October arrived.
The temperature in Cloud Mountain Parlour plummeted. When he woke up in the morning and opened the skylight, a gust of cold air rushed in. He raised his head and saw snowflakes falling down with him.
"First snow of the year." Shen Ping took a few breaths and closed the door again. After breakfast, he went straight to the main street of the market.
The cultivators were bustling with activity. There was an endless stream of people entering and exiting the True Treasure Building. Even cultivators who couldn't afford anything would go in and shop. They would put some of the items they liked in the shopping cart in their hearts.
He stepped into the threshold. After a while, Mu Jin appeared. "Fellow Daoist Shen, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. Recently, the price of dharma artifacts has dropped quite a bit. Many cultivators have bought a few."
Shen Ping was stunned. "The price of the dharma artifacts has decreased?"
Mu Jin smiled and said, "After the first batch of the Golden Sun Sect's Flame Gold Mine is mined, the price of dharma artifacts will naturally drop. Fellow Daoist Shen, do you want to buy a few more? If you don't need them, you can give them to your dao companion or close friends."
Shen Ping secretly felt his heart ache. He had suffered another loss. He did not have many spirit stones in his storage bag to buy more. He took out the high-grade talismans he had made in the past few months and handed them to Mu Jin.
"Five Spirit Protection Talismans and seven Golden Light Talismans. Fellow Daoist, do you need talisman materials?"
"Yes, 30 sets of Spirit Protection Talisman materials, 50 sets of Golden Light Talisman materials, and 10 sets of Explosive Talisman materials." He still had more than two months of talisman materials to use. If he prepared some more, it would save him the trouble of running back and forth.
After settling the spirit stones, he then asked about the mid-grade Yellow Spirit Pills and the price of the high-grade magic robe. The Yellow Spirit Pills were not too expensive and could be used for a period of time after purchasing two bottles. The lowest price for a high-grade magic treasure was 120 mid-grade spirit stones.
If there were no other expenses, he could afford it with gritted teeth.
"Next time." He sighed.
At this moment, Mu Jin handed over a jade token with the word 'bid' engraved on it. "Fellow Daoist Shen, this is a small-scale auction held within our True Treasure Pavilion. It will be held every three months. It will be held in a few days. You can bring a friend over to participate in the auction. Although the items in the auction are relatively high, most of them are relatively rare."
Shen Ping looked at the jade pendant and thought to himself that this was the resource of a high-grade Talisman Master. At least, he had never heard of an auction in the True Treasure Pavilion. Now that he had sold a few high-grade talismans in the True Treasure Pavilion, he was qualified to attend.
"Fellow Cultivator Mu, do you have to buy items for the auction?" He asked.
"There's no need. If you see something you like, you can bid for it. If you don't, just participate. In three days, if you want to participate, there will be specialized personnel to receive you at the True Treasure Pavilion."
He left the True Treasure Pavilion. Shen Ping went to the Talisman Treasure Hall and showed his face inside. Then, he turned around and went to the Spring Embroidery Pavilion.
Shopkeeper Chen complained, "Fellow Daoist Shen, there are too few talismans this time. Although the market is safe, the expenses are also huge. We can't slack off."
Shen Ping let out a few dry laughs. He was afraid that they would become fewer and fewer in the future. After settling the spirit stones, he casually asked for the price of some Dharma artifacts, magic robes, medicinal pills, and so on. After having an idea, he returned to Yunhe Alley.
...
Late at night. He habitually opened the virtual interface.
[You have dual cultivated with your wife once. You have received +2 Experience in Dao of Talisman.]
[Current wife's favorability: 100]
[Duo Cultivation Bonus: 4]
[Talisman Master: Level One High-grade (17,040/50,000)]
...
[You have dual cultivated with your Dao Companion once. You have obtained a metal-element spiritual root aptitude +2, wood-element spiritual root aptitude +2.]
[Current Dao Companion Favorability: 92]
[Duo Cultivation Bonus: 3]
[Metal Spiritual Root: High-grade (2,333/50,000)]
[Wood Spiritual Root: High-grade (2,225/50,000)]
The transformation of his spiritual roots to the high-grade was just as he had expected. It would take more than five years to transform again. According to his current speed, he still needed about three years of experience in the Dao of Talismans.
"I'm not young anymore, but I'm still at the fourth level of Qi Refinement." Every time Shen Ping thought of this, a worried look would appear between his brows. His aptitude was ordinary, and he had been delayed for too long in the early stages. Now, he was pressed for time.
After all, the older one was, the harder it was to build a foundation. Although there was a precedent of over-age Foundation Establishment, that kind of Foundation Establishment was very dangerous. If one was not careful, they would die.
Most importantly, it was the Foundation Establishment Pill.
This kind of precious elixir has always been a rare resource. The Golden Sun Sect firmly controlled it. Every time it required a rogue cultivator to risk their lives, they would only take out two or three to stimulate them.
"I wonder if there are any Foundation Establishment Pills for sale at the auction of the True Treasure Pavilion?" This thought appeared in his mind and he could not get rid of it. Although he knew that he could not afford it at the moment, if there was one at the auction, it would at least be a hope.
Apart from the Foundation Establishment Pill, Shen Ping felt that he had to consider the possibility of continuing to take concubines. Previously, he had many concerns in Red Willow Alley. Now that he was in the market, his safety was temporarily guaranteed. Even if there was a problem with continuing to take concubines, as long as he was careful, it should not be too serious.
Besides, if things went out of control, he could stop dual cultivation at any time.
"Husband, what are you thinking?" Just as he was thinking, Wang Yun, who was curled up in his arms, opened her eyes.
Shen Ping came back to his senses and smiled. "Nothing. Can't sleep anymore?"
Wang Yun nodded and said apologetically, "You have worked hard day and night and has to squeeze out time every day to accompany me and Sister Ying'er, but I can't help you. I've been with Senior Yu for the past few days. I think Senior Yu is quite interested in you. Why don't you consider marrying Senior Yu? I'm just a mortal. I'm really not worthy of being your wife."
Shen Ping said gently, "Yun'er, don't think too much. I've said before that you're my first wife and will always be the first."
Wang Yun was extremely touched. She did not expect that she was still so important to her husband until now. What she had said in the past was not perfunctory, but true. "Husband, I still want to…"
He looked at his loving wife. How could Shen Ping bear to reject such a request?
The clouds and rain stopped. He was just about to comfort his wife and let her rest as soon as possible when the virtual interface suddenly popped up in front of him.
[You dual cultivated with your wife once and gained 4 experience in Dao of Talisman.]
[Your wife is deeply in love with you. Current favorability: 100+20]
[Duo Cultivation Bonus: 6]
[Talisman Master: Level One High-grade (17,064/50,000)]
Shen Ping was slightly shocked. This dual cultivation not only doubled his experience in the Dao of Talismans, but also broke through the limit of favorability. "Deeply in love…" He did not expect his wife's feelings for him to have reached such a level. "Could it be because of those words just now? Or did love develop over time?"
He was a little uncertain. However, this change in the cheat made Shen Ping realize that his understanding of the cheat was still superficial and had not been deeply explored.
"Yun'er, go to sleep." Suppressing the churning thoughts in his heart, he lowered his head and kissed his wife's forehead.
Three days passed quickly. Shen Ping packed up and left Yunhe Alley, heading towards the True Treasure Pavilion.