The Artifact-Refining Youth and the Ink Crow Grass

The young man's hawking did more than just pique Luo Mu's curiosity; every cultivator nearby who heard the call turned their heads. Some eyes held shock, others disbelief, while some, like Luo Mu, were simply curious.

It was undeniable that the boy's shout had been effective, as several cultivators were drawn in by his claim of having "just finished forging a mid-grade spirit tool."

Seeing the few cultivators approach, the boy, who had been shouting with such vigor, felt no excitement. Instead, a look of embarrassment crossed his face.

"Young fellow, I heard you say you can forge mid-grade dharma tools and charge no fees. Is that true?" A young cultivator stepped up to the stall and asked with a serious expression.

Luo Mu could not discern this young man's cultivation level, meaning he was at least at the third level of Qi Refining. The stall owner, however, was only at the first level—a grade lower than Luo Mu. Under the young man's scrutiny, the boy's embarrassment deepened.

Seeing this, the young man frowned, clearly displeased.

"This fellow Daoist, I truly can forge mid-grade dharma tools, but..." Seeing the man's annoyance and the suspicious stares of the other gathered cultivators, the boy hurriedly explained, desperate to avoid ruining his reputation and losing his business.

"But what?" the young man asked.

"It's just that the success rate is a bit low. I only have a ten-percent chance of success." As he said this, Luo Mu clearly saw a flush rise on the boy's face.

"Only a ten-percent chance?" Once these words were out, not only was the young man stunned, but Luo Mu and the other cultivators who had gathered at the stall were left speechless.

"A ten-percent chance? Forget it. My materials were hard-won; I nearly lost my life getting them. I wouldn't dare let you forge them." The young man sighed, shook his head in frustration, and turned to leave.

"Fellow Daoist, stay! Although my success rate for mid-grade tools is low, my success rate for low-grade dharma tools is quite high!" Seeing the man walk away without a backward glance, the desperate boy continued to plead, hoping to keep him there.

"Using my materials to forge a low-grade tool would be a waste. Hmph!" The young man did not turn back, letting out a cold snort that betrayed his rising anger.

With the man gone, disappointment washed over the boy's face. The other cultivators also dispersed, looking regretful. Like talisman-making and alchemy, forging fees were exorbitant; who wouldn't want a free service to save a few spirit stones?

However, once they learned the boy's success rate was terrifyingly low, who would be foolish enough to hand over their materials? If the forging failed, it wasn't just the spirit stones that were wasted, but the owner's hard-earned effort.

For a Rogue Cultivator without wealth, they dared not take such a risk.

The stall, which had just been surrounded, was now empty save for Luo Mu. Luo Mu did not leave, not because he wanted to have his Plum Blossom Snake materials forged, but because his gaze had locked onto the stall, his eyes fixed.

A bundle of black, glossy grass had caught his eye. This grass was Ink Crow Grass, a top-tier first-grade poisonous herb. A single stalk would have been enough to make Luo Mu ecstatic, but he hadn't expected to find an entire bundle—at least ten stalks by the looks of it!

What excited Luo Mu most was the price: one spirit stone per stalk. Other cultivators might not spend stones on something useless to them, but for Luo Mu, it was a different story.

"Is the fellow Daoist looking to forge something?" Just as Luo Mu was lost in shock, the boy's voice came from beside him.

The boy had seen Luo Mu approach only after he had shouted about mid-grade tools, so he assumed Luo Mu had come for forging services.

The boy was right; that had been Luo Mu's initial thought, but after hearing the success rate, he had abandoned the idea.

"No, I'm interested in this Ink Crow Grass." Luo Mu regained his composure and denied it. He had no intention of telling the truth and hurting the boy's pride. Seeing the boy was slightly older than himself, Luo Mu humbly referred to himself as a younger brother, not caring that his own cultivation was actually a level higher.

The main reason for this humility was the bundle of Ink Crow Grass!

"Ink Crow Grass?" The boy was clearly sharp and didn't quite believe him.

"That's right, Ink Crow Grass! I want all of these! Please count them up for me." Luo Mu smiled, the corners of his mouth curling upward.

The boy was startled. He hadn't expected such a large purchase for such a useless item. Though Ink Crow Grass was a top-tier first-grade herb, its status as a poison rather than a spirit herb made it nearly worthless. Few cultivators ever bought it, so the boy hadn't cherished it much, simply tying it into a bundle.

When he had set the price, even he felt one spirit stone per stalk was a bit steep, expecting no one to buy it. Sure enough, after all this time, no one had asked about it.

Just as he was about to change the price and dump the bundle like trash, Luo Mu had offered to buy it all.

The boy stood frozen until Luo Mu showed signs of impatience. Only then did he snap out of it, silently and nimbly counting the stalks, fearing Luo Mu might suddenly change his mind.

After a short while, the boy finished and reported: "Fellow Daoist, there are thirteen stalks in total. You should pay thirteen spirit stones, but since you are so generous and bought them all at once, I won't be stingy. I'll drop the odd amount; just pay me ten spirit stones!"

Handing the bundle to Luo Mu, the boy spoke with a hearty air. Luo Mu smiled, didn't decline, handed over the ten stones, and tucked the bundle into his storage bag. In truth, Luo Mu knew the poison was hard to sell; if he hadn't bought it, the boy would have lowered the price anyway, perhaps even below ten stones.

The boy, feeling he had gotten the better end of the deal, felt a bit guilty, which was why he had cut the price. It made him feel better and allowed him to do a favor for Luo Mu—why not?

However, who had truly taken advantage of whom was hard to say.

Seeing Luo Mu tuck the grass into his chest, where it vanished, the boy looked on in confusion, wondering why he kept his storage bag there.

But the confusion lasted only a moment, as Luo Mu's next words pulled him out of it.

"Does the stall owner have any more of this Ink Crow Grass?" After stowing the grass, Luo Mu suppressed his excitement and asked with a calm face.

"You want more? Wasn't that whole bundle enough?" The boy couldn't fathom why someone who had just bought a bundle would want more. What could he possibly need so much for?

However, as soon as the words left his mouth, he realized he had been rude. If someone had the money to buy his goods, he had no right to pry. He quickly bowed and apologized: "Forgive me, fellow Daoist. I was merely curious. Please, pay it no mind."

"It's fine. I do indeed need more. As for the purpose, I cannot say; I have my own difficulties." Luo Mu smiled lightly, brushing it off with a troubled expression.

Luo Mu wasn't foolish enough to reveal the truth. As for using poison to increase his strength, he intended to keep that secret forever. Since this boy was just a passing acquaintance, he certainly wouldn't say a word.

"I don't have any more, but I do know where there is some, and in quite a large quantity."

Hearing the first half, Luo Mu's expression remained unchanged, though he felt a flicker of disappointment. But the second half made his spirits soar once more.

"Before I tell you, could you answer one question for me?" The boy didn't reveal the location immediately, instead shifting the topic.

"Please, speak." Luo Mu was in a good mood and didn't refuse.

"I saw you approach my stall after hearing my shout. You must have forging materials on you, otherwise you wouldn't have come over." The boy smiled, looking as if he had it all figured out.

Luo Mu offered a wry smile.

Seeing this, the boy's eyes brightened, sensing an opportunity. Before Luo Mu could speak, he continued: "I am passionate about forging, but the early stages are incredibly expensive. As a Rogue Cultivator, I don't have the stones to buy materials to practice, and my strength is too low to hunt beasts for them. So, I came up with the idea of forging for others for free."

"However, my skills are limited. I can manage low-grade tools, but mid-grade ones are tricky. Even with free labor, few customers come because if I fail, their materials are ruined. No one wants to take that risk."

"So, if you have materials, I hope you will let me forge them for you. Regardless of success, I will tell you where the Ink Crow Grass is. If I happen to succeed, the tool is yours, and I won't charge a single spirit stone!" The boy poured out his situation, and Luo Mu could hear the desperation in his voice.

For a cultivator without spirit stones, life in the cultivation world was an uphill battle.

Luo Mu didn't immediately agree or refuse, falling into deep thought to weigh the pros and cons. The boy didn't interrupt, watching him with a look of eager anticipation.