Chapter 7: I Also Want to Snatch a Bargain

Ziguang Market lies within a valley; even from afar, one can feel the dense spiritual energy nearby.

Clearly, the market is protected by arrays—not only a Spirit Gathering Array, but also other defensive arrays.

From a distance, one can already see towering pavilions, and even guards at the entrance.

Moreover, the guards themselves are at Qi Refining Stage 5.

Luo Yao was slightly surprised, walked straight forward, but was stopped—apparently, one must pay one Spirit Stone to enter.

She was startled, saw others paying, and realized this rule was indeed real.

Although she currently cultivates the sect's provided technique, they're all common ones.

Luo Yao decisively chose to buy, but the old man suddenly demanded fifty Spirit Stones per book.

Are you kidding?

Remember, even the Xuanyuan Sect possesses no Profound Grade technique—supposedly, even the Elders cultivate only Yellow Grade techniques; one can imagine how rare techniques above the Profound Grade truly are.

Techniques are divided into four grades: Heaven, Earth, Mysterious, Yellow—Xuanyuan Sect's given technique probably doesn't even reach Yellow Grade.

Fortunately, a kind passerby reminded her: if she were a disciple of Ziguang Sect or Xuanyuan Sect, she could enter for free with her Token.

Luo Yao immediately grew wary, yet internally surprised—Profound Grade? Earth Grade techniques?

Guxiushi, as the name suggests, means ancient cultivators from antiquity.

Along both sides of the street were various shops; at the street's end stood a Square, filled with cultivators selling goods on mats.

Thinking of this, she turned to the old man: "Elder, what techniques do you have?"

The female cultivator, upon hearing this, did not leave—she followed Luo Yao closely, offering timely explanations as Luo Yao examined items.

"Uh…"

She decided that once back, she'd use her Golden Finger on Spirit Stones daily—then she'd have a constant stream of them.

Luo Yao froze—so expensive?

Luo Yao casually entered a shop called "Treasure Pavilion," where weapons and Dharma Treasures filled her vision.

Besides, the items she obtained from the blocking man were worth over forty to fifty Spirit Stones.

So her thirty-plus Spirit Stones in her Storage Bag could only buy six stacks of Talisman Paper?

Sixty talismans seem like a lot, but in actual combat, half or more would be used up—even if used sparingly.

Stepping onto the blue stone slabs inside the market, Luo Yao felt as if she'd returned to the bustling streets of her past life.

Many have gained inheritances—even Immortal Artifacts—from Guxiushi Cave Abodes; having Profound or Earth Grade techniques would be perfectly normal.

"Whoa!"

A single technique book costing fifty Spirit Stones—she turned and ran immediately.

Moreover, the dazzling array of goods overwhelmed Luo Yao.

Perhaps, with the power of her Golden Finger, she could restore the incomplete technique?

"Don't listen to him," a passing cultivator, clearly familiar with the old man, interrupted, "his techniques may be high-grade, but they're all incomplete—there's not a single cultivation method for Foundation Establishment or above. Don't get tricked."

"I'll look myself!"

Luo Yao finally sighed in relief and quickly pulled out her Token.

Fortunately, Luo Yao had rich haggling experience from her past life—she eventually bargained it down to fifteen Spirit Stones.

Good techniques accelerate cultivation speed; the stronger the technique, the stronger the cultivator becomes.

Luo Yao took the Jade Slip and examined it—the restrictions limited her view to only part of it, to prevent buyers from memorizing the technique and refusing to purchase.

As soon as Luo Yao entered, a female cultivator approached—Qi Refining Layer 3.

And reportedly, these are all low-grade ones.

"Friend, do you need any? Besides Frost-Cooling Pills, we also have Spirit Gathering Pills—these are more suitable for Qi Refining cultivators; one bottle costs thirty Spirit Stones and contains ten pills."

Robbery!

"Friend, looking to buy a technique? I have some—Profound Grade, Earth Grade, both available!"

The old man immediately beamed and pulled out a pile of Jade Slips.

"Selling Pills, Dharma Treasures…"

The hawking cries made Luo Yao feel as if she'd returned to her past life—this didn't seem like the Immortal Cultivation World, yet cultivators were still human, still subject to the seven emotions and six desires.

Medium-grade Talisman Paper: twenty Spirit Stones per sheet.

She turned and left, wandered the entire market, gained much insight—but still found no suitable technique.

Luo Yao arrived at a stall selling Jade Slips—this was her primary reason for coming to the market: to find a suitable technique.

At this moment, an old man suddenly appeared beside Luo Yao—he too was at Qi Refining Stage 10, clearly having watched her closely and known she sought a technique.

Ten Spirit Stones?

"What techniques do you have here?"

Five Spirit Stones?

"Yes, low-grade Frost-Cooling Pills: five per bottle for ten Spirit Stones, ten per bottle for twenty Spirit Stones."

Could a cultivator like this possibly possess Profound, even Earth Grade techniques?

"Friend, don't doubt me—these techniques were all brought back at great risk from Guxiushi Cave Abodes."

"Only these left—all these techniques are ten Spirit Stones per book; they'll last you all the way to Foundation Establishment without needing replacement…"

But now, with over thirty Spirit Stones to her name, she still felt a pang.

To others, incomplete techniques are worthless—but to her, they're treasures.

With the technique in hand, Luo Yao had achieved her goal for the market—she quickly left and returned to her sect.

Indeed, truly good techniques would never be sold on street stalls—even if the vendor was clueless, others would've already snatched them up long ago; how could they possibly be left for her?

She found that prices at other shops were roughly the same—no more than a few Spirit Stones cheaper.

She glanced at the other talisman papers; the Ice Cone Talismans were also about five Spirit Stones per stack.

"These are Fireball Talismans. A stack has ten sheets, totaling five Spirit Stones."

This instantly struck a blow to Luo Yao, who had previously thought she was the "richest person" of the Xuanyuan Sect.

Luo Yao frowned. If the cultivation method were good, it wouldn't matter, but unfortunately, they were all mediocre.

With no money, one can only buy street stall goods!

Can't afford it, can't afford it. Sorry to bother you!

"Do you have any Pills? For instance, Frost-Condensing Pills or the like."

However, she also understood that it was simply because her realm was too low and she had just entered the Immortal Cultivation World, which was why she was so poor. Now that she had a Golden Finger, why worry about lacking money or Dharma Treasures?

Luo Yao picked and chose, finally finding a text titled "Ice Soul Art." It was said that the complete cultivation method was Earth Grade. Although it was currently incomplete, even as a fragment, cultivating it would make one stronger than peers of the same level.

"Walk around, take a look! Freshly hatched Monster Beast Eggs!"

"Yes, yes, I have the 'Ice Frost Art,' the 'Cold Ice Art'..."

One Spirit Stone. For her previous self, it would have required completing thousands or even tens of thousands of tasks, perhaps, to possibly obtain a single Spirit Stone.

"You..." The old man was instantly so angry that his beard trembled.

Luo Yao took just one look and frowned. These cultivation methods were all mediocre; in fact, they were not as good as the all-element cultivable method given by the Xuanyuan Sect.

This nearly scared Luo Yao into turning and running away.

Luo Yao couldn't help but suck in a cold breath. With her empty purse, it seemed she couldn't afford it.

Luo Yao retreated and hurriedly left this shop to find another one.

The cultivation strength of the stall-setting cultivators ranged from Qi Refining Layer 3 at the low end to Qi Refining Layer 10 at the high end.

Luo Yao suddenly realized: if there were no follow-up cultivation methods, then these methods were indeed not worth it. After all, one was only at the Qi Refining stage; once that stage was completed, one would still need to find a new cultivation method. It would be better to buy a complete one.

Leaving the shop, she walked toward the stall area.

In the end, Luo Yao drew one conclusion: it wasn't that the items were too expensive, but that she was too poor.

"I have the 'Mystic Water Art,' the 'Fire Yang Art,' and the 'Wood Spirit Art.' Daoist Friend, what element do you need..."

"This Daoist Friend, what do you wish to purchase? We have Talisman Paper, Dharma Treasures, Pills, cultivation methods, and so on..."

"Do you have any Ice-element cultivation methods?"

Luo Yao had to return to the Treasure Pavilion to inquire about cultivation methods.

Luo Yao possessed a single Spirit Root of the Ice element, so if a suitable cultivation method existed, an Ice-element one would be the most fitting.

That was merely a possibility.

Of course, it wasn't that she truly couldn't afford them; it was simply that she only had these Spirit Stones on her person. Once used, they would be gone, so she dared not spend recklessly. Yet, it seemed none of these items were cheap.

"How many Spirit Stones? Are there any others?"

After the guard confirmed the Token was correct, he allowed Luo Yao to enter.

She planned to try using her Golden Finger to see if it could work on this cultivation method.

If it could be restored to an Earth Grade cultivation method, then she would have made a huge profit.

(End of this chapter)