Translator: AnubisTL
In Heavenly Treasure Capital, Li Qing, having received numerous invitations to trade fairs, didn't feign aloofness. Instead, he attended each one with grace and openness.
"Hahaha, Fellow Daoist Limitless, what a pleasure to meet you!"
"Indeed a true hero! Fellow Daoist Limitless's bearing is truly extraordinary!"
"I once visited the Azure Ridge Domain in my youth. Who would have thought such a barren land could produce a peerless talent like Fellow Daoist Limitless? Truly remarkable!"
"..."
Flattering voices echoed around him. Everyone sought to befriend Li Qing, who had single-handedly fought the Black Flood Dragon King and suppressed the Golden Bear King.
After reaching the Nascent Soul realm, advancing one's cultivation became increasingly difficult. Most cultivators, after attempting prolonged meditation and seclusion, shifted their focus to enhancing their combat prowess or extending their lifespan.
Cultivators like Li Qing, with such formidable combat strength, were naturally prime targets for these individuals. No one would dare offend him.
Li Qing responded to each greeting with impeccable courtesy, radiating genuine goodwill and avoiding any hint of arrogance.
Li Qing's amiable attitude further pleased the Nascent Soul cultivators present.
"Fellow Daoists flatter me," Li Qing said modestly, waving his hand. "I've only mastered a few obscure, minor techniques, nothing worthy of note."
His words drew chuckles from many, who stroked their beards and laughed.
"Hahaha, Fellow Daoist is too humble. If your skills are merely minor techniques, what does that make the rest of us?"
"Indeed! Fellow Daoist Limitless, you must punish yourself with three cups!"
"..."
While billed as a trade fair, it was more like a social circle for Nascent Soul cultivators from this world. The primary goal was to forge connections and acquaintances, with trade taking a secondary role.
Li Qing was delighted by this arrangement. His cultivation journey had been relatively short, and he had spent most of his time in closed-door cultivation at the Lingyun Sect. Opportunities to connect with fellow Nascent Soul cultivators like this were rare indeed.
Still, it was a trade fair. After the initial pleasantries and a few cups of precious spirit wine, it was time to get down to business.
The organizer of today's trade fair was a gaunt Old Daoist, a native cultivator of the Wind Origin Domain known as Tu Yuan. The cultivation world referred to him as Old Lord Tu Yuan.
"Hehe, thank you all, Fellow Daoists, for gracing us with your presence. Today's trade fair will begin with this humble offering from this old one."
With that, Old Lord Tu Yuan patted the gray-black storage bag at his waist.
"Fellow Daoists, behold this!"
As his words fell, a delicate, snow-silver lock materialized in his hand.
The lock shimmered with a crystalline glow, its surface etched with intricate dao patterns of considerable depth.
Li Qing, who had been savoring his spirit wine, raised an eyebrow, recognizing the extraordinary nature of those dao patterns.
"This is..."
Someone voiced their curiosity, unsure of the lock's purpose.
Old Lord Tu Yuan stroked his beard, feigning mystery. "Fellow Daoists, feel free to examine it closely. If anyone can discern its function, I'll reward them with a cup of Dragon Spring Spirit Wine!"
Dragon Spring Spirit Wine was a renowned spirit wine in the Wind Origin Domain, celebrated not only for its rich flavor but also for its ability to nourish the divine soul and vital energy.
However, brewing this spirit wine was incredibly difficult, requiring rare and precious spirit herbs. Each cup was worth a fortune!
Legend has it that some aged Dragon Spring Spirit Wine can fetch astronomical prices, even if one possesses spirit stones, they might not be able to acquire it.
Old Lord Tu Yuan, having attained enlightenment long ago, had lived for an incredibly long time and amassed a considerable fortune. Consequently, he was exceptionally generous, without a trace of stinginess.
He simply handed over the mysterious silver lock directly, allowing the other cultivators to examine it.
The first to take hold of it was a dwarf who resembled an old rogue. Naturally, he was a Nascent Soul cultivator, with the daoist name True Monarch Dong Yang, a reclusive cultivator from the Overseas Immortal Island.
The old rogue played with the lock for a while, even going so far as to refine it with his own spiritual energy, yet still failed to discern its purpose.
With no other option, he passed the silver lock to the next cultivator for examination.
The second to receive the lock was a beautiful woman in court attire, her demeanor gentle and graceful. Her willow-leaf eyebrows, as if painted on, perfectly framed her delicate features, enhancing her refined elegance.
This female cultivator hailed from the Flame Domain and was known as Immortal Maiden Yun Rou. Her presence here naturally indicated her Nascent Soul cultivation level.
Immortal Maiden Yun Rou delicately caressed the exquisite silver lock with her slender fingers. In her hands, this magic treasure of unknown purpose seemed perfectly suited to her refined temperament.
Unfortunately, Immortal Maiden Yun Rou couldn't discern the function of the silver lock either. She shook her head helplessly and said, "The dao patterns on this lock exude an ancient aura, suggesting it's an artifact from ancient times. However, I can't determine its specific purpose."
As she spoke, the silver lock was passed down the line.
Meanwhile, Old Lord Tu Yuan, seated in the main seat, maintained his enigmatic smile. At some point, he produced a jade flask and slowly poured out a cup of pale golden jade nectar—the Dragon Spring Spirit Wine.
It seemed he intended to reward whoever could decipher the lock's purpose with this precious spirit wine. If no one could guess, he would enjoy it himself.
At this level of cultivation, further advancement was incredibly difficult. Many Nascent Soul cultivators prioritized enjoyment, and Old Lord Tu Yuan was clearly among them.
After passing through four pairs of hands, the silver lock finally reached Li Qing.
As an Artifact Refiner, Li Qing had been intrigued from the start. He set down his wine cup and began examining the lock's material.
"It appears to be forged from Great Luo Silver Essence and a type of spirit gold, with a layer of jade-like material on the surface that resembles Profound Jade..."
Li Qing murmured to himself, his mind replaying the properties of Great Luo Silver Essence and Profound Jade. The former was a special material for dispelling evil, while the latter, when worn for extended periods, could nourish the wearer.
The dao patterns were indeed ancient, but Li Qing couldn't identify their specific type.
He infused the lock with spiritual energy, but nothing seemed to happen.
Just as Li Qing was about to return it, he suddenly noticed that the flow of his seven-colored life essence within his body had slowed.
This characteristic was somewhat similar to the properties of the miraculous water he had discovered in the World of Eternal Night—a mixture of Great Yin True Water and Yellow Springs River Water.
Hesitantly, Li Qing said in front of everyone, "This lock seems to slow aging. Could it be a longevity lock?"
At these words, all the cultivators present turned their gazes toward Old Lord Tu Yuan. He smiled and handed Li Qing a cup of Dragon Spring Spirit Wine.
"Fellow Daoist Limitless, your eyes are truly sharp! Indeed, this is a longevity lock!"
"It can delay the aging of one's lifespan by one to one and a half centuries. I obtained this lock long ago and have worn it ever since. Now that it's lost its efficacy for me, I've brought it here to trade with my fellow Daoists."
"This lock can delay the aging of one's lifespan by one hundred to one hundred and fifty years!"
The moment these words were spoken, everyone present, including Li Qing, was stunned.
Though all were Nascent Soul cultivators with lifespans exceeding a thousand years—each an ancient turtle who had lived for over a millennium—no one ever complained about living too long!
With this lock, and if worn constantly, one could gain an extra century of life. Such a treasure was truly invaluable!
"Hiss! Fellow Daoist Tu Yuan, what do you want in exchange for this?"
"Hehe, this lock has caught my eye as well. Fellow Daoist Tu Yuan, tell us your terms," Immortal Maiden Yun Rou said with a charming smile.
Li Qing had already returned the longevity lock. He sipped his Dragon Spring Spirit Wine, quietly observing the scene.
He didn't need to worry about his lifespan for now, so there was no need for him to pay any price for the lock. He decided to simply watch.
"Hehe, I wish to trade this lock for a spirit pill or herb that can extend my lifespan by fifty years," Old Lord Tu Yuan said leisurely.
This condition didn't surprise them too much. At Old Lord Tu Yuan's age, extending his lifespan had indeed become a top priority.
Old Rogue, True Monarch Dong Yang spoke first. "Fellow Daoist Tu Yuan, I have an eight-hundred-year-old Earth Yellow Essence. I wonder if..."
Before he could finish, Old Lord Tu Yuan shook his head. "Alas, I consumed Earth Yellow Essence in my youth. Its effects are now useless to me."
"If you have a high-grade Spirit Longevity Peach or other life-extending pills, I might consider it."
Immortal Maiden Yun Rou, who had been intrigued by the longevity lock, her eyes flickered slightly. "I can offer a High-Grade Life-Prolonging Pill, which can extend one's life by twenty years. What do you think, Old Lord?"
Life-Prolonging Pills are a common type of life-extending elixir, but most of these pills can only be taken once in a lifetime!
A High-Grade Life-Prolonging Pill, capable of extending life by twenty years, was already quite impressive.
However, Old Lord Tu Yuan remained unfazed. He had brought out such a precious longevity lock, and his bottom line was to trade it for a spirit pill or spirit herb that could extend his life by fifty years. Anything less wouldn't meet his expectations.
"If none of you have a suitable trade item, I'll have to take this to the grand auction and try my luck there," Old Lord Tu Yuan sighed softly.
The grand auction hosted by the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild was naturally accepting submissions from other cultivators.
The auction items on the day of the grand auction would be a combination of items from the guild itself and submissions from other cultivators. Rare treasures were sure to be abundant.
Old Lord Tu Yuan pinned his hopes on the guild's grand auction.
"Alas, I only have a Spirit Longevity Peach Pit. When I found it, the flesh had already been eaten away by spirit insects," a middle-aged cultivator sighed, shaking his head.
This remark caught Old Lord Tu Yuan's attention. He asked, "Fellow Daoist, have you encountered a Spirit Longevity Peach tree?"
"No, just a peach pit that had been hollowed out by insects."
In the end, the silver longevity lock remained unsold. It was likely to appear as an auction item at the upcoming grand auction.
In fact, such failed transactions were not uncommon at small-scale trade fairs like this one; they were, in fact, quite common.
With limited scale and only a handful of participants, how could every transaction possibly succeed?
Therefore, the true significance of such a trade fair lies more in fostering connections and mutual understanding than in the actual exchange of goods.
Of course, there were successful transactions as well.
For instance, Immortal Maiden Yun Rou sincerely offered an eight-hundred-year-old spirit herb in exchange for a branch of millennial spirit wood.
This trade was easily completed, with the branch going to Old Rogue, True Monarch Dong Yang from Overseas Immortal Island.
When it was Li Qing's turn, he presented a bottle of Third-tier Fire Origin Nectar brewed by the Fire Jade Bee Queen.
"Hehe, this is Fire Origin Nectar, a spirit nectar I obtained by chance. It's of the third-tier level."
"You are all well-informed cultivators. I trust I need not elaborate on its effects, as you likely already understand its value."
With that, Li Qing placed a Jade Purity Bottle on the table.
The moment the bottle appeared, it sparked surprise among the attendees.
"Third-tier Fire Origin Nectar! This is a spirit nectar only the Third-tier Fire Jade Bee Queen can produce!"
"Indeed. For cultivators in the core formation realm practicing the Fire Dao, this nectar is more valuable than some spirit pills and elixirs that enhance cultivation."
"Hmm, I've heard of a spirit wine whose recipe calls for Fire Origin Nectar, and the higher the tier, the better the wine."
"Fellow Daoist Limitless, what do you hope to trade this for?"
Among the cultivators present, one was a Nascent Soul cultivator practicing the Fire Dao. Li Qing had brought out the Fire Origin Nectar simply to sell it as a substitute for millennial spirit milk.
After all, some of the treasures he possessed were too valuable to casually auction off; they were all useful items.
"I'd like to trade this for a pill that can enhance my Nascent Soul realm cultivation, but I doubt that's a realistic expectation."
"If any of you are interested, feel free to bid with spirit stones. The highest bidder wins."
Li Qing's attitude was remarkably candid. While the Fire Origin Nectar was valuable, it was clearly no match for a pill that could benefit even Nascent Soul cultivators.
His primary goal for this trip was the Thunder Sound Bamboo; he hadn't expected to acquire a pill to boost his Nascent Soul realm cultivation.
Soon, everyone present began submitting their bids.
In the end, Old Lord Tu Yuan secured the bottle of Third-tier Fire Origin Nectar with a bid of nine thousand spirit stones.
With this, the trade fair came to an end.
In the days that followed, Li Qing either cultivated in his attic, participated in various trade fairs, or was invited to banquets hosted by fellow Nascent Soul cultivators.
Among these were several prominent figures, including Old Man Tianxing, the renowned Array Dao master from the Flame Domain, who became acquainted with Li Qing.
Throughout this period, Nascent Soul cultivators from outer domains also arrived, each with their own fame or representing powerful forces. For instance, the Western Heaven Pavilion of the Cloud Marsh Domain sent an ancestor to attend.
These days passed pleasantly, even causing Li Qing's usually unwavering pursuit of the Dao to relax somewhat.
Amidst this comfortable atmosphere, the grand auction of the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild finally drew near!
At this grand auction, every cultivator had a spiritual object they were determined to obtain, and everyone was eagerly preparing themselves.
Compared to the previous small trade fairs, this grand auction was like the main course after a mere appetizer!
(End of the Chapter)
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