Translator: AnubisTL
Without spirit stones, one could barely move in the Heavenly River Market. But with enough, almost anything could be bought here—including information.
After inquiring far and wide, Li Qing finally obtained some details about yesterday's down-on-his-luck stall owner from a veteran cultivator who had been stationed at the market for decades.
Of course, this information came at a price.
Li Qing handed two spirit stones to the toothless old cultivator. The man snatched them, rubbed them on his tattered robes, and grinned.
"Heh heh, Little Brother, the person you're asking about must be the sole surviving scion of the Meng Clan, right?"
"His name is Meng Fan. He was once a member of a prominent cultivation family, but their Foundation Establishment Realm expert perished in a major battle over a decade ago."
"A clan without a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator to oversee it faces dire consequences."
"As fate would have it, the Meng Clan had an old feud with the Shi Clan of Medicine King Ridge. Their family was eventually destroyed, leaving Meng Fan as the sole survivor."
"That young man, Meng Fan, has been holed up in Heavenly River Market day and night, selling ancient texts and secret techniques from his clan to make a living."
"Naturally, Meng Fan couldn't easily let go of the bitter grudge against those who destroyed his clan. For years, he's been searching for an artifact refiner to repair his family's damaged top-grade magical artifact. It's hardly a secret in the market."
So that's the story!
After hearing this explanation, many of Li Qing's questions were finally answered.
No wonder the texts and secret techniques the stallholder had been selling yesterday seemed beyond the reach of an ordinary rogue cultivator. There was a hidden backstory after all.
"After all these years, hasn't the sole survivor of the Meng Clan found a single artifact refiner willing to help him?" Li Qing asked casually.
The Toothless Old Man shook his head vigorously. "The Shi Clan of Medicine King Ridge has approached every reputable artifact refiner in the market, using various methods to dissuade them from helping him."
"As for the other refiners he's found over the years, I doubt any of them have the skill to do it."
Li Qing remained silent for a moment before deciding to bury the matter in his heart.
To repair a top-grade magical artifact, one would need at least the ability to refine high-grade magical artifacts. Fortunately, Li Qing didn't need to concern himself with such matters for the time being.
He was merely at the mid-stage of the Qi Refining Realm and had never publicly displayed his Artifact Refinement Technique. The Shi Clan would have no reason to target him.
After so many years, they had likely forgotten about Meng Fan entirely.
Next, Li Qing wanted to inquire about spirit wood.
"Old Zhang, I'd like to buy some spirit wood or seeds. Do you know where I can find them in Heavenly River Market?"
The toothless old man chuckled and held up a single finger, hinting at another spirit stone.
With a sigh, Li Qing reluctantly handed over another spirit stone.
The old man's face lit up instantly as he pocketed the stone. "Spirit wood is indeed rare," he said. "Especially mature specimens—most of them are cultivated within the Spiritual Veins of major clans."
"But it's not entirely extinct. Every three years, Heavenly River Market hosts a grand auction that even Foundation Establishment cultivators attend."
"The auction at Heavenly River Market has everything, even Foundation Establishment Pills. You're bound to find the spirit wood you're looking for there."
"Otherwise, your only options are to try your luck at the shops of some major clans or the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion. The Liu Clan and Shi Clan both cultivate spirit wood in their Clan Territories, and they occasionally sell branches or seeds."
The Heavenly River Market auction?
It must be organized by the Heavenly River Sect. It would be odd for such a prosperous market not to have one.
Li Qing nodded. "Old Zhang, how long until the next auction?"
"I'll tell you that for free: the last one ended just over six months ago," the toothless old man replied.
With that, Li Qing had no more questions.
His trip to Heavenly River Market had already been quite fruitful. He planned to stay another two or three days before returning to the Liu Clan to continue accumulating spirit stones.
---
Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion!
Li Qing couldn't help but feel a slight shock as he gazed at the grand building before him, its name emblazoned in gilded characters.
In the cultivation world, the names of shops were closely tied to the power of the forces behind them. This wasn't like advertising in his previous life, where flashy names were all the rage. In this world, daring to adopt such an imposing name without sufficient backing was a risky proposition.
"Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild... So this is their territory," Li Qing murmured. Even a novice cultivator like himself, barely out of the beginner's stage, had heard of this guild, a testament to its immense power.
"Rumor has it that the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild operates throughout the entire Azure Ridge Domain. Even major Immortal Path sects like the Heavenly River Sect wouldn't dare antagonize them lightly. Truly impressive."
Li Qing sighed inwardly before stepping inside. He wasn't planning to buy anything specific; this visit was purely to broaden his horizons and gain experience. Of course, if he stumbled upon something reasonably priced that he truly desired, he wouldn't hesitate to make a purchase.
As he entered, he was greeted by a dazzling display of gold and jade splendor. The walls seemed to be crafted from pure gold, their reflected light so intense it almost stung his eyes.
At the far end of the hall stood a long crystal table, behind which stood a female cultivator with exquisite features and a graceful figure. On either side, golden staircases led to the second floor, each step appearing to be paved with gold bricks.
Even Li Qing, a Grandmaster of the Martial Dao who had once single-handedly infiltrated an Imperial Palace, couldn't help but feel slightly out of place in such opulent surroundings. A faint yet formidable aura emanated from the second floor, just beyond his line of sight.
A Foundation Establishment cultivator!
The Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild had stationed a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator here to oversee operations—a true testament to their power!
After circling the hall twice, Li Qing finally understood why the guild had deployed such a powerful guardian. Three irregularly shaped crystals, each radiating a unique, multi-hued luster, hung prominently at the top of one wall. They were Crystal Cores from Second-Tier Demonic Beasts—primary ingredients for refining Foundation Establishment Pills!
Hiss!
Li Qing couldn't help but gasp. How could such treasures be relegated to the first floor? What wonders might the second floor hold?
Could there be inner cores from Third-Tier Demonic Beasts up there?
Li Qing was beginning to feel overwhelmed by the sheer power of the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild. He couldn't bear to imagine what lay beyond.
After wandering alone for a while and browsing the other goods, Li Qing finally managed to calm his nerves. Fortunately, not every item was as precious as a Second-Tier Demonic Beast's Crystal Core; many were within his financial reach.
It was then that the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion finally sent a female cultivator to attend to him.
"Greetings, fellow Daoist. May I assist you with anything?"
Li Qing was examining several ancient-looking Pill Refining Cauldrons. Maintaining a composed demeanor, he nodded. "I'd like to see your Artifact Refining Furnaces."
Pill Refining Cauldrons for alchemy and Artifact Refining Furnaces for artifact refinement were common knowledge in the cultivation world.
Yet, despite his years as a blacksmith and his current status as a Mid Qi Refining Realm cultivator, Li Qing still relied on ordinary forges to smelt spiritual materials. Many spiritual materials in the cultivation world required special flames for proper fusion and casting.
Examples of these flames include the widely known Earthfire, the Innate True Fire that Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators can manipulate, the Demon Fire spewed by fire-attribute demon beasts, and even the mystical flames born from the very fabric of heaven and earth.
These flames share a crucial characteristic: their extreme temperatures, which ordinary forges simply cannot withstand.
This necessitates forges of a quality comparable to Magic Artifacts—only such sturdy vessels can endure the scorching heat.
As Li Qing's strength grew, his Artifact Refinement Technique became increasingly refined. Consequently, the level of Magic Artifacts he could craft rose, requiring ever-higher-grade forges.
He recalled the forge that had accompanied him from the mortal world to the cultivation realm, now riddled with cracks. If he used it a few more times, he feared it might explode.
The female cultivator immediately led Li Qing to the section of the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion where Artifact Refining Furnaces were stored.
"This furnace is called the Purple Heart Furnace," she explained. "It was crafted by one of our pavilion's Refining Grandmasters using Purple Heart Copper refined from the finest ores of the Purple Vein Copper Mine."
Li Qing reached out and touched the forge. Its design was simple and ancient, with faint spirit patterns shimmering within the furnace chamber.
"How many spirit stones for this Purple Heart Furnace?" Li Qing asked tentatively.
The tall female cultivator quoted a price that left him speechless.
"Eight hundred and sixty spirit stones. This Purple Heart Furnace isn't just for refining Magic Artifacts; it's also a Mid-Grade Magic Tool in its own right, suitable for combat!"
"Furthermore, the furnace can ignite flames using spiritual energy and grants artifact refiners superior control over the fire!"
"What do you think, Fellow Daoist? This price is exceptionally fair!"
So expensive! Li Qing thought, startled. It's more expensive than many Mid-Grade Magic Tools!
Though he could afford it, he secretly wondered if such a luxurious forge was truly necessary for his needs.
"Ahem, let's take a look at the other forges," Li Qing said, coughing slightly and feigning financial constraints.
The female cultivator maintained her professional demeanor. With a gentle smile, she patiently began introducing the remaining furnaces.
"Mountain Suppressing Furnace: six hundred and twenty spirit stones."
"Li Fire Furnace..."
As expected of the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion, even their artifact refinement forges came in such a variety, and none of them were cheap.
Finally, sensing Li Qing's limited spirit stones, the tall, graceful female cultivator swayed her hips and led him to the last forge.
"This is the Black Furnace," she explained. "It was once used by one of our pavilion's artifact refiners. It can withstand the burning heat of Innate True Fire and most other flames, but it has no offensive capabilities—it's just an ordinary artifact refining furnace."
"However, its strength lies in its durability. Though it lacks dao patterns, it can withstand attacks from Mid-Grade Magic Tools."
"As for its material, it's likely a combination of spirit materials fused together."
"If you choose this one, Fellow Daoist, we can offer a discount. You can take it for 370 spirit stones."
The female cultivator smiled brightly at Li Qing, awaiting his decision.
Li Qing's gaze remained fixed on the pitch-black forge. He could faintly see a thick layer of dust accumulated inside.
So it's second-hand! No wonder it's so cheap!
Li Qing figured the Black Furnace's lack of special abilities was precisely why it had sat unsold at the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion for so many years.
After a moment's contemplation, Li Qing found himself growing fond of the plain, unremarkable furnace.
"Alright, I'll take it!" he declared.
As he spoke, Li Qing patted the furnace's exterior, sending another cloud of dust cascading down.
(End of the Chapter)
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