Because the Wenshan Marketplace, closest to the mountain gate, was jointly established by Qiling Sect and several surrounding powers, a century-old Spiritwood was considered immeasurably precious. If someone were to sell such wood openly, the trail would inevitably be traced back to them.
But how could one walk into a mountain of treasures and come out empty-handed?
Li Yuan stared at the dense grove of Spiritwood. A flash crossed his mind—he had a plan. He decided to endure for now. Once he mastered the craft of puppet refinement, he would turn all this Spiritwood into puppets. Even if he wasn't strong enough to face an enemy head-on, imagine him waving his hand and releasing a dozen puppets at once—what Qi Refining cultivator wouldn't shudder at the sight?
Li Yuan awoke from his dream to find the sky already dark. He wasted no time and returned to his residence.
Coming to the stone table, he reached out habitually to touch the treasured pearl, only to discover it had vanished.
Startled, he silently chanted in his heart: "Xuan Yuan, Myriad Wood Realm!"
In the next moment, the world before his eyes turned upside down, and he was once again standing in that endless, lush forest.
"This is… this is…"
Li Yuan was shocked, but even more overjoyed. It seemed that the inheritance treasure had fully merged with him. That meant he would never again have to fear being slain for his treasure.
His heart calmed at last, and he resumed cultivating the Lower Yuan True Art of Spirit Communication.
Days and seasons passed. The osmanthus trees in the courtyard withered and yellowed, snow fell on the front steps, and the chill spread across the mountains.
Winter gave way to spring, snowmelt turned to flowing streams, birds began singing in the forest again, and the cycle of four seasons turned endlessly. Without realizing it, Li Yuan had reached twenty-five years of age.
Over these five or six years, he had grown taller, his frame straighter, and his cultivation had deepened greatly.
Crossing the long stone steps before his doorway, he noticed that weeds and moss had sprouted in many corners of the seldom-visited courtyard.
All these years, Li Yuan only left his abode when assigned sect chores. Once the tasks were complete, he returned to his attic to cultivate in seclusion.
The Lower Yuan True Art truly was extraordinary. He had cultivated for five years without encountering a single bottleneck. It purified filth, refined the body, nourished the blood, and strengthened his dantian. He had reached the peak of Qi Refining's early stage. The impurities in his body had been completely cleansed. His next step was to refine his blood with qi, transforming all mortal blood into spiritual blood.
Unlike purifying flesh, blood was the foundation of life. The first step was to replace the heart's blood, turning mortal blood into spiritual blood infused with heaven and earth's qi. Only then could he step into the mid-stage of Qi Refining.
And that meant he would have the chance to become a Deacon Disciple! Though a deacon's monthly stipend was no higher than that of ordinary disciples, the real advantage lay in privileges regarding chores. Most importantly, one could choose their duties instead of blindly obeying the elders' orders to do menial labor.
Li Yuan touched the pouch at his sleeve, where he kept his spirit stones. After five years, aside from three stones spent maintaining his cave's protective formations, he had saved a total of one hundred and seventeen spirit stones.
This was all his wealth—accumulated over more than a decade since he was twelve.
For ordinary Qi Refining cultivators, saving enough spirit stones to buy even a single low-grade magical artifact might take decades. But Li Yuan, as a sect disciple, didn't need to worry about cultivation methods or lodging. Furthermore, Qiling Sect's mountain gate sat atop a mid-grade spiritual vein. Though pitifully short in length, it was still a mid-grade vein, and thus its spiritual qi was richer than that of low-grade veins.
Coupled with his change of cultivation method to the Lower Yuan True Art, his progress was five to six times faster than before. He hadn't needed to consume spirit stones in training, nor buy cultivation-enhancing pills, allowing him to save such a fortune.
"I'd better resist the urge to buy a magical weapon."
After careful thought, he suppressed his impulse. Even the lowest-grade artifacts cost over a hundred spirit stones. Moreover, he still needed to buy a Heart-Blood Transformation Pill to break through to mid-stage.
The process of replacing heart blood was dangerous. Without the aid of such a pill, it could take months, with grave risks.
The Heart-Blood Pill was refined from a beast's heart, combined with over a dozen spiritual herbs. It was invaluable for breaking into mid-stage Qi Refining and thus extremely costly—each pill worth fifty to sixty spirit stones.
Li Yuan calculated. He had just over twenty days until his next sect chores—enough time to make a trip to Wenshan Marketplace.
Packing his belongings, sealing his formation, he employed his light-body technique and headed up the spirit peak.
Within the sect, there was no merit-point system—everything was traded in spirit stones. This was the rule set by the Linglong Sect, and no sect across the continent dared oppose it.
Thus, there were no internal trade exchanges. To buy or sell spiritual items, one had to go to Wenshan Marketplace, the only trading hub within ten thousand miles.
Fortunately, Qiling Sect was closest—only two to three hundred miles away. For someone like Li Yuan, who lacked a flying artifact, a brisk day's journey would suffice.
Reaching a certain cave dwelling, he found the sign "Away" hanging on the door. Helpless, he turned away.
The only fellow disciple he trusted was Ruan Jinghu. If he wasn't home, he was likely away on chores.
That meant Li Yuan had to go alone.
Alas, his strength was low, his spellcraft pitiful, and he couldn't afford quality artifacts or talismans. Sitting on a hidden trove but unable to reveal it—even a hint could bring death.
Heading south, he arrived at Qiling Sect's main gate. Two deacon disciples, both mid-stage Qi Refiners, stood guard, with two towering wooden-armored puppets behind them—both late-stage Qi Refining puppets, though dormant. Other hidden defenses were beyond Li Yuan's ability to discern.
"Senior Brother Zhao, I wish to go to Wenshan Marketplace to purchase supplies. May I pass?"
Li Yuan stepped forward and handed over his identity token. After inspecting it, the Zhao disciple chuckled: "Junior Brother Li, traveling alone? Be cautious. Why not go with others?"
Li Yuan smiled bitterly as he retrieved his token. "I don't have many connections. I've always preferred solitary cultivation, so I'm used to traveling alone."
"Oh, so you're Junior Brother Li Yuan!" the other guard joined in with a grin. "Then I advise you—Wenshan Marketplace has many talisman shops. Buy a few more for safety. Wouldn't want you getting injured by mere mortal warriors again."
"Yes, thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother." Li Yuan kept smiling as he watched the disciple cast a spell onto the jade tablet behind him, inscribing:
"Hour of Si, second quarter: Disciple Li Yuan departs for Wenshan Marketplace."
Li Yuan cupped his hands. "Farewell, Senior Brothers!"
Qiling Sect honored ancient customs and valued moral conduct. Fellow disciples treated each other kindly. Even if grudges arose, harming a sect member was a capital crime, punishable by having one's soul extracted and refined into a puppet.
The sect did not restrict travel, but records were kept for safety. If a disciple met with danger outside, there would be a trace to investigate.
Not long after leaving the gate, Li Yuan saw a vast emerald leaf flying across the heavens, carrying two or three dozen children. At its head stood an elder with the profound aura of late-stage Qi Refining.
The elder glanced at Li Yuan once, then ignored him—merely another disciple leaving the sect.
Li Yuan bowed respectfully. This was one of the sect's elders. Seeing the group of children behind, he couldn't help but sigh. Another batch of new disciples had entered the sect.
Qiling Sect recruited every three years, and held a deacon assembly every five.
Recruits were drawn from four provinces and one city under the sect's rule. Children aged six to twelve were tested for spiritual roots. Those with roots were brought to the sect, taught literacy, and at twelve, began cultivation.
"I wonder if this year will bring any prodigious talents," Li Yuan murmured before turning to continue his journey to the marketplace.
Along the road, he always kept a Vajra Talisman in hand. This low-grade defensive talisman could form a metallic shield around him when activated.
The memory of six years ago—when a mortal swordsman nearly pierced his throat—remained etched in his soul. It taught him eternal caution: never underestimate anyone.
Fortunately, the path near the sect was safe, and daylight afforded extra security. He even saw cultivators streaking across the sky now and then. By dusk, he reached Wenshan Marketplace, breathless but unharmed.
Before entering, he changed into plain clothes, removed his sect robes, and donned a mask. Only then did he approach.
Before him, a mountain peak had been forcibly leveled into a flat plain, where buildings of every sort had been raised.
Now that night had fallen, the place was livelier than day. Lanterns of every kind hung overhead, glowing with spiritual light, illuminating shop signs as if it were daylight.
Crowds bustled through the streets—cultivators in varied garb, many masked or cloaked, creating the illusion of dazzling prosperity.
At the marketplace entrance, Li Yuan handed a special token from his sleeve to the guards, who opened a glowing gate for him to pass through.
The entire marketplace was jointly built by four powers: Qiling Sect to the southeast, Qingfeng Pavilion to the northeast, the Xu clan of Qinghe to the northwest, and the Wang clan of Tongshan to the southwest.
Of the profits, Qiling Sect held only twenty percent. Qingfeng Pavilion claimed ten, the Xu clan twenty, while the Tongshan Wang clan seized a full fifty percent.
The reason was simple—strength. The Wang clan was the foremost family of the south, boasting several Foundation Establishment cultivators, including one at the ninth turn. No one dared dispute their share.
Inside, Li Yuan first browsed the roadside stalls, hoping for a lucky find. But not everyone had such fortune. His past two visits, he had wasted entire days and lost spirit stones to swindlers.
This time, it was no different. The itinerant stalls displayed anything and everything, even mundane trinkets, as long as they looked unusual.
After a while, Li Yuan shook his head. He lacked any discerning eye—true treasures could sit before him and he wouldn't recognize them. So he turned toward the central market.
There stood seven or eight imposing buildings side by side, each owned by one of the four great powers.
There was his own sect's Hundred Puppet Hall, Qingfeng Pavilion's Hundred Talisman Hall, the Wang clan's Hundred Artifact Hall, and the Xu clan's Miaodan Hall.
Other forces had shops too, such as Linglong Pavilion.
Alchemy and pills were the most sought-after of all, though not everyone could afford them.
Li Yuan stepped into Miaodan Hall. A mortal servant greeted him with a wide smile: "Honored Immortal, what medicine might you require?"
"I need a Heart-Blood Pill."
Li Yuan stated directly. The servant beamed, hurried to the counter, and fetched the manager—a middle-aged man.
"Hehe, my surname is Xu. May I ask how to address fellow Daoist?" the shopkeeper smiled.
"I am a rogue cultivator. My surname is Wang," Li Yuan lied smoothly from behind his mask.
"Ah, Daoist Wang. It seems you've already completed your purification stage. Breaking into mid-stage is within reach. Congratulations in advance!" Xu chuckled. "Beast hunts have been difficult lately, so we only have three kinds of Heart-Blood Pills left."
"Oh? Which three?" Li Yuan asked, curious. The southwest of the Guangyuan Mountains teemed with beasts, so pills often differed based on the creature used.
"This one is refined from the heart of an Iron-Scaled Fish, most suitable for cultivators of the Kan, Xuan, Gang, or Xin Metal paths.This one from the heart of a Fiery Sparrow, best for most Fire-path cultivators.And this one from the heart of a Black-Smoke Python, ideal for Yin and Water-path cultivators. Which would Daoist prefer?" Xu explained cheerfully.
"And their prices?" Li Yuan pressed.
"Eighty-eight spirit stones for the Fish Heart Pill, seventy-four for the Fiery Sparrow, seventy-eight for the Python."
"What?!" Li Yuan's face darkened. He feigned anger: "Are you trying to cheat me? Normally, these pills are fifty to sixty stones, seventy at most. Why so expensive here?"
"Please, Daoist, don't be angry!" Xu hurried to explain. "Beasts have grown scarce, costs have risen. Purely herbal pills cost too much to refine. To break even, prices had to rise. In a few years, they may climb even higher. Would I deceive you? If word spread, what would happen to the Xu family's reputation?"
Li Yuan frowned. He had indeed heard rumors in the sect that beasts were growing scarce. The man wasn't lying.
He gritted his teeth—truly gritted them, not pretending.
Pulling out seventy-eight stones, he said: "Then give me the Black-Smoke Python pill."
"Thank you for your understanding!" Xu swept away the stones and handed over the jade bottle.
After checking the pill, Li Yuan turned away grimly.
He had planned to buy extra talismans for protection, but the inflated price left his budget tight.
As for selling Spiritwood from the Myriad Wood Realm? That thought never went beyond his mind. A single hundred-year Spiritwood log could fetch hundreds of stones. But the moment he sold one, he would never leave the marketplace alive.
(End of Chapter)