Most beasts in the Yunshan Marsh are venomous, so Detoxification Pills have always been a bestseller at the Yunshan Bazaar, selling even faster than spiritual-energy-boosting pills like Qi Condensation Pills, Spirit-Refining Pills, and Qi-Enhancing Pills. For a time, the entire bazaar was facing shortages.
In recent months, however, the main body of the Jinyang Sect shipped over a large quantity of materials for Detoxification Pills, which finally allowed major shops to gradually replenish their stocks.
Yet high-grade Detoxification Pills are not easily refined, so their supply remains limited.
Furthermore, Xiuchun Pavilion is a relatively small shop that opened only recently, receiving no more than five bottles per shipment.
Shen Ping had merely asked casually.
Just as expected.
Manager Chen shook his head. "High-grade Detoxification Pills sell out too fast. Before I even had a chance to stock them, senior-level cultivators reserved the entire batch. If Fellow Daoist Shen is in need, you might want to try your luck at Zhenbao Tower."
Leaving Xiuchun Pavilion, Shen Ping walked for the time it takes to brew two cups of tea before reaching Zhenbao Tower on the eastern side of the bazaar.
The street here was extremely bustling. Over seventy percent of the passing cultivators were at the Late Qi Refining stage, and not far away were expensive, detached small courtyards where the concentration of spiritual Qi was noticeably higher than in other areas.
He rarely came here to sell Talismans because he would frequently run into disciples of the Jinyang Sect. Anyone who managed to enter the Jinyang Sect possessed at least three-attribute Spiritual Roots, and once accepted as disciples, they were instantly provided with Storage Bags, Dharma Artifacts, and Dharma Robes.
Those with exceptional talent could even acquire superior-grade Dharma Artifacts.
Consequently, these disciples carried a greater or lesser degree of arrogance.
If a rogue cultivator like him were to inadvertently bump into one of them or displease them in any way, the consequences would be extremely troublesome.
Yet now, needing to purchase high-grade Detoxification Pills, he had no choice but to make a trip here.
Once he started producing superior-grade Talismans in the future, he feared he would have to visit this place frequently.
Soon, Shen Ping entered Zhenbao Tower.
"Fellow Daoist, how may I help you?"
A pretty, sweet-voiced female cultivator stepped forward to greet him.
Working at Zhenbao Tower and serving other cultivators likely earned her a higher monthly income than what he made toiling away at crafting Talismans.
"I'd like to buy some high-grade Detoxification Pills."
He stated his requirement.
"High-grade Detoxification Pills are on the second floor. Please follow me, Fellow Daoist."
Shen Ping felt a weight lift from his heart.
Fortunately, they still had stock left; otherwise, he would have had to make another trip to the bazaar in a few days.
Thinking of the mid-stage cultivator who had tailed him earlier that day, his heart sank.
A short while later, the transaction was complete.
His Storage Bag now held only two Medium-Grade Spiritual Stones and fifty-six Low-Grade Spiritual Stones.
This meager amount of spiritual stones would barely cover his daily living expenses for the next two months.
Of course, if he were frugal, it might stretch to half a year.
Besides, he still had half a month's supply of spiritual rice and meat at home.
After a moment's thought, Shen Ping purchased another month's worth of living provisions.
With everything taken care of, midday was approaching, and the scorching sun beat down relentlessly on the Yunshan Bazaar.
He left the market, but as he prepared to return to the alley, hesitation gripped him. If he ran into another bandit cultivator tailing him, he might not be so lucky a second time.
"I'll wait a bit longer; perhaps I can run into someone from near Red Willow Alley."
There weren't many cultivators in Red Willow Alley who ventured out as rarely as he did. Most of them, like his next-door neighbor Yu Yan, routinely made trips to the bazaar every few days, or headed out into the wilderness and the deeper outer fringes of the Yunshan Marsh to hunt.
Alchemists, artifact refiners, and Talisman Masters had stable sources of income, but many lacked such talents and were unwilling to patiently cultivate those skills. They had no choice but to continuously improve their combat prowess, hunting fierce beasts to acquire materials for sale. Moreover, such trials tempered their bodies, giving them a higher breakthrough probability than cultivators who constantly stayed cooped up indoors.
Many powerful cultivators forged their strength through these very trials of combat and bloodshed.
Browsing the small stalls while keeping an eye toward the northern street, Shen Ping waited for a full hour before he finally spotted a familiar figure.
"Fellow Daoist Yu, what a coincidence!"
He hurried forward to greet her.
Yu Yan's Dharma Robe still bore bloodstains, a faint smell of blood lingered around her, and she looked exhausted.
"Fellow Daoist Shen, you actually managed to tear yourself away from your room?"
She forced herself to stay alert, marveling at the sight.
Shen Ping let out a dry laugh. "Well, we ran out of rice at home, so I came out to buy some. Has Fellow Daoist Yu been out hunting fierce beasts?"
It was difficult for a Mid Qi Refining cultivator to hunt beasts alone, so cultivators typically formed teams. One could recruit members at the bazaar's assembly hall; these groups were bound by restrictions and oaths, making internal strife rare unless someone managed to break the constraints.
Yu Yan said with a sarcastic edge, "I'm not a Talisman Master like Fellow Daoist Shen, who can just stay holed up in a room pampering his wives and concubines every day."
Shen Ping wore an embarrassed expression, but still took the initiative to ask, "Fellow Daoist Yu, shall we head back together?"
Yu Yan immediately understood what Shen Ping meant, and she waved her hand. "Let's go."
Lately, there were many unfamiliar cultivators roaming the streets around the outer fringes of the bazaar, and stepping outside was no longer as safe as it used to be. Even she had to remain vigilant and cautious.
The journey back was uneventful.
Upon reaching Red Willow Alley, Shen Ping said gratefully, "Thank you for the escort, Fellow Daoist Yu."
With that, he took out a Freeze Talisman and handed it to Yu Yan.
"My Talisman Dao has made some progress recently."
"If Fellow Daoist Yu ever lacks this type of Talisman, you can come to me to buy them."
Yu Yan did not stand on ceremony. Freeze Talismans were extremely useful, but due to the complex spirit-vein circuits required for their creation and their low market price, most Talisman Masters preferred to make Protection Talismans, Flame Talismans, and the like instead.
Furthermore, Freeze Talismans consumed far less in production than Protection Talismans or Flame Talismans, yet cultivators usually bought them only for use in critical moments, which kept the price of Freeze Talismans permanently depressed.
"Fellow Daoist Shen's proficiency in talismans is a reward for your patience and hard work. Congratulations."
The two soon parted ways.
Stepping into his house, Shen Ping finally let his tightly wound nerves relax.
He was safe at last.
"Husband!"
His wives gathered around him, the worry in their expressions vanishing. With so many unfamiliar cultivators outside, they had been terrified that Shen Ping might never return from one of his trips.
One of them was a mortal, and the other a 1st Layer of Qi Refining cultivator; if Shen Ping were to fall, they would find it virtually impossible to survive in Red Willow Alley.
Shen Ping grasped his wives' wrists, offering a brief word of comfort before eagerly stepping into the inner room.
A few days later.
Only traces of the poison remained within his body.
In the inner room, he calmed his mind, gathered his focus, and carefully took out the brownish high-grade Detoxification Pill, swallowing it without hesitation.
Once inside his belly, the pill immediately transformed into a potent surge of medicinal energy.
He hurriedly circulated his cultivation technique, guiding the spiritual Qi along his meridians in a full cosmic orbit, allowing the medicinal power of the Detoxification Pill to spread through the spiritual Qi into his limbs and bones.
*Hiss.*
Almost instantly, waves of cramping pain racked Shen Ping's entire body.
He gritted his teeth hard.
The agony receded quickly, but no sooner had it vanished than it returned again.
After the cycle repeated entirely five or six times, it ceased altogether.
*Boom.*
As the deeply hidden toxicity was thoroughly eradicated, the spiritual Qi—which had long been suppressed while the poison steadily seeped into the depths of his body—seemed to be finally released, erupting with a roar.
Shen Ping's expression shifted.
With all his willpower, he worked to rein in this surging spiritual Qi, channeling it into his meridians.
At that moment, his dual Metal-Wood Medium-Grade Spiritual Roots played their part, accelerating the circulation of spiritual Qi severalfold and preventing the energy converging in his Dantian and meridians from turning violent.
A full two hours passed.
The erupting spiritual Qi was completely absorbed by his body.
*Crack.*
Without him even attempting to force a breakthrough, the spiritual Qi spontaneously broke through his blocked meridians, expanding his cosmic circulation path.
Simultaneously, the aura radiating from his body surged abruptly.
He broke through to the 4th Layer of Qi Refining just like that, as naturally as water flowing into a channel.
Feeling the increased total volume of spiritual Qi inside him, Shen Ping could not help shedding tears of joy.
For how many years had he suffered under the torment of the fierce beast's poison? Now that it was finally completely purged, he would never again have to endure the agonizing pain of suppressing the poison day and night!
After stabilizing his spiritual Qi, he stood up and walked out of the inner room. Looking at his cherished wives, the overwhelming wave of excitement overflowed from his heart.
"Yun'er, Ying'er..."
He scooped up his wives in his arms and carried them straight to the bed.
This night was destined to be sleepless.