A Grand Exchange and a New Purpose

“This flying boat is simply too slow,” Chi Qiu murmured to herself, a hint of helplessness in her voice. She stood at the edge of the vessel, gazing at the land that receded slowly beneath her feet.

Only two days had passed since she parted ways with Su Hanxing. He must have already returned to the Tianyan Sect by now, yet Chi Qiu had not even reached the Imperial City.

Their journey from Sishui Marsh required crossing the Imperial City to reach Cangshan Commandery, where the Tianyan Sect was located. This was why Su Hanxing had previously invited Chi Qiu to travel with him on the Tianyan Sect’s flying artifact. The flying boat Chi Qiu currently piloted had been scavenged from another cultivator’s storage artifact within the Yinglong Tomb. Being only a mid-grade artifact, its speed naturally couldn’t compare to that of the Tianyan Sect’s superior vessel.

Fortunately, Chi Qiu encountered no harassment from other cultivators nor any beastly obstructions along the way. Thus, after another two days, she successfully arrived within the Imperial City’s borders.

Chi Qiu put away her flying boat and proceeded on foot, passing through the massive city gates of the Daqi Imperial City. The Imperial City’s gates were fortified with powerful restrictions, making it impossible for any artifact, regardless of its grade, to fly within their vicinity. Only after traversing the gates on foot could one reactivate a flying artifact. This served as one of the Daqi Imperial Family’s methods to assert their royal authority and majesty.

Once through the gates, Chi Qiu summoned her flying boat once more, heading directly for the Qibao Hall, a place she had visited previously with Su Hanxing.

While her journey to the Yinglong Tomb had significantly boosted Chi Qiu’s strength, it had also exposed several of her own deficiencies. The most critical among these was Chi Qiu’s movement technique. The Seven Stars Step was merely a secret art, somewhat effective during her Spirit Nourishing Realm cultivation. However, having now broken through to the God Concealing stage, such a low-grade movement technique was woefully inadequate.

The Qibao Hall stood as the largest, most well-stocked, and wealthiest treasure exchange in Daqi. Backed by the Daqi Imperial Family, its influence was absolute, and no one dared to provoke it.

As Chi Qiu put away her flying boat and stepped into the Qibao Hall, a yellow-robed attendant immediately approached her. “Fellow Daoist, have you come to our Qibao Hall to acquire treasures or to sell them?” he inquired.

“Both, in fact,” Chi Qiu replied, glancing at the attendant with a touch of surprise. Other cultivators entering the Qibao Hall certainly didn’t receive such attentive service.

The attendant offered a slight smile and bowed, gesturing for Chi Qiu to follow him to the third floor. “Please, Fellow Daoist, this way.”

Chi Qiu nodded, accompanying the yellow-robed attendant to a tea room on the third floor of the grand hall.

“Please wait here for a moment, Fellow Daoist. Our manager will be with you shortly.” The yellow-robed attendant led Chi Qiu into the tea room, then departed.

Stepping inside, Chi Qiu found the tea room remarkably spacious, adorned with elegant simplicity. A five-chi square sandalwood tea table occupied the center, holding a bronze pot and two purple clay teacups. Beside the pot, a small incense burner released tendrils of agarwood smoke, drifting gently through the air.

Chi Qiu took a soft breath, inhaling the fragrant agarwood. She felt her body and mind relax, and even the circulation of her true qi seemed to quicken.

“Fellow Daoist Chi, this old man apologizes for his tardiness. Please forgive me.”

No sooner had Chi Qiu settled onto the soft couch beside the tea table than the tea room door opened. A voice, ancient yet robust, resonated from outside. Chi Qiu looked up to see an elder pushing open the tea room door and entering. His hair and beard were white, and his face, though lined with many wrinkles, exuded a vibrant spirit. He wore a white robe with gilded patterns, his round belly prominent beneath it. His feet were clad in grey brocade boots, and a wide smile graced his face as he walked to sit opposite Chi Qiu.

“This old man is Chu Yi, a manager on the third floor of this Qibao Hall,” he introduced himself. “A few days ago, I heard that Fellow Daoist Chi and Su Hanxing, the Tianyan Sect’s chief disciple, made quite a stir in the Yinglong Tomb. That is why I specifically came to greet you.”

He continued, “May I ask, Fellow Daoist Chi, what you wish to sell and what you intend to purchase at my Qibao Hall today?”

Chu Yi chuckled as he settled across from Chi Qiu. He picked up the bronze pot and poured her a cup of tea.

“Since Manager Chu already knows who I am, there’s no need for a lengthy introduction on my part.” Hearing that Chu Yi was so well-informed about her, Chi Qiu nodded. She accepted the tea and took a delicate sip. The tea was fragrant, and upon swallowing, it seemed to permeate her very organs, an incredibly mystical sensation.

“What excellent tea,” Chi Qiu praised, her voice filled with genuine appreciation. “This tea is far superior to the Sang Tea produced in Sang City; it is clearly a remarkably precious spirit tea.”

“If Fellow Daoist Chi enjoys it, I will have someone deliver several jin to you later,” Chu Yi offered. Seeing Chi Qiu’s delight in the tea, his smile broadened even further.

“Then I thank Manager Chu profusely,” Chi Qiu replied, naturally pleased by the offer. “I have quite a number of items to sell. Will this room be able to accommodate them all?”

She intended to sell everything from the dozens of storage artifacts she had acquired in Sishui Marsh and the Yinglong Tomb. Such a vast quantity of artifacts and spirit plants could hardly be displayed within a single tea room. Most of these storage artifacts had been given to Chi Qiu by Su Hanxing. Before entering the Yinglong Tomb, she had tried to refuse many of them. However, when they parted ways a few days prior, Su Hanxing insisted she keep them as a memento, leaving Chi Qiu no choice but to accept.

Su Hanxing had simply given her all of these storage artifacts indiscriminately, which left Chi Qiu both deeply touched and utterly overwhelmed.

“It seems Fellow Daoist Chi’s harvest from this journey was indeed considerable,” Chu Yi remarked, momentarily stunned by Chi Qiu’s words. He then immediately broke into a wide, delighted smile. “I shall take you to our usual resting place.”

One must understand, although this room is merely a tea room, its interior space is far from small. It spans over ten zhang in both length and width. Even if one were to fill such a vast space with only the lowest-grade artifacts, their value would still be immense.

“Fellow Daoist Chi, please follow me,” Chu Yi said, rising from his seat and inviting her to another location.

Chi Qiu drained her teacup, then likewise stood and followed Chu Yi out of the tea room.

“This is one of our Qibao Hall’s warehouses,” Chu Yi explained, leading Chi Qiu through a teleportation array into a sealed chamber. “The entire warehouse is completely sealed off; entry is only possible via this teleportation array.”

“Is this Yijin?” Chi Qiu murmured, her gaze sweeping around the room. She was captivated by the layer of deep purple Yijin covering the walls, floor, and ceiling of the entire warehouse.

“Fellow Daoist Chi’s eyesight is truly exceptional,” Chu Yi said, stroking his beard with a proud expression. “This is indeed Yijin.”

Truly worthy of the Qibao Hall… Chi Qiu thought, her face etched with astonishment.

Yijin was an exceedingly precious material used for forging artifacts and spirit weapons. Its exceptionally tough and resilient nature made it an excellent choice for crafting close-fitting soft armor.

Witnessing this sight, Chi Qiu wasted no time. She pulled a brocade pouch from a gap in her scale armor, then inverted it, spilling dozens of small items—rings, necklaces, and bracelets—with a clatter.

These small objects, seemingly mere ornaments, were in fact all storage artifacts. Any useful artifacts or spirit plants they contained had already been retrieved by Chi Qiu and placed into the two storage rings on her right hand.

“These… these are all storage artifacts?” Chu Yi exclaimed, his face registering profound shock. His gaze towards Chi Qiu subtly shifted.

To possess so many storage rings, just how many cultivators must have been slain to acquire them all? he wondered.

“Indeed,” Chi Qiu confirmed, a hint of secret satisfaction blossoming in her heart at Chu Yi’s astonished expression. “Please take your time, Manager Chu, to tally them.”

She then found a soft couch and settled down, preparing for a long wait.

“Please wait a moment, Fellow Daoist,” Chu Yi requested. He arranged the storage artifacts, then retrieved a command talisman. After whispering a few words to it, he ceased examining the artifacts. Not long after, the teleportation array shimmered with light, and dozens of figures slowly materialized.

“Fellow Daoist, please rest here for a moment. We will verify everything as quickly as possible.” Several yellow-robed cultivators brought over a tea table and placed it before Chi Qiu, laden with fine teas, mellow wines, spirit fruits, and medicinal ganoderma.

Chi Qiu nodded in satisfaction. She casually picked up a spirit fruit and began to eat it, then lifted a teacup and took a sip. It was indeed the same tea as in the tea room earlier.

Listing and appraising all the artifacts, spirit plants, pills, and cultivation techniques within dozens of storage artifacts was clearly no easy task. Even with scores of Qibao Hall cultivators working together, it still took over an hour to complete the inventory.

“Fellow Daoist Chi, these storage artifacts contain a total of seven hundred and ninety-three artifacts,” Chu Yi began, walking over to Chi Qiu. “Among them are seven low-grade artifacts, two hundred and fifteen mid-grade artifacts…”

“There’s no need for such trouble, Manager Chu,” Chi Qiu interjected, quickly stopping him from rattling off the list like a menu. “Given the Qibao Hall’s reputation, you only need to tell me the total value of these items.”

In her estimation, the Qibao Hall was a vast and established enterprise; they would naturally not shortchange her on her treasures.

“Our Qibao Hall can offer seven hundred thousand spirit pills to purchase everything,” Chu Yi stated, seeing the situation and abandoning unnecessary words. He presented Chi Qiu with a round figure.

In the past, Chi Qiu usually traded using spirit jade or spirit stones, with a common exchange rate of one hundred spirit stones for one spirit jade. However, the spirit pills Chu Yi offered were each worth one hundred spirit jade. This sum of seven hundred thousand spirit pills was indeed an enormous fortune for Chi Qiu.

It seems killing and plundering truly is the fastest way to acquire wealth… Chi Qiu mused, shocked by the price yet finding it perfectly reasonable after some thought.

These storage artifacts had been amassed by Chi Qiu and Su Hanxing after slaying dozens of God Concealing stage cultivators. These cultivators were all elites from major sects and aristocratic families, so it was only natural for them to carry treasures worth tens of thousands of spirit pills.

“Very well then, seven hundred thousand it is,” Chi Qiu said, nodding in satisfaction.

“It’s good that Fellow Daoist Chi is satisfied,” Chu Yi replied, a beaming smile spreading across his face. He then stroked his beard and inquired, “Now that Fellow Daoist Chi possesses seven hundred thousand spirit pills, what treasures do you intend to purchase?”

“I wish to acquire a method for body reconstruction,” Chi Qiu stated, taking another sip of tea and smiling faintly.