Water Spirit Pearl

At his words, the bearded stall owner's troubled expression flashed away.

After a long while, he shook his head. "Sorry, but it is inconvenient for me to tell you about this. However..."

The bearded stall owner paused. "If I am not mistaken, Fellow Daoist, you are not a Rogue Cultivator, are you?"

"Oh?"

Chen Daoxuan grew interested upon hearing this, though he neither confirmed nor denied it. "How did Fellow Daoist tell?"

"In that situation just now, any Rogue Cultivator fresh out of the gate would surely have panicked. Yet you remained calm and unafraid, clearly possessing no ordinary confidence.

For someone as young as you to have such confidence, you must be a disciple of some family. I simply do not know whether you belong to the Wu Family, the Zhao Family, or the Yang Family?"

Though the bearded man named Zhang San looked rough and burly, his mind was exceedingly meticulous.

At this moment, he was actually probing into Chen Daoxuan's background.

The three Cultivation Families he had mentioned were, aside from the Zhou Family, the most renowned Foundation Establishment families within a hundred thousand li of sea territory.

Chen Daoxuan shook his head. "There is no need for Fellow Daoist to inquire further. I do not come from a Foundation Establishment family, merely a small family unworthy of mention."

With his intentions exposed by Chen Daoxuan, Zhang San showed an embarrassed expression.

After thinking for a while.

As though he had made some decision, the bearded man transmitted his voice into Chen Daoxuan's ear. "Does Fellow Daoist happen to be interested in the forging method for the Wind Thunder Formation Disk?"

Chen Daoxuan was delighted at the unexpected gain.

"I am indeed somewhat interested. Our family has planned to train Artifact Forgers in recent years, and we are currently collecting forging methods for all kinds of Magic Artifacts."

Hearing this, Zhang San could not help but look at him with solemn respect.

Any family capable of training Artifact Forgers was a powerful "great family."

After all, gathering a complete Artifact Forging inheritance was no easy matter.

Ordinary Qi Refining families simply lacked the means to train Artifact Forgers.

At that thought, Zhang San's tone became several degrees more humble. "Please do not blame me, Fellow Daoist. I was too presumptuous just now!"

As he spoke, Zhang San gave Chen Daoxuan a deep bow.

Naturally, Chen Daoxuan would not hold the earlier matter against him. Otherwise, when the Zhou Family law enforcement cultivators had been present, he would not have let Zhang San off.

Receiving a peach, he returned a plum. Zhang San also knew what choice to make now.

He took a Jade Slip from his Storage Bag and transmitted, "Please take a look, Fellow Daoist. This contains the forging method for the Wind Thunder Formation Disk."

Chen Daoxuan drew the Jade Slip into his hand and examined it with his Divine Sense.

The next instant, a vast amount of information concerning the forging of Formation Disk Magic Artifacts flooded into Chen Daoxuan's Sea of Consciousness.

But having been cheated once before, Chen Daoxuan was especially cautious this time.

After carefully distinguishing its contents, he found that what was recorded in this Jade Slip should be genuine.

Without betraying any emotion, Chen Daoxuan said, "How much is this Jade Slip?"

Zhang San raised five fingers. "Since Fellow Daoist sincerely wishes to buy it, one fixed price: five hundred Spirit Stones!"

After saying this, the Rogue Cultivator named Zhang San looked at Chen Daoxuan nervously.

Five hundred Spirit Stones was an enormous fortune for a Qi Refining Stage Rogue Cultivator. Zhang San could hardly avoid being nervous.

Outside Guang'an Prefecture, countless cultivators would risk everything for such a sum.

Seeing Zhang San looking like a thief, Chen Daoxuan nodded. "Fine!"

Five hundred Spirit Stones for the forging method of a Formation Disk Magic Artifact was not a losing deal for him.

Perhaps Rogue Cultivators would not buy such an artifact forging method, but for Chen Daoxuan, who intended to build his family into something greater, adding to the family's inherited foundation was never a loss.

After discussing it, the two deliberately went to an inn and rented a room to complete the transaction.

Neither Zhang San nor Chen Daoxuan dared to trade openly in the street market.

Five hundred Spirit Stones was no small sum. Piled on the ground, they could form a small mountain. An open transaction would inevitably draw the covetous gaze of thieves.

With the principle that less trouble was better than more in mind, both chose to trade cautiously inside the inn.

After completing the transaction, Zhang San clasped his hands toward Chen Daoxuan and left the Rogue Cultivator Market on his own.

Carrying such a large sum of Spirit Stones, Zhang San was surely more uneasy than anyone else at this moment. After all, his cultivation was only slightly higher than Chen Daoxuan's, merely at the fourth layer of Qi Refining.

Meanwhile.

Chen Daoxuan was in an excellent mood.

In less than half a day at the Rogue Cultivator Market, he had obtained a Magic Artifact forging method that was usually difficult to come across.

Moreover, it was not a common offensive or defensive Magic Artifact, but a support-type Magic Artifact like a Formation Disk.

In this good mood, Chen Daoxuan pressed on and continued browsing the street market.

When he reached the spot where Zhang San had just set up his stall, another Rogue Cultivator had already taken it over.

He shook his head.

Chen Daoxuan continued forward.

He did not stop until he came before an elderly man in black robes with a withered face.

He remembered this cultivator. When he had clashed with Zhang San earlier, it was this black-robed old man who had continually fanned the flames and pulled the rug out from under Zhang San.

In a sense, he had helped Chen Daoxuan out of a tight spot.

Compared with Zhang San's shrewd enthusiasm, the black-robed old man exuded a cold, detached air. Even with Chen Daoxuan standing before him, he acted as though he saw nothing, keeping his eyes closed as he silently meditated upon a Pouf.

Cultivators often became solitary and eccentric after cultivating in seclusion year after year, so Chen Daoxuan did not find it strange.

"Senior, how much are you selling this Water Spirit Pearl for?"

Seeing the spirit pearl on the stall radiating pure water spiritual qi, Chen Daoxuan asked with delight written across his face.

Water Spirit Pearls were a unique cultivation resource abundantly produced by the Zhou Family of Spirit Shell Island.

These spirit pearls could filter and purify spiritual qi.

In other words, if cultivators absorbed spiritual qi filtered and purified through a Water Spirit Pearl, their efficiency in refining it would rise drastically, thereby speeding up their cultivation.

Of course, such a treasure also had a limited lifespan.

Generally speaking, a first-grade Water Spirit Pearl could be used for at most one month before losing its ability to purify spiritual qi and becoming an ordinary pearl.

Under normal circumstances, such a treasure rarely found its way into the hands of Rogue Cultivators. Nearly all of them were preordered by the major families. Chen Daoxuan had no idea how the old man before him had obtained one.

Hearing Chen Daoxuan's question, the black-robed old man opened his deeply wrinkled eyes and said coldly, "One hundred Spirit Stones. No bargaining!"

"Uh!"

Chen Daoxuan, who had been full of delight, froze upon hearing this.

At market price, a first-grade Water Spirit Pearl cultivated by the Zhou Family cost only fifty Spirit Stones each. This black-robed old man had directly doubled the price.

No wonder no one had bought it despite the constant stream of passersby.

This was no longer a markup. This was outright robbery!

Perhaps because it had truly sat there too long without a buyer, the black-robed old man explained when he saw the regret on Chen Daoxuan's face, "Take a closer look, young friend. This Water Spirit Pearl is a high-grade first-grade spirit pearl.

One hundred Spirit Stones is somewhat expensive, but Water Spirit Pearls are scarce to begin with. A slight premium is only natural."

Chen Daoxuan was half-convinced, half-doubtful.

After all, he had never seen the Water Spirit Pearls sold by the Zhou Family. He only recognized this pearl because Thirteenth Uncle had once told him about the characteristics of such spirit pearls.

"As you please, young friend!"

Seeing Chen Daoxuan still hesitating, the old man, who was poor at selling, simply closed his eyes and asked no further.

"Fine. One hundred Spirit Stones it is."

Water Spirit Pearls were difficult to purchase in the first place. If what the old man said was true, then he would not be suffering too great a loss. Besides, the old man had spoken up for Chen Daoxuan earlier. Paying a premium for one of his spirit pearls could be considered repayment for his help.

Just as the two completed their transaction.

"Woooooo!!!"

A shrill alarm suddenly resounded throughout the entire Guang'an Prefecture immortal city.