Chu Mo tucked the Profound Scenery Refining Truth Banner into his sleeve. With a thought, more than a dozen Storage Bags appeared on the stone table.
He carefully took stock. Among the Savage Realm's native products, assorted spirit herbs and ores made up the bulk of his haul. The two Bloodline Fruits alone were worth four hundred Spell Coins.
Then there were the pills, talismans, and several intact or damaged dharmic instruments his fellow disciples had contributed.
The finest among them was the [Yin Soul Umbrella] acquired from Liu Bao. Its properties were similar to those of the Profound Scenery Refining Truth Banner.
Chu Mo carefully ran his fingers over the black umbrella's Umbrella Ribs and murmured, "If I study artifact refining someday, I could dismantle this umbrella and use it to nourish my little banner."
Of the two, the Soul Banner naturally had greater potential for development.
He had not visited North Cliff Market for some time, and it had grown even livelier.
Compared with the sect's Merit Hall, North Cliff Market, where fish and dragons mingled and only Spell Coins mattered, was the best choice for Qi Refining disciples.
Concealing his figure beneath a gray robe, Chu Mo smoothly sold some of the more ordinary items in batches at different stalls. The goods from the Savage Realm were easiest to dispose of, while his fellow disciples' contributions required more care.
Selling a little here and a little there, he watched the number of Spell Coins in his inventory rapidly grow.
After a while, Chu Mo stopped. Seeing his swollen reserves, he immediately felt more confident. His gaze swept across the bustling crowd before finally settling on a familiar stall.
[Level 8 · Duo'e Sect Grunt (Green Name)]
The stallholder was none other than Senior Brother Luo Shan, that man "brimming with sincerity."
Chu Mo drew his gray robe closer and spoke in a raspy voice. "Senior brother, do you have the [Language Comprehension Art]?"
"Yes, yes, of course. No one at North Cliff Market has a more complete selection of spells than I, Luo Shan..."
Luo Shan looked up at his question. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes when he saw Chu Mo, and a warm smile immediately spread across his face.
"Oh, it's you, junior brother. To think you've already broken through to the middle stage. You really are progressing at lightning speed.
"You must have reaped quite a harvest in the Savage Realm. If you have anything to sell, just come to me. I guarantee you'll be satisfied with the price."
Chu Mo froze briefly. Had the man recognized him again?
He looked down at his gray robe. There did not seem to be any flaws in his disguise, and he had not sensed any fluctuations of divine sense either.
"Hehe, I remember every customer I've traded with perfectly clearly. Recognizing you was hardly difficult, junior brother."
As though seeing through his thoughts, Luo Shan volunteered an explanation before he could ask, then thumped his chest. "Ah, doing business is all about sincerity!"
"Uh..." Chu Mo was momentarily speechless. Was this the self-cultivation of a proper merchant?
"Junior brother, do you still want the [Language Comprehension Art]? Thirty Spell Coins." Luo Shan took a jade slip from his Storage Bag.
"This is one of the most important support spells for missions in other worlds. Just think how troublesome it is when you can't understand the language. This price is absolutely fair."
"Yes." Chu Mo nodded, then added, "Senior brother, do you also have any spells that improve eyesight?"
With a suitable spell, he could put the Blazing Fire Bow's power to better use.
"Improve eyesight?" Luo Shan's eyes lit up, his nose for business exceptionally keen. "Have you acquired some dharmic instrument like a powerful bow or sharp arrows, junior brother?
"Ordinary vision-enhancing spells like the 'Clear Sight Formula' and 'Eagle Eye Art' have only average effects. I'm afraid they wouldn't do you justice. I happen to have a [Spirit-Seeking Qi-Appraisal Art] here.
"Not only does it multiply your visual acuity and let you discern the finest details, but at higher levels of mastery, it even allows you to see living creatures' auras directly. It's tremendously useful for locking onto targets and predicting trajectories.
"As for the price... it's a little more expensive. Sixty Spell Coins."
Chu Mo's interest stirred. The [Spirit-Seeking Qi-Appraisal Art] certainly sounded much better than the ordinary offerings, and it suited him perfectly. "The price is acceptable. I'll take both spells."
"Splendid!" Delighted, Luo Shan immediately took out two jade slips and handed them to Chu Mo.
"The cultivation methods for the [Language Comprehension Art] and [Spirit-Seeking Qi-Appraisal Art] are inside. Would you like to inspect them, junior brother? If you're satisfied, I'll remove the restrictions on the remaining contents."
[Skill [Language Comprehension Art]. Learn?] [Skill [Spirit-Seeking Qi-Appraisal Art]. Learn?]
With a thought, Chu Mo suppressed the temptation to get them for free. He now had a modest fortune, after all. There was no need to "play" the man over such a small sum of Spell Coins.
Besides, Senior Brother Luo had extensive connections and was a rare green name. He was worth befriending.
With that in mind, Chu Mo took out ninety Spell Coins and handed them to Luo Shan.
"Splendid!" Luo Shan deftly removed the restrictions on the jade slips, his smile widening. Then he lowered his voice and spoke with an air of mystery.
"If you know any crafts like pill refining or artifact refining, junior brother, you might want to stock up on goods soon. You could make a tidy little profit."
Chu Mo's interest stirred, and he asked, "What makes you say that, senior brother?"
"Hehe, you've only just returned from the Savage Realm, junior brother, so you haven't heard." Luo Shan raised his eyebrows and lowered his voice further.
"Those lunatics from Heaven's Will Sect, who spend all day shouting 'Heaven's heart is vast and unfathomable; those who follow its will shall prosper,' have come up against our Duo'e Sect!"
"Heaven's Will Sect?" Chu Mo's pupils contracted slightly.
Fuli Heaven's three supreme immortal sects-Heaven's Will Sect, the Duo'e Sect, and the Great Evolution Dao Sect-stood like the three legs of a tripod. Friction between any two was enough to whip up terrifying waves in the cultivation world.
Of the two, the Duo'e Sect's relationship with Heaven's Will Sect was the worst, with its relationship with the Great Evolution Dao Sect somewhat less hostile. At least half its reputation as a "demonic sect" in the outside world was thanks to Heaven's Will Sect's propaganda.
Naturally, the Duo'e Sect absolutely refused to acknowledge that label, always regarding itself as an immortal sect, a sacred sect.
In the Duo'e Sect's view, disciples should be accepted regardless of aptitude, background, or destined affinity. Anyone with the desire to pursue the Dao could enter and tread the Great Dao under the sect's protection.
As the saying went, "Calamity is a boundless sea; the sect is the boat." This was the bearing of an upright and honorable orthodox sect!
A high mortality rate among disciples? The path of cultivation went against heaven itself. Deaths and injuries were inevitable.
Disciples' souls remained under the Soul Banner's control after death? The sect had bestowed an immortal opportunity upon them and helped them set foot on the path to immortality. It was only right that they repay such kindness and settle that karmic debt with their remnant souls.
"The exact cause is still unclear, but word is already circulating." Luo Shan rubbed his fingers together, a keen gleam flashing in his eyes.
"When two giants wrestle, the juniors beneath them are bound to clash. When that happens, demand for pills, talismans, dharmic instruments... all those consumables will probably go somersaulting upward."
Chu Mo nodded slowly. If the situation truly was as Luo Shan described, this was important news. He tucked the two jade slips into his robes and cupped his hands in thanks. "Thank you for the tip, senior brother."
"No need to stand on ceremony. Just come back often and give me your business."
Luo Shan waved with a smile and watched Chu Mo disappear into the market crowd. Only then did he heft the Spell Coins in his hand with satisfaction and murmur to himself.
"This junior brother is no ordinary fellow. A few months ago, he was so poor he couldn't scrape together even ten Spell Coins. Now... tsk, tsk."