ALL NOVEL Visit freewe𝑏n(o)v𝒆l.𝑐𝘰𝑚 for the best novel reading experience
Chapter 11: The Frostwind Shows Its Might
There's no feast that lasts forever.
As the group led by Lan Chang'an exited the Ju Xian Tower, they bid farewell to each other, exchanging blessings such as "May the immortal road be prosperous."
"Brother Lan, if you're short on spirit stones, I can lend you ten," Zhao Siyao offered before parting.
Lan Chang'an pondered briefly and surprisingly didn't refuse. He borrowed ten spirit stones from Zhao Siyao.
Li Ergou couldn't help but click his tongue.
...
"Big Brother Lan! Could it be that my spirit stones don't smell as good as Zhao Siyao's?" Li Ergou complained after parting ways.
During their time at the Mu family, he had seen Lan Chang'an in need of cultivation resources several times, offering spirit stones out of goodwill, but Lan Chang'an had always declined.
"Hehe, her spirit stones do indeed have a better fragrance than yours," Lan Chang'an chuckled lightly.
In truth, Lan Chang'an was willing to borrow spirit stones to establish a relationship with Zhao Siyao, a disciple of a sect. The so-called exchange of favors required some "exchange" to happen. By borrowing spirit stones this time, Lan Chang'an would owe Zhao Siyao a favor, creating a social connection. As long as Zhao Siyao didn't deliberately distance herself in the future, Lan Chang'an was willing to maintain this network. After all, sects held many rare resources, including information from the upper echelons of the cultivation world. Lan Chang'an, practicing in a small family, didn't want to be cut off from such crucial information about the cultivation world. Furthermore, befriending an inner disciple could be quite practical in the lower levels of the cultivation world.
"I'm also short on spirit stones, why don't you lend me one?" Lin Yi remained silent on one side, feeling sour inside.
The three of them hit the road back to the Royal Marquis' residence.
...
The next day, Li Ergou went back to his hometown to visit his relatives.
The two agreed to meet again at the Royal Marquis' Mansion in two months.
Lan Chang'an prepared to attend a wandering cultivator trade fair in a few days before heading to the Angry Bird Gang.
A few days later...
Lin Yi returned from outside and handed a wooden token to Lan Chang'an.
"Brother Lan, this is the token for the wandering cultivator trade fair. It will be held tomorrow night at a location outside Hengshui Prefecture..."
"Are you not coming along, Brother Lin?" Lan Chang'an took the wooden token, noticing it was made of spirit wood.
'I'm afraid that it would take a certain price to get the qualification to attend the fair.'
"I have been there a few months ago. This time, I have no need. I'm short on funds, so I won't go this time to make a fool of myself." Lin Yi laughed bitterly, a hint of self-deprecation in his words.
In these days spent at the Marquis Guang'an's Mansion, Lan Chang'an learned about Lin Yi's current situation. As the son of a nobleman, Lin Yi initially didn't hold a high position in the mansion. It was only when he was discovered to possess spiritual roots at the age of seven that he gained the attention and cultivation efforts of Marquis Guang'an.
In fact, most upper-class figures in society knew about the cultivation world's channels, while the lower classes only knew of some mythical tales about immortals. After failing the sect assessment, the support Lin Yi received from the marquis's mansion was limited.
Want to be an official in the dynasty or join the army?
It was a pity. The Liang Immortal Cultivation Sect made a rule:
Immortal cultivators were not allowed to interfere in secular dynasties, let alone kill at will. In this way, Lin Yi's situation was a bit awkward.
"I've bothered Brother Lin this time." Lan Chang'an expressed his gratitude, and was considered to have taken Lin Yi's favour.
...
The next evening.
Dozens of miles outside Hengshui Prefecture.
An old temple, obscured by mist, was difficult for ordinary people to notice.
Lan Chang'an used his spiritual eye technique and entered the dilapidated temple.
Sure enough, he found the figures of some wandering cultivators inside.
Men, women, old, and young, mostly at the Qi-Refining Initial Stage, with only three or four at the Qi-Refining Middle Stage.
Some showed their true faces, while others wore masks or straw hats to conceal their identities.
Lan Chang'an had disguised himself beforehand and utilized the mundane technique of body shrinking to appear as a strong and young man.
Being a new face, he inevitably attracted some attention from the present cultivators.
"This new daoist friend, how should we address you?" A tall, skinny man at the fourth level of Qi-Refining asked, his eyes flickering as he looked over.
This man seemed to be one of the organizers of the trade fair.
"My surname is Jiang," Lan Chang'an casually gave a surname and handed over the token.
"Fellow daoist Jiang, please find a place to sit. The trade fair will begin shortly," the tall, skinny man inspected the token and nodded.
After waiting for about half an hour, around two to three dozen people gathered in the dilapidated temple, and the trade fair officially began.
The trading process was straightforward. Each person took turns to speak, showcasing the resources they had for sale or stating what they were looking to purchase.
"I have three Vermillion Pine Cones for sale. Priority goes to the highest bidder."
"Three hundred years of He Shou Wu, prioritizing trades for spirit stones and pills..."
"A low-grade magical weapon, the Green Steel Shuttle, with some damage to the casing. Any daoist friends interested..."
Lan Chang'an observed for a while and noticed that the items being traded were mostly low-end. Some were merely worldly great medicines, not spiritual items from the cultivation world.
"I have five Qi Nourishing Pills for sale, fifty percent cheaper than market price," the tall, skinny man spoke.
"Qi Nourishing Pills? Fifty percent cheaper than market price?" This immediately piqued the interest of many.
Qi Nourishing Pills were suitable for cultivators at the Qi Refining Initial Stage, capable of enhancing their spiritual energy and promoting cultivation.
"I'm afraid it's not a genuine elixir, how much medicinal effect does it have?" For the bottom level loose cultivators, pills were hard to come by, and cheap pills inevitably moved them.
"After appraisal by me and Mr. Wang, the pills are close to fifty percent of the genuine ones in efficacy, with slightly higher toxicity," The tall and thin man surnamed Xu said lightly.
Lan Chang'an's heart stirred, remembering the inferior pills that Xia Felen had peddled before. However, Xu, as one of the organizers, was obviously not Xia Felen. He wondered if there was any connection between the two.
After a while, it was Lan Chang'an's turn. 𝔣𝖗𝖊𝖊𝖜𝔢𝔟𝔫𝔬𝖛𝖊𝔩.𝖈𝖔𝔪
"I, Jiang, have ten talismans for sale: four Fireball Talismans, three Wind Blade Talismans, and three of the Golden Light Shield. The latter two are first-rank mid-grade talismans."
Lan Chang'an took out ten talismans and spoke confidently.
"Middle-grade talismans?" The wandering cultivators in the dilapidated temple showed surprise.
Fireball Talismans and the like were relatively common low-grade talismans.
However, middle-grade talismans were less common. Whenever they appeared, there were usually only two or three.
Lan Chang'an noticed the astonishment and curiosity in their eyes. He had to say that he had overestimated the grade of this trade fair.
Originally, he had ten blank talisman papers left, and he could have drawn ten middle-grade talismans for all of them. However, he restrained himself by only drawing six.
Fortunately, the total value of these talismans was not high, not comparable to a low-grade magical weapon.
"Fellow daoist Jiang, do you happen to know any first-rank talisman masters?" The speaker, a beautiful, tall, purple-skirted woman at the fourth level of Qi Refining, her voice transmitting a hint of warmth.
This woman Lan Chang'an had some impression, honoured by the others as "Fairy Purple Rose", was one of the few mid-stage Qi-Refining cultivators.
"You don't need to inquire about the specific origins," Lan Chang'an replied stiffly, not denying the Purple Rose Fairy's probing.
A first-rank mid-grade talisman, comparable to the power of a spell in the middle stage of Qi Refining, was a bestseller amongst the wandering cultivators due to the fair prices. In less than a quarter of an hour, the ten talismans in Lan Chang'an hand were sold out.
First-rank low-grade talismans had a market price of about 2-3 spirit stones.
First-rank mid-grade talismans had a market price between 4-6 spirit stones.
In total, Lan Chang'an earned forty spirit stones.
He deliberately controlled the quality of the talismans he sold, ensuring they were of normal quality.
He still had seven first-rank mid-grade talismans on him, which were even more powerful. However, they were only for self-defense and not for sale.
After earning the spirit stones. Lan Chang'an bought two bottles of normal Qi Nourishing Pills, spending twenty spirit stones.
He also bought one bottle each of the Meridian Easing Pill, Ever Spring Pill, and Great Rejuvenation Pill, suitable for mortal martial artists to consume, only one and a half spirit stones were spent.
"The top-grade pills of martial arts are so cheap here." Lan Chang'an sighed inwardly.
There were also materials such as talisman paper and vermillion sand for sale at the trade fair.
To be on the safe side, Lan Chang'an didn't purchase any here. After all, he could buy them at the Mu family, where the quality of talisman paper was better in the hands of Mu Xiuyun.
...
The trade fair concluded.
With speed that exceeded the speed of an usual early Qi-Refining stage, Lan Chang'an quickly withdrew from the scene and disappeared into the mountains and forests. Some cultivators who were interested in him hadn't even had time to react.
"This kid can get his hands on a supply of middle-grade talismans, he must have some background, right?"
The tall and thin man surnamed Xu, one of the organisers, stroked his chin and looked in the direction Lan Chang'an had disappeared.
Although curious, he was not so curious as to strike out for that little value.
Suddenly, Xu, along with a few others, caught sight of a streak of purple smoke, swiftly flying through the night, heading straight towards Lan Chang'an's direction.
"Huh! Purple Rose Fairy! She actually couldn't help herself?"
A few people including the tall and thin man showed surprise on their faces.
Among them, the Purple Rose Fairy had a relatively clean record, rarely making moves. But whenever she did, her gains were not insignificant, showing her accurate judgment.
...
"Hmph! If that person had a background, he wouldn't come to a place like this for transactions. Being this cautious, and running away so quickly..."
In the mountain forest, the beautiful and tall woman in purple showed a hint of cunning and coldness on her radiant and flawless face.
Phew!
A Wind Travel Talisman was activated, and the Purple Rose Fairy's speed surpassed that of an ordinary cultivator at the Qi-Refining middle-stage, gradually closing in on Lan Chang'an.
As she approached a nearby mountain ravine.
Lan Chang'an's figure suddenly disappeared, as if swallowed by the darkness of night.
"Where is he? He definitely hasn't gone far!"
Stopping near the mountain ravine, the Purple Rose Fairy's expression turned wary.
"Kid! There's no need to hide, I know you're nearby."
She summoned a white square handkerchief, with white light flickering, forming a cloud-like layer several meters wide in front of her.
She secretly wondered, how could that person be so skilled at concealing his aura?
"The night is dark and the wind is high. Is the lady who is chasing so closely intending to discuss matters of love?" The fluttering man's voice echoed in her ears.
The Purple Rose Fairy's heart trembled as the sound of the wind roared.
Suddenly, her back felt cold.
Not good! The Purple Rose Fairy instinctively controlled the white square handkerchief to block behind her.
Whoosh!
A terrifying frosty wind swept through, with a diameter of about four to five meters, instantly engulfing the Purple Rose Fairy.
"Frostwind Technique? Not right! Why is its power so great..."
The Purple Rose Fairy had just breathed a sigh of relief when her face and limbs were covered in frost, her expression losing colour in horror.