We'll Buy Hope

"Go away. I don't know you."

Wei Songnian's expression turned extremely unpleasant. He impatiently waved him off.

"Heh heh."

Lin Antai did not mind and continued with a genial smile, "Old Wei and I do the same business. If Junior Brother needs anything, you can also find me at the Small Market beneath Red Copper Mountain."

Seeing Wei Songnian's face grow increasingly ugly, he stopped fanning the flames and withdrew with a smile.

Wei Songnian gritted his teeth and lowered his voice. "That Lin fellow comes from the Great Bamboo Mountain Lin Clan, which borders our Minor Bamboo Mountain Wei Clan. The two clans often clash over certain interests, and after their disciples entered the sect, their relationship remained like needle against awl.

"The Lin Clan has some connections with a certain Deacon from the Artifact Refining Hall. Lin Antai mainly deals in ores and artifact refining materials."

How could he not know that the other man had come purely to disgust him? Whenever he saw the other party bringing in newcomers, he did the same thing.

Ji An shook his head slightly. Wherever there were people, there would be disputes. Such was human nature.

Most of the time, it was because of interests. Sometimes, it was because of all sorts of other messy matters.

As a Spirit Farmer, he had always honestly stayed at Azure Water Lake cultivating Spirit Fields and had yet to encounter this sort of trouble.

As his cultivation steadily rose, he was bound to cross paths with all kinds of people. Connections and conflicts with others would be unavoidable.

Sometimes, it was not that you went looking for trouble; trouble came looking for you.

He had heard of a Monster Hunting Squad finding a Mystic Leaf Ginseng with a hundred years of medicinal age. It was one of the main ingredients of the Foundation Establishment Pill.

The Monster Hunting Squad sold the spiritual herb to an Alchemist of the sect, only for the squad to receive some "care" from that Alchemist's rival.

Who could they seek justice from in a matter like that?

The two found a corner and sat down. Wei Songnian smiled. "Junior Brother, wait a moment. The Trade Fair will begin shortly."

After a while, a gaunt cultivator with dark-red flame patterns embroidered on his cuffs entered. He sat cross-legged at one corner of the grand hall's raised platform and closed his eyes to rest.

The buzzing discussions immediately quieted considerably. Wei Songnian lowered his voice. "That is Martial Uncle Chen Shiping, from the Artifact Refining Hall. He is the resident Foundation Establishment Realm expert of this Trade Fair and is particularly skilled at appraising minerals and Dharma artifacts."

The disciple surnamed Cui, who had originally been standing guard at the entrance, walked in. He stepped onto the platform and bowed. "Martial Uncle Chen, shall we begin the Trade Fair?"

"Yes."

Martial Uncle Chen did not even raise an eyelid as he answered flatly.

"Everyone willing to come is here, so let us begin.

"I am Cui Yuan. I shall cast a brick to attract jade.

"This is the low-grade Dharma artifact, the Azure Scorpion Sword. Its sword blank was forged from Purple Heart Copper and Mysterious Fire Essence Iron. It incorporates the tailbone and spine of a fire-attributed scorpion demon beast and bears twelve layers of Dharma Restrictions. It cuts through iron as though it were mud.

"If not for a slight mishap during its forging, this sword would have been a mid-grade Dharma artifact.

"It is priced at fifty-four Spirit Stones. Barter is accepted—ore materials, Fire Element Essence, and Azure Steel Bamboo of Mid-grade First-tier or above may all be used in exchange."

Cui Yuan took out a dark-red flying sword two feet long. As he poured Dharma power into it, scarlet spiritual light rippled from it, and scorching waves of fire spread outward.

Wei Songnian quietly explained, "Senior Brother Cui is quite gifted in artifact refining. He could already forge Dharma artifacts independently several years ago, and his skill at repairing them is also rather remarkable. His prices are simply a little steep.

"An ordinary Grade 1 Low-tier Dharma artifact can be bought for twenty Spirit Stones."

Ji An nodded slightly. Dharma artifacts were so expensive. Who knew how long it would take him to save up a full set of gear for hunting monsters? Once again, he felt his poverty keenly. He still had to earn Spirit Crystals ruthlessly!

A tall, bald cultivator immediately rose to his feet. "Everyone knows Junior Brother Cui's craftsmanship. The Dharma artifacts of my squad members happen to be badly damaged. We'll trade them to Junior Brother Cui and add some ores in exchange for this Dharma artifact."

The bald cultivator rolled up his Daoist robe sleeves, revealing knotted, powerful muscles. His bronze skin faintly gleamed with a metallic luster.

"So it is Senior Brother Yang. Please come up and trade," Cui Yuan said with a smile.

Wei Songnian introduced him again. "This is Senior Brother Yang Lie of Pagoda Peak. He primarily cultivates body refinement and is said to be preparing for Foundation Establishment already."

The two quickly completed their trade and walked down from the platform together.

After that, cultivator after cultivator took the stage to trade. Some sold spiritual herbs and minerals, while others returned disappointed. Wei Songnian also went up onto the platform and successfully traded Shengyuan Pills for a spiritual item.

During this time, some people asked Chen Shiping to appraise items. He charged one to three Spirit Stones for an appraisal, making Ji An marvel at how easily Foundation Establishment Cultivators earned Spirit Crystals.

About an hour later, the Trade Fair ended.

Cui Yuan handed a pile of Spirit Crystals to Chen Shiping. The Foundation Establishment Cultivator left first, and the others gradually dispersed as well.

"Senior Sister Li, please wait."

Wei Songnian stepped forward and called out to two female cultivators who were about to leave the grand hall. He flattered her, "Senior Sister, your spiritual pressure feels even stronger. It seems Foundation Establishment is not far away."

"Junior Brother Wei, just say what you need."

The woman in the white Daoist robe covered her mouth and smiled. There was a rice-grain-sized birthmark at the end of her right brow.

"Senior Sister belongs to the Condensing Emerald Cliff lineage. I wonder whether you have any Spiritual Peach Seeds on hand. This Junior Brother Ji wishes to purchase some."

Wei Songnian introduced Ji An to the two women. Condensing Emerald Cliff was the cultivation ground of Ge Ying, a Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivator of the sect.

Martial Uncle Ge excelled in alchemy and cultivation techniques. One Grade 2 Top-tier Spiritual Peach Tree existed within the sect, and it was under her care.

Li Lingyu examined Ji An twice, a trace of delight rippling through her eyes. "I wonder whether Junior Brother Ji wishes to buy ordinary Grade 1 Spiritual Peach Seeds or Grade 2 seeds. The difference in price is considerable."

Spirit Fruit Trees had relatively long cultivation cycles and placed certain demands on both the grade of the Spirit Field and planting techniques, so seeds were relatively difficult to sell.

The seeds were of no use sitting in her hands. Naturally, she was happy if she could exchange them for Spirit Crystals.

"Could it be that Senior Sister has seeds from that Spiritual Peach Tree cultivated by the sect?"

Wei Songnian asked with some surprise. If they could obtain seeds from a Grade 2 Top-tier Spiritual Peach, it would naturally be the best choice.

"You certainly dream beautifully. A Grade 2 Top-tier Spiritual Peach flowers once every thirty-six years, bears fruit once every thirty-six years, and then needs another thirty-six years of accumulation before it flowers and fruits again. Only Origin Seeking senior cultivators and the sect ancestors can enjoy it. Where would I get its seeds?

"What I have are Grade 2 Low-tier Spiritual Peach Seeds cultivated in my master's private Medicinal Field. There is only one."

A faintly reddish peach seed appeared in Li Lingyu's hand, and she lightly waved it before them.

Ji An cupped his hands and smiled. "May I ask how many Spirit Crystals a Grade 2 Low-tier Spiritual Peach Seed costs?"

The higher the grade of the mother tree's seeds, the easier it was for the resulting sapling to be cultivated to a high grade. If he had the chance, he naturally wanted to buy seeds of a higher grade.

Ji An was confident he could go farther in the cultivation world. Setting everything else aside, reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm alone would grant him two hundred years of lifespan—enough for him to make a proper go of things.

If, after advancing to Foundation Establishment, he cultivated a primary wood-attribute or water-attribute cultivation technique, saved up some Spirit Stones, and bought some Longevity Pills, living to Two Hundred Fifty would not be a problem.

"Three Spirit Stones. So long as a Grade 2 Low-tier Spiritual Peach Seed is cultivated until it reaches its fruiting stage, it will definitely attain Grade 1 Low-tier, perhaps even Grade 1 High-tier.

"At that point, a Spiritual Peach Tree will be a money tree."

Li Lingyu held out her jade-like hand and raised three fingers, blinking slyly.

"Senior Sister is right, but—"

It had reached the bargaining stage, and Wei Songnian stepped forward without hesitation, speaking eloquently. "The fruiting of a Spiritual Peach has little to do with the person selling the peach seed, does it? Senior Sister is only selling the seed; you will not be involved in cultivating it.

"Besides, it takes many years to cultivate a Spiritual Peach Tree to its fruiting stage, and it must be tended constantly throughout that time.

"If we buy a Grade 1 Low-tier peach seed, it only costs ten Spirit Crystals, and we can eat Spiritual Peaches sooner."

Wei Songnian raised one finger and said firmly, "One Spirit Stone. That is the most. We'll buy hope."