Chapter 88: Treasure Hunting Among the People at Yixiantian

“Correct,” Pu Hanzhong nodded. “And even a thousand low-grade, third-tier spirit stones might not be enough to buy one. In our Taichu Sect, only the Jade Bamboo Hall knows how to refine Meridian Protecting Powder. The ingredients are incredibly difficult to find—they require the meridians and inner cores of powerful demon beasts. The refinement success rate is also very low. But its uses are extensive. It’s not just for breaking through realms. In a duel between masters, or when facing a powerful demonic cultivator or beast, it can be a lifesaver. Taking it ensures your meridians won’t be damaged, which is a massive boost to your combat endurance.”

Xu Yu’s jaw dropped. “If the powder is that valuable,” she asked, “isn’t a Meridian Protecting Pill even more expensive?”

“Of course. A Meridian Protecting Pill is something only a Spirit Tree Realm master would use when trying to break through to the Dao Fruit Realm. There are probably no more than five in the entire sect, likely in the hands of the patriarchs, the Sect Master, and the Master of the Jade Bamboo Hall.”

“A thousand third-tier spirit stones for one packet…” Xu Yu counted on her fingers. “The sect gives me two third-tier spirit stones a month. It would take me four years and two months of saving just to buy a single packet!”

Every sect gave preferential treatment to their special seeds. In the Taichu Sect, a Purple Seed like Xu Yu received a monthly stipend of two low-grade, third-tier spirit stones. A Gray Seed like Murong Chao received one. Even if they pooled all their income from farming, after expenses, they wouldn’t have even ten spirit stones to their names.

Pu Hanzhong shook his head in disappointment. “The corn you’re growing now will only provide a small surplus after expenses. You can’t farm your way to wealth in the cultivation world. Cultivation is a battle for resources. Whoever has more resources will have an easier path. Take this furnace, for example. When you start learning alchemy, just replacing your furnace will be a major expense.”

Having just begun learning alchemy, Xu Yu nodded thoughtfully. Qin Haoxuan looked surprised. “Do furnaces break that easily?”

“They don’t break often,” Pu explained, “but these are just ordinary furnaces. After a refinement, dregs are left behind that will affect the quality and success rate of the next batch. Ideally, you should use a new furnace every time. If you can’t afford that, you must replace it after ten uses at most. Otherwise, you’ll not only fail to produce a pill, but you’ll also waste all the precious ingredients you gathered.”

“So you just throw the furnace away after ten uses?”

“Of course not!” Pu said with a wry laugh. “The sect’s artifact forgers buy back the used furnaces at a low price, re-forge them, and then sell them back to us at a high price. Their income is much higher than what you could ever earn from farming.”

He then pointed to the bottom of the furnace. “And that’s not the only expense. See this spirit fire formation? It requires spirit stones for fuel. You can’t refine pills with ordinary fire. So, alchemy requires not only a furnace and herbs, but also a large number of spirit stones just to keep the fire going. And then there’s refining a flying sword…”

He continued, ignoring the dumbfounded looks on their faces. “A flying sword is the dream of every cultivator, but you can’t just make one from a pile of scrap metal. It requires all sorts of rare, spirit-infused ores and a massive amount of spirit stones for the forge. Even the most basic flying sword is built on a mountain of spirit stones. And even then, there’s a high chance of failure, of ending up with nothing but a useless piece of scrap.”

Pu Hanzhong’s words made Qin Haoxuan’s face fall. But then, a stubborn, unyielding fire ignited within him. He might be an Uncolored Seed, not a chosen son of heaven like the others. He might be looked down upon by the sect’s elders. But no matter how talented they were, they didn’t have the Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley as their private treasure trove. And no matter how high their cultivation, they didn’t have his powerful Spiritual Sense.

Seeing the defiant glint in his junior brother’s eyes, Pu Hanzhong, who had begun to regret his discouraging speech, nodded in satisfaction.

The words “Meridian Protecting Powder” had been circling in Xu Yu’s mind. She suddenly had a flash of insight. “Qin Haoxuan’s powder is better than a pill,” she thought. “Surely there are people who would pay a high price for it!”

At that exact moment, the same thought occurred to Pu Hanzhong. “Sell the Qi-Circulating Powder!” they both exclaimed in unison.

“We have seven packets left,” Pu added. “We can definitely get a good price for them. If it’s not enough, we can find a way to make up the difference.”

Qin Haoxuan agreed, but then he raised a question. “But if we sell all seven packets just to buy one packet of Meridian Protecting Powder, isn’t that a bad trade?”

“Who said its effects only last for a few hours?” Pu replied. “If that were the case, it wouldn’t be so expensive. A single packet of Meridian Protecting Powder will protect your meridians for a full month. During that time, you can take as many Qi-Circulating Pills as you want without having to worry about your body exploding.”

“In that case, it’s a great deal!” Qin Haoxuan nodded, his mind already racing. With a month of protection, he could safely consume pills made from his golden essence, or any other powerful herbs he found in the valley.

“There is one more problem,” Pu said. “You can’t be the one to sell it. No one would believe an Uncolored Seed could make such a thing. It would attract suspicion and trouble.”

Qin Haoxuan sighed. He knew his senior brother was right. “I’ve had my fair share of that kind of trouble lately,” he admitted.

“Then let me do it!” Xu Yu volunteered. “I’m a Purple Seed. No one would dare to bully me. I can sell it!”

“No,” both Qin Haoxuan and Pu said at once. “It would take up too much of your cultivation time!”

“It won’t take that long, just an afternoon!” Seeing he was still reluctant, Xu Yu’s heart warmed. He was genuinely thinking of her. She gave him a sly smile. “Brother Haoxuan, if you’re so worried about my time, then you can just make some more of that powder. We’ll sell it, buy an extra packet of Meridian Protecting Powder for me, and then you can make me some of those super-pills. That way, I’m not losing anything, I’m profiting!”

Her logic was sound, and he couldn’t refuse her good intentions. He nodded his agreement.

A radiant smile bloomed on Xu Yu’s face. “I’ve never sold anything before, and I’m terrible at haggling,” she said. “Let’s all go together.”

“Alright,” Qin Haoxuan said, exchanging a look with Pu Hanzhong. “Let’s get ready and go to Yixiantian now.” Though Xu Yu was a Purple Seed, she was still just a young girl new to the sect. It was better if they all went together to avoid any trouble.

They gathered their things. Qin Haoxuan made a simple wooden sign with five large characters: “Qi-Circulating Powder for Sale!” Pu Hanzhong measured out a thousand jin of first-grade corn to pay for the Immortal Cloud Carriage. Just as they were about to head to the carriage station, Xu Yu’s guide, Luo Jinhua, came rushing over.

(End of Chapter)