Distress Signal

Su Yun nodded slowly upon hearing this.

"The price is fair; you are very sincere."

No one knew that Su Yun was already overjoyed inside.

A massive profit!

The raw material cost for two thousand talismans amounted to less than two hundred medium-grade spirit stones.

This single transaction had earned him four thousand seven hundred medium-grade spirit stones.

A return of over twenty times!

While alchemy was highly profitable, it required the consumption of rare spirit herbs.

Talisman making, however, was almost zero-cost!

With cheap materials, short production times, and the Thousandfold Amplification, he was selling them at an astronomical price.

This speed of making money was faster than printing it.

Su Yun suppressed the agitation in his heart and spoke with feigned composure.

"Since the price is settled, I have a requirement for the payment method."

"Try to convert as much as possible into medium-grade spirit stones for me."

Zhang Jian was slightly taken aback by these words, then revealed a troubled expression and hurriedly explained.

"Master, to be honest."

"My Hundred Treasures Pavilion usually deals with low-end and mid-end cultivators, so the most circulating currency is low-grade spirit stones."

"Our stock of medium-grade spirit stones is already scarce, and the pavilion's reserves are limited."

"Even if I empty the vault, I can only scrape together one thousand medium-grade spirit stones at most."

"The remainder will have to be settled in full with low-grade spirit stones; I will not short you a single bit, Master."

Su Yun nodded in understanding, not making things difficult for him.

He was clear on the rules of spirit stone circulation in the cultivation world.

The cultivation world had distinct hierarchies, with spirit stone grades corresponding to different circles of practice.

Low-grade spirit stones were the common currency for bottom-tier cultivators.

Setting up stalls, trading materials, paying sect dues, and daily expenses all relied on low-grade spirit stones; they had the highest circulation and were seen everywhere.

Medium-grade spirit stones were of a higher tier, mostly used by cultivators for seclusion, purchasing high-level materials, and practicing techniques; they were rarely seen in the open market.

As for high-grade and top-grade spirit stones, they almost never appeared in the circulating market.

Logically, one high-grade spirit stone could be fixed-exchanged for ten thousand low-grade spirit stones.

But in the entire cultivation world, almost no one would make such an exchange.

The higher the grade of the spirit stone, the greater the difference in spiritual energy purity, condensation, and gentleness.

Low-grade spirit stones had impure spiritual energy, and absorbing them during cultivation would leave behind trace impurities.

Medium-grade spirit stones had very few impurities, doubling cultivation efficiency.

High-grade and top-grade spirit stones had pure, flawless spiritual energy, which had miraculous effects for high-level cultivators breaking through realms, stabilizing foundations, and tempering their souls.

All high-grade spirit stones were monopolized and controlled by large sects, top-tier powers, and influential families.

They were used to store heritage, support high-level members, and maintain the operation of the sects.

Ordinary rogue cultivators might not even see a single high-grade spirit stone in their entire lives.

The Hundred Treasures Pavilion was merely a merchant firm in the Azure Cloud Market; being able to produce one thousand medium-grade spirit stones at once was already the limit of their capacity.

"That is acceptable."

Su Yun replied.

"I will go to the vault to take inventory right away!"

Zhang Jian did not dare to delay, turning around to personally rush to the vault to allocate the spirit stones.

Before long.

Zhang Jian personally handed the storage bag to Su Yun and bowed, saying, "Master, the full amount is here. Please verify and count it."

Su Yun took the storage bag and swept his divine sense across it.

The quantity, grade, and authenticity were confirmed to be correct in an instant.

"Boss Zhang is efficient and transparent in his dealings. The stature of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion far exceeds other merchant firms in the market."

"I am very satisfied with this transaction."

"If I have more improved talismans to release in the future, I will continue to prioritize cooperation with your Hundred Treasures Pavilion."

As these words fell, Zhang Jian trembled all over, his eyes shining with excitement.

Long-term cooperation!

This meant he had latched onto a bottomless gold mine!

He bowed slightly, trembling with excitement.

"Many thanks for your trust, Master! Many thanks for your guidance!"

"From now on, whenever you have any goods to sell, my Hundred Treasures Pavilion will always offer the highest price to buy them out. We will never be negligent!"

He personally led the way, seeing Su Yun out of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion's main entrance with the utmost respect.

Only when Su Yun's figure vanished into the depths of the market's crowd did Zhang Jian withdraw his gaze.

His personal attendant stepped forward quickly, lowering his voice to ask for instructions.

"Boss, that old man's identity is mysterious, and his spending is astronomical."

"Should I take a few men to follow him quietly and investigate?"

Zhang Jian raised his hand to stop him immediately, his eyes stern.

"No."

"Do not be clever for your own sake."

"This person is definitely not an ordinary Qi Refining stage cultivator; he must be an expert hiding his true cultivation level."

"Our meager tricks have nowhere to hide in his eyes."

"To spy rashly is not seeking an opportunity, but courting death."

"Today's transaction is enough for our Hundred Treasures Pavilion to profit steadily for months and firmly establish our position as the leader of the Azure Cloud Market."

"Even without follow-up cooperation, we have made a killing."

"Most importantly, we must not offend a big shot of this caliber."

The attendant realized it in an instant and hurriedly lowered his head: "Yes! This subordinate will keep your teachings in mind!"

Zhang Jian composed himself, his eyes turning sharp as he gave a deep-voiced order.

"Pass the order down immediately!"

"Promote this batch of improved talismans extensively!"

"First-tier quality, second-tier power, with some reaching mid-second-tier!"

"The cost-effectiveness crushes every other talisman in the entire market!"

"Set the price to build hype, sell in batches, release small quantities, and gradually increase the premium!"

"From today on, we monopolize the low-tier talisman market in the Azure Cloud Market!"

"Crush all competitors completely!"

His subordinates responded in unison, full of momentum.

The streets of the Azure Cloud Market.

The crowd surged, and the noise remained as usual.

Su Yun, dressed in an old man's Daoist robe, walked leisurely, strolling along at a slow pace.

He appeared to be relaxing, but in reality, his divine sense had already quietly spread out.

Threads of spiritual consciousness shrouded the entire block behind him.

He was in no hurry to leave.

He had to confirm one thing.

Whether Zhang Jian had let greed get the better of him and secretly sent someone to tail him.

A net worth of 470,000 low-grade spirit stones.

This amount of wealth was too terrifying.

Not to mention Foundation Establishment cultivators, even an ordinary Golden Core True Person would turn green with envy upon seeing it.

There were rules within the market, so no one dared to act recklessly.

But once outside the market, in the desolate mountains and wild ridges, killing and looting were the norm in the cultivation world.

Su Yun had to be on guard.

He deliberately took two detours, stopping and starting, while his divine sense repeatedly scanned and screened the area.

After confirming no one was following, Su Yun nodded silently to himself.

Zhang Jian was a man with a clear head who understood boundaries.

That was rare.

Su Yun stopped lingering and prepared to return to the Azure Cloud Sect for closed-door cultivation.

Wealth is, after all, merely an external possession.

One's own strength is the true foundation for survival.

Once he returned this time, he would go straight into secluded cultivation.

He would focus entirely on breaking through his realm.

Only by reaching Foundation Establishment as soon as possible could he truly be considered to have stepped onto the proper path of cultivation.

With this thought in mind, Su Yun turned his steps and walked straight out of the market's formation perimeter.

Stepping out of the market.

He tapped his foot with spiritual power.

The Flowing Light Gold-Vein Sword shot out into the air.

He stepped lightly onto the blade, soared upward, and sped off in the direction of the Azure Cloud Sect.

The wind whistled, and the drifting clouds receded.

He had barely flown a few miles.

Above the dense forest in the deep mountains to his front left.

A blinding red flare suddenly shot into the sky.

The firelight burst in mid-air, transforming into a striking flame flower that lingered without dissipating.

An Azure Cloud Sect distress signal!

Su Yun's eyes narrowed instantly.

This was the sect's exclusive emergency signal.

It could only be released when a disciple encountered a lethal crisis and was trapped in a desperate situation.

Someone was being attacked within the Azure Cloud Sect's territory!

Without the slightest hesitation.

Su Yun twisted his wrist, and the sword light abruptly changed direction.

The golden light tore through the sky, streaking rapidly toward the forest where the signal had risen.

He was not a person who liked to meddle in other people's business.

In the world of cultivation, the strong preyed on the weak, and killing and looting were commonplace.

But this was different.

The ones under attack were his fellow disciples from the Azure Cloud Sect.

He lived in the sect, consumed the sect's resources, and enjoyed the sect's protection.

Seeing his fellow disciples being besieged within their own territory, he could not turn a blind eye.

If he could win, he would step in to save them.

If he couldn't, he would never force it; he would turn and leave.