Blood Sandalwood Frog

Of course.

Lin Ke could not bear to use Blackgold Silkworm Silk just to practice.

Because Blackgold Silkworm Silk was such a fine material, he preferred to barter and see whether he could trade it for something good.

If that failed, he would consider exchanging the Blackgold Silkworm Silk for Spirit Stones, then using those Spirit Stones to buy things.

For instance, he could buy some artifact-refining supplies to practice with and learn the craft.

Besides, in Lin Ke's view, although many professions valued talent, lacking it did not make success impossible.

It was just like studying mathematics, physics, and the like.

As long as he studied seriously, he might not reach the top, but at least he would earn some "points for effort."

Some things that depended on talent were difficult to break through in, but if hard work alone could get something done, Lin Ke could consider giving it a try.

It might not be particularly cost-effective. After all, compared with someone talented, an untalented artifact refiner would certainly differ in the grades of their products, their material consumption, and other aspects.

Still, earning less was better than letting someone discover something suspicious.

While he was weak, keeping his wealth out of sight was important.

And so, Lin Ke arrived at Yi-Wa Market.

"What a mess..." Looking at the scene before him, Lin Ke could not help but sigh.

It was not the chaos of a riot. An Origin Artifact hovered above Yi-Wa Market, and anyone who dared to riot would be struck dead on the spot.

Although there was no burning, killing, smashing, or looting, it was not much better.

Panic buying!

The entrances of shops selling weapons, equipment, Cultivation Pills, spiritual food, and other goods that normally sold rather slowly were packed with people.

The stall area was no different.

Normally, the sect's protective formation kept everyone safe, and they did not venture outside all the time. They always felt secure, so weapons and equipment were not particularly hot sellers.

Now things were different.

Everyone could foresee the coming shortage of supplies and the impending dangers, so they were frantically snapping up war supplies.

Judging by the shops, Lin Ke reckoned he would not be able to squeeze inside.

He could only try the stall area.

Once he arrived at the vendor area, however, Lin Ke had an idea. He found a spot where he could stand and called out clearly:

"Top-quality Blackgold Silkworm Silk, one jin and eight liang! A Seamstress can turn it into underclothes or inner armor, with first-rate protection!"

The stall area was deafeningly noisy. Everyone was buying and selling, making it several times livelier than usual.

The moment Lin Ke spoke, people immediately gathered around him.

"Blackgold Silkworm Silk? What is that? Is it low-grade spirit material?"

"It only has a trace of spiritual energy, but I happen to need a pair of gloves. How much are you asking?"

"Blackgold Silkworm Silk? What sort of Spirit Insect is a Blackgold Silkworm?"

"Brother, you look rather familiar..."

Many people focused on the Blackgold Silkworm Silk, while others looked at Lin Ke, feeling that he seemed familiar but unable to remember who he was.

Regardless, many of them considered the Blackgold Silkworm Silk quite useful.

Underclothes and inner armor refined from silk were not only lighter and thinner than those made from metal, but also offered excellent defense.

"Everyone, let's barter." Lin Ke had not come for Spirit Stones in the first place, so bartering was better.

As soon as he finished speaking, someone made an offer.

"I have a piece of Breath-Tending Wood here. It can be used to raise Giant Rhinoceros Beetle larvae." A woman in green turned her hand over and produced a pale-green piece of wood as long as a forearm.

"Breath-Tending Wood?" Lin Ke nodded slightly, then looked at the others.

A man in black robes took out a porcelain bottle. "Ten Cold Numbing Needles. Single-use weapons. Each can immobilize someone who has yet to establish their Dao Foundation for three breaths."

Single-use weapons?

Unfortunately, they could only immobilize someone for three seconds, and they only worked on those at the Qi Refining Stage.

"Sorry." Lin Ke rejected the black-robed man first.

The black-robed man was not annoyed. He immediately turned and went elsewhere to shop.

Then more people made offers.

"Thirty sheets of Bamboo Charcoal Paper, suitable for writing Talismans."

"A handful of Dark Maple Soil. It falls short of low-grade spirit quality and is a derivative of low-grade spirit Dark Maple Soil."

"One low-grade spirit Broken Arrow."

The three offers were all roughly equal in value to the Blackgold Silkworm Silk.

None of them were bad, but none were quite what he wanted.

Just as Lin Ke decided to pick one at random, he heard someone calling out nearby:

"A breeding pair of Blood Sandalwood Frogs, one male and one female! Use them to breed more Blood Sandalwood Frogs! Spirit Stones only!"

Blood Sandalwood Frogs!

These frogs got their name because their leg bones, once processed, were comparable to blood sandalwood.

Like blood sandalwood, their leg bones could be used to refine artifacts, though even the finest frog leg bones were merely ordinary-grade materials.

But that was just right for Lin Ke!

"Does anyone have Spirit Stones?" Lin Ke smiled at his prospective buyers.

They did not mind and immediately made their bids.

Lin Ke chose a suitable price and sold the Blackgold Silkworm Silk.

Fifty Spirit Stones in total!

Then he immediately went over to the nearby seller.

"Do you want Blood Sandalwood Frogs?" The seller was a boy with a fishing creel hanging at his waist. "Only eighty Spirit Stones."

Several buyers had gathered around the boy, but it seemed no deal had been struck yet.

Lin Ke squeezed in, so the boy's question had been directed at him.

"Kid, you have to let us see what condition these Blood Sandalwood Frogs are in!" someone beside him said with a laugh.

"You're not buying. If you're not buying, I won't show you." The boy shook his head, then ignored the others and looked at Lin Ke instead. "This immortal master probably wants them. He came here specifically."

Apparently, the boy had seen Lin Ke coming over.

"Eighty Spirit Stones isn't cheap," Lin Ke said with a smile. "I am interested in Blood Sandalwood Frogs, but I only want to practice artifact refining with their leg bones. If they're too expensive, it won't be worthwhile."

"No." To his surprise, the boy refused.

After a long silence, he said, "I'll only sell my Blood Sandalwood Frogs if you take good care of them. You can't kill them. You have to swear."

Someone nearby immediately shook his head and said, "Their leg bones are the whole point of Blood Sandalwood Frogs. If we can't kill them, what use is buying them?" With that, he turned and left.

Time waited for no one, and many people were unwilling to waste theirs.

If this stall would not do, they would move on to the next. They could not be bothered to waste time on these so-called breeding frogs.

The boy fell silent after hearing that.

"Their offspring are fine, but not them." The boy stroked the fishing creel at his waist, conflict showing on his face. "I've raised Big Red and Little Red for a long time. You can't kill them."

It was clear that the boy had been forced by circumstances to sell these two Blood Sandalwood Frogs.

Otherwise, judging by his expression, he would certainly have been unwilling to sell them.

"I can agree not to kill them. I'll only use them for breeding," Lin Ke said then. "But I can only offer fifty Spirit Stones."

He had never intended to buy the frogs and immediately kill them for their bones anyway.

After all, many people here needed to buy things they could immediately turn into personal strength.

They did not have time to raise breeding frogs, then wait through the long process of egg-laying, hatching, the tadpole stage, and adulthood before finally reaping the harvest.

But Lin Ke was different.

Lin Ke had his Niwan Palace, and he had Lin Can!

Although Lin Can could not directly hatch Blood Sandalwood Frogs, if he could use the Niwan Palace to breed a new species, he would be able to mass-produce them.

Those mass-produced Blood Sandalwood Frogs would provide Lin Ke with an endless supply of artifact-refining materials.

"Fifty Spirit Stones?"

"Deal!"

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