Immortal Refiner

After wandering through the architectural district of Heavenly River Market, Li Qing finally understood the true meaning of ”spending money like water.”

He visited three shops selling medicinal pills, and his initial stash of over two thousand spirit stones dwindled to a mere fourteen hundred.

Such lavish spending made his heart ache. This was his entire savings, painstakingly accumulated from over a year of backbreaking labor in the Spirit Stone Mine!

”At least these pills, if used sparingly, should last me well over a year,” Li Qing consoled himself inwardly. ”The spirit stones aren’t truly gone; they’ve simply transformed into another form of companionship.”

He repeatedly reminded himself that misers never fared well, that worldly possessions were fleeting, and that true value lay in strengthening his own cultivation.

After comparing prices at various shops throughout the day, Li Qing discovered that the Shi Clan of Medicine King Ridge’s pill shop in Heavenly River Market offered the most competitive prices.

The Heavenly River Sect’s Pill Cauldron Pavilion, on the other hand, was the most expensive. A single Foundation Nurturing Pill cost fifty-five spirit stones there, while the Shi Clan sold the same pill for only forty-five.

Each pill was a full ten spirit stones cheaper, and over time, that difference would add up to a substantial sum.

Of course, the Heavenly River Sect’s Pill Cauldron Pavilion enjoyed an excellent reputation, backed by a major sect. Their higher prices were justified by their quality and reliability.

Even so, the Pill Cauldron Pavilion’s business thrived.

Moreover, the Heavenly River Sect likely paid little attention to the Pavilion’s modest profits. After all, they owned the entire Heavenly River Market, and their annual commission from the market’s spirit stone transactions alone amounted to a staggering figure.

”When I return, I should compare the pills,” Li Qing mused to himself. ”If the quality is similar, I’ll likely shift most of my future purchases to the Shi Clan’s shop at Medicine King Ridge.”

Li Qing was meticulous with every spirit stone, practically wishing he could stretch each one into two.

As dusk settled, Li Qing remembered to secure lodging.

His token only allowed him to stay within the Heavenly River Sect for a single day. Once the time limit expired, the market’s protective formation would automatically expel him.

To extend his stay, he needed to find an inn or similar accommodation. Otherwise, he’d have to wait three days before being allowed to re-enter.

This rule was implemented to prevent loopholes. While entering the Heavenly River Market only cost one spirit stone, staying overnight at an inn required at least three.

In the market’s early days, some individuals exploited this system. They would enter, stay until the last minute, then leave to avoid inn fees. They would then immediately return to the entrance, pay another spirit stone, and sneak back in.

As this practice became widespread, the workload for the Heavenly River Sect disciples guarding the market skyrocketed. The number of tokens they had to register daily reached absurd levels, eventually overwhelming them.

Moreover, the inns within the market suffered from dwindling business and plummeting revenue, nearly forcing them to close.

In response, the Heavenly River Sect instituted a new regulation: after surrendering a token upon leaving the market, one must wait three days before re-entering. Otherwise, the Grand Formation would record their aura and deny them entry until the three-day period had passed.

”Sigh, everything costs spirit stones!”

After entering the Heavenly River Market, Li Qing gained a profound understanding of the importance of wealth, one of the four essential elements of cultivation. Here, without spirit stones, it was impossible to move even an inch!

Finally, Li Qing chose the inn with the cheapest rate, charging only three spirit stones per day.

He paid for a three-day stay in advance and had the innkeeper register his token, extending his permitted time in the Heavenly River Market. Only then did Li Qing breathe a sigh of relief.

”Honored guest, here is your token. Please keep it safe!”

Li Qing took the token and immediately went to his room.

It was far more spartan than he had imagined. For three spirit stones a day, the room contained only a bed, a table, and a meditation cushion.

Fortunately, the spiritual energy was remarkably dense—far denser than in his courtyard at the Liu Clan.

”Now that I’ve bought the pills, I need to spend the rest of my time gathering information about spirit wood and the Artifact Refinement Technique. I’ve heard that other artifact refiners prepare specialized carving knives and forges for their work.”

”I should also make time to browse the stalls in the plaza.”

Suddenly, Li Qing felt his time slipping away, fearing he wouldn’t have enough.

”Three spirit stones for accommodation and five for a stall—that means stallholders are paying eight spirit stones per day just to operate in the Heavenly River Market!”

”The goods sold at the stalls probably aren’t cheap either. The Heavenly River Sect must be raking in spirit stones. No wonder everyone wants to become a disciple.”

It went without saying that the Heavenly River Sect’s abundant wealth, derived not only from the Heavenly River Market but also from spirit stone mines and other ventures, ensured their disciples and elders enjoyed exceptional benefits.

As these thoughts swirled in his mind, Li Qing’s anticipation for his Lingyun token grew even stronger.

After a moment, he banished these distractions and retrieved a perfectly round, shimmering pill from his storage pouch—the Guangling Pill he had just purchased from the Pill Cauldron Pavilion.

Valued at thirty-five spirit stones, this pill was known for its minimal pill toxin, making it ideal for cultivators in the Mid Qi Refining Realm.

”Time is short. I’ll take one now to see how it feels.”

With that, Li Qing tossed the Guangling Pill into his mouth.

The medicinal aroma was rich and intoxicating. Reluctant to waste even a shred of its potency, he swallowed it whole without chewing.

Almost immediately, a surge of potent medicinal power erupted within him, transforming into pure spiritual energy that flowed into his meridians.

Without hesitation, Li Qing closed his eyes and began circulating the Fire Origin Art, focusing entirely on refining the Guangling Pill’s medicinal power.

Whoosh!

The dense spiritual energy of heaven and earth surged into Li Qing’s body as he breathed, transforming into pure spiritual energy. With each cycle of cultivation, his mana began to grow once more.

Having reached the Mid Qi Refining Realm, his cultivation speed had slowed considerably. But now, Li Qing finally felt the joy of his progress accelerating again.

When morning arrived, Li Qing opened his eyes, his gaze filled with delight.

”Excellent! This Guangling Pill is truly perfect for the Mid Qi Refining Realm. Just one pill has given me the equivalent of days of arduous cultivation.”

Having tasted the pill’s benefits, Li Qing yearned for another immediately, even wishing he could pop them like candy!

Alas, his limited finances prevented such extravagance. After all, not everyone was born with the surname Han.

Suppressing his restless thoughts, Li Qing rose and left the dilapidated inn.

Bathed in the warm morning sunlight as he strolled through Heavenly River Market, Li Qing approached the central plaza, his heart brimming with anticipation for his future journey on The Dao.

Though it was still early, many cultivators had already arrived to secure prime spots, setting up their stalls in anticipation of the day’s trade.

Li Qing intended to search for materials related to artifact refinement or seeds of spirit wood.

Li Qing had only taken a few steps when a stall surrounded by a large crowd caught his attention.

The stall owner was hawking his wares loudly, sounding no different from a common market vendor.

”Come and see! Come and see! Newly excavated artifacts from Daoist Ling Miao’s cave abode! Who knows what treasures might be hidden within!”

”Daoist Ling Miao? The Late Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator from eight hundred years ago? Rumor has it his mana was profound and his combat prowess unmatched! They say he even claimed the lives of several Pseudo-Core cultivators!”

”Gasp! So the rumors in the taverns were true? Daoist Ling Miao’s cave abode has really surfaced?”

”But wasn’t it said he left the Azure Ridge Domain long ago?”

”Perhaps it’s just one of his former residences, not a true tomb inheritance. Nothing too special!”

In the cultivation world, those lacking talent or backing could still ascend through sheer Fortuitous Destiny.

It couldn’t be denied that some individuals possessed extraordinary luck: meeting Enlightened Masters who took them under their wing while strolling through the streets, stumbling upon Peerless Spirit Herbs while hiking in the mountains, or even falling into the abandoned cave abode of a peerless powerhouse after being chased off a cliff—turning misfortune into an unparalleled inheritance!

Most people yearned for such extraordinary luck, but alas, only a select few were truly blessed.

Yet even this couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm of many treasure hunters.

Take this stall owner, for example. Among the various items he had unearthed from the recently discovered cave abode of Daoist Ling Miao, might there lie hidden a fragment of the Late Foundation Establishment Realm Daoist’s inheritance?

Though the probability was minuscule, even Li Qing couldn’t resist his curiosity and stepped forward to join the crowd.

The stall displayed a chaotic array of miscellaneous objects, still coated in fresh mud.

”These look quite old, but none of them seem to radiate any spiritual energy,” a skeptical bystander remarked.

Unperturbed, the stall owner chuckled cheerfully. ”Hey, you’re giving me too much credit! Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators are already exploring Daoist Ling Miao’s cave abode. I wouldn’t stand a chance of smuggling out anything with spiritual energy.”

”But who knows? True treasures often conceal themselves in plain sight! The real gems might be hidden among these seemingly ordinary trinkets!”

”It all depends on your Fortuitous Destiny!”

In just a few words, the stall owner had stirred the hearts of all the cultivators present.

After all, this concerned a cultivator in the Late Foundation Establishment Realm. What if one of them were truly blessed with extraordinary fortune? Perhaps they could become the next Daoist Ling Miao?

Driven by this possibility, many eagerly began touching the mud-caked items on the stall.

Among them, a tattered little cauldron stood out the most. Its three legs and two handles seemed to subtly echo the profound truths of the Great Dao.

Alas, beyond getting their hands dirty, no one found anything of note. Some even probed the items with their spiritual energy, but nothing responded.

Suddenly, a voice rang out:

”How many spirit stones for that broken, decayed blade? I’ll take it.”

Instantly, countless cultivators turned to see who had already found something of interest.

Standing in the crowd was a strikingly handsome young man, his eyes shining with sincerity, a smile gracing his lips.

Shi Nantian!

Li Qing, who had been hiding in the crowd, recognized him immediately. I never expected to run into him here!

Soon, others began examining the broken, decayed blade, eager to discern its hidden properties.

But despite their efforts, they found nothing remarkable.

(End of the Chapter)

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