Chapter 390: Invitation to Explore

The Snowman Race's market is similar to the cultivation market Yan Buji saw before, but each race has its own fixed territory, reducing conflicts.

"Take a look at the precious jade ore, all good goods."

"Blue Ring Poison, price negotiable."

"A portion of Daylight Qi, anyone interested?"

Daylight Qi?

Yan Buji crouched down, looked at the Winged Race's stall, and asked: "Do you have any Primordial Daylight Qi?"

"Huh? Are you trying to cause trouble? Where am I supposed to find Primordial Daylight Qi for you?"

Yan Buji smiled: "Fellow cultivator, you're of the Winged Race, right? I heard you can ascend straight to the Nine Heavens, so I thought you might be able to find such a rare treasure."

The Winged Race waved a hand: "Don't cause trouble. Although we can fly, we cannot pass through the Nine Heavens Gale Wind Layer; we've always lived within the Daylight Layer. The Primordial Daylight Qi you mention is a treasure hard to find even in ancient times, worth as much as a stalk of Celestial Material."

Yan Buji frowned: "Is that really the case? I recall Primordial Daylight Qi, by transformation level, is at most Fourfold Transformation."

"Then you also need to be able to find it."

"That's also the reasoning."

"Rarity determines value; the difference between Daylight Qi and Primordial Daylight Qi lies here."

The Daylight Layer and Night Layer are the heavenly layers currently accessible in the Five Domains; day and night alternate, sun and moon shine across the sky, so Daylight Qi is easy to obtain, but Primordial Daylight Qi is a matter of time.

"Primordial Daylight and the present Daylight Layer are just different names; however, many Spiritual Materials bearing the 'Primordial' prefix are indeed passed down from that era, so their rarity is natural."

The Winged Race glanced at Yan Buji and asked strangely: "Why do you need Primordial Daylight Qi? Daylight Qi can do pretty much the same thing."

"I need Primordial Daylight Qi to refine an Accumulation Device; since there's none, forget it." Yan Buji said helplessly.

Ordinary cultivators find it hard to leap to ten-thousand-meter altitude to reach the Daylight Layer, mainly because the Daylight Layer is too high and the Nine Heavens Gale Wind exists; not everyone can ignore the gale like the Winged Race can.

However, according to this Winged Race's account, the Nine Heavens Gale Wind Layer seems difficult even for them to cross easily.

"But fellow cultivator, don't you Winged Race have an innate ability to ignore the gale? In theory, with the vast Nine Heavens, you could go anywhere." Yan Buji asked.

"That was before the Seven Heavens were concealed; we Winged Race could penetrate the gale layer back then, but not anymore."

"Specifically...."

"I don't need to tell you all that; if you don't have what you want, go look elsewhere!"

Obviously this Winged Race didn't want to say more, and Yan Buji didn't want to press further.

After browsing a while, Yan Buji exchanged for some more Spiritual Materials; plus he already had a lot of Spiritual Materials from the Youming Jie, this unique material is popular among many cultivators.

Even if he doesn't use them himself, keeping them for later exchange for other resources is also good.

So Yan Buji also gathered a fair amount of usable Spiritual Materials; after touring the areas, he found a place to stay.

Speaking of which, the Snowman Race didn't arrange lodging for them, and it's unclear whether they forgot or what.

When evening came.

Yan Buji stayed at the Snowman Race's inn, preparing to refine a batch of pills for backup, when a knocking sound suddenly came from outside the door.

"Who is it?"

"Is it Fellow Cultivator Yan?"

Yan Buji put away the Spiritual Materials, got up, and opened the door.

Xue Qing smiled at Yan Buji: "Fellow Cultivator Yan."

"Fellow Cultivator Xue Qing, please come in."

The two sat down; Xue Qing bowed and said: "Sorry for the poor hospitality, Fellow Cultivator Yan, for making you stay here."

"It's fine; Fellow Cultivator Xue Qing, coming here late at night, do you have any business?"

"Yes, as I told Fellow Cultivator Yan earlier, I came to Shallow Dusk Snow Mountain intending to host you properly, but I was assigned to receive guests, so I only now have time—I'm really sorry." Xue Qing laughed.

"It's okay."

Xue Qing glanced around, then whispered: "Fellow Cultivator Yan, do you mind?"

"Huh?"

Yan Buji raised an eyebrow, flicked his sleeve, and a few silence seals flew out to stick on the door and window, saying: "Please speak, Fellow Cultivator."

Xue Qing nodded: "That's right; while traveling, I discovered a secret realm in the Frigid Winter Ocean and am broadly inviting fellow cultivators to explore it together."

"Oh?" Yan Buji wondered: "Is this secret realm so dangerous?"

"There is some danger; this secret realm is a product of heaven and earth's creation. Entering it is like going to a continent. The forests are vast, and many ancient ferocious beasts gather there—I alone cannot explore it." Xue Qing said.

"Going once is fine; which fellow cultivators have you also invited?"

"They are all friends of the Otherworldly Race; with Fellow Cultivator Yan joining, this should be easier."

"You think too highly of me." Yan Buji chuckled, then turned serious: "If we find treasures, how should we divide them?"

"Naturally, whoever finds it keeps it; if multiple people discover it together, everyone will assess its value and provide compensation."

Yan Buji nodded: "Reasonable."

Xue Qing smiled: "All right, then. After the conclave ends, I will personally contact you, Fellow Cultivator, and please stay a few more days at Shallow Dusk Snow Mountain."

"Sure."

Immediately, Xue Qing bade farewell and left; Yan Buji thought carefully.

"Since we're exploring a secret realm, more people mean more strength, which is fine—but I'm not well acquainted with them, so I should still be cautious." Yan Buji said.

After all, secret realms are rare; unlike the Boundless Sea Trench, a deadly place where exiting is hard after entry, most secret realms or Spiritual Domains are not difficult to enter or leave.

But if they harbor hidden killing mechanisms, a slight lapse could lead to death and disappearance of the Dao, which is normal.

"Let's prepare first."

Yan Buji sat down again, preparing to refine a batch of Mighty Strength Pills that can temporarily boost one's strength.

This pill achieves Threefold Transformation; it's a kind of body-cultivator's favorite, quite niche, and Yan Buji obtained it at today's trade fair.

This pill has only one effect: it greatly increases one's strength in a short time, the amount depending on the robustness of one's physique.

One could say that the pill's effect, though singular, has great potential; for example, with Yan Buji's Blood Heaven Ascension Degree fully activated, swallowing the pill to amplify his Qi would bring him to an extremely terrifying state.

Although he has never taken it, Yan Buji has just gathered enough Spiritual Material to forge a batch.

Now that his accumulated experience is ample, even refining a three‑turn spiritual pill does not pose much difficulty for Yan Buji; it is merely that the mana consumed during the pill's refinement is indeed considerable.

However, he is not currently using techniques against foes, so the problem is minor.

After a night passes, Yan Buji stores the refined spiritual pill in a bottle; the material from one furnace suffices for only one pill, showing that this crude power pill is costly yet its usefulness is very low.

If it were not for Yan Buji's own Martial Dao Profound Skill enhancement, this crude power pill would have little effect on him.