“Ziyi, I’m heading to the marketplace. Wait for me at home.”
After tidying up briefly, Zhou Kai carefully stored the several Qi Gathering Pills he had refined and stepped out.
The Chen family residence was not far from the Hidden Beast Mountain marketplace. Even for an ordinary person, it was only about half an hour on foot.
Zhou Kai did not take the main road. Instead, he chose a more concealed mountain path. This was a habit he had developed over the years. Caution never hurt.
On a mountainside of Hidden Beast Mountain grew a vast expanse of purple bamboo. The Wang family occupied this land, supplying the Celestial Spring Sect with a special spiritual liquid called Purple Bamboo Marrow.
Purple Bamboo Marrow was one of the auxiliary ingredients for refining Foundation Establishment Pills.
Every twenty years, the Celestial Spring Sect would reward the Wang family with one Foundation Establishment Pill.
It was both payment and a form of control, maintaining a subtle yet firm relationship of dependence between the two sides.
“Foundation Establishment Pill…” Zhou Kai smacked his lips.
That was the holy medicine every Qi Refining cultivator dreamed of. If one could enter the Foundation Establishment Realm, it was like ascending in a single step, a carp leaping over the dragon gate and stepping onto the true immortal path.
“I still need to save some exchange points. I can’t let Chen Ziyi remain an ordinary mortal forever.”
“She is my lucky star, after all.”
“If there are no confidantes to provide cultivation exchange points in the future, I can still use exchange points to break through.”
From afar, the lively noise of the Hidden Beast Mountain marketplace reached his ears.
The marketplace was built along the mountain and was quite large. Shops lined both sides of the streets, along with rogue cultivators setting up temporary stalls. Various herbs, ores, and demonic beast materials were displayed openly.
Familiar with the layout, Zhou Kai avoided the crowded areas and quickly made his way to the central district, stopping before a grand three-story pavilion.
On the plaque above were three bold characters—Treasure Prosper Pavilion.
This was the largest and most reputable official shop in the Hidden Beast Mountain marketplace, opened by the Wang family. It had the widest selection.
Upon entering, the noise diminished. The interior was spacious and bright. The attendants wore uniform green clothing, most at the 1st stage Qi Refining Realm.
“Guest Elder Zhou, you’re here!” A young attendant behind the counter spotted him and hurried over with a smile. “It’s been a while. What do you need this time?”
The attendant’s surname was Zhang. The two were well acquainted. Even the Spirit Beast meat Zhou Kai “acquired” from the Chen family had been handled through him.
“Xiao Zhang, I refined some pills and would like to exchange them for spirit stones.”
Without wasting words, Zhou Kai placed a jade bottle on the counter.
Zhang uncorked it and exclaimed, “A Mid-Grade Qi Gathering Pill? Guest Elder Zhou, impressive!”
“Is there only one?”
“Got lucky and managed to refine one,” Zhou Kai said lightly, appearing calm and unbothered.
“Guest Elder Zhou is an alchemist?” Zhang’s smile grew even warmer.
“I’ve barely stepped past the threshold. You could say I’m a 1st Grade Alchemist, though mostly it was luck.”
“Congratulations, Guest Elder Zhou. We purchase Low-Grade Qi Gathering Pills at two spirit stones each, but since you’re a regular, I’ll give you three spirit stones each. How does that sound?”
Of course, if it were a new customer, Zhang would have said something like, “Since it’s your first visit, I can use my authority…” and so on. This story is hosted at g.com.
“And this Mid-Grade one?” Zhou Kai asked.
Zhang thought for a moment. “Mid-Grade Qi Gathering Pills are much more effective and not common on the market. I’ll offer seven spirit stones. What do you think?”
Zhou Kai’s brow twitched slightly. Though lower than what he might get selling directly, it was still fair.
Twenty-two spirit stones in total. Acceptable.
“Deal.”
He then took out a larger storage bag containing the savings he had accumulated over the years while serving as Guest Elder for the Chen family.
“There are four hundred fifty-seven spirit stones here. Add the twenty-two from the pills. 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 needed no explanation. Rejuvenation Pills were essential healing pills. Clear Spirit Pills aided meditation. These were mainstream pills in the early Qi Refining Realm and easy to sell.
The talismans were preparation for tomorrow’s demonic beast hunt.
He could not submit pills to the Fifth Elder the very next day after receiving the alchemy inheritance.
Zhang’s eyes lit up. This was a large transaction.
“Right away! Please wait while I gather the herbs.”
While Zhang went to the storeroom, Zhou Kai scanned the talismans displayed behind the counter.
“Safety first. I can’t skimp on life-saving tools,” he thought.
When Zhang returned pushing a cart loaded with herbs, Zhou Kai pointed at the talisman section and said, “Add fifty Fireball Talismans, ten Water Shield Talismans, and five Swift Movement Talismans.”
Fireball Talismans cost one spirit stone each. Basic attack talismans, cheap and plentiful.
Water Shield Talismans cost five spirit stones each. Basic defensive talismans capable of blocking attacks from the Middle stage Qi Refining Realm.
Swift Movement Talismans cost ten spirit stones each, increasing movement speed, useful for both pursuit and escape.
Zhang retrieved them one by one and asked, “Anything else?”
Zhou Kai’s gaze settled on a stack of pale green talismans. The inscriptions were more complex than those on the Swift Movement Talismans, faintly pulsing with wind-type spiritual energy.
“Those are… Flight Escape Talismans?”
“Sharp eye, Guest Elder Zhou!” Zhang explained. “These are top-tier life-saving talismans. Once activated, they instantly transport the user about 50 meters away. Even those in the Late stage Qi Refining Realm might not catch up immediately. They are just a bit expensive. Thirty spirit stones each.”
Thirty spirit stones. Zhou Kai’s eye twitched. That was nearly the price of ten Low-Grade Qi Gathering Pills.
But considering his fragile condition, if he encountered danger, this could save his life.
“I’ll take two.”
Zhang quickly handed over two Flight Escape Talismans. “Guest Elder Zhou truly has courage.”
The talismans alone cost two hundred ten spirit stones.
As Zhang packaged the herbs and talismans, he said, “Guest Elder Zhou, that will be four hundred thirty spirit stones.” This story is hosted at g.com.
Seeing he still had some spirit stones left, Zhou Kai asked casually, “Besides those three pills, are there any other 1st Grade pills that sell well?”
Zhang glanced around, leaned closer to the counter, and lowered his voice with a mysterious smile.
“Guest Elder Zhou, since you’re one of us, I’ll tell you. The best-selling and most in-demand 1st Grade pill right now is the ‘Foundation Establishment Pill’!”
“Foundation Establishment Pill? You sell those here?” Zhou Kai asked in surprise.
Zhang winked. “I mean that kind… you know. The kind that boosts virility. Officially called the Lock Yang Pill. Cultivators are human too. They have needs.”
“This thing is always in short supply. Our Treasure Prosper Pavilion buys them as well, but only high-quality ones. Two spirit stones per pill, and we’ll take as many as you have. Much more profitable than Qi Gathering Pills!”
Good grief. Isn’t that just the cultivation world’s version of a blue pill? Stable demand and decent profit.
Zhou Kai coughed lightly. “Xiao Zhang, about the Clear Spirit Pills I mentioned earlier, forget them.”
“Forget them?” Zhang looked surprised.
“Yes. Forget them.” Zhou Kai stroked his chin. “Show me the materials needed to refine the Lock Yang Pill. Replace the equivalent value with those materials.”
“Use the remaining spirit stones for that, and include the pill formula.”
Zhang paused briefly, then gave a knowing smile. “Understood. The Lock Yang Pill formula isn’t too secret. Since you’re a regular and an alchemist, I’ll give it to you at cost. Ten spirit stones as a friendly gesture. But our shop only buys High-Grade Lock Yang Pills. The lower grades carry too much pill toxin.”
…
After this, Zhou Kai truly had not a single spirit stone left.
He instructed Zhang not to spread word about his alchemy, then left.
Not long after he departed, in the rear hall of Treasure Prosper Pavilion, Zhang stood respectfully before a sharp-looking middle-aged manager.
“Manager Wang, the Chen family’s Guest Elder Zhou Kai came today.”
Zhang reported everything in detail. “He sold five Low-Grade Qi Gathering Pills and one Mid-Grade Qi Gathering Pill, then purchased large amounts of materials for Qi Gathering Pills, Rejuvenation Pills, and Lock Yang Pills, as well as many talismans. He seems very confident in alchemy.”
“And he looks much healthier than before.”
Manager Wang Jilai held a teacup, his eyes flickering thoughtfully.
“Oh? That Guest Elder Zhou from the Chen family?”
He glanced at Zhang. “You did well. Observant.”
“Though Zhou Kai is only a Guest Elder at the Chen family’s Spirit Beast Garden and holds no high position, he is still a 1st Grade Alchemist. Worth befriending.”
“Whether he gained some opportunity or has backing from certain Chen family members, someone like him is worth the Treasure Prosper Pavilion keeping an eye on.”
He tapped the table lightly. “If Guest Elder Zhou comes again, report to me directly.”
“Yes, Manager!” Zhang responded promptly.
Wang Jilai added, “And keep the matter of his alchemy quiet. No need to spread it around.”
Zhang nodded knowingly. “Understood.”
Wang Jilai waved his hand. “Go back to work.”