To Li Ping's delight, his search for second-tier mid-grade spiritwood soon bore fruit.
However, the news did not come from Gu Musheng, on whom Li Ping had pinned such high hopes, but from Bai Qing, the youngest seventh brother of the Shared Boat Association.
Led by Bai Qing, Li Ping once again arrived at the Bai Family's residence in the Immortal City.
As he entered the courtyard, Li Ping was greeted not only by the white-haired, youthful-faced Bo Family Ancestor, but also by a middle-aged cultivator with a square face, who stood behind the ancestor and attended to him carefully.
The moment he saw Li Ping, delight appeared on the Bo Family Ancestor's face. "Fellow Daoist Li, come, come, please sit!"
Li Ping's gaze swept over the square-faced middle-aged cultivator. A smile likewise appeared on his face as he calmly approached and sat down opposite the Bo Family Ancestor.
At a glance from the Bo Family Ancestor, Bai Qing and the other attendants respectfully withdrew. The square-faced middle-aged cultivator, however, remained standing behind the ancestor, showing no intention of leaving.
"Speaking of which, the storm you've stirred up lately truly took this old man by surprise, Fellow Daoist Li." As soon as they sat down, the Bo Family Ancestor said with a smile, "I had no idea you were a master talisman maker."
He had originally thought Li Ping was merely an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator. Even after learning from Bai Qing that Li Ping was a first-tier upper-grade talisman maker, he had not paid it much mind.
First-tier skills were valuable, but hardly rare.
Yet over the past few months, Li Ping had demonstrated a terrifying speed in making talismans, single-handedly bringing the Immortal City's first-tier spirit talisman market crashing down. From his success rate, anyone with a discerning eye could easily tell that he was not far from becoming a second-tier talisman maker.
A Foundation Establishment cultivator and a second-tier talisman maker!
This made the Bo Family Ancestor value Li Ping even more, and all the more eager to draw him into the Bai Family as a guest elder.
Hearing the Bo Family Ancestor's words, Li Ping shook his head. "You're too kind, Fellow Daoist Bai. A mere first-tier skill is hardly worth mentioning."
The Bo Family Ancestor laughed heartily. "Ha ha... you're too modest, Fellow Daoist Li. A first-tier talisman maker could never achieve a success rate as high as yours."
After exchanging a few more compliments, Li Ping finally stated his purpose. "Fellow Daoist Bai, I heard from that lad Bai Qing that you happen to have a three-foot length of second-tier mid-grade purple-patterned wood you intend to sell. Is that true?"
At this, a barely perceptible gleam of satisfaction flashed through the Bo Family Ancestor's eyes. He smiled and said, "Indeed. I happened upon this purple-patterned wood while adventuring shortly after reaching Foundation Establishment. When I found it, it was already over a hundred years old and had reached second-tier lower-grade quality."
Pausing to observe the change in Li Ping's expression, the Bo Family Ancestor continued, "Later, I transplanted it into our family's second-tier Spirit Land and carefully nurtured it until today. It is now nearly three hundred years old and has reached second-tier mid-grade quality."
"I originally intended to find an artifact refiner to turn this purple-patterned wood into several second-tier mid-grade magic artifacts for the younger members of our clan. But since you need it, Fellow Daoist Li..." As he spoke, the Bo Family Ancestor looked at the square-faced middle-aged cultivator behind him. "Mingde, take out that purple-patterned wood and let Fellow Daoist Li have a look."
The square-faced middle-aged man attending him hurriedly replied, "Yes, Ancestor."
He then patted the storage pouch at his waist and took out an exquisite jade box four feet long. A spirit-sealing talisman was attached to it, chiefly to prevent the spiritual essence of its contents from dissipating.
As he took out the jade box, the Bo Family Ancestor also introduced him to Li Ping.
The square-faced middle-aged man was none other than the Bai Family's current patriarch, Bai Mingde, a ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator.
Bai Mingde peeled off the spirit talisman and opened the wooden box with a click, then took out a piece of spiritwood roughly three and a half feet long and carefully placed it on the table.
Li Ping's gaze was instantly drawn to the spiritwood.
Its roots were wrapped in a clump of spirit soil that sustained its vitality. Its trunk was straight and bare, without a single fork, and about as thick as an adult's forearm. Numerous purple patterns were faintly visible on its pale green bark.
Just as the Bo Family Ancestor had said, this was second-tier mid-grade purple-patterned wood. Even with the roots removed, it was slightly over three feet long, fully meeting Li Ping's needs.
"Well? Does this purple-patterned wood meet your needs?" the Bo Family Ancestor asked, his eyes smiling.
Meeting his gaze, Li Ping immediately felt a headache coming on.
This purple-patterned wood was indeed what he needed, but here came the problem: what price should he offer?
The Bo Family Ancestor had made it perfectly clear that he had carefully nurtured this purple-patterned wood for at least a hundred and forty or fifty years before it reached its current grade.
Moreover, he had originally intended to have an artifact refiner turn it into several second-tier mid-grade magic artifacts to pass down through the family, with no intention of selling it.
After some thought, Li Ping decided to speak honestly. "To tell you the truth, Fellow Daoist Bai, this purple-patterned wood is exactly what I need. I just wonder what price you intend to ask for it."
As he spoke, Li Ping also made up his mind. So long as the Bai Family did not open its jaws like a lion and demand an outrageous price like the merchant association had, he would buy it.
Yet to Li Ping's surprise, after receiving his confirmation, the Bo Family Ancestor said with a genial smile, "Why talk of prices and needlessly hurt our friendship? Since you need it, Fellow Daoist Li, I shall take it upon myself to give you this purple-patterned wood."
"Give it to me?" Li Ping was taken aback.
But he soon shook his head. "You must be joking, Fellow Daoist Bai. One should not accept rewards without merit. How could I dare accept this purple-patterned wood? Please name a price."
At this, the Bo Family Ancestor's expression suddenly turned solemn, and he revealed his true purpose. "Then I shall be so bold as to ask. As long as you're willing to become a guest elder of our Bai Family, what does a mere piece of spiritwood matter?"
"A guest elder?" Li Ping sighed inwardly. He had known it would not be so simple.
The Bo Family Ancestor had brought this up before, even presenting lavish gifts to congratulate him on successfully reaching Foundation Establishment, but he had refused.
He even intended to find an opportunity to return those lavish gifts to the Bai Family in the future.
After all, becoming an Immortal City retainer and becoming a guest elder of the Bai Family were, in truth, two entirely different things.
Serving as an Immortal City retainer meant enjoying the shade beneath a great tree.
But the Bai Family?
The Bo Family Ancestor did not have long to live. Once he passed away in meditation and the Bai Family lost its presiding Foundation Establishment cultivator, who knew how much trouble would be waiting for them?
If Li Ping truly agreed and swore an oath, he might well end up having to fight cultivators of his own realm because of it.
The cultivation world abounded with extraordinary people, and those who had encountered fortuitous opportunities appeared in an endless stream. Cultivators were constantly devising all manner of bizarre and insidious ways to harm others.
In a magical battle, a single careless move could bring a devastating blow.
Thus, never mind cultivators of his own realm-even against lower-realm cultivators, Li Ping did not want to fight unless he had absolutely no choice.
The Bai Family wanted him to serve as its guest elder, but there was no way he would agree.