Chapter 14: Selling Precious Medicine, Exceeding Expectations

Walking through the Immortal Market, Arius attracted stares wherever he went. The cultivators around him gazed at him with a mixture of awe and fear, instinctively keeping their distance.

In the world of cultivation, strength reigned supreme, and the hierarchy was rigidly enforced.

Though the Immortal Market was crowded with cultivators, most of them were only at the Skin Tempering stage.

Cultivators at the Blood Tempering or Bone Tempering stages were few and far between.

Arius had visited the Immortal Market within the Albigensians Sect during his time there, and this market was a far cry from that.

Compared to the Albigensians Sect's grand market, this one was but a speck of dust.

In the sect's market, as long as one had enough spirit stones, it was easy to purchase Level 1 Pills or artifacts.

On occasion, even Level 2 Pills could be found for sale.

As Arius's thoughts wandered, he found himself, almost without realizing it, standing before the grandest structure in the market.

The building towered seven stories high, its design bold and imposing.

At the entrance stood two beautiful young women, their long pink dresses complementing their serene and graceful demeanors.

Though the two women were only at the early stage of Skin Tempering, they showed no trace of fear when facing Arius, whose vitality marked him as a Bone Tempering cultivator.

It was not because they underestimated him.

Rather, the building they guarded—The Blue Pavilion—was one of the enterprises owned by the mysterious master of the Immortal Market.

As long as they adhered to the rules, even Bone Tempering or early Organ Tempering cultivators wouldn't dare cause trouble within The Blue Pavilion.

"Honored senior, welcome to The Blue Pavilion!"

"May I ask if you're looking for artifacts, materials, pills, or cultivation manuals? Our pavilion offers a wide selection of everything you may need."

"Since this is your first visit to The Blue Pavilion, if you would allow it, I would be delighted to guide you through and explain the details of our offerings."

The young woman with long, jet-black hair and flawless, jade-like skin stepped forward, her smile warm and inviting.

Her gaze burned with a subtle intensity as it settled on Arius.

A Bone Tempering cultivator was likely to have substantial wealth. To her, Arius was a walking treasure chest.

The more she could convince him to purchase, the higher her commission for the month would be.

"There's no need," Arius replied coolly, unmoved by her enthusiasm.

Her identity was clear—she was a salesperson for The Blue Pavilion.

During his time at the Albigensians Sect, Arius had seen many large trading houses employ similar tactics, hiring young and attractive female cultivators—or handsome and charming male ones—as salespeople.

It was a proven strategy to boost profits.

But neither beauty nor sweet words held any sway over Arius.

Such methods might work on inexperienced, naïve cultivators, but Arius had cultivated for over a century. He was immune to these superficial tricks.

Despite Arius's indifference, the young woman maintained her professional smile, showing no sign of discomfort or embarrassment.

This was her job, after all.

Being rejected by one customer didn't faze her. Another would come along soon enough.

While most cultivators were shrewd and calculating, the vast sea of people always presented opportunities for persuasion.

"Please, senior, go ahead…"

"If you need assistance at any time, feel free to call on me."

The young woman's voice was soft and alluring, carrying a subtle charm designed to captivate.

Arius, however, didn't respond further. He walked straight into The Blue Pavilion without sparing her another glance.

He felt no fondness for the two women outside.

In fact, their presence immediately put Arius on alert—not just toward them but also toward the mysterious owner of both the Blue Pavilion and the Immortal Market.

Though the two young women appeared harmless, Arius could detect faint traces of an evil cultivation aura emanating from them.

His ability to sense this wasn't a coincidence; during his time at the Albigensians Sect, Arius had secretly practiced an evil cultivation technique himself.

Without it, given his "pseudo-spirit root" aptitude and lack of backing within the sect, breaking through to even the mid-stage of Skin Tempering would have been nearly impossible, let alone reaching Blood Tempering.

Evil cultivation techniques provided rapid progress in the early stages, but the further one advanced, the greater the risks became.

Within the cultivation world of the Aragon Kingdom, practicing such techniques was strictly forbidden.

Anyone found to be an evil cultivator would face relentless persecution from all sides.

The evil cultivation method Arius had once practiced was a fragmented and incomplete technique he had stumbled upon by chance.

When he advanced to the Blood Tempering level and sensed his cultivation beginning to spiral out of control, he had decisively abandoned the technique.

At lower realms, practicing evil cultivation might escape the notice of higher-level cultivators. But once the foundation of such practices solidified, the consequences would be catastrophic.

Entering The Blue Pavilion, Arius cast a quick glance around the first floor. It was stocked with basic treasures and materials—items meant for novice cultivators.

The second floor housed cultivation techniques suitable for Skin Tempering and Blood Tempering stages.

The higher levels, starting from the third floor, gradually introduced items intended for Bone Tempering and even Organ Tempering cultivators.

From the third floor onward, each level was guarded by a Blood Tempering stage cultivator.

At the very top of The Blue Pavilion, a Bone Tempering stage cultivator oversaw everything. However, Arius could tell that even these guards had all practiced some form of evil cultivation.

The more he observed, the clearer it became—The Blue Pavilion's owner, the master of the Immortal Market, was no benevolent figure.

"Shopkeeper, will The Blue Pavilion accept this?"

Arius spoke calmly as he reached the top floor. From within his robe, he pulled out a single leaf from the century-old Spirit Purification Herb.

Since The Blue Pavilion sold various cultivation items, it also purchased materials, treasures, and techniques from others.

Though this was Arius's first time visiting the market, he had already researched it thoroughly during his time at the Albigensians Sect.

Not just this market—over the past century, Arius had gathered intelligence on all the major powers in Huai Mountain Prefecture.

The master of this market was very likely an evil cultivator, but their business practices had earned a solid reputation for reliability.

Even so, Arius remained prepared for the worst.

In the world of cultivation, every transaction carried inherent risks.

"Oh!"

"A century-old Spirit Purification Herb?"

The elderly Bone Tempering cultivator overseeing the top floor immediately perked up at the sight of the leaf.

Even a single leaf from such a herb held significant value.

"We'll take it! Of course, we'll take it!"

"Fellow Daoist, how does thirty spirit stone fragments sound?"

The elder's sharp eyes glinted as he looked at Arius, testing the waters with his offer.