Chapter 1928: Silver Skirt Girl and the Han Family of Huludao

Zhenhai Palace also operated numerous shops on Xuanyue Island. High-level cultivators from the palace enjoyed certain discounts, but their purchases were recorded to prevent anyone from embezzling funds under the pretense of being a high-level cultivator. Wang Changsheng, however, preferred not to have his spending documented.

"Uncle Wang, I'll wait for you here," Huang Yun'er said, sensing his preference. Wang Changsheng's reluctance to visit the shops run by Zhenhai Palace clearly indicated that he didn't want his purchases to be known.

Wang Changsheng nodded and strode inside.

The main hall was spacious and brightly lit, easily accommodating a thousand people without feeling crowded. Behind a long counter stood rows of tall shelves laden with various items, including demon cores, spiritual herbs, and ores.

Wang Changsheng subtly released a trace of his Deity Transformation cultivator aura. Immediately, a fair-faced middle-aged man hurried over, his face beaming with flattery. "Welcome, Senior, to Seven Stars Tower," he said. "The manager is on the seventh floor. How may I be of service?"

"Take me to your manager," Wang Changsheng instructed. "I've heard Seven Stars Tower offers a wide variety of goods; I hope I won't be disappointed."

"It's not that I'm boasting, Senior," the middle-aged man replied, a hint of pride in his voice. "Across Xuanyue Island, aside from Zhenhai Pavilion, which is operated by Zhenhai Palace, no other establishment rivals our Seven Stars Alliance in either the variety or quality of our merchandise. You'll understand once you meet our manager."

Wang Changsheng nodded, allowing the man to lead the way.

Not long after, they arrived on the sixth floor, which was simply furnished with a few teal wooden tables and stools.

The stairway leading to the seventh floor was guarded by two Nascent Soul cultivators. A translucent blue light barrier, its surface shimmering with runes, clearly indicated a restrictive formation.

"The manager is currently engaged in a business discussion, Senior; please wait a moment," the middle-aged man politely stated. A young, beautiful maid then approached, carrying a tray that held a teal teapot, a matching teacup, and a teal wooden box. A faint herbal fragrance drifted from the teapot.

"Senior, your timing is perfect," the middle-aged man continued. "We've just received a batch of Tree Tea, a unique product of the Wood Tribe. It nourishes the soul and strengthens spiritual consciousness, though significant consumption is required to experience its full effects." As he spoke, he opened the teal wooden box, revealing several pieces of dark wood, each no thicker than a finger and appearing quite unremarkable.

"Tree Tea!" Wang Changsheng's expression registered interest.

The middle-aged man placed a dark wooden piece into the teacup, then picked up the teapot and poured steaming tea into it. The dark wood swiftly rooted and sprouted, transforming into a miniature emerald green tree. The tea itself was black and emitted a distinct aroma.

The Wood Tribe was considerably weaker than the Human Race, primarily because their members found reproduction challenging, largely relying on secret arts to propagate their kind. The Wood Tribe's true forms were spiritual wood, and most of them excelled in wood-attribute divine abilities. Even with the consumption of Nine-Dragon Pills, their chances of bearing children were very low.

Wang Changsheng picked up the miniature tree with two fingers; the moment it was removed from the tea, it instantly withered. He then raised the teacup, took a small sip, and nodded. After finishing the tea, he felt his spiritual consciousness strengthen, even if only by a minuscule amount—it was a definite increase. For Nascent Soul cultivators, the effects would undoubtedly be more pronounced.

"Excellent," Wang Changsheng remarked, asking casually, "How is this Tree Tea sold?"

"It's fifty thousand spirit stones per liang," the middle-aged man explained. "Tree Tea is actually a unique spiritual wood, from which only a small amount can be harvested every thousand years. This is a fifth-tier spiritual tea."

"Fifty thousand!" Wang Changsheng was secretly astonished. While cultivation resources were abundant in the Xuanyang Realm, the cost of living was also very high, which he acknowledged as normal.

He glanced toward the stairway, where a young woman in a silver dress and a fair-faced middle-aged man were descending from the seventh floor. The young woman had a slender figure, with cherry lips, an exquisite nose, dark, arched eyebrows, a slender waist, and snow-white skin. A sky-blue belt was tied into a large bow around her waist, and a golden phoenix hairpin was elegantly angled in her hair.

Sensing the young woman's powerful aura, Wang Changsheng quickly rose to his feet. The woman in the silver dress was, surprisingly, a Void Refinement cultivator.

The silver-clad young woman paid no heed to Wang Changsheng, gracefully moving her steps as she descended the stairs, with the middle-aged man personally escorting her.

After a while, the middle-aged man returned. He cupped his hands and spoke to Wang Changsheng with an apologetic tone: "My name is Li Qingyang. A distinguished guest just arrived, and I apologize for any lack of proper hospitality, fellow Daoist."

Wang Changsheng smiled faintly. "It's no trouble at all, Manager Li; you're too kind," he replied.

Li Qingyang gestured politely, inviting Wang Changsheng to the seventh floor.

"I apologize, I forgot to ask how I should address you, fellow Daoist," Li Qingyang courteously inquired.

"My surname is Wang," he replied. "I'm looking to purchase a Gold Marrow Bone-Forging Pill. Does your esteemed establishment carry it?" Wang Changsheng asked directly. He had previously asked Qin Ming about this pill, but Qin Ming had never heard of it.

"A Gold Marrow Bone-Forging Pill!" Li Qingyang's expression turned peculiar. "Fellow Daoist, have you traveled to the Azure Glass Sea Domain?" he asked, puzzled.

The Xuanyang Realm was roughly divided into seven major regions, with the Azure Glass Sea Domain being one of them. The artifact spirit had previously mentioned visiting both the Xuanyuan Continent and the Azure Glass Sea Domain.

"What? With the Seven Stars Alliance's capabilities, you don't stock the Gold Marrow Bone-Forging Pill?" Wang Changsheng inquired, a touch of curiosity in his voice.

"Other elixirs are manageable," Li Qingyang explained, "but we truly don't carry the Gold Marrow Bone-Forging Pill. That's an exclusive elixir of the Han family on Gourd Island in the Azure Glass Sea Domain, and it's rarely sold externally. Its body-tempering effects are exceptionally potent." He added that for most Deity Transformation cultivators, merely traveling across the Xuanyuan Continent was already a feat. Reaching the Azure Glass Sea Domain required either extraordinary divine abilities or accompanying esteemed elders from one's sect, making it exceedingly difficult for ordinary Deity Transformation cultivators to reach that area.

"The Han family of Gourd Island!" Wang Changsheng was slightly taken aback. From Li Qingyang's tone, the Han family of Gourd Island wielded significant influence in the Azure Glass Sea Domain. The fact that even the Seven Stars Alliance couldn't acquire the Gold Marrow Bone-Forging Pill implied that the artifact spirit either knew a high-level cultivator from the Han family or obtained it by sheer coincidence.

"The Han family is indeed one of the foremost cultivation families in the Azure Glass Sea Domain, renowned for their alchemy," Li Qingyang said enthusiastically. "We've just received a new shipment, and among it, the Golden Adamant Glazed Pill also offers excellent body-tempering effects. It would be quite suitable for you, fellow Daoist."

Wang Changsheng retrieved a green jade slip, handed it to Li Qingyang, and asked, "Do you have all these materials?" In addition to body-tempering elixirs, Wang Changsheng also intended to purchase a batch of fifth-tier artifact refining materials to practice and enhance his refining skills.

"Yes, we have all of them," Li Qingyang said warmly. "If you wish to purchase them, along with the Golden Adamant Glazed Pill, the total would be two and a half million spirit stones, with the small change rounded off."

"These are materials from a fifth-tier, mid-grade Sea-Swallowing Rhinoceros, Fellow Daoist Li," Wang Changsheng said, producing a blue storage ring and handing it to Li Qingyang. "Please assess their worth in spirit stones."

Li Qingyang removed the contents and examined them meticulously. He offered a purchase price of 1.8 million spirit stones in total. The demon core alone was the most valuable at 850,000, with the remaining value coming from the beast hide, bones, blood, the Sea-Swallowing Rhinoceros's essence soul, and other parts.

A single bottle of the fifth-tier Golden Adamant Glazed Pill alone cost one million spirit stones, meaning each pill was a hundred thousand. Indeed, for a cultivator, the pursuit of wealth, companionship, cultivation techniques, and spiritual land was paramount; without spirit stones, progress was truly impossible.

The transaction was settled using mid-grade spirit stones. The Xuanyang Realm was rich in spiritual energy and possessed numerous large spirit stone mines.

After the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, Wang Changsheng exited Seven Stars Tower, his expression serene.

Upon seeing Wang Changsheng, Huang Yun'er promptly stepped forward to greet him.

"Lead the way," Wang Changsheng instructed. "Take me to the largest and best wine shop in the market."

Huang Yun'er acknowledged his order and led the way.