Shabby Marketplace, Crushed Spirit Beads (Seeking Follow-up Reads)

"There's another marketplace several miles southwest of Black Snake City? All right, I understand."

Listening to Murong Fan's words, Qi Chuan nodded slightly.

Having delivered this news to Qi Chuan, Murong Fan did not linger. After cupping his hands in farewell once more, he turned and left.

Watching Murong Fan's figure vanish into the distance, Qi Chuan turned his gaze toward the southwest.

Far off in that direction seemed to lie a stretch of low hills, blanketed in dense woodland.

It looked like a place untouched by human habitation.

However, marketplaces in the Cultivation World generally were not built where Mortals gathered, so that was perfectly normal.

"Since there is a marketplace there, I might as well stop by and dispose of this Half-destroyed Top-grade Magic Tool."

A thoughtful look appeared in Qi Chuan's eyes as he murmured inwardly.

The Talisman Array on this Half-destroyed Top-grade Magic Tool had completely dissipated, rendering it entirely unusable. It could only be dismantled and sold as raw materials. Moreover, most of its primary materials had been destroyed, and the supplementary materials were even less worth mentioning, so its value had plummeted.

Still, it retained no small amount of value overall.

Since he had no use for it in the near future, it would be better to exchange it for cultivation resources.

It was only a few miles away anyway, so he might as well dispose of it at this nearby marketplace.

With that in mind, Qi Chuan set off toward the hills in the southwest. Since they were only a few miles away, he arrived soon enough.

There, amid the hills, Qi Chuan found an inconspicuous Small Valley. Dense woods surrounded it, and from a distance, no one would be able to spot anything unusual about the place.

Yet within the Small Valley, there truly was a cultivation marketplace.

Valley Marketplace had only one street. Buildings had been erected on either side, with shops set up within them.

These shops were fairly comprehensive, selling magic tools, talismans, Elixirs, and so on.

However, none of what they sold was particularly precious. Most were Tier 1 Low Grade or Tier 1 Mid-grade; Mid-grade items were already scarce, while High-grade items could be considered the treasures of a shop.

There were also Rogue Cultivators setting up stalls along both sides of the street. The goods sold by these Rogue Cultivators were even shoddier, basically not worth mentioning.

"Can a place like this handle a Half-destroyed Top-grade Magic Tool?"

Qi Chuan walked down the street, looking at the shops lining both sides, feeling somewhat speechless inwardly.

Although the Half-destroyed Top-grade Magic Tool in his possession had greatly depreciated in value, it still had some worth no matter what.

If he took it to these small shops operating on thin margins, they likely would not be able to offer much.

As for the Rogue Cultivator stalls lining the street, their transactions were generally not priced in Low-grade Spirit Stones, but in Crushed Spirit Beads, which were even more worthless.

So-called Crushed Spirit Beads were, in truth, the leftover scraps from a Spirit Stone Mine after it had been cut into standard Low-grade Spirit Stones.

One Low-grade Spirit Stone could be exchanged for ten Crushed Spirit Beads.

One could imagine what sort of business these Rogue Cultivator stalls dealt in.

If he took out a Half-destroyed Top-grade Magic Tool, he might very well scare them senseless.

"I'll look around first. If there's nowhere suitable to sell it, I'll just head back."

Qi Chuan murmured to himself inwardly.

He then began wandering down the street, passing through the Rogue Cultivators coming and going. Since he was not wearing the inner disciple robes of the Wind Moon Sect, he drew no attention. He was merely somewhat young, while many of the Rogue Cultivators walking the street were already quite advanced in years.

"Hmm? This shop seems decent enough."

A moment later, Qi Chuan stopped in the middle of the street and looked toward a shop ahead on the left. The signboard above its entrance bore the words "Clear Wind Pavilion."

This Clear Wind Pavilion was a three-story pavilion, standing a head taller than the surrounding buildings. Whether in terms of floor space, building materials, or decoration, it was fairly respectable. It possessed an elegant air and stood out like a crane among chickens among all the shops in Valley Marketplace.

Quite a few Rogue Cultivators entered and exited the three-story pavilion, making its business seem rather lively.

Presumably, it also had considerable means and might be able to take his Half-destroyed Top-grade Magic Tool.

Of course, if he was dissatisfied with the price they offered, Qi Chuan could simply turn around and leave. He did not necessarily have to sell it here.

"I'll go in and take a look first."

Thus, Qi Chuan stepped through the entrance of the three-story pavilion and swept his gaze across the first floor.

There were three counters on the first floor, with seven or eight Rogue Cultivators standing before them, asking about and purchasing talismans, magic tools, and the like.

However, they were all Tier 1 Low Grade items.

"Honored guest, what do you need?"

Behind the counter closest to Qi Chuan, a clerk immediately asked warmly upon seeing him enter.

It was not that he had discerned Qi Chuan's specific Cultivation Base. It was simply a routine inquiry; every cultivator who entered the shop was treated this way.

"Do you only have Tier 1 Low Grade items here?" Qi Chuan asked as he looked around the first-floor shop.

"If you wish to purchase Tier 1 Mid-grade items, honored guest, please proceed to the second floor. If you seek Tier 1 High-grade items, please proceed to the third floor."

Hearing Qi Chuan's words and seeing his expression, the clerk immediately understood that Qi Chuan looked down on the goods on the first floor and was truly an honored guest. His tone became a touch more respectful as he replied.

"I see. Thank you." Only then did Qi Chuan understand. He thanked the clerk before walking straight toward the staircase inside.

After ascending to the second floor, Qi Chuan saw that there were only two Rogue Cultivators there, asking questions at a counter.

Qi Chuan had no interest in the items on the second floor either, so he went directly up to the third floor.

When Qi Chuan emerged from the staircase onto the third floor, he saw that behind its sole counter sat an Old Man with sparse hair, dozing with his eyes closed.

"Cough." Seeing this, Qi Chuan coughed.

The Old Man jolted awake at once. After glancing in Qi Chuan's direction, he could not help but freeze for a moment. Then his face instantly broke into a broad smile. "Honored guest, an honored guest indeed! What might you need?"

As he spoke, he straightened up from his reclining position.

"I'm not here to buy anything. Do you at Clear Wind Pavilion accept this?"

Qi Chuan walked up to the counter without wasting words, directly taking out the Half-destroyed Top-grade Magic Tool and placing it on the countertop.

"Of course we do, though I'll need to inspect it first."

The Old Man's eyes were cloudy, and he had not seen it clearly at first. He answered out of habit, then lowered his head and focused his eyes to examine it carefully. His withered hands trembled slightly, and his eyes widened involuntarily.

After inspecting it thoroughly, he finally relaxed a little. Raising his head, he smiled and said, "If this old man's guess is correct, honored guest, this should be a Top-grade Magic Tool. However, more than half of it has already been destroyed, so its value has greatly fallen. It may not be worth many Spirit Stones."

"Ordinary Top-grade Magic Tools are usually kept well protected, and this does not look like damage from a battle. May I ask where honored guest obtained it?"

Hearing this, Qi Chuan merely said calmly, "Must one explain an item's origins to sell a magic tool at your Clear Wind Pavilion?"

"Honored guest has misunderstood." The Old Man hurriedly waved his hands and explained, "It is merely this old man's professional habit. I was only curious. This old man has never seen a Top-grade Magic Tool before, so please do not take offense."

"In that case, name a price. How many Spirit Stones can your Clear Wind Pavilion offer?" Qi Chuan glanced at the Old Man without pursuing the matter, his expression remaining calm.

"This... I must think about it... Though it is a Top-grade Magic Tool, it has already been destroyed. Only a small portion of the main materials remains, and it would not be easy for us to make use of it after buying it..."

The Old Man muttered to himself with a hesitant expression, appearing exceptionally conflicted.

Qi Chuan merely watched him with an indifferent expression, saying nothing.

"How about this... Clear Wind Pavilion will take a loss and offer one hundred and eighty Low-grade Spirit Stones. What do you think?" After a short while, the Old Man finally gritted his teeth and spoke as though he had made a difficult decision.

After saying so, he subtly and cautiously observed Qi Chuan's expression.