**Chapter 111: Medium-Grade Artifacts**

At the very least, he no longer wanted to live like an ascetic, as he had in the past. 

He deserved to enjoy the finer things in life. 

Otherwise, the long and arduous path of cultivation ahead would become an even greater test of his mental fortitude if he continued to live like a hermit. 

As these thoughts crossed his mind, He Song glanced thoughtfully at the young woman beside him. 

But then he shook his head. 

He would make those decisions after returning from Azurepeak Immortal City. 

Soon, Lu Yang reappeared in the VIP lounge. 

With a look, he signaled the young woman to leave, then proceeded to lay out a series of artifacts in front of He Song. 

"Senior, this is the Crimson Gold Sword, a medium-grade artifact forged from Crimson Spirit Ore and several other rare materials. Among medium-grade artifacts, its power is top-tier. It's priced at six hundred spirit stones." 

"This is the Eight Directions Sword, crafted from a blend of various ores. Its blade is exceptionally durable, and its power is also formidable among medium-grade artifacts. It's priced at four hundred and fifty spirit stones." 

"This is the Dark Jade Blade, made from Dark Crystal Stone. It's incredibly sharp and boasts immense power among medium-grade artifacts, though it has some wear. It's priced at five hundred spirit stones." 

"This is the Obsidian Iron Shield, forged from Obsidian Iron Ore and other rare materials. It's extremely sturdy and, when activated, can provide full defensive coverage under spiritual energy control. It's priced at five hundred and fifty spirit stones." 

"This is the Earthguard Shield, a standard defensive artifact for outer disciples of the Earthguard Sect. Its defensive capabilities are remarkable. Our shop only has this one left. If you're interested, Senior, it's priced at five hundred spirit stones." 

"This is the Soulguard Iron Armor, a medium-grade defensive artifact…" 

As Lu Yang introduced each artifact one by one, He Song gained a clearer understanding of the medium-grade artifacts laid out before him. 

Among the offensive artifacts, swords were the most common, followed by blades. 

Among the defensive artifacts, shields were the most common, followed by armor. 

He Song's preference was also for one offensive and one defensive artifact—a sword and a shield. 

Using the Art of Object Manipulation, he could control the sword to attack enemies while simultaneously using the shield for defense. 

This way, he would be well-prepared for both offense and defense, leaving no gaps in his combat capabilities. 

His gaze fell on the swords on the table, and He Song casually picked one up to examine it closely. 

It was the Crimson Gold Sword. 

Forged from Crimson Spirit Ore and other rare materials, it was slightly more expensive, costing six hundred spirit stones. 

But as He Song held it in his hand and channeled a surge of spiritual energy into it, a crimson glow immediately lit up the VIP lounge. 

The Crimson Gold Sword, true to its name, was a deep red.

As it flew through the air, it left a trail of fiery light, exuding an imposing aura. 

Crimson Spirit Ore was renowned for containing crimson spiritual energy, which could enhance a cultivator's attack power.

It was an excellent material for crafting artifacts. 

The Crimson Gold Sword, forged from Crimson Spirit Ore and other rare materials, was a standout even among medium-grade artifacts. 

No wonder it was more expensive than the others. 

After testing the sword, He Song set it aside and turned his attention to the Earthguard Shield. 

Picking it up, he activated the Art of Object Manipulation.

Spiritual energy surged from his body, and the Earthguard Shield instantly floated into the air. 

With a mere thought, the shield could appear anywhere around him, moving with incredible speed. 

This meant that if someone tried to ambush him, he could instantly deploy the shield to block the attack as long as he reacted in time. 

After testing its capabilities, He Song nodded in satisfaction. 

He then compared the Earthguard Shield to the other shields and the Crimson Gold Sword to the other swords. 

Finally, he made his decision. 

"I'll take the Crimson Gold Sword and the Earthguard Shield. The two low-grade artifacts I purchased here before can be used to offset some of the cost." 

He Song casually took out the two low-grade artifacts—one offensive and one defensive—that he had prepared earlier and placed them on the table. 

The two low-grade artifacts were no longer useful to him. 

It was better to return them to the Artifact Pavilion to reduce the cost of purchasing the two medium-grade artifacts. 

"One Crimson Gold Sword and one Earthguard Shield total one thousand one hundred spirit stones." 

"After deducting the value of your two low-grade artifacts, which is two hundred and thirty spirit stones…" 

"Senior, you only need to pay eight hundred and seventy spirit stones." 

Lu Yang quickly calculated the price. 

He Song naturally complied. With a wave of his hand, eight hundred and seventy spirit stones appeared on the table. 

The pile of spirit stones glittered brightly, illuminating the entire VIP lounge. 

Seeing the spirit stones laid out, Lu Yang's face lit up with a smile as he swiftly collected them into his storage bag. 

As the manager of the Artifact Pavilion, he received a commission for every artifact sold. 

While the amount wasn't huge, it added up over the year. 

Watching He Song casually spend eight hundred and seventy spirit stones without batting an eye, Lu Yang couldn't help but feel a surge of satisfaction. 

At the same time, he couldn't help but reflect on the difference a breakthrough to the late stage of Qi Refining made. 

Back when He Song was at the mid-stage of Qi Refining, he had only been willing to purchase two low-grade artifacts, spending a little over two hundred spirit stones. 

But now, immediately after breaking through, he had bought two medium-grade artifacts, spending nearly a thousand spirit stones without hesitation. 

It was… extravagant! 

Spending over a thousand spirit stones on two medium-grade artifacts—even after offsetting some of the cost with the two low-grade artifacts—was a significant sum. 

For someone like Lu Yang, a sixth-level Qi Refining cultivator and manager of the Artifact Pavilion, this amount was a fortune. 

It would take him a decade to save up that many spirit stones. 

After purchasing one offensive and one defensive medium-grade artifact, significantly boosting his combat capabilities, He Song left the Artifact Pavilion with a sense of satisfaction. 

Behind him, Lu Yang was all smiles as he respectfully saw He Song off. 

The transaction had left both parties pleased. 

However, after leaving the Artifact Pavilion, He Song's gaze soon turned to another place. 

The Talisman Pavilion. 

This was a shop dedicated to selling talismans. 

Unlike individual talisman masters like He Song, the Talisman Pavilion offered talismans of every grade, all of guaranteed quality. 

Low-grade talismans, medium-grade talismans, high-grade talismans, life-saving talismans—they had it all. 

When purchasing talismans here, there was no need to worry about defective products or quality issues. 

Every talisman put up for sale was rigorously tested and confirmed to be flawless before being offered to customers. 

When He Song was too busy to sell his talismans in the market district, he would sell them to the Talisman Pavilion at a slightly lower price to earn some income. 

However, selling talismans to the Talisman Pavilion did reduce a talisman master's profits. 

(End of Chapter) 

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