Cultivation Begins with Daily Intelligence Reports

50: Green Turtle Spirit ShieldLin Jingyu’s expression remained unmoved, his gaze calm as water, looking directly into the shopkeeper’s small eyes that flickered with shrewd light, his tone flat yet carrying an unquestionable certainty:

”Shopkeeper, you are an expert, why bother with empty words and prevarication? Although the Magical Artifact is damaged, the refined iron, sunken silver, and wind copper used are all genuine materials; you know clearly in your heart what the melted value is.

As for the Medicinal Pill, it is indeed ordinary and worth at least sixty-seven Spirit Stones; if it’s even one less, I will immediately go to the ’Wanbao Tower’ next door to ask. Moreover...”

He paused deliberately, watching the shopkeeper’s slightly changing expression, and slowly added: ”I came here this time, besides selling these old items, to also acquire a few new, handy Magical Artifacts.

If the shopkeeper has no sincerity, then this business deal might as well not be done.”

After saying this, he made a move as if to take back the items on the counter.

”Hey, Fellow Daoist, wait! Wait!” A flash of surprise passed through the shopkeeper’s eyes, and he looked Lin Jingyu up and down again.

Although this young man was dressed simply, his demeanor was steady, his gaze sharp, and his speech was clear and logical; especially that phrase ”acquire new Magical Artifacts” made his heart stir.

The smile on his face quickly returned, even adding a few points of ”sincerity,” and his tone softened: ”Oh my, Fellow Daoist, don’t be anxious. Seeing that you are extraordinary, you are a straightforward person.

Fine, today I’ll treat it as making a friend; sixty-seven Spirit Stones it is.”

He seemed to have made a great decision, and with a wave of his hand, he swept the miscellaneous items on the counter into a cloth bag, finalizing the transaction.

”Good.” The shopkeeper did not take out the Spirit Stones, but changed the subject,

”I wonder what kind of Magical Artifact Fellow Daoist wants to add? Attack? Defense? Or some exotic treasure? Low Grade or Medium Grade? Just say it, my shop has everything, I guarantee you will be satisfied.”

He raised his hand to gesture towards the massive shelf behind him that seemed endless, densely packed with hundreds of brocade boxes of various sizes, his tone carrying a trace of imperceptible pride.

Lin Jingyu answered without hesitation: ”Medium Grade defensive Magical Artifact. There is only one requirement—the stronger the defense, the better.”

His voice was resolute.

He had the Lightning Talisman and Bone Nail for attacks, but defense was his fatal weakness. A defensive Magical Artifact that could be used repeatedly and provide solid protection was the foundation of survival.

”Medium Grade defense? Yes, yes.” The shopkeeper turned and walked quickly to the depths of the shelf, nimbly taking down three sandalwood boxes of different sizes, all decorated exquisitely, and carefully carried them back to the counter, opening them one by one.

Inside the first brocade box, on a red silk lining, lay a palm-sized green little shield.

The shield body was heavy, with a simple and ancient shape, and the patterns vaguely formed a design of a Black Turtle carrying a stele; an aura of heaviness, solidity, and immovability like a mountain rushed towards him, as if it could withstand any impact.

The shopkeeper’s voice carried a hint of admiration:

”Fellow Daoist, please look. This is a fine piece among the First Order Medium Grade defensive Magical Artifacts—the ’Green Turtle Spirit Shield’.”

He carefully lifted the little shield and introduced: ”Its main material is taken from the most essential complete back shell of a Late Stage Qi Refining ’Black Water Turtle’, supplemented by top-grade refined gold and secret silver, smelted together.

When this shield was refined, it was also engraved with the ’Immovable Black Turtle Formation’ pattern; in terms of pure defensive power, it is considered a leader among Magical Artifacts of the same grade. Just inject Spiritual Qi to activate the Formation, and the shield’s Spiritual light barrier will generate automatically.

If Fellow Daoist has abundant Spiritual Qi and maintains it with full effort, it can withstand over a dozen full-force attacks from a Qi Refining Mid-Stage Cultivator without any problems. It is truly an excellent choice for self-preservation.”

The shopkeeper’s tone was excited, but then he changed the subject, revealing a hint of ”regret”:

”When this shield is activated, due to the characteristics of the ’Immovable Black Turtle Formation’, it will make the wielder’s body as steady as a mountain, but it also... greatly hinders movement and evasion abilities. The price is one hundred and forty Spirit Stones.”

Lin Jingyu’s gaze was instantly and firmly attracted by this little shield.

Steady? Hindered? This was precisely the characteristic he dreamed of. What he needed was a solid barrier that could stand at the very front, immovable like a mountain.

Any maneuvering or evasion, in the face of an absolute difference in strength, was just a futile display.

This Green Turtle Spirit Shield was practically tailor-made for him. He suppressed the excitement in his heart, his face remaining calm, only his gaze staring more deeply at the patterns on the shield.

The shopkeeper observed his expression, seeing that Lin Jingyu seemed interested, and smilingly opened the second brocade box.

Inside the box was a rhombus-shaped jade pendant, about three inches long, deep red as blood throughout; the jade texture was warm and translucent, as if a clear, constantly flowing and changing stream of light was sealed inside, emitting a faint Spiritual Pressure.

”This is the ’Red Feather Flowing Light Pendant’. After injecting a trace of Spiritual Qi to activate it, it can instantly form a solid ’Flowing Fire Protective Barrier’, capable of withstanding several full-force fierce attacks from a Qi Refining Mid-Stage Cultivator with ease.

Even better, this pendant contains a trace of ’Flowing Wind’ Spiritual Qi; while activating the protective barrier, it can slightly increase the wearer’s movement speed. It is both offensive and defensive, truly a Sharp Weapon for escaping and pursuing. Unfortunately...”

He sighed: ”It can only be activated once; once the protective barrier dissipates, the jade pendant shatters. The price is two hundred and thirty Spirit Stones.”

Lin Jingyu only took one look and shook his head directly.

This kind of disposable consumable that doesn’t consume Spiritual Qi is not for poor Cultivators like him.

Only children from noble families can afford such rare items.

To him, it was far less practical than a solid shield that could be used repeatedly.

The third brocade box was opened, and inside was a neatly folded, seemingly unremarkable profound black soft armor, the texture neither silk nor hemp, carrying a strange metallic luster.

”This is the ’Profound Spider Ice Silk Inner Armor’.”

The shopkeeper’s voice carried a hint of solemnity: ”Woven from the spider silk of a First Order Level 9 Yao Beast, the ’Ice Cave Spider’, mixed with ’Flexible Profound Iron’, it is as light as nothing and extraordinarily tough.

Worn close to the body, it requires no additional Spiritual Qi to activate, and can spontaneously disperse force, sufficient to withstand a casual blow from a Late Stage Qi Refining Cultivator without breaking. The price is three hundred and sixty Spirit Stones.”

Lin Jingyu’s gaze lingered on the inner armor for a moment, his heart warming slightly; it was good. No activation needed, passive protection, withstanding a blow from a Late Stage Qi Refining Cultivator.

This was definitely a divine item for saving one’s life.

But the sky-high price of three hundred and sixty Spirit Stones was just too expensive.

His Storage Pouch at this moment had at most a little over one hundred Spirit Stones; the gap was too large.

He sighed inwardly, if he had enough financial resources, taking both this Green Turtle Spirit Shield and the Profound Spider Inner Armor, then equipping them with the Lightning Talisman and Bone Nail, he would be invincible in the early Qi Refining Realm.

His thoughts returned, and his gaze firmly fell back onto that ancient Green Turtle Spirit Shield; this was the best choice within his capabilities.

Lin Jingyu finally spoke, his tone calm: ”Shopkeeper, this shield’s defense is indeed extraordinary.”

”However, greatly hindering the body, reducing speed and evasion ability, the drawbacks are too fatal. Using this shield to fight others, wouldn’t that make me a living target? One hundred and forty Spirit Stones, not worth it.”

He held up three fingers: ”Reduce it by thirty Spirit Stones; I will pay at most one hundred and ten Spirit Stones.”

The smile on the shopkeeper’s face froze instantly, the corners of his mouth twitched, and he inwardly complained.

Because of this fatal flaw, this Green Turtle Spirit Shield had been gathering dust in the warehouse for a long time, the price dropping again and again, from the initial two hundred plus Spirit Stones all the way down to one hundred and forty now, yet still no one was interested.

The young man before him had a sharp eye and hit the nail on the head in one sentence.

”Little Friend. Your bargaining is too ruthless.” The shopkeeper complained incessantly, his face filled with an expression of ”heartache”: ”This ’Green Turtle Spirit Shield’ is a rare Magical Artifact that carries a Formation.

If not for this slight flaw in movement, three hundred Spirit Stones might not even be enough to get it. My price is already a painful concession; it’s extremely honest.”

Lin Jingyu’s tone was resolute, not yielding an inch: ”But it does have flaws, and they are fatal flaws in actual combat. One hundred and ten Spirit Stones, or I will go to another shop to look; Shopkeeper, decide for yourself.”

He made a move to leave, but his gaze was fixed on the shopkeeper’s expression.

The shopkeeper’s eyes flickered; selling a slow-moving item for one hundred and ten Spirit Stones could be considered cutting losses. He seemed to have made a great decision:

”Fine, fine. Seeing that you are so straightforward and sincerely want it, I will risk losing money today to make a friend of you. One hundred and ten Spirit Stones... no.”

”One hundred and twenty-five. That’s the lowest. Any less, and I won’t even be able to recover my costs.”

Lin Jingyu shook his head: ”Shopkeeper, besides this shield, add two First Order Medium Grade breath-concealing talismans, one First Order Medium Grade attack Talisman, and one First Order Low Grade defensive Talisman.”

To ensure the shopkeeper would give him a discount, he also mentioned the few Talismans he had originally intended to buy elsewhere.

After another round of intense verbal sparring, finally, amidst the shopkeeper’s ”heart-wrenching” sighs and Lin Jingyu’s ”reluctantly accepting” nod, the transaction was finalized.

Lin Jingyu took out another eighty-five Spirit Stones and gave them to the shopkeeper, exchanging them for the Magical Artifact and Talismans.

Walking out of the magnificent gatehouse of the Daling Pavilion, the noise was left behind. Lin Jingyu touched the Storage Pouch at his waist; there were less than twenty Spirit Stones left inside, and he was once again strapped for cash.

However, what he got in return was a real, tangible trump card for saving his life, and the confidence to face unknown crises.