OBS Chapter 1361 The Price of Paper in Tainan
Chapter 1361 The Price of Paper in Tainan
Chapter 1361 The Price of Paper in Tainan
Han Li carefully opened the pear wood box on the table, and a pale green halo overflowed from the box, reflecting a soft light onto the tabletop.
Inside the box lay a palm-sized vine armor, each vine outlined with extremely fine gold thread, faintly emanating wood-attribute spiritual energy, and one could almost feel the suppleness of the vine when touched.
"This is... a high-grade defensive magic weapon?" Han Li's voice suddenly rose. He reached out and carefully stroked the rattan armor. The rattan patterns on the armor seemed to come alive, gently brushing against his fingertips, as if responding affectionately.
Qin Hao handed over a cup of Qi-Gathering Spirit Tea, his tone calm yet warm: "This Azure Wood Armor is made from the belly skin of a first-level peak demon beast, the 'Azure Leaf Python,' mixed with 'Centennial Azure Wood Vine,' which perfectly complements your Everlasting Spring Technique. When activated, it only requires a trace of mana to form a pale green armor. Not only can it withstand three attacks from a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator, but the armor also has self-repairing capabilities—it can automatically repair small cracks once a day. Even if it's struck by a magic weapon, as long as it doesn't shatter, it will be restored to its original state after a period of time."
Han Li clutched the Azure Wood Armor Talisman tightly, his eyes slightly red: "Senior Brother..."
"Alright, we're family, no need for formalities, just accept it."
Qin Hao chuckled inwardly—this inexperienced Han Laomo was too easily satisfied; he got so excited over a high-grade defensive magic weapon.
After calming down, Han Li said seriously, "Senior brother, I heard from Wan Xiaoshan that most of the cultivators who come to Tai Nan Valley are here for the Ascension Conference of the Seven Major Sects. He said that after joining a sect, they can not only learn advanced cultivation techniques, but also receive a Foundation Establishment Pill. I wonder what Senior brother's plans are?"
"I originally wanted to tell you more about the Ascension Ceremony, but I didn't expect you'd already heard about it." Qin Hao leaned forward slightly, tapping the corner of the table with his fingertip, his tone instantly becoming serious: "The seven major sects will each select ten winners at the Ascension Ceremony. Those selected will not only be able to directly join a cultivation sect, but will also receive a Foundation Establishment Pill. Even if it's a mountain of knives and a sea of fire, I'll give it a try!"
Upon hearing this, Han Li clenched his fist, a determined light flashing in his eyes: "Then I will join my senior brother in venturing into this Ascension Assembly! It will also be a good opportunity to meet the heroes of the world."
Qin Hao nodded slightly, but did not hand the Ascension Token to Han Li. Although he was confident that he could pass the selection of the Ascension Conference, what if he failed?
The path of cultivation is full of thorns. He doesn't have Han Li's little green bottle, so he can only proceed cautiously, and cannot afford to make the slightest mistake!
"By the way, take these talismans." Qin Hao took out a stack of talismans from his storage bag, more than twenty in total. Half of them were Vajra talismans with a light gold hue, and the other half were Golden Arrow talismans with a silver sheen.
"This is my newly improved version. It only requires a small amount of magic power to activate. With your Qi Refining Level 9 magic power, you can activate three at once, allowing you to go further in the Ascension Tournament."
Han Li stared wide-eyed at the thick stack of talismans on the table: "Senior brother, so many talismans... did you make them all yourself?"
While browsing the stalls in the square, he paid special attention to the prices of talismans—the most basic beginner "mind-stabilizing talisman" cost five spirit stones each, and the ones Qin Hao handed over were improved Vajra talismans and Golden Arrow talismans, worth at least a hundred spirit stones.
"Well, when I first came to Tainan Valley, I only had a few dozen taels of silver and not even a single spirit stone." Qin Hao explained with a smile, his fingertip tracing a Vajra talisman: "Fortunately, I have some talent in talisman making. I earned some spirit stones by selling these talismans, otherwise I wouldn't have had the money to buy you magic tools and spirit stones."
"By the way, junior brother, don't go out for the next two weeks." Qin Hao changed the subject and pointed to the market outside the window: "The Ascension Conference will start in two weeks. Try to break through the bottleneck of the ninth level of Qi Refining. I've rented this room until the day the Ascension Conference starts. You can focus on your cultivation here."
Han Li was deeply moved, his nose tingled, and he almost shed tears—he had encountered nothing but deceit and treachery along the way, and no one had ever considered his needs as thoroughly as Qin Hao. He secretly resolved that if he had the chance in the future, he would definitely repay this kindness.
……
For the next two weeks, Qin Hao completely transformed into a "talisman-making machine".
Every morning at the crack of dawn, he would set up his stall in the square, continue making talismans in the afternoon, and sit cross-legged on his bed at night, circulating the "Sharp Metal Technique" to consolidate his Qi Refining Level 10 cultivation. His magical power surged through his meridians, and with each cycle, the magical power in his dantian became more condensed.
With the Ascension Ceremony approaching, thousands of cultivators have gathered in Tai Nan Valley. Logically speaking, cultivators have limited demand for talismans—after all, they still need to save spirit stones to buy magic tools and pills.
However, Qin Hao's improved Vajra Talisman and Golden Arrow Talisman became incredibly popular among cultivators. A rogue cultivator at the sixth level of Qi Refining encountered a "robber cultivator" outside the market. The robber was wielding a mid-grade offensive magic weapon called the "Iron Bone Blade." The rogue cultivator thought he could easily kill the enemy and steal their treasure, but the rogue cultivator unleashed the Vajra Talisman, and the pale golden shield blocked seven of the blades. In the end, fearing that delaying for too long would alert the Foundation Establishment cultivators in the market, the robber cultivator had no choice but to leave in frustration.
The news quickly spread throughout the valley, and many rogue cultivators came to Qin Hao to buy talismans. Some cultivators at the ninth level of Qi Refining even offered to pay fifteen spirit stones per talisman in order to get the Vajra Talisman ahead of time.
What's even more interesting is that some cultivators, after witnessing the power of the Vajra Talisman, would immediately retreat when they encountered a cultivator who used it. They would then vent their anger on the cultivators who hadn't bought any talismans. Often, after seizing the treasure, they would angrily say, "You didn't even buy a single Vajra Talisman? Do you think my magic weapon isn't sharp enough?"
With the popularity of Vajra Talismans, the price of talisman paper in the valley also rose. Some independent cultivators who made talisman paper even made a small fortune as a result, and the saying "Tainan paper is expensive" even spread in the market.
In just half a month, Qin Hao had accumulated more than 5,000 low-grade spirit stones in his storage bag, making him a "rich man" among Qi Refining cultivators.
Of course, many "tribulation cultivators" were eyeing Qin Hao, but Qin Hao never left the market. The Foundation Establishment cultivators who were in charge of the market were envious, but due to the rules of the seven sects, they dared not openly attack Qin Hao.
At the same time, Han Li's seclusion also ended. Unfortunately, he failed to break through the bottleneck of the ninth level of Qi Refining.
On the one hand, his aptitude for the Four Spiritual Roots was extremely poor, and his cultivation speed was already twice as slow as that of ordinary cultivators; on the other hand, his body had developed resistance to the Yellow Dragon Pill and Golden Marrow Pill, and even if he ate the pills like candy, his magical power increased very slowly.
"Sigh, I still haven't been able to break through." Han Li sat at the table, looking at the market outside the window, his eyes full of disappointment: "If I could break through to the tenth level of Qi Refining, I would have a better chance of winning in the Ascension Tournament."
"Junior brother, there's no need to worry," Qin Hao comforted him. "The Tainan Small Gathering starts tomorrow, and there should be quite a few miraculous pills and medicines there, which might help you break through."
"I hope so." Han Li didn't dwell on it; he was already mentally prepared for his poor aptitude.
The next morning, the area outside the largest auction house in Tainan Valley, "Jubaoge", was crowded with cultivators.
Qin Hao and Han Li decided to split up. Han Li arrived half an hour early, dressed in ordinary gray clothes, and sat in the left corner with a cup of cheap tea in front of him.
Qin Hao entered the venue just before the auction began, wearing a blue Taoist robe and choosing a seat in the back row on the right. The two did not make eye contact throughout the entire event, nor did they even glance at each other out of the corner of their eyes, as if they were just strangers who had never met before.
The auction was hosted by a white-bearded Foundation Establishment cultivator. He sat on a grand chair on a high platform, holding a gilded hammer in his hand, and announced in a loud voice: "The auction is officially open! The first item is the 'Hundred-Year Spirit Gathering Flower,' which can be used to refine the 'Qi Gathering Pill,' an essential material for late-stage Qi Refining cultivators to break through their bottlenecks. The starting price is fifty low-grade spirit stones, and each bid must be at least five stones higher!"
As soon as he finished speaking, someone in the audience started bidding.
"Fifty-five yuan!"
"Sixty bucks!"
Han Li tightened his grip on his lap—the Qi Gathering Pill was exactly what he needed, but this hundred-year-old Spirit Gathering Flower was only the raw material; he also needed other spiritual herbs. He hesitated for a moment, but ultimately did not bid. With the Ascension Conference imminent, what he needed now was a magic weapon that could directly enhance his combat power.
In the end, the Spirit Gathering Flower was sold to a cultivator at the ninth level of Qi Refining for eighty spirit stones.
"Second item – a mid-grade auxiliary magic artifact, the 'Dust-Repelling Bead'!" The white-bearded cultivator picked up a milky-white bead from the tray. The bead was only the size of a thumb. "This bead is made from the gallbladder of a low-level demonic beast, the 'Earth Spirit Rat.' It can be activated at the fifth level of Qi Refining. It can automatically dispel dust and poisonous mist within a three-foot radius around the user. It is most suitable for use when going out on adventures. The starting bid is thirty low-grade spirit stones, and each bid must be at least two spirit stones higher!"
There were very few cultivators bidding this time, and it was eventually purchased by an old man at the starting price.
"The third item—a superior-grade offensive magic weapon, the 'Azure Edge Sword'!" The white-bearded cultivator raised his voice, and a three-foot-long sword appeared in his hand, its blade gleaming with a pale blue aura. "This sword is forged from the tailbone of a level-two demonic beast, the 'Gentle Breeze Fox,' mixed with black iron. It can be activated at the eighth level of Qi Refining and can release wind-attribute sword energy. The blade is also engraved with 'armor-piercing patterns,' which provide extra damage to defensive magic weapons. The starting bid is one hundred low-grade spirit stones, with each bid increasing by no less than ten stones!"
Han Li's eyes lit up instantly—his senior brother had given him a high-grade defensive magic weapon, and if he could acquire this Qingfeng Sword, it would perfectly compensate for his lack of offensive power.
However, quite a few cultivators were also interested in this high-grade magic weapon, and the bidding quickly reached two hundred yuan. Han Li took a deep breath and said, "Two hundred and thirty yuan!"
The moment the price was announced, the audience fell silent—two hundred and thirty yuan for a high-grade attack magic weapon was definitely a premium. If it weren't for the upcoming Immortal Cultivation Conference, a high-grade magic weapon would cost around one hundred low-grade spirit stones.
Many cultivators hesitated for a moment before giving up the bidding.
"Sold!" The white-bearded cultivator brought down the gavel, and Han Li secretly breathed a sigh of relief. If Qin Hao hadn't given him two hundred low-grade spirit stones before the auction, he wouldn't have been able to acquire this magic artifact at all. His fingertips trembled slightly; this was the first time he had won something at an auction in the cultivation world, and he was somewhat excited.
Qin Hao and Han Li were not interested in the next few items auctioned.
Until the white-bearded cultivator took out a black iron armor: "The twenty-third item—the top-grade defensive magic weapon 'Mysterious Iron Scale Armor'!"
The black veins on the scales gleamed with a metallic sheen under the light.
"This armor is crafted from the scales of a level-two demonic beast, the 'Mountain Drilling Beast,' and can be activated in the late Qi Refining stage. It can not only withstand two attacks from a Qi Refining Perfection cultivator, but also reflect 10% of the force when attacked. The starting bid is 300 low-grade spirit stones, with each bid increasing by no less than 20 stones!"
Qin Hao's eyes lit up—what he lacked now was a top-tier defensive magic weapon. He would definitely encounter Qi Refining Grand Perfection cultivators at the Ascension Conference. With the Xuan Turtle Shield Talisman, he would at least have a better chance of surviving.
"Four hundred dollars!" he bid in a deep voice, his voice not loud but clearly carried throughout the room.
"Four hundred and twenty yuan!" A cultivator at the eleventh level of Qi Refining in the front row immediately raised the price. This person was wearing a brocade robe, and his storage bag at his waist was bulging. He was obviously a cultivator from a big family.
"Five hundred!" Qin Hao matched the price without hesitation, his face showing no emotion—more than five thousand spirit stones were enough for him to squander, there was no need to save money at a time like this.
The cultivator in the brocade robe frowned and gritted his teeth, saying, "Five hundred and twenty yuan!"
"Six hundred yuan!" Qin Hao's firm bid completely dashed the hopes of others—he knew very well how sought-after top-grade defensive magic weapons were before the Ascension Conference, and dragging it out would only drive the price higher.
The audience fell silent; no one bid anymore. This price was already double the usual price, which was simply not worth it.
Only the man in the brocade robe stared intently at Qin Hao for a long time.
"Six hundred coins, is there any fellow Daoist who can offer a higher bid... Sold!" The white-bearded cultivator brought down the gavel, and Qin Hao nodded slightly, pressing his fingertip lightly on his storage bag to confirm that he had enough spirit stones—with the Xuan Iron Scale Armor in hand, plus the blessing of the talisman, it shouldn't be difficult to break into the top seventy.
The auction lasted until evening. When it ended, Qin Hao deliberately waited until most of the crowd had left before getting up and slowly walking back to the inn; Han Li followed behind the crowd, taking a longer route to avoid any acquaintances he might run into.
Back in their inn room, the two exchanged a smile, needing no further words.
Early the next morning, a large number of cultivators gathered in the very center of Tai Nan Valley. Some had signed up for the Ascension Conference, while others, knowing their own limitations, were simply there to observe and broaden their horizons.
"Have you heard? This year, there are over twenty cultivators at the eleventh level of Qi Refining alone who have registered for the Ascension Ceremony. In previous years, there were only about ten at most. With such high cultivation levels, entering a sect would be a piece of cake. Why would they come to participate in this Ascension Ceremony and compete with us rogue cultivators for a spot?"
The middle-aged cultivator opposite him, carrying a long sword, sneered: "Isn't this obvious? Even cultivation families can't guarantee that every cultivator will get a Foundation Establishment Pill. These cultivators are clearly trained by various families specifically to compete for Foundation Establishment Pills. You don't naively think that the Foundation Establishment Pills from the Seven Great Sects are really prepared for us rogue cultivators, do you?"
"Alas, how difficult it is for us rogue cultivators to find a way to survive!"
Han Li's expression changed drastically upon hearing this, but looking into the distance, he saw that Qin Hao remained calm and composed, which made him secretly admire him.
"It seems I still need to learn more from my senior brother about how to cultivate my inner strength."
(End of this chapter)