Treasure Hunting at the Immortal Market, Completing the Dao of Lightning

The area surrounding the True Immortal's Cave is shrouded in mist.

Because the cave's restrictions had not yet been fully lifted, powerful individuals from all sides settled here. Over time, a sizable temporary market spontaneously formed.

There were independent cultivators, scions of noble families, and elders from various parts of the Desolate Ancient Immortal Domain. They either gathered in small groups, exchanging information about the cave dwellings in hushed tones, or picked and chose items at the stalls, trying to add more life-saving trump cards before entering the cave dwellings.

Dongfang Yueming, draped in a black robe, concealed his aura, appearing as inconspicuous as a drop of water merging into the ocean.

His gaze, however, was as sharp as a hawk's, quickly sweeping across the various stalls.

No... no...

"Ordinary magical artifacts and elixirs are of little use to me anymore."

"What I lack most right now is lightning-based magic!"

Just as he was feeling somewhat disappointed, a dilapidated stall in a corner caught his attention.

The stall owner was a ragged old Daoist priest, with several pieces of unknown ore and a few jade slips laid out in front of him.

Dongfang Yueming squatted down and picked up one of the jade slips.

A sweep of divine sense.

[Low-grade lightning-type immortal technique - Thunder Sound Quake!]

[Using the power of thunder to shake the Xukong can damage the enemy's soul and dispel illusions.]

"How much?"

"Five low-grade immortal stones," the old Daoist said without looking up.

"Make a deal."

Dongfang Yueming tossed down the immortal stone, secretly delighted.

[The ninth level, lower grade, is complete!]

He continued to stroll through the market, and soon stopped in front of a rather luxuriously decorated stall.

The owner of this stall was a middle-aged man dressed in a brocade robe, with a cold and sinister aura.

Early Earth Immortal!

In the very center of his stall, a purple jade slip radiating intense lightning stood out prominently.

[Mid-grade lightning-based immortal technique - Nine Heavens Falling Lightning Art!]

"Nice one!"

A glint of light One Flash in Dongfang Yueming's eyes.

This was the last piece of the puzzle he had been searching for!

"How much for this magical technique?" he asked.

The middle-aged man glanced at him, and seeing that he had no aura, assumed he was a rogue cultivator who had never seen the world, so he casually extended a finger.

"One hundred low-grade immortal stones."

"One hundred?"

Dongfang Yueming frowned slightly.

Ordinary low-grade immortal techniques cost only a few immortal stones; mid-grade immortal techniques, though precious, are at most worth thirty to fifty stones. This hundred stones is clearly an outrageous price!

"Sir, isn't this price a bit too high?"

"Think it's too expensive? Then don't buy it!"

The middle-aged man snorted coldly and said impatiently, "This is genuine mid-grade lightning magic! It's only in this temporary market that people would fight over it for two hundred coins at a major auction house!"

"Don't come here, you poor wretch! Get out of here!"

"Oh?"

A cold smile curled at the corner of Dongfang Yueming's lips.

"Poor wretch?"

"Boom--!"

A restrained yet terrifying pressure suddenly erupted from him without warning!

That was... a terrifying aura comparable to that of Heaven Immortal!

"Snap--!"

The stall in front of the middle-aged man was shattered by this invisible force!

He was struck dumb, his face turned deathly pale, and his legs went weak, almost causing him to kneel on the ground!

"S-senpai..."

He stared in horror at the man in black robes before him, his back instantly drenched in cold sweat!

[Playing dumb to fool the enemy!]

[This is a cunning old monster who likes to play dumb to outsmart others!]

"How much now?" Dongfang Yueming asked casually.

"Three... no! Thirty! Just thirty yuan!"

The middle-aged man spoke in a trembling voice, where was even a trace of his previous arrogance?

"Very good."

Dongfang Yueming tossed down thirty immortal stones, picked up the jade slip, and turned to leave.

Watching his departing figure, the middle-aged man finally breathed a long sigh of relief, slumped to the ground, and gasped for breath.

This is terrifying...

[I almost... died!]

In the center of the market, on a huge open-air plaza.

A spontaneous "barter" convention is in full swing.

"Three mid-grade Poison Avoidance Pills in exchange for a mid-grade water-based immortal technique! Anyone interested, come quick!"

"Five-hundred-year-old Xuan Yin Grass, only to be exchanged for refining materials!"

One by one, the cultivators took turns ascending the high platform, displaying their treasures and stating their needs. The crowd below then offered their bids or shook their heads and sighed.

Dongfang Yueming stood quietly in the crowd, observing coldly.

There was a moment of awkward silence after a rogue cultivator at the Late-stage Earth Immortal stepped down from the stage.

"Is there any other fellow cultivator who would like to make an exchange?"

An elderly man presiding over the meeting asked in a loud voice.

"I'll do it."

A calm voice rang out.

Dongfang Yueming parted the crowd and slowly walked up to the high platform.

He glanced around, but did not immediately take out the treasure. Instead, he spoke calmly:

"I wish to purchase a large quantity of Heaven Immortal -level cultivation techniques, regardless of their attributes."

These words immediately caused a stir among the audience.

"Heaven Immortal Techniques? Those are treasures of all the major sects, who would trade them for?"

"Exactly, this kid's got some nerve, but he doesn't even know if he can come up with the right leverage!"

A burly man sneered, "Kid, stop causing trouble! Even the worst Heaven Immortal cultivation technique is worth at least several hundred immortal stones! Do you have one?"

Dongfang Yueming ignored the crowd's mockery.

He simply flipped his hand over.

"Buzz--!"

A massive hammer, entirely black and exuding a terrifying aura as heavy as a mountain, appeared out of thin air!

[Superior Immortal Weapon - Heaven-Shaking Hammer!]

"Boom!"

The moment the giant hammer appeared, a violent divine power swept across the entire area, and even the surrounding space faintly cracked!

The once bustling square fell into an instant deathly silence!

Everyone's eyes were completely drawn to that giant hammer, unable to look away even for a moment!

"This... this is..."

"A top-grade immortal artifact?!"

"My God! It's actually a top-grade immortal artifact?!"

The burly man who had just been mocking them was now gaping, his jaw practically dropping to the ground!

Even the elderly man presiding over the meeting was breathing heavily, his eyes filled with disbelief!

In this Desolate Ancient Immortal Domain, a mid-grade immortal artifact is enough to cause fierce competition. As for high-grade immortal artifacts... even the elders of those major sects might not possess one!

"Is this enough?"

Dongfang Yueming asked calmly.

Countless gazes instantly turned fiery, filled with undisguised greed!

If it weren't for the fact that this is a public place, someone probably would have already tried to snatch it!

Just then...

"I'll take this treasure."

An aged yet authoritative voice rang out.

An elderly man, dressed in Flowing Clouds Daoist robe and with white hair and beard, walked slowly towards them, surrounded by a group of disciples.

With each step he took, the surrounding crowd would unconsciously make way for him, their eyes filled with awe.

"It's the Grand Elder of the Flowing Clouds Sect — Yun Zhongzi!"

"A powerful being in the Early Heaven Immortal!"

Yun Zhongzi walked to the front of the platform, his gaze fixed intently on the Heaven-Shaking Hammer, a barely perceptible gleam of wild joy flashing in his eyes.

"Young friend, how would you like to change it?"

"I want Heaven Immortal cultivation techniques," Dongfang Yueming said calmly. "The more the better, attributes don't matter."

"No problem."

Yun Zhongzi stroked his beard and smiled, casually tossing out a storage ring.

"This contains eighteen Heaven Immortal cultivation techniques collected by my Flowing Clouds Sect over generations. Although they are not core inheritances, they are still quite valuable. In exchange for your hammer, it's more than enough."

Dongfang Yueming took the ring and scanned it with his divine sense.

[These are indeed the eighteen Heaven Immortal Techniques, each with distinct attributes, making them the perfect source of material for deducing the "Origin Immortal Art"!]

Although the value of a top-grade immortal artifact is far greater than that, what he urgently needs right now is a cultivation technique.

"Make a deal."

Without the slightest hesitation, he threw the Heaven-Shaking Hammer directly to the other party.

This decisive action surprised even Yun Zhongzi slightly.

Is this kid... genuinely stupid or just pretending?

[Such a valuable treasure, handed over so easily?]

He took the giant hammer, stroking it with obvious affection, but inwardly he was sneering.

[Hmph! You're smart to know what's good for you!]

[but...]

He glanced at Dongfang Yueming's departing figure, a sinister murderous glint flashing in his eyes.

Don't you understand the principle of "possessing a treasure invites trouble"?

[What good is the technique if I give it to you? Once you enter the cave...]

[This cultivation technique, along with all the other treasures you possess, will eventually return to my hands, won't it?]

Dongfang Yueming, however, seemed completely oblivious to all of this, continuing to walk at his own unhurried pace.

However, the playful smile at the corner of his mouth became even more pronounced.

[Trying to kill and rob?]

[hehe...]

I'm afraid you guys just don't have the luck!