"Since we're already here, we might as well look around," Xiao Jietian said with a smile, looking at the two little girls who were eagerly craning their necks and scanning every direction.
Although the chances of finding any real treasures were slim, making the two girls happy was worth spending any amount of time.
"Oh yeah! Daddy, you're the best!" the two little girls cheered excitedly.
"I've already dropped to second place so quickly?" Xuan Yi, standing nearby, looked at them with a dangerous glint in her eyes. Just this morning they had said she was the best, yet now they had changed their minds so fast.
"Hehe, you're both the best! You're both our beloveds!" Xiao Ling quickly added. "Let's go quickly. I'm sure I can find a treasure!"
Xuan Yi and Xiao Jietian exchanged helpless glances as they watched their two lively daughters, but their hearts were filled with warmth.
"Then I'll take you to hunt for treasure," Xuan Yi said. She was also infected by their joyful mood, a faint smile playing on her lips.
"Yay!!" The two little girls cheered loudly, bouncing and skipping as they pulled Xuan Yi deeper into the hall.
Xiao Jietian watched their excited little backs with eyes full of doting affection. As his own people, they deserved to live carefree and happy lives.
...
Xiao Jietian left the three of them to their fun and chose to wander around by himself.
He walked past various stone platforms, casually examining the different items displayed on them, but found nothing of real value.
After strolling for about half an hour, he had already covered nearly half of the area.
"Hmm?"
Xiao Jietian subtly stopped in front of a stall run by an old man with a Tier-5 Alchemist badge pinned to his chest.
The stall was inconspicuous and even a bit messy, with various metal fragments, strange stones, and herb remnants scattered across it.
However, Xiao Jietian's gaze was immediately drawn to an amber-like object nestled among a pile of ordinary-looking stones.
"Interesting." Xiao Jietian narrowed his eyes slightly. He shifted his gaze and pretended to casually examine other items on the stall.
"Young friend, come take a look at my goods. These are all treasures I've collected over many years. I've only recently brought myself to display them," the old man said with a smile when he noticed Xiao Jietian stopping. His peripheral vision kept glancing at the young man.
Xiao Jietian casually picked up a red herb fragment and asked nonchalantly, "These are yours?"
"Young friend, you have a good eye! This is one of my stall's prized possessions. It's a fragment of Earth Vein Ganoderma and still contains quite a few Ganoderma spores. These spores can be used to cultivate new Earth Vein Ganoderma, which is a key ingredient for refining eighth-grade pills."
The old man pointed at the thick red fragment in Xiao Jietian's hand and explained enthusiastically, his eyes constantly observing Xiao Jietian's reaction.
"Old man, you're only fooling those who don't know any better," Xiao Jietian said lightly as he placed the Ganoderma fragment back down. He tapped his fingertip on the stone platform and looked at the old man with a half-smile. "This does contain spores, but for Earth Vein Ganoderma to be successfully cultivated, you need a place rich in earth energy. Moreover, the activity of the spores in this fragment is probably less than ten percent, isn't it?"
"Young friend, what sharp eyes you have!" The smile on the old man's face froze for a moment before becoming even brighter.
Xiao Jietian didn't reply. He picked up a few other unremarkable items, occasionally nodding, but deliberately avoided looking at the amber-like object.
Seeing Xiao Jietian pick up a black stone, the old man lowered his voice mysteriously. "Young friend, this is the most precious item I have here."
"It was passed down from my great-grandfather. He said that when he was apprenticed under a high-level Grade 8 alchemist, that alchemist gave this to him on his deathbed."
"It may contain that alchemist's lifelong insights and experiences. If you truly want it, I'll give it to you at a cheaper price. Just one scroll containing a Tier-6 Intermediate Soul Clarity Pill formula will do."
Xiao Jietian couldn't help but chuckle at the old man's elaborate story. "Old man, if this thing is so precious, then you should keep it and study it slowly yourself."
The old man was about to continue when Xiao Jietian picked up the Ganoderma fragment again. "I'm more interested in this than your stone."
"This is my stall's…" The old man tried to embellish it again, but when he saw Xiao Jietian put the item down and prepare to leave, he quickly said, "Just any Tier-6 Intermediate pill, and this item is yours."
"Too expensive. This is ultimately just a fragment, and there's a high chance it'll end up as wasted effort. You should keep it and try cultivating it yourself."
Xiao Jietian casually swept his hand across the stall, gathering four or five items and fragments—including the amber-like object—into a pile. He said nonchalantly, "The Ganoderma fragment plus these items. I can give you one Tier-6 Intermediate pill."
The old man frowned, his gaze sweeping over the pile. They were all things he considered trash, but he still wanted to haggle. "Young friend, that's too much. These are all my treasured collections…"
Xiao Jietian ignored the old man's nonsense and turned to leave. His steps were unhurried, but they carried a sense of finality.
Seeing that Xiao Jietian was really about to walk away, the old man quickly raised his voice. "Young friend, wait!"
Xiao Jietian's steps paused slightly, but he didn't turn back. He simply stood there quietly.
The old man forced a smile and rubbed his hands together. "Young friend, don't be in such a hurry. Let's discuss it further."
"You know the quality of your own item. I've already offered a fair price. If you don't think it's worth it, then forget it," Xiao Jietian said calmly, looking at the old man.
The old man naturally knew the true condition of his Ganoderma fragment. He had obtained three pieces before, and two of his attempts had already failed. Otherwise, he wouldn't have put it up for sale.
Gritting his teeth, the old man forced a warm smile onto his face.
"Young friend, don't misunderstand. It's not that I think it's not worth it. It's just that these are all my treasured collections, so I'm a bit reluctant to part with them. How about this—seeing how sincere you are, this deal… we'll do it as you said!"
"Here's a Tier-6 Intermediate Bear Heart Pill." Xiao Jietian flipped his hand, and a jade bottle appeared. He tossed it to the old man, who quickly caught it.
The old man opened it to inspect the pill. After confirming it was genuine, he pushed the pile of items toward Xiao Jietian with a smile. "Young friend, no problem. Take these."
Xiao Jietian casually stored the five items into his system space. "Farewell."
With that, he turned and slowly walked away, merging into the crowd and disappearing without a trace.
...
Half an hour after Xiao Jietian finished his purchase.
He found the two little girls again. At this moment, they were sitting dejectedly on a stone platform, looking utterly miserable.
Xuan Yi squatted down in front of them, looking at the two little ones at eye level. A faint smile played on her lips, but she tried hard to keep a serious expression.
"What's wrong, my little treasure hunters? Are you already disheartened?" She reached out and gently poked their noses, making the two girls pout even more.