Lying Low in the Martial World to Become a Saint

Chapter 454: Chapter 202: Three Gangs

Compared to the others, Chen Qing was not wealthy.

Zhuo Xiaoyun noticed Chen Qing’s gaze. She smiled faintly and took the initiative to pick up the Crystal Stone, saying, "Brother Chen seems to be interested in this Lantao Crystal?"

Chen Qing nodded frankly. "Miss Zhuo has a sharp eye. I am indeed in need of such a Water Attribute Spiritual Object. How does Miss Zhuo wish to trade?"

Zhuo Xiaoyun looked at the items in front of Chen Qing, pondered for a moment, and shook her head. "Brother Chen, these things of yours... This poison is useless to me. I might have some interest in the Inner Strength Secret Technique if it were complete. As for this Miasma Mushroom, its age is a bit lacking, and it wouldn’t be of much help to my Water Mirror Square’s Cultivation Technique. I’m afraid..."

Chen Qing said immediately, "I can add silver notes."

As he spoke, he took out a thick stack of silver notes from his robes. Among them were many large denomination notes of ten thousand taels. A rough count put the total at nearly two hundred thousand taels.

For an individual, this was already a huge sum of money.

Zhuo Xiaoyun looked at the stack of silver notes, a flicker of hesitation in her eyes.

She had indeed acquired this Lantao Crystal by chance. Although her Cultivation Technique could make use of it, it wasn’t essential.

Two hundred thousand taels of silver was enough to purchase a considerable amount of resources to aid her Cultivation.

She looked at Chen Qing, then considered that he was already at the Astral Force realm at such a young age, possessed immense potential, and that forming a good relationship with him seemed like a good idea.

After a moment of thought, her face broke into a smile. "Alright. Since Brother Chen sincerely wants it, silver notes it is. This Lantao Crystal is yours."

With that, she handed the Crystal Stone over.

Chen Qing was secretly delighted. He took the Lantao Crystal, then counted the stack of silver notes before handing them to Zhuo Xiaoyun. "Thank you for your help, Miss Zhuo."

Shen Xiuyong watched from the side, a brow slightly raised. He secretly sent a voice transmission to Chen Qing: "Martial Nephew, you’re buying this Water Attribute treasure at such a high price... Don’t tell me you’re planning to give it to Nephew Nie?"

He remembered that Nie Shanshan cultivated the Profound Nether True Water Technique, and this Lantao Crystal would be of great benefit to her.

Chen Qing just smiled and replied via voice transmission, "Martial Uncle, you jest. I have my own use for it."

He didn’t explain further.

’It seems trading with other experts is far faster than searching for things on my own.’

Seeing this, Shen Xiuyong thought he had guessed correctly, chuckled twice, and didn’t ask any more questions.

Afterward, the others also completed their trades.

Qiao Hongyun used his volume on Swordsmanship insights and added some silver taels to trade for a piece of Thunder-Attracting Gold from Shang Lujing.

Shang Lujing, in turn, took an interest in Wang Bo’s incomplete Ancient Boxing Manual, trading a Violent Thunder Pill that could briefly stimulate one’s qi and blood for it.

Wang Bo, for his part, had his eye on one of Shen Xiuyong’s Earth Fire Flame Stones, exchanging a bottle of Tiger Soul Bone Tempering Pills for it.

When the trading was over, everyone drank another round of tea and exchanged some superficial insights on Cultivation. Seeing that it was getting late, they all rose to take their leave, agreeing to contact each other again if any new information arose.

Chen Qing carefully put away the newly acquired Lantao Crystal and left with Shen Xiuyong, returning to his own residence.

For the next few days, Chen Qing lived in seclusion, pouring almost all his energy into his Cultivation.

He sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion in his Quiet Chamber, his eyes slightly closed, his Heart and Spirit sinking into his body.

[Profound Nether True Water Technique Fourth Layer: (4999/5000)]

The Lantao Crystal obtained from Zhuo Xiaoyun floated above his Dantian Sea of Qi, emitting a soft and pure azure light. Wisps of Gui Water Essence Qi were slowly drawn out from it, merging into the expanse of Gui Water True Qi below.

The Heart Method of the Profound Nether True Water Technique flowed through Chen Qing’s mind.

Inside his Dantian, the vast, ocean-like Gui Water True Qi, which had once flowed gently, began to churn violently.

At the center of the True Qi, a point of ultimate, deep blue, ethereal light suddenly flared, emitting a heart-palpitating chill.

Chen Qing focused his Heart and Spirit, guiding the Essence Qi from the Lantao Crystal and his own True Qi to frantically compress and condense.

Time passed bit by bit. The temperature inside the Quiet Chamber quietly dropped, and fine, almost imperceptible ice crystals condensed in the air. A thin layer of white frost also covered the floor and walls.

In the dead of the third night, Chen Qing’s body suddenly shuddered!

BUZZ—!

Within his Dantian, the vast Gui Water True Qi finally underwent a qualitative transformation.

That wisp of Gui Water True Qi was no longer in a flowing, gaseous state, but had transformed into a more condensed, blue True Astral.

It was like a condensation from the depths of Cold Ice, or a silent, dark river flowing beneath the Nine Netherworld—heavy and frigid.

[Profound Nether True Water Technique Fifth Layer: (1/10000)]

Gui Water True Gang, formed!

Chen Qing slowly opened his eyes. Deep within his pupils, two clusters of ethereal blue ice flames seemed to flash and vanish.

He gently raised his right hand, and with a slight thought, a wisp of incomparably condensed, ethereal blue True Astral slowly extended from his fingertip.

’Now, I just need to temper all the Gui Water True Qi in my body into True Astral, and then I can finally fuse it with the other two True Astrals into one.’

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