In less than a few moments, the young woman in the fine dress returned.
She smiled. "Young Master Fang, please follow me."
The two of them walked around a large, magnificent screen wall, and the view suddenly opened up before them.
The center of the tower was actually hollow!
Standing in the first-floor hall and looking up, one could see all the way to the ninth-floor domed ceiling.
In the center of the first floor was a small garden, planted with numerous rare flowers and exotic plants, as well as broad-leaved flowering trees that were dozens of feet tall.
Looking up from below, each floor had numerous private rooms. Outside these rooms, spiritual lights of all colors flickered, each separated by restrictive spells to ensure privacy.
Next to the walkways outside the private rooms were ornately decorated railings, appearing like nine rings inlaid within the tower's interior.
The young woman in the fine dress gracefully took flight, heading straight for the ninth floor.
Fang Cheng followed close behind.
"Young Master Fang, please wait here. Shopkeeper Cao will be here shortly."
Fang Cheng was led to an elegant room on the south side of the ninth floor. The room had a quaint, antique charm, with elegant and luxurious furnishings. Sandalwood incense smoke curled in the air. The window offered a view of the entire market district, and even the vast surface of the distant Abyssal Marsh was visible.
Against the north wall of the elegant room stood a crystalline, snow-white Demon Beast skeleton. It was about twenty feet long and appeared to be the skeleton of a Tiger Demon!
From the skeleton alone, Fang Cheng could feel an incredibly dense Evil Qi rushing toward his spirit. 'This Demon Beast's Cultivation must have been immense when it was alive,' he thought.
He walked over to the skeleton and examined it closely, discovering numerous flame-like patterns on the snow-white bones, as if they were a part of its natural structure.
"This is..."
Suddenly, the Golden Talisman in his sea of consciousness trembled, reacting to something.
Fang Cheng's expression flickered. He quietly reached out a hand toward the skeleton while looking inward at the Golden Talisman in his sea of consciousness.
He saw the Golden Talisman tremble gently, its characters blurring for an instant before stabilizing.
[Talisman Master]: Fang Cheng
[Divine Power Technique]
One Qi Technique·Minor Achievement (162/200)
Cyan Profound Swordsmanship·Minor Achievement (39/500)
Nameless Gu Technique·Minor Achievement (56/300)
Creation Points: 508
His Creation Points had increased by 500!
Fang Cheng almost thought he had made a mistake, only believing it after checking several times.
'This Demon Beast skeleton can actually grant Creation Points!'
'But why didn't any of the other Demon Beast skeletons I've handled before have any effect?'
Just as Fang Cheng was pondering this, a pleasant, melodious voice sounded by his ear:
"What are you touching?"
Fang Cheng snapped back to his senses. He turned to see a graceful woman in a black dress standing not far from him, her beautiful eyes looking at him with confusion.
A faint fragrance hung in the air. It was Feng Ling!
"Fellow Daoist Feng, it's been a while." Fang Cheng pulled his hand back, still feeling a sense of unreality.
Feng Ling's beautiful eyes sized him up, and a faint smile appeared on her stunning face. "This is the skeleton of a Life Talisman Stage Tiger Demon that had awakened its Talent Divine Techniques," she said. "With your current Cultivation, it's best you don't touch it. Be careful the Evil Qi doesn't invade your body."
'Talent Divine Techniques?'
A flash of insight struck Fang Cheng. 'Could it be that only the skeletons of Demon Beasts that have awakened their Talent Divine Techniques can increase my Creation Points?'
He said to Feng Ling, "Thank you for the information, Fellow Daoist Feng."
Feng Ling's eyes, full of charm, seemed to flow like water as she smiled and said, "This is the main material for the White Bone Relic I am refining. Besides myself, no one else has ever touched it."
There was no real need to say this to Fang Cheng, but upon seeing him, she felt an inexplicable, faint sense of joy. She was in a very pleasant mood, speaking to him as casually as she would a friend.
Fang Cheng said apologetically, "I was being rash just now. I hope Fellow Daoist Feng can forgive me."
The White Bone Relic was one of the nine ultimate techniques of the Yinluo Sect. Once successfully refined, it could devour endless skeletons and transform its user into a Strong Bone Demon of immense power.
Only then did Fang Cheng realize that this young lady from a prominent family must be an Inner Sect Disciple of the Yinluo Sect.
And her Cultivation was likely at the Late Sensing Stage, or perhaps even its peak.
Feng Ling walked to the chairs in the center of the room and sat down gracefully. "Shopkeeper Cao isn't here today," she said. "I just happened to be checking the tower's accounts. If you'd come half an hour later, you would have missed me."
Fang Cheng smiled openly. "It seems we are fated to meet, Fellow Daoist Feng."
Feng Ling glanced at him with her beautiful eyes. "Your cultivation progress is decent. It probably won't be long before you break through to the Mid-Sensing Stage. When that time comes, will you apply for the Outer Disciple trial?"
Fang Cheng nodded. "Yes. My heart is set on the path of cultivation. If possible, I will strive to enter the Outer Sect."
Having just gained another 500 Creation Points, his words carried an extra measure of confidence.
'Only by entering the Yinluo Sect's Outer Sect, or even the Inner Sect, and obtaining top-tier legacy techniques can I fully unleash the potential of my Golden Finger!'
Feng Ling said, "You already have your own master and lineage, so you might face some obstacles when applying for the Outer Disciple trial. But it shouldn't be a major issue. Just find me when the time comes."
Fang Cheng vaguely recalled the conditions and difficulty of the Yinluo Sect's Outer Disciple trial from the original owner's memories, and he immediately expressed his thanks to Feng Ling.
The two chatted for a little longer before finally getting to the matter of the Spirit Wine.
Fang Cheng took a wine jar from his storage bag. As soon as he opened it, the distinct, crisp fragrance of fine wine filled the entire room.
The wine was called Drunken Immortal Brew, and it had the effect of enhancing a cultivator's Divine Sense. Long-term consumption could strengthen one's Divine Sense and heal hidden injuries to the spirit.
This wine was highly regarded among Sensing Stage Cultivators, but it was extremely difficult to make. Very few Brewers could successfully produce it.
Thus, its price was also considerable.
Typically, it could only be purchased at major establishments like the Jade Banquet Tower.
Fang Cheng had only managed to brew a whole vat thanks to the ability of his Wine Gu.
He had filled twenty jars in total, each containing ten pounds of wine. He brought nineteen jars with him this time, leaving one for himself.
Feng Ling's beautiful eyes glanced into the jar, and she nodded in satisfaction. "Not bad, it is indeed Drunken Immortal Brew. It seems your Wine Gu is well-nurtured. The quality of this wine is even better than what the brewers at our Jade Banquet Tower produce."
Fang Cheng looked at Feng Ling's fair, jade-like cheeks and asked, "I wonder, at what price does Fellow Daoist Feng intend to purchase this wine?"
'Since this is a partnership, not only should it be equal, but the accounts must also be clear. Only then can our cooperation last.'
Feng Ling said nonchalantly, "This wine sells for Fifty Spirit Stones a jar at my Jade Banquet Tower. However, since I provided you with the recipe and brewing materials, let's split the profits. A forty-sixty split—how about I take four parts and you take six?"
Fang Cheng was stunned. This price far exceeded his expectations!
Ordinary Spirit Wine sold in outside shops went for only three to five Spirit Stones a jar, with more expensive ones costing around ten.
'The Jade Banquet Tower really doesn't hold back when it comes to overcharging its customers.'
Feng Ling was giving him a sixty percent cut. For nineteen jars, that amounted to five hundred and seventy Spirit Stones! Naturally, he had no objections.
'With just thirty more Spirit Stones, I'll be able to buy the Red Feather Sword!'
Once the transaction was complete, Fang Cheng took the initiative to stand and bid his farewell.
Feng Ling seemed as if she wanted to say more, but her expression quickly returned to its usual cool detachment. She called for a maid to see Fang Cheng out.
...
「Two hours later.」
「Spirit Wind Lane, Jia Shen No. 19 Courtyard.」
Fang Cheng closed the courtyard gate and activated the wards, cutting it off from all outside senses. Then, he took a wooden box from his storage bag!
'I can't believe I got my hands on the Red Feather Sword after just a few short days.'
He eagerly opened the wooden box, cut his finger, and dripped a drop of blood onto the jade-red Flying Sword to begin the refinement process.