Chapter 49 - 47: Another Encounter

The old man nodded. "My apologies, I was getting ahead of myself. These matters are usually Old Man Liu’s responsibility...

Anyway, let’s discuss this item.

This is a Secret Level, Low Grade Spirit Nurturing Bead, also commonly known as a Tier One Spirit Nurturing Pearl.

The market price for one of these is six Spirit Stones, and we typically buy them for five. However, this one contains the Growth Technique, which is a fairly versatile Tier One Technique.

Considering its cultivation difficulty and the overall power increase it provides, how about I offer you a purchase price of seven Spirit Stones?

That’s the highest I can offer. If you’re not satisfied, you can go look around elsewhere first."

"That won’t be necessary. That price is fine." Although they had only interacted for a moment, Zhang Deming could clearly tell this old man was no shrewd businessman.

Besides, he had done his research on Spirit Nurturing Beads. If he were to sell it at a stall himself, he’d probably get around seven Spirit Stones for it anyway.

After all, Spirit Nurturing Beads have a success rate. Their price is generally about double that of the Technique itself, and an Ordinary Spirit Nurturing Bead has roughly a twenty percent success rate.

In other words, five Spirit Nurturing Beads would roughly guarantee the quick mastery of one Technique, costing around thirty to forty Spirit Stones in total.

The time it took to earn that many Spirit Stones was roughly equivalent to, or perhaps slightly more than, the time an Ordinary Disciple would need to comprehend a Technique on their own.

’I guess this is another way for untalented Disciples to get ahead!’

’If it weren’t for that success rate, Spirit Nurturing Beads would be even more expensive. In any case, the market regulates itself and eventually settles into this kind of equilibrium.’

’Of course, that’s the comprehension success rate for Spirit Nurturing Beads made by Ordinary Spirit Nurturing Masters.’

The old man nodded at his answer and asked, "By the way, do you need to buy any materials?"

Zhang Deming’s lip twitched. ’Senior, could your attempt at probing be any more half-hearted?’

’Buying materials would be a dead giveaway that I’m practicing the Spirit Nurturing Technique.’

’Aren’t old people supposed to be shrewd?’

Zhang Deming shook his head. "I don’t need any."

With that, he took the Spirit Stones from the old man, gave a slight nod, and turned to leave.

’Interesting... "I don’t need any"? Not a confused "what materials?"’

’Have those old geezers from the Celestial Spirit Sect taken on new disciples recently?’

’Is he starting to get accustomed to it already as an Intermediate Apprentice?’

’Isn’t that a bit too early? Don’t tell me the Celestial Spirit Sect has produced another Immortal Spirit Root?’

The old man watched Zhang Deming leave and muttered a few words to himself before burying his head and continuing to study the object before him.

After leaving the Hundred Spirits Tower, Zhang Deming let out a long sigh of relief.

Now that the transaction was complete and no trouble had arisen, Zhang Deming silently discarded all the paranoid thoughts he’d had earlier.

’It made sense, when he thought about it. After all, this was inside the Sect.’

’Never mind trying to probe him; even casually investigating another disciple’s background was a huge taboo.’

’After all, selling things within the Sect was one thing, but casually prying for information was something else entirely.’

’The former was normal commerce; the latter was freaking espionage.’

’Unless their primary purpose was to gather intelligence, a shop like this would surely be very careful about these things.’

’They wouldn’t just spy on a Celestial Spirit Sect Disciple for no reason—not unless there was some immense profit at stake.’

’After all, once you were labeled a spy, it wasn’t an easy reputation to shake.’

Carrying his Spirit Stones, Zhang Deming went to the market stall area.

Essentially, there were no fixed Casting Materials for the Spirit Nurturing Technique.

Its essence lay in borrowing a trace of a material’s innate Spirit Charm during the Casting process to spark the Spirit Nurturing Technique’s core effect—the gestation of Spiritual Wisdom.

Therefore, in essence, any material with sufficient Spirituality could be used as a Casting Material.

It was just that the stronger the material’s Spirituality, and the more compatible it was with the Technique’s own Spirituality, the higher the chance of success.

This was the fundamental reason why Zhang Deming had to grind for several days just to barely succeed a single time.

The Spirit-Binding Medicinal Herbs had far too little Spirituality, and Spirit Rice could hardly even be considered a proper Casting Material.

Arriving at the stall area, Zhang Deming began to browse the various materials on display.

A moment later, he stopped in front of one stall. Picking up a few leg bones, he asked, "Are these leopard bones?"

The stall owner, also a young man, nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, they are. From an adult Flower Spirit Leopard."

"What’s the price?" Zhang Deming asked.

"One Spirit Stone for all four leg bones, as a set," the young man replied.

Zhang Deming shook his head. "Too expensive. Over at the stalls where the hunters sell their catches, a whole Flower Spirit Leopard goes for about three Spirit Stones."

"You buy one and part it out. The heart’s blood and bone marrow go for one Spirit Stone, all the meat for another, and then you break down the skeleton to sell for two more."

"Add in the claws and fangs, and that’s another Spirit Stone right there."

"In other words, you take zero risks and make at least two Spirit Stones in profit just by flipping the parts. That’s pretty steep."

Zhang Deming’s days of market research had not been for nothing.

Hearing this, the young man gave an embarrassed laugh. "Senior Brother, you really know your stuff. In that case, how about I throw in something extra?"

’This stall owner is pretty slick,’ Zhang Deming thought. ’He’s clearly older than me, and we’re both Intermediate Apprentices, yet he calls me Senior Brother without the slightest hesitation.’

Zhang Deming reached out and picked up two pieces of Turtle Shell. "Throw in these two Turtle Shells."

"Well... alright. Seeing as you’re an expert, Senior Brother, I’ll take a small loss."

"Just make sure to bring your business back to me next time, Senior Brother," the young man said.

"Not so fast," Zhang Deming said, stopping the young man from packing the items. "How much for this Thorny Demon Soaring?" He had selected another material.

"That’s a hot-ticket item. One Spirit Stone for ten pounds, non-negotiable."

Zhang Deming nodded. "Fair enough."

"Anything else for you, Senior Brother?" the young man asked eagerly.

Zhang Deming shook his head. "That’s all. Go ahead and bag it up for me."

"You got it!"

The young man expertly bagged everything and handed the package to Zhang Deming.

Zhang Deming paid, took his things, and turned to leave.

"Come again soon, Senior Brother!" the young man called out enthusiastically from behind him.

Zhang Deming had intended to take his new purchases and leave immediately.

But as he was crossing through the market area, he stopped short. Surprised, he turned and walked toward a corner of the stalls.

There, a young man sat with a cold, indifferent expression. His clothes were in tatters, and his body was covered in bloody scratches.

A massive Spider Demon Beast was laid out on the ground in front of him.

A sign was propped up on the makeshift stall, reading: "Three Spirit Stones. Price is firm. Will not sell in parts!"

Very aloof.

Zhang Deming walked up to him. "You broke through?"

Li Shifan, who had been resting with his eyes closed, snapped them open. A sharp aura, completely different from when they first met, erupted from his body.

It was sharp, fierce, and overbearing. Zhang Deming even felt the hair on his arms stand on end for a second.

’It’s only been a few days! Even if he broke through to Intermediate Apprentice, isn’t this change a bit too drastic?’

’Compared to his previous "honest guy" persona, this cool, aloof air seems to suit him better. He’s like a completely different person!’

’Damn!’

’He’s a seasoned actor, the type who turns his whole life into a performance!’

Zhang Deming was left speechless. ’As expected of someone with great Qi Fortune.’

’He just reached Intermediate Apprentice and he’s already in the mountains killing Demon Beasts for money...’

When Li Shifan saw Zhang Deming, he froze for a second. The piercing aura around him receded slightly, but perhaps because his breakthrough was so recent, it remained sharp.

"Senior Brother Zhang, what brings you here?" Li Shifan managed an awkward hint of a smile.

"You’d better not smile," Zhang Deming said. "It looks kind of painful."

Li Shifan’s expression froze. "You’re as witty as ever, Senior Brother Zhang."

"I see you’ve broken through. Are you planning on becoming a Sword Cultivator?" Zhang Deming asked, glancing at the sword on Li Shifan’s back.