Trade and Tension

"The Sect Master's Northern Dipper Demon-Dispelling Sword Technique is truly remarkable! I've finally witnessed it with my own eyes!"

Pang Zhuoqun's eyes lit up in admiration. He had always revered powerful sword cultivators the most. Within the sect, the one he admired the most was undoubtedly the Sect Master.

"If Senior Brother admires sword cultivators so much, why not focus entirely on swordsmanship?"

"It's not that I didn't want to—it simply wasn't my fate," Pang Zhuoqun sighed.

"Don't ask, Junior Sister. Back in the day, Senior Brother Pang wanted to focus on sword cultivation, but he didn't have the talent for it. If not for his decent aptitude in alchemy, he might not have even become our senior brother!" Dai Yuzhu chuckled and teased.

"I said it's not meant to be!"

"Demons vanquished, job's done. Let's head back and cultivate," Pang Zhuoqun said, a bit flushed after the teasing.

"How far along is the investigation?" Chen Jinshu asked curiously.

"Mm, I'm not too sure myself. In any case, during our master's three-month seclusion, the entire sect was on high alert! The Golden Core Elders were coming and going constantly," Xie Mofeng said with a small shake of his head.

The three of them had been cultivating under their master in seclusion during that time, so they hadn't had many chances to hear news from outside. Only Pang Zhuoqun had left occasionally, though he always returned quickly.

"I heard a bit. Apparently, two demonic cultivator bases and two nests were discovered in the market area. Quite a substantial find!" Pang Zhuoqun perked up as he joined the conversation.

"Anything else?" The others all turned to him.

"That's all I heard! You'll have to dig around for the rest. Rumors are bound to spread."

"Oh right! A few of us core disciples from different peaks are organizing a trading convention. Interested?" Zheng Shaosi suddenly remembered and brought it up.

"A trading convention? What kind?"

"Prices at the markets are too inflated. Many disciples end up with unfair deals when selling spiritual items. So we decided on a barter-style trade instead. This time it's specifically for Foundation Establishment cultivators. Junior Sister Jinshu, since you're close to establishing your foundation, you're welcome to join. I heard there'll be items that assist in the breakthrough—it could make your advancement smoother!"

"Please, tell me more!"

Chen Jinshu's interest sparked immediately upon hearing about items that aid in establishing a foundation.

"It's set for half a month from now. If you'd like to join, just message me—I'll take you there. These trade gatherings are great for finding rare resources and exchanging cultivation methods with fellow Foundation Establishment cultivators…"

"Perfect! Count me in! Please remind me when the time comes, Senior Brother."

"I'll join too!" Several others voiced their interest.

The trading convention was informally organized, but due to recent unrest with the demonic cultivator incident, many disciples had chosen to keep spiritual items instead of selling them in the market. Trading directly within the sect was proving to be much more economical.

Half a month later, midday.

Chen Jinshu slowly extinguished the flame under her alchemy furnace and removed the five freshly refined Demon-Purging Pills, storing them in a jade bottle.

"First-tier, top-grade spiritual pills—with suppressive effects on demonic qi. Finally crafted them."

Over the past two weeks, she had refrained from increasing her cultivation level. Advancing too rapidly could cause bodily imbalance and wasn't wise.

Instead, she took the time to study the Demon-Purging Pill. With the recent demonic cultivator incident, she knew she needed a reliable method of defense. Not long after, her communication token lit up with a message from her senior brother.

"Time to head to the trade convention!"

This event was relatively large in scale, with over 500 Foundation Establishment cultivators rumored to attend. The venue was Tianyue Peak, the largest among the mountain ranges, and the event was led by the inner sect's senior disciple Bu Xuanyin.

It was said that Bu Xuanyin's cultivation had reached the peak of Foundation Establishment—he was just a step away from forming his Golden Core. But Golden Core breakthroughs were rare in the sect. It wouldn't be easy, even in the coming years.

Still, with Bu Xuanyin presiding, Chen Jinshu felt confident in the safety and order of the convention. A short while later, she arrived at the Tianyue Hall with her fellow disciples and her pet, the Yīn Mountain Sparrow. Foundation Establishment disciples guarded the entrance, forbidding entry to anyone below the ninth level of Qi Refining.

Inside, Chen Jinshu was momentarily dazzled by the crowd—over 500 cultivators had gathered. This had to be nearly two-thirds of the sect's Foundation Establishment disciples. There were even several other cultivators at the ninth level of Qi Refining like herself.

"What a crowd!" Chen Jinshu exclaimed.

"This is just the appetizer! More are on the way. Let's find a seat before the good ones are gone," Zheng Shaosi said cheerfully, guiding them toward some empty floor cushions in the corner.

"Senior Brother, what are you hoping to trade for this time?"

"I've been stuck at the mid-stage peak of Foundation Establishment for a while. I'm looking for spiritual herbs that can help me break through," Zheng Shaosi admitted openly.

Since their master had gone into seclusion, he'd been the only one unable to advance beyond the sixth level of Foundation Establishment. His physical strength had advanced, but his spiritual cultivation remained stuck.

"What herbs are you missing? Maybe we've got some."

"Skyblue Flower, Spirit Candle Fruit, Heaven-Mending Ganoderma…" Zheng Shaosi listed eight rare herbs.

All of them were high-tier second-grade herbs, aged 700–900 years to be effective.

"I've got a few Skyblue Flowers I picked up in a secret realm, but none of the others," Chen Jinshu said as she pulled out a wooden box containing three azure-spotted herbs and handed it over.

"Many thanks, Junior Sister! What would you like in return?" Zheng Shaosi asked with joy.

Chen Jinshu thought for a moment but couldn't recall any immediate needs. She had plenty of herbs and spiritual tools—she'd mostly come to see what caught her eye.

"Give me a few Tier 2 talismans, then."

"Alright! I've got ten Superior Frostbind Talismans—comparable to a full-strength attack from a late Foundation Establishment cultivator. Ten Swiftstep Talismans that boost your speed to that of a late Foundation Establishment cultivator. And ten Golden Sword Talismans…"

"Isn't that too much?"

"Junior Sister, you probably don't realize how rare Skyblue Flowers are. Even the Medicine King Peak, abundant in herbs, only produces a few hundred each year, and most are pre-reserved by other peaks," Zheng Shaosi said with a shake of his head.

One Skyblue Flower was easily worth ten superior Tier 2 talismans.

"Then thank you, Senior Brother!"

Afterward, Chen Jinshu and the others completed a few more trades among themselves. In a blink, half an hour passed, and the main event finally began.

"Bu Xuanyin greets all fellow brothers and sisters," Bu Xuanyin said as he stepped forward.

He had the refined appearance of a jade-like gentleman, and his every move exuded calm and grace, putting everyone at ease.

"I'll be presiding over this trade convention!"

"With the recent unrest in the sect, many have spiritual items they're hesitant to sell. I'll begin by setting the example and making the first trade."

As he finished, he waved his sleeve, and before him appeared an impressive array of spiritual items—swords, talismans, pills, herbs...