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 Hidden Gold Pavilion, exchanged them for hundreds of spirit stones, then organized his cave dwelling, and gave all the magic tools and spiritual objects that he did not use often to several clansmen who were close to him on the mountain.

Song Xinhu, the descendant of the First Elder, although his spiritual root quality is average, because of the First Elder's relationship, Song Qingming has always taken good care of him after he went up the mountain. This time, he generously gave him two medium-grade magic tools, which made several cultivators of the same generation around him envious.

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

In these years, except for the year he left Qinghe County during the beast unrest two years ago, he often went home to see his mother.

It was just that since his father left, perhaps because of the lack of someone to bicker with, his mother, who had always been strong, gradually had fewer words and often liked to sit in the courtyard alone and be in a daze, sitting for several hours at a time. Only when facing a few cute grandchildren would she show a long-lost smile.

After dinner on this day, Song Mother was lying on the rocking chair in the courtyard basking in the sun. Song Qingming, who wanted to come and talk to her, saw this and simply moved a chair and sat beside her. The two sat on the left and right in the courtyard, and neither of them opened their mouths.

It was just that compared to the peace emanating from his mother, Song Qingming's heart was really not calm enough. This long journey is not the same as before. Some things he will face after arriving at the Profound Heaven Sect are really somewhat out of his own control, which also makes him feel a bit uneasy in his heart.

"Are you going on a long journey again?"

Perhaps noticing that there was something on Song Qingming's mind, Song Mu suddenly spoke up, breaking the calm 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 perhaps longer." Song Qingming replied with a calm expression.

Song Mu's expression shifted as she smiled and said: "Go if you must. Don't worry that this old bag of bones won't be around to wait for your return. The fortune teller told me last month that my life is tough enough to live to eighty. Rest assured, I will definitely live until the day you settle down."

"It's not that I'm worried, but since I'm going on a long journey, I wanted to come back and see you before leaving, so that I wouldn't miss you too much if I were away for a long time." After Song Qingming finished speaking, a faint smile appeared on his face.

"You! They all say that those who cultivate immortality should sever worldly ties early. How did I give birth to such a disappointing child? 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 must eventually walk your own path. A mortal's life eventually ends up living 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 chatted in the courtyard for over an hour, until Song Mu fell asleep in her 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 overly worried now is of no use. He would deal with it once he reached the Carefree 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 the Yangshan Market at the foot of Mount Guyang, Song Qingming, dressed in black and covered in the dust of travel, paid two spirit stones at the market entrance and successfully walked into this largest market in the State of Wei.

Mount Guyang is the mountain gate of the Carefree Sect, located in Guyang County of the State of Wei. It is also the only fourth-tier spiritual vein within the borders of the State of Wei. On this massive spiritual mountain, which spans hundreds of miles from east to west, live tens of thousands of cultivators of the Carefree Sect.

The scale of the Yangshan Market is more than twice as large as the Guiyun Market that Song Qingming had visited. Most of the businesses inside are operated by the Carefree Sect's own cultivators, with only a very small number of shops rented out to rogue cultivators.

After wandering around the market at will, Song Qingming found an inn operated by the Carefree Sect and stayed there.

Qinghe County is separated from Mount Guyang by several other counties. After leaving home, Song Qingming traveled south by water along the Qingshui River for seven or eight days, then switched to land for a few days, and finally joined a merchant caravan heading to the Yangshan Market to arrive here.

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

This place, which the Carefree Sect has managed for thousands of years, had long since cleared out all the demonic beasts within its borders. Mortals living here could be seen everywhere, and even in places without protective arrays, they did not fear attacks from demonic beasts or demonic cultivators.

Precisely because of this, although Guyang County is far smaller in area than the other four counties of the State of Wei, its population is the largest among the five, and it is the core region of the entire State of Wei.

Those living here, whether cultivators or mortals, appeared very relaxed. Upon arriving at the Yangshan Market, Song Qingming finally understood why his ancestors had always harbored resentment about being forced to leave this place back then.

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

Song Qingming strolled through the market for several days and discovered many good items he had always wanted. He even inadvertently found a hundred-year-old Green Separation Flower that his second sister, Song Qingwan, had always wanted.

In an ordinary general store, a shop assistant at the fourth level of Qi Refining was holding a two-inch-tall puppet beast and constantly showing it to Song Qingming.

The item in the assistant's hand was a high-grade Giant Bear puppet beast. Its attack power was average, but its defensive capability was extremely formidable, and it could also release a type of protective shield spell.

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

Looking at the Giant Bear puppet beast before him, Song Qingming could not help but feel tempted. Having practiced the Soul Forging Art for several years, Song Qingming's soul was now about twice as strong as that of cultivators at the same level. With his current spiritual sense, controlling two puppet beasts should not be a problem.

It was only because he had been in Qinghe County for these past few years, and no one in the Qinghe Market could craft puppet beasts, that the puppet beasts he had encountered were all low-grade ones with little utility, 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 the item into his storage bag.

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

As soon as he walked through the door, Song Qingming quickly noticed that someone in the inn was looking at him, as if they had been waiting for him for a long time.

"Seventh Brother, I've kept you waiting for a long time, haven't I? I had no choice; the place I'm staying is hundreds of miles away from the Yangshan Market, which is why it took me some extra time."

The one speaking was his third brother, Song Qingze, whom he had not seen for many years. The reason he appeared here was because he had received a message from Song Qingming a few days ago.