Lin Qianshu

For example, Qi-Accumulating Grass, the spiritual herb used to refine Qi-Absorbing Pills, cost fifteen Spirit Stones per portion at Yuyang Market, while here it cost only thirteen.

At these prices, as long as a single batch produced three pills, he could earn two Spirit Stones.

Seizing the opportunity, Chen Nianzhi decisively bought five portions of Qi-Absorbing Grass, intending to further improve his alchemy.

After putting away the spiritual herbs and browsing the market for a while longer, he found that demon beast meat was the best bargain here.

Compared with Yu Commandery, demon beast meat here was more than forty percent cheaper. The Chen Clan's Azure Spirit Fish could sell for five Spirit Stones in Yuyang Market, yet equivalent demon beast meat here sold for only three Spirit Stones apiece.

"Heavenly Ruins Mountain borders the Vast Expanse Marshes. Demon beasts are far too common here, so it is no wonder their prices are so cheap."

"Yu Commandery, on the other hand, lies within Chu Kingdom. Over the past thousands of years, demon beasts have long been cleared out seven or eight parts in ten, making them much scarcer instead."

The flesh of demon beasts and spirit birds was rich in spiritual qi. Consuming it could not only slightly increase one's cultivation, but also strengthen sinews and bones and replenish a cultivator's vital blood. It was a rare and precious ingredient.

Seeing how cheap the demon beast meat was, Chen Nianzhi simply bought several pounds as well, planning to roast it later and taste something fresh.

Although Spirit Isle Lake had two spiritual delicacies, the Purple-Patterned Goose and Azure Spirit Fish, he had always been reluctant to eat them. As a result, he had not tasted the delicacy of demon beast meat for many years.

He put away the demon beast meat and casually headed toward the next stall, only for his gaze to freeze slightly.

"This item..."

"Little brother, have you taken a liking to some treasure?"

The stall owner was a tall, thin middle-aged cultivator who looked forty or fifty years old, with a beard about an inch long.

The moment he saw business approaching, he immediately rose and looked at Chen Nianzhi with a genial smile.

Chen Nianzhi remained impassive as his gaze swept over the stall. There were not many items: a Tier 1 Mid-grade flying sword, a Tier 1 Mid-grade defensive artifact in the form of a small bell, and a tattered map.

"This map is so badly damaged. What use is it?"

Upon hearing this, the man hurriedly stroked his long beard, a trace of greed flashing in his eyes as he secretly transmitted his voice.

"Fellow Daoist, then you do not know."

"Although my map is incomplete, its origins are anything but ordinary. Legend says it records the location of a Purple Mansion senior's Cultivation Abode."

"It is said that this map was split into two back then. Once the other fragment is found and the two are joined together, one can locate the Cultivation Abode left behind by that senior."

"Such a precious opportunity can be yours for just five hundred Spirit Stones."

"Enough. It is only a fragment of a map." Chen Nianzhi suddenly interrupted him. "Five Spirit Stones. Are you selling it or not?"

The man's words came to an abrupt halt. Embarrassed and enraged, he said, "This item concerns a senior's Cultivation Abode and is of immeasurable value. How can you cheapen it so?"

As he spoke, he saw Chen Nianzhi turn to leave and hurriedly stuffed the fragmentary map into his hands.

"Sold, sold, sold. As you said, five Spirit Stones."

After money and goods changed hands, Chen Nianzhi turned and left. Not long afterward, he circled back and glanced from afar, only to discover that an identical fragmentary map had appeared on the man's stall once more.

After giving the man a deep look, Chen Nianzhi returned to the inn. He took out two fragmentary maps and pieced them together, ultimately forming a complete map.

The other fragmentary map was surprisingly the one he had obtained from the Demonic Cultivator's Storage Bag back then.

Studying the map carefully, his eyes narrowed slightly. The Cultivation Abode marked on it was actually located south of Heavenly Ruins Mountain, within the Ten-Thousand-Li Great Wilderness near the direction of Yu Commandery.

"Judging by this location, it is actually on the way."

"Looks like I can inspect it on the way back."

In the blink of an eye, another ten days passed. During those ten days, he made many inquiries and gained a thorough understanding of Heavenly Ruins Pavilion.

Through information gathered from many sources, he found that Heavenly Ruins Pavilion had an excellent reputation. It was said that Jiang Daoist had established strict rules forbidding anyone from setting their sights on customers, and forbidding the disclosure of any customer information.

Anyone who violated the rules would, at best, have their cultivation crippled and be expelled from Heavenly Ruins Mountain; at worst, Jiang Daoist would personally kill them.

This was no empty threat. It was said that more than a hundred years ago, one of Jiang Daoist's disciples had coveted a customer's precious treasure and secretly murdered him to seize it. After the victim went missing, his family came seeking answers.

In order to set the sect's conduct straight, Jiang Daoist personally used a Soul-Seizing Talisman to identify the culprit. He then decisively put righteousness before family, not only executing his own disciple, but even compensating the family threefold.

From that day onward, no negative news about Heavenly Ruins Pavilion had ever spread again. Over a hundred years, it had cultivated and accumulated an extremely high degree of trust.

"No wonder the Third Elder said before I left that Patriarch Jiang was fair-minded and would certainly sell the Meridian-Nourishing Pill to us."

"Just this signboard and reputation accumulated over several centuries are likely worth more than a hundred Meridian-Nourishing Pills."

Chen Nianzhi came to understand Heavenly Ruins Mountain's situation better and better, and he gained several measures of confidence. He decided to stop wasting time and purchase the Meridian-Nourishing Pill as soon as possible to take back for the clan leader's treatment.

Early that morning, he arrived at Heavenly Ruins Pavilion. A young girl at the front desk, a Qi Refinement Stage cultivator, saw him and hurriedly received him with a smile.

"Fellow Daoist, what would you like to buy at Heavenly Ruins Pavilion?"

Chen Nianzhi looked around. Only after confirming that no one was nearby did he transmit his voice. "I wish to buy a Tier 2 medicinal pill."

The girl's eyes trembled. She quickly recovered, led Chen Nianzhi into a private room, poured him a cup of tea, and said,

"I cannot make decisions regarding the sale of Tier 2 medicinal pills."

"Please wait a moment, honored guest. I will invite the shopkeeper over."

"Alright." Chen Nianzhi nodded slightly.

Only a moment later, a beautiful woman dressed in a pale violet gown walked over.

She studied Chen Nianzhi, her eyes narrowing slightly before she smiled faintly. "For a young friend to possess such cultivation at such a young age is truly remarkable."

"You flatter me, Senior."

Chen Nianzhi rose to his feet and said somewhat nervously.

He vaguely sensed that though this woman appeared gentle and beautiful, her aura was unfathomably deep, even much stronger than the Old Clan Leader's. This meant that the person before him was at least a Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivator.

Seemingly noticing his nervousness, the woman smiled lightly and sat down beside him.

"My name is Lin Qianshu. I serve as the shopkeeper of Heavenly Ruins Pavilion."

"Young friend, you are a guest. There is naturally no need to be so restrained."

Hearing her say this, Chen Nianzhi inexplicably felt the pressure in his heart ease, and he let out a slight breath of relief.

At that moment, Lin Qianshu smiled lightly and finally came to the matter at hand.

"I heard that young friend wishes to purchase a Tier 2 medicinal pill. May I ask which kind?"

As she spoke, she glanced around the private room again and added, "Rest assured, young friend. Restrictions here isolate divine sense. Cultivators below the Purple Mansion realm cannot possibly eavesdrop."

Chen Nianzhi nodded. After pondering for a moment, he finally spoke directly. "This junior has come to purchase a Meridian-Nourishing Pill."