Chapter 408: Picking Up Bargains Wang Qingjun

The Song family of Taihua Mountain is a native cultivation force in Korea. If they were to occupy that high-grade second-tier Earth Fire spiritual vein, it would greatly benefit their development.

Wang Changsheng was in urgent need of spirit stones to enhance his own strength and his family's spiritual veins, so he could only sell the Earth Fire spiritual vein.

"Fellow Daoist Wang, what important matter do you wish to discuss?"

Wang Changsheng smiled faintly and, with a tempting tone, asked, "Fellow Daoist Song, are you interested in a high-grade second-tier Earth Fire spiritual vein?"

"A high-grade second-tier Earth Fire spiritual vein?"

Song Hefeng was slightly stunned, his gaze filled with surprise and uncertainty.

Although relations between Wei and Korea had eased, Song Hefeng would not send anyone to occupy the Earth Fire spiritual vein if it were located in Wei. That would be openly competing with the Five Sects of Wei for resources, and while the Song family had powerful backing, the Five Sects of Wei had their own.

"Precisely. Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Song, that Earth Fire spiritual vein is within Korea's borders. I merely discovered it by chance."

Korea is not a small country. Even if Song Hefeng mobilized the Song family's Foundation Establishment cultivators to dig up every inch of Korea, it would still be quite difficult to find that Earth Fire spiritual vein.

Song Hefeng's eyes darted, and he smiled, "When did Fellow Daoist Wang start extending his reach into Korea? Since the Earth Fire spiritual vein is in Korea, do you still have the right to dispose of it?"

Wang Changsheng smiled faintly upon hearing this. "A high-grade second-tier Earth Fire vein—Korean cultivation sects wouldn't refuse it, would they? No one would complain about having too many spiritual veins!"

Song Hefeng frowned. After pondering for a moment, he asked, "How large is that spiritual vein? And how far is it from our Taihua Mountain?"

Wang Changsheng simply described the size of the Earth Fire spiritual vein but did not disclose its location.

"Fellow Daoist Wang, name your price!"

"Two hundred thousand spirit stones." Wang Changsheng held up two fingers. He didn't actually expect to sell it for 200,000, but a higher initial bid would ensure the final price wouldn't be too low.

Naturally, Song Hefeng would not agree. After a round of bargaining, Song Hefeng bought the information for the high price of 120,000 spirit stones. However, he only agreed to pay one-third as a deposit, with the remaining two-thirds to be paid after the Song family had occupied the second-tier Earth Fire vein.

Wang Changsheng agreed, but he had one condition: a marriage alliance between the two families, with Wang Qingyang marrying a female cultivator from the Song family who possessed a three-spirit-root aptitude.

Song Hefeng agreed, given the importance of the Earth Fire spiritual vein.

Green Lotus Market, Stall Square.

News of the Wang family's Core Formation celebration had spread early. Relatives by marriage and old acquaintances from both the Wang and Wang families had arrived early at Green Lotus Market, awaiting the start of the celebration.

As the Core Formation celebration drew nearer, the number of cultivators in Green Lotus Market grew.

Wang Qingjun sat in front of a stall. On the stall were first-tier pills, spiritual artifacts, talismans, and puppet beasts. A sign hung beside it, which read: "Not for Sale. Exchange for items of equal value. High prices paid for rare treasures."

Wang Qingjun was already at the ninth level of Qi Refinement. Lacking a Foundation Establishment spiritual item, he dared not rashly attempt to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage. After all, he possessed a three-spirit-root aptitude, not the monstrous talent of a Heavenly Spirit Root. He needed 5,000 contribution points to exchange for a portion of True Fiend Qi from the family. It was somewhat regrettable that the family currently only possessed True Fiend Qi of the metal and earth attributes, not the fire attribute True Fiend Qi that Wang Qingjun needed.

Foundation Establishment spiritual items typically cost tens of thousands of spirit stones. Over the years, he had followed Wang Changhao to hunt demonic beasts, accumulating over 4,000 spirit stones. This was far from enough to purchase a Foundation Establishment spiritual item.

Whenever there was a major auction or celebration in Wei, Wang Qingjun would never be absent, hoping to find a bargain. This time, the Wang family's Core Formation celebration was no exception.

Finding bargains was also a matter of luck. Wang Qingjun had attended many celebrations, gaining small advantages and also suffering minor losses.

Even if someone possessed a treasure, it would likely be bought by others as soon as it was displayed. So Wang Qingjun simply took the initiative, set up his own stall, and offered high prices for rare treasures.

Of course, these "rare treasures" were relative to the Qi Refinement stage.

During this period, Wang Qingjun had seen countless strange items: stones that croaked like frogs, fragments of cloth impervious to water and fire, and spiritual wood that reeked of fish and weighed hundreds of pounds.

Over the years, Wang Qingjun had visited many large markets, gaining extensive experience. However, as a Qi Refinement cultivator after all, it was impossible for him to have seen everything.

One day, as usual, he continued to set up his stall in the square.

From time to time, people presented items to exchange with Wang Qingjun, but none of them caught his eye.

"Fellow Daoist, how about this bead for your two bottles of Spirit Nurturing Pills and two mid-grade spiritual artifacts? What do you think?"

A young man in a green robe, around twenty years old, crouched down. He took out a golden bead the size of a longan pit and handed it to Wang Qingjun.

Wang Qingjun took the golden bead. A red glow lit up in his palm, and a crimson flame appeared out of thin air, enveloping the golden bead.

A few minutes later, the golden bead showed no signs of melting.

Out of caution, Wang Qingjun took out a red flying dagger. He injected spiritual power into it, and the red flying dagger emitted a dazzling red light. He struck the golden bead with it, which produced a dull clang of metal colliding. The golden bead remained completely unmarked.

Wang Qingjun felt a surge of secret delight. This golden bead was certainly no ordinary item; even a blow from a high-grade spiritual artifact had failed to leave the slightest mark.

He showed no unusual expression on his face and said, "Your golden bead is so small. Even if it's a second-tier refining material, exchanging it for two bottles of Spirit Nurturing Pills and two mid-grade spiritual artifacts would be too much of a loss for me. Unless you produce another one, I could perhaps give you one more mid-grade spiritual artifact [as part of the deal for both]."

"I only have one. This is an ancestral heirloom. My great-grandfather told me that this bead might be a third-tier material. If I exchange it with you, you'll be getting a bargain."

Wang Qingjun rolled his eyes. He took out a tattered piece of cloth and half a bronze mirror, and said, "See this? This is a treasure map and a fragment of a magic treasure. Do you believe that?"

"Then... how about two bottles of Spirit Nurturing Pills and one mid-grade spiritual artifact? That should work, right! You've also tested it, and my bead wasn't harmed in the slightest even by a high-grade spiritual artifact. It's definitely a second-tier material."

"Deal."

Wang Qingjun readily agreed. He handed two bottles of Spirit Nurturing Pills and one mid-grade spiritual artifact to the young man in green.

Over the next two hours, people continued to present strange items for exchange with Wang Qingjun. He acquired a rusty iron piece. The iron piece felt very light, was impervious to blades and spears, and resistant to water and fire. This type of material could be a fragment of a second-tier magic treasure. Wang Qingjun wasn't certain, but he collected anything he found unusual.

As dusk settled, Wang Qingjun packed up his stall. He then headed towards a teahouse nearby.

On the third floor of the teahouse, Wang Qingqi and five Foundation Establishment cultivators were discussing alchemy insights.

Wang Qingqi was the only second-tier alchemist in the clan. He possessed numerous alchemy texts, but without anyone to exchange ideas with, his alchemy skills were difficult to improve.

Every five years, the Wang family hosted the Green Lotus Minor Gathering. After several such events, the Green Lotus Minor Gathering had become a major event in Ning Prefecture. Wang Qingqi leveraged the gathering's popularity to meet several second-tier alchemists. All of them came from cultivation families and also lacked peers for discussion. Wang Qingqi organized an exchange meeting where they could also share alchemy insights, which helped resolve some of his own doubts.

"It's getting late today, so let's conclude here. Fellow Daoists, tomorrow morning, we can resume our discussions on alchemy insights here. If possible, please introduce a few more second-tier alchemists. We can all learn and improve together."

Wang Qingqi glanced at the darkening sky and said sincerely.

After a Core Formation cultivator appeared in the Wang family, Wang Qingqi's position as the organizer of this exchange meeting became even more solidified. Although he was only at the second level of Foundation Establishment, other second-tier alchemists showed him great respect.

"Certainly, certainly, Fellow Daoist Wang, farewell."

Wang Qingqi personally saw them off, giving them ample respect.