Selling Spells to Han Li

Time flowed leisurely onward, and half a year passed in the blink of an eye.

That day, the warm sun hung high in the sky. Golden light filtered through the sparse branches and leaves, falling gently over the blue roof tiles of Jing Wen's residence and scattering little halos across them.

Before the door, Qu Hun stood perfectly straight, like a stone statue that had not moved since time immemorial.

His face was expressionless, his hollow eyes devoid of life, yet he could detect the slightest stir around him. The icy aura he exuded spread as though it had substance. Even birds trying to approach flapped away in fright, not daring to venture any closer.

Just then, a slender figure slowly approached from the end of the path.

Han Li wore a blue robe washed almost white. His face, once tinged with timidity, now carried a measure of composure.

His steps were steady and his gaze clear. As he drew nearer, a trace of anticipation could be seen hidden in his eyes.

Reaching the door, Han Li first bowed deeply to the tightly shut wooden panels with the utmost respect, then called out clearly, "Senior, this junior, Han Li, has come to deliver pills."

Inside, Jing Wen sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, immersed in cultivation.

His eyes were lightly closed and his brow tightly furrowed. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth around him seemed drawn by an invisible force, turning into wisps of azure light that streamed endlessly into his seven orifices like slithering snakes.

As he circulated the Burning Blood Art, spiritual energy surged through his meridians. Each full circulation produced a faint humming rumble.

Fine beads of sweat covered Jing Wen's forehead, sliding down his cheeks and landing on his robes, where they spread into little damp patches.

His expression was as grim as iron. The barrier preventing him from advancing from the qi refining sixth layer to the seventh stubbornly resisted the spiritual energy's assault, every collision sending a dull ache through his meridians.

Now! Jing Wen cried inwardly. He abruptly drove the baleful qi accumulated in his dantian into motion, intertwining it with his spiritual energy to form an even mightier force that slammed savagely into the barrier.

Crack! A crisp snapping sound suddenly rang out inside him, like a massive boulder splitting apart.

The bottleneck to late qi refining finally shattered beneath that force!

In an instant, Jing Wen's aura surged. An invisible wave burst out from his body, making the tables, chairs, and stools tremble slightly while dust showered down from the window lattice.

"I finally broke through to the qi refining seventh layer!" Jing Wen slowly opened his eyes. A gleam flashed through them, and a relieved smile appeared on his face.

He raised a hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead. Feeling the richer spiritual energy inside him, he thought, With Han Li's steady supply of pills and the overbearing power of the Black Fiend Cult's cultivation method, I should reach the great perfection of qi refining in a year or two.

Outside, Han Li heard the commotion and instinctively paused, surprise flashing through his eyes. This aura was several times stronger than when they had last met!

"Come in," Jing Wen's voice sounded from within, carrying the ease of his breakthrough.

Han Li carefully stepped over the threshold. Looking up, he saw Jing Wen sitting upright before the table, his gray-white hair stirring without a breeze. The powerful aura lingering around him made Han Li's heart jolt.

He hurriedly bowed. "Congratulations on your advancement, Senior!"

Seated on the meditation cushion, Jing Wen nodded slightly. His gaze swept appraisingly over Han Li, taking in every sign of his respect.

Not daring to delay, Han Li carefully took several bottles of pills from inside his robe. A faint medicinal fragrance drifted from them.

"Senior, I've been searching deep in the mountain forests for herbs lately and refined a few extra bottles of pills, so I brought them along."

Jing Wen's gaze settled on the pills on the table. His eyes narrowed slightly, as though he were tallying the previous deliveries.

After a moment, he slowly said, "Over the past half year, you've delivered forty-one bottles of pills. Adding the twenty bottles from our initial exchange, that makes sixty-one in total."

Han Li quickly nodded, his tone certain. "Yes, Senior.

"We agreed on a total of one hundred and twenty bottles. This junior still owes you fifty-nine."

Jing Wen nodded again and turned his gaze toward the lush mountain forest outside the window. His tone was mild, but held a deeper meaning. "Since medicinal herbs are plentiful in the mountains, you might as well explore more when you have time.

"If you find a millennium spirit medicine, one plant can count as twenty bottles of pills."

Waves instantly rose in Han Li's heart, and he rapidly calculated. *Refining twenty bottles of pills used to take three months of complete concentration;

but with the Little Green Bottle's ability to accelerate maturation, growing one millennium spirit medicine would take only a month and a half-fully half the time!

Yet no sooner had this secret delight risen than his youthful ignorance and caution suppressed it.

He had worked in the Seven Mysteries Sect since childhood and rarely interacted with the outside world. He knew nothing of prices in the Cultivation World. He had only seen millennium spirit medicine mentioned in miscellaneous writings and knew that it was worth a fortune in the mortal world.

But then another thought occurred to him. In the world of immortals, perhaps millennium spirit medicine is as common as wild grass in the mortal world?

Otherwise, why would he so readily promise that one plant could count as twenty bottles?

This thought left him hesitant. He feared missing a shortcut, yet also worried that the immortal master was testing him.

Lowering his eyes to conceal his expression, he deliberately adopted a troubled look. "Senior, the mountain forests stretch endlessly. Even ordinary medicinal herbs require crossing mountains and ridges to find. Spirit medicine is already scarce and difficult to locate, and I've only heard of millennium spirit medicine in legends. This junior truly has little confidence in finding any."

"No matter." Jing Wen waved a hand, cutting him off, his tone still casual.

"The mountain forests are vast and full of unknowns.

"Just explore more between refining pills. Even if you don't find millennium spirit medicine, bringing back some ordinary herbs would be worthwhile. It wouldn't count as wasting time."

Han Li nodded slightly at these words, his tense shoulders quietly relaxing. The senior was merely making a suggestion, not issuing an order!

That meant he could advance or retreat as he pleased. If he wanted to settle his debt sooner, he could use the Little Green Bottle to mature a plant;

if he felt there was a risk, he could pretend he had found nothing and continue refining pills according to his original plan.

Suddenly, he had far more room to maneuver. His confidence grew, though he maintained his respectful expression. "This junior understands. I'll certainly keep an eye out."

Just as Han Li was about to leave, Jing Wen suddenly spoke, a faint hint of amusement in his voice. "Han Li, have you ever thought about learning immortal arts?"

"Immortal arts?" Han Li abruptly stopped and snapped his head up. Brilliant light instantly burst into his eyes, his heart pounding uncontrollably as even his breathing quickened.

These days, he had long since cast aside the mortal martial arts Li Feiyu had taught him and devoted himself entirely to refining pills. Wasn't it all so he could settle his debt sooner and gain the chance to learn immortal arts?

The senior had clearly said before that they could only discuss trading for immortal arts once all the pills were paid off. Why bring it up suddenly now?

His doubts flashed through his mind only briefly before surging joy drowned them completely.

He nodded frantically, his head nearly dipping to the floor, and said repeatedly, "Yes! This junior dreams of nothing else! Please grant my wish, Senior!"

The corners of Jing Wen's mouth lifted slightly. With a flick of his fingers, an old-fashioned thread-bound book appeared in his palm.

Its pages were yellowed, and intricate cloud patterns adorned its cover, shimmering faintly in the sunlight and exuding a strong air of immortal mystique.

"This contains eight basic spells, all essential for beginning cultivation." He placed the book on the table and pushed it toward Han Li.

"How many bottles of pills do you intend to offer for it?"

Han Li stared fixedly at the book, his throat bobbing as he swallowed hard. Yet his youthful caution still kept him somewhat clearheaded.

He asked carefully, "Senior, are the immortal arts in this book like the one you used before, the kind that can burn gold and melt iron?"

He still remembered the sight of Jing Wen refining objects with a flick of his fingers. That was the power he dreamed of possessing.

Jing Wen nodded with a smile as warm as spring sunshine, though a trace of calculation lay hidden in his eyes.

To sell his "goods" for a good price, he simply stood up to demonstrate. "Watch closely. This is one of them, the Fireball Technique."

No sooner had he spoken than a fist-sized fireball ignited out of thin air in his palm. The orange-red flames carried such searing heat that the air warped slightly.

With a light flick of his wrist, the fireball whistled toward a stone pillar in the corner.

Boom! Following the thunderous blast, the struck portion of the pillar instantly exploded, scattering shattered stone through billowing smoke.

When the dust and smoke cleared, a scorched hole the size of a bowl's mouth had appeared in the pillar, its edges still bearing molten marks that had yet to cool completely.

Han Li watched, dumbstruck, his breathing coming to a halt. This was the might of immortal arts!

It was several times more overwhelming than he had imagined!

He clenched his fists tightly, his palms slick with cold sweat, with only one thought in his mind: I must buy this spell!

Once Han Li recovered from the shock of the Fireball Technique, Jing Wen spoke again with casual composure. "Attack alone isn't enough. You need defense as well.

"Watch closely. This is the Wooden Shield Technique."

Before his words had faded, another orange-red fireball of roughly the same size formed in his palm. Before Han Li could react, it flew straight toward his face!

"Senior!" Han Li cried, his face draining of color. His heart clenched, and he instinctively tried to duck, but sheer shock froze his body in place. He could only watch the fireball whistle toward him.

Just as the fireball was about to touch his robe, a pale green shield of light suddenly formed before him. Patterns as clear as leaf veins covered its surface. It looked thin, yet was as solid as bedrock.

With a muffled boom, the fireball struck the light shield and instantly burst into a shower of sparks. The shield merely trembled slightly, neutralizing the entire impact before dissolving into specks of green light.

Still shaken, Han Li gasped for breath and instinctively touched his robe. It remained dry, without the slightest trace of scorching from the sparks.

He looked up at Jing Wen, his eyes filled with incredulous awe. This was the wondrous mystery of immortal arts!

They could burn gold and melt iron, yet also erect a shield in an instant. They were a hundred times more miraculous than he had imagined.

"What I just demonstrated were the Fireball Technique and Wooden Shield Technique from this book. One attacks and one defends, complementing each other." Jing Wen pushed the old book a little farther forward, his tone mild yet deeply enticing.

"As long as you learn what's in this book, given time, you'll be able to achieve the effects I just demonstrated."

Han Li's gaze clung to the pages, his fingertips trembling with excitement. Yet the uncertainty ingrained in the youth made him apprehensive as well.

He pressed his lips together and asked cautiously, "Senior, this junior has never encountered immortal arts before, and my aptitude is nothing exceptional. Can I really learn these?"

"Rest assured." A reassuring smile curled Jing Wen's lips, his tone firm. "These eight arts are the most basic introductory spells in cultivation. They're simple and easy to understand.

"Even if your aptitude is utterly mediocre, studying one a month will let you master them all within half a year."

Those words were like a pill to calm his heart, dispelling Han Li's worries completely.

He drew a deep breath and looked up at Jing Wen, his eyes filled with determination and longing. "Senior, this junior is willing to exchange pills for this book!

"How many bottles would these eight spells cost?"

A meaningful smile appeared on Jing Wen's face as he said slowly, "Considering how many pills you've refined for me, I'll let you name your own price this time.

"But if it's too low..."

He deliberately drew out his words, letting them sway like a hook in Han Li's heart.

Han Li's expression abruptly grew grave. His brows knitted and his gaze shifted uneasily. A manual of immortal arts surely had to be priceless. If he offered too little, the senior would refuse; if he offered too much, it would exceed what he could afford. The two thoughts clashed fiercely within him, leaving him unable to decide.

Jing Wen watched his struggle with interest, the corners of his mouth lifting as a sly gleam flashed in his eyes. "You're the one naming the price. If you offer too much, you can't blame me."

The room was so quiet that Han Li's rapid breathing could be heard. After a long while, he finally gritted his teeth and asked tentatively, "How about one hundred bottles of pills?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he stared intently at Jing Wen, his hands clenched into fists and his palms covered in cold sweat.

Hearing Han Li offer "one hundred bottles of pills," Jing Wen instantly rejoiced inwardly. The price far exceeded his expectations. Yet he remained outwardly unmoved, lowering his eyes as though pondering and tapping his fingertips lightly against the tabletop to deliberately delay his reply.

At this sight, Han Li's heart rose into his throat. He was so nervous that his fingertips turned white, terrified that he had angered the senior by offering too little.

The room was frighteningly quiet. Only the tap, tap of Jing Wen's fingertips against the wooden table could be heard, each sound seeming to strike Han Li's heart.

Only after a moment did Jing Wen slowly raise his eyes and nod slightly, his tone as mild as though he were settling a trivial matter. "Since you've already named your price, we'll settle on that."

As soon as he finished speaking, his hands abruptly moved in quick succession, his fingers forming a simple spell seal.

With a flash of gentle white light, the old book on the table split into two, without the slightest sign of tearing, as though it had always been two separate volumes.

One half floated up on its own and slowly settled on the table before Han Li. The other turned into a streak of light and vanished into the storage pouch inside Jing Wen's sleeve.

Looking at the half-book in his hands, Han Li was initially astonished. He instinctively reached out to touch the cut edges of the pages. They were smooth and even, certainly not something human strength could have forcibly separated.

But when he opened the pages with trembling hands and saw the densely recorded spell incantations, along with detailed diagrams for casting the Fireball Technique and Wooden Shield Technique, his surprise instantly gave way to delight. The corners of his mouth rose despite himself.

Still, he restrained his excitement and asked cautiously, "Senior, why... is there only half?

"Has this junior done something improper and displeased you?"

"Not at all." Jing Wen's expression was calm, though his gaze continued to follow Han Li's reactions as he explained patiently, "What we agreed on just now was a trade for eight basic spells.

"The portion in your hands contains the complete incantations and casting methods for those eight spells. It's already enough for you to practice."

He paused, a faint note of temptation entering his voice. "The other half contains the core cultivation method.

"Once this trade for one hundred bottles of pills is completed, if you still need it, we can discuss a separate trade for the cultivation method."

Han Li immediately understood. The senior had kept something in reserve.

Yet looking at the genuine spell manual in his hands, he felt not the slightest dissatisfaction. Instead, he was even more grateful. Being able to learn immortal arts ahead of time was already an unexpected joy; discussing the cultivation method later would be soon enough.

He hurriedly hugged the book tightly to his chest and kowtowed deeply to Jing Wen. "Thank you, Senior! This junior will gather the hundred bottles as soon as possible. I won't delay!"

Watching the youth's entranced expression, Jing Wen's lips curled almost imperceptibly. He had his own calculations. This so-called "manual of immortal arts" was precisely the Evergreen Technique he had previously obtained from Mo Juren, containing the cultivation methods for the first eight layers of the qi refining stage and basic spells.

He had deliberately withheld the cultivation method portion to keep control over Han Li's pace of cultivation.

If Han Li used the complete cultivation method to rapidly reach late qi refining, Jing Wen's absolute dominance in their relationship would inevitably be threatened, leaving the future full of uncontrollable variables;

more importantly, once Han Li focused on advancing his cultivation, he would inevitably keep large quantities of pills for himself. The amount delivered to Jing Wen would sharply decline, an enormous loss for someone who urgently needed pills to aid his cultivation.

Splitting the manual let him maintain control while ensuring his supply of pills-killing two birds with one stone.

Han Li quickly scanned the contents listed on the pages. Object-Driving Technique, Fire Pellet Technique, Wind-Riding Art... Every spell name seemed to possess a magic of its own, making his heart race.

These were nothing mortal martial arts could compare with. They were true immortal spells that could let one soar through the heavens and burrow through the earth, burn gold and shatter stone!

His fingers whitened from gripping the pages so tightly, and even his breathing grew rapid.

"All right, put it away for now." Jing Wen spoke at just the right moment, interrupting Han Li's absorption. He stood up, his gaze settling on Han Li, his tone carrying a reminder.

"With this trade, the fifty-nine bottles you already owed me, plus the hundred from this time, mean you now owe me one hundred and fifty-nine bottles of pills."

Han Li hurriedly looked up and nodded solemnly. "This junior will remember. I'll certainly refine and deliver them as soon as possible!"

Jing Wen nodded in satisfaction, then changed tack and held out a new temptation. "If you want the other half of the cultivation method later, or need rare things like magical treasures and pill formulas, you'll have to put even more effort into refining pills. The more pills you have, the more precious the things you can exchange them for.

"All right, off you go!"

Han Li hurriedly tucked the manual securely inside his clothes, bowed respectfully to Jing Wen, and left brimming with joy.

His steps were light, and even the fallen leaves beneath his feet seemed to rustle cheerfully. Filled with hopes for the future, he could hardly wait to find a secluded place and study his newly acquired spells.

Watching Han Li's figure recede into the distance, a sly smile appeared on Jing Wen's face.

"Han Li really is easy to fool at this stage," Jing Wen murmured to himself.

"When I'm ready to leave this place, I'll make sure to fleece him for another hefty sum."