The Dagger Dispute and a Glimpse of Power

“Do you have anything you wish to purchase, little friend? The items displayed at this gathering are quite rare in ordinary markets,” the old man inquired.

“I do, Senior, but please, you first.” Luo Yingkong, unsure of the prices for these spiritual herbs and pills, decided to observe their purchases to gain some experience.

“No, little friend, you go ahead. I’m merely bringing my three disciples here to broaden their horizons.”

The three disciples, having applied some unknown ointment, found their swollen faces recovering considerably within a short time.

“Very well then, I’ll start by purchasing some pills to enhance my cultivation.”

As the old man led them on their search, they noticed a dispute erupting nearby, and their gaze naturally drifted towards it.

At a wooden stall, two individuals were arguing vehemently over a short dagger artifact.

“You, sir, should at least respect the principle of ‘first come, first served’! I saw this first!” shouted a remarkably young cultivator, whom Luo Yingkong recognized as the child she had encountered on the road.

‘He actually arrived at Autumn Leaf Valley before me? Could those four cultivators truly not have dealt with him? And his cultivation is only at the fifth level of Qi Condensation…’

“You haven’t even bought it yet, so how can you claim ‘first served’? My offer is higher than yours. Look who the stall owner is willing to sell to,” retorted the brawny man arguing with him. He was burly and at the ninth level of Qi Condensation.

“Uh… please, both of you, don’t quarrel. How about this? I’ll sell it to whoever offers the higher price, what do you say?” the stall owner interjected, though his hidden agenda was likely obvious to all.

Upon hearing this, the boy became indignant. “How can you sell things like this? We already agreed on a price, and now you’re telling me this?!”

“Hmph! You, a mere fifth-level Qi Condensation cultivator, dare to be so arrogant? Do you dare to fight? Whoever wins claims this dagger!” The brawny man released his spiritual pressure, threatening the youth.

“If you want to fight, then fight! Do you think I’m scared of you?”

The two drew their respective weapons, their divine senses clashing. Just as they were about to strike, a Foundation Establishment cultivator approached, releasing their full spiritual pressure, causing both to momentarily freeze.

“If you wish to fight, take it outside. Dare to make a move here, and you’ll have to fight me first!”

The two exchanged glances, daring not to act within the array. They exited the illusory formation without another word. The stall owner, seeing his business fall through, slapped his thigh in frustration.

Luo Yingkong, filled with curiosity, approached and inquired, “What is so special about this dagger?”

“Oh! Is the young lady also interested in this artifact? As you saw, those two were fighting over it just now. This weapon is truly extraordinary! You can buy it now for only two hundred spirit stones!”

The old man also walked over and glanced at it. “This is merely a defective item, completely devoid of spiritual energy. Is it truly worth that price?”

“Uh…” The stall owner looked embarrassed, then continued, “It was found in an ancient battlefield! Although it lacks spiritual essence, anyone cut by it will bleed incessantly, and the wound will never heal! It’s worth at least one hundred and fifty spirit stones!”

Luo Yingkong hesitated for a moment, then the old man’s voice resonated in her mind: “Little friend, do you wish to buy this artifact?”

The mental transmission startled Luo Yingkong. She looked up at the old man, who wore a half-smile, and nodded.

“Stall owner, you’re being dishonest. Didn’t you tell those two earlier that it was eighty spirit stones? How can you try to trick this young lady?”

The stall owner’s expression turned unsightly. If not for the fact that the other party was in the Foundation Establishment stage, he would have retorted angrily.

“The lowest price is one hundred spirit stones. If you’re not buying, then move along!” The stall owner firmly stuck to his price.

“Here you go.” The old man was about to haggle further, but Luo Yingkong tossed a hundred spirit stones to the stall owner, picking up the rusty dagger to examine it closely.

‘This Elder Li is truly skilled at bargaining. If I were buying it myself, I might have unhesitatingly offered three hundred spirit stones… He’s truly become an old fox…’

“Thank you for your patronage. Please be careful not to accidentally injure yourself with this dagger, or the wound will be very difficult to heal. Are there any other artifacts you’d like to see?” The stall owner had thought it wouldn’t sell, never expecting Luo Yingkong to pay so readily.

“No need.”

“Then, farewell, honored guests…”

****

The four continued towards a shop selling pills.

“The price could actually be lower. Let me see the dagger.”

Luo Yingkong did not hesitate, handing the dagger to the old man.

“It’s a very ordinary weapon, but the material is somewhat special. For the Qi Condensation stage, it’s barely adequate.”

Soon after, the young boy returned, completely unharmed. The stall owner was stunned. Had he won the fight? Without much thought, he quickly explained, “Fellow Daoist… that artifact was just purchased by a white-haired woman…”

“What?!”

****

The five entered the pill shop; the three disciples also wished to make some purchases.

“There are many pills that can enhance cultivation. You can buy a few of each. If you only consume one type, your body will develop resistance, and the medicinal effect will decrease.”

“Qi Gathering Pills, Qi Condensation Pills, Creation Pills…”

While the other three disciples were still deliberating, Luo Yingkong directly spent two thousand spirit stones, buying a selection of each. All four, including the old man, were astonished. A rogue cultivator actually possessed so many spirit stones, even mid-grade ones.

At this point, she still had over four thousand spirit stones remaining.

The three disciples hesitated for a long time over buying even a single pill, while Luo Yingkong purchased several of each without any hesitation. The others secretly speculated that she must be a young lady who had secretly slipped away from some immortal cultivation family.

“Have you three made up your minds? If you don’t have enough spirit stones, your master can temporarily cover the cost for you…”

Having purchased her pills, Luo Yingkong waited by the entrance. A pleasant voice then drifted over:

“Fellow Daoist Luo!”

“Fellow Daoist Qian Yu.”

Seeing it was her, Luo Yingkong turned to bid farewell to the old man. “Senior Li, I am meeting an old friend. Please excuse me.”

The old man glanced outside the shop. “Go on. We’ll meet at the inn later.”

This old man had left a good impression on Luo Yingkong. Becoming his disciple wasn’t out of the question. She would observe the situation upon reaching Hidden Forest Mountain; if the benefits were substantial, she would pledge allegiance.

****

“Then, I shall take my leave…”

Stepping out of the shop, Qian Yuling immediately gave her a bear hug, causing Luo Yingkong’s face to flush slightly.

“Long time no see, Fellow Daoist Luo. How did you end up with cultivators from Hidden Forest Mountain?” Qian Yuling recognized the old man and his disciples’ identities with just a glance.

“I met them by chance on the road. I also intend to join Hidden Forest Mountain. Is there a problem?”

“It’s not a major problem, but Hidden Forest Mountain and our Cloud Soaring Sect are very close and sworn rivals. It might be inconvenient for us to interact in the future,” Qian Yuling said with a frown.

“No matter. Fellow Daoist Qian Yu, where is that treasured place you mentioned last time? I can depart once I’ve settled down in the sect.”

“There’s no rush, Fellow Daoist Luo. That place is extremely secluded and won’t be discovered by anyone. I still have some matters to attend to. How about we meet in the capital city in six months?”

****

Luo Yingkong nodded in agreement, then asked, “What does Fellow Daoist Qian Yu need to buy?”

“Me? I don’t have many spirit stones, so I’m just browsing. You go ahead and buy whatever you need, Fellow Daoist Luo. I can even help you haggle…”

With Qian Yuling accompanying her, Luo Yingkong purchased the herbs needed for her spirit insects. These were all rich in spiritual energy yet inexpensive.

Afterward, she bought several basic refining books from a nearby stall. Her primary goal at the sect was still artifact refining—to forge a sturdy handgun from violet gold stone, allowing its power to be maximized.

These books were quite expensive, but thankfully, Qian Yuling helped haggle the prices down. And by using mid-grade spirit stones for the purchases, Luo Yingkong was left with only about a hundred spirit stones from her initial four thousand.

“Fellow Daoist Luo, look quickly! A Core Formation cultivator!”

A middle-aged man was seen flying through the sky. Everyone below gazed upwards, and Luo Yingkong, too, was witnessing a Core Formation cultivator for the first time.

Even without using divine sense, a tremendous pressure could be felt from a great distance! The cultivators below were all filled with yearning, their eyes gleaming with envy.

“Let’s go! There’s still another benefit at this gathering!” Qian Yuling pulled her hand and rushed towards the center of the gathering.