Chapter 146: Square Timber

After three years, Wang Ruyan was still at the second level of Foundation Establishment. Wang Changsheng's cultivation speed was already considered fast, advancing one level in a few years. Besides the aid of spiritual water, the grade of the *True Scripture of Kui Water* was also a crucial factor. Wang Ruyan was a core member of the Wang family, so obtaining cultivation resources wasn't difficult for her. However, the cultivation technique she practiced must not have been particularly good; otherwise, she would have long since reached the third level of Foundation Establishment.

Wang Changsheng smiled faintly at Wang Ruyan and said, "Fairy Wang, long time no see."

For the past three years, he had been cultivating on Qinglian Mountain. The Wang family had directly sent people to deliver materials to them, and a Foundation Establishment cultivator named Wang Shutao was dispatched to receive the second-tier low-grade puppet beasts.

"Fairy Wang, you two know each other?" the white-robed scholar asked, looking at Wang Ruyan with a puzzled expression.

Wang Ruyan nodded and smiled, "Yes, Fellow Daoist Wang, like Fellow Daoist Fang, is a friend of mine."

"Alright, alright, let's skip the pleasantries," Zhao Ji urged impatiently. "Fellow Daoist Li and Fellow Daoist Fang are also here, let's start quickly!"

"Everyone's here, so let's begin! I, Li, initiated this exchange meeting, so I'll go first!" Wang Changfeng said, taking out a wooden box and a foot-long piece of emerald green wood that emitted an unusual fragrance.

The wooden box contained some fine blue sand, clearly a material for artifact refining.

"One box of second-tier mid-grade refining material, Azure Cloud Sand, and a piece of two-hundred-year-old Azure Cloud Spiritual Wood. I'd like to exchange these two items for fire-attribute refining materials."

Although Wang Changfeng had reached Foundation Establishment, he only possessed one low-grade artifact. While there were many artifact shops in Baiyun Valley, their prices were quite high. Wang Changfeng wanted to find materials and have Wang Changsheng help him refine an artifact to save some spirit stones.

"Fire-attribute materials? I just acquired a piece of Qian Fire Stone. What do you think, Fellow Daoist Li?" The white-robed scholar took out a fist-sized red ore and placed it on the table. The red ore emitted intense heat and was enveloped in a red glow.

"Qian Fire Stone! Deal." Wang Changfeng's face lit up with joy, and he readily agreed.

"One piece of Purple Copper Jade and a two-hundred-year-old Bloodwood. I'm looking to exchange these for gold-attribute refining materials."

One cultivator after another stepped forward, presenting their exchange items. The materials they offered were diverse, including talismans, artifacts, refining materials, and alchemy ingredients. However, none of them were what Wang Changsheng needed. Wang Ruyan exchanged a piece of Gold Adamant Jade for a bundle of second-tier mid-grade ice silkworm silk.

Zhao Ji stepped forward and took out three items: an egg-sized pale yellow demon core, a fist-sized red spirit jade, and a watermelon-sized blue crystal.

"One second-tier low-grade demon core from a demonic rat, and two second-tier refining materials, Fire Flame Jade and Blue Mist Jade. I want to exchange these three for a set of complete artifacts. If they are low-grade artifacts, there must be at least six pieces; for mid-grade artifacts, at least three pieces."

Complete sets of artifacts possessed greater power and were highly favored by Foundation Establishment cultivators. However, they were more difficult to refine, and weapon shops in Bailong Valley rarely sold full sets. Even if they did, the number of artifacts in a set would not be large.

The cultivators looked at each other, but no one responded. Zhao Ji was somewhat disappointed. After a moment of thought, he said, "If there are no complete sets of artifacts, then I'll exchange these for items of equivalent value. All three materials must be exchanged together."

The white-robed scholar stepped forward, took out a red wooden box, and handed it to Zhao Ji. Zhao Ji opened the box, glanced inside, and showed a hesitant expression.

Wang Changsheng took two steps forward and transmitted his voice, saying, "Fellow Daoist Zhao, are you interested in second-tier puppet beasts? I am willing to exchange two second-tier low-grade puppets for them."

The Heavenly Soldier Pavilion in Bailong Valley sold puppet beasts, but second-tier puppet beasts required pre-orders and would take several months to obtain, as supply could not meet demand. Zhao Ji was tempted. After inquiring about the spells accompanying the second-tier puppet beasts and feeling satisfied, he agreed to exchange with Wang Changsheng. The white-robed scholar frowned, put away his wooden box, and returned to his seat.

Wang Ruyan walked to the empty table, just about to take out an item for exchange, when heavy footsteps echoed from the staircase. A black-clad youth in his early twenties walked up. The black-clad youth had a resolute face, a tall stature, and a skull emblem on his clothes. He possessed cultivation at the fifth level of Foundation Establishment. Strangely, he was carrying a black coffin on his back. The black coffin was about ten feet long and two feet wide, with a fearsome ghost carved into its lid.

"An exchange meeting? I, Fang, wish to participate. You have no objections, do you?" Though the black-clad youth's tone was flat, it carried an undeniable sense of command. Among the Foundation Establishment cultivators present, the highest cultivation was that of the white-robed scholar, at the fourth level. The black-clad youth, despite his young age, possessed cultivation at the fifth level of Foundation Establishment, indicating a background that was certainly not simple.

Wang Changfeng's eyes darted. He cupped his hands towards the black-clad youth and politely asked, "Of course. My name is Li Changfeng. May I ask for your esteemed name?"

"Fang Mu."

The black-clad youth strode towards Wang Ruyan. Wang Ruyan's delicate brows furrowed, and after a moment of hesitation, she stepped aside. The black-clad youth took a black storage bag from his embrace, shook it, and a large pile of materials scattered across the tabletop. There were ores, spiritual herbs, talismans, and artifacts, everything imaginable, and their sheer quantity astonished everyone present.

"I want to exchange these materials for yin-attribute spiritual herbs and refining materials of equivalent value," Fang Mu said calmly.

"My name is Fang Zixu. May I ask, Fellow Daoist Fang, what is contained within that black gourd?" The white-robed scholar stepped forward two paces, pointing to a palm-sized black gourd. Judging by the spiritual energy it emitted, it was merely a top-grade spirit artifact.

"It contains one hundred catties of diluted Dark Yin Cold Water. Dark Yin Cold Water is a spiritual water of heaven and earth. Although diluted, this water is still an excellent second-tier low-grade refining material."

Upon hearing this, Wang Changsheng's eyes lit up. He stood up and quickly walked forward, saying, "Fellow Daoist Fang, may I examine it?"

"Go ahead."

With Fang Mu's permission, Wang Changsheng picked up the black gourd, feeling as if he were holding a piece of ice. He opened the gourd's lid, and a bone-chilling coldness wafted out, significantly lowering the surrounding temperature. This Dark Yin Cold Water was even better than Profound Yin Spiritual Water. Cultivating the *True Scripture of Kui Water* with it would surely yield even better results.

Wang Changsheng took out two black wooden boxes and handed them to Fang Mu. Fang Mu opened them and saw an egg-sized black orb in each. These were two Yin Orbs of the Ghost General level. Wang Changsheng estimated they could be exchanged for a Foundation Establishment Pill, so he had specially kept them.

"Yin Orbs!" Fang Mu's eyes gleamed. He picked up the Yin Orbs and examined them carefully. After a moment, he placed the Yin Orbs back into the wooden boxes and said to Wang Changsheng, "Do you have any more such Yin Orbs on you? I want them all; I won't let you suffer a loss."

"No more, just these two. Do you want to exchange?"

"Yes, I'll exchange. However, I, Fang, still have a lot of Dark Yin Cold Water. If Fellow Daoist has any other yin-attribute materials, feel free to take them out for exchange. I absolutely won't let you suffer a loss."

Upon hearing this, Wang Changsheng showed a hesitant expression. Seeing the expression on Wang Changsheng's face, Fang Mu, without another word, took out a black gourd from his storage bag, tossed it to Wang Changsheng, and solemnly stated, "This contains five hundred catties of Dark Yin Cold Water. It requires at least ten Yin Orbs like these. Besides yin-attribute refining materials, I don't want anything else."

Wang Changsheng opened the gourd's lid and a biting coldness surged out. The black gourd had over a dozen markings on its surface, indicating the quantity of spiritual water. A spirit artifact-grade gourd could hold a maximum of five hundred catties of spiritual water; this was common knowledge in the cultivation world.

Wang Changsheng hesitated for a moment, then took out two black wooden boxes and handed them to Fang Mu. During his trip to Ghost Abyss, he obtained many items, including three spiritual herbs: a four-hundred-year-old black ganoderma and two three-hundred-year-old black spiritual grasses.