Lingyue City could be considered the largest pill-trading city in the southern part of Xia Kingdom. However, this didn't mean it dealt exclusively in pills. In reality, the city boasted every kind of shop imaginable, and its offerings were in no way inferior to any other Tier 3 Cultivation City.
With so many cultivators passing through daily, it was impossible for every visitor to be solely focused on buying or selling pills and spirit herbs. Other needs inevitably arose, giving birth to diverse markets.
Shops specializing in magical artifacts were naturally abundant. The Treasure Pavilion, whose branches were spread across almost the entire Eastern Loong Continent cultivation world, naturally had an outpost here in Lingyue City.
It was noon when Lin Feng finally arrived in Lingyue City as planned. Without even stopping for a meal, he inquired for directions and headed straight for the Treasure Pavilion.
The Treasure Pavilion in Lingyue City was even slightly larger than its counterpart in Biquan City. Walking inside, Lin Feng addressed a petite shop assistant, "I have some business I'd like to discuss with your manager. Could you please inform him?"
"Hmm?" The assistant was visibly surprised. It wasn't common for someone to ask for the manager immediately upon entering. However, such requests often came from 'significant clients'. She naturally didn't dare to be negligent and replied courteously, "Of course, young master. Please wait a moment."
Shortly after, the assistant returned, following a handsome young man. The young man cupped his hands towards Lin Feng and said, "I am Cheng Lin, the manager of this floor. How may I assist you, fellow Daoist?"
"I am Lin Feng. There is indeed something I'd like to trouble your esteemed establishment with," Lin Feng returned the courtesy, then produced a pale green jade token and handed it over. "Manager Cheng, please examine this first."
Cheng Lin's eyes flashed with confusion. However, the moment he took the token and glanced at it, his expression shifted instantly. "An Honored Artificer Identity Token?! Tier Four?!"
He looked up at Lin Feng with disbelief. "You... no, you are a Tier Four Artificer?!"
Lin Feng smiled faintly. "Yes. I trust this identity token is valid?"
"Valid! Absolutely valid!" Cheng Lin hurriedly nodded. He naturally recognized the Artificer token issued by the Treasure Pavilion. His attitude became markedly more respectful as he returned the token to Lin Feng with both hands. "Senior, please come inside."
So the Honored Artificer identity token really is this useful, Lin Feng thought, feeling much more relieved. As he walked inside, he chuckled, "Manager Cheng, you are too polite. The title 'Senior' is undeserved. You may call me by my name."
Cheng Lin protested quickly, "That wouldn't be appropriate! You hold the esteemed position of a Tier Four Artificer; how could I dare address you so casually? It wouldn't do..."
Lin Feng sighed inwardly. "Then let's address each other as fellow Daoists. The title 'Senior' truly makes me uncomfortable."
Cheng Lin hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Then... very well. Fellow Daoist Lin, are you traveling through this area?"
Naturally, Lin Feng couldn't reveal he was a newly enrolled disciple of the Lingyue Sect. He nodded, "Indeed. I am passing through temporarily to handle some matters."
Guided by Cheng Lin, Lin Feng ascended to the second floor and entered a room resembling a reception chamber. Inside, he found two men already present: a middle-aged man in white robes and an elderly man in yellow robes. They seemed to be studying a compass-shaped artifact.
Hearing them enter, both men immediately looked up. Cheng Lin spoke first, "Master, Senior Lu, this is Fellow Daoist Lin Feng. He is a Tier Four Honored Artificer affiliated with our Treasure Pavilion."
"A Tier Four Artificer?!" The two men had been puzzled by Cheng Lin bringing in a stranger. Hearing his words, they were stunned. The yellow-robed elder exclaimed incredulously, "You say he is a Tier Four Artificer?!"
Cheng Lin, only at late-stage Foundation Building cultivation, couldn't discern Lin Feng's exact level. However, Lu Su was at the Golden Core realm and could see at a glance that Lin Feng was merely at the Foundation Establishment stage. The idea of such a young Foundation Establishment cultivator being a Tier Four Artificer was hard for him to accept without suspicion.
"Yes, he possesses an identity token issued by our Treasure Pavilion headquarters. I have verified it," Cheng Lin confirmed, then turned to Lin Feng. "Fellow Daoist Lin, this is my Master, Duan Chenglian, also the overall manager of the Lingyue City Treasure Pavilion. This is Senior Lu Su, a Tier Four Artificer serving our branch. We also have a Tier Five Artificer, but the venerable master left last month upon hearing of a rare material appearing somewhere."
Lin Feng bowed respectfully to Lu Su and Duan Chenglian. "Junior Lin Feng greets both Seniors."
Lu Su had recovered from his initial shock. A gleam of understanding appeared in his eyes as he asked, "Your name is Lin Feng? Did you come from Qingyun City?"
Lin Feng's heart skipped a beat. "How does Senior know that?!"
"It really is you!" Lu Su became visibly excited. "I am acquainted with Fellow Daoist Lian Ye from Biquan City! I met him not long ago, and he spoke of you! He called you a once-in-a-millennium artificing prodigy, already a Tier Four Artificer despite being at the Foundation Establishment stage... and... you possess a Heavenly Flame!"
So he heard about me from Lian Ye, Lin Feng realized. "So Senior Lu knows Senior Lian Ye. That's correct, I did come from Qingyun City."
Hearing their exchange, Duan Chenglian and his disciple Cheng Lin exchanged surprised glances. Duan Chenglian then smiled warmly at Lin Feng. "So you are the young friend Lin Feng we've heard about! Meeting you today is truly an honor. What brings you here, young friend?"
Lin Feng nodded. "Yes, Senior. I've come to Lingyue City to procure a batch of materials. Being unfamiliar with the city, I naturally thought of seeking assistance from the Treasure Pavilion. I was wondering if the Treasure Pavilion could help facilitate the purchase."
Duan Chenglian readily agreed. "That is certainly no problem, young friend. Simply provide a list of what you need, and I will have Cheng Lin take care of it."
Lu Su, however, interjected curiously, "Could it be materials for artificing that you seek, young friend? If so, name what you desire! There's no need to look elsewhere; our Treasure Pavilion warehouse holds a considerable stock."
Lin Feng shook his head. "Not artificing materials, but rather... spirit herb materials."
"Herbs?" Lu Su was taken aback, puzzled. "Young friend Lin Feng, what purpose do you have for purchasing spirit herbs? Are you looking to concoct a specific pill? If that's the case, wouldn't purchasing the finished pill directly be simpler? Lingyue City has no shortage of pills."
"Well..." Lin Feng hesitated briefly before explaining, "To be honest, I intend to use these herbs myself... for alchemy."
"What?!" The exclamation came from all three men simultaneously. Lu Su stared at Lin Feng in utter disbelief. "For alchemy?! Do you mean... you are not only an Artificer... but also an Alchemist?!"
Lin Feng offered an awkward smile. "Yes. My Master instructed me in both paths. Recently, I've been focusing more intently on alchemy..."
He felt he had no choice. Needing to purchase such a large quantity of herbs required a plausible explanation. Once again, he found himself invoking his mysterious 'Master'.
"Your Master... the Cloud Sea True Person?" Lu Su recalled the enigmatic 'Master' Lian Ye had mentioned. His astonishment deepened. Lian Ye had only spoken of Lin Feng's Master being a likely reclusive, powerful Artificer; he hadn't mentioned him also being an Alchemist! Mastering both Artificing and Alchemy? That seemed almost unimaginable.
Seeing Lin Feng's slightly uncomfortable expression and apparent reluctance to elaborate, Lu Su refrained from pressing further. He turned to Cheng Lin. "For spirit herbs, purchasing from the city markets is necessary. Cheng Lin, assist young friend Lin Feng with this matter. Acquire the herbs he requires as quickly as possible."
Lin Feng turned to Cheng Lin, retrieving a densely packed list and a spirit stone pouch from his storage ring. He handed them over, saying, "Then I must trouble you, Manager Cheng. Please purchase as much of these materials as possible. It's fine to use all the spirit stones within this pouch. However, I am pressed for time and require speed."
"Understood. No problem."
Cheng Lin accepted the pouch and the list with a professional smile. He unfolded the list first. His eyes widened as he scanned the densely packed characters detailing over a hundred types of spirit herbs – ranging from Tier 1 to Tier 2, and even some Tier 3 varieties. "This many?!"
Instinctively, he probed the spirit stone pouch in his hand. His expression froze completely, followed by a gasp of disbelief. "T-two... two million low-grade spirit stones?!"
"What?!" Hearing this exclamation, Lu Su and Duan Chenglian also jumped, their gazes snapping towards Lin Feng with renewed shock.
Lin Feng offered another slightly uncomfortable chuckle. "Heh, buying in bulk saves me the trouble of frequent purchases later."
...
Cheng Lin took the list and the spirit stone pouch to arrange the purchases. Lin Feng remained in the room to wait. He had no inclination to wander the city; his only desire was to receive the herbs and immediately begin the journey back to the Lingyue Sect.
Lu Su, finally emerging from the series of shocks, studied Lin Feng intently. A spark of inspiration lit his eyes. "Ah, young friend Lin Feng," he began, gesturing towards the artifact he and Duan Chenglian had been examining when Lin Feng entered. "As a Tier Four Artificer yourself, and possessing a Heavenly Flame... would you mind taking a look at this artifact? Could you discern what materials were used in its forging?"
With that, he picked up the compass-shaped artifact and placed it before Lin Feng...