"It's a Chen Clan descendant."
Someone recognized the golden-robed youth's identity.
Shen Long recognized the golden-robed youth as well. His name was Chen Yishan, the youngest son of the Chen Clan head, a seventh-level Qi Refining Cultivator.
Chen Yishan walked up to the stall, carefully picked up an Insect Egg, and examined it closely. He nodded. "They really are Snow Crystal Spider eggs. But their vitality is far too weak. Where did you get them?"
"I obtained them from an Ancient Cultivator Cave Abode! I don't know how long they were stored there. Their vitality is indeed very weak, but there's still a chance they can hatch. Snow Spider Fairy of the Spirit Control Sect has a Third Rank Snow Crystal Spider. Over a hundred years ago, Evil Cultivators caused trouble in the Qin Kingdom. It was Snow Spider Fairy who killed them, and I heard that Snow Crystal Spider played no small role."
The green-robed elder explained.
"I've heard my father mention it. It's true enough. I'll buy two Insect Eggs from you!"
Chen Yishan paid one hundred Spirit Stones and bought two Insect Eggs.
With Chen Yishan vouching for them, coupled with Snow Spider Fairy of the Spirit Control Sect's exploits, quite a few Qi Refining Cultivators purchased Insect Eggs. Huang Xiuyun bought two.
Shen Long did not buy any. He already struggled to support himself, so where would he find spare Spirit Stones to raise Spirit Insects?
He treated it as an amusing anecdote, something to hear and leave at that.
Shen Long continued onward, strolling and browsing.
Half an hour later, Shen Long stopped before a small stall. The stall owner was a Green-Robed Maiden in her mid-teens, with delicate features, willow-leaf brows, a round face, and large eyes. She possessed fifth-level Qi Refining cultivation.
Quite a few First Rank Talismans were displayed on the stall, including offensive, defensive, and auxiliary types.
"How much is the Flight Talisman?"
Shen Long asked.
He planned to buy a Flight Talisman for protection. A Flight Talisman could be used multiple times, but once its power was exhausted, it would become useless.
"Twenty-five Spirit Stones."
The Green-Robed Maiden's voice was soft and sweet.
"Can it be any cheaper? I don't have that many Spirit Stones on me."
Shen Long looked troubled. There were Talisman shops in the Marketplace, where a Flight Talisman cost twenty-seven Spirit Stones each.
"Then how many do you have?"
The Green-Robed Maiden asked.
"Twenty-three. Will that do? I can introduce customers to you."
Shen Long said.
"Fellow Daoist, the Killing Intent on you is so heavy. It seems you make your living hunting Monster Beasts! We're already selling them for twenty-five Spirit Stones, which is very cheap."
A clear and pleasant female voice rang out.
A fragrant breeze drifted past as a slender red-skirted maiden walked over.
The red-skirted maiden wore a red ruqun dress, her hair arranged in cloud-soaring coils. A palm-sized black birthmark covered her left cheek, making her look exceedingly ugly.
"Big Sister, why did you come over?"
Upon seeing the red-skirted maiden, the Green-Robed Maiden hurriedly rose to her feet.
"If I hadn't come over, you would've sold the Talismans at a discount again."
The red-skirted maiden reproached her, though her eyes held affection.
"I wouldn't have. I promised you I'd sell them at the prices you set."
As she finished speaking, the Green-Robed Maiden looked at Shen Long and asked, "Do you really not have twenty-five Spirit Stones?"
The red-skirted maiden rolled her eyes and said irritably, "Forget it. I'll sell the Talismans. You go back and make Talismans!"
"Alright."
The Green-Robed Maiden obediently agreed and turned to leave.
"Fellow Daoist, do you still want the Flight Talisman? Twenty-five Spirit Stones, no bargaining."
The red-skirted girl asked.
Shen Long agreed, paid twenty-five Spirit Stones, and bought a Flight Talisman.
He wandered around the plaza once, bought nothing else, and returned to his residence.
Shen Long activated the Soundproofing Array, sat cross-legged on the stone bed, and began cultivating.
Within a secluded Blue-tiled Courtyard stood a two-story Cyan Pavilion and a Cyan Stone Pavilion.
Chen Yishan sat inside the stone pavilion, while the green-robed elder stood at his side with a respectful expression.
"You did well. You sold off all those Insect Eggs so quickly. Otherwise, they would have all rotted in my hands."
Chen Yishan praised him.
He had accompanied his elders to a large Marketplace to purchase cultivation resources, where he had been deceived into buying some Snow Crystal Spider Insect Eggs at a high price. After having an elder appraise them, he was told that they were not Snow Crystal Spider eggs at all and had no possibility of hatching.
Chen Yishan refused to believe it. He incubated them for several years, but none hatched, and only then did he give up.
He had arranged a scheme to resell the Insect Eggs, making a small profit.
"It is all thanks to Young Master. How would this old man dare claim the credit that belongs to Heaven?"
The green-robed elder's face was full of fawning flattery.
"Work for me from now on. I won't treat you poorly."
Chen Yishan took out thirty Spirit Stones and handed them to the green-robed elder.
"Young Master, what if someone really manages to hatch the Insect Eggs? Wouldn't that be too great a loss?"
The old man in the green robe asked curiously.
"I incubated them for three years without hatching them. If they can hatch them, that's their ability. Alright, I won't stay any longer. Use the Communication Disk to contact me if anything comes up."
Chen Yishan stood up.
The green-robed elder personally saw Chen Yishan out, closed the courtyard gate, and flipped his right hand. A cyan wooden box appeared in his palm, containing a white Insect Egg.
More than half a month passed. Inside a secret chamber in the Martial Practice Garden.
Shen Long stood before a sandpit. With a flick of his right hand, a streak of cyan light flew out and sank into the sandpit. A cyan vine as thick as an adult's arm burst from the ground.
"I've finally cultivated it to Great Perfection!"
Shen Long's face was filled with delight.
He practiced for another hour, then used the Fireball Technique to destroy the traces before leaving.
Just as he walked out of the Martial Practice Garden, Qin Qing happened to approach from the opposite direction.
"Fellow Daoist Shen, I knew you'd be here. Daoist Xu asked us to go over. He found new teammates, and we're preparing to go hunt Monster Beasts."
Qin Qing said.
Shen Long nodded and went with Qin Qing to Xu Lei's residence. Xu Lei, Sun Yang, and Liu Xin were all there, along with a broad-shouldered red-robed Man with a face full of fierce flesh and a refined-looking white-shirted youth with fair features. Both were fifth-level Qi Refining Cultivators.
"The Xu brothers, you abandoned your original Monster Hunting Team?"
Shen Long recognized the two men.
The red-robed Man was Xu Wu, while the white-shirted youth was Xu Wen. The two brothers belonged to another Monster Hunting Team and also made their living by hunting Monster Beasts.
"The Monster Hunting Team they belonged to was ambushed by Chen Xiong, leaving more than half dead or injured. If they want to hunt Monster Beasts, they can only join us. Don't worry, I investigated. What they said was true, and there are multiple witnesses."
Xu Lei said.
Chen Xiong was the leader of another Monster Hunting Team and also a seventh-level Qi Refining Cultivator. He had a grudge against Xu Lei. The enemy of an enemy was a friend.
"Since Daoist Xu has investigated it clearly, I have no objections."
Shen Long said.
Qin Qing and Liu Xin had no objections either and agreed to let the two join.
"Fellow Daoist Sun has already found a new target—Ice Cloud Spiders. There are two First Rank Late Stage Ice Cloud Spiders, as well as spirit herbs."
Xu Lei said excitedly. Monster Beast nests did not necessarily contain spirit herbs, and the older the spirit herbs, the more valuable they were.
"Time waits for no one. Let's set out at once and return early."
Qin Qing said.
Xu Lei nodded, and the group left the Marketplace.
After leaving the Marketplace, Xu Lei brought out the Azure Cloud Boat and stepped aboard first. Sun Yang and the other six hurriedly followed.
Xu Lei formed a hand seal, and the Azure Cloud Boat rose into the air, flying toward the heights above.
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