All Things Have Their Price
Led by Xiao Ling, the three entered a secluded alley, winding their way through the winding lanes until they finally arrived at an unnamed shop.
Although the shop was small, it was filled with a wide variety of goods, including elixirs, spiritual herbs, and Law Artifact. However, most of them were low-level items.
What's puzzling is that the owner of this very general store is a Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivator.
"Fellow Daoist, what would you like to buy?"
The shopkeeper was a burly man with a thick beard. When he saw Song Wen and his two companions enter, he didn't get up but casually asked a question.
"I heard you have Azure Netherflower here?" Song Wen asked.
Upon hearing this, the bearded man immediately became interested. He lowered his voice and said...
"This is not the place to talk. Fellow Daoist, why don't you come with me to the backyard to discuss this in detail?"
There's nothing wrong with Song Wen's writing.
"When in Rome, do as the host does."
The bearded man stood up, raised his hand, and gestured towards the back of the shop, where there was a narrow wooden door.
"Fellow Daoist, please."
After passing through the wooden door, the four of them arrived at the backyard of the shop.
"Fellow Daoist, to be honest, I do possess the Azure Netherflower. However, this item is forbidden from leaving the Two Forms Sect. Therefore, the price is slightly high..."
What is the price?
"Thirty thousand Spirit Stone per plant."
Upon hearing this, Song Wen couldn't help but turn his head, his gaze coldly fixed on the bearded man.
This price isn't just a little high, it's astronomical.
Ultimately, the Azure Netherflower is merely a supplementary medicine with limited uses, yet it dares to command a price of 30,000 Spirit Stone.
"Fellow Daoist, you're asking for an exorbitant price."
The bearded man shook his head and said, "Fellow Daoist, you may not know this, but the Two Forms Sect has extremely strict control over the Azure Netherflower. To obtain it, I have to pay a great price and face considerable risks. Moreover, the Azure Netherflower in my shop are all over five hundred years old, so the price is naturally higher."
"One thousand Spirit Stone per plant," Song Wen tried to negotiate the price.
The bearded man smiled slightly, "Fellow Daoist is joking. A thousand Spirit Stone cannot buy Azure Netherflower."
"Ten thousand Spirit Stone?"
The bearded man shook his head again. "No bargaining."
Song Wen stared at the other party for a moment, and seeing that he had no intention of backing down, he had no choice but to compromise.
"Then I'll take three plants at the price you set, fellow Daoist."
The bearded man grinned broadly, and with a slight movement of his fingers, three jade boxes appeared in his palm.
"Fellow Daoist, please check the quality of the spirit medicine first."
Song Wen took the three jade boxes, examined them one by one, and then put them away.
At the same time, 90,000 Spirit Stone suddenly appeared, floating in mid-air, forming a dense and vast expanse.
The bearded man's gaze turned even more intense as he looked at the densely packed Spirit Stone.
After confirming that there was no problem with the number of Spirit Stone, he put Spirit Stone into his storage ring.
"Fellow Daoist, is there anything else you need? I can obtain more than just the Azure spirit medicine Azure Netherflower from the Two Forms Sect." The bearded man looked at Song Wen expectantly.
Song Wen said, "Thank you for your kindness, fellow Daoist, but I have no need for it at the moment."
After saying that, Song Wen turned and walked out of the shop.
The bearded man courteously saw Song Wen and his companions off at the shop door.
The three of them walked out of the alley and onto the main street.
"Seniors, where are we going next?" Xiao Ling asked.
However, Song Wen did not answer her. Instead, he looked up at the sky, where several people were standing in mid-air.
Shan Yue also noticed Song Wen's actions, turned her head to look at the air, and her expression under the veil instantly turned to horror.
The people high in the air split into two groups.
One of the teams consisted of only one person, a female cultivator.
The reason why Shan Yue reacted so strongly was because the female cultivator was Xing Yixuan.
The other group consisted of five people, led by a middle-aged man with a refined and scholarly demeanor.
Strangely, the refined-looking man was only at the Middle Golden Core Stage, but behind him stood two Late Golden Core Stage cultivators and two Foundation Establishment Peak Stage cultivators.
"Sect Leader Lü, there's no need to see me off. I hope you can reply to the matter of the Ten-Thousand-Mile Breath-Tracking Technique as soon as possible," Xing Yixuan said.
The refined-looking man said, "The Ten-Thousand-Mile Breath-Tracking Technique is a closely guarded secret of the Two Forms Sect. The Xing Family wishes to exchange for this technique, but this sect master has no authority to decide; it must be decided by my master. Fellow Daoist Xing, rest assured, this sect master will report this matter to my master as soon as he emerges from seclusion."
Xing Yixuan said, "Thank you, Sect Leader Lü. At that time, we hope that Sect Leader Lü can put in a good word for our Xing Family in front of Senior Xuanchengzi. The Xing Family will definitely remember your kindness."
Xuanchengzi is the strongest cultivator in the Two Forms Sect and the only Nascent Soul Peak cultivator in the entire Sea of Disorder, at least on the surface.
"Definitely, definitely," the refined-looking man replied.
Xing Yixuan cupped her hands in farewell, "Sect Leader Lü, farewell."
"Fellow Daoist Xing, please take care."
Behind the refined-looking man stood a middle-aged female cultivator at the Late Golden Core Stage.
Xing Yixuan glanced at the female cultivator, seemingly casually, then turned and flew towards the distant horizon.
"Sect Master, what does the Xing Family need the 'Ten-Thousand-Mile Breath-Tracking Technique' for?"
After Xing Yixuan flew far away, the middle-aged female cultivator asked.
The Ten-Thousand-Mile Breath-Tracking Technique is a tracking Law Technique that can track a cultivator even if they are thousands of miles away, using only a wisp of their remaining aura.
The refined-looking man shook his head. "I couldn't guess either, but what the Xing Family seeks must be extraordinary."
"Will Ancestor Xuanchengzi agree to this deal?" the female cultivator continued to ask.
The refined-looking man said, "There's nothing in this world that can't be sold; there's only a price that hasn't been paid enough. But, trying to persuade Master won't be so easy."
The conversation between the Two Forms Sect and Xing Yixuan was shrouded in a soundproof barrier, so outsiders could not hear their conversation.
Song Wen, who was in the Four Symbols City below, naturally had no idea what the others were saying.
Upon seeing Xing Yixuan again, Song Wen was quite curious.
She first went to Limitless Island, and now she's come to the Two Forms Sect. What is her purpose?
"Do you know any of the people in the heavens?" Song Wen asked Xiao Ling beside him.
Xiao Ling replied, "I only know the leader; he is Lü Heng, the Two Forms Sect."
Song Wen nodded slightly.
"Senior, where are we going next?" Xiao Ling asked.
Song Wen tossed out five Spirit Stones, "You don't need to follow us anymore, you can leave on your own."
Xiao Ling hurriedly caught the flying Spirit Stone.
"Thank you, senior."
After saying that, she ran away without looking back and quickly disappeared into the crowd.
Song Wen stared in the direction she disappeared, without saying a word.
Shan Yue noticed Song Wen's reaction and asked.
"Didn't she help you buy the Azure Netherflower? Why do you seem to have a lot of prejudice against her?"
A cold smile gradually appeared on Song Wen's lips.
"You've been sold out, and you're even helping them count the money!"
"What do you mean by that?" Shan Yue asked, looking puzzled.
"We've fallen into their trap. Three Azure Netherflower, 90,000 Spirit Stone? 3,000 Spirit Stone would be more like it."
Shan Yue exclaimed in astonishment, "You mean, Xiao Ling and that bearded man are accomplices? She deliberately led us to that shop to buy the overpriced Azure Netherflower? But, in the entire Four Symbols City, apart from that shop, there really is nowhere else to buy Azure Netherflower."
"How do you know that Deacon Wang from the Spirit Cultivation Hall is telling the truth?" Song Wen countered.
"That's impossible! The Spirit Cultivation Hall is run by the Two Forms Sect; how could it collude with third-rate Rogue Cultivator?"
"The world is bustling, all for profit; the world is bustling, all for gain. As long as there is enough profit, nothing is impossible in this world."
This is the one I chose; please give me your feedback.
1. The Ethereal World of Immortals and Demons
2. The Tale of Cultivating Immortality Through Extreme Yin (This was suggested by a reader in the comments.)
3. Forging Immortal Bones from a Mountain of Corpses (I'm not entirely satisfied with this one.)