Black Market Trading Gathering

That day.

Early morning.

As usual, Song Wen entered Flowing Radiance Pill Shop and bought some pills.

Ning Feng said after the transaction was completed.

"Alchemist, our sect is currently recruiting Alchemists. Would you be interested in giving it a try?"

Ning Feng is a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect, and the 'sect' he refers to is naturally the Beast Taming Sect.

Upon hearing this, Song Wen looked somewhat puzzled.

"The prestigious Beast Taming Sect would recruit Alchemists from Rogue Cultivators?"

Large sects like the Beast Taming Sect usually train their own Alchemists. Only true Alchemy geniuses might join the Beast Taming Sect halfway through their training.

Alchemists possess a large number of unique pill formulas from their respective Pill Formula. If they are not trained by the sect from a young age, it is easy for them to leak these Pill Formulas, causing huge losses to the sect.

"Of course, not just anyone can join the Beast Taming Sect. They have to take an exam first, and the minimum requirement is to be First-Tier Superior-Grade Alchemist. Alchemist just meets the requirements, so why not give it a try?"

Song Wen paused for a moment, then spoke.

"Thank you for informing me, Fellow Daoist Ning. I will consider it carefully."

After saying that, Song Wen turned and walked out.

"After Alchemist returns, he will surely think it over carefully. Joining the Beast Taming Sect will still have many benefits."

"If you are interested in joining the Beast Taming Sect, remember to come to the pill shop to find me within three days. I will recommend you to participate in the sect's assessment."

"Of course, if you successfully join the sect, I will also receive a reward from the sect."

Ning Feng's voice came from behind.

That night.

A full moon, like a jade plate, hangs high in the Ye Kong.

A dense forest not far from the entrance to the Mountain Ravine Ghost Market.

The dense forest was shrouded in mist, and with the darkness of the sky, it was pitch black. Yet, there were more than thirty Foundation Establishment cultivators gathered there.

This is a small, private trade fair organized by a group of the Foundation Establishment Realm Rogue Cultivators.

Many of the items traded here are shady dealings.

For example, plundering small cultivation factions to obtain Cultivation Method, spirit medicines, and Law Artifacts; and obtaining Ghost Dao or corpse-path spiritual materials needed for demonic cultivation, etc.

The existence of this small trade fair was something Song Wen learned from Jing Lu's memories during his soul-searching process; it was held on the night of the full moon every month.

Song Wen has attended this trade fair several times, and each time he buys some spiritual materials from the Ghost Dao and Corpse Path to nurture the Black-Armored Ghost King and the Silver Corpse.

At this moment, Song Wen was wearing a ghost face mask and sitting on the ground.

Before him lay a black cloth, upon which rested a low-grade Spirit Artifact flying sword; a jade box containing a Heavenly Spirit Fruit; and a Jade Slip containing a secret technique for refining corpses.

On the black cloth was a wooden board with the words: Acquisition of Yellow Essence Fungus, Information on the Golden Core Cultivation Method Technique of <Longevity Art>, Latest Information on the Corpse Demon Sect.

Most of the other cultivators participating in the trade fair were similar to Song Wen, bringing out some treasures and waiting for other cultivators to choose from them, while also writing down what they needed on wooden boards.

While waiting for customers, people would also use their Divine Senses to explore other people's stalls and search for what they needed.

Suddenly, a voice transmission sounded in Song Wen's mind.

"Fellow Daoist, how much are your Heavenly Spirit Fruits?"

Song Wen used his Divine Sense to search and probe. The person who sent the message was a male cultivator wearing a bull's head mask, about thirty meters away from Song Wen.

"Not for sale, only for exchange," Song Wen replied.

"But I don't have what you need," the Minotaur cultivator replied.

Song Wen pondered for a moment, then transmitted his voice.

"If you have any Alchemy insights from a second-tier Alchemist, we can exchange them."

The lack of progress in developing the Bloodburst Pill was likely due to Song Wen's lack of experience in Alchemy. Most of his knowledge of Dao of Alchemy came from Rong Jingyun's jade Jade Slip.

During his participation in the Alchemist exchange meeting, he realized that if he wanted to go further in the art of Alchemy, he had to learn from others' strengths and absorb their experience and wisdom.

Working in isolation will only lead to stagnation and prevent one from breaking through their own limitations.

Soon, a series of footsteps sounded, and the bull-headed masked cultivator had arrived in front of Song Wen.

"Fellow Daoist, your single Heavenly Spirit Fruit is not worth the Alchemy insights of a second-tier Alchemist."

Song Wen became interested, stood up, and replied telepathically.

"Fellow Daoist, do you possess Alchemy insights from a second-tier Alchemist? One Heavenly Spirit Fruit isn't enough; I can add another. While the Jade Slips containing insights from a second-tier Alchemist are precious, you can repeatedly copy them, making it practically a risk-free business for you."

The minotaur cultivator pondered for a moment, then said, "Alright, I'll trade with you. But I need to see the Heavenly Spirit Fruit first."

"Of course. I also need to verify the authenticity of the Alchemy notes."

Song Wen flipped his hand, and a jade box appeared in his hand. He opened the jade box a crack and handed it to the minotaur cultivator.

The bull-headed cultivator scanned the jade box with his Divine Sense and nodded with great satisfaction.

He produced a Jade Slip in his hand and handed it to Song Wen.

"This is a replica of the Jade Slip, which contains some of my Alchemy insights."

Song Wen put away the jade box, took the Jade Slip, and probed it with his Divine Sense.

This Jade Slip does indeed contain the Alchemy insights of a second-tier Alchemist. However, this Alchemist should be a Rogue Cultivator, and an Evil Cultivator one at that. Compared to Rong Jingyun, his Alchemy techniques are far too crude.

However, the Alchemy insights in the Jade Slip are not entirely without merit.

Perhaps this Evil Cultivator Alchemist, having never received proper instruction from a qualified Alchemist, had many of his ideas that were wildly imaginative.

In particular, the Jade Slip records the modification process of a substance called the Blood-Melting Pill.

Blood-Melting Pills are a type of elixir frequently taken by body-refining cultivators.

Because body-refining cultivators consume the Essence Blood of Demon Beasts for a long time, some of the Demon Beast Essence Blood that cannot be refined will accumulate in their bodies, eventually leading to poor Qi and Blood.

Blood-Melting Pills can help cultivators who are practicing body refinement to dissolve the accumulated Essence Blood of Demon Beasts and expel it from their bodies.

For reasons unknown, this Evil Cultivator Alchemist had a bizarre idea.

The goal is to improve the Blood-Melting Pill and develop a new elixir to solve the problem of impure Essence Blood in the body caused by Evil Cultivators consuming large amounts of other people's Essence Blood and blood.

In order to improve the Blood-Melting Pill, this Evil Cultivator enslaved many body-refining cultivators, using them as medicine slaves.

They also slaughtered a large number of mortals, using them as food for the drug slaves.

Whether the Blood-Melting Pill was ultimately improved was not recorded on the Jade Slip in Song Wen's hand; the Jade Slip only recorded a general process.

After carefully examining the contents of the Jade Slip, Song Wen said.

"Fellow Daoist, the Jade Slip containing the insights is fine. I agree to this deal."

The bull-headed cultivator hurriedly took out a Jade Slip and handed it to Song Wen. This Jade Slip contained complete insights into Alchemy.

Song Wen also traded two Heavenly Spirit Fruits to the other party.

Song Wen took the Jade Slip, examined it briefly, and then put Jade Slip away.

He had just thoroughly examined the contents of the Jade Slip, and there were no problems with them.

The Evil Cultivator ultimately failed to develop the Blood-Melting Pill he desired.

However, his reform process is worth learning from by Song Wen.

Furthermore, the Jade Slip contains more than a dozen Pill Formulas used exclusively by Evil Dao cultivators, which are not found in Rong Jingyun's Jade Slip of insights, and are therefore quite valuable.