He pinched a technique with his right hand, and with a puff, a fireball the size of a paper ball condensed in front of his chest. The fireball lingered stable, only showing signs of instability after more than ten breaths.
Fu Changsheng swung his Dharma Sword Point.
The fireball crashed onto the stone wall behind with a thunderous roar, erupting into countless flames:
"Not bad, after the breakthrough not only the spellcasting speed increased, but the power of the Flame Technique also doubled."
Fu Changsheng was very satisfied.
He couldn't help but anticipate the changes after breaking through to the Middle Stage of Qi Cultivation:
"It's time to take a trip to Nanyang Marketplace."
He needed to capture that Little Cyan Snake, which held Flood Dragon Blood, as soon as possible.
However.
The Spirit Stones he had were only enough to buy a Spiritual Hoe and Red Marrow Rice Seeds, and certainly not enough to purchase a Tier One Middle-Grade Little Cyan Snake:
"If things don't work out, I'll have to pawn the Profound Turtle Shield."
Even though the Profound Turtle Shield was important,
compared to the Little Cyan Snake with Flood Dragon Blood, it was insignificant.
As he stood up,
he remembered that he hadn't exchanged any information during his retreat, and now the clan contribution points on his panel still totaled twelve, enough to exchange for six pieces.
Thinking about it, he decided to act:
"Exchange information!"
The panel buzzed.
A yellow light surged.
Then lines of text appeared one after another:
[1: During your retreat, your third brother learned the Spring Rain Technique, and your fourth sister mastered the Golden Needle Technique, laying the foundation for future Red Marrow Rice cultivation]
[2: In an inconspicuous stone cave under Luofeng Mountain, covered in green vines, the traitor Li Guiming hid part of his wealth here]
"Stop the exchange!"
Seeing the second piece of information.
Fu Changsheng was both surprised and delighted:
"That traitor Li Guiming is indeed cunning."
He prayed that the hidden Spirit Stones would be enough to purchase the Little Cyan Snake.
When he emerged from the Secret Chamber,
his eldest brother, Fu Changren, was explaining the essentials of Red Marrow Rice cultivation to his third and fourth siblings. When his gaze landed on Fu Changsheng, he trembled:
"Patriarch, you've reached the Qi Cultivation Third Layer?!"
"Yes."
Fu Changsheng nodded slightly.
Fu Changren was incredulous; based on Fu Changsheng's cultivation speed, it should have taken at least seven or eight months to break through to the Third Layer.
It must have been the Shangguan Family that bestowed a breakthrough Spirit Fruit:
"Congratulations, Patriarch, on reaching the Qi Cultivation Third Layer!"
His third and fourth siblings quickly offered their congratulations.
Fu Changsheng gave a few instructions and declined his elder brother's offer to accompany him to Nanyang Marketplace. Then he left Luofeng Mountain and put on the Invisibility Cloak.
He walked south for half an hour.
A stone mountain came into his view.
According to the information.
Li Guiming's hidden treasure was in a cave overrun with vines.
The stone mountain was not large.
He found the destination easily.
However.
The cave was covered in vines.
Searching every inch was a big project and could easily draw the attention of passing cultivators.
Fu Changsheng immediately pinched a technique with his right hand, conjuring a flame with a puff, which landed with a boom inside the cave, and the vines sizzled as they burned away.
After half a stick of incense time.
The cave opened up.
With a tap on the ground, Fu Changsheng agilely climbed to the top of the stone wall, looked around the cave from above, and carefully scanned the entire cave.
Suddenly.
His eyes lit up:
"Found it!"
He pressed a palm against the stone wall, using the rebound force, he landed lightly in front of the right wall. At the base, he saw an inconspicuous green tile stone.
Fu Changsheng held the Profound Turtle Shield to his chest.
A technique struck the green tile stone.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Suddenly.
Ten arrows shot out from beneath the stone, clanging as they were all blocked by the raised Profound Turtle Shield, falling to the ground, the arrows were dark green, clearly poisoned:
"That old fox Li Guiming is really devious."
Fortunately, he had the foresight to bring out the Profound Turtle Shield.
After removing the green tile stone,
a white-bottomed striped tiger box appeared before him.
Fu Changsheng quickly stuffed the box into his arms, then donned the Invisibility Cloak and left the area as quickly as possible. When he crossed the stone mountain and reached the Changliu River area, only then did he open the box, seeing no one was following.
Inside the box.
Were five hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones perfectly stacked.
Besides that.
There was nothing else:
"I've hit the jackpot!"
Five hundred Spirit Stones were more than enough to purchase the Little Cyan Snake!
Fu Changsheng put the box into his embrace.
After crossing the Changliu River by boat, he arrived in front of a small hill.
Arrays were set up on the hill.
Nanyang Marketplace was inside.
A year ago.
He had visited once with his grandfather.
Therefore.
He remembered the route to enter; after exiting the Illusionary Array, his ears were instantly filled with lively noise, and he saw on the main street, lined with two-story small shops. At the end of the street, there were nearly a hundred stalls, with the people coming in and out mostly being Qi Refining Stage cultivators.
Fu Changsheng recognized the direction.
He planned to first visit the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion, where the merchandise was comprehensive and fair.
However.
He hadn't been inside for ten breaths before he frowned and came out.
The Spiritual Hoe and Spiritual Scythe sold at the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion were Tier One High-Grade, not only usable for cultivating Spirit Fields but also as Magical Artifacts against enemies, each costing dozens of Spirit Stones. Both the Spiritual Hoe and Scythe were needed for their fifty acres of Spirit Field, requiring at least two or three of these tools. The Spirit Stones he brought, after buying the Little Cyan Snake, were insufficient.
He turned towards the stall area at the back street.
The stall fee was just one Spirit Stone per day, so prices here were relatively cheaper, but the authenticity and quality required discretion.
The vendors on both sides, seeing such a young Fu Changsheng, rare as a fat sheep, enthusiastically began pitching their goods.
Fu Changsheng casually looked at each stall, inquired about the prices, but bought nothing, and the vendors realized he was not a paying customer and lost interest in pitching.
Unknowingly, he walked to the end.
At the end.
A veiled woman sat cross-legged, engrossedly reading a book titled "Talisman Dao Mastery." In front of her stall were just three Spiritual Hoes, two Spiritual Scythes, and a bag of Red Marrow Rice Seeds.
When Fu Changsheng arrived.
The woman continued reading, not acknowledging him.
Both the Spiritual Hoes and Scythes were Tier One Low-Grade, appearing somewhat new but used.
The Spirit Fields in the clan were Tier One Low-Grade, making these Spiritual Hoes and Scythes most appropriate:
"Fellow Daoist, may I ask how much for the Spiritual Scythe and Hoe?"
The woman closed her book, glanced at Fu Changsheng, and shook her head saying:
"Fellow Daoist, I don't sell these items individually. If you really want them, please have your elders come over."
Fu Changsheng had not yet lost his baby fat, appearing young.
The woman thought he must have come out with elders from his family to gain experience.
"Fellow Daoist, I call the shots in my family, kindly name your price."
The woman was surprised and scrutinized Fu Changsheng, thinking that this young man, already the head of his clan, had come to see the world.
The young age yet being the clan leader made the woman somewhat envious.