Chapter 42: Heavenly Secret Trade Alliance

Lu Ye observed the spiritual aura emanating from the passing cultivators, comparing it to his own. From this comparison, he was able to roughly deduce their cultivation realms.

Generally, cultivators at the second and third layers of the Spirit Stream Realm were more prevalent. Those at the first layer were scarcer, and mostly rogue cultivators.

While reaching the first layer of the Spirit Stream Realm qualified one to train and travel on the battlefield, major and minor sects, when capable, naturally waited for their disciples to reach a higher cultivation before allowing them to leave the sect's stronghold. This afforded their disciples a greater chance of survival.

Rogue cultivators, however, had no backing. Despite the battlefield's dangers, it was also rife with opportunities. To thrive, they naturally ventured out early to carve a path for themselves.

It was somewhat akin to the difference between children from impoverished families and those from wealthy ones.

Cultivators at the fourth layer of the Spirit Stream Realm also appeared, though in small numbers, typically just one or two among dozens.

Lu Ye even spotted someone who seemed to be at the fifth layer of the Spirit Stream Realm. That person possessed an incredibly acute perception; the moment Lu Ye looked at him, he turned his head and met his gaze. His crimson eyes, like those of a beast, exuded immense pressure, instantly sending a shiver down Lu Ye's spine.

After this period of observation, Lu Ye finally had a clearer understanding.

Recalling Steward Yang and Zhou Cheng, whom he had killed in the mine, Lu Ye had only known then that their cultivation wasn't high, but their exact realms had been unclear.

Now, it appeared Steward Yang was likely at the third layer of the Spirit Stream Realm, while Zhou Cheng was, at most, at the second layer.

However, one of them was hindered by the primordial magnetic field, making it difficult to fully utilize his spiritual power, while the other was severely injured. Lu Ye had taken advantage of both situations, and now the grass on their graves was probably three zhang high.

He wasn't sure if it was an illusion, but Lu Ye felt his spiritual aura was clearer than that of other cultivators at the first layer of the Spirit Stream Realm.

As he observed, someone suddenly squatted in front of him, picking up a piece of ore from Lu Ye's stall. "How much for this?" the person asked.

Lu Ye had no idea how to price it. He had laid out these ores precisely to test the waters, so he had already prepared his response: "You make an offer. If the price is right, I'll sell."

He simultaneously assessed the person's cultivation. Judging by their spiritual aura, they were likely a cultivator at the second layer of the Spirit Stream Realm, though their aura appeared significantly more turbid than others.

Lu Ye suddenly realized: could this be the 'turbid spiritual power' situation the Sect Master had mentioned? If so, it indicated that this person had consumed an excessive amount of spiritual pills recently, leading to an accumulation of pill toxins within their body.

The person then named a price: "Two spirit stones!"

"Scram!"

While Lu Ye didn't know the precise value of his ore, he was certain the person was trying to snatch a bargain, so he didn't need to give it much thought.

The person wasn't annoyed. They had simply seen Lu Ye's somewhat naive demeanor and thought there might be a bargain to be had. Realizing from Lu Ye's eyes that he wasn't someone to be easily exploited, they naturally saw no reason to incur his enmity. They set down the ore and departed.

Subsequently, others sporadically approached to inquire about prices. Lu Ye consistently asked them to make an offer, but not a single transaction was completed.

What caught Lu Ye's attention was that the primordial magnetic ore received the most inquiries, and the highest offers, up to twenty spirit stones, came from a cultivator at the fourth layer of the Spirit Stream Realm.

It seemed this item was indeed quite valuable; no wonder both Steward Yang and Zhou Cheng had used their positions to secretly hoard some.

For cultivators at their level, an item of such value represented a considerable fortune.

While Lu Ye's stall remained without a single sale, the female cultivator's stall next to him saw her inventory steadily diminish. She was selling herbs she had gathered from Qingyun Mountain, which had a broad appeal, and she managed to sell out completely within half a day.

The female cultivator packed up, preparing to leave. Before departing, she asked Lu Ye, "You're trying to figure out the value of these ores, aren't you?"

She had been observing for a good part of the day; Lu Ye's intentions were clear to her.

"Yes," Lu Ye nodded. "Senior Sister, do you know how much these are worth?"

The female cultivator shook her head. "I haven't studied ores much; I don't even recognize what kind of stones these are, so I can't tell you their worth. However, if you genuinely want to sell them, you could try the Heavenly Secret Merchant Alliance. Their buying prices are a bit lower than market rates, but generally, they're fair and trustworthy. The main issue here is that most cultivators aren't very wealthy. Selling small items is fine, but for something like your primordial magnetic ore, few have the financial means to purchase it, and the prices offered won't be very high."

Lu Ye had, in fact, already noticed this issue, though he hadn't intended to sell his ores there anyway. Hearing the female cultivator's advice, he graciously accepted: "Thank you for the guidance, Senior Sister."

"Then I wish you good luck!" The female cultivator offered Lu Ye a gentle smile, took a few steps, and vanished into the bustling crowd.

Shortly after the female cultivator departed, Lu Ye packed up his stall as well.

He hadn't set up the stall to sell items in the first place. His primary goal was to more easily observe other cultivators and discern a method for judging their strength.

Now that his objective had been achieved with the female cultivator's guidance, there was no need to waste any more time.

About fifteen minutes later, Lu Ye stood before a colossal circular building, gazing upwards.

In the disorganized and haphazard market, such a structure was an unmistakable landmark.

This was the Heavenly Secret Merchant Alliance; its single building subtly demonstrated its deep heritage and immense financial power.

The Alliance's plaque hung above the main entrance, which stood open like a beast's maw, with countless cultivators streaming in and out. Flanking the entrance were a pair of gleaming golden couplets. The left read: "Welcoming guests from all nine provinces." The right read: "Happily receiving wealth from all eight directions." And across the top, a horizontal inscription: "Make yourself at home!"

Lu Ye entered the grand hall with the flow of people. Strangely, despite the multitude of cultivators coming and going, the hall itself was remarkably quiet.

Immediately, a female cultivator with a comely face and slender figure approached him, bowing gracefully. "Greetings, Senior Brother," she said.

Lu Ye returned the bow, unable to resist glancing at the pair of furry ears atop her head.

This was another demon cultivator, and one who hadn't fully transformed. As the stout cultivator had explained earlier, when demon cultivators reached higher levels of cultivation, their beastly features would gradually fade, making them indistinguishable from humans.

Thus, it wasn't surprising to see many demon cultivators here still displaying animalistic traits, as the cultivators in this area generally didn't possess high cultivation.

Although she sensed Lu Ye's gaze, the female demon cultivator was accustomed to such scrutiny and showed no outward reaction. She simply asked in a gentle tone, "Senior Brother, are you here to buy or to sell? Or perhaps just to browse?"

It seemed different purposes warranted different approaches. Lu Ye composed himself and stated, "To sell."

The female demon cultivator beamed, extending a hand to indicate, "Senior Brother, this way, please."

Lu Ye followed her in that direction. There appeared to be numerous private booths, within which he could faintly discern figures sitting and conversing.