Chapter 1351: Heavenly Thunder Turns into Wood

Han Li curiously examined the items on the stall. His spiritual sense gently swept over the branch among the two items. The branch contained extremely faint wood spiritual energy, yet it was filled with a strong lightning attribute power, as if the entire branch had condensed from lightning. This greatly surprised him.

This immediately reminded him of the Heavenly Thunder Bamboo he had encountered previously.

However, even the Ten-Thousand-Year Golden Thunder Bamboo didn't exhibit such violent lightning power; the Evil-Dispelling Divine Thunder was usually deeply contained and subtle.

As for the other blood-colored crystal, it had a pungent, fishy smell, resembling the inner core of some beast, though its specific origin was impossible to discern.

Han Li was somewhat interested in the branch, but after observing it for a while, he quietly moved on to the next stall.

The next stall belonged to a demon clan member, who had a black, opaque ore in front of them, about the size of a human head, emanating an intense cold.

Han Li continued at a leisurely pace, passing by each stall. He would pause to carefully examine anything he found unfamiliar or intriguing.

Yet, from beginning to end, he remained silent, seemingly oblivious to the stall owners. Soon, Han Li had surveyed all the stalls, feeling a slight disappointment. While the items displayed were indeed rare, nothing truly caught his eye.

Some items, though originating from the desolate wilderness, were quite obscure and appeared useful only to specific individuals.

Han Li's gaze swept around. Just as he was contemplating leaving the Grand Profound Hall, footsteps suddenly sounded behind him, indicating someone was approaching him.

With a slight shimmer of white light around him, Han Li abruptly turned to face backward. The approaching person halted, seemingly surprised by Han Li's swift reaction.

This was a member of the demon clan, completely enveloped in black mist. Their figure appeared quite slender as they appraised Han Li.

However, both were concealed by secret techniques, so aside from their indistinct, shadowy forms, neither could discern any specific details about the other.

"Do you have something to say?" Han Li asked calmly, breaking the silence.

"Fellow Daoist, have you not found anything suitable?" the demon clan member in the black mist asked with a soft, melodious laugh, revealing she was a female.

"Indeed, there's nothing here that catches my eye. What is your intention in asking?"

Han Li countered with a question.

"It seems this is your first visit to the Grand Profound Hall," the woman said unhurriedly. "Actually, besides the items openly displayed, the truly valuable goods exchanged between our two races are always traded privately, one-on-one."

"Why operate this way? Wouldn't it be easier to find a suitable buyer if items were displayed openly?" Han Li frowned.

"Fellow Daoist, are you truly unaware, or are you feigning ignorance? When truly valuable items are brought out for exchange, even with light-blocking pendants and mist-shrouding banners concealing one's identity, they are still easily coveted. Furthermore, some items are inherently too sensitive, and it's simply not suitable for too many people to know their whereabouts. Enough idle talk, do you actually want to exchange something?" The demon clan woman seemed a bit impatient, her voice growing colder.

"As long as Fellow Daoist truly possesses valuable items, I am certainly willing to exchange," Han Li readily agreed, but then abruptly asked, "However, why did you approach me?"

"It's simple," the demoness replied. "Your meticulous examination of the items on the stalls suggests you're likely a newcomer to Heavenly Abyss City. Although your cultivation is currently restricted, careful observation reveals you are a Soul Transformation cultivator.

You are precisely the right person for me to exchange with. Furthermore, you're not the first person I've approached. Tell me what you have that might be suitable for our demon clan. Besides my own items, I also have goods entrusted to me by many of my clan companions for exchange. So, if you have anything valuable, feel free to present it." The demoness spoke frankly, without hesitation.

Hearing this, Han Li chuckled softly to himself.

"I naturally have some items suitable for your noble clan. But shouldn't you also reveal a thing or two about the items you possess first?"

"Hmph, I have everything from spirit herbs and materials to your human race's magic treasures and ancient artifacts. What are you looking for?" the demoness scoffed.

"I don't require finished magic treasures; I'm more interested in materials. Do you happen to have the spiritual blood of a True Toad Beast? I'm in urgent need of it," Han Li asked, his eyes flickering.

"True Toad spiritual blood, hehe, Fellow Daoist certainly knows how to pick things," the demoness chuckled. "True Toad fluid is not only useful to your human race but also greatly beneficial to our demon clan. Who would trade such a thing in the Grand Profound Hall?" She paused for a moment upon hearing this, then immediately shook her head repeatedly.

"If that's the case, do you have any of the following: Golden Grass over five thousand years old..." Han Li remained unconcerned by her sarcasm and immediately listed all the other materials missing from his various pill recipes. The demoness's expression, concealed within the black mist, began to sour after hearing just the first few. Once Han Li finished speaking, she unhappily said after a long pause:

"Don't even dream of it. These medicinal ingredients, capable of enhancing cultivation, can only be found in the desolate wilderness. Our demon clan also suffers a great shortage of them. Even if we had them, we wouldn't trade them with your human race."

"Fellow Daoist, there's no need to be anxious," Han Li said unhurriedly, showing no disappointment. "I don't necessarily need finished spirit medicines. I am also willing to pay a high price for the seeds or young shoots of these spirit medicines."

"If that's the case, they might not be impossible to find," the demoness said, hesitating slightly and not immediately refusing. "But it would be quite troublesome, and I don't have them on hand right now."

"As long as you can truly collect these items, I will certainly return here to exchange with you," Han Li said, greatly pleased.

"Hmm, I can only try," she said. "After all, even the seeds and young shoots of wilderness spirit herbs are extremely rare, and few people are willing to sell them. However, if I do manage to find these items, what do you intend to exchange with me? As for spirit stones, Fellow Daoist, don't bother. Even high-grade spirit stones are not something I lack," the demoness said proudly.

Upon hearing this, Han Li's expression remained normal, but his lips moved slightly as he telepathically transmitted a few words.

"What? You truly possess a ten-thousand-year spirit herb!" The woman in the black mist trembled, her tone suddenly filled with exceptional surprise and delight.

"As long as you can find what I need, I can naturally produce such a spiritual item," Han Li said with a faint smile.

"If you possess such a spirit herb, why wouldn't you use it yourself to concoct pills? Why bother exchanging it with me for these items?" After her initial surprise, the demoness grew suspicious.

"As for my affairs, Fellow Daoist, you needn't inquire further. If you find it suitable, please collect some of the items I need. Next time I come here, we can exchange directly. Consider this spirit herb my deposit," Han Li said, his tone deepening. He then swept his hand over his storage bracelet, flipped his palm, and a half-foot-long wooden box appeared in his hand, which he casually tossed over.

The demoness in the black mist was stunned. She instinctively grabbed the wooden box and, with an uncertain expression, opened it a crack, swiftly sweeping her spiritual sense inside.

A soft gasp escaped her. The woman meticulously examined the contents of the box for a long time before slowly closing it, her expression suddenly becoming solemn.

"Are you truly offering this as a deposit? Aren't you afraid I might take the item and never return?" the demoness said coldly.

"It's merely a three-thousand-year spirit herb!" Han Li replied noncommittally. "Firstly, I believe someone of your standing would not do such a thing. Secondly, this also proves my genuine sincerity in wishing to conduct this business with you. As long as you can truly find the items as promised, I will certainly not go back on my word regarding the spirit herb I pledged."

"It seems you do have some sincerity," she said confidently, not standing on ceremony, as she put away the wooden box with a flick of her palm. "However, what you need definitely cannot be obtained in a short time. Give me a few years, and I will help you collect two or three kinds."

"Good, then I will await your good news," Han Li said, equally pleased, cupping his hands slightly.

To him, a several-thousand-year spirit herb was far from rare, and using it to gain the other party's trust was a negligible cost. Han Li was also confident that his promise of a ten-thousand-year spirit herb would be enough to motivate this transformed demon, causing her to wholeheartedly search for the items he needed.

For Han Li, who preferred not to attract undue attention among humans, this was an ideal approach.

The demoness nodded, then turned and left without another word.

Han Li narrowed his eyes, watching the slender figure intermittently visible in the black mist. He then abruptly turned and walked towards the entrance, seemingly intending to leave the grand hall.

However, as he reached the first human cultivator's stall, his gaze swept over the emerald green branch. His steps subconsciously paused, and after a brief hesitation, he turned and walked towards it.

"What is the origin of this item? Could you tell me a little?" Han Li asked faintly as he approached the stall. Simultaneously, with a grasping motion, the emerald green branch was immediately drawn into his hand, which he then began to stroke with his fingers.

"Origin? I personally witnessed a heavenly thunderbolt strike a withered spirit wood, after which this section of spirit wood sprouted and grew. As for its specific origin and use, I am also unclear," a remarkably hoarse, aged voice came from within the white mist, indicating the stall owner was an elder.

"Wood formed by heavenly thunder, this thing is quite interesting," Han Li muttered to himself, turning the item over and over in his hand, examining it several times.

"Heh heh, it's certainly rare," the elder chuckled. "But I won't lie to you, Fellow Daoist, the lightning power contained within this item is simply too overbearing. It cannot be forcefully absorbed and refined into the body, nor can it be used for artifact forging. We can only see if anyone on the demon clan side is interested in it. What, Fellow Daoist, are you interested in this item?"