The Marketplace

There was quite a bit of money, but it was not what Liu Xiaolou needed. As for spiritual rice—the spiritual herb had been taken into Jinping Mountain Villa's treasure vault. No matter how he thought about it, it was not worth merely fifty liters of spiritual rice.

People came and went here. Liu Xiaolou had been sitting for half an hour when he suddenly spotted an acquaintance: Longshan the Rogue Cultivator, who had accepted a Hero's Invitation and joined the assault on Jinping Mountain Villa that day.

Longshan the Rogue Cultivator's face was covered in stubble, making him rather conspicuous. After entering, he smiled and greeted several acquaintances, then noticed Liu Xiaolou sitting in a corner. He paused in surprise, then slowly approached.

Liu Xiaolou was quite grateful to Longshan the Rogue Cultivator. Amid the chaos at Jinping Mountain Villa that day, Longshan the Rogue Cultivator had called for him to follow, allowing him to find the treasure vault. Later, he had righteously helped drive off those thieves coveting the spiritual herb. He had looked after Liu Xiaolou in many ways, so Liu Xiaolou rose and saluted him. "Senior."

Longshan the Rogue Cultivator nodded and beckoned. "Come with me."

Liu Xiaolou followed behind him, leaving the wooden shed and arriving at the end of the alley.

Longshan the Rogue Cultivator gazed at the bustling wooden sheds in the distance and asked softly, "They didn't trace you?"

Liu Xiaolou answered, "This junior hid elsewhere and only returned recently."

Longshan the Rogue Cultivator praised him. "You were fairly clever." Then he asked, "On our side of Wulong Mountain, did Wei Hongqing of Ghost Dream Cliff also accept a Hero's Invitation? Why didn't I see him that day?"

Liu Xiaolou shook his head. "No. Only Senior and I accepted one."

Longshan the Rogue Cultivator frowned. "Then why had Dongyang Mountain been lingering around Ghost Dream Cliff all this time?"

Liu Xiaolou said, "He left Wulong Mountain before the Hero Assembly, saying he wished to roam the world. Perhaps Dongyang Mountain mistook someone else for him."

Longshan the Rogue Cultivator nodded. "You should be careful as well. The wind has not yet died down. Dongyang Mountain has uncovered quite a few people. I heard Gao Feiyan and Wan Jianxin have both been exposed and fled Xiangnan. Their whereabouts are now unknown."

Liu Xiaolou was not particularly worried. Those two were Great Heroes among Xiangnan's rogue cultivators, famous figures with names to their credit. It was only natural for them to be discovered. But who would bother with an insignificant nobody like him?

Longshan the Rogue Cultivator added, "The Pai Sect Seventh Branch as well—their nest was smashed by the Dongyang Sect. Lou Zhenwu made the move himself."

Liu Xiaolou could not help but be horrified. He had heard that the nests of the Pai Sect branches were not only always secret but frequently relocated, and their protective formations were exceptionally powerful. That was what they relied on to take part in the Hero Assembly time and again without fearing retaliation. Yet this time, the Dongyang Sect had still destroyed them. A Renowned Great Sect was indeed a Renowned Great Sect—there was no choice but to be convinced.

After thinking it through carefully, only Dai Shenggao, who had sent the Hero's Invitation, and Longshan the Rogue Cultivator before him knew of his participation in the Hero Assembly. So long as neither of them ran into trouble, he would be safe. After all, there had been over a hundred heroes at the time. A minor figure like him should not yet have entered the Dongyang Sect's field of view.

"So long as Senior and Hermit Dai are safe, this junior will be safe as well," Liu Xiaolou replied.

Longshan the Rogue Cultivator understood what Liu Xiaolou meant and immediately felt much more at ease. Then he recalled Liu Xiaolou's earlier words and asked, "You only just returned?"

"Yes."

"Then you... came to sell..."

"Thanks to Senior's good fortune, this junior did indeed obtain a spiritual herb that day."

"A spiritual herb?" Longshan the Rogue Cultivator's eyes lit up, and his tone carried a trace of tension. "What spiritual herb?"

"Uh... I am ashamed to say that this junior cannot name it either. But this spiritual herb does not seem to be an ordinary item. This junior is currently in urgent need of spirit stones and came to try his luck."

Liu Xiaolou spoke frankly. As he spoke, he took out the spiritual herb for Longshan the Rogue Cultivator to inspect. "If Senior has need of it, I will simply give it to Senior."

A favor received must be repaid. Though a spiritual herb was precious, it could not compare to Longshan the Rogue Cultivator's kindness in helping him that day.

The instant he saw the spiritual herb, Longshan the Rogue Cultivator blurted out, "It really is Water Lily!"

"Senior recognizes it?"

"More than recognizes it. To be honest, Xiaolou, I went to the Hero Assembly because I heard that the Zhang Clan's vault held a Water Lily. Who would have thought it would end up in Xiaolou's hands? Truly..."

"What is this item used for?"

"It is one of the eighteen kinds of Spiritual Material used to refine a Foundation Establishment Pill."

"Ah, congratulations, Senior. This junior shall offer this Water Lily as a gift of congratulations, wishing Senior an early Foundation Establishment." With that, he presented the spiritual herb.

Longshan the Rogue Cultivator did not refuse. Foundation Establishment Pills were rarely sold in the world. Every major sect used each pill it refined for itself. With his cultivation at the Qi Refining tenth layer, this was precisely the time for him to attempt Foundation Establishment. Yet he had nowhere to purchase such a spirit pill, so he could only seek out the various materials for a Foundation Establishment Pill himself. Having gathered another Spiritual Material today, how could he put on a false show of politeness and refuse it?

After pondering for a moment, he pulled two spirit stones and a wooden box from his robes and handed them to Liu Xiaolou. "I am ashamed. I do not have many spirit stones on me either, so I must take advantage of you. I will compensate you in the future. Oh, and this box of Pine Resin Essence is just right for use by your Three Xuan Sect. Consider it a small token of my regard."

Liu Xiaolou likewise did not decline. He accepted the spirit stones and small wooden box, then opened it. Inside lay a three-inch square piece of pine resin. Its fragrance carried a faint air of age and decay—it was indeed Pine Resin Essence.

This was the primary ingredient for refining Misty Incense Tendon, one of the Three Absolute Arts of the Three Xuan Sect. It was exceedingly difficult to come by. After his teacher passed away, Liu Xiaolou's supply had been cut off, and his last remaining Misty Incense Tendon had long since been exhausted. He had not known when he might refine more and restore his master's sect to its former splendor. Yet today, he had unexpectedly acquired a piece.

"Senior... seems quite familiar with this junior's sect?" Liu Xiaolou asked, blinking.

Longshan the Rogue Cultivator sighed. "Your master and I could be called close friends."

The phrase "close friends" was commonly used among Wulong Mountain rogue cultivators. Liu Xiaolou did not feel anything particularly profound about it, but Longshan the Rogue Cultivator must certainly have had some friendship with his teacher, Mister Sanxuan. Otherwise, he would not have taken out Pine Resin Essence as a gift.

Longshan the Rogue Cultivator continued on to the various marketplaces, running about in pursuit of the materials for a Foundation Establishment Pill. Once he collected them all, he would still need to find someone to refine the pill, and that would be an extremely difficult pass to cross. Whether he could ultimately have his wish fulfilled was no longer Liu Xiaolou's concern.

Before leaving, however, Liu Xiaolou underwent a trial of the heart.

He saw someone selling spirit pills. Many people had gathered around the pill seller, inquiring about the effects of the few spirit pills.

After squatting beside them to listen for a while, he understood. These were healing spirit pills refined by the Lu Clan of Tianmu Mountain. So long as an injury was not fatal, they could delay the worsening of severe wounds and heal light injuries on the spot.

For rogue cultivators constantly engaged in life-and-death spell battles, such a spirit pill held immense allure.

The seller had obtained only three in total, and each spirit pill cost two spirit stones. Given the pills' effects, that price was indeed not high—one could even call it very low. These spirit pills had certainly come from an improper source, and the seller was eager to get rid of them.

Breathing in that pill fragrance, Liu Xiaolou wanted to buy them several times, only to slump in dejection each time. It truly was torment. Many rogue cultivators surrounding him were the same, each of them suffering greatly.

At the very end of that torment, Liu Xiaolou was finally rescued from his painful state of mind: an outer disciple of the Zhanglong Sect passed by, saw the commotion, and squeezed into the crowd. Then he slammed down six spirit stones, leaving beaming as though he had picked up a bargain.

Amid a burst of curses, the crowd scattered with a roar.