Chapter 41: Nanxi Square Market

Nanxi Market City.

As one of the larger immortal cultivation market cities in the southern part of Yun State, within the nineteen states of the Eastern Wilderness, Nanxi Market City always attracted a considerable number of visitors.

Consequently, when Chen Mobai entered, he didn't draw much attention. Only two young men, both at Qi Condensation Level 1, approached him. They exchanged a glance as they stood, and one quickly retreated, leaving the business to the other, who was dressed in simple linen robes.

“Senior, would you perhaps need a guide? I know all the shops here, and even what's being sold at today's street stalls, like the back of my hand.”

Chen Mobai looked at the person before him, who appeared to be roughly his own age, and felt a pang of doubt.

Why is his cultivation so low?

In the Immortal Sect, someone of this age, still only at Qi Condensation Level 1, wouldn't even qualify for high school; they would be directly expelled.

Furthermore, the spiritual energy concentration in this market city was not low, having reached a Mid-Grade First-Tier level.

He certainly wouldn't voice that question, though. Instead, he somewhat awkwardly posed another.

“Is there a fee?”

“Ten taels of gold for a day.”

Hearing this, Chen Mobai recalled the dozen or so gold coins he had found in the old man's satchel. He realized this was also a currency unit for cultivators, but he didn't know how many gold coins were needed to exchange for a spirit stone.

He was keen to ask more, but he feared exposing his ignorance by inquiring about such common knowledge. He could only shake his head and decline.

“Senior, please reconsider,” the youth urged. “I even know some channels in this market city for fencing stolen goods.”

Seeing Chen Mobai's refusal, the linen-robed youth grew a little anxious and blurted out something that made Chen Mobai inwardly cringe.

Is it this lawless here?

Can such words be spoken in broad daylight?

However, he was truly strapped for cash and could only refuse again, then quickly slipped away.

The linen-robed youth watched his retreating back with a look of disappointment.

“Brother Liu,” the other youth spoke up, “this person looks unfamiliar, but he seems to be in the late stage of Qi Condensation. And judging by his clothes, the stitching is incredibly dense and neat, suggesting he comes from a significant background.”

Based on his brief exchange with Chen Mobai and comparing him to cultivation family members he had previously encountered, the linen-robed youth, surnamed Liu, shook his head, arriving at a conclusion he believed to be accurate.

“Someone from the Seven Great Sects? Why would they come to our Yun State?” the other youth pondered. “Could they be dissatisfied with the annual tribute we pay and have sent someone to investigate?”

“Never mind,” Liu replied, “let's just pretend we don't know. If the sky falls, we rogue cultivators will simply run. At worst, we'll hide amongst mortals in the mundane world.”

Hearing this, the youth nodded.

The Eastern Wilderness had always been a place of chaos and disorder. Murder for treasures and seizing others' opportunities were commonplace.

Even the major sects above would engage in conflicts and fierce struggles every few decades. Rogue cultivators like them had long grown accustomed to it.

It was a pity that these newcomers, who had finally stepped into the world of cultivation, had mistakenly believed they had a chance at longevity. Instead, they had entered an even more challenging world, where they couldn't even afford a complete Qi Condensation cultivation method.

Chen Mobai, of course, was oblivious that his industrially manufactured ancient-style outfit had led to him being mistaken for a disciple of a major sect from the Eastern Wilderness.

He had learned about Nanxi Market City from the Azure Wave Lake ledger.

Liu Zengpei, a disciple of the Five Elements Sect, had operated in this area for twenty years. Naturally, he had extensive dealings with the local cultivation powers, recording these matters in a ledger so they could be passed on to his successor when he returned to the sect for Foundation Establishment.

However, for unknown reasons, fifty years ago, something occurred that caused him to leave Azure Wave Lake and never return.

Chen Mobai had thoroughly examined all the books in the side hall. Upon discovering this booklet that detailed local powers and special products, he had been planning to visit. However, it wasn't until today that he finally resolved to seek out the market by following the information.

He had initially feared that fifty years might have brought significant changes, but to his surprise, this market city, jointly established by local cultivation families and smaller sects, still existed and was thriving.

He walked onto the main thoroughfare of the market city. On both sides, beyond shops selling cultivation elixirs and magical artifacts, there were numerous eateries, lodging houses, and even an array formation shop that dealt in array flags and plates.

He was tempted to enter and broaden his horizons, but the shops had very few customers. To avoid drawing attention, and being utterly penniless, he decided to visit the street stalls first to understand the market conditions.

Beyond the two dozen or so prime-location shops lining this main street, stalls proliferated throughout the market city's corners, offering all sorts of strange and varied items.

Though Chen Mobai possessed no gold, let alone spirit stones, he still wandered around with great interest, observing and absorbing the common price knowledge of this world.

It turned out that low-level Qi Condensation cultivators primarily used gold for transactions; spirit stones, to them, were exceptionally precious.

The standard exchange rate between gold and spirit stones was ten thousand taels of gold for one spirit stone.

However, in practice, spirit stones would undeniably be slightly more valuable, often commanding a premium.

At the stalls, most transactions were conducted using gold. Only a very small fraction of items, specifically those usable by cultivators at Qi Condensation Level 4 and above, involved spirit stones.

Chen Mobai spotted a stall selling books. To his surprise, a complete Qi Condensation cultivation method was being sold in three separate volumes: upper, middle, and lower.

He initially found this quite odd, but then, at another stall, he saw the very same Qi Condensation cultivation method being sold chapter by chapter, for each level.

Nine Qi Condensation levels, divided into nine volumes.

Each volume cost one spirit stone, and business was surprisingly brisk. It appeared most rogue cultivators could only afford a single volume.

Chen Mobai was quite tempted. He could easily download hundreds, even thousands, of such Qi Condensation cultivation methods. However, he dared not resell them. Each download came with a minor dao-heart vow, and passing them on for others to cultivate could invite inner demons in the future, which was a risk he wouldn't take.

He did, however, possess one cultivation method not downloaded from the Immortal Sect.

“Blackwater Art”!

He circulated among the stalls and discovered that this cultivation method was also available for sale, and its price was quite high.

Priced at 8 spirit stones.

And this was merely the price for the cultivation method itself. Accompanying spells required additional spirit stones.

“Water Control Art” cost 2 spirit stones, and “Water Elemental Shield” 3 spirit stones. Surprisingly, “Ice Art” wasn't available. Upon inquiry, he learned that the vendor's copy wasn't a complete version either; it only allowed cultivation up to Qi Condensation Level 7.

Chen Mobai took a deep breath, composing himself.

He recalled that among his initial spoils, there had been several bottles of elixirs.

He didn't recognize these elixirs and dared not consume them, but if he were to sell them at a stall, there might be someone who recognized their value.

Where were those bottles of elixirs?

They were, he believed, on the lowest shelf of his bedside table. He resolved to bring them on his next visit.

Chen Mobai then circled a stall selling magical artifacts. He didn't even need to ask prices; after standing for a while, numerous cultivators began haggling with the vendor. He silently noted down the figures and compared them to the needle box he had acquired.

A magical artifact of a similar grade was, surprisingly, worth 30 spirit stones.