Marketplace (Seeking Collection)

Green Bamboo Mountain Market was named after the 'green bamboo,' with most of its buildings being stilted houses made from the spirit material green bamboo.

Even though it was called a market, in reality, there were only a few dozen actual buildings, barely forming a single street. Coupled with the scattered stalls squeezed into the street sides and the square, they together formed the most bustling gathering place for cultivators within a radius of hundreds of miles.

When Fang Xi arrived at the market entrance, he saw a faint layer of white mist—this was the market's protective formation, rumored to be able to withstand attacks from a Foundation Establishment Cultivator for a considerable amount of time.

He didn't dare to be careless and took out a bamboo wooden token, which recorded his identity as a Spirit Farmer.

A flash of spiritual light appeared, and the mist on both sides immediately parted, revealing the previously blurry buildings within.

'Drunken Immortal Tower,' 'Hundred Refinements Workshop,' 'Pill Cauldron Pavilion,' 'Hundred Skills Tower,' 'Thousand Mechanisms Hall'...

Several of the largest buildings immediately came into view.

These were also the most important trading spots in the market, with hundreds or even thousands of spirit stones changing hands every day.

Fang Xi's gaze swept over the 'Drunken Immortal Tower,' and he subtly steadied his lower back, then turned away with an unchanged expression, as if the seductive sounds drifting to his ears were nothing but ordinary.

A mere Charm Technique—how could it disturb this young master's Dao heart?

If not for his empty pockets...

He had to admit, the feeling of female cultivators compared to ordinary maidservants was entirely different.

It was like the gap between the regular version and the PROMAX version of a phone in his previous life.

On the main road, cultivators passed by in scattered groups.

Scholars, monks, Daoists...

Old men, women, children...

Those carrying swords, those with large red gourds on their backs, those leading spirit beasts, those riding demonic beasts...

A dazzling array, too numerous to list.

In the past, Fang Xi had stood there dumbfounded at this sight, mocked as a country bumpkin.

Now, he looked at things from a deeper perspective.

'Mid Qi Refining, Mid Qi Refining, Late Qi Refining...'

'As expected... even if there are a few Early Qi Refining cultivators, they're either servants or juniors brought out to see the world...'

'In this cultivation world, strength is everything—it's really not easy to get by.'

Fang Xi curled his lips.

If he had the choice, he would of course want to lie low in the Great Liang World.

But the problem was, the Great Liang World... it didn't have a long lifespan.

With the density of spiritual energy there, cultivation techniques could hardly make any progress, let alone break through to higher realms.

And the local Blood Qi Martial Arts didn't seem to grant much longevity either...

Fang Xi wasn't pushed to the brink, so he certainly wouldn't think about hiding in a Lesser World.

He swept his gaze over the various stalls and began to sell off the Stone Dragon Lizards and other materials he had accumulated over this period.

These few things would be laughable if taken to a large shop, so they could only be unloaded in a place like this.

"Brother Liu, I'm telling you, a Stone Dragon Lizard in such perfect condition really isn't expensive... and this spiritual herb of mine, I nearly ran my legs off to find it..."

After a long while, Fang Xi had nearly talked himself hoarse before finally getting his hands on three Spirit Crystals.

He oriented himself and made his way to a certain square, then walked to a stall with practiced ease.

It was a couple's stall, with a cloth less than half a zhang wide covered in all kinds of talismans.

First-grade Low-rank 'Protective Talismans,' 'Ice Seal Talismans,' 'Flame Talismans'...

Even, from the corner of his eye, Fang Xi spotted one right in the center, surrounded like stars around the moon—the 'Minor Lightning Talisman'!

"Master Zong, congratulations on successfully drawing a First-grade Mid-rank talisman..."

He put on a smile and offered his congratulations to the stall owner.

Master Zong looked about thirty years old, tall and stout, fair and plump, with two small mustaches. His smile was very kind, like a merchant in the mortal world.

Fang Xi had also seen the Dao companion who delivered talisman paper and materials to him—a female cultivator surnamed Lu. He had a strong impression of her figure.

This couple—the woman handled the talisman paper, the man drew the talismans—relied on good quality and fair prices to live a comfortable and carefree life. But recently, they seemed to have run into some trouble, as their spirit stone pressure had noticeably increased.

"Oh, it's little friend Fang..."

Master Zong asked with a smile: "How did the Ice Seal Talisman I recommended last time work against the demon insects?"

"Perfect. In this deep winter, the Ice Seal Talisman's power is subtly enhanced, and the Stone Dragon Lizards had nowhere to run..."

Fang Xi nodded: "Give me a few more 'Protective Talismans'..."

'These talismans are only used for protection during seclusion, one Spirit Crystal each. I wonder why this kid needs so many...'

Master Zong shook his head inwardly, but since cultivators valued privacy above all, he didn't voice the question.

After trading a few Protective Talismans, he asked again: "Do you still want Ice Seal Talismans? I'll give you a discount—three Spirit Crystals each..."

"Master Zong, another price drop?" Fang Xi's eyes lit up, just like an auntie spotting a sale in his previous life.

"Sigh, it's not... the wife is pregnant again!"

Master Zong let out a sigh.

Cultivators absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth through their spiritual roots, enabling them to perform all sorts of incredible feats, but when it comes to offspring, they face considerable difficulty.

Even if a child is born, they might be a mortal without any spiritual roots.

But Master Zong was an exception—he already had three children, two of whom possessed spiritual roots.

Now, this was the fourth pregnancy.

It was said that even the Situ Family had taken an interest in Master Zong, hoping to borrow his seed, but he had politely refused...

Fang Xi nodded. Two descendants who could cultivate, and possibly a third—that pressure... was like three great mountains bearing down on him.

The tragic plight of a middle-aged man from his previous life was vividly reflected in Master Zong, to the point where Fang Xi felt the man's lush hair was already showing signs of premature balding.

Still, that wasn't his concern.

"My Ice Seal Talisman and Flame Talisman are excellent whether for protecting the Dao and defending oneself, or for killing pests..."

Master Zong was racking his brains over the little divine beasts at home that devoured spirit stones, when he suddenly heard Fang Xi ask, "May I ask, how much is this 'Minor Lightning Talisman'?"

If a First-grade Low-rank talisman was equivalent to a spell attack at the Early Qi Refining stage, then a mid-grade talisman was undoubtedly at the level of Mid Qi Refining!

Master Zong was momentarily stunned, then his face twisted with reluctance and pain: "This mid-grade talisman was painstakingly drawn by this old man, wasting who knows how many talisman papers. If you truly want it... take it for one and a half spirit stones..."

"One and a half?"

Fang Xi's face showed embarrassment: "Could you possibly lower the price a little?"

"Lower it?" Master Zong glared, but then, as if crushed by the weight of life, his expression softened: "Unless you buy a few more low-grade talismans."

"In that case, I'll add one low-grade 'Golden Light Shield Talisman'."

Fang Xi replied with equal reluctance.

In the end, he successfully secured the 'Minor Lightning Talisman', which could deliver a blow comparable to a Mid Qi Refining expert, along with several low-grade talismans.

For this, not only did he spend all the money from selling materials at the market this time, but he also dipped into a fair amount of his savings.

Still, clutching the Golden Light Shield Talisman against his chest, Fang Xi felt much safer.

Although this talisman could at most block one or two spell attacks from an Early Qi Refining cultivator in the Southern Barrens Cultivation World, in the Great Liang World, it was a different story.

"Go on, go on. Any more looking will only add to the sorrow..."

Standing before a stall selling pills, Fang Xi's feet seemed rooted to the ground.

He was currently in a phase of fierce progress, and with the aid of pills, he might even break through to Qi Refining Fourth Layer and enter Mid Qi Refining!

Unfortunately, pills were generally more expensive than talismans.

'What a pity... other transmigrators act as merchants between two worlds, living in such comfort. How did I end up in this state?'

Fang Xi was always very cautious when it came to cross-world trade.

Only after confirming that he could barely protect himself in Great Liang did he feel safe revealing a little of the cultivation world's goods.

But in the cultivation world, he dared not show any sign of being special.

After all, his cultivation was too weak, and cultivators were far too versatile—there might be some unique method of detection!

'At the very least... I'll wait until I'm at Late Qi Refining, no, at least Mid Qi Refining...'

Fang Xi always acted with extreme caution, even more so after obtaining such a heaven-defying opportunity.

If he could cultivate to Foundation Establishment and Core Formation with fewer battles, peacefully and smoothly, who the hell would want to fight for their life on the edge of death?

Just as he was about to leave Green Bamboo Mountain Market, a commotion suddenly broke out on the street.

Then, like an infection, the disturbance spread in all directions.

Vaguely, words like 'ruins', 'treasure', and 'cultivation technique' could be heard.

Fang Xi paused for a moment and immediately caught a piece of news from a nearby cultivator.

"What? A small secret realm was discovered on Purple Nether Mountain, suspected to be a cultivator's relic? Someone has already brought out ancient cultivation techniques and a Foundation Establishment Spirit Item from it?"

This news was like gunpowder, igniting the desire in every cultivator's heart!

Ancient cultivation techniques!

Foundation Establishment Spirit Items!

These were things they might spend their entire lives chasing and still never obtain.

Such was the cultivation world—a low-level rogue cultivator could toil away their whole life and never even touch the edge of Foundation Establishment.

But if they once obtained a stroke of immortal fortune, acquiring an ancient legacy and miraculous pills, they could soar like a roc riding the wind for ninety thousand miles, and become a being of the heavens!

Take Fang Xi, for example!

His spiritual root was unremarkable—merely a low-grade Wood Attribute—and he cultivated the common Evergreen Art. Even after sixty more years, he might not reach Qi Refining Perfection, let alone cross the heavenly chasm of Foundation Establishment!

And it was widely known in the cultivation world that after the age of sixty, a cultivator's chance of Foundation Establishment dropped sharply!

But with a top-tier cultivation technique, supplemented by the power of pills, breaking through to Foundation Establishment within five to ten years is entirely possible!

This is the very opportunity countless cultivators have desperately sought!

"What Foundation Establishment Spirit Item is it?"

A female cultivator's eyes turned red as she grabbed a male cultivator who knew the news, demanding loudly.

"It's a bottle of 'Earth Fire Sha Qi'! It's incredibly useful for breaking through the Blood Qi Gate." The male cultivator murmured, his face full of longing and desire.

"What a pity it's not a Foundation Establishment Pill." An old cultivator beside him sighed regretfully.

"Where did the ancient times have Foundation Establishment Pills?" A scholar beside him chuckled lightly. "People of today are not necessarily inferior to those of old. This Foundation Establishment Pill is the number one Foundation Establishment spirit pill personally developed by Master Shutong, the foremost alchemist of the past thousand years. It harmonizes the three Foundation Establishment gates into one, allowing a breakthrough overnight... It can increase the chances of Foundation Establishment by a full thirty percent!"