Translator: AnubisTL
Having spent ten spirit stones on an admission ticket, Li Qing remained in the Beast Fighting Arena's spectator section to watch the final match.
The two demon beasts, both at the late stage of the first tier, exuded ferocious auras that swept through the arena with each clash. The sheer intensity of their battle sent shockwaves reverberating through the stands.
These fearsome creatures were a male lion with a radiant golden mane and a leopard completely engulfed in crimson flames.
The lion and leopard fought with savage intensity, each collision sending sprays of blood and flesh flying in a brutal spectacle.
In the end, the flame-patterned leopard gained the upper hand. Its terrifying inferno overwhelmed the golden-maned lion, driving it into retreat. Had the arena staff not intervened promptly, the lion would likely have met its demise.
Of course, the leopard was also covered in wounds from the lion's bites and claws, its torn flesh seething with sharp Geng Metal Qi.
"Roar!"
The arena's beast tamer separated the two combatants, preventing a fatal conclusion.
"Sigh, anticlimactic as always," Li Qing muttered. "I knew the arena wouldn't let two late-stage first-tier demon beasts die so easily."
"No surprise there," someone remarked. "I heard the owners of those demon beasts are disciples of the Heavenly River Sect. The arena staff wouldn't dare let them die here."
"What's the point of beast fights if they don't end in life or death?" another voice grumbled. "Where's the real excitement?"
...
With the day's three beast fights concluded, Li Qing stood up, brushed off his sleeves, and left the arena.
"I wonder when that blockhead Fan Tong will ever develop such might," he muttered to himself, a touch of envy creeping into his thoughts. "He's devoured so many of my pills without even breaking through. What a waste of resources!"
Li Qing couldn't help but envy the formidable combat prowess of other cultivators' demon beasts, capable of holding their own in the Qi Refining Realm.
After witnessing three thrilling beast fights, Li Qing returned to his lodgings.
With less than a week remaining until the next trade fair, he secluded himself in the inn, diligently practicing secret techniques and cultivating Qi.
The days passed swiftly.
This time, Li Qing attended the trade fair in the Secret Zone alone. Ye Feng had unexpectedly left Heavenly River Market on urgent business and couldn't make it.
Fortunately, familiarity breeds confidence. This time, Li Qing had no trouble attending the trade fair alone.
Inside the secret chamber, the atmosphere was identical to his previous visit: dim and oppressive, lit only by the faint, flickering glow of an Eternal Flame Lamp that looked as if it might extinguish at any moment.
Cushions surrounded the lamp, and by the time Li Qing arrived, several figures had already taken their places.
The atmosphere reminded him of a clandestine cult gathering, so Li Qing kept his thoughts to himself and quietly settled onto an unoccupied cushion between two others.
As he waited, cultivators gradually trickled into the chamber.
This trade fair had slightly fewer attendees than the last. Li Qing figured that, like Ye Feng, some might have been unexpectedly delayed by other matters. However, for such loosely organized gatherings, incomplete attendance was the norm.
"Alright, let's begin," the Foundation Establishment Realm elder presiding over the trade fair announced, clearing his throat to signal the start.
As soon as the words left his lips, the previously silent cultivators erupted into conversation, resuming the transactions they had discussed at the previous fair.
"Fellow Daoist Er Niu, did you make it? I brought the spirit wood and seeds you requested!"
Li Qing's face lit up with delight as he replied, "Really? What kind of spirit wood is it, and how old is it?"
He was genuinely thrilled. For months, he had searched far and wide for spirit wood and seeds to cultivate the Precious Wood Body Refinement Manual, but without success.
He never imagined he would find leads so quickly at this trade fair!
This hidden trade fair truly lives up to its reputation, he thought. Its high level and the benefits of joining are clear.
"Jade Locust!"
The simple declaration sent a gentle ripple of excitement through the crowd.
"Tsk, Jade Locust? Once mature, this spirit wood bears Jade Locust Seeds every three years—a sacred medicine for healing!"
"That's right. Jade Locust Seeds are remarkably effective for treating internal injuries. The only downside is their long maturation time. The tree must be at least fifty years old before it begins to produce them."
"If this fellow Daoist managed to acquire Jade Locust Spirit Seeds and mature trees, surely he can also obtain the seeds themselves? I'd like to purchase some!"
Hearing the eager murmurs of the crowd, Li Qing chuckled inwardly, realizing this exchange would likely cost him dearly.
As the other cultivators had just explained, the Jade Locust Tree was a sacred healing tree, coveted by many cultivation clans who controlled Spirit Vein Lands.
Even though it took at least fifty years to mature, that was a negligible amount of time for clans with inheritances spanning centuries or even millennia.
Take the Liu Clan, for example, whose history stretched back over a thousand years. The Spirit Willows they cultivated were among their most prized treasures.
"Fellow Daoist," Li Qing asked tentatively, "what are you seeking in exchange for this Jade Locust? Spirit stones, or something else?"
The cultivator who had brought the Jade Locust went by the pseudonym Nine Heavens. His lofty name suggested lofty cultivation aspirations and unwavering resolve.
Nine Heavens replied, "Can you refine Low-Grade Magic Artifacts? Then can you repair spirit boats?"
Spirit boats?!
These specialized transportation artifacts were typically of high grade. Even the lowest-quality spirit boats were at least Mid-Grade Magic Tools.
With a spirit boat, even cultivators in the Qi Refining Realm could undertake long-distance flights.
Li Qing possessed some knowledge of these vessels and even held a fragmented inheritance of spirit patterns for their refinement. Unfortunately, his inheritance was incomplete.
After a moment's contemplation, he asked, "What grade of spirit boat is it?"
"A high-grade magical artifact," Nine Heavens replied nonchalantly. His words sent another wave of astonishment through Li Qing.
This person's background must be extraordinary. High-grade magical artifacts were rarely accessible to ordinary Qi Refining Realm cultivators.
Li Qing forced a wry smile. "Fellow Daoist Nine Heavens, you overestimate my abilities. I lack the skill to repair a spirit boat of that caliber."
Nine Heavens fell silent for a moment before continuing, "In that case, I'll charge you five hundred spirit stones for the Spirit Seed and spirit wood. If you can help me repair the spirit boat, I'll reduce the price to three hundred. What do you say? Want to give it a try? Only a small portion of the spirit boat is damaged."
Li Qing's heart skipped a beat. Five hundred spirit stones was no small sum for him.
If Li Qing succeeded in repairing the spirit boat, he would save two hundred spirit stones.
To be honest, he had mentally budgeted only three hundred spirit stones for the spirit wood and Spirit Seeds, so it seemed worth giving it a try.
Besides, he was already planning to start refining Mid-Grade Magic Tools, and repairing a high-grade magical artifact like the spirit boat, while not guaranteed, wasn't entirely impossible.
"Alright, I'll give it a shot," Li Qing decided, "but I can't guarantee success."
Nine Heavens smiled. "No worries. If you fail to repair it, you can simply reimburse me the two hundred spirit stones."
Their conversation hadn't been kept private, and many present subtly glanced in Li Qing's direction.
If Li Qing could truly repair high-grade magical artifacts, his value would need to be reassessed entirely.
After all, the attendees came from prestigious backgrounds. They wouldn't give a second glance to artifact refiners capable only of crafting Low-Grade Magic Tools. However, an artifact refiner who could craft Mid-Grade Magic Tools and repair high-grade magical artifacts would be a highly valued guest, even among the great cultivation clans.
Thus, Li Qing and Nine Heavens tentatively agreed on their trade. They exchanged spirit stones for spirit wood and Spirit Seeds, and decided to discuss the spirit boat repair further after the trade fair concluded.
The trade fair quickly resumed. The female cultivator who had previously purchased Heavenly Star Grass returned to buy another five stalks from Radiant Light.
This attracted considerable attention. Many speculated that Radiant Light had discovered a secret location where Heavenly Star Grass grew in abundance.
Given the spiritual object's ability to nurture the divine soul and enhance spiritual awareness, many were tempted to acquire some for themselves.
"Heh, Fellow Daoist Radiant Light," Golden Mane, a puppet master who had previously mocked Li Qing's artifact refinement skills, proposed, "if that secret location you've discovered is so difficult to explore, why not invite a few of us here to join forces? We could explore it together and split the harvest. Wouldn't that be splendid?"
Surprisingly, Radiant Light didn't immediately reject the proposal. Instead, he fell into deep thought, seriously considering its feasibility.
This sparked excitement among the group. Exploring an undiscovered secret realm was a rare and incredible opportunity!
Seizing the moment, they eagerly chimed in: "Exactly! Fellow Daoist Radiant Light, why not invite me to join you? As a beast tamer, I can send my pet beasts to scout ahead."
"Heh, if you need a scout, my puppets are top-notch treasures. They fear no death and obey orders without question."
"Besides the Heavenly Star Grass, are there any other spirit herbs in that secret realm?"
"..."
After listening to the flurry of suggestions, Radiant Light ultimately declined. "I appreciate everyone's kind offers," he said, "but the exploration is progressing smoothly for now. Assistance isn't necessary. Perhaps I'll seek your aid in the future."
His words dampened the group's earlier enthusiasm. Disappointment rippled through the crowd, and they fell silent.
Li Qing had little interest in exploring secret realms. Now that he had obtained the spirit wood and Spirit Seed of the Jade Locust Tree, he had no desire to venture into further dangers. All he wanted was to find a quiet place to cultivate and strengthen his own power.
However, Radiant Light turned to Li Qing and asked, "Fellow Daoist Er Niu, I'd like to purchase a Low-Grade Defensive Magic Artifact from you. Do you happen to have one available?"
Li Qing quickly looked up. After a moment's thought, he replied, "Yes, I do. I have a Low-Grade wooden spirit shield of excellent quality."
Upon hearing this, Radiant Light immediately proposed a trade. Li Qing saw no reason to refuse. He retrieved the Profound Willow Shield, which he had confiscated from Liu Tianbao's storage pouch, and sold it to Radiant Light for 180 spirit stones.
Radiant Light then spent over 200 more spirit stones to purchase a well-maintained Mechanical Puppet from Golden Mane. It seemed he intended to use the puppet and the Magic Artifact to explore the secret realm he had discovered.
(End of the Chapter)
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