Thirty Spirit Stones! Zhou Kai’s eye twitched slightly. That price was almost equivalent to selling ten low-grade Qi Gathering Pills!
But thinking about his own fragile self—if he encountered any real danger—this thing could genuinely save his life. He gritted his teeth. “Give me two!”
Xiao Zhang deftly retrieved two Flight Escape Talismans. “Guest Elder Zhou truly has vision!”
Just these talismans alone cost two hundred ten Spirit Stones.
As Clerk Xiao Zhang packed up both medicinal materials and talismans together, he said, “Guest Elder Zhou, that comes to four hundred thirty Spirit Stones total.”
Seeing he still had some Spirit Stones left over after paying that amount, Zhou Kai casually inquired, “Besides those three types of pills, what other first-grade pills sell well currently?”
Upon hearing this question, Xiao Zhang glanced around, then leaned closer across the counter, lowering his voice while wearing a somewhat mysterious smile.
“Guest Elder Zhou, since we’re insiders here, I’ll tell you truthfully—if we’re talking about the hottest, most sought-after first-grade pill right now? That’d have to be the ‘Foundation Establishment Pill’!”
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