Chapter 124: Yangshan Market

Before setting off, Song Qingming first handed over some of the cultivation classics with clear origins that he had accumulated over the years to the family's Treasury Pavilion, exchanged them for hundreds of spirit stones, then organized his cave dwelling, and gave some magic treasures and spiritual objects that he did not use often to several clansmen who were close to

Although Song Xinhu, a descendant of the Great Elder, had average spiritual root aptitude, because of his relationship with the Great Elder, Song Qingming had always taken good care of him after he went up the mountain. This time, he even generously bestowed upon him two mid-grade magic tools, which made the few fellow cultivators around him extremely envious.

After handling the affairs on the mountain, Song Qingming went down the mountain and returned to his home in Mujiao Town for a few days to accompany his mother and family.

In these past few years, apart from leaving Qinghe County for a year during the demonic beast turmoil two years ago, he usually returned home often to see his mother.

It was just that ever since his father passed away, perhaps due to the lack of someone to bicker with, his mother, who had always been strong, had gradually become much quieter. She often liked to sit alone in the courtyard in a daze, sitting for hours at a time. Only occasionally, when facing her few cute grandchildren, would she reveal a long-lost smile.

On this day after a meal, Song Mother was lying on the rocking chair in the courtyard sunbathing again. Song Qingming, who wanted to accompany her to talk, saw this and simply moved a chair to sit beside her. The two of them sat in the courtyard, one on the left and one on the right, without saying a word.

However, compared to the peace radiating from his mother, Song Qingming's heart was truly not calm enough. This trip far away was not like the ones before. Some of the things he would have to face after arriving at the Xiaoyao Sect were truly somewhat beyond his own control, which also made him feel somewhat uneasy in his heart.

"Are you going on a long journey again?"

Perhaps seeing that Song Qingming had something on his mind, Song Mother suddenly spoke, breaking the silence that had been maintained in the courtyard.

"Yes! After I leave this time, the time of my return might be a bit uncertain. I estimate it will take half a year, or it might be longer." Song Qingming replied with a calm expression.

Song Mother's expression turned into a smile as she said, "Go if you must. Don't be afraid that this old bone of mine won't be able to wait for you to return. The fortune teller told me last month that my life is tough enough to live to eighty. Don't worry, I will definitely be able to live until the day you get married."

"It's not that I'm worried. Since I'm going on a long journey, I just wanted to come back and see you before leaving, so as not to miss you too much if I'm gone for a long time." After Song Qingming finished speaking, a faint smile appeared on his face as well.

"You! They all say that those who cultivate immortality should cut off worldly ties early. How did I give birth to such a disappointing thing like you? If your father were still here, he would surely say again that I am affecting your cultivation.

Over these years, I have also come to terms with it. What your father said might be right for you after all. After all, you are different from us and will eventually have to walk your own path. A mortal's life is ultimately lived in the memories of others. If I can leave as quietly as your father in the future, that is also a blessing."

"Mother is right, your child understands!"

The two of them chatted in the courtyard for more than half an hour until Song Mother fell asleep on the chair while talking. After Song Qingming covered her with a blanket, he stood up and left the place.

After chatting with his mother for a while, Song Qingming's heart gradually calmed down. What must be faced will eventually be faced. Being too worried now is of no use. Let's wait until he reaches the Xiaoyao Sect.

Returning to his room, he carefully took out the Water Spirit Fruit he had stored for over a decade. After leaving a note for his mother, Song Qingming quietly left his home.

——

A month later, in Yangshan Market at the foot of Guyang Mountain, Song Qingming, dressed in black and dusty from the journey, paid two spirit stones at the market entrance and successfully walked into this largest market in the Wei State.

Guyang Mountain is the mountain gate of the Xiaoyao Sect, located in Guyang County of the Wei State. It is also the only fourth-tier spirit vein within the territory of the Wei State. On this huge spirit mountain that spans hundreds of miles from east to west, tens of thousands of Xiaoyao Sect cultivators live.

The scale of Yangshan Market is more than twice as large as Guiyun Market, which Song Qingming had visited. Most of the businesses inside are operated by the Xiaoyao Sect cultivators themselves, and only a very small number of shops are rented out to rogue cultivators.

After Song Qingming wandered around the market at will, he found an inn operated by the Xiaoyao Sect and stayed there.

Qinghe County is separated from Guyang Mountain by several counties. After Song Qingming left home, he traveled by water along the Qingshui River to the south for seven or eight days, then switched to land for a few days. He met a caravan heading to Yangshan Market and accompanied them here.

Along this journey, Song Qingming occasionally saw traces of demonic beasts at the beginning, but after entering Guyang County, he never saw a single demonic beast again.

This place, which the Xiaoyao Sect has operated for thousands of years, had long since cleared out all the demonic beasts within its territory. Mortals living here can be seen everywhere, and even in places without formation protection, they are not afraid of attacks from demonic beasts or demonic cultivators.

Precisely because of this, although the area of Guyang County is far less than the other four counties of the Wei State, its population is the largest among the five counties. This is also the core region of the entire Wei State.

Those living here, whether cultivators or mortals, appear very relaxed. After arriving at Yangshan Market, Song Qingming finally understood why his family's predecessors had always been bitter about being forced to leave this place back then.

Yangshan Market is the largest market in the entire Wei State. Here, as long as you have enough spirit stones, not to mention those second-tier spirit items that are rare elsewhere, even third-tier spirit items used by Golden Core cultivators can be bought.

Song Qingming strolled around the market for several days and discovered many good things he had always wanted. He also inadvertently found a hundred-year-old Qingli Flower that his second sister, Song Qingwan, had always wanted.

In an ordinary grocery store, a clerk at the fourth layer of Qi Condensation was holding a two-inch-sized puppet beast in his hand and kept showing it to Song Qingming.

What the clerk held was a top-grade giant bear puppet beast. Its attack power was average, but its defensive ability was extremely formidable, and it could also release a shield defense spell.

"It really lives up to its reputation as the largest market in the Wei State. I didn't expect that even a first-grade top-quality puppet beast could be bought here."

Looking at this giant bear puppet beast in front of him, Song Qingming couldn't help but feel tempted. He had been cultivating the Soul Forging Art for several years, and Song Qingming's soul was now about twice that of a cultivator at the same tier. With his current spiritual sense, controlling two puppet beasts should not be a problem.

It was just because he had been in Qinghe County for the past few years, and no one in Qinghe Market could craft puppet beasts. The puppet beasts he had encountered were all low-grade ones with little use, which were of no use to him.

After asking for the price, Song Qingming hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth, took out two hundred and forty spirit stones, and put this item into his storage bag.

Having spent several hundred spirit stones all at once, Song Qingming chose not to continue wandering around and turned back to the inn where he was staying.

Just as he walked in the door, Song Qingming soon discovered that there was someone in the inn looking at him, as if he had been waiting for him for a long time.

"Seventh Brother, I've kept you waiting, haven't I? I had no choice; the place I'm staying is several hundred miles away from Yangshan Market, so it took me some extra time."

The person speaking was none other than his Third Brother, Song Qingze, whom he hadn't seen for many years. The reason he appeared here was also because he had received a message from Song Qingming a few days ago.

(End of chapter)