Chapter 55: Why Don’t You Just Go Rob Someone?
Fortunately, He Song managed to inscribe the Spirit Gathering Formation quickly. Otherwise, even the 35 spirit stones he had left might have been gone.
"Daoist Ping'er, have some tea first."
Seeing that Ping'er had finished introducing all the jade slips, He Song casually handed her a cup of tea.
However, his mind was already racing as he pondered which spells to choose.
After thinking it over for a while, He Song quickly realized he didn't seem to have much of a choice.
The prices of these spells far exceeded his expectations.
He had initially thought that spells for the Qi Refinement Realm wouldn't be too expensive, likely around ten spirit stones each.
Even for special spells at the Qi Refinement Realm, they might cost a bit more but shouldn't be excessively pricey.
Yet, contrary to his expectations, the prices Ping'er listed kept climbing higher and higher. By the end, one sword technique was priced at an astounding two hundred spirit stones!
This… Why don't you just go rob someone?!
With a hint of disbelief in his eyes, He Song looked at Ping'er beside him.
And beside He Song—
Noticing his perplexed gaze, Ping'er was momentarily stunned but quickly understood what he wanted to ask.
She seemed to grasp what was on He Song's mind.
"Daoist friend, basic spells cost ten spirit stones each, mid-tier spells cost fifty, and high-tier spells cost one hundred. Offensive spells are double the base price. Additionally, for wandering cultivators, all spells are twice as expensive. These have always been the rules of the Immortal Market."
Ping'er's clear voice rang out, her gaze toward He Song now carrying a trace of curiosity.
Did this person not know the cost of spells at all?
Had he only focused on bitter cultivation without having any fellow cultivators to discuss these things with?
What Ping'er didn't know was that He Song usually kept to himself.
The few friends he occasionally interacted with had never mentioned anything about the cost of spells.
Those with higher cultivation than him, like Wei Fan, had much higher incomes and didn't care about these prices.
Those at a similar level, like Zhao Lin—who was a talisman maker—considered these prices normal and could afford them.
And those with lower cultivation than He Song didn't have access to such information.
As a result, He Song had always assumed that Qi Refinement Realm spells were uniformly affordable, which is why he thought they wouldn't be expensive.
But now...
After hearing Ping'er's explanation, He Song finally gained a deeper understanding of the exorbitant cost of knowledge in the cultivation world.
It turned out that not only was learning the basics of the cultivation world a costly endeavor, but acquiring spells—especially higher-grade ones—required an immense amount of spirit stones as well.
Moreover, the disparity between internal staff of the Immortal Market and wandering cultivators was astronomical.
For instance, common knowledge about the cultivation world was free for internal staff but cost wandering cultivators one spirit stone per day.
Basic Qi Refinement spells cost internal staff ten spirit stones, but wandering cultivators had to pay twenty.
Mid-tier Qi Refinement spells were fifty spirit stones for internal staff, but one hundred for wandering cultivators.
High-tier Qi Refinement spells were one hundred spirit stones for internal staff, but two hundred for wandering cultivators.
In other words:
Wandering cultivators.
They had to risk their lives to obtain resources.
They had to engage in deceit and intrigue to improve their cultivation.
And when it came to acquiring knowledge, spells, or cultivation techniques, their costs were the highest of all.
Even for Qi Refinement Realm spells, their expenses were double those of internal staff in the Immortal Market.
Life as a wandering cultivator was no easy task.
He Song had always been acutely aware of this fact.
But it wasn't until he heard the prices of these spells from Ping'er that he truly grasped just how difficult the life of a wandering cultivator could be.
No wonder.
No wonder wandering cultivators were always at the bottom of the cultivation world's hierarchy of disdain.
A hint of gratitude flashed in He Song's eyes as he silently thanked his former self.
If not for his predecessor seizing the opportunity to step halfway into the Immortal Market, he might not have been able to cultivate so steadily up to this point.
However, now was not the time to dwell on such thoughts.
After hearing Ping'er's explanation, He Song felt a sense of relief but also realized he could only afford two basic spells.
Fireball Technique, one of the basic spells, could condense a fireball to kill enemies with considerable power. Priced at ten spirit stones.
Light Body Technique, another basic spell, could enhance walking speed—a must-have for long journeys and escapes. Also priced at ten spirit stones.
As Ping'er's descriptions of these two spells surfaced in his mind, He Song made a casual motion with his hand, and twenty spirit stones appeared on the table before him.
"Daoist Ping'er, I'm rather short on funds, so I'll have to settle for these two basic spells for now," He Song said as he clasped his hands together in respect, his expression calm and unchanged.
"Very well. Daoist friend, just press the jade slips to your forehead to absorb their contents," Ping'er replied promptly.
Not particularly surprised that He Song only purchased two basic spells, Ping'er handed him the jade slips and swiftly collected the twenty spirit stones from the table.
As she gathered the spirit stones, a flash of surprise crossed Ping'er's eyes.
If she wasn't mistaken, He Song had simply waved his hand, and the spirit stones had materialized on the table.
While twenty spirit stones weren't a significant amount, this action implied that He Song possessed a storage bag.
Only someone with a storage bag could perform such a motion.
Glancing at He Song, who was now pressing the jade slips to his forehead to absorb their contents, Ping'er's curiosity deepened.
"Claiming to be short on funds, yet carrying a storage bag... Is Daoist He truly penniless, or is there more to him?"
Ping'er silently pondered for a moment before returning to her usual expression, though a subtle, enigmatic glimmer lingered in her eyes as she looked at He Song.
Before long, He Song finished imprinting the two spells into his memory.
With just a thought, he could recall all the techniques and details of casting them.
Fireball Technique:
A basic spell.
Not only could it harm enemies as an offensive tool, but its high temperature could also be used for incinerating remains, making it versatile for everyday purposes.
Light Body Technique:
A basic spell.
When cast, it could increase walking speed, making it indispensable for both traveling long distances and escaping danger.
With these two spells in hand, He Song finally felt less defenseless when facing potential enemies.
Although the Fireball Technique wasn't particularly powerful, it offered a stronger offensive option than the Spirit Arrow Technique.
Meanwhile, the Light Body Technique provided an alternative—if a fight couldn't be won, he could simply run.
"Now that we've completed the transaction, I'll take my leave," He Song said as he stood and clasped his hands to bid farewell.
But just as he was about to leave, Ping'er smiled and stopped him.
"No need to rush, Daoist friend. I recently acquired some fine tea. Since you're a tea lover, why not take some with you? Please wait a moment; I'll be back shortly."
Before He Song could refuse, Ping'er had already walked away.
Moments later—
He Song stepped out of the Spirit Techniques Pavilion, holding a small box filled with tea leaves.
Behind him, Ping'er stood smiling, her gaze lingering on He Song as he departed.
Having decided three years ago to form a good relationship with He Song, Ping'er naturally seized the opportunity to strengthen their connection when they met again three years later.
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