"Looking at the situation here, a major battle definitely occurred. Was it a fight between the Demonic Path and the Seven Sects, or among Loose Cultivators?"
"Someone's coming?"
Li Feiyu immediately concealed his Qi, darted into a large tree with lush branches and leaves, and hid his tracks.
"Recently, the Six Devil Dao Sects and the Seven Sects have been fighting even more fiercely. I wonder who won between the Ghost Spirit Sect Cultivators and the Giant Sword Sect Cultivators who were here last time?" the gray-robed middle-aged Cultivator said.
"Who cares who won? It has nothing to do with us. Whether it's the Seven Sects or the Six Devil Dao Sects, even if they win, they won't give any benefits to us Loose Cultivators."
The young Cultivator beside the gray-robed middle-aged man said, "Fellow Daoist Heimu, after I replenish some things at Tai South Valley this time, I plan to head to the Nine Nations Union. I once met a Cultivator who traveled here from the Nine Nations Union, and I heard that they are more friendly to Loose Cultivators over there. Would you like to come with me?"
Heimu said, "That sounds great, then many thanks, Fellow Daoist Wushan."
The two laughed heartily and headed towards Heavenly South Mountain.
Li Feiyu came down from the big tree, looked in the direction they left, pursed his lips, and also followed them.
Of those two, Heimu was at Qi Refining stage Level Nine, and Wushan was at Qi Refining stage Level Eight.
For Loose Cultivators, that was quite good.
Li Feiyu suppressed his own Qi to around Qi Refining stage Level Seven. When he reached the foot of Heavenly South Mountain, he called out from afar, "Two Fellow Daoists ahead, please stop."
The two stopped, turned around, and looked at him with a hint of wariness in their eyes.
"What is it, Fellow Daoist?"
"Are the two of you heading to Tai South Valley? I am too. Why don't we go together?"
Heimu said, "Is this your first time in Tai South Valley, Fellow Daoist?"
"That's right. I spent most of my time cultivating in seclusion before. After coming here, I coincidentally met someone who said there's a Tai South Valley in Heavenly South Mountain where many Cultivators gather."
Wushan laughed, "Tai South Valley is a gathering place for Loose Cultivators, but there aren't too many."
"The Cultivator you met might have encountered the five-year Tai South Mini-Gathering when he came here. At that time, around three to four hundred Loose Cultivators would gather to exchange information, trade resources, or buy Magical Artifacts, Medicinal Pills, and so on."
"If you encountered the Immortal Ascension Grand Assembly, it would be even livelier, but now, the Immortal Ascension Grand Assembly might not even happen."
Li Feiyu asked, "Why?"
"It's all because of the Six Devil Dao Sects' invasion. These Sects in Yue Country are constantly fighting. Which Sect would openly recruit Disciples at such a critical juncture?"
Li Feiyu nodded, "Fellow Daoist speaks truthfully. Oh, by the way, my surname is Li. How should I address you two?"
Although he already knew their Daoist titles, he still asked to maintain the persona of meeting them for the first time.
The two generously introduced themselves, and then went with Li Feiyu.
If Li Feiyu had revealed a cultivation above Qi Refining stage Level Ten, the two probably wouldn't have been so straightforward.
Entering Tai South Valley and passing through the Misty Formation, there was a sudden feeling of openness.
The valley was lush green, filled with exotic flowers and Spiritual Plants everywhere. It was surrounded by mountains on three sides, and the only exit was the path they had just entered.
In the center, there was a large area of ornate, jade-carved palace-style pavilions, with people dressed in various outfits going in and out.
There were all kinds of Cultivators: simple, tattered, Taoist robes, monk attire, flamboyantly dressed, and so on.
However, most of them were dressed in Taoist robes.
In front of the pavilion clearing was a very wide blue-brick square, where many Cultivators were setting up stalls like small vendors, many of them sitting on the ground.
Wushan said, "Fellow Daoist Li, Fellow Daoist Heimu and I still have things to do, so we'll leave first."
"Please do, both of you." Li Feiyu headed straight for the square.
Heimu whispered to Wushan, "It seems Fellow Daoist Li really is just passing by. Looking at him, he does resemble those Loose Cultivators who have just come out of seclusion."
To put it bluntly, he was inexperienced.
Wushan smiled and said, "Let's leave after we finish our business. Staying too long might not be good. Perhaps a Demonic Path Sect might find this place an eyesore and destroy it casually."
Li Feiyu wandered around the square. Having obtained numerous treasures, his wealth was so abundant that even an ordinary Golden Core Stage Cultivator might not be able to compare.
Therefore, he rarely found ordinary items appealing. However, if they were useful to him, such as Pill Formulas, comprehensive talisman crafting guides, or complete Formation guides, he was still interested in buying some.
After all, his foundation in Immortal Cultivation was relatively poor, and as for Medicinal Pills, both Yellow Dragon Pill and golden marrow pill were almost ineffective for him now.
Firstly, he had consumed them frequently, developing resistance. Secondly, because Li Feiyu was now at Great Perfection of the Qi Refining stage, there were very few Medicinal Pills that could advance his cultivation at the Qi Refining stage, and they were generally only effective for the first few doses.
Li Feiyu wandered and came to a pavilion called the Hundred Herbs Pavilion.
"I wonder if there are any Pill Formulas inside?"
Pill Formulas were rare, especially some precious and useful ones, which were highly treasured.
Thinking this, he lifted his leg and stepped inside. As soon as he entered, an elderly man in front of the counter said, "Fellow Daoist, what would you like?"
"Do you have any Medicinal Pills here that increase cultivation?"
The shopkeeper, an Elder, smiled brightly and took out a porcelain bottle, "Of course, we do. This is a Qi Gathering Pill, most effective for Cultivators in the Qi Refining stage."
"A bottle contains twelve pills and costs one hundred Low Grade Spirit Stones."
"That expensive?"
"Fellow Daoist, you jest. This is a Medicinal Pill that even has some effect on those at the Great Perfection of the Qi Refining stage. The price is very fair."
"May I take a look?"
"You may."
Li Feiyu opened the stopper of the porcelain bottle, took a light sniff, and after a brief probe with his Spiritual sense , he was instantly greatly disappointed.
These Medicinal Pills were not smooth and plump enough, their color was not bright, and their aroma was not very strong. Li Feiyu thus judged that these Qi Gathering Pills were of average quality, or rather, Low Grade quality.
Li Feiyu shook his head, "Do you have anything else?"
"Currently, only this one." The shopkeeper Elder said, "If you're not satisfied, would you like to look at other things?"
Li Feiyu said, "Never mind that. But do you have any Pill Formulas? If you have what I need, I can certainly buy them."
The shopkeeper Elder's eyes lit up. Pill Formulas, once copied, could be sold indefinitely, providing a continuous source of wealth, and each Pill Formula was not cheap.
However, not many Cultivators would buy them.
Because Pill Formulas could only exert their maximum effect in the hands of someone skilled in Alchemy and who could, themselves or through their backing, provide a sufficient amount of Spiritual Plants for Alchemy.
For ordinary Cultivators, obtaining them would be useless; at most, they could trade them away for some Spirit Stones.
"Yes, Fellow Daoist, please wait a moment."
The shopkeeper Elder went to the back, and after a short while, returned with a Jade Slip in his hand.
He smiled and said, "Our Hundred Herbs Pavilion has been operating for a long time, and not long ago, we also collected several Pill Formulas, including their refining methods."
"Oh, which ones? Tell me about them."
"Face-setting Pill, Hundred Poisons Pill, Forget-Worry Pill."
Li Feiyu's eyes lit up, "I'll take them all. Shopkeeper, give me a price."
The shopkeeper Elder stroked his gray beard and smiled slightly, "It wasn't easy for us to collect these Pill Formulas; they cost us a lot."
Li Feiyu's face darkened. This was clearly the rhythm of being swindled.
"Just name a price. You know my Realm isn't too high, and my capabilities are limited. If it's suitable, I'll buy it; if not, then forget it."
Hearing Li Feiyu say this, the shopkeeper Elder hesitated slightly again, "Since Fellow Daoist is so straightforward, then eighty Spirit Stones."
These three were not Medicinal Pills for increasing cultivation or restoring magical power; even if refined, they could only be used in specific situations, so the price would not be too high.
Li Feiyu thought for a moment, then nodded, "Okay, but does your esteemed pavilion accept bartering?"
The shopkeeper Elder was stunned, "Bartering? I only accept Medicinal Pills and Spiritual Plants; nothing else."
"What's the price for Spiritual Plants?"
"An ordinary hundred-year-old Spiritual Plant is twenty Spirit Stones. A two-hundred-year-old one is fifty Spirit Stones... a five-hundred-year-old one is three hundred Spirit Stones. Beyond that, Spiritual Plants become precious. For every hundred years increase, the price increases by at least one to two hundred Spirit Stones."
"What about over a thousand years?"
"Spiritual Plants over a thousand years old, even if they are ordinary Spiritual Plants, are worth over a thousand Spirit Stones. If they are some precious and rare thousand-year-old Spiritual Plants, it's no problem to sell them for several thousand Spirit Stones depending on the situation."
Rarity makes things valuable, and Li Feiyu was well aware of this.
Thousand-year-old Spiritual Plants have requirements for growth environment and Spiritual Qi concentration, so they are very rare.
Even in the medicinal gardens of large Sects, there might not be a single thousand-year-old Spiritual Plant.
Li Feiyu slapped his Storage Pouch, and a rectangular jade box flew out of the Storage Pouch, landing in front of the shopkeeper Elder.
"A three-hundred-year-old Huangjingzhi. What do you think?"
The shopkeeper Elder opened it and his eyes sparkled repeatedly, "It truly is! The condition looks like it was just picked not long ago. Fellow Daoist has good fortune."
"However, it seems to be too much."
Li Feiyu waved his hand, "It's fine. Besides the Pill Formulas, I have something else to ask. Please tell me truthfully, Shopkeeper."
"Of course, of course, please ask, Fellow Daoist."
Li Feiyu took out another item from his Storage Pouch and stopped it in front of the shopkeeper.
Upon seeing it, a sharp glint immediately rose from the shopkeeper's eyes, and a hint of greed flashed in his gaze.