Walking into Chen's Cultivation Technique Store, a refreshing surge of Spiritual Qi greeted me, the floor paved with Cyan Luminous Stone, grand and extravagant.
The first thing I saw was a large redwood bookshelf showcasing various cultivation technique books and a few inheritance jade scrolls.
Behind the counter, a slightly plump middle-aged man was holding a book, quietly reading. Sensing footsteps and a customer entering the store, he quickly put down the book and stood up to greet them.
"Esteemed customer, welcome. What cultivation techniques are you looking to purchase?" The shopkeeper looked at Li Mu and asked enthusiastically.
"Boss, do you have the exorcism technique for sale?" Li Mu cut straight to the point.
"Yes, here is the Righteous Thunder Exorcism, a Yellow-level Middle Grade technique, priced at 280 Lower Spirit Stones." The shopkeeper took a beautifully bound book from beneath the counter and quoted the price.
"Uh! Is there a cheaper one? Preferably around 20 Lower Spirit Stones," Li Mu asked, somewhat embarrassed after a moment's silence.
"Young man, are you kidding? My store doesn't have techniques below 100 Lower Spirit Stones! You'd better buy an exorcism talisman instead!" The shopkeeper's face darkened and he dismissively urged the customer to leave.
"Sorry for the trouble!" Having failed in his attempt, Li Mu turned and left Chen's Cultivation Technique Store and headed to the Spirit Talisman Store next door.
Those 20 Lower Spirit Stones were from selling two bags of Spirit Rice; after buying Cui Ling Fruit seeds, they were all he had left for emergencies.
Even exorcism talismans aren't cheap!
Soon, Li Mu walked out of the Spirit Talisman Store, looking frustrated.
An exorcism talisman cost 5 Lower Spirit Stones each, and a plot of Spirit Field would require about ten of them.
If they are not completely removed, the ailments of the Cui Ling Fruit plants certainly can't be fully cured.
Li Mu changed his route to the Independent Cultivator Market, trying his luck.
Li Mu found a Loose Cultivator stall selling exorcism talismans, but after some bargaining, each one still cost 4 Lower Spirit Stones, and the quality was lacking, still insufficient.
If nothing works, the only option is to pull up the plot of Cui Ling Fruit and replant Wind Spirit Grass while it's not too late.
Feeling down as he wandered through the market, Li Mu unexpectedly discovered the stall from before where he had lucked into the Quenching God Technique, run by the old man selling cultivation techniques. He hurried over.
"Boss, do you remember me? Do you have any exorcism techniques for sale?" Li Mu scanned the cultivation technique books the old man displayed one by one, showing a disappointed expression. There were no leaks to find, nor were there any exorcism techniques among them.
"You!" The old man did not recognize Li Mu but greeted him enthusiastically: "Exorcism techniques, yes! Yes!"
Saying this, the old man reached for the storage bag at his waist, and with a 'whoosh', a blue-covered book appeared in his hand.
"How about this one? Thunder Summoning Exorcism Technique, a Yellow-level Middle Grade technique," the old man introduced, looking at Li Mu.
"How many Spirit Stones?" Li Mu asked tentatively.
"Two hundred Lower Spirit Stones!" The old man held up two fingers.
Upon hearing this, Li Mu fell silent. He only had 20 Lower Spirit Stones. Bargaining to the point of one-tenth might make the old man fly into a rage!
An idea sparked in Li Mu's mind. Suddenly, he remembered that the old man's storage ring might still contain some good techniques. After all, I once found a Profound-level Top Grade Quenching God Technique here, maybe I can score another deal!
"Hmm! If you'll lower the price, I'll take it. Also, show me what other good techniques you have. I'm not interested in those on display." Li Mu said lightly.
A big client indeed!
Hearing Li Mu's tone, the old man immediately became enthusiastic, swiftly picking spell books from his storage bag: "How about this one, Golden Armor Body Tempering Technique, Yellow-level Top Grade."
"Too ordinary, not interested!" Li Mu shook his head.
"What type of techniques are you after? Be clear about it!" the old man asked with furrowed brows.
"Just take out all the techniques from your storage bag. I'll buy one if I find it suitable!" Li Mu suggested.
"Alright!" Helplessly, the old man took out one cultivation technique after another from his storage bag.
"Seventy-Two Paths Illusion Sword Technique," Yellow-level Top Grade, "Thick Earth Techniques," Yellow-level Lower Grade, "Wood Spirit Binding Technique," Yellow-level Top Grade, "Profound Armor Body Refining," Yellow-level Middle Grade, ..., the stallholder old man took out thirty to forty spell books from his storage bag, piling them up on the small stall.
"Which spell book do you like? Don't tell me none of them, it took a lot of effort to take them all out!" The old man said, watching Li Mu select a cultivation technique, his face blackened with frustration.
"Have you taken everything out? Don't you have other techniques?" Li Mu went through them, not finding any hidden treasures.
"Just a few worthless common martial arts techniques left. Here they are!" The old man took out the remaining techniques.
"Vajra Fist," "Eight Trigrams Leg," "Heart-Pushing Palm" ....
Li Mu's eyes lit up and he picked up the ordinary swordsmanship "Twenty-four Seasons Swordsmanship," as well as a Thick Earth Techniques: "How much for these two along with that exorcism technique?"
To avoid making it seem like he deliberately picked only the "Twenty-four Seasons Swordsmanship," Li Mu had to reluctantly include another cultivation technique - "Thick Earth Techniques."
"Are you just taking these three?" The old man's face darkened further, incredulously asking.
After having him take out all the techniques from his storage bag, only the two least valuable books were chosen. The old man looked at Li Mu with disdain.
At this moment, the old man suddenly remembered Li Mu; he was the one who spent 15 Lower Spirit Stones and bought two techniques last time.
"Do you have Spirit Stones? Don't tell me you only have a few dozen again. This time, I won't sell to you cheaply." The old man quickly put the techniques back into the storage bag, warning him.
Upon hearing this, Li Mu also felt quite helpless. He wanted to buy those three books with Spirit Stones immediately, but he was too cash-strapped at the moment and could only think of another way.
"Do you buy cultivation techniques?" Li Mu decided to sell off something he'd picked up, having already memorized and copied down the Quenching God Technique.
"Sure, but it has to be an original copy," the old man said cautiously.
"Profound-level Top Grade, only the first three layers of Divine Sense techniques, how much would you pay for it?" Li Mu whispered.
"What?" The old man's spirits lifted, looking at Li Mu in disbelief, doubting his own ears.
Li Mu had no choice but to repeat what he said.
"If it's real, I'll pay you 10 Middle Spirit Stones and throw in those three spell books you wanted." The old man gritted his teeth; Profound-level techniques were rarely circulated in the Independent Practitioner Market, let alone Divine Sense techniques.
"How are you going to verify its authenticity? What if you remember the content after viewing the technique?" Li Mu asked cautiously.
"Don't worry, I'll only look at the beginning to verify its authenticity, and you can cover the rest," the old man quickly reassured Li Mu.
"10 Middle Spirit Stones is too little, could it be more? If I submit it to the sect, I might even get a chance to become an Inner Sect Disciple." Li Mu frowned, expressing dissatisfaction.
"Ha! It's an incomplete version. If you submit it to the sect, don't you believe your life could be in danger? Are you sure the sect won't pressure you for the subsequent parts of the technique?" The old man laughed coldly.
Upon hearing this, Li Mu had no response. Selling the Quenching God Technique was inherently a risky affair, but he had no Spirit Stones left from the lucky find!
Considering the possibility of another lucky find, Li Mu agreed to the old man's offer, turned around, and reached into his chest, retrieving a piece of worn yellow paper from the storage compartment containing the Quenching God Technique.