The disappointment lasted only a fleeting moment before it was suppressed by a strong will to survive.
So what if it was an N-Card? So what if it was an Item Card? Since it was Supreme Grade, it was bound to have its value.
This was no time to be picky. Every single resource had to be fully utilized.
Song Xunzhen immediately focused her mind and inspected the N-Card.
In her consciousness, a simple instruction appeared next to the card: [Extract?]
“Extract!” she recited silently in her mind.
With a flash of light, a small, exquisite white jade elixir bottle appeared out of thin air in her hand. The body of the bottle was slightly cool and felt smooth and warm to the touch.
She uncorked the stopper, and an exceptionally pure and elegant medicinal fragrance immediately wafted out. Just a light sniff made her feel the faint spiritual energy in her body stir with a trace of activity.
It was indeed no ordinary item. A common Low-grade Qi Condensing Pill would never have such medicinal effects or fragrance.
She quickly sealed the bottle again, clutched it tightly in her palm, and began to think rapidly.
It would be too much of a waste to use this Supreme-grade Qi Condensing Pill on herself.
With her foundation at the Qi Refining Third Layer, she probably wouldn’t improve much even if she used it. It would be like a cow chewing on peonies—a complete waste.
Its greatest value would be to exchange it for Spirit Crystals.
As long as she could sell it for a high price, she would have more Spirit Crystals to draw cards.
Next time, she might be able to draw something even better!
Where to sell it?
How to sell it?
Take it directly to a stall in the Marketplace?
No, that would be too conspicuous.
She needed to find a relatively more reliable place.
In the original owner’s memory, the largest shop in the Sect’s Marketplace was Duobao Pavilion. It had a good reputation, offered fair prices for purchased items, and was said to have a profound background, so it wouldn’t pry too much into a seller’s privacy.
That’s the place!
Song Xunzhen composed herself, gripped the elixir bottle tightly, and walked towards Duobao Pavilion.
Duobao Pavilion was a three-story wooden building, with carved beams and painted rafters, looking exceptionally magnificent.
The disciples entering and exiting were clearly much better dressed; most were Inner Sect Disciples or Outer Sect Disciples with some wealth.
Standing at the entrance in her attire, Song Xunzhen seemed somewhat out of place.
She let out a soft breath, tried her best to appear calm and composed, and stepped inside.
The interior of the shop was spacious and bright. The counters displayed various Magical Artifacts, Elixirs, and Talismans, shimmering with iridescent light and brimming with spiritual energy.
A young man in an attendant’s uniform was leaning against a counter out of boredom. When he saw Song Xunzhen enter, he first put on a professional smile out of habit, but after seeing her clothes, the smile faded slightly, and his tone became flat. “Junior Sister, what would you like to see?”
Song Xunzhen could sense the other party’s subtle disdain, but she was in no mood to bother with it right now.
She walked to the counter and said directly, “I’m not here to buy anything. I have something I’d like your esteemed pavilion to appraise and see if you’ll purchase it.”
The attendant raised his eyebrows, seemingly a little surprised, but still nodded. “Oh? What is it? We don’t accept common medicinal herbs. There are specialized stalls at the marketplace entrance for that.” The implication in his words was obvious.
Song Xunzhen placed the white jade elixir bottle in her hand on the counter.
The attendant’s gaze fell on the elixir bottle, and his eyes shifted slightly.
The quality of the jade bottle itself was extraordinary, not something an ordinary disciple could afford.
He became a little more serious, reached out to pick up the bottle, and uncorked the stopper.
Instantly, that pure medicinal fragrance filled the air again.
The attendant’s expression changed in a flash.
His eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at the white elixir inside the bottle. He quickly leaned in for a deep sniff, a look of shock appearing on his face.
“This is a Qi Condensing Pill? No! This medicinal potency, this purity… could it be Supreme Grade?!”
He had worked at Duobao Pavilion for some years and had a decent eye for things. An ordinary High-grade Qi Condensing Pill would never have such quality and fragrance.
“That’s right.”
Song Xunzhen’s heart settled, but her face remained impassive. “It is indeed a Supreme-grade Qi Condensing Pill. I wonder if your esteemed pavilion will purchase it? And for what price?”
The attendant took a deep breath, his attitude undergoing a complete transformation. He became extremely courteous, even with a hint of reverence.
“Junior Sister, please wait a moment! Although Qi Condensing Pills are common, the grade of this item is too high for me to make a decision. Please have a seat for a moment, I will go fetch the shopkeeper at once!”
In truth, it wasn’t that he couldn’t decide on the price, but that he couldn’t make a decision regarding the power behind the person who produced a supreme-grade elixir.
He hurriedly led Song Xunzhen to a rest area to sit down, nimbly poured her a cup of Spirit Tea, and then, holding the elixir bottle, rushed towards the back hall.
Song Xunzhen held the teacup but didn’t drink. She just sat there quietly, her heart actually pounding with nervousness.
Before long, a middle-aged man in a brocade robe, with a wealthy-looking face and shrewd eyes, walked out quickly with the attendant.
His gaze swept the room and landed on Song Xunzhen. He recognized her identity at a glance and immediately put on a warm, enthusiastic smile.
“Greetings, Junior Sister. My surname is Qian, and I am the shopkeeper of this Duobao Pavilion.”
Shopkeeper Qian cupped his hands in greeting, his attitude extremely polite. “I hear that Junior Sister is interested in selling a Supreme-grade Qi Condensing Pill?”
“Shopkeeper Qian.”
Song Xunzhen stood up and returned the courtesy, speaking concisely, “That is correct.”
Shopkeeper Qian took the elixir bottle from the attendant and examined it carefully again. He even scraped off an imperceptible amount of powder with his fingertip to taste it, the glint in his eyes growing even brighter. “It is indeed a Supreme-grade Qi Condensing Pill! The medicinal power is pure and abundant, without any impurities. Truly a rare find! May I ask where Junior Sister obtained this elixir…?”
He asked the question as if it were a casual inquiry.
Song Xunzhen had already prepared her words. A perfectly troubled expression appeared on her face as she shook her head slightly. “It was a gift from a family elder, who instructed me not to speak of it to outsiders.”
“I am only forced to exchange it because I am in urgent need of Spirit Crystals. I hope the shopkeeper can understand.”
Upon hearing this, a flash of understanding crossed Shopkeeper Qian’s eyes. He immediately laughed heartily and stopped pressing the matter. “I understand, I understand. It was presumptuous of me.”
He was already convinced in his heart that this must be a cultivation resource given to this young lady by that senior, Shadow One, or the family behind him.
A Hidden Clan producing a supreme-grade elixir—it was perfectly reasonable!
“In that case, let’s talk about the price.”
Shopkeeper Qian’s smile was amiable. Supreme-grade Qi Condensing Pills were extremely rare, and their effects far surpassed high-grade ones. They were of great benefit to Qi Refining Stage disciples in solidifying their foundation and breaking through minor bottlenecks.
“The market price for an ordinary High-grade Qi Condensing Pill is around twenty-five to thirty Spirit Crystals. As for this supreme-grade one…”
He pondered for a moment, then held up his fingers. “Our Duobao Pavilion is willing to offer seven hundred Low-grade Spirit Crystals for it. What do you think, Junior Sister?”
Seven hundred!
This price far exceeded Song Xunzhen’s expectations. She had worked herself to the bone for a whole day just to earn a hundred Spirit Crystals. She never thought this tiny elixir would be worth seven hundred.
As expected of an item from the system. Even if it was just an N-Card, it was still so amazing.
She was extremely satisfied with the price in her heart, but on the surface, she still frowned slightly, remaining silent without immediately agreeing.
When haggling, one couldn’t appear too eager.
Seeing her silence, Shopkeeper Qian thought she found the price too low. He thought for a moment, then smiled again. “If Junior Sister has similar elixirs or other items in the future, you can bring them all to our Duobao Pavilion. The price will definitely be fair.”
“But after all, a Qi Condensing Pill is only useful for the Qi Refining Stage, so the price is relatively lower.”
“How about this: seven hundred and fifty Low-grade Spirit Crystals. This is the highest price I can offer. What do you think, Junior Sister?”
Another fifty added. Song Xunzhen was quite happy. After all, she was poor; every little bit counted.
Knowing when to quit while she was ahead, Song Xunzhen slowly nodded. “Alright, we’ll go with the shopkeeper’s offer.”
“Good, very straightforward!”
Shopkeeper Qian’s smile widened, and he immediately instructed the attendant, “Quick, go get seven hundred and fifty Low-grade Spirit Crystals!”
Soon, the attendant returned with a cloth pouch that was clearly much heavier.
Shopkeeper Qian personally handed the pouch to Song Xunzhen. “Junior Sister, please count them.”
Song Xunzhen swept her divine sense over it. Seven hundred and fifty Low-grade Spirit Crystals, not a single one missing.
“The amount is correct.”
Song Xunzhen put away the pouch of Spirit Crystals and gave Shopkeeper Qian a slight nod. “Thank you, Shopkeeper. If there is nothing else, I will take my leave.”
“Take care, Junior Sister! Please come again!” Shopkeeper Qian personally saw her to the door, his attitude extremely enthusiastic.
Walking out of Duobao Pavilion, feeling the heavy pouch of Spirit Crystals in her arms, Song Xunzhen let out a long sigh of relief.
Now, she possessed over seven hundred Low-grade Spirit Crystals. Although it wasn’t even a fraction of what she needed to compensate for the Magical Artifact, at least she was no longer in dire straits.
Moreover, through this transaction, she had also tested the value of the elixirs produced by the system and even unexpectedly added a small detail to her Hidden Clan persona.
After all, how could a family that could casually produce a supreme-grade elixir be a simple one?
Even if it was the simplest Qi Condensing Pill, having a powerful Alchemist refine it to Supreme Grade was enough to prove the family’s profound heritage.
Feeling a little more relaxed, Song Xunzhen could barely resist the urge to fly back to her residence and draw cards immediately.
After all, she could now do a seven-pull, which was a full seven chances!
If she could draw a Magical Artifact, she could just compensate Chu Yao directly. If she drew something else, she could continue to exchange it for Spirit Crystals and draw again.
In such a cycle, wouldn’t she possess a nearly infinite treasure trove of resources?
This thought made Song Xunzhen’s heart race, and her pace couldn’t help but quicken.
As long as she operated cautiously and made good use of the Duobao Pavilion channel, she could quickly accumulate her initial capital and escape her current precarious situation.
As Song Xunzhen pondered, she subconsciously walked in the direction of the Outer Sect Dormitory.
Just as she reached a small path near the dormitory, a figure suddenly stepped out from the side, blocking her way.
Song Xunzhen was startled. When she got a clear look, her heart sank.
It was Xiao Che.
His face was still cold and stern, his eyes complex as he looked at her. His gaze was sharp, as if trying to read something from her face.
“Junior Sister Song.”
Xiao Che spoke, his voice devoid of emotion. “Where did you go?”