Generally, no one would tease you over something as trivial as asking for directions.
So, Ling Xiao quickly found the way to the trading market.
The trading market was primarily a place for internal transactions within the Yuehua Sect, though occasionally outsiders would come, but those were exceptions.
The moment he arrived at the trading market, Ling Xiao couldn’t help but be astonished.
Outer sect disciples like him, even half-step masters, were merely doing menial labour here.
Those who could afford to buy things with spirit stones were mostly inner sect disciples, all above the Mortal Realm.
He had once thought the Yuehua Sect had too few experts, but coming here, he realised he had been like a frog at the bottom of a well.
Here, you could casually encounter disciples or deputy hall masters, hall masters, elders, and the like at the Eighth or Ninth Mortal Realm, or even the Heaven-Human Realm.
Fortunately, releasing one’s aura recklessly was forbidden here. Otherwise, Ling Xiao probably couldn’t stay, and the outer sect disciples doing odd jobs would likely faint from the pressure.
An ant?
Ling Xiao smiled.
He admitted that, for now, he was indeed an ant.
But that was fine. Who didn’t start as an ant?
The Mortal Realm? The Heaven-Human Realm?
He believed he would reach those levels soon enough.
Of course, witnessing this scene only strengthened Ling Xiao’s resolve to improve his cultivation and solidified his determination to train.
Especially seeing those Ninth Mortal Realm and Heaven-Human Realm experts casually using high-grade spirit stones for transactions, he couldn’t help but feel envious.
…
The trading market wasn’t much different from a vegetable market in the secular world.
It was mainly divided into stalls and shops.
As long as you paid a certain rent, you could sell things here.
Of course, the rent had to be paid in spirit stones to the market’s overseer.
Though the overseer’s strength was only at the Ninth Mortal Realm, their authority was considerable.
Ling Xiao wandered around and found that, despite being an internal sect market, the variety of goods was impressive.
There were fresh vegetables, fruits, and meats transported from the secular world, which could be bought with silver or gold.
There were also spiritually enriched vegetables, fruits, and spirit beast meat cultivated by the sect.
These, however, could only be purchased with spirit stones. Not only were they delicious, but they also provided special benefits for martial practice.
Other items included various weapons forged by the Weapon Hall, pills refined by the Alchemy Hall, and materials for forging or alchemy.
There were also some martial art manuals permitted for trade by the sect. These were relatively common and widely available outside, but their quality was not low.
There were quasi-Gold-grade martial arts and even entry-level Gold-grade martial arts.
However, their prices were exorbitant, and Ling Xiao couldn’t afford them for now.
That said, he did discover a good way to make money.
The prices of alchemy materials here were relatively cheap, while the prices of pills were almost always extremely high.
He roughly calculated that the price difference was nearly tenfold.
For example, the materials for the high-grade True Essence Pills he refined cost about ten low-grade spirit stones, but each pill sold for one hundred low-grade spirit stones.
Even so, they were often out of stock.
As for the Yellow-grade low-tier spirit pill, the “Mortal Body Shaping Pill,” it was worth ten thousand low-grade spirit stones per pill!
Ling Xiao was considered relatively wealthy among outer sect disciples, but with only three hundred low-grade spirit stones, he couldn’t afford even one such pill.
And that ten thousand was just the listed price. Some people, in their frenzy to acquire it, would bid thirty or forty thousand.
Ling Xiao couldn’t yet refine high-grade pills, but even his non-tier high-grade True Essence Pills were quite valuable.
After some thought, he realised this was indeed a lucrative path. No wonder people said the two wealthiest types in the sect were alchemists and weapon forgers.
He first spent one low-grade spirit stone to buy ten Array Forging Stones, then used his remaining three hundred low-grade spirit stones to purchase materials for refining high-grade True Essence Pills.
This should be enough to refine thirty high-grade True Essence Pills. With his hundred percent success rate, as long as he wasn’t disturbed, there would be no material waste.
He didn’t need to buy spirit wood charcoal or a pill furnace. As Yuan Zun’s disciple, borrowing the Alchemy Hall’s charcoal and furnace was no issue.
Apparently, spirit wood charcoal could only be used to refine non-tier pills. For better high-grade pills, superior fuel was required.
But that wasn’t something Ling Xiao needed to worry about for now.
Being able to refine non-tier pills was enough for him at the moment.
High-grade pills were merely categorised into Heaven, Earth, Mysterious, and Yellow grades, each with five sub-tiers: low, mid, high, supreme, and perfect.
Non-tier pills also had five sub-tiers, and the high-grade True Essence Pill was a perfect non-tier pill, which was quite good.
At the very least, in the secular world, it was a top-tier pill. Even in the sect, it was an excellent pill for outer sect disciples.
Even early Mortal Realm experts (first to third tiers) needed these relatively affordable pills to replenish their True Essence, so demand was never an issue.
Additionally, he spent all the silver he had to buy materials for refining “Martial Vein Shaping Pills.”
He estimated he could refine about ten.
The Martial Vein Shaping Pill was also a perfect non-tier pill, with the same function as the Mortal Body Shaping Pill but far less effective and usable only by Martial Vein Realm martial artists.
This pill sold for around one hundred low-grade spirit stones, but its materials were slightly cheaper than those for the high-grade True Essence Pill, costing only eight low-grade spirit stones per pill.
After buying everything, Ling Xiao turned to leave.
Though he wanted to linger, there was little point; it would just be a waste of time.
“Ling Xiao!”
Just as he stepped out of the trading market’s gates, someone called his name.
Looking up, he saw Xu Ying, who hadn’t shown her face in the outer sect for quite some time.
Beside her was Ming Tian.
Both wore clothing clearly marked with the insignia exclusive to inner sect disciples, glaringly obvious.
“Xu Ying, congratulations are in order. You’ve managed to latch onto the Demonic Flame Heavenly Sovereign’s coattails. Looks like your cultivation has improved quite a bit!” Ling Xiao said, ignoring Ming Tian and addressing Xu Ying with a faint smile.
“Pah, a dog’s mouth can’t spit out ivory. Your words are as crude as ever,” Xu Ying spat. “By the way, what’s an outer sect disciple like you doing at the trading market? Did the Alchemy Hall kick you out, so you’re here looking for odd jobs?”
Her words dripped with biting mockery.
