Central Plains, the true heart of the continent, stretched boundlessly. Powerful experts were as numerous as clouds, and the great factions were deeply entrenched.
This was where the Dou Qi Continent's true prosperity and might were on full display.
Sky Medicine City was one of the Pill Tower's most important centers for trading pills and medicinal ingredients. Its scale and grandeur far surpassed those of any city in the Gama Empire.
The pleasant scent of pills hung over the city all year round. Its streets teemed with people, and powerful cultivators were everywhere, along with figures in alchemists' robes who wore haughty expressions.
At the city's center stood a towering structure, like a mountain piercing the clouds. This was the Pill Tower's branch here, and the heart of Sky Medicine City.
Lin Hai appeared soundlessly on Sky Medicine City's busiest thoroughfare. None of the thronging people around him noticed his sudden arrival.
He still looked utterly unremarkable, his aura reined in to the utmost.
Without pausing, he headed straight for the grandest building, whose entrance bore the Pill Tower's distinctive insignia: the Myriad Medicine Pavilion.
It was the largest, most reputable, and wealthiest pharmacy under the Pill Tower. Rumor had it that even a Pill Tower Giant stood behind it, giving it the means to handle any staggering transaction.
The interior of the Myriad Medicine Pavilion was far more spacious than it appeared from outside, its dimensions expanded with spatial power.
Crystal display cases showcased a dazzling array of medicinal ingredients, pills, and Magic Cores. Their treasures glittered brilliantly, and the energy fluctuations they gave off were alarming.
The patrons coming and going were all wealthy or influential. At the very least, they were experts at the Spirit King level, and occasionally one could even spot someone at the Spirit Sect Realm or Spirit Venerable level.
A neatly dressed maid with a keen eye immediately came forward. Though she couldn't sense any energy fluctuations from Lin Hai, his calm bearing made her wary of slighting him. "My lord, how may I help you?"
Lin Hai didn't even glance at the display cases. He said flatly, "Bring out the person in charge. I have a major deal to discuss."
The maid paused in surprise, but Lin Hai didn't seem to be joking. She promptly bowed and said, "Please wait a moment, sir. I'll fetch the steward right away."
Soon, a lean, sharp-featured old man in a sixth-tier alchemist's robe strode out. His keen eyes swept over Lin Hai, and his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. He couldn't sense any spiritual energy fluctuations either.
"I am Mo Li, steward of the Myriad Medicine Pavilion. What business would you like to discuss, sir?" The old man was reasonably courteous, but his gaze held a hint of scrutiny. Every day, plenty of people came to the Myriad Medicine Pavilion on a whim, putting on airs and playing at mystery.
Lin Hai didn't waste words. He simply brushed a finger over his Storage Ring.
Whoosh!
In an instant, the light throughout the Myriad Medicine Pavilion's ground-floor hall seemed to dim!
A terrifying storm of fire energy burst forth, accompanied by pressure that made the soul tremble!
A dense heap of brilliant crimson Fire Beads piled onto the floor like molten rock erupting from a volcano, instantly forming a small mountain!
Most eye-catching among them were eight dark-golden Fire Beads, each radiating terrifying energy like a miniature sun—the Fire Beads of Spirit Venerable-level beings! There were also two crimson crystals, slightly smaller but containing an astonishingly pure energy that carried a faint hint of saintly might, condensed Half-Saint energy. Next came more than seventy Fire Beads from Spirit Sect-level beings, blazing with light! After those were more than two hundred from Spirit Emperor-level beings, followed by countless more of other levels, enough to nearly blanket the floor!
Pure, surging, terrifying fire energy interwove, rapidly heating the entire hall until the air itself twisted!
Every treasure in the display cases paled beside this mountain of Fire Beads!
"Gasp!"
Gasps rang out one after another!
Every patron, maid, and guard in the hall froze in place, staring at the pile of Fire Beads with wide eyes, their faces filled with unparalleled shock and dread!
The pressure radiating from the eight Spirit Venerable-level Fire Beads and the two Half-Saint crystals was so intense that even some Spirit Emperor-level patrons struggled to breathe and felt their legs go weak!
All composure and scrutiny vanished from Mo Li's face, replaced by utter shock and dread! As a sixth-tier alchemist, his spiritual perception was exceptionally strong, allowing him to sense just how terrifying—and valuable—these Fire Beads were. The energy within the two crimson crystals in particular made his very soul tremble!
"Th-this... sir! You... you..." Mo Li stammered, his eyes bulging as he stared at the pile, especially the eight dark-golden Fire Beads and the two crimson crystals. His voice shook. "Spirit Venerable-level Fire Lizardman Fire Beads?! And these... could these be... Half-Saint energy cores?! How is this possible?!"
Hunting a single Spirit Venerable-level Fire Lizardman required several experts of the same level working together, as well as venturing deep into the extremely dangerous Underground Magma World!
As for Half-Saints... they were almost the stuff of legend! To bring out eight Spirit Venerable Fire Beads and two cores that seemed to be Half-Saint-level all at once—had he raided the Fire Lizardmen's lair? Just who was this seemingly ordinary young man before them?!
"Count them and exchange them all for Eighth-Tier Magic Cores," Lin Hai said, his voice still as calm as ever, breaking the silence as if he were asking to buy a few radishes. "Any attribute will do, but the energy must be..."
Mo Li abruptly came back to his senses. His face instantly filled with an unprecedented mixture of reverence and fawning, and he bowed so low his waist nearly bent double. "My lord! Please, come right this way! To the private rooms upstairs! This isn't the place to talk! Quickly!"
As he bowed and ushered Lin Hai along, he shouted at the stunned maid beside him, "What are you waiting for? Go fetch the Grand Elder! Now! Immediately! Give him the highest-level reception!"
Soon, Lin Hai was ushered into a lavish private room on the Myriad Medicine Pavilion's top floor, fitted with barriers that blocked spiritual probing.
The true person in charge of the Myriad Medicine Pavilion here—a white-haired old man at the peak of the eight-star Spirit Venerable level and also a seventh-tier alchemist at the peak of his craft—personally attended him, his manner exceedingly respectful.
Dozens of senior appraisers were summoned in haste to carefully count and assess the mountain of Fire Beads.
Throughout the process, the well-traveled appraisers' hands trembled. When they touched the Spirit Venerable-level Fire Beads and Half-Saint crystals, cold sweat poured down their faces.
The appraisal took nearly an hour.
At last, the white-haired Grand Elder brought the results to Lin Hai in person, speaking with utmost respect. "My lord, the Fire Beads you brought are beyond price. The eight Spirit Venerable-level Fire Beads and the two... Saint Crystals are especially rare. After a unanimous assessment by every elder in the Myriad Medicine Pavilion, and with approval from the Pill Tower Headquarters, we're willing to exchange twenty Eighth-Tier Magic Cores, each with a different attribute and abundant energy, for all your Fire Beads! What do you think?"
The offer already exceeded the Fire Beads' theoretical value. But considering the rarity and research value of the two Half-Saint crystals, as well as Lin Hai's unfathomable strength, the Myriad Medicine Pavilion—and the Pill Tower—would rather take a small loss to win the favor of this mysterious expert.
Lin Hai was satisfied with the figure. He gave a slight nod. "That will do."
The Grand Elder let out a long breath of relief, his face brightening. He personally brought over an exquisite jade tray that radiated spatial fluctuations. Arranged neatly atop it were twenty egg-sized Magic Cores, each with a different shape, all radiating energy powerful enough to destroy the heavens and shatter the earth!
The icy-blue ice-type Magic Core radiated a chill of absolute zero; the scarlet fire-type one seemed to contain a volcano; the golden lightning-type one crackled; the emerald wood-type one brimmed with vitality; the ocher earth-type one was as heavy as a mountain... The energy field generated by the twenty Eighth-Tier Magic Cores made the space in the private room tremble faintly!
This was the foundation of a top faction in the Central Plains! The entire Northwest Continent couldn't gather twenty Eighth-Tier Magic Cores even if it spent ten thousand years trying!
Lin Hai swept his spiritual sense over them, confirming their energy and excellent quality, then waved a hand and stored the entire jade tray in his Storage Ring.
"The deal is done." He stood, showing no desire to linger, and turned to leave.
"Please wait, my lord! May I know your esteemed name? The Myriad Medicine Pavilion would..." The Grand Elder hurried to his feet, hoping to keep him there and make an acquaintance.
But Lin Hai's figure had already dissolved like a wisp of smoke, leaving no trace behind, as if he had never appeared.
All that remained were the Myriad Medicine Pavilion's senior staff, staring at the empty private room and the priceless pile of Fire Beads on the floor. They exchanged looks, their faces filled with shock, reverence, and a trace of lingering fear.
"Seal the news at once! Make today's events the highest-level secret!" The Grand Elder drew a deep breath, steadying the storm raging in his heart, and issued a grave command.
He understood that anyone powerful enough to produce resources of this caliber so casually had an unfathomably terrifying background.
Lin Hai had already left Sky Medicine City, with twenty Eighth-Tier Magic Cores in his Storage Ring—enough to drive any Spirit Venerable mad.
The next step was to have Yao Chen use these Magic Cores to refine Eighth-Tier Pills, then exchange them for a large quantity of Beast Fire.
Before you continue