Azure Cloud Shield (Second Update)

Wang Changxing put away his stall and followed Wang Changsheng to the White-dress Girl's stall. Wang Changxing picked up the Artificing Furnace and examined it carefully.

After a while, Wang Changxing set down the Artificing Furnace and said indifferently, "A lot of the paint has peeled off, and the patterns on the cauldron body are all scratched up. Who knows if it's some refurbished old item? It's not worth seventy Spirit Stones at all. Forty Spirit Stones would be more like it."

"Forty? Fellow Daoist, aren't you haggling too viciously?"

the Blue-robed Youth said with some displeasure.

"You get what you pay for. If it were a brand-new Artificing Furnace, you wouldn't be asking seventy Spirit Stones for it. I think this furnace is worth forty Spirit Stones. If you aren't willing, forget it. On the way here, I saw two stalls selling Artificing Furnaces for only thirty-five Spirit Stones. Offering you forty is already generous enough."

The Blue-robed Youth frowned tightly. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Forty is too little. My father paid a hundred Spirit Stones for this Artificing Furnace, and he only used it a few times. Fifty Spirit Stones, no less."

Wang Changxing was unconvinced and continued bargaining. "Fellow Daoist, whether your father used it a few times, we have no way of knowing. No one's Spirit Stones are blown in by the wind. One price: forty Spirit Stones. If you won't agree, forget it. We'll buy from someone else. There are so many stalls here; it's not as if only you have an Artificing Furnace."

After thinking it over, the Blue-robed Youth gritted his teeth and said, "Forty-eight Spirit Stones. No less."

Wang Changxing pulled Wang Changsheng back the way they had come, saying as they walked, "Come on, Ninth Brother. Let's go back and take another look at that stall. I think that Silver Thread Cauldron wasn't bad."

"Forty-five Spirit Stones, no less."

Seeing Wang Changxing and Wang Changsheng leaving, the Blue-robed Youth immediately panicked and shouted.

Wang Changxing stopped, turned around, and said, "Forty-three Spirit Stones, no more."

"Fine! Forty-three Spirit Stones it is."

After a brief hesitation, the Blue-robed Youth agreed.

If he had not been desperately short of Spirit Stones, he would never have sold the relic his father had left behind.

Wang Changsheng was delighted. He had truly been worried that Wang Changxing would simply leave like that.

Back at the stall, Wang Changsheng was about to pay the Spirit Stones when Wang Changxing stopped him. "Wait. Try the Artificing Furnace first. Who knows how long it's been sitting around? Whether it can still be used is another question."

Though the White-dress Girl and the Blue-robed Youth were somewhat dissatisfied, they did not dare refuse.

Wang Changxing poured spiritual power into the Artificing Furnace, causing it to expand rapidly until it was over ten feet tall.

Wang Changsheng stepped forward and inspected it carefully. Only after confirming that there was no problem did he pay the Spirit Stones and store the Artificing Furnace in his Storage Pouch.

Wang Changxing forced a smile onto his face and said warmly, "Fellow Daoists, would you like to buy Medicinal Pills? I have two bottles of Qi Nourishment Pills here, perfectly suited for the two of you. Especially this fairy maiden—after taking them, she has a high chance of advancing to the Fifth Level of Qi Refining."

He took out two White Porcelain Bottles from his robe, removed their stoppers, and a rich medicinal fragrance immediately wafted out.

"Qi Nourishment Pills?"

The White-dress Girl was somewhat tempted and looked toward the Blue-robed Youth.

"No need. We can buy them at the Pill Shop."

The Blue-robed Youth refused without a second thought.

Wang Changxing had haggled so ruthlessly that he felt resistant toward him. He had no desire to buy Medicinal Pills from Wang Changxing.

Wang Changxing Smiled Slightly and said, "Fellow Daoists, we are disciples of the Azure Lotus Mountain Wang Family. These two bottles of Qi Nourishment Pills were refined by a First Grade Alchemist of our Wang Family, so their quality is absolutely guaranteed. Pill Shops also sell Qi Nourishment Pills, but they cost three Spirit Stones each. A bottle of ten costs thirty Spirit Stones, while two bottles cost sixty Spirit Stones. I can sell them to you more cheaply—fifty-nine Spirit Stones for both. What do you think?"

"Who knows whether there's a problem with the quality of these Medicinal Pills?"

The White-dress Girl curled her lips and spoke with some dissatisfaction.

"That's simple. Just buy one and try it, and you'll know. Three Spirit Stones each, thirty Spirit Stones per bottle, fifty-nine Spirit Stones for two bottles. That's a full Spirit Stone cheaper than the Spirit Medicine Shop. One Spirit Stone can pay for a month in an ordinary room at an Inn."

The Blue-robed Youth was tempted, but before he could speak, the owner of the neighboring stall beat him to it. "Two bottles of Qi Nourishment Pills for fifty-nine Spirit Stones? I'll take them."

"My apologies, but I only have two bottles of Qi Nourishment Pills. Unless this fellow Daoist doesn't want them, I can only sell them to you. There must be an order to everything—first come, first served."

"Fine. I'll buy these two bottles of Qi Nourishment Pills, but I want to inspect the Medicinal Pills first. I'll only pay if their quality is fine."

The Blue-robed Youth held the Qi Nourishment Pills beneath his nose and sniffed them several times. He then selected one from among the twenty Qi Nourishment Pills and had the White-dress Girl take it to test its quality.

After swallowing a Qi Nourishment Pill, the White-dress Girl hurriedly sat down cross-legged and circulated her cultivation to refine its medicinal power.

A short while later, the White-dress Girl opened her eyes and said joyfully, "Brother, there's no problem with the quality."

The Blue-robed Youth nodded and reluctantly took out fifty-nine Spirit Stones from his Storage Pouch, paying them to Wang Changxing.

Wang Changxing put away the Spirit Stones, beaming with delight as he left with Wang Changsheng.

"Third Brother, you're amazing. You saved me more than twenty Spirit Stones and even sold off the Medicinal Pills."

Wang Changsheng's face was full of admiration.

"Hehe, I work as a clerk at Spirit Grain Hall. When those Rogue Cultivators come to buy Spirit Grain, they'll argue for ages just to pay one less Spirit Stone. Over time, I learned how to haggle too. Compare goods from three different shops, Ninth Brother. Remember this: the more you like something, the more you have to pretend you don't like it. Only then can you bargain the price down. Of course, that only worked because those brother and sister were Rogue Cultivators and were anxious to sell the Artificing Furnace. If we were buying one from a Spirit Tool shop, this trick probably wouldn't work."

Wang Changsheng nodded to himself and memorized Wang Changxing's words.

"I've sold almost all my things. Ninth Brother, let me accompany you for a good look around! We can meet up with Sixth Uncle later."

Wang Changxing suggested.

Naturally, Wang Changsheng had no objection and began wandering around with Wang Changxing.

Wang Changsheng still had seventy-seven Spirit Stones left. He planned to buy some Refining Materials to forge a shield.

First Grade Lower Rank offensive Spirit Tools were not very powerful, were not difficult to refine, and were hard to sell. First Grade Lower Rank defensive Spirit Tools sold somewhat better.

He planned to refine an Azure Cloud Shield, requiring First Grade Lower Rank Spirit Liquid, thirty-year Azure Cloud Wood, and Spirit Charcoal.

These three materials could all be found at the small stalls in the square. Nine pieces of Azure Cloud Wood, three catties of Spirit Charcoal, and six bottles of Spirit Liquid cost seventy-two Spirit Stones, leaving Wang Changsheng with five Spirit Stones.

After buying the materials, Wang Changsheng impatiently left the square with Wang Changxing.

Hundred Grains Pavilion was a shop specializing in Spirit Grain. Its first floor belonged to the Wang Family, while its second floor belonged to the Liu Family. Both families sold Spirit Grain. Hundred Grains Pavilion also had a rear courtyard with rooms that served as temporary lodging for Wang Family members.

Wang Changsheng and Wang Changxing arrived at Hundred Grains Pavilion, where Wang Mingzhan arranged a guest room for them and told them to rest well.

Wang Changxing did not understand Artifact Refining. To avoid disturbing Wang Changsheng, he went out to help sell Spirit Grain, leaving Wang Changsheng alone in the room.

Wang Changsheng took out the Artificing Furnace and a meditation cushion, then sat down cross-legged.

He meditated quietly for a quarter of an hour, clearing his mind of all stray thoughts before beginning Artifact Refining.

Preheating, adding the materials, extinguishing the fire, shaping, engraving Spirit Patterns.

Compared to refining the Azure Cloud Saber, he was more skilled at refining the Azure Cloud Shield. During the assessment, the two fine products he had refined had both been Azure Cloud Shields.

Perhaps because he had gone too long without refining artifacts, Wang Changsheng failed twice and produced two flawed items. Fortunately, he successfully refined an Azure Cloud Shield of excellent quality.

The shield was entirely azure, over ten feet long and two feet wide. It bore two Fortification Spirit Patterns. For a short time, blocking an attack from a Mid-grade Spirit Tool would not be a problem.

Later, I have to go running at the dam. The Third Update will probably be around eleven o'clock. Please invest and vote with recommendation tickets.