"I want to buy the 'Ironwood Technique'!" Li Gou made his choice.
The shopkeeper of the technique store was overjoyed. After all, selling a hard-to-sell technique was a cause for celebration.
The shopkeeper took out an emerald-green jade slip and said with a smile, "Sixty low-grade spirit stones!"
Li Gou took out sixty low-grade spirit stones and put the jade slip into his storage pouch.
Now, only a few low-grade spirit stones remained in Li Gou's storage pouch.
"Shopkeeper, is there a place in Red Maple Valley where I can sell unused items?" Li Gou wanted to exchange the things he didn't need for spirit stones.
"Of course. Every shop in Red Maple Valley buys specific treasures, usually at half the market price or slightly above or below. My shop, for example, can buy back any unused cultivation techniques," the shopkeeper patiently explained.
Hearing this, Li Gou took out the "Flame Manipulation Technique."
"Shopkeeper, I want to sell this Flame Manipulation Technique," Li Gou said.
"Flame Manipulation Technique is a First-Grade Inferior Technique. The buy-back price is five low-grade spirit stones," the shopkeeper replied.
Li Gou nodded, successfully exchanging the "Flame Manipulation Technique" for five low-grade spirit stones.
After bidding farewell to the shopkeeper, Li Gou went to a weapons store and sold the Wind Fire Wheel from the red-bearded man for six low-grade spirit stones.
Next, Li Gou visited a pill store and took out all the pills he didn't need, including thirty-two Qi Gathering Pills, eight Wood Spirit Pills, and several other pills.
Seeing Li Gou take out so many First-Grade Basic Pills at once, the shopkeeper was surprised.
"Are you an alchemist?"
Li Gou's heart skipped a beat. It seemed that he would need to sell pills in smaller batches at different stores in the future to avoid attracting attention.
"Yes," Li Gou pretended to admit.
"Would you consider providing a regular supply to my store? We could split the profits seventy-thirty," the shopkeeper asked eagerly.
"Not interested," Li Gou shook his head.
"Alright, the Qi Gathering Pills are First-Grade Basic Pills with no attribute, so the price is slightly higher at one and a half spirit stones each. The other First-Grade Basic Pills have attributes, so they are worth one spirit stone each. Altogether, that would be sixty low-grade spirit stones."
The shopkeeper sighed and, after counting the pills, handed over sixty low-grade spirit stones.
Li Gou put the sixty low-grade spirit stones into his storage pouch, bringing his total to nearly eighty low-grade spirit stones.
"Shopkeeper, what First-Grade Intermediate Pills do you have that can enhance cultivation for either wood-attribute or non-attribute users?" Li Gou asked.
The shopkeeper looked surprised. It was his first time hearing such a question.
"We have three types of First-Grade Intermediate Pills that enhance cultivation. One is the non-attribute Condensing Qi Pill, which costs six low-grade spirit stones each. The other two are the wood-attribute Double Herb Pill and Leaf Flower Pill, which cost four low-grade spirit stones each," the shopkeeper replied.
"I'll take one of each," Li Gou said, taking out fourteen low-grade spirit stones.
The shopkeeper was surprised again; he had never seen someone buy pills like this before.
However, he did not think much of it and quickly packed the three types of pills in porcelain bottles and handed them to Li Gou.
"Shopkeeper, do you have any Second-Grade Detox Pills?"
Before leaving the store, Li Gou did not forget to inquire about the Second-Grade Detox Pills.
The shopkeeper smiled bitterly and said, "Second-Grade treasures are usually only affordable for Foundation Establishment cultivators. Our little Red Maple Valley market hardly has any First-Grade Top-Level Pills, let alone Second-Grade Pills."
It seemed he would have to plan for the long term!
Li Gou sighed inwardly.
Not long after he left the pill store, Li Gou heard a slightly familiar, compelling voice calling out nearby.
"Due to my family's decline and my mother's severe illness, I am now selling a First-Grade Advanced Spiritual Weapon, the Thunderwood Sword, for only forty low-grade spirit stones! If there is even a single false word, I won't even take a single spirit stone!"
Li Gou was tempted. Earlier, he had visited a weapons store and learned that forty low-grade spirit stones could only buy a regular First-Grade Intermediate Spiritual Weapon.
A First-Grade Advanced Spiritual Weapon would cost at least double that amount.
Li Gou suspected there must be some flaw in the item for it to be sold so cheaply.
He decided to go over and take a look!
In front of the stall, several people were already interested, forming a semi-circle around the vendor.
The vendor was none other than the blue-robed scholar who had led Li Gou into the market earlier.
At that moment, the blue-robed scholar was holding a three-foot-long, pitch-black wooden sword that emitted a faint blue light. There were hints of lightning, and it seemed rather extraordinary.
"Young man, other First-Grade Advanced Spiritual Weapons sell for nearly a hundred low-grade spirit stones. Why are you selling yours for only forty? Does it have a fatal flaw?" someone asked, voicing the doubt in Li Gou's mind.
The blue-robed scholar smiled shyly and replied, "This fellow cultivator is correct. The Thunderwood Sword does indeed have a fatal flaw. To be honest, this was a treasure passed down by my ancestors. Originally, there were three swords, forming a Three Talents Sword Array. The array's power was comparable to a Second-Grade Spiritual Weapon. Unfortunately, the other two swords have been destroyed, and this Thunderwood Sword was born for the array. Without the other two, it can only be used for flying."
"Tsk, just for show, then. Forty low-grade spirit stones is too expensive," someone sneered before turning away, taking a few onlookers with him.
"However, the Thunderwood Sword's flight speed is faster than that of ordinary First-Grade Advanced Spiritual Weapons," the blue-robed scholar hastily added.
"Haha, I bet it also consumes a lot more spiritual energy," another mocked.
"Indeed, that's true," the blue-robed scholar admitted, a bit dejected.
Most of the crowd dispersed, leaving only a few people picking through the remaining items.
When haggling, the blue-robed scholar often ended up red-faced and selling at a loss.
Li Gou could see that this blue-robed scholar was completely inexperienced in running a stall.
However, this also made him appear sincere.
With this thought in mind, Li Gou stepped forward and spoke in a lowered voice.
"Fellow cultivator, is this Three Talents Sword Array truly as powerful as you say?"
"Absolutely no falsehood. My ancestor, who was at the ninth layer of Qi Refining, once used this Three Talents Sword Array to kill a Foundation Establishment cultivator!" The blue-robed scholar, who hadn't recognized Li Gou in his new clothes and mask, answered with a hint of excitement.
Hiss—
Li Gou took a sharp breath.
Although he had never seen a Foundation Establishment cultivator, both Bai Su and Mo You, who had yet to reach that stage, were already incredibly powerful. It was easy to imagine how terrifying a Foundation Establishment cultivator would be.
For the so-called Three Talents Sword Array to allow a cultivator at the ninth layer of Qi Refining to kill a Foundation Establishment cultivator was indeed astonishing.
"Do you have the cultivation method for the Three Talents Sword Array?" Li Gou inquired further.
"Of course. If you buy this Thunderwood Sword, I will give you my family's sword array cultivation method for free," the blue-robed scholar eagerly replied, taking out a golden jade slip.
"Great, I'll buy it!"
Li Gou didn't hesitate. He handed over forty low-grade spirit stones to the blue-robed scholar.
"Wonderful! I finally have enough spirit stones to buy medicine for my mother's treatment!" The blue-robed scholar was overjoyed.
Meanwhile, a middle-aged man with triangular eyes, who had been sifting through items at the stall, stared at the forty low-grade spirit stones for several seconds.
After Li Gou received the Thunderwood Sword, the man with triangular eyes gave him a few more glances, his gaze filled with greed.