Chapter 685: Red Essence Grass

Volume 4: Winds Rising OverseasVolume 5: Renowned in All Directions

“True Monarch Tianjing, you are too kind. But I confess, I’m eager to begin. Perhaps I could go first?” a brocade-robed cultivator, seated next to True Monarch Tianjing, remarked with a slight smile.

“Haha. Since you’re so eager, by all means, please begin, fellow Daoist.”

True Monarch Tianjing chuckled and stepped back, genuinely inviting the brocade-robed cultivator to proceed first. As for the rules of the exchange, every cultivator present had been through countless such events, so there was no need for a lengthy explanation.

“Heh heh, since Brother Tianjing insists, I won’t be shy.” The brocade-robed cultivator paused for a moment, then stood up gracefully. After a slight bow to those around him, he lightly tapped the storage pouch beneath his robe with one hand.

With a flash of red light, a palm-sized wooden box appeared in his hand. The wooden box, crafted from an unknown exotic wood, was entirely emerald green. Faint, flame-like red light flickered within it. On its lid, a golden and a silver restriction talisman were crossed, enhancing its mysterious aura.

At this sight, everyone’s gaze was drawn to the box, their expressions a mix of curiosity. These cultivators were all seasoned and knowledgeable individuals. They instinctively knew that the item within the box was extraordinary, and seeing such a treasure so early in the exchange filled them with renewed interest.

From behind his brocade mask, the cultivator's eyes swept over the onlookers, a hint of satisfaction gleaming within them. He then lightly tapped the two talismans; they drifted down, and the lid of the box slowly opened on its own. Immediately, a fiery red object, an unusual spirit ganoderma wreathed in red mist, began to float gently upwards from within.

This ganoderma was only a few inches in size, yet its entire form glowed with a fiery red heat. Its surface was smooth and crystalline, with wisps of red mist coiling around it like celestial energy, truly giving it the appearance of an immortal's treasure!

As Han Li stared in astonishment, someone already called out the item's name.

“A Scarlet Essence Ganoderma! A Scarlet Essence Ganoderma with three thousand years of cultivation! This item grows only within molten lava and earth fire; it's practically impossible for an ordinary person to even glimpse it, let alone obtain it. Fellow Daoist, you truly possess remarkable abilities!” A black-robed cultivator sighed deeply, muttering to himself, his tone a mix of envy and admiration.

“A Scarlet Essence Ganoderma? So this is the Scarlet Essence Ganoderma from the Ice Fire Essence Ganoderma family. It certainly lives up to its reputation; just by observing the fire spiritual energy it radiates, one can tell it’s extraordinary.” A murmur rippled through the other cultivators, and a few who had arrived together even began whispering without reservation.

The brocade-robed cultivator's eyes flickered with surprise when the black-robed cultivator immediately identified his item, but he quickly regained his composure and said:

“Since this fellow Daoist has already recognized my item, there's no need for further explanation. This is a three-thousand-year-old Scarlet Essence Ganoderma, a top-tier alchemy ingredient for fire-attribute spirit pills. I'm asking for one hundred thousand spirit stones, or an exchange for earth-attribute alchemy or artifact refining materials of equivalent rank.”

“One hundred thousand spirit stones?” Han Li paused, surprised, then a peculiar glint appeared in his eyes. It wasn't that the price was too high; rather, it was far lower than Han Li had anticipated. In the Scattered Star Seas, a high-grade demon core alone would cost over ten thousand spirit stones. Yet this exceptionally rare spirit ganoderma, apart from the transformed “Nine-Bend Spirit Ginseng,” was unmatched by any other spiritual herb. This realization made Han Li's heart quicken, and he felt a strong urge to acquire it.

Aside from his other rare treasures, Han Li possessed hundreds of thousands of spirit stones, all plundered from the storage pouches of cultivators who had fallen by his hand. Notably, the Six Paths disciple's storage pouch alone contained two to three thousand mid-grade spirit stones, granting Han Li an unexpected windfall far exceeding what ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators might possess. Of course, no amount of spirit stones could compare to his collection of spirit artifacts, magic treasures, or even several ancient artifacts. Some treasures, after all, simply could not be acquired with spirit stones. If he were willing to sell the ancient treasures in his possession, such as the flower basket or the small bell, acquiring hundreds of thousands of spirit stones would be no issue at all.

As Han Li secretly pondered, several other cultivators also found their interest piqued by the item. Immediately, several cultivators approached him one after another. They exchanged a few whispered words with the brocade-robed cultivator via spiritual transmission, then presented various items for his inspection. While others couldn't see clearly, the brocade-robed cultivator simply cast a quick glance downward before unceremoniously rejecting them. The cultivators then sullenly returned to their seats.

“Is there anyone else? I expended immense effort, five or six years of arduous work, to finally acquire this three-thousand-year Scarlet Essence Ganoderma. Selling it for only one hundred thousand spirit stones is truly not expensive. However, I still hope you can offer earth-attribute materials of equivalent value in exchange. I'd even accept something slightly inferior. But if the discrepancy is too significant, or if you intend to take advantage, please don't bother wasting my time.” The brocade-robed cultivator, seemingly eager to part with his item, couldn't help but voice his impatience when no one else stepped forward.

Han Li's gaze briefly swept over the other attendees. Many showed greedy expressions, but no one else rose from their seats. It appeared they either still considered the price too steep or genuinely lacked suitable materials at that moment. Even the Fire Dragon Child beside him wore a regretful expression on his small face. He cultivated a genuine fire-attribute cultivation method, and this fire essence ganoderma would have been perfectly suited for him.

Taking all this in, Han Li watched as the brocade-robed cultivator, with a hint of resignation, prepared to re-seal the fire essence ganoderma into the wooden box. Han Li's lips moved, sending a discreet spiritual transmission.

“Excuse me, fellow Daoist, but I wonder if you might be interested in an earth-attribute demon core?”

The brocade-robed cultivator's motion of putting away the ganoderma paused instantly. His gaze swept across the room, quickly locating Han Li, who had sent the transmission. He then replied with a touch of surprise:

“You have a demon core, fellow Daoist? However, this is a Scarlet Essence Ganoderma; it would require at least a seventh-level demon core for an exchange. If it's a sixth-level one, I'd need two or more.”

Upon hearing this, Han Li began to ponder once more. Although he had used almost all his demon cores for alchemy back then, he had wisely kept a few of the most valuable and rare ones from formidable demon beasts. He held onto them as contingency, anticipating potential future uses. Now, exchanging a seventh-level demon core for the Scarlet Essence Ganoderma seemed quite worthwhile. After all, the ganoderma's growth could be accelerated with his green liquid, while demon cores could not be artificially cultivated. As for the comparative value of the two items, it was truly difficult to assess. While a seventh-level demon core was indeed rare in the Scattered Star Seas, it was clearly a step below the Scarlet Essence Ganoderma in value there. However, in Tiannan, the situation was entirely different. Not only were seventh-level demon cores almost unheard of, even fifth and sixth-level demon cores were seldom seen. After all, high-level demon beasts of that caliber barely existed on the Tiannan continent. Thus, trading a seventh-level demon core for this three-thousand-year Scarlet Essence Ganoderma could be considered a fair exchange.

Having made his decision, Han Li abruptly stood up and approached the brocade-robed cultivator. This action startled both Lu Luo and the Fire Dragon Child, who simultaneously gazed at Han Li in astonishment. Han Li, however, quickly reached the brocade-robed cultivator, flipped his palm, and a jade box appeared in his hand. He then tossed it directly to the other party, remaining completely silent.

The brocade-robed cultivator, surprisingly composed, took the jade box, opened its lid, and after a careful, lengthy inspection, a look of delighted surprise appeared in his eyes.

“Deal!”

He gestured, resealing the Scarlet Essence Ganoderma into the wooden box, and handed it directly to Han Li. Concurrently, he deftly placed Han Li's jade box into his own storage pouch. Han Li nodded, carefully put away the wooden box, and calmly returned to his seat. Both Lu Luo and the Fire Dragon Child looked on with utter astonishment, but they were wise enough not to question Han Li directly, merely sending a few congratulatory words via spiritual transmission. Han Li responded with a casual demeanor, betraying no unusual emotions.

However, Han Li now sensed that many of the Nascent Soul cultivators present had begun to re-evaluate him. Evidently, his unexpected acquisition of the Scarlet Essence Ganoderma had captured the interest of many. Han Li, however, was unconcerned. With his current divine abilities, he knew he could reliably escape any attempts to target him, even from mid-Nascent Soul cultivators, let alone those at the late-Nascent Soul stage.

“Excellent. That fellow Daoist has completed his exchange. Now, how about this fellow Daoist proceeds next, in order?” True Monarch Tianjing suggested with a smile, gesturing to another female cultivator seated near the brocade-robed cultivator.

“Certainly. I shall present my treasure now,” the woman in pale green replied elegantly, then gently rose to her feet.

“I haven't had the good fortune of that fellow Daoist just now, to acquire such a rare treasure. However, I am quite skilled in artifact refining, so I crafted a ‘Spirit-Binding Ring’ magic treasure that has not yet been attuned to a master. With just a brief attunement ritual, it can be used as a soul-bound magic treasure. I'm not boasting, but though this artifact is made from common materials like gold essence, its power is by no means small. It's remarkably effective for ensnaring foes or for self-defense, truly a treasure that combines both offense and defense.” The woman explained unhurriedly, lightly shaking her long sleeve.

Immediately, a pristine white ring, several inches in size, shot forth from the woman's sleeve. It flickered erratically, alternately expanding and contracting. Without further words, the woman pointed a single finger at the ring. The exquisite ring suddenly vibrated, then rapidly expanded with the wind, growing to roughly ten feet in diameter and as thick as an arm. Silver-white runes were clearly visible on its massive surface, radiating an astonishing amount of spiritual energy.