Clan Cultivation: Starting with Building an Island Immortal City

43: The angry dragon siblings informed us of the news.After a short rest at the eatery, the two left their seats and returned to the main street of the market.

Li Yinglong’s gaze swept over the stalls on both sides, a plan already forming in his mind.

He did not rush to make a move, but instead led Lin Xiaowan to walk slowly, seemingly browsing casually. In reality, his Spiritual Sense subtly moved, taking in the situation of several stalls along the way that sold Cultivation Techniques and miscellaneous Jade Slips.

Finally, he stopped in front of a stall in a corner.

The stall owner was an Old Cultivator wrapped in an old grey robe, with white hair and beard. His face was gaunt, and his aura fluctuated around the Qi Refining Second Layer, exuding a sense of decline.

On the animal hide in front of him, several dull-looking Jade Slips were scattered, and a wooden sign next to them read, ”Basic Five Elements Spell Miscellaneous Records, good price.”

Li Yinglong squatted down, picked up a Jade Slip marked ”Basic Water Condensing Art,” and after a brief probe with his Spiritual Sense, he put it down and shook his head, saying:

”The Spiritual Qi is weak, and the carving is crude. It seems like a secondhand item that has been copied no less than ten times. Its effectiveness is probably less than fifty percent of the original. Fellow Daoist, to show this item to others is somewhat lacking in sincerity.”

The Old Cultivator lifted an eyelid and snorted:

”Fellow Daoist has sharp eyes. But this is the market here in Zhaobei! It’s all Loose Cultivators struggling, where would you find top-grade goods? Fifty Spirit Stones, no bargaining.”

”Fifty?”

Li Yinglong chuckled softly:

”As far as this old man knows, such common goods, even in the slightly more prosperous markets in the interior, only cost five Low-Grade Spirit Stones when new. Fellow Daoist, you dare to ask fifty for this defective item? Are you perhaps trying to take advantage of me, a newcomer?”

Before he finished speaking, his fingertip seemingly inadvertently brushed another ”Thick Earth Art” Jade Slip. A faint wisp of Evergreen True Qi touched and retracted instantly. He shook his head and sighed:

”Moreover, the spiritualPattern on this slip is already sluggish. Forcing its practice might lead to the danger of deviation. Fellow Daoist, staying here, you must also know that the Spiritual Qi here is diminishing, and business is difficult. Three Low-Grade Spirit Stones, if you are willing, I will take it, considering it a good karma.”

The Old Cultivator’s expression changed. The other party had revealed the Jade Slip’s flaws and even the market’s predicament in a single sentence, clearly an expert.

A hint of embarrassment and urgency flashed in his eyes, and his tone softened:

”Fellow Daoist... you can’t say that... Thirty, at least thirty! It wasn’t easy for this old man to acquire it...”

Li Yinglong made a gesture as if to leave.

”Fellow Daoist, wait!”

The Old Cultivator quickly lowered his voice:

”Fellow Daoist, to be honest, this old man is leaving this troublesome place next month. I’m selling these goods if I can! If you are sincere, add two more. Three Jade Slips for ten Spirit Stones, take them all!”

He pointed to another, older-looking ”Geng Metal Art” and other incomplete slips next to it.

Li Yinglong paused his steps, pondering for a moment, as if weighing his options.

Finally, he took out ten Low-Grade Spirit Stones and handed them over.

”Fine.”

The Old Cultivator quickly took the Spirit Stones, fearing he would change his mind, and pushed the two Jade Slips over, saying in a low voice:

”Thank you, Fellow Daoist.”

Li Yinglong put away the Jade Slips and asked casually:

”Observing this market, it seems much quieter than rumored?”

The Old Cultivator, having received the Spirit Stones, became a little more talkative and sighed:

”Alas, isn’t it! In earlier years, there was still some popularity, but now... Hmph, the major immortal sects have scaled back their influence, the nearby resources are gradually depleting, and anyone with connections has gone to the larger markets in the interior. Who would stay in this impoverished backwater? Those who remain are mostly old folks like us, without roots or prospects, or some prospectors trying their luck. The market rules are virtually nonexistent; they can’t even afford decent guards anymore. It’s everyone for themselves. Prices are naturally marked high, trying to bluff whoever they can, but in reality... Alas, most just hope to barter for something tangible.”

Li Yinglong seemed thoughtful, cupped his hands, and led Lin Xiaowan towards their next target.

In the middle section of the main street of the market, a somewhat secluded stall caught Li Yinglong’s attention.

Two people sat behind the stall, completely different from the weathered and shrewd-eyed stall owners around them.

One was an exotic girl who looked no older than fifteen or sixteen, and the other was a dark-skinned, burly young man built like an iron tower.

The girl wore a short-sleeved top predominantly indigo blue, with intricate multicolored floral patterns embroidered on the cuffs and lapels, paired with a dark blue pleated short skirt. Tiny silver bells adorned the edge of her skirt.

She wore seven or eight heavy silver necklaces around her neck, and carved silver bracelets on her wrists and ankles, jingling with every movement.

Her long black hair was braided into countless thin plaits, tied with colorful silk threads and silver bells at the back of her head, revealing a full, oval face.

Her skin was a healthy honey color, and her large, dark eyes sparkled with an innocent liveliness and curiosity. Her lips naturally curved upwards, as if always holding a smile, making her seem like a cheerful bird hopping in the mountains.

The young man next to her wore a collarless, button-front black homespun short jacket, exposing his muscular chest. He had on loose, matching shorts, and a wide leather belt around his waist embedded with a few beast teeth.

His face was honest, and his eyes were calm, like a loyal dog guarding its territory. He sat silently behind the girl, with a large animal hide spread out in front of him, neatly displaying various goods.

Li Yinglong’s steps paused slightly. His gaze swept over the girl’s pure eyes and the man’s simple expression. With his experience from two lives, he instantly judged that these two were simple-minded and not cunning individuals.

He gave Lin Xiaowan a look, and the two walked towards the stall.

Seeing customers arrive, the girl immediately stood up, a bright smile blooming on her face, and actively greeted them, her voice clear as an oriole:

”Grandpa, Little Sister, come and take a look! We have all fresh and good things here!”

Seeing Li Yinglong with white hair and beard, accompanied by Lin Xiaowan, she naturally assumed they were grandfather and granddaughter.

The girl pointed to the items on the stall and enthusiastically introduced them:

”My name is Aya, and this is my brother Yan Gang. We are Angry Dragon Clan people from the Hundred Clans of the Southern Border, living in the Solo Dragon Valley and by the Angry Dragon River! These things are all dug and hunted by us brother and sister recently in the valley and by the river, absolutely fresh!”

The stall was well-stocked with items, exuding a strong Southern Border flavor.

She picked up a bundle of herbs with fine serrated edges on their leaves and a faint blue glow, introducing them:

”This is called Dragon Scale Grass. Don’t its leaves look like Dragon scales? It grows in foggy places by the river. Crushing it and applying it to wounds feels cool and can reduce swelling and relieve pain. We always bring some when we go into the mountains.”

Then she pointed to several yellowish-brown plants with roots intertwined like human figures:

”This is Earth Essence Ginseng, hidden in the fertile soil of deep valleys. You have to be careful when digging it, don’t damage the roots! It has absorbed enough Earth Qi, and drinking it in a stew is good for Qi Refining and strengthening the foundation.”

Afterward, she carefully held up a mushroom with vibrant petals and a glowing center:

”You have to handle this Illusion Heart Mushroom carefully. Don’t let its beauty fool you; smelling too much of it will make you dizzy and blurry-eyed. However, the pharmacists in our clan use it to make Calming Powder. If the dosage is controlled well, it can help people calm their minds and focus.”

She then pointed to several sealed bamboo tubes:

”Inside the tubes are Golden Thread Gu larvae, still in their eggs. Once they hatch, they can scout paths and give warnings. They are good helpers for us mountain folk.”

Most eye-catching were several bulging burlap bags, their openings revealing plump, crystal-clear grains of rice, subtly emitting pure Spiritual Qi.

Aya scooped up a handful and proudly said:

”This is our Angry Dragon Clan’s ’Jade Crystal Spiritual Rice,’ cultivated for generations by the spiritual spring! Cultivators can cook it into rice or porridge daily to slowly nourish their bodies and increase Spiritual Qi! It’s much more comfortable than just chewing on Spirit Stones!”

Li Yinglong’s heart stirred. This Spiritual Rice was precisely the basic spiritual food his Family currently needed.

He remained calm and inquired about the prices of the Spiritual Rice and several other Spiritual Plants he was interested in.

The prices Aya quoted were nearly half as cheap as those he had inquired about at other stalls, and she was honest, stating which items were aged and which were ordinary goods.

”Grandpa, our Angry Dragon Clan people don’t lie. All prices are publicly agreed upon by the clan; we would never dare to overcharge!”

Aya patted her chest to assure him, and Yan Gang behind her also nodded honestly.

Li Yinglong no longer hesitated and immediately decided to make a large purchase here.

He bought enough Jade Crystal Spiritual Rice seeds and finished rice to feed a hundred people for several months. He also selected many Dragon Scale Grass and Earth Essence Ginseng seedlings or seeds, as well as some seemingly ordinary but intuitively useful Illusion Heart Mushroom spores and Golden Thread Gu larvae, which Little Wan found useful.

The transaction went very smoothly. Aya was clear with her calculations, and Yan Gang was efficient with the packing.

Seeing Li Yinglong’s generosity, Aya was very happy. She took out two small items from a small embroidered cloth bag she carried and handed them over:

”Grandpa, Little Sister, these are for you! This ’Miasma Repelling Sachet’ contains herbs from our mountains. Wearing it can ward off ordinary miasma and poisonous insects! This ’Warm Sun Stone’ gets warm when held in your palm, so you won’t be cold when traveling in winter!”

Although they were common items, they showed genuine thoughtfulness.

Li Yinglong accepted them and thanked her.

After settling the Spirit Stones, he asked casually:

”Little girl, I want to ask you about a place. Do you know where I can find a branch of the Thousand Mechanisms Hundred Know Sect nearby?”

Aya blinked, thought for a moment, and replied:

”Thousand Mechanisms Hundred Know Sect? Yes, I know! Their branch halls aren’t in small markets like ours, they are in villages and strongholds. The nearest one is inside Blood Gu Village! That’s a large stronghold of the Black Gu Clan, it’s very lively, and... and quite chaotic. I’m not sure exactly which street in the stronghold it’s on, but I can draw you a map. Grandpa, you can ask there, someone will surely know!”

After saying that, she actually used a fuel pen and an animal hide she carried to draw Li Yinglong a map leading to Blood Gu Village.

Yan Gang added in a muffled voice:

”To Blood Gu Village, the road is difficult. You have to pass through the Poison Miasma Forest, be careful.”

Having obtained this crucial information, Li Yinglong understood.

After bidding farewell to the simple brother and sister again, he quietly left the market, which was about to sink into the depths of the swamp, with Lin Xiaowan.