Cheng Buzheng looked and listened as he went, occasionally stepping forward to chat with a stall owner.
Suddenly.
He spotted a stall displaying various spirit ores and odds and ends like Magic Tool Fragments.
The stall owner was a petite, delicate-featured young woman dressed in sect robes. She gave off powerful Spirit Pressure. Cheng Buzheng didn't know what Qi Refining level she was at, but she was certainly beyond the likes of a minor cultivator like him, who was only at Qi Refining Level 1.
Cheng Buzheng walked up and carefully inspected the items on the stall.
He found that all the spirit ores were First-grade Low-grade Spirit Ore: Qinglian Stone, Spirit Iron Ore, and Red Copper Ore. The Magic Tool Fragments were all fragments of Low-grade Magic Tools, and there were also several First-grade Low-grade Spirit Herbs.
"Senior Sister, how much are you asking for these spirit ores?"
The young Senior Sister glanced at him, unconcerned, and replied casually:
"These odds and ends, plus three stalks of Qingming Grass, come to seven Spirit Stones."
At this,
Cheng Buzheng's heart stirred. He knew the chance to grab a bargain had come, but his expression remained unchanged, betraying not a hint of emotion.
He immediately put on a troubled look. "Senior Sister, I really can't afford that many Spirit Stones. Could I buy them separately?
"Just the spirit ores?"
The young Senior Sister furrowed her brow, looking a little troubled.
"Junior Brother, you know the price I quoted is already low. I'm just trying to get rid of these Magic Tool Fragments.
"And only cultivators who practice Special Spell Techniques would buy these fragments. But so far, I haven't heard of a single Senior Brother or Senior Sister who's managed to master one.
"Only some low-level Artifact Refiners would buy them to practice with. Otherwise, they can only be sold as building materials, which would be a terrible waste!
"If I sold these separately, I'd never get rid of the Magic Tool Fragments."
Cheng Buzheng pondered for a while, then said:
"Senior Sister, what if we do this?
"These three stalks of Qingming Grass are worth three Spirit Stones. You can keep them. They're easy enough to sell anyway. I'll take the rest of these odds and ends off your hands, but I hope you can lower the price a little.
"I have a good Senior Brother who just became a First-grade Low-grade Artifact Refiner. These Magic Tool Fragments would be perfect for him to practice with, and I could give them to him as a promotion gift. I really don't have any Spirit Stones to spare; otherwise, I wouldn't be giving him these fragments.
"I can't just give him nothing, after all. He's like a big brother to me! I'd feel terrible if I did."
Cheng Buzheng put on a bashful expression and looked at the young Senior Sister awkwardly.
At this,
The young Senior Sister noticed nothing amiss and immediately comforted him:
"Your big brother must be very happy to have such a thoughtful younger brother!"
The young Senior Sister thought for a moment, then said:
"How about this? How many Spirit Stones do you have?"
Cheng Buzheng immediately looked embarrassed and lowered his voice.
"Senior Sister, I have three Spirit Stones left!"
He had originally planned to say two. He had exactly two Spirit Stones left, just enough to deduce the Crimson Fire Technique once, but he swallowed the words before they left his mouth, afraid he'd ruin the deal.
Besides, the spirit ores were worth two Spirit Stones, and the Magic Tool Fragments were normally worth about three. If sold as building materials, they might fetch less than one Spirit Stone. He couldn't expect her to give them away for free!
After hearing this, the young Senior Sister bit her lip and furrowed her brow.
"Never mind. I've had these Magic Tool Fragments out on display for ages, and no one's bought them. I might as well go back and cultivate!
"I'll just sell them as building materials. I picked them up for free anyway."
Cheng Buzheng naturally thanked her profusely.
Once the deal was done, the young woman packed up her stall, mounted a Flying Sword that glowed fiery red from end to end, and shot away as a streak of spiritual light.
Cheng Buzheng quietly watched the departing light, thinking to himself,
"What a good person! She just saved me two Spirit Stones!"
For him right now, two Spirit Stones were no small sum!
After that, he continued browsing the stalls.
During his rounds, he spent his only Spirit Stone on a bottle of Bigu Pills. They were essential to his food supply; with his current stock, he wouldn't have to worry about eating for nearly three years. They would also help him prepare for the mission that was coming up.
After visiting every stall, he finally put away his curiosity and headed to the Sutra Repository Tower.
He chatted for a while with Senior Brother Niu and Senior Brother Dai, then went to the first floor of the Sutra Repository Tower, constantly expanding his knowledge of the cultivation world.
Time slipped by, and before long, night fell.
Cheng Buzheng returned to his room and sat cross-legged on the bed. He reached for the storage pouch at his waist, and several pieces of spirit ore and Magic Tool Fragments appeared beneath the bed.
After taking a look, he turned his right hand palm-up. A somewhat illusory Small Disc hovered above it. At a thought, the hazy Small Disc spun wildly.
At once,
The room rang with explosive bursts of air. The air seemed to turn solid as ripples spread out around the spinning Small Disc. Waves of force struck the walls, making them tremble again and again.
At a thought,
In an instant, the Small Disc was hovering quietly above the spirit ore and Magic Tool Fragments. As it stopped spinning wildly, the waves of force in the room slowly dispersed.
The Purple Crystal Bracelet had been formed from Magic Power Shaping, with Spirit Patterns as its meridians and the essence of spirit materials as its filling. Now came the final step: the spell for the Purple Crystal Bracelet was complete.
Using the essence of spirit ore and Magic Tool Fragments as its filling, the Purple Crystal Bracelet would inherit all their properties.
For instance, it would inherit the spirit ore's weight and incredible hardness. Even if it clashed head-on with a Mid-grade Magic Tool, the Purple Crystal Bracelet wouldn't break easily. When it attacked, immense force would surge through it of its own accord.
Cheng Buzheng formed one Spell Technique after another. The Purple Crystal Bracelet glimmered faintly, while multicolored specks of light streamed from the spirit ore and Magic Tool Fragments below, flying toward it like moths to a flame.
The Purple Crystal Bracelet was like a greedy child, greedily devouring the multicolored specks rushing toward it.
As it swallowed more and more specks of light, the Purple Crystal Bracelet grew increasingly solid. Its surface gradually took on a metallic sheen, and the nine rings of blade-like fins around its outer edge glinted with a faint chill.
Anyone who saw it could tell that this thing was a deadly weapon.
Once the Purple Crystal Bracelet had completely absorbed the essence of the spirit ore and Magic Tool Fragments, it transformed completely.
If the Purple Crystal Bracelet had been like ordinary iron just moments ago, now it was like spirit iron—the difference between the two was as vast as heaven and earth.
The Purple Crystal Bracelet had originally glowed red, its form hazy and indistinct. That ethereal quality had vanished, and it now looked as though it had been forged from metal.
Looking at the Purple Crystal Bracelet gleaming before him, its nine rings of blade-like fins sent a chill through him. If he hadn't been unable to test it out here,
he would have tried it immediately to see just how powerful it was. Though the Purple Crystal Bracelet had yet to reach its maximum power, it was still nothing to underestimate.
To bring this spell to its maximum power, it would need to absorb enough spirit-material essence, continuing until it could absorb no more. Only then would it reach its limit.
Suppressing his excitement, he beckoned with his hand. The Purple Crystal Bracelet instantly flew into his palm, accompanied by explosive bursts of air and waves of force that beat against the walls.
Cheng Buzheng carefully examined his deadly weapon.
After a long while, he flipped his hand over. The Purple Crystal Bracelet became a pattern on the back of his right hand, then vanished in the blink of an eye.
Sitting cross-legged on the bed, he calmed his mind and closed his eyes, beginning his cultivation for the day. Wisps of spiritual energy visibly gathered around him, little by little.
With each complete Celestial Cycle, he drew a portion of the spiritual energy into his body. Again and again, he circulated it through his Celestial Cycle.
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