Chapter 122 - 118: Moon Shadow Profound Ice
In response to Fang Qingyuan’s call, a graceful young woman emerged from the inner room. Dressed in a moon-white Daoist Robe, she had bright eyes and pearly teeth. She walked up to Fang Qingyuan, glanced at him, then turned her gaze to Jiang Kui and asked,
"I am Huang Xuejing, the owner of this shop. Are you the one who wishes to purchase a magical artifact, Fellow Daoist?"
Jiang Kui nodded, then pointed to a magic sword shrouded by an array. She looked at the woman before her and said,
"Can you tell me about this magic sword?"
A smile bloomed on Huang Xuejing’s face, revealing her pearly teeth. She formed a magic formula with her hands, opening a gap in the array below. She retrieved the magic sword that had caught Jiang Kui’s eye and handed it to her, saying,
"This is a Tier Two Upper Grade Moon Shadow Profound Ice Sword. It has four major attributes: Sturdiness, Sharpness, Extreme Cold, and Illusory Moon. It comes with two built-in skills, Ice Blade and Moon Shadow Illusion. Its flight speed is comparable to a top-grade Tier Two flying sword. I believe it’s very suitable for you, Fellow Daoist."
As Jiang Kui took the magic sword, a bone-chilling coldness instantly washed over her. The entire blade was silver-white, like the bright moonlight. The sword seemed to have a consciousness of its own; it quivered slightly in her hand, as if sensing her water-attribute Spirit Root.
Jiang Kui loosened her grip slightly, and the Moon Shadow Profound Ice Sword floated autonomously above her palm. The sharp blade emanated a frosty air, making Fang Qingyuan, who stood to the side, subconsciously want to step back.
’This is a fine magic sword.’ In all his years, Fang Qingyuan believed this was definitely the most powerful magic sword he had ever seen.
Joy was also visible on Jiang Kui’s face, showing her fondness for the magic sword.
Seeing Jiang Kui’s adoration for the sword, Huang Xuejing explained with a pleased expression,
"The Sturdiness attribute means this sword isn’t afraid of clashing head-on with other magical artifacts. The Sharpness attribute can effectively break through a cultivator’s protective spirit shield. The Extreme Cold attribute it’s imbued with can freeze the very soul and disrupt the opponent’s spiritual power circulation. As for the Illusory Moon attribute, it bewitches the mind, making it even more potent against Spirit Beast Demons of low intelligence."
After introducing the four attributes, Huang Xuejing began to describe the sword’s two built-in skills: Ice Blade and Moon Shadow Illusion.
Ice Blade allows the user to channel spiritual power into the sword, causing it to unleash a barrage of ice blades. These blades are incredibly sharp and carry a strong freezing effect. If an opponent is touched by one, they will be encased in solid ice.
Moon Shadow Illusion is an illusion technique used under the moonlight. In concert with the silver moon in the sky, it can create three illusory clones. These clones have no attack power, but they can confuse the enemy’s mind, preventing them from finding the real target.
All in all, this Tier Two Upper Grade Moon Shadow Profound Ice Sword, with its four attributes, two skills, and a flight speed comparable to a Tier Two Top Grade flying sword, was a perfect match for Jiang Kui.
The magic sword was excellent, but its price...
"Sixty thousand low-grade Spirit Stones. No discounts, no haggling."
Although Huang Xuejing wore a smile, the price that came from her lips was as cold as the magic sword before them.
Jiang Kui sighed, returned the magic sword to Huang Xuejing, and then pulled Fang Qingyuan away without a backward glance.
Huang Xuejing held the magic sword, and only after Jiang Kui and Fang Qingyuan had left did the confident smile on her face crumble. She stomped her foot, looking hesitant, wanting to chase after them but feeling too proud.
In the end, Fang Qingyuan and Jiang Kui did not return. Huang Xuejing put the magic sword back in its place, sighed, and went back into the room.
...
After leaving the Water Refining Workshop, Jiang Kui’s spirits were a little low as they strolled through the streets of Lianshui City. But after a moment, her gaze grew firm, and she said,
"My original plan was to find a Tier Two Lower Grade magic sword, with a budget between five thousand and twenty thousand low-grade Spirit Stones. The Moon Shadow Profound Ice Sword is wonderful, but sixty thousand is just too high. If I bought it, what would happen to Yuanling Mountain? What about all the other resources I need for cultivation?"
After Jiang Kui voiced her concerns, Fang Qingyuan fell silent. It was true; a magic sword worth sixty thousand Spirit Stones was beyond Jiang Kui’s means.
Seeing Jiang Kui’s downcast mood, Fang Qingyuan said from the side,
"Let’s keep looking then. If not, we can sell that Spirit Stone Crystal Core first and see."
Jiang Kui nodded, and she and Fang Qingyuan turned toward another shop, continuing their search for a suitable magic sword.
「Three days later.」
Inside the inn, Fang Qingyuan and Jiang Kui sat facing each other. Over the past three days, they had visited several more shops but still hadn’t found a magic sword they liked.
Perhaps after seeing the Moon Shadow Profound Ice Sword, Jiang Kui’s expectations had been unconsciously raised. As a result, even when they came across a few decent Tier Two Lower Grade flying swords, she remained hesitant.
"Senior Sister, the auction starts in four days. Why don’t we take care of that Spirit Stone Crystal Core in the meantime? We can exchange it for Spirit Stones, and if we find a suitable magic sword at the auction, we’ll have the funds to acquire it."
Jiang Kui cupped her chin in her hands and hummed softly in agreement. Seeing this, Fang Qingyuan knew that she was thinking about the Moon Shadow Profound Ice Sword again.
Seeing her like this, Fang Qingyuan added,
"Senior Sister, I won’t accompany you for the next few days. We don’t have much time. You go find the Lianshui Alliance to sell the Spirit Stone Crystal Core, and I’ll wander the streets and try to check out a few more shops to save some time."
After Fang Qingyuan finished speaking, Jiang Kui seemed to snap back to reality. She asked,
"You’re not coming with me? Oh, alright. That makes sense."
After speaking, Jiang Kui got up and went into the inner room, leaving Fang Qingyuan and Jinbao outside to stare at each other.
...
The next day, Fang Qingyuan went out early. What he had told Jiang Kui the previous night was true, but it was also mixed with a little plan of his own.
It was time to exchange the spiritual materials he had obtained from the Sea of Death four years ago, as well as the magical artifacts from the snake-faced and chicken-faced cultivators, for Spirit Stones.
Otherwise, they would just continue to pile up in his Immortal Mansion, taking up space and serving no other purpose.
By sending Jiang Kui off on her own, Fang Qingyuan finally had time for his own business. The spiritual materials and magical artifacts, worth a hundred thousand low-grade Spirit Stones, would have been difficult to sell in Black River Square or the Celestial Gate Mountain Marketplace.
But here in Lianshui Immortal City, where a single Tier Two Upper Grade magical artifact could fetch sixty thousand Spirit Stones, a sum of one hundred thousand would hardly make a splash. He just needed to be careful.
So, for the next four days, Fang Qingyuan left early and returned late, visiting every shop in Lianshui City, big and small. In the smaller shops, he sold off spiritual materials worth a few hundred low-grade Spirit Stones, while in the larger ones, he offloaded goods worth two or three thousand Spirit Stones.
Fang Qingyuan sold his goods cheaply. Since he was avoiding the hefty sales tax, he could sell things for a third less than others and still make a massive profit.
Therefore, by selling at prices one-fifth below the market rate, Fang Qingyuan managed to sell off all his spiritual materials in just four days. He even sold the silkworm cocoons from his Immortal Mansion.
After four days, Fang Qingyuan had earned eighty thousand low-grade Spirit Stones. He then went to the city’s auction house and handed over the twenty-odd first-tier magical artifacts he had accumulated to the organizers.
Besides auctioning high-end goods, the auction house also made a significant profit by liquidating low-tier magical artifacts. It was similar to the clearance sales from Fang Qingyuan’s previous life, with a focus on selling in high volume.
Except for two Demon Sabers and the Tier One Upper Grade Cyan Jade Flying Boat, Fang Qingyuan exchanged all his other magical artifacts for Spirit Stones.
Adding the eighty thousand Spirit Stones from selling his materials to his existing savings, Fang Qingyuan’s net worth now reached one hundred twenty thousand low-grade Spirit Stones—just enough to buy two Moon Shadow Profound Ice Swords.
By the fifth day, Fang Qingyuan’s Immortal Mansion was empty. Together with the three newly cleared mu of land, it formed a vacant area of three and a half mu.
Meanwhile, Jiang Kui had successfully sold the Spirit Stone Crystal Core to someone from the Lianshui Alliance. Seeing that Jiang Kui was a Foundation Establishment Disciple from Beast Taming Mountain, the buyer didn’t ask many questions and even offered a high price of forty-five thousand low-grade Spirit Stones.
They exchanged the money for the Spirit Stone Crystal Core directly, and the transaction was swift and clean.
Jiang Kui now had seventy-five thousand usable low-grade Spirit Stones in her storage bag. With this money, her confidence grew considerably.
Early that day, Fang Qingyuan and Jiang Kui entered the city’s main auction hall. Thanks to the prestige associated with Jiang Kui being a Foundation Establishment Cultivator from Beast Taming Mountain, they were given a small private room.
The auction hall had two levels. The upper level consisted of private rooms, while the lower level had open seating arranged in a fan shape around the auction stage.
The private room wasn’t very large. It would have been spacious enough for Fang Qingyuan and Jiang Kui, but when Jinbao squeezed in as well, it felt rather cramped.
Jinbao currently stood over ten feet tall when upright. Even while sitting inside the room, its head reached Fang Qingyuan’s eyebrows.
Looking at this massive creature, Fang Qingyuan could no longer see any trace of the goofy-looking little cub Jinbao used to be.
Jinbao possessed a divine technique that allowed it to change its size at will, but Fang Qingyuan didn’t let it do so in front of Jiang Kui.
This divine technique was too powerful; normally, only Golden Core Stage demon beasts possessed it. To outsiders, Jinbao was just a Tai Chi Bear. Based on its current cultivation level, it shouldn’t have been capable of a high-level divine technique like changing its size at will.
A servant brought them Spirit Tea and then withdrew. Inside the room, Fang Qingyuan told Jiang Kui about the things he had seen and heard in Lianshui City over the past few days.
Besides selling spiritual materials, he hadn’t forgotten to look for a suitable magic sword for Jiang Kui. However, it didn’t matter if he liked one; Jiang Kui had to see it for herself.
After a short while, a gong sounded, and a Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator walked onto the stage from the back. After a few brief opening remarks, he straightforwardly presented the first auction item.
It was a pair of array discs, one red and one cyan, both densely inscribed with runes. In addition, over a hundred array banners surrounded the discs, forming a complete array.
"A complete set of a Tier Two Upper Grade Mountain Protection Array! The full name of this array is the Ten Directions Wind and Fire Returning Yuan Formation, one of the legacy arrays of the Qi Yun Sect. As you all know, Fellow Daoists, the Qi Yun Sect excels at creating protective arrays. For a Tier Two Mountain Protection Array, the quality of one produced by the Qi Yun Sect is unquestionable."
"This particular array can only be crafted by a Golden Core Cultivator. During normal operation, it draws power directly from a Spirit Vein, consuming very little energy. It only requires Spirit Stones when activating its various abilities."
"This array comes with two control array discs. The Red Jade Array Disc primarily controls the amplification of its flame power. When used in conjunction with the Wind Array Disc, the fire borrows the wind’s momentum, doubling the might of one of the array’s strongest attacks, the Ten Directions Roasting Flame!"
"If fully activated, an ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivator caught within the array would not necessarily escape with their life from the Ten Directions Roasting Flame, even if they defended with all their might. And if the array is powered by at least four Foundation Establishment Cultivators, even a Golden Core Cultivator would have a hard time breaking through its defenses from the outside."
"Besides creating illusions and enforcing a no-fly zone, this array has ten other variations with extraordinary uses. It is the absolute top choice for protecting a mountain."
"The starting price is one hundred fifty thousand low-grade Spirit Stones! Each bid must be an increment of one thousand low-grade Spirit Stones. Any takers, Fellow Daoists?!"
The very first item at the auction was a masterpiece. Moreover, a price of one hundred fifty thousand wasn’t considered too expensive for such an array.
But as good as the item was, it held little appeal for Fang Qingyuan and Jiang Kui.
The area around Yuanling Mountain was quite desolate, so their existing Tier Two Mid-grade array was sufficient. Most importantly, Jiang Kui didn’t have that much money.
In the end, after about ten rounds of bidding, the Ten Directions Wind and Fire Returning Yuan Formation was bought by a middle-aged Foundation Establishment female cultivator for the high price of one hundred eighty thousand.
After the array, the next dozen or so items were relatively ordinary. Of course, "ordinary" was only in comparison to the first item; on their own, each one was a high-quality piece.
It wasn’t until the next item was brought up that Fang Qingyuan’s interest was finally piqued.