The Yunshan Marsh region, being cleared by the Jinyang Sect, is located in the western part of the Wei State. Here, winter is bitterly cold, with dozens of snowy days each month. Yet, this harsh climate failed to dampen the bustling energy of the Cultivation Market.
After all, cultivators who reached Mid-to-Late Qi Refining were largely immune to heat and cold. While low-level cultivators lacked the spiritual power in their bodies to withstand the biting chill, they could purchase cold-repelling talismans to stick onto themselves; those who were slightly more affluent could buy Dharma Robes, rendering them completely impervious to the cold.
On this day.
Snowflakes drifted outside the window.
Shen Ping stepped out once again, carrying his newly crafted mid-grade talismans as he followed the winding alleys to Xiuchun Pavilion in the market.
"Fellow Daoist Shen is here!"
Manager Chen greeted him with a smile.
Over the past six months or so, Shen Ping had not visited the shop very often, but cultivators possessed formidable memories. Moreover, the number of Protection Talismans this Fellow Daoist Shen delivered kept increasing, and he would occasionally sell Flame Talismans and Lightness Talismans as well—clearly proving himself to be a steadily proficient Rank 1 Mid-grade Talisman Master.
Maintaining a good relationship with a mid-grade talisman master was an essential duty for any manager.
Shen Ping nodded, retrieved twenty-five Protection Talismans and six Flame Talismans from his Storage Bag, handed them over to the manager, and said, "The usual rules: sixty portions of materials for Protection Talismans, thirty portions for Flame Talismans, and twenty portions for Lightness Talismans..."
The cost of the materials he requested happened to match his earnings from selling the Protection Talismans and Flame Talismans.
It was always like this; he earned practically no spiritual stones from Xiuchun Pavilion.
However, Manager Chen said, "Fellow Daoist Shen, the total price for these materials comes to two hundred and fourteen Low-Grade Spiritual Stones. You'll need to pay an extra forty Low-Grade Spiritual Stones!"
Shen Ping immediately frowned. "What is Manager Chen implying by this?"
Was he trying to fleece a regular customer?
Manager Chen hurriedly explained, "It's like this: the price of talisman materials has risen slightly recently. But Fellow Daoist Shen, you needn't worry. In a few more days, the prices of all kinds of talismans will rise accordingly. If you don't wish to sell this batch today, you can leave them on consignment here at my humble shop. When the prices go up next time, I'll settle the accounts for you all at once based on the higher rates."
"As for the materials, you can take and use them right away, and use your consigned talismans as collateral. What do you think?"
After a moment of internal calculation, Shen Ping realized that Manager Chen was extending a favor.
"Very well."
He agreed. As Manager Chen fetched the materials, he casually asked, "Manager Chen, talisman prices have always been quite stable. Why the sudden rise? Did something happen?"
Manager Chen handed the materials to Shen Ping, glanced outside the shop, and lowered his voice. "Recently, the Jinyang Sect accidentally discovered a massive mineral vein deep within the Yunshan Marsh. It's not a spiritual stone vein, but an Yan-gold vein used for refining Dharma Artifacts and Dharma Treasures, along with several other derivative ores."
"The terrain deep within the Yunshan Marsh is complex, infested with numerous fierce beasts, and year-round toxic mists block divine sense. Therefore, the Jinyang Sect needs a large number of cultivators to go pave the way!"
Upon hearing this, Shen Ping understood immediately.
No wonder the materials and prices for talismans were rising! Back when he first came here to participate in the pioneering work, it was precisely due to his lack of experience and failure to prepare a large quantity of talismans that a moment of carelessness led to him being corroded by the venom of a fierce beast.
Now that a mineral vein had been discovered deep in the Yunshan Marsh, the Jinyang Sect would undoubtedly offer lucrative rewards to lure rogue cultivators into exploring and paving the way for the excavation of the mine.
If nothing went wrong, the prices of pills, Dharma Artifacts, and other materials would also surge.
Especially the Detoxification Pill—an absolute necessity for wilderness exploration—which cultivators would surely fight to buy.
High-grade Detoxification Pills were the most effective, capable of clearing away over seventy percent of the venom from the fierce beasts of the Yunshan Marsh.
Mid-grade ones offered mediocre effects, but they were cheaper.
He hurriedly asked Manager Chen about them.
Sure enough.
High-grade Detoxification Pills had also gone up, soaring to twenty-five Medium-Grade Spiritual Stones per bottle!
This was clearly not good news for Shen Ping, though the rise in talisman prices served as a small comfort. If the margin of increase was significant enough, the overall outcome would still be favorable.
Pity his financial foundation was too meager; otherwise, he could have capitalized on this news to frantically buy up pills, talismans, and Dharma Artifacts, selling them later after the prices climbed to pocket a tidy profit from the price difference.
Yet, since Manager Chen could speak so freely about this news, it was likely that the entire market already knew roughly what was going on.
Leaving Xiuchun Pavilion,
he did not go to any other shops to sell his goods. After all, with talisman prices bound to rise soon, selling them now would mean a heavy loss.
He purchased spiritual rice, meat, and other basic groceries and living supplies,
then returned to Red Willow Alley.
In the evening.
A knock sounded outside the door.
Opening it with cautious vigilance,
he wore a look of surprise—it was Fellow Daoist Gong.
This was a rare visitor among rare visitors.
"Fellow Daoist Shen, I heard from Fellow Daoist He that you can craft mid-grade Protection Talismans?"
Fellow Daoist Gong got straight to the point.
Shen Ping hesitated slightly before smiling. "Indeed. I was fortunate enough to gain some enlightenment in the Talisman Dao and broke through to become a Mid-grade Talisman Master."
A look of joy crossed Fellow Daoist Gong's face, and his attitude turned warm. "Here is the thing: next month, I'll have a substantial demand for mid-grade talismans like Protection Talismans, Flame Talismans, and Freezing Talismans, so I'm hoping Fellow Daoist Shen can help craft some. Rest assured, I will purchase them at the market rate at that time!"
Shen Ping hesitated. "Fellow Daoist Gong, I've heard that talisman prices will increase next month..."
Fellow Daoist Gong paused, unable to help himself from sizing up Shen Ping. Although this news had practically spread throughout the market, those who knew about it were basically late-stage Qi refining cultivators or mid-stage Qi refining cultivators with extensive connections.
He hadn't expected a low-level cultivator like Shen Ping to be privy to it as well.
It seemed the other party had broken through to become a mid-grade talisman master even earlier than he had imagined.
"Fellow Daoist Shen is certainly well-informed. Talisman prices will indeed rise next month, and when the time comes, I will purchase them at the elevated market rate. How does that sound?"
Fellow Daoist Gong asked slowly.
Hearing this, Shen Ping readily agreed.
After all, the man was the sole Late Qi Refining cultivator in Red Willow Alley; refusing him would mean offending someone invisibly.
He might no longer be able to survive in Red Willow Alley if he did that.
***
At the end of the month.
Most cultivators in the market and its outskirts had learned the news.
The prices of pills, talismans, Dharma Artifacts, and other goods began to climb. The Detoxification Pill was hit hardest, skyrocketing like a rocket, while even the price of mid-grade Detoxification Pills kept rising—making Shen Ping's teeth ache in frustration.
Yet there was nothing to be done about it.
More than half of the fierce beasts in the Yunshan Marsh carried venom, though fortunately they were scattered loosely, and the beasts deep inside weren't necessarily overwhelmingly powerful.
Thus, mid-stage Qi refining cultivators could afford to take a calculated risk if they formed groups.
Consequently, the number of cultivators coming to Red Willow Alley to beg for Protection Talismans gradually increased. Everyone knew that in a few more days, Protection Talismans within the market would surely be in short supply.
Fortunately, these cultivators were all merely in the mid-stage of Qi Refining. Shen Ping simply told them he had already made commitments to Fellow Daoist Gong, which effectively shut them down.
Twenty days flew by in the blink of an eye.
The price of Protection Talismans rose to twelve Low-Grade Spiritual Stones, and Flame Talismans climbed to eight Low-Grade Spiritual Stones. Major shops in the market had already run out of stock. Manager Chen sent a message to Shen Ping stating that those consigned Protection Talismans had all been sold and accounts would be settled at the current rates.
At the same time, Manager Chen also expressed a desire to purchase more.
Shen Ping replied that his hands were tied, recounting once again the visit from Fellow Daoist Gong.
Manager Chen understood completely and dropped the subject.
Around this time, the Jinyang Sect officially announced the discovery of a large Yan-gold mine in the Yunshan Marsh, simultaneously summoning vast numbers of cultivators to join the exploration and pioneering efforts, offering numerous enticing incentives. Among them, the Foundation Establishment Pill was by far the most attractive to cultivators.
Even Shen Ping felt a twinge of temptation.
For cultivators with ordinary Spiritual Root aptitudes, the Foundation Establishment Pill was virtually indispensable for breaking through to Foundation Establishment.
"Caution, absolute caution!"
"Now that I have my Goldfinger, there's no need to take such risks!"
He kept shouting these words in his heart.
Only then did he suppress the impulse.
The next day.
Fellow Daoist Gong visited again.
"These are twenty Protection Talismans and ten Flame Talismans—my entire stock."
A smile broke out on Fellow Daoist Gong's face. "This is more than enough!"
With the transaction completed,
over three hundred spiritual stones were added to Shen Ping's Storage Bag.
By afternoon.
Just as he was about to immerse himself in crafting talismans, a knock sounded at his door.
"Fellow Daoist Shen, congratulations on your breakthrough to Mid-grade Talisman Master."