Chapter 51 - Arc 5: Loose Cultivator Alliance | Chapter 51: Trading Hall
Translator: Lynn
Not far from the hill, a seven-story pagoda stood before Xu Ziqing.
The pagoda emitted a faint spiritual light, giving Xu Ziqing a sense that a cultivator of higher cultivation resided within it. However, he quickly dismissed the thought, realizing that it was normal for such a prominent trading place to have high-ranking cultivators present. There was no need to make a fuss about it.
Interestingly, there were no guards outside the tower. Instead, there was a gentle light emanating from a token upon entering, presumably serving as identity verification. Unperturbed, Xu Ziqing confidently walked inside.
Contrary to the bustling exterior, the interior of the tower was spacious and not overcrowded, despite the constant flow of people.
Xu Ziqing looked around, carefully observing the tower’s structure. The octagonal tower had closed caves at each corner. Inside each floor sat a cultivator, all with cultivation levels ranging from seven to eight Qi refinement levels. These individuals possessed exceptional talent, even when compared to the prominent clans and families outside the Alliance. They served as stewards responsible for transactions on the ground floor of the tower.
Curiosity led Xu Ziqing to approach for a closer look. He discovered that each floor had a silk cloth hanging, covered in small, densely packed characters resembling gnats. These characters represented the resources received by the respective steward, with corresponding contribution points assigned to each item, making it easy to understand at a glance.
Although there was no physical barrier separating the stewards from the onlookers, everyone instinctively maintained a three-step distance, suggesting the presence of a restriction that deterred individuals of average cultivation from getting closer.
“This is quite convenient,” Xu Ziqing thought to himself. With that in mind, he continued on his path, casting his eyes over the silk cloth in the eight pagoda caves, gaining a clear understanding of the situation.
While he could clearly see the resources, he had no intention of retrieving them at that moment. Instead, he turned around and proceeded toward the second level of the pagoda.
Ascending the wooden staircase, Xu Ziqing felt a slight pressure on his body, which dissipated as soon as he circulated his spiritual energy. It seemed that he had successfully passed through the second restricted area.
The wooden staircase was not too high, allowing Xu Ziqing to quickly reach the second level. As he looked up, he noticed another set of eight tower caves, each accompanied by a small shop in front.
Within the shops, eight stewards of similar cultivation levels engaged in transactions with customers.
Xu Ziqing immediately understood that while the first level dealt with resources obtained from cultivators, which were then exchanged for contribution points, the second level already had resources integrated into the small shops. This level allowed cultivators to freely exchange their contribution points for the resources they needed.
The categories were clearly defined: spiritual pills, magical tools and talismans, martial arts techniques, spiritual herbs, consumables, miscellaneous items, and more. Each category was overseen by a steward, ensuring convenient access for cultivators.
As usual, Xu Ziqing meticulously inspected each shop, silently calculating the available options in his mind, before proceeding to the third level.
The pressure on the wooden stairs increased slightly, but it did not pose a significant hindrance to Xu Ziqing, and he smoothly passed through without any trouble.
Upon reaching the third floor, the number of people decreased noticeably.
Although an octagonal inner room was present in the tower, it was occupied by monks of higher ranks, with cultivation levels ranging from the ninth to the tenth level of Qi refinement. Xu Ziqing possessed a keen eye and could sense the formidable power emanating from them, making it clear that they were not to be trifled with.
These monks’ role was to mediate conflicts among the scattered cultivators in the Alliance.
In addition to the towering cave, there were numerous stalls laid out in the area, covered with brocade cloth. Hidden within the cloth were magic weapons and spiritual pills.
It turned out that this floor served as a space where cultivators could freely exchange resources. As some resources were rare and difficult to obtain, cultivators felt it was not worth exchanging them for contribution points on the ground floor. Instead, they set up stalls on the third floor, hoping for fortuitous trades.
Upon witnessing this, Xu Ziqing couldn’t help but feel a tinge of melancholy.
The Alliance’s trading hall was incredibly comprehensive, leaving no room for any criticism.
Xu Ziqing recognized that it was sufficient to explore this floor alone. Although he was curious about the trading happening above the third floor, there was no rush. He wanted to thoroughly survey this level first to see if there were any useful items.
Thus, he halted in his tracks and began inspecting the stalls on his left-hand side, one by one.
A cultivator’s stall was distinct from that of an ordinary person. Moreover, since the individuals here were focused on resource exchanges rather than making a living, they naturally exuded an air of haughtiness and detachment.
Therefore, behind each stall, monks would sit cross-legged on a futon, occasionally closing their eyes to recuperate or discreetly cultivate. However, they refrained from engaging in any impolite behavior. If someone found something they desired, they could approach the front of the stall and tap on the barrier. When the barrier moved, the monk who set it would awaken and initiate the transaction.
Silently, Xu Ziqing continued his journey, eventually stopping in front of the first stall.
On the cloth lay three or five magic weapons, two porcelain vases, and a box of spirit pearls.
The quality of the weapons varied, with two of medium quality, one of lower quality, and another that appeared dull but emitted a vague pressure that would have been close to top quality if not for some irregularities.
Three small words, “Bigu Pill,” adorned one of the porcelain bottles. However, lower-grade Bigu Pills were quite common in any marketplace, so Xu Ziqing speculated that the ones available here might not be of middle or upper-grade quality.
While Xu Ziqing didn’t pay much attention to the magic weapons, he found himself interested in the grain-preventing pills and spirit pearls. However, he wondered what the cultivator running the stall desired in exchange.
Curiosity piqued, he glanced at the side of the brocade cloth, where the following was written:
“In exchange for Shexin Grass, 500 years or more; Tuoyuan Grass, 800 years or more; Lizhao Flower, seven petals or more, red and yellow. All items must be of medium quality or above. No idle individuals should inquire.”
Xu Ziqing carefully read the requirements and felt more reassured. If the cultivator sought magic weapons, he had none to offer. However, if they desired spiritual herbs, it wouldn’t be difficult for him to fulfill the request.
With a potential deal in mind, Xu Ziqing extended his hand and lightly tapped the barrier.
The cultivator’s eyes abruptly opened, and the glimmer within them flickered away. He asked, “What do you want?”
Xu Ziqing smiled faintly and inquired, “I’m curious about the grade of this grain-preventing pill.”
The cultivator, wearing a loose blue robe with his hair tied in a casual bun, had an unconventional appearance. Nevertheless, his eyes remained clear and honest as he responded, “It’s a medium-grade Bigu pill. Each bottle contains ten pills.”
Xu Ziqing quickly calculated that twenty pills would provide ten years of cereal cleansing, which was highly useful. Once he made up his mind, he reached into his sleeve, and when he withdrew his hand, there was a tightly wrapped bundle of leaves in his palm. He offered, “Fellow Daoist if you’re interested in Shexin Grass, I have two of them here. I’m not sure if you’d like them.”
Observing Xu Ziqing’s generous gesture, the fallen cultivator didn’t hesitate and snapped his fingers, breaking the barrier. He accepted
the bundle of leaves and opened it.
“Top-grade Shexin Grass?” he exclaimed in surprise, lowering his head to sniff it. “It’s seven hundred years old this year.”
Xu Ziqing chuckled and asked, “What do you think?” He had a thousand-year-old Snake Faith Grass in his ring, but have encountered a few cultivators on his journey, he understood the importance of not revealing his wealth. Therefore, he chose the one with the least age.
The cultivator was overjoyed. “Shexin Grass is incredibly rare. Since you possess such a valuable item, I’ll gladly trade these two bottles of Bigu pills with you.” With those words, he swiftly placed the porcelain bottles into Xu Ziqing’s hands.
Xu Ziqing stored the pills away and, seeing the cultivator’s sincerity in their dealings, inquired further, “After this transaction, I still have some Tuoyuan Grass. Would you be interested…?”
Before the fallen cultivator could finish listening, his eyes sparkled with excitement. “You still have Tuoyuan Grass?”
Xu Ziqing cleared his throat and produced another bundle of leaves. “But I only have one.”
The fallen cultivator eagerly accepted it and quickly examined its contents. A smile blossomed on his face. “It truly is an eight hundred-year-old Tuoyuan Grass, and it’s of the highest quality as well.”
The Shexin Grass brought great joy to the loose cultivator, but the tuft of Tuoyuan grass was even rarer and considered one of the most precious spiritual grasses. It was of exceptional quality, which was usually unattainable unless at a hefty price.
Originally, the cultivator didn’t have much hope and had set up his stall out of desperation. He had been disappointed for days as no one showed interest in his items. He urgently needed the spiritual herbs himself, which made him anxious. So when he saw Xu Ziqing offering the herbs he needed, he was overjoyed.
Afraid that Xu Ziqing would change his mind about the tuft of Tuoyuan grass, the cultivator quickly offered his magic weapons as well, hoping to entice him into making more trades.
However, Xu Ziqing politely declined the magic weapons and instead focused his attention on the box of spirit pearls. He suggested exchanging the tuft of Tuoyuan grass for the pearls.
The cultivator was surprised by Xu Ziqing’s request. The tuft of Tuoyuan grass was highly valuable, and Xu Ziqing only asked for spirit pearls in return. However, seeing Xu Ziqing’s sincere smile, he decided not to question it further. He agreed to the exchange and offered the box of spirit pearls.
Xu Ziqing was satisfied with the trade and considered the cultivator’s honest character as a potential friend. They exchanged introductions, with the cultivator revealing his name as Kang Wenyu.
Kang Wenyu quickly packed up his stall and expressed his gratitude to Xu Ziqing. He mentioned having urgent business to attend to and hoped to meet Xu Ziqing again in the future. They bid each other farewell, and Kang Wenyu promptly left.
Xu Ziqing was pleased with the pill and spirit pearls he obtained. However, he suddenly remembered something important that he had been searching for. After a moment of contemplation, he continued on his way.
The transaction between Xu Ziqing and Kang Wenyu didn’t go unnoticed by the other cultivators on the trading floor. The rarity and quality of the spiritual herbs attracted their attention, and they couldn’t help but observe Xu Ziqing for a while.
Though slightly embarrassed, Xu Ziqing didn’t let it bother him and continued browsing the stalls. As he surveyed the area, he stopped in front of a woman seated on a futon. She wore a plain yellow dress and exuded a calm aura.
On her stall, there were several small bags, emitting varying degrees of light and thickness. Xu Ziqing recognized them as storage pouches, which he needed.
He thought about the limitations of his current ring and wanted to have a spare storage pouch, as well as one for his friend Yun Lie. Xu Ziqing had inadvertently placed the blood demon’s flesh in his ring before, which Yun Lie had found displeasing when she entered it later. He felt remorseful and wanted to make it up to her by providing her with a more comfortable space in the future.
With these thoughts in mind, Xu Ziqing approached the woman’s stall and tapped on the barrier, waking her up. He asked about the cost of the storage bags, as the woman hadn’t listed any requirements on her stall. If he didn’t have what she needed, he would have to visit the next two pagodas to find out.
The woman opened her eyes, her ordinary face contrasting with her captivating star-like eyes. She responded, “Beast core, beast skins, spirit herbs, magic weapons—anything suitable for water-based cultivators. If you have any, show them to me.”
No wonder the woman hadn’t marked it; it turned out that she wanted to collect these items, which were complex and inconvenient to write down. Bartering on the top floor was more cost-effective and allow for negotiation. However, Xu Ziqing looked around and felt regret.
Items related to water were typically found in water-rich areas. Although Xu Ziqing had found some in the secret realm near streams and lakes, they were scarce, so he had very few on hand. Water-devil beasts were rarely found on the shore, and their presence in the secret realm was limited.
After searching, Xu Ziqing spread out his hand, revealing a first-rank demon beast Water Bull’s beast elixir, several dark black scales, and a leaf packet. He said, “I only have the first-rank demon beast Water Bull’s beast elixir and a few rib scales, along with three two-hundred-year-old top-quality Water Xie grass in this leaf packet.”
The woman gave a faint glance and replied, “I have one upper-grade storage bag, three middle-grade ones, and more than ten lower-grade ones here. These items aren’t enough to exchange for the upper grade, so if you want the middle grade, you can choose one; if you want the lower grade, you can choose three.”
Although the storage pouch was considered a magic weapon, it differed from others. Even the highest-quality one was only stronger and capable of holding more. It was much easier to refine than other top-grade magic weapons. Therefore, Xu Ziqing could exchange these items for a medium-grade storage bag. However, it was mainly due to the high-grade Water Xie grass; otherwise, he would likely only get a lower-grade storage bag.
Unexpectedly, someone approached and said, “I’ll take all three of these storage bags! How about a second-order iron-horned rhinoceros and two first-order water python beast cores?” With those words, the three medium-grade storage bags were quickly taken away.
Xu Ziqing was taken aback. He could hear that the three beast pellets were all of the water genera, especially the second-rank one, which was more valuable than the first-rank cores.
As Xu Ziqing raised his eyes, he noticed three cultivators who seemed familiar. They wore purple vestments, appeared to be in their twenties or thirties, and had handsome features. The first one was rough and straightforward, exclaiming, “Yesterday, my brothers asked you for a price and went to the sea to hunt, so they easily obtained these beast pills. You should sell them to us first!”
Another man chimed in, “That’s right, Miss Shui. You can’t go back on your word.”
The woman seemed helpless and explained, “You did ask yesterday, but you didn’t set a time. If someone wants to buy them today, I naturally won’t refuse.”
Xu Ziqing understood the situation. The three cultivators exchanged glances, realizing that the matter was still in their hands as buyers. One of them stepped forward and greeted Xu Ziqing, saying, “Fellow Daoist.”
Xu Ziqing smiled faintly and responded, “If you have something to say, feel free to speak.”
The cultivator said, “My brothers and I are going on a long trip and need a medium-grade storage bag. Our original one was destroyed, so I wonder if you could give it to me…”
Realizing the situation, Xu Ziqing replied, “That’s alright. I’m only packing some small items, so it’s not a problem. Take three lower-grade storage bags.”
The three cultivators were delighted and expressed their gratitude. The woman named Shui was also satisfied, as she hadn’t offended either side and was pleased with the outcome.
Without saying much, Xu Ziqing took the three lower-grade storage bags, turned around, and headed for the staircase.
When the three cultivators saw Xu Ziqing moving away, the rough-looking one spoke up, “Why is Second Brother being so polite to him?” As they were at the eighth and seventh levels of Qi refinement, they weren’t afraid of the young cultivator.
The cultivator who had spoken earlier didn’t answer but turned to the tallest cultivator and asked, “Brother, do you think this man looks familiar?”
The one referred to as “Big Brother” nodded and said, “Indeed, we did see him,” His expression darkened, “At the sea.”
The rugged-looking cultivator also remembered and exclaimed, “Ah! Is that him?”
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