Chapter 19: The Supreme Spirit

Ke Huai was the initiator of this bartering gathering, so naturally, he was the first to begin—no one objected.

“Then I shall start, if only to set the ball rolling,” he said.

“What I seek is quite simple…” Ke Huai rose to his feet, channeling a trace of spiritual energy as his fingers lightly tapped the air. Words and symbols formed, suspended above him, depicting various seeds and medicinal herbs.

“Any seeds of rare medicinal herbs, or seedlings that have yet to blossom.”

“All those I have illustrated here are acceptable. If you possess seeds of other precious spiritual herbs not shown, you may also offer them for trade.”

Evergreen pine, sinking-water peach…

Among the eight or nine types of spiritual herb seeds he displayed, Song Yan recognized two, having encountered them before in his pill refinement. They were indeed exceedingly rare and prized ingredients for alchemy.

However, these herbs took many years to mature, and their seeds and buds were not of great value. Few would bother to trade such things. For pill refinement, one would need herbs of several decades, even up to a hundred years’ growth.

What was Ke Huai planning with these seeds? Did he intend to cultivate them himself? Wait decades, even centuries, before refining pills?

The room fell into a heavy silence; no one spoke. Ke Huai, as if expecting this, showed no sign of disappointment and was about to conclude his turn.

“Um… hold on, Brother Ke,” Zhou Jiasheng hesitated for a long time before finally speaking.

“That drawing of yours—could it be this?” He scrutinized the image once more, then uncertainly retrieved a small, ice-blue flower from his cosmos pouch.

Ke Huai’s eyes lit up with delight. “Fellow Daoist Zhou, that’s a Frost Jade Flower—the very seedling of a Frost Jade Fruit.”

“I’ll buy it for ten spirit stones, or if you wish, I’ll trade you something of equal value.”

Zhou Jiasheng burst out laughing. “I picked it because it looked lovely, never thought it’d be worth a few spirit stones.”

“Brother Ke, if you have any Yellow Sprout Pills, I’ll swap for those; if not, just give me the spirit stones and I’ll buy the pills myself.”

Yellow Sprout Pills were a mainstream spirit-enhancing medicine for Qi Refining cultivators, suitable from the early to late stages of Qi Refinement. For Zhou Jiasheng, this was an unexpected windfall.

“I have them, I have them!” Ke Huai replied, overjoyed, quickly producing a bottle of Yellow Sprout Pills. Under the others’ watchful eyes, the two completed their trade.

With the first successful transaction, the atmosphere in the room brightened considerably.

Zhou Jiasheng offered a defensive-grade inferior artifact in exchange for pills to aid his cultivation. Song Yan was tempted, but after a moment’s hesitation, Daoist Rong seized the opportunity first, and the two struck a deal.

Lin Xiaoyu presented a talisman, but its purpose was ambiguous, and even she could not explain its effect.

They were all itinerant cultivators, with scant resources for cultivation and not a spirit stone to waste on something of uncertain value.

In the end, her item went untraded.

At last, it was Song Yan’s turn.

“I wish to offer a bottle of special pills, and two Soul-Transference Nails.”

Before coming to the night market, Song Yan had thought long and hard—not only did he refrain from bringing the pill recipe, he destroyed it with a flicker of spiritual fire.

The pill was simply too sinister.

He did not claim to be a paragon of virtue, but this pill was downright evil. If the recipe fell into the wrong hands and was used for murder, he would not escape the consequences. Better to be cautious and simply sell the pills.

Before Song Yan could even explain the medicine, the others were startled by the Soul-Transference Nails.

Ke Huai, however, remained composed. “Fellow Daoist Tong, what are these?”

“Nothing much. I slew a demonic cultivator in the mountains and found them on his person.”

A hiss went through the room—A demonic cultivator!

Song Yan spoke casually, but his words sent a chill through everyone present. They regarded the white wolf mask with newfound respect.

If only they knew that the highest cultivation among the three demonic cultivators was merely at the third level of Qi Refinement, they would surely think differently.

“This bottle contains Spirit-Blood Transformation Pills, a medicine of the Demonic Path. Its effect is…”

“It can cause an ordinary mortal without spiritual roots to grow special meridians and thus gain the chance to cultivate up to the third level of Qi Refinement.”

“What?!”

“Is that true?!”

Everyone exclaimed in shock.

Indeed, this was likely the most extraordinary item in the entire bartering session.

After all, those with spiritual roots had no need for such a thing. But cultivators all had families, blood kin—spiritual roots were rare, the lack of them was the norm.

In theory, if one could produce an endless supply of Spirit-Blood Transformation Pills, one could forcibly create a minor clan whose average strength reached the third level of Qi Refinement.

Before Song Yan could name his price, Ke Huai was already eager to speak.

“Does Fellow Daoist Tong possess the pill recipe?”

“I did…” Song Yan nodded, then changed his tone, “However, the materials and methods required for this pill are too sinister. I have already destroyed the recipe.”

A fleeting trace of disappointment passed through Ke Huai’s eyes, quickly replaced by earnest praise. “Brother Tong, how honorable.”

Song Yan continued, “As for the Soul-Transference Nails, I need not explain further. I am seeking any of three things in exchange.”

“First, spirit stones—I will part with all items for twenty-five stones.”

“Second, pills—Yellow Sprout Pills, three bottles.”

“The third is a supreme spiritual item, or information on one thereof.”

A supreme spiritual item?

The other five glanced at one another, Wu Huaguo and Rong Xiaofeng especially exchanging a look of surprise.

“Any supreme spiritual item, regardless of attribute, or clues to such, will suffice.”

These were broad terms. For example, common supreme wood essence or supreme fire, each with their own varieties, counted. Some supreme spiritual items were not particularly rare; otherwise, Song Yan would not dare name such a price here.

Even a small fragment or a solid lead was worth about twenty spirit stones.

The Transformation Scripture mentioned that supreme spiritual items could be used to refine and strengthen sword seeds.

Even if he did not plan to scatter his cultivation for sword cultivation in the future, such items would have other uses—a worthwhile gamble.

He was amenable to any of the three payment types.

The room was silent for a while as everyone considered their offers. Song Yan waited calmly, eyes on Ke Huai.

Ke Huai was tempted and about to offer twenty-five spirit stones when Rong Xiaofeng spoke first.

“We, as husband and wife, offer three bottles of Yellow Sprout Pills.”

“Hmm?”

Even Song Yan was surprised.

Of the three terms he had named, twenty-five spirit stones was the standard price. Information on supreme spiritual items would be a bargain, since it was only information.

But three bottles of Yellow Sprout Pills were worth about thirty spirit stones—a clear loss for the offerer.

“However, after this meeting, my wife and I would like a private word with Fellow Daoist Tong, if that’s agreeable?”

Song Yan looked to Ke Huai, unfamiliar with the protocol and seeking guidance from the host.

Ke Huai smiled. “As long as both parties are willing, I have no say in the matter.”

“Very well.”

Thus, the trade was concluded, leaving Song Yan with a notable profit.

Rong Xiaofeng and Wu Huaguo’s offering was a matched pair of flying blades, both inferior artifacts valued at about fifteen or sixteen spirit stones, which Lin Xiaoyu acquired in exchange for a similarly valued Violet Flame Talisman.

Song Yan could not help but question his own fate.

Why did all these itinerant cultivators seem so much wealthier than himself?