Purchase

In an exquisite room within Hundred Treasures Tower, Lin Chen and Fang Mingyuan sat facing each other as the rich fragrance of tea curled gently through the air between them.

"Why?" Lin Chen's gaze sharpened at the words, yet he remained leisurely reclined in his chair. "They're only second-tier spirit talismans. With an establishment like yours, don't tell me you have none. Or do you think I can't afford them?"

"That is not what this old man means." Fang Mingyuan gave a bitter smile. "Azure Cloud Upper Sect has issued a regulation: within Cloud Arrival Market, without a Spirit Token Identity Proof issued by Azure Cloud Upper Sect, no shop is allowed to sell second-tier items."

Lin Chen paused slightly, then swiftly understood.

Resource Monopoly!

"Let alone second-tier spirit talismans—even across the Lingnan Great Land, such items are subject to strict regulation. Unless one is outside the territory of the Three Major Powers, anyone purchasing such an item must produce the appropriate proof of identity." Fang Mingyuan continued explaining.

"But why?" Lin Chen could not help frowning. He had been focused on his own research and truly did not know much about these twists and turns of the outside world.

Fang Mingyuan hesitated before lowering his voice. "Because second-tier spirit talismans may be capable of killing Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivators."

The instant Lin Chen heard this, he understood.

Advancing to Foundation Establishment was not merely an increase in strength—it was an evolution of one's very essence of life.

Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivators far surpassed Qi Refining Stage Cultivators in neural reaction speed, danger perception, and bodily coordination.

The [Spiritual Sense] they possessed could not only detect danger, but also instantly cow the minds of Qi Refining Stage Cultivators, rendering them unable to resist.

Thus, even if lower-level cultivators held second-tier spirit talismans, their chances of killing such an opponent were vanishingly small.

But in all matters, one need not fear the unlikely—what one feared was the one-in-ten-thousand chance. If the boat capsized in a gutter, who would there be to reason with?

It was like ants and humans. Though the former were not worth fearing, if they possessed a means to threaten the latter—deadly poison, for instance—they would still be a nuisance humans could not afford to ignore!

Moreover, in the Lingnan Cultivation World, which Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivator was not a talent chosen from a thousand? Who knew how much effort they had expended, how many resources they had consumed, and how many opponents they had defeated to earn those two hundred years of longevity? How could they casually allow things capable of threatening them to fall under the control of lower-level cultivators?

Of course, some people bestowed items capable of threatening Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivators upon Qi Refining Stage disciples, but those were things the Three Major Powers did in secret. On the open market, such conduct was absolutely forbidden!

On this matter, the righteous path, rogue cultivators, and even the demonic sects cast aside all their prejudices and joined forces to block the circulation of second-tier talismans on the market!

No wonder Azure Cloud Sect only rewarded me with a pill for breaking through a bottleneck, a [Storage Bag], and a second-tier [Yang Flame Burning Fire Talisman] after I took third place in the Outer Sect Grand Competition—and was so secretive about it. I originally thought the sect was being stingy. So this was the reason... Lin Chen thought.

"Then I'll take a Defense Spirit Artifact." Since he could not buy second-tier spirit talismans, Lin Chen simply gave up on them.

"Hehe, our shop also has quite a few first-tier spirit talismans, with every variety available. Besides this, we have several fine Attack Spirit Artifacts as well. Might Fellow Daoist be interested?" Fang Mingyuan chuckled as he began promoting his wares.

"Thank you, but I do not need them." Lin Chen shook his head in refusal.

He was a spirit talisman master himself, so he had no need to purchase first-tier spirit talismans elsewhere.

As for Attack Spirit Artifacts? What spirit artifact could compare with his trick?

"Since that's the case, I shall go fetch the goods. Please wait a moment, Fellow Daoist." Fang Mingyuan had a shop assistant brew a cup of spiritual tea, then turned and departed.

Lin Chen sat there quietly without moving. As for the spiritual tea on the table, he did not so much as glance at it.

Very soon, Fang Mingyuan gently pushed open the door and entered. Walking to the table, he reached out and patted his Storage Bag, and three brocade boxes of differing sizes appeared on the table.

"According to Fellow Daoist's requirements, we have specially selected several spirit artifacts for you. I hope they will meet Fellow Daoist Zhang's discerning eye." Fang Mingyuan smiled.

"Open them and let me see." Lin Chen said impassively.

"Hehe." Fang Mingyuan smiled and opened the three boxes in turn, revealing three spirit artifacts of distinct shapes within.

The weapons used in battle by Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment cultivators were called [Spirit Artifacts].

As for [Dharma Artifacts]?

Only Golden Core Stage Cultivators were qualified to use those.

"This is the Snow Origin Robe, woven from the silk of Spirit Silk Snow Silkworms. Not only is it comfortable to wear, it is also exceptionally resilient. Defense Restrictions have been inscribed within it as well; even Late Qi Refining Stage Cultivators would find it difficult to break through."

"Not bad." Lin Chen nodded.

"This is the Mysterious Armor Shield, a top-grade Defense Spirit Artifact. It was refined from part of the shell of a second-tier demonic beast comparable to a Foundation Establishment expert, together with Mysterious Iron. Its defensive hardness, coupled with the nature of earth spiritual energy, makes it not merely incomparably sturdy and unbreakable, but once activated with spiritual power, it can automatically circle the body in defense. It can even attach itself to the body and form armor."

"Good," Lin Chen said.

Fang Mingyuan opened the final box. Inside lay a tiny heart-protection mirror that emitted a faint glow.

"This is the Spirit Turtle Heart Protection Mirror, and it is also one of our shop's most renowned Defense Spirit Artifacts. It was refined from a first-tier spirit turtle together with Hundred Refined Fine Iron. Its true value lies in the fact that, while forging it, the Artifact Refiner preserved a trace of the spirit turtle's spirituality for divining fortune and misfortune. When its holder undergoes a life-and-death crisis, it can automatically activate to protect its master."

Hmm?

At those words, Lin Chen's eyes moved.

It could judge danger and automatically activate to protect its master. With this Defense Spirit Artifact, in the brutal cultivation world where it was kill or be killed, it was equivalent to having an extra life!

Perhaps somewhat tired from all the talking, Fang Mingyuan sat down and unhurriedly took a sip of the tea on the table, which was still steaming.

"May I try them?" Lin Chen made his request.

"Of course." Fang Mingyuan smiled.

Lin Chen picked up the spirit artifact in his hand and slowly infused true qi into the brown shield.

The brown shield immediately lit up with a yellow glow and swiftly expanded to three feet across. It left his palm and floated directly before him, circling and drifting around his body. It could cover precisely half his body; if necessary, he could curl beneath the shield and completely block attacks from the front.

Lin Chen then controlled it with his mental power. The small shield immediately flew before him and produced a powerful adhesive force, clinging to Lin Chen's chest to form a unique heart-protection armor.

"Not bad."

Lin Chen nodded in satisfaction.

He tried on the Spirit Robe again, sensed the Heart Protection Mirror, then asked, "May I ask how much they cost?"

"The Snow Origin Robe and Mysterious Armor Shield are both defensive spirit artifacts. Whichever one it is, its value is quite high. Let alone the final Spirit Turtle Heart Protection Mirror, which is the treasure that anchors our store. The total price is therefore two thousand five hundred Spirit Stones."

"Oh, two thousand five hundred Spirit Stones... Wait, how many Spirit Stones did you say?!" Lin Chen had just placed his hand on his Storage Bag when he suddenly froze.

"Two thousand five hundred Spirit Stones." Fang Mingyuan replied with a smile.

Two thousand five hundred Spirit Stones? Are you trying to fleece me?!

"Shopkeeper Fang, don't tell me you're treating me like a fat sheep for slaughter? These three first-grade spirit artifacts are worth that much? Two thousand five hundred Spirit Stones are already worth one-fifth of a [Foundation Establishment Pill]!" Lin Chen's expression turned somewhat ugly.

He had some money, but this price truly exceeded his expectations.

"The first two spirit artifacts are both superior goods, and each is worth over a thousand Spirit Stones at market price. The final Heart Protection Mirror starts at no less than a thousand. Our store's price is already quite fair," Fang Mingyuan explained with a smile.

"Can't you lower it?" Lin Chen frowned.

"My apologies, but our store does not haggle," Fang Mingyuan answered with a smile.

Lin Chen glanced at him, then suddenly sighed and set the items down. "Sigh, since that's the case, I can only go take a look elsewhere."

"Haha, surely you jest, little friend. It's only two thousand five hundred Spirit Stones—just a small sum to a fellow cultivator like you. This concerns your life and safety; you cannot afford to be careless!"

Obvious hesitation appeared on Lin Chen's face. "It's not that I don't want to buy them. It's simply that my purse is thin, so I can only look elsewhere."

"This..." Fang Mingyuan did not know what to say for a moment. Two thousand five hundred Spirit Stones was not a small deal even for Hundred Treasures Tower, and he did not want it to slip away just like that.

"If you think it's too expensive, we can discuss the price some more. If the price is suitable, then we'll make the deal."

Only then did Lin Chen speak unhurriedly. "One thousand Spirit Stones."

"That won't do!" Fang Mingyuan's expression changed.

Good heavens, he had cut the price in half right away!

"Sigh." Seeing this, Lin Chen let out a long sigh. "It was precisely because we've dealt with each other many times before that I trusted Shopkeeper Fang. But who would have thought I had misplaced my sincerity, only to be treated as a fat sheep... I heard that the Precious Items Pavilion next door has fine goods at fair prices. They should have what I need. I'd better go next door and take a look."

As Lin Chen spoke, he prepared to leave. His every word was backed by reason, making Shopkeeper Fang's face turn green, then purple.

Watching Lin Chen's departing back, Fang Mingyuan cursed bitterly in his heart: Go, go! Hurry up and leave!

Yet he could not swallow the resentment in his heart.

Lin Chen headed outside. Just as he was about to push open the door, he had already counted silently to five in his heart.

"Fine, you really know how to haggle! Final price: one thousand eight hundred Spirit Stones, and you can take them away! I'm truly... selling at a loss here..." Shopkeeper Fang wore a face full of pain.

Lin Chen paused and turned around, but instead of agreeing directly, he slashed the price again. "One thousand two hundred Spirit Stones. That's all I have on me."

Shopkeeper Fang nearly ground his old teeth to dust. "Impossible! The cost alone is one thousand three hundred Spirit Stones, and I still have other expenses to cover."

Lin Chen said nothing and turned to leave.

"You win!" Shopkeeper Fang slumped into his chair as though all the strength had drained from him. He seemed to have aged considerably in an instant, and even his voice was weak. "One thousand five hundred Spirit Stones. If not, go out and turn left—go to the Precious Items Pavilion!"

Heh!

Lin Chen turned around and walked back.

Seeing the other man's desolate appearance, Lin Chen gave a silent sneer in his heart. Naturally, he knew that if Fang Mingyuan were truly losing money, he would never sell. Though the man looked as if he were making a loss, in reality, he was merely earning a little less.

Still, he was a merchant. To make them sell at cost without earning a single thing was simply impossible.

But it's not as though businesses with no capital and ten thousandfold profit don't exist... This thought suddenly surfaced in Lin Chen's heart.

But when he looked at the formations arranged throughout the room, then thought of the Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivators within Cloud Arrival Market, he suddenly felt that he was, after all, still a kind and law-abiding good cultivator.

Afterward, Lin Chen hesitated for a moment before taking a box from his Storage Bag and placing it on the table.

When Fang Mingyuan saw this, his eyes moved. Naturally, he knew that Storage Bags were rather precious items.

For Lin Chen to possess a Storage Bag at this level of strength, either he had formidable power and had obtained it from someone else, or there was a powerful force behind him.

However, he did not investigate further. To Fang Mingyuan, it was enough to know that the other party could bring him profit. Everything else was unimportant.

He then shifted his gaze to the jade box on the table.

What was inside? Pills? Spirit herbs?

It was not as though cultivators had never brought spirit herbs here before, claiming they had obtained them by chance and wished to sell them.

Fang Mingyuan opened the box. Inside lay a... jade slip?

He immersed his Mental Power into it. Yet as he began reading its contents, his pupils contracted, and he blurted out in surprise, "This... is actually an improved Magic Trick Template?"