The red-robed cultivator was none other than Qi Xiu. Over the past few days, he'd been on a shopping spree, acquiring a lot of valuable items—though his wallet was also getting lighter and lighter.
The 1st-grade top-tier formation, the Wide Opening Virtuous Golden Light Array, was perfect for Black River Peak. It had a large coverage area and strong defense.
While it couldn't draw on spiritual veins like mountain-protecting formation, Black River Peak's spiritual veins were both minimal and hidden, so it wouldn't have made a difference.
The formation was much cheaper compared to other mountain-protecting formations of the same tier, making it the ideal choice.
The only downside was its weak attack power, but considering how low the cultivation level of Chu Qin Sect members was, if an enemy broke into the formation, they wouldn't be able to resist much anyway. It can be said to be more or less adequate.
The formation cost 4 and a half 3rd-grade spirit stones, making it the most expensive item Qi Xiu had bought. The whole formation setup came in several large boxes, so he had to spend another 2rd-grade spirit stone to buy a Ten Directions Storage Pouch to fit all these things in.
Qi Xiu had also bought a batch of 1st-grade mid-tier robes, the Clear Breeze Robes, which were adorned with two arrays: Cleaning and Wind Shield. These robes helped reduce the consumption of the sect's Cleaning Talisman and offered some of the same benefits as the Black Wind Banner, making it easier for sect members to move around in the mist.
The robes were plain and unattractive, and the patterns on them were the family crest of some clan, so no other sect would have likely bought them. However, they were cheap; for 1.5 3rd-grade spirit stones, Qi Xiu bought 27 pieces.
Given the current state of the Chu Qin Sect and Qi Xiu's lack of concern for appearances, having every member wear these robes, switching them out with the red ones they used to wear was no big deal.
He had also picked up various small items for the sect members who hadn't brought their own supplies, all 1-grade low-tier stuff. For himself, he'd purchased a small spirit monkey called a Strange-Eyed Golden Silk Monkey, a 1st-grade low-tier spirit monkey. While it had no hope of advancing in cultivation, it was a comfort and a nice keepsake.
In addition to all that, Qi Xiu had bought a vast collection of wandering cultivators' travel journals, geographic records, low-level Five Elements cultivation techniques, and low-level spellbooks—enough to fill an entire bookshelf. These would serve as the foundation for the Chu Qin Sect's mini library, giving the sect a proper starting point for its collection of cultivation knowledge.
There was one item Qi Xiu had purchased specifically for He Yu. Since Qi Xiu had turned down He Yu's promotion to inner disciple, and with Kan Lin being an external factor, it was necessary to offer some form of consolation. He Yu's current reference object, the Spirit Water Jade Pendant, was only 1-grade low-tier and would become inadequate as he progressed through the mid and late stages of Qi Condensation.
So, Qi Xiu had bought him a Flowing Water Bodhi Beads, a mid-tier 1st-grade magical item made from a string of ten or so special jade marrow beads.The water within the beads moved continuously as if alive, perfectly matching He Yu's fate source's item, the Water Within Stone.
Qi Xiu planned to give it to him as a gift.
These purchases, despite their quantity, were not expensive. The total came to just 2 3rd-grade spirit stones.
Finally, Qi Xiu had picked up 2 2nd-grade Construction Warrior Talismans, several 1st-grade Servant Laborer Talismans, and a large batch of common talismans and medicinal pills. These purchases together cost him another 3rd-grade spirit stone.
The Construction Warrior Talisman was one of the more expensive 2nd-grade talismans, and Qi Xiu had already decided to buy it previously. With his spirit stones now plentiful, he went ahead and bought two.
Without any mortal servants on Black River Peak, dealing with everyday tasks was manageable, but building new houses was beyond the skills of a few Qi Condensation cultivators. As respectable cultivators, they couldn't keep sleeping in the grand hall on shared beds; construction was a necessity.
Moreover, the small esoteric temple on the peak, which they were repurposing as a Main hall, needed some repairs—at the very least, they should fix that constantly drafty front tooth.
In just ten days, Qi Xiu had spent ten 3rd-grade spirit stones, and this was him being careful with his money. If he hadn't been so thrifty, he might've blown through all 15 spirit stones by now.
"Ah, buying all that stuff, I really lost control. The more I understand market prices, the more I feel the urge to buy when I see a great deal. Ended up spending even more than planned," Qi Xiu muttered to himself, half-lying on the bed in his quarters, absentmindedly stroking the spirit monkey nestled in his arms. "Now I've only got 5 3rd-grade spirit stones left. That's enough for daily expenses for quite some time, but without a way to make money, eventually I'll just be eating into my savings..."
The little spirit monkey seemed to understand a bit, as it leaned dazedly against Qi Xiu's chest, its big blue and green eyes staring blankly ahead, mimicking his worried expression.
Qi Xiu couldn't help but laugh at the adorable sight of the spirit monkey. "You little thing, you may be useless for my cultivation, but you're certainly good at cheering me up." Letting go of his worries, he focused entirely on playing with the monkey.
After handling all his affairs in Qinan City and waiting for another ten days, Qi Xiu began to worry. It had already been a month since he'd left Black River Peak, and fearing something might have gone wrong. He was about to go and pay a hefty price to hire a flying spirit beast to go back when Wang Guan finally appeared before him.
"Let's go. I've taken a bit longer this time. I hope you don't mind, young friend?" Wang Guan seemed to be in a hurry. Though his words were polite, he looked anxious and skipped the small talk, ready to head back home.
Qi Xiu, having long been prepared, had no objections. Wang Guan swiftly wrapped him up again and set off southward at high speed.
On the way, Wang Guan glanced at the spirit monkey in Qi Xiu's arms and smiled. "Looks like you've had a good haul this time, haven't you?"
Qi Xiu quickly played it humble and then used the opportunity to ask for advice on making money. "Our sect is situated at Black River, and with no real income, we're just eating through what we have. I wonder, senior, if you could offer any guidance on how one could truly establish a solid foundation in South Xinjiang?"
Wang Guan chuckled awkwardly upon hearing this, his expression turning somewhat strange.
"A solid foundation … for us cultivators, the real foundation is always our cultivation level. Everything else is just external. If you can't walk the path of the Great Dao, in the end, you'll be buried in the ground like everyone else. When you're gone, what good are family or sects? Without a solid strength or backing, a so-called foundation is nothing."
He pointed to the west and continued: "Take for example that Chu Hongshang. She established the Southern Chu Sect solely with the strength of her Nascent Soul cultivation. Whether it's a clan or a sect, the primary focus is still on cultivation. Without it, you end up like me, having lived this long and still running around trying to help unworthy descendants."
Qi Xiu noticed that Wang Guan, who usually had a gentle smile, now spoke with a serious and somewhat melancholic tone. It seemed like his recent visit had not gone well. His words, though, resonated with Qi Xiu, who fell silent and started to think deeply about the future of the Chu Qin Sect.
Cultivation? I have no hope for that. This Strange-Eyed Golden Silk Monkey I bought still can't cultivate the Great Dao with me. Zhang Shishi? He's a bit stronger than me, but the path ahead is also bleak. He Yu? Ah… It looks like the future of the sect rests entirely on his shoulders…
"Ha, look at me, rambling on with such gloomy talk. You're still young, no need to be as pessimistic as someone like me who's already one foot in the grave," Wang Guan said, noticing Qi Xiu's troubled expression. He realized his words had weighed on Qi Xiu and tried to lighten the mood. "Let me give you a tip. If you want to find a way to make some spirit stones in Black River, you'll need to seek out one particular person."
"Oh? Who's that?" Qi Xiu looked up, intrigued.
"Zhao Liangde!" Wang Guan answered firmly.