Nannan sat on Jiang Ming's broad shoulders, her delicate brows curved, her eyes clear and brimming with spiritual energy as she curiously examined everything around her.
Jiang Ming first took Nannan to buy a pretty set of clothes. Flame City was home to many rogue cultivators, and rogue cultivators had children too. There was a complete range of children's clothing, every piece exquisite and lovely.
For low-level cultivators, they might possess spirit herbs over a hundred years old, but they had no Source. It seemed that the Source of this world was even more precious than the magical artifacts refined by some low-level cultivators.
Or perhaps whenever they obtained Source, they would hide away and refine it to improve their cultivation.
Other than the brick-sized piece of Pure Source awarded by the system after he killed several Divine Bridge cultivators, Jiang Ming had gained nothing else.
Jiang Ming welcomed the system's habit of handing out rewards as though it were indulging a rich tycoon.
But he would still do what he needed to do.
If he encountered someone courting death, he did not mind earning a few system rewards, but he would never take the initiative to hunt cultivators.
Even though he really was very poor!
Then he glanced at the cultivators setting up stalls nearby and the shops on both sides of the street.
Jiang Ming finally understood what he should do.
First, he would dispose of the pile of broken copper and scrap iron magical artifacts on him. Those things were of no use to him whatsoever.
As for his Life-Bound Sword, after devouring a basin-sized chunk of Purple Copper and a bowl-sized chunk of Light Stone, it stopped devouring any more.
It had already reached the very peak of Supreme Spirit Artifacts. What it devoured was the essence of swords, and for now, it was stuffed.
Gathered Worthies Tower!
A fine name. This was the place.
Jiang Ming brought Nannan into the shop. It was a three-story pavilion, and as soon as they entered, he saw many rogue cultivators like himself coming and going, all searching for their own targets.
Arriving at a counter, he said, "Amitabha Buddha. Sorry for the trouble. Do you accept magical artifacts here?"
The woman behind the counter was quite pretty, a Sea of Bitterness cultivator in her twenties. She immediately took out a communication jade talisman. After activating it, she spoke a few words. Soon, a woman dressed in a red gown approached, graceful and willowy, like a passionate, blooming rose.
A monk accompanied by a little girl as delicately lovely as carved jade was quite a strange combination.
If the monk Jiang Ming had transformed into, Sanzang, had not looked tall and burly despite being young, some might even have mistaken them for father and daughter and thought he was a lustful monk.
"Master, please follow me. This way, please."
The woman called out to him, then turned and led the way ahead, her slender waist swaying gracefully.
She knew of Jiang Ming. From the moment he entered the city, every one of his actions had been reported here.
Gathered Worthies Tower was one of Taixuan Sect's properties.
It was one of the largest shops in the city. No matter what good things rogue cultivators acquired, they could sell them here. Gathered Worthies Tower had an excellent reputation, fair prices, and never cheated young or old.
For valuable transactions, it even guaranteed that its guests would not be harmed within the city, granting them temporary Taixuan Sect identity jade tokens.
After arriving at a private tea room, where tea had already been prepared, the woman knelt down, her posture outlining mature peach-like curves as she elegantly poured tea for Jiang Ming and Nannan.
This kneeling etiquette had existed since the pre-Qin era. This world itself seemed like an ascension ground for ancient pre-Qin Qi Refiners. Jiang Ming had long noticed that many of its cultural traits resembled those of ancient Earth from his life before last.
Jiang Ming had no interest in making small talk. He glanced around the spacious room, which contained Formation Patterns. Behind them, clouds and mist swirled amid birdsong and fragrant flowers, making it look like a courtyard as large as a football field.
Then, with a raise of his hand, more than thirty weapons, each no larger than soybeans, appeared in his palm, contained within his Buddhland in the Palm.
A soft, golden Buddhland flowed across his palm. It was authentic Buddhist School mana and could not be faked. After all, the monk he had transformed into had been born at the level of a Buddhist prodigy, possessed two First Generation Dao Patterns, and had even attended an Immortal King of Purple Bamboo Grove preaching the Dao during the Immortal Ancient Era.
Jiang Ming remembered that in the original story, Shi Hao dreamed himself back to Immortal Antiquity and made several friends. It was probably around that point in time.
However, by then, the Zhu Yan from whom Jiang Ming had inherited his legacy, the Red-Buttock Divine Ape, had already attained Supreme cultivation.
The final scene of heaven collapsing, earth splitting apart, and the sun, moon, and stars falling remained vivid in his mind.
With a wave of Jiang Ming's hand, those weapons drifted lightly to the floor. There was a Star-Pattern Iron Bagua Mirror, a small Obsidian Gold shield, a Green Wood Sword, a Purple Cloud Stone Seal, and more.
They were all weapons used by rogue cultivators. Their materials were nothing special. Adding a little Star Iron Sand or Purple Copper Sand to them already counted as a modest refinement.
The red-clad female cultivator possessed Life Spring cultivation, yet she was already unable to remain composed. Her little mouth parted slightly. She had seen more than twenty magical artifacts refined by Life Spring cultivators.
Jiang Ming felt that ever since he had become so poor that he could only trade spirit herbs with pieces of cut Purple Copper, it had become dull. The main force trying to rob him consisted of Life Spring cultivators.
There were Divine Bridge cultivators as well, but not many.
As for the occasional Sea of Bitterness cultivators mixed in, there really had been a few. Sigh, wealth moved people's hearts. Having no brains was terrifying. Sea of Bitterness cultivators already dared to come out and rob people?
Cultivators these days were truly crazy.
Fortunately, this red-clad female cultivator still possessed professional integrity.
She had mainly been shocked by Jiang Ming's Buddhland in the Palm. This was a Buddhist School divine ability that existed only in legends. The Western Desert was too far from here, and monks rarely came over, especially monks as young, handsome, and unusual as Jiang Ming.
Could this little girl be exceptionally gifted and fated with the monks of the Western Desert? Was she going to be abducted to the Western Desert to become a nun?
"Master, may I ask how I should address you? Do you wish to exchange these for Source, or something else?"
The red-clad woman hurriedly asked in a serious tone.
"This poor monk's Dharma name is Sanzang.
I want these three spirit herbs. Please see whether you have them here."
Jiang Ming had prepared long ago. He took out three scrolls from his palm, each bearing a drawing of the spirit herbs he needed. That was right, he had drawn them himself.
There was no sense of time in cultivation, and the mountains were too desolate. In his previous life, Jiang Ming had painted in his spare time while cultivating, cultivating his temperament and tempering his Daoheart.
The red-clad female cultivator carefully accepted one scroll and gave a slight curtsy. "This little woman is Red-Clad, the first-floor manager of Gathered Worthies Tower."
She unfurled the scroll and examined it carefully before smiling sweetly. "Master Sanzang, we happen to have one Purple Jade Orchid here. It can be traded."
She continued looking, opening the second and third scrolls.
"Master Sanzang, we also have this Daoheart Mushroom and can trade it.
However, this Blood Pill Ginseng is a precious herb capable of tempering the physique of Dao Palace Realm cultivators. It is also greatly beneficial for Dao Palace Realm cultivators seeking to open the Liver Divine Treasure.
You arrived one step too late. This morning, the shop still had five Blood Pill Ginseng plants, but a major figure from the sect required them, so they were all transferred away.
Even all the Blood Pill Lingzhi in Flame City has now been bought by that major figure."
A trace of regret appeared on Red-Clad's flowerlike face as she spoke.
Jiang Ming could not help sighing. Good things truly took many twists and turns. He had not expected such a situation.
"Actually—"
Red-Clad said hesitantly.
"Please speak freely."
Jiang Ming said decisively.
"That major figure has an excellent reputation and enjoys making friends. If you visit him at Taixuan Sect, perhaps he may directly gift you a Blood Pill Ginseng."
Red-Clad finally said this.
She felt that the Sanzang monk before her was extraordinary, one of the outstanding talents of the younger generation. That was why she added a few extra words.
"Hua Yunfei."
Crimson radiance flowed over Jiang Ming's brow as inspiration struck, and he spoke.