Chapter 75: Chapter Seventy-Five: A Gift

Hao Qingyan exchanged a few polite words, unsure of the backgrounds of the two people with Chen Hang, dared not be overly enthusiastic, and merely guided Chen Hang toward the second floor of Baojuzhai, his face beaming with smiles:

“If I count it properly, it’s been quite some time since we last met. Have you come here today to sell more items, or to acquire something for these two beside you?”

The first floor of Baojuzhai served as the main reception hall, divided by several landscape-screen partitions, furnished with potted pines and green jade vines; the ceiling of the corridor on the first floor was adorned with hundreds of palm-sized, hollow gourds, from whose apertures came clear, slow melodies like flutes and reed pipes—soft, lingering, and unbroken, filling the ears with serenity and ease, as if a bright wind caressed the body, a refined and tranquil ambiance indeed.

But it was only on the second floor that actual trading took place, where all manner of spiritual objects and magic artifacts were stored, guarded with strict vigilance, and even Foundation Establishment Daoists who had cultivated true qi were common.

Upon hearing Hao Qingyan’s words, Qingzhi, struggling to climb the stairs with her tiny, short legs, suddenly lit up with excitement.

She grunted, leaping nimbly over several steps, tugging at Chen Hang’s trailing sleeve with her chubby little hands, gazing up at him with unmistakable anticipation.

“...”

Wei Lingjiang cast a cool glance at Chen Hang, then snatched Qingzhi back as if plucking a rabbit.

“I wish to purchase a flying sword.”

Chen Hang bowed slightly and said.

“May I ask what grade you seek? Lower-grade talisman weapon, or mid-grade?”

Hao Qingyan’s smile deepened as he returned the bow and replied:

“With the Jin Valley marketplace reopening in just a few days, all merchants have already stocked their goods. I’ve kept your intent to buy a flying sword firmly in mind—I’ve even set aside several pieces I thought suitable for you—but—”

The round, plump purple-clad manager chuckled obsequiously, bowed low, and rubbed his two fingers together:

“Have you heard that the Lord of Huaiwu Cave intends to reopen ‘Huaiwu Cave’?”

Chen Hang gave a slight nod.

“It was fine before, but once ‘Huaiwu Cave’ opens, all Daoists will scramble for top rankings—and prices, naturally—”

Hao Qingyan lowered his voice, glanced left and right, then spoke:

“Prices will be slightly higher—by one or two tenths—than usual…”

After nervously finishing, he noticed Chen Hang and his companions showed no visible reaction, nor did they turn to leave.

Hao Qingyan clenched his fist inwardly, cried out silently in his heart—he knew this deal was sealed.

The second floor contained only lower-grade talisman weapons, mixed with various Daoist spells, array plates, and ornamental trinkets—such as fox-women and merfolk.

Hao Qingyan was skilled at reading expressions; after a brief stroll, he guided Chen Hang and the others toward the third floor.

The ornateness of this level far surpassed anything seen before.

The first thing to catch the eye was a brilliant pearl suspended high above the flat ceiling, glowing like fire, shining like a star, illuminating the entire room with radiant light.

The pearl seemed alive, breathing; every few dozen breaths, nine apertures opened on its surface like nine eyes opening, sweeping across the entire floor with thunderous might held in check—then slowly closing again, the apertures vanishing without trace.

“Nine-Hao Fixed-Shadow Divine Illumination Array?”

Wei Lingjiang tore her gaze from the pearl, unimpressed.

At the entrance to the third floor, another barrier now blocked their path.

“Please wait a moment, allow me to announce your arrival.”

Hao Qingyan smiled, pulled a Baojuzhai token from his waist, formed a hand seal with one hand, waved it in the air, then called out loudly:

“Master Xun, I’ve brought several esteemed guests to admire the third floor—please lift the barrier!”

As his words faded:

From some unknown corner of the building, a vast, mountain-like spiritual sense descended, majestic and incomprehensible. It swept briefly over the group, then withdrew.

“Please.”

A clear voice rang out—before them, the barrier dissolved; as Chen Hang and the others entered, it slowly sealed shut again.

“Master Xun is our chief patron at Baojuzhai—he found a True Method to open a Mansion several years ago and has since opened his Purple Mansion. That was his spiritual sense—truly enviable.”

Hao Qingyan sighed with boundless longing, then led them forward.

The third floor was lined with jade railings and crimson steps, richly colored and lavishly decorated; its atmosphere differed entirely from the second floor, and not a single guardian Daoist was visible.

Only a few Baojuzhai managers, dressed like Hao Qingyan in purple robes, moved among guests, sometimes strolling, sometimes pausing.

Gazing around, he saw roughly hundreds of crystalline jade tables, each bearing talisman weapons, precious treasures, or external elixirs; faintly, Chen Hang even spotted several demonic secret treasures—bloody and sinister—even sealed on jade tables, they still emitted faint, raging malice.

“Look here, Daoist—what do you think of this strange beast?”

As they passed a jade table, Hao Qingyan suddenly smiled and gestured to the object on his left.

The table held a living creature: a brightly feathered, delicate little parrot.

Seeing them stare, the parrot flapped its wings irritably, then squawked loudly—but its cry sounded like a centuries-old toad from the bottom of a pond—hoarse and grating.

As it screeched, its eyes glowed crimson red, and a faint crimson smoke drifted from its sockets, resembling a wailing, malevolent ghost.

“This is called the Crimson Spirit Colorful Parrot—captured from the remote, savage wilds of the Southern Reaches. It is a true demonic creature.”

Hao Qingyan beamed eagerly:

“Don’t be fooled by its unrefined voice—its demonic cry holds great power. A Qi Condensation fourth- or fifth-layer cultivator who hears it will instantly collapse, bones and sinews weakened, unable to rise for a long while—extremely useful in combat! We originally captured dozens, but with ‘Huaiwu Cave’ reopening again, everyone rushed to buy them—now only this one remains.”

“If you’re interested,”

Hao Qingyan said, “I can reduce the talisman coin price a bit—it’s a small token of respect from me to you.”

“Can this Crimson Spirit Colorful Parrot speak human language?”

Chen Hang asked casually.

“Ah… no, it cannot. Any demonic creature must refine its throat bone before it can speak human speech. This parrot’s cultivation is insufficient—it’s far from achieving that stage. If it ever did, its cry’s power might multiply several times over—and its price would be far higher.”

Hao Qingyan hurried to add:

He claimed the parrot’s ancestors may have carried Qingbird bloodline; if well cared for, it might one day revert to its pure ancestral form—even transform into a Qingbird.

Hearing this, Qingzhi’s eyes blazed red with fury; she clenched her fists, ready to attack Hao Qingyan—until Wei Lingjiang swiftly snatched her into her arms and clamped a hand over her mouth.

“...”

Hao Qingyan blinked, utterly baffled, but seeing Chen Hang’s lack of interest, he tactfully guided him to the next jade table.

Along the way, all manner of rare wonders passed by; Chen Hang had intended to simply buy a flying sword and leave, but since he’d never seen such things before, he paused frequently, content to broaden his knowledge.

…

…

“A fragment of the White-Lu Wandering Spirit’s Golden Body—this contains abundant water-elemental divine power and human-vow energy. For those who cultivate incense-worship Dao methods, even this fist-sized piece is worth three hundred talisman coins and still hard to obtain!”

Hao Qingyan pointed to a strange, glassy shard and smiled:

“But Dao methods based on incense-vow energy are usually mediocre—too high to be practical, too low to be useful—only good for amusement. Even if cultivated, they’re of little real use—mere showpieces.

And the most supreme ones are all hoarded by the Tangting Sima Clan, never released lightly… I wonder why these supreme immortal nobles cling so tightly to incense-vow energy—it’s strange! I’ve heard they’ve preserved it since ancient times—a very, very long history! Truly deep-rooted lineage!”

“The Sima Clan of the Twelve Clans?”

Chen Hang tore his gaze from the White-Lu Wandering Spirit’s Golden Body and said.

Beyond the Eight Sects and Six Clans, Xudu Tian had Twelve Great Clans, each dominating a region with deep roots and immense power.

The Tangting Sima Clan was one of them.

But this clan resided in the far western region of Xi Yi Zhou.

The two western provinces—Xi Su Zhou and Xi Yi Zhou, even the entire Western Sea—were filled with countless divine kingdoms, heavenly beings, demons, and Zen lands, where countless Dao paths coexisted, wildly complex.

This situation arose because although the west governed two provinces, it possessed only one spiritual cave—located on a distant spiritual isle, seized by the Pestilence Sect, one of the Eight Sects and Six Clans.

Though Xi Su and Xi Yi were vast in land, their lack of spiritual caves made them unimportant to the Xuan Sects and Demon Sects.

But why the entire western region became such a chaotic blend of Dao paths—even housing Buddhist lineages—was left vague in the Dao book Chen Hang had read, merely glossed over.

“Yes! The Sima Clan of the Twelve Clans—the Tangting Sima Clan!”

Hao Qingyan sighed with deep emotion:

“If you’re born into one of the Twelve Clans, you’ve already stepped half into the Primordial Spirit realm—you’ll have Dao methods, companions, and wealth without end! If I were a clan member, I’d open a shop ten times larger than Baojuzhai!”

“Hahaha!”

After Hao Qingyan finished speaking with great enthusiasm, Chen Hang remained silent—but Qingzhi burst into laughter.

“So the Emperor uses a golden hoe to till the fields, and his flatbread must have two green onions on top, right?”

Qingzhi put her hands on her hips: “You should read more books and stop being so ignorant! And—”

The girl grew flustered again:

“That damn Crimson Spirit Colorful Parrot has nothing to do with the Qingbird! Where did you hear that nonsense? Don’t be absurd! Hu—”

Halfway through, Wei Lingjiang, expressionless, clamped her mouth shut. Chen Hang paid no mind, saying calmly:

“She left home in a hurry and skipped breakfast—she’s starving and her mind’s gone fuzzy. Manager, don’t mind her. Please continue.”

“That child is mistaken—who says the Twelve Clans don’t run shops? Who in this world can do without merchants? They simply run larger ones.”

Hao Qingyan didn’t take offense; he patted his round belly and laughed before continuing:

“Daoist, look here—this elixir is called the Great Treasure Yellow Elixir; it enhances physical blood and qi, replenishes primordial truth…”

Hao Qingyan didn’t mind the trouble; clearly, he’d sensed Chen Hang’s desire to broaden his knowledge, and at each jade table, he offered brief explanations.

External elixirs, thunder-charged turbid qi, magic artifacts, array plates, puppet furnaces…

And among them:

Even crude cultivation insights from celestial demonic martial arts, fragments of supreme Dao techniques, and methods of ascension and ancestral worship from the Western Heavenly Beings…

After spending half an hour circling the entire third floor, Chen Hang finally selected three suitable flying swords.

Yin Zhuo Sword.

Long Pan Sword.

Qing Lü Sword—

—

“The Yin Zhuo Sword and Long Pan Sword are both mid-grade talisman weapons, sealed with the Heavenly Treasure Grand Seal—twelve seals! And they were forged by Master Xue Xuan of Shenhuo Cliff—exquisite materials, superior craftsmanship—always in demand, never in stock!”

Seeing Chen Hang frown slightly, Hao Qingyan panicked and quickly changed his tone:

As for this Green Law Sword, though it bears nineteen Heavenly Great Prohibitions and is of higher rank, its price is several times higher! Not worth it, not worth it at all!

With your current Qi Condensation cultivation base, you can barely manage a mid-grade talisman weapon with twelve prohibitions; once you attain True Qi, that’s when you’ll fully unlock its full power!

A mid-grade talisman weapon is not the same as a low-grade one.

Logically, only Foundation Establishment Daoists who have cultivated True Qi can fully unleash the power of a mid-grade talisman weapon.

But Chen Hang’s fetal breath volume exceeds that of other Qi Condensation cultivators by more than tenfold, nearly rivaling some low-rank True Qi cultivators—this is why he can effortlessly wield the Thunderfire Lightning Pearl and the Flowing Sky Ruler even while still in Qi Condensation.

If a Qi Condensation cultivator like Yang Shan Daoist or Rong Jin tried using a mid-grade talisman weapon, they could deploy it in combat, but could not fully manifest its power—often losing several tenths of its effectiveness, and unable to sustain it for long.

As for high-grade talisman weapons…

That is an entirely different matter…

High-grade talisman weapons can often shatter mountains and sever rivers with a single strike; such treasures are typically only obtainable by Grand Mystics or a select few Nascent Soul cultivators.

Such treasures are rare even in the Treasure Gathering Pavilion, often requiring bidding to acquire—and no matter how vast Chen Hang’s fetal breath, he could never activate one; holding it would be useless at his current stage.

Thus, from the outset, he intended to purchase a mid-grade talisman weapon.

—

“The Yin Turbid Sword uses some Dark Iron, giving it a gloomy, murky aura—it’s not very pleasing to the eye. In my humble opinion, you’d be better off buying the Dragon Coiling Sword: majestic, radiant, and truly grand!”

Hao Qingyan continued to plead earnestly, exhausting every ounce of his rhetorical skill.

“Is the Dragon Coiling Sword more expensive than the Yin Turbid Sword?” Chen Hang suddenly spoke.

“You have keen insight! It is more expensive… but not by much.”

Hao Qingyan chuckled awkwardly and scratched his head.

“As long as it’s suitable, appearance doesn’t matter.”

“So you prefer the Yin Turbid Sword? Very well, very well—I’ll—”

“Green Law Sword.”

Wei Lingjiang, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke: “Bring it to me.”

“…”

Chen Hang turned to look.

Wei Lingjiang’s expression remained calm; she said nothing more and ignored him entirely.

“Do as you like.”

He turned away and said.

Hao Qingyan first blinked in surprise, then obeyed the order, going to a jade platform, lifting the prohibitions, and carefully cradling a green magical sword in his palms before handing it over.

“Master, this sword isn’t cheap…”

He licked his lips, his expression hesitant: “Maybe stick with the Yin Turbid Sword?”

“Sister, your turn.”

Chen Hang’s expression was perfectly composed.

Hao Qingyan turned around in shock.

He saw Wei Lingjiang casually handing him something; as he took it, his eyes twitched violently, nearly dropping the Green Law Sword.

“Magic Coins?!”

Hao Qingyan shuddered violently, his fat rippling like water.

“I also wish to compete for a ranking in the ‘Huaiwu Cave,’ but entry requires a magical robe.”

After receiving and verifying the Green Law Sword, Chen Hang stored it in his Universe Bag, then bowed gracefully to Hao Qingyan, who was still stunned:

“Thank you, Manager. Please trouble yourself to select a magical robe for me as well.”

“…”

Hao Qingyan remained dazed, as if in a fog; only after several breaths did he snap back to awareness, hear Chen Hang’s request, and immediately nod, then meticulously describe every magical robe currently available in the Treasure Gathering Pavilion.

“...So expensive?”

Hearing that even the cheapest mid-grade magical robe bore eighteen Divine Treasure Prohibitions.

Chen Hang’s hand, reaching toward his Universe Bag, froze slightly.

He pulled his sleeve down, feigning nonchalance:

“No need for a mid-grade talisman weapon—a low-grade one will do.”

“Everyone knows the ‘Huaiwu Cave’ is about to open and requires a magical robe for entry—low-grade robes have all been snapped up; only mid-grade ones remain, and even those are the most expensive ones!”

Hao Qingyan spread his hands and chuckled again:

“Master, why be so stingy? Your wife is extremely wealthy! You’re family! Family shouldn’t be so formal!”

Wei Lingjiang had not yet spoken.

And at that moment…

Another voice suddenly rang out.

“How… how coincidental—Brother is also going to the Huaiwu Cave?”

Chen Hang turned toward the voice and saw Zhu WanZhi and a group from White Crane Cave nearby; as he looked, their leader, Zhou Xingling, waved cheerfully.

“Get me a magical robe.”

Zhu WanZhi stepped forward, blushing; the beautiful girl dared not raise her eyes to Chen Hang, instead pulling out her Universe Bag:

“The most expensive one! I’m giving it to Brother!”

“...”

Hao Qingyan was dumbfounded, glancing between Wei Lingjiang, Chen Hang, and Zhu WanZhi, unsure whether to accept or refuse.

Beside Chen Hang…

Wei Lingjiang’s expression remained cool, but her eyes subtly grew colder.