The market had been established underground.
Cultivators had used mystical arts to excavate a vast subterranean space. This area was protected by powerful restrictions and formations. The entire underground space was divided into two sections by a stone gate, and only cultivators at the Core Formation stage were permitted to enter the inner section.
Upon entering the underground space, Qin Sang noticed numerous extremely rudimentary stone huts, clearly intended for single use before being discarded.
By then, many cultivators were already present in the market, moving between the various stone huts.
Han Cuo and his companions offered to host Qin Sang, but he politely declined.
Han Cuo dismissed the others, then turned to Qin Sang and said, "I've just inquired. The exchange in the inner section will not begin for a few more days, waiting for all the fellow Core Formation cultivators to arrive. You might want to explore the outer area first. Many of the stone hut owners here are actually managers from major merchant guilds on Hun Tian Island, and their reputation is excellent. Feel free to purchase whatever you need from them. I have some matters to attend to, so I won't disturb you for now, Fellow Daoist Qin. I will come to fetch you when the exchange begins."
"Please do," Qin Sang replied.
Qin Sang watched Han Cuo enter a stone hut. After a brief moment of contemplation, he also began to browse the area.
Eventually, he selected a few merchant guilds and negotiated his transactions.
At this point, the demonic corpses, artifacts, and most of the spirit stones in his Qianjun Ring had been exchanged for pills, talismans, and other supplies, ensuring he wouldn't need to worry about replenishment for at least a decade or more.
He attempted to purchase some pills that could enhance cultivation, but to his surprise, those effective for Core Formation cultivators were far more expensive than he had anticipated. Moreover, their scarcity in the market made them even costlier.
Some magical treasures, demonic cores, and other items were temporarily kept by Qin Sang, as he planned to see if he could exchange them for more desirable treasures at the inner section's exchange event.
Notably, he managed to acquire three inner cores from venomous beasts from one merchant guild, which would sustain his Fat Silkworm at least until its second transformation's later stage.
Qin Sang also bought many spiritual herbs favored by the Heaven's Eye Butterfly.
Even if he couldn't reach the Thousand Monster Sea Realm immediately, Qin Sang had no intention of landing on Hun Tian Island. Encountering this rare opportunity, he naturally made sure to stock up amply on supplies.
His primary concern was the situation in the Thousand Monster Sea Realm.
After some inquiries, Qin Sang's expression grew increasingly solemn. The information gathered by these merchant guilds was largely similar to what Han Cuo had stated, confirming that the route through the Thousand Monster Sea Realm was definitely impassable.
As for alternative paths through the Thousand Monster Sea Realm that he sought to purchase, he received no information whatsoever.
Only the manager of one merchant guild suggested that Qin Sang might try his luck at the inner section's exchange event in a few days.
Perhaps a master had unexpectedly discovered a safe passage through the Thousand Monster Sea Realm; such information would be kept secret and generally not divulged. However, if Qin Sang was willing to offer sufficient compensation, he might be able to entice someone.
After several fruitless inquiries, Qin Sang had no choice but to enter the inner section, rent a stone hut, and patiently wait.
Even before the exchange began, Core Formation cultivators had been arriving one after another.
After waiting for two days in the inner section, Qin Sang emerged from his stone hut and unexpectedly found a number of fellow cultivators gathered in the small plaza outside, displaying their respective treasures and seemingly engaging in transactions.
Qin Sang's heart stirred, and he strode towards them.
The cultivators in the plaza noticed Qin Sang's approach and looked his way. Some nodded to him kindly, while others coldly withdrew their gazes.
As he neared the plaza, Qin Sang couldn't help but feel a little disappointed by the items displayed in front of the outermost cultivators.
While these items were highly coveted treasures for Foundation Establishment cultivators, they appeared somewhat ordinary to those present. It seemed they were holding back their best treasures for the main exchange event.
"Poison pill?"
Just as disappointment set in, Qin Sang unexpectedly spotted a poison pill. He quickly walked over, and after some negotiation with the seller, purchased it.
There weren't many people, but they were seated far apart to ensure privacy.
Qin Sang acquired a few items he needed and soon reached the end of the line, where he found a thin, middle-aged man sitting motionless on a meditation mat.
The man's aura was peculiar, almost imperceptible. His face was exceptionally pale and gaunt, suggesting he had sustained severe injuries and suffered a loss of vital energy and blood.
However, this wasn't necessarily the case, as some unique cultivation techniques could also produce such unusual effects.
Qin Sang couldn't stare indefinitely, so he quickly glanced away without much interest, letting his gaze fall on the items displayed before the man.
In front of this person lay several jade bottles containing pills and a large pile of demonic corpse materials, but not a single demonic core.
As Qin Sang was about to walk past the man and return to his stone hut, he suddenly spotted something familiar. His gaze sharpened, and his heart gave a slight jolt.
It was a piece of white bone, roughly the size of a finger bone!
This bone was hollow and had a lustrous, jade-like sheen on its surface, exactly like the bone flute he had obtained from the Shadow Devouring Leopard!
During his time in the Ziwei Palace, he and Yun Youzi had contended with the Shadow Devouring Leopard for the Crimson Cloud Purple Fruit, ultimately using the Void Sky Thunder to scare it away.
The residual power of the Void Sky Thunder had shattered the golden ring around the Shadow Devouring Leopard's neck, causing a bone flute to fall out.
At that time, they had discovered that this bone flute was related to the power of the stars and could not be stored in a mustard seed pouch. Yet, Qin Sang had successfully placed it in his Qianjun Ring.
Yun Youzi had speculated that this bone flute might be a fragment of some treasure.
After putting it away, Qin Sang had largely forgotten about it, as the chances of finding such an item in the vast and boundless cultivation world were incredibly slim; he held no hope for it.
He never expected to encounter a second bone flute, countless miles away in the Cang Lang Sea.
There was no mistake; it was the same item!
The moment Qin Sang saw the bone flute, he sensed an identical aura emanating from it. This item, just like the one he possessed, could communicate with the power of the surrounding celestial stars!
How could fragments of the same treasure end up in two locations so incredibly far apart? What had truly happened back then?
Qin Sang was greatly surprised and secretly alarmed.
Were these two bone flutes the entirety of the treasure? What changes would occur if they were combined?
Qin Sang's heart swelled with curiosity, but his expression remained unchanged. He calmly stopped in front of the man, looking at the other items as if nothing was amiss.
The vendor opened his eyes, saw Qin Sang, and asked in an unusually hoarse voice, "What has caught your eye, esteemed one?"
Qin Sang inwardly sighed. Apart from the bone flute, everything else displayed by the man was unremarkable. As for the bone flute's unique nature, it was obvious to anyone, even without him pointing it out.
Finding a hidden gem was out of the question.
However, the vendor's hoarse voice suggested that his physical condition might not be normal, which gave Qin Sang an idea.
So Qin Sang went straight to the point, pointing at the bone flute in front of the vendor and asking, "Excuse me, what is this piece of white bone? May I take a closer look?"
The vendor paused, his gaze subtly sweeping over Qin Sang's chest and other areas. He then nodded and said, "I don't know its name, Fellow Daoist. If you wish to examine it, please do so."
Qin Sang squatted down. Under the vendor's gaze, his expression remained impassive as he picked up the bone flute and examined it for a moment, further confirming that it was indeed the same item!
[50 seconds ago] Chapter 1350: Rain Meditation on Sword Forging in Apricot Realm, Hidden Bitter Paths Asking for Rebirth
[1 minute ago] Chapter 1072: Split Thought
[3 minutes ago] Chapter 202: Bombing the City, Breaking Through
8383 · 0 · 22