The next day, Han Yi left his courtyard and headed straight for the Nine Dragons Merchant Guild.
If he had any chance of acquiring these Extreme Yang Spiritual Objects, the sect's platform was the most likely source. After all, the Profound Pill Sect wielded immense power, and many high-grade medicinal pills required such materials as primary or auxiliary ingredients.
The second possible channel was established merchants like the Nine Dragons Merchant Guild, with their formidable backing and vast resources.
Han Yi preferred the Nine Dragons Merchant Guild, wanting to avoid drawing unnecessary attention to himself by openly trading through the sect unless absolutely necessary.
Upon seeing He Fangwei, Han Yi cut straight to the point.
"Shopkeeper He, does your guild have any Extreme Yang Spiritual Objects for sale?"
Having handled multiple transactions involving magic artifacts with Han Yi, He Fangwei was even more attentive than before, greeting him with a warm smile.
"Of course we do! Though Extreme Yang Spiritual Objects are rare, the Profound Pill Sect still maintains a stockpile. Many high-grade medicinal pills require them, such as the Foundation Establishment Pill."
"Fellow Daoist, are you planning to refine a Foundation Establishment Pill?" He Fangwei asked playfully, testing the waters.
"Shopkeeper He, you jest! I'm merely a Qi Refining disciple. How could I possibly refine such a pill? Besides, I don't even possess the Foundation Establishment Pill Formula. If you happen to have one, I'd gladly buy it from you at a friendly price to save for later."
Han Yi responded with a probing question.
He Fangwei chuckled, smoothly steering the conversation back to business. "Fellow Daoist jests! By the way, what kind of Extreme Yang Spiritual Object are you looking for?"
"What Extreme Yang Spiritual Objects does your establishment carry?" Han Yi deliberately avoided specifying his needs, forcing He Fangwei to list his wares. This way, no matter how vast He Fangwei's divine abilities might be, he couldn't possibly guess what Han Yi intended to use the items for.
He Fangwei pondered briefly. "Fellow Daoist, please wait a moment. Extreme Yang Spiritual Objects are exceedingly precious, and I never carry them on my person to prevent accidents."
With that, He Fangwei left the meditation chamber and ventured deeper into the Nine Dragons Merchant Guild.
A full quarter of an hour passed before he returned, his expression now more solemn.
He retrieved three jade bottles and a crimson jade box from his storage pouch.
"This bottle contains Crimson Rock Fruit Marrow, the most commonly used Extreme Yang Spiritual Object by alchemists, though its yang potency is relatively moderate."
"This bottle holds Dragon Bone Essence, extracted from the heart meridian of a Land Dragon. It's exceptionally potent, brimming with yang energy, and highly effective."
"And this bottle contains Pure Yang Spirit Liquid, with eight drops of Spirit Liquid Essence inside. Each drop's efficacy surpasses that of an entire bottle of Crimson Rock Fruit Marrow. Use it sparingly, Fellow Daoist. Excessive doses can easily backfire. Please heed this warning."
"This box contains a Blazing Flame Blood Heart Fungus, another Extreme Yang Spiritual Object. However, you must first dispel its Blood Fiend Aura before use."
"Fellow Daoist," He Fangwei continued, "this branch of the Nine Dragons Merchant Guild currently only has these four Extreme Yang Spiritual Objects. If none of them suit your needs, please specify your requirements, and I'll do my best to procure others for you. What do you think?"
Han Yi's gaze swept from left to right across the display, a hesitant expression on his face.
In truth, he had already decided on the Pure Yang Spirit Liquid, the only Extreme Yang Spiritual Object explicitly listed in the manual. Fearing errors with the others, he dared not risk choosing anything else.
However, he couldn't reveal his firm intention so directly.
"Shopkeeper He, could you please tell me the prices of these spiritual objects? I'd like to consider them further."
He Fangwei showed no suspicion.
"Crimson Rock Fruit Marrow: 1,000 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones per bottle."
"Dragon Bone Essence: 3,500 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones per bottle."
"Pure Yang Spirit Liquid: 10,000 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones per bottle."
"Blazing Flame Blood Heart Fungus: 2,800 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones per stalk."
The words had barely left He Fangwei's lips when Han Yi's jaw dropped, his eyes widening in stunned disbelief.
Even the cheapest item, the Crimson Rock Fruit Marrow, cost 1,000 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones. What did that mean? Within the Profound Pill Sect, over 99% of the Inner Sect Senior Brothers at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refinement couldn't scrape together that much, even if they liquidated their entire fortunes.
The best way to illustrate the purchasing power of a thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones is the price range of Top-Grade Magic Artifacts, which starts at precisely that amount. In other words, a thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones can buy you the lowest-tier Top-Grade Magic Artifact.
Even at the lowest tier, it's still a Top-Grade Magic Artifact!
It's an astronomical price.
Noticing Han Yi's shock, He Fangwei calmly added, "Fellow Daoist, don't find it expensive."
"There's a reason for the high price," he continued. "This isn't ordinary Spirit Liquid Essence, but an Extreme Yang Spiritual Object. Each drop can greatly enhance Pill Refinement."
"Normally, Qi Refining Stage Disciples would rarely encounter such items. They're more commonly used by Foundation Establishment cultivators. For someone in the Qi Refining Stage, this price would naturally seem astronomical."
"However, for someone like you, Fellow Daoist, I believe it won't be a problem."
He Fangwei smiled knowingly, his words carrying an unspoken implication.
Han Yi nearly cursed under his breath. He had barely over five hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones that he could readily access.
Earlier, he had thought this sum would secure his cultivation for the near future. Now, he suddenly needed to come up with at least a thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.
No, this concerned his Root Bone and future cultivation prospects—essentially a restructuring of his Dao Foundation. Han Yi wouldn't choose the Crimson Rock Fruit Marrow; he still hoped to acquire the Pure Yang Spirit Liquid.
In addition to over five hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones and seven thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones, Han Yi possessed a Cosmic Pouch, five unopened Storage Pouches, a Top-Grade Magic Artifact Golden Light Shuttle, a Top-Grade Sword Chengying Sword, a set of Mid-Grade Magic Artifact daggers known as the Wind Demon Daggers, and over a dozen Spirit Talismans, including two Yin Thunder Talismans.
The Golden Light Shuttle and the Cosmic Pouch were his most valuable possessions and could be sold. However, Han Yi doubted that even selling both would yield the ten thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones he needed.
Suddenly, an idea struck him. He turned to Shopkeeper He and asked, "Shopkeeper, you mentioned earlier that this bottle of Pure Yang Spirit Liquid contains eight drops, each with the potency of a full bottle of Crimson Rock Fruit Marrow. Would it be possible to purchase just one or a few drops instead of the entire bottle?"
Han Yi's eyes burned with anticipation as he stared intently at Shopkeeper He.
Shopkeeper He smiled and nodded, clearly surprised that Han Yi had thought of this. "Fellow Daoist, you truly have a keen eye."
"While the other three Extreme Yang Spiritual Objects cannot be divided, the Pure Yang Spirit Liquid can indeed be sold in individual drops. Each drop is priced at one thousand two hundred and fifty Mid-Grade Spirit Stones."
Extreme Yang Spiritual Objects were sold in bottles or drops. Substances like Crimson Rock Fruit Marrow, which were difficult to divide, were sold by the bottle. Pure Yang Spirit Liquid, however, could be traded by the drop.
Han Yi inwardly breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.
If his Blood Bone Spirit Flower had possessed nine petals, he might have needed an entire bottle of Pure Yang Spirit Liquid. But his unique flower had only three petals.
The instructions in the manual were vague, lacking specific details on how many drops were required per petal. Han Yi decided to purchase as many drops as possible, just in case.
After careful consideration, Han Yi quickly resolved to sell his Cosmic Pouch. While superior to a Storage Pouch, it was merely a storage space, and its utility for him at his current stage was limited.
His Top-Grade Magic Artifact, the Golden Light Shuttle, could be partially refined once he reached the Eighth Layer of Qi Refinement. By the Ninth Layer, he could unlock seventy percent of its power, and it would remain usable even after advancing to the Foundation Establishment Stage.
Looking at the long-term benefits, the value of the Golden Light Shuttle far surpassed that of the Cosmic Pouch. Han Yi knew where his priorities lay.
Without further hesitation, Han Yi looked directly at Shopkeeper He and carefully chose his words.
"Shopkeeper He, does your esteemed establishment accept Cosmic Pouches for sale?"