Chapter 330: Calm Spirit Pill

The burly man still wore the same mask and no other disguise, so Qin Sang recognized him instantly.

That inexplicable sense of familiarity had only occurred once, during their first encounter. Qin Sang had dismissed it as an illusion and hadn't bothered to investigate further, surprised to see him again here.

"I was just about to seal the secret passage. Fellow Daoist, you almost arrived too late. Please, have a seat quickly."

As the elder spoke, he waved his hand, casting a restriction.

Darkness writhed at the entrance to the hidden chamber, and a wall spontaneously grew, sealing the opening.

The burly man seemed to have arrived in a hurry, panting. Before even sitting down, he eagerly pressed, "Senior, you said a fellow Daoist is willing to exchange a Quieting Spirit Pill for my Thousand Vine Flower. Is that true?"

Hearing this, Qin Sang thought, 'No wonder.'

The Quieting Spirit Pill was also a medicinal pellet that could nourish the primordial spirit and heal the soul, though its efficacy was not as potent as the Heart冥 Fruit. It seemed the burly man genuinely needed such a pill, and unable to acquire it at the trade fair, he had settled for the Quieting Spirit Pill.

From his tone, he appeared to have been invited by the elder.

The elder's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly as he replied, "I never speak falsely. There is indeed a fellow Daoist who possesses a Quieting Spirit Pill and intends to part with it. However, whether the transaction can be completed depends on how you both negotiate. I am merely facilitating this connection and serving as a witness; I cannot guarantee anything else. Fellow Daoist, please be patient. The secret market is about to begin, and you will soon know whether what I say is true or false."

At that moment, the person seated to the elder's left suddenly spoke up, "Senior, I can see this fellow Daoist is genuinely anxious. Since everyone is present, perhaps we should start this transaction, serving as an example for the other fellow Daoists."

The speaker was cloaked in a black robe that covered even their head, concealing them completely. However, it couldn't hide their petite figure, which stood in stark contrast to the burly man.

From the voice, it was clearly a female cultivator.

This woman seemed quite familiar with the elder, speaking with a touch of casualness.

The elder, always agreeable, chuckled and said, "Since Fellow Daoist puts it that way, I'll briefly explain the rules of this secret market, and then we can begin.

The rules of the secret market are simple: everyone takes turns presenting the treasures they wish to part with and states their conditions. If other fellow Daoists are interested in a treasure, they participate in the bidding. Ultimately, you decide whether to complete the transaction; I will not interfere.

During the transactions, the origin of the treasures and the identities of both parties are not to be questioned. It's a simple exchange of goods for payment, settling the matter then and there.

No one may leave independently before the secret market concludes.

Furthermore, though my cultivation is humble, I do possess some means. So, I urge any fellow Daoists with ill intentions to abandon their schemes, lest awkward situations arise..."

After speaking, the elder gestured to the female cultivator beside him. She leaned forward, looking at the restless burly man, and softly explained, "Fellow Daoist, I am not qualified to attend the auction, and I only learned from Senior today that you possess three Thousand Vine Flowers. That's why I hurried here from Yinshan Pass. I do have a Quieting Spirit Pill, perfectly preserved with no loss of efficacy, and I am willing to exchange it with you. Are you agreeable?"

The burly man nodded eagerly, "Yes, yes..."

As he spoke, he proactively took out the three Thousand Vine Flowers and placed them in the center of the table for display.

Inside the jade box were three plump flowers. Though they had been plucked, they remained remarkably fresh, drawing the attention of others to the Thousand Vine Flowers.

At this point, some individuals spoke with the burly man, attempting to exchange other items for the Thousand Vine Flowers, but he rejected them all.

"I don't need anything else besides spiritual herbs for nourishing the soul!"

Seeing this, the female cultivator dared not wait any longer and quickly nodded, "These are indeed mature Thousand Vine Flowers. Here is my Quieting Spirit Pill; please inspect it, Fellow Daoist. If you have no other requests, we can proceed with the exchange now."

With that, the female cultivator also produced a jade bottle containing a teardrop-shaped pill.

The burly man meticulously inspected the pill in the jade bottle. Once he confirmed it was indeed a Quieting Spirit Pill, he visibly relaxed, about to agree, when he was suddenly interrupted by someone.

"Wait!"

From the lower seat, a man wearing a wooden mask suddenly spoke, ignoring the burly man's glaring stare. He addressed the female cultivator, "Fellow Daoist, I am also interested in the Quieting Spirit Pill, and I am willing to offer a top-grade magical artifact, which is more valuable than the Thousand Vine Flower. Perhaps you would like to examine my artifact before making your decision?"

As the masked man spoke, he placed a bronze ring artifact on the table, allowing others to inspect it. It was indeed an excellent top-grade magical artifact!

The onlookers had not expected this twist and watched the development with keen interest.

While the Quieting Spirit Pill was certainly less valuable than a top-grade magical artifact, it was priceless to someone in urgent need. Coincidentally, both the burly man and the masked man desperately required this pill, making it a highly sought-after item.

"This..."

The female cultivator's tone showed slight hesitation, seemingly tempted by the top-grade magical artifact.

Seeing this, the burly man became frantic, almost gripping the table edge to stand up. "I have magical artifacts too! Give me the Quieting Spirit Pill, and I'll give you my artifacts!"

The burly man hastily pulled several artifacts from his mustard seed pouch, inviting the female cultivator to choose freely, but they were all high-grade artifacts.

At this point, the burly man's voice changed. His previous voice must have been disguised, and in his desperation, he had revealed his true voice.

This was a normal occurrence, and no one was surprised.

Only Qin Sang's gaze sharpened abruptly upon hearing the burly man's true voice. His eyes, hidden beneath his cloak, scrutinized the man intently, as if trying to see his true appearance through the mask.

A look of strangeness, surprise, and deep perplexity also appeared on Qin Sang's face.

In stark contrast to the burly man's anxiety, the masked man spoke unhurriedly, "Fellow Daoist, please consider carefully. There are countless spiritual herbs with similar effects to the Thousand Vine Flower, but opportunities to acquire a top-grade magical artifact so easily are rare. If I didn't need the Quieting Spirit Pill, I wouldn't be willing to make such a losing deal."

The female cultivator thought for a moment, then cupped her hands towards the masked man and said with a slight apology, "Thank you for your generous offer, Fellow Daoist. While a top-grade magical artifact is indeed excellent, the Thousand Vine Flower is of great use to my cultivation. My apologies!"

"What a pity."

The masked man shook his head lightly, did not bid further or press the issue, and put away his artifact.

The female cultivator turned her gaze to the burly man. "I am already content to exchange my Quieting Spirit Pill for the Thousand Vine Flower; I wouldn't dare be greedy for your artifacts, Fellow Daoist. If you have no objections, let us proceed with the exchange under Senior's witness."

The two handed their respective treasures to the elder, and each paid him spiritual stones equivalent to ten percent of the item's value. The transaction was complete.

After this, all accounts were settled, and neither party could go back on their word.

After several twists and turns, the long-desired Quieting Spirit Pill was finally acquired.

The burly man could barely contain his excitement, gripping the jade bottle tightly and examining it repeatedly. As the transactions continued, no matter how valuable the treasures presented, none could capture his interest.

Had it not been for the secret market's rule against unauthorized departure, he would likely have left long ago.