Leave Request

"The rules of the trading fair say goods don't need their origins questioned. Young sir, aren't you breaking the rules a bit here?"

The stall owner's face was hidden behind his beard, making his expression unreadable, but his tone carried a hint of mockery.

"This is the Alchemist Trading Fair run by the Pill Tower. Surely they wouldn't allow shady goods to be sold here, right?"

Ling Xi let out a cold laugh.

"Or could it be that your goods have a dubious origin?"

In truth, no matter the trading fair, it all came down to the buyer and seller's discernment. The origin of goods was always an unspoken understanding between both parties. But Ling Xi had directly called it out to this extent—if the stall owner didn't clarify, everything on his stall would henceforth be deemed of questionable origin. And goods with shady origins, regardless of their value, were inherently worth half as much.

"Young sir certainly has a way with words."

A flash of sharpness passed through the stall owner's eyes, but it quickly faded.

"This was something I stumbled upon by chance. Its origin is absolutely clean."

"What's the price?"

Ling Xi knew the stall owner wasn't telling the truth, but he had no intention of digging deeper, so he asked directly.

"A sixth-grade mid-tier pill, or a sixth-grade low-tier pill formula."

At these words, a wave of gasps rippled through the surrounding alchemists. A seemingly ordinary jade pendant dared to demand such a price—it was outright robbery! Even Cao Ying let out a snort. She had promised Ling Xi that all his expenses today would be on her. But whether it was a sixth-grade mid-tier pill or a sixth-grade low-tier formula, she couldn't produce either. Though she was exceptionally talented, she was still only a Fifth-grade Alchemist, with some distance to go before reaching the sixth grade.

"Sir, do you take me for a fool?"

Ling Xi sneered. Thanks to the foundation Ling You had passed down to him, he did have some high-grade pill formulas in his possession. But he wasn't about to trade a sixth-grade formula for something of unknown origin.

"This is just a jade pendant with no known use, and you want to exchange it for a sixth-grade pill or formula?"

"If you can tell me what this pendant does, I might consider the trade."

The stall owner raised an eyebrow, a half-smile playing on his face.

"I honestly don't know what it's for, but the fact that you've set your sights on it means it's worth that price."

This was clearly treating Ling Xi like a fat sheep to be fleeced.

"Then keep it and study it at your leisure."

Ling Xi shook his head and turned to leave the stall.

Seeing Ling Xi walk away, the stall owner's face flickered with uncertainty before he called out loudly.

"Young sir, you set the price, I'll bargain it down—let's talk it over?"

"Young sir, don't go?"

Ling Xi didn't look back, and even quickened his pace.

"So, what was so special about that jade pendant?"

Once they were far enough away, Cao Ying finally couldn't hold back and asked.

"Nothing much. I just thought it looked nice."

Ling Xi shrugged.

"Liar!"

Cao Ying furrowed her brows and shot Ling Xi an annoyed glare.

Ling Xi was indeed lying, but he didn't actually know what the pendant was for. It was just that the ancient tree carved on it resembled the Life Ancient Tree of their Ling Clan. The Life Ancient Tree was the core of both the Ling Realm and the Ling Domain, said to have been personally planted by the Ling Emperor of the Ling Clan. Over the long years, it had become the totem of the Ling Clan. Ling Xi had a feeling that the pendant might be connected to the Ling Clan somehow. But the stall owner's price was too high, and Ling Xi didn't have the means. Still, on the Dou Qi Continent, there were plenty of ways to get what you wanted besides buying and trading!

The two wandered around the Alchemist Trading Fair for a while longer. Aside from Cao Ying buying and trading for some fire-attributed Magical Beast blood, Ling Xi didn't take a liking to anything else.

"You go back first. I need to visit some of my teacher's friends."

By the time the Alchemist Trading Fair was nearing its end, Ling Xi finally spoke to Cao Ying.

"This is Sacred Pill City. If anything happens, just invoke the name of Pill Tower."

Cao Ying didn't think much of it, merely offering a few words of caution.

After all, she couldn't very well tag along to visit Ling Xi's teacher's friend, could she?

"Mm."

Ling Xi gave a slight nod, then watched as the Guardian of the Cao Family led Cao Ying away.

Walking to an inconspicuous corner, Ling Xi waved his hand.

A tall figure clad in a black robe appeared beside him, faint golden light shimmering through the exposed skin.

Ling Xi said nothing, simply waiting in silence.

After a short while, the stallholders from the Alchemist Trading Fair packed up their wares and filed out of the venue in small groups.

"Follow him. When we reach a suitable spot, take everything he has."

"Remember—everything."

Ling Xi's gaze sharpened as he spotted his target and immediately ordered the Heavenly Demon Puppet beside him.

He still hadn't fully adapted to this brutal world of the strong preying on the weak; otherwise, his command wouldn't have been limited to mere robbery.

The Heavenly Demon Puppet bowed slightly to Ling Xi, then set off after the stallholder.

"If you won't trade fairly, don't blame me for resorting to a no-cost deal."

Ling Xi shook his head, then leaned against the wall to wait.

He had no fear that the Heavenly Demon Puppet would fail. If that stallholder were a Dou Venerate, he'd have set up on the third floor of the fair.

As it turned out, the Heavenly Demon Puppet was highly efficient.

Just a quarter of an hour later, a faint sensation stirred in Ling Xi's heart.

A gust of wind swept past, and the next moment, the tall figure of the Heavenly Demon Puppet reappeared before Ling Xi.

Kneeling on one knee, the Heavenly Demon Puppet spread out everything it had taken before Ling Xi.

Aside from the Nakai Ring, even the stallholder's undergarments had been stripped and brought back.

"This Heavenly Demon Puppet really doesn't cut any corners."

Ling Xi's mouth twitched slightly at the sight of the yellowed clothing.

He reached out and picked up the Nakai Ring from the ground, feeling a clear resistance from his Soul Power.

"Judging by this soul imprint, that stallholder is probably a Sixth-grade Alchemist."

"But a soul imprint of this level can't stop me."

The Devouring Power of the Devouring Ancestral Symbol activated, instantly erasing and devouring the soul imprint on the Nakai Ring.

"As expected of a Sixth-grade Alchemist—quite a hefty fortune."

A faint smile curled at the corner of Ling Xi's mouth. Aside from the jade pendant, the Nakai Ring also contained some techniques, Dou Techniques, medicinal herbs, and even a few pills below the fifth grade.

Every alchemist was dripping with wealth, it seemed.

No wonder there was so much murder and robbery on the Dou Qi Continent—it was a quick path to overnight riches.

Ling Xi took out the jade pendant and examined it closely once more, but found nothing.

"I know little of the Ling Clan's secrets. I'll have to ask my teacher about this when I return."

With a sigh, Ling Xi put away the Heavenly Demon Puppet and headed toward Pill Tower.