Gao Xian looked at the arrogant face of Lao Wang, feeling a wave of fear in his heart.
Just now, Lao Wang suddenly reached out, and he almost activated the Ice Arrow Technique.
At this distance, Lao Wang might have been pierced through by the ice cone on the spot.
He adjusted his emotions and exhaled slowly, "Bring the spirit stones first."
Lao Wang stared fiercely at Gao Xian and shouted loudly, "Didn't we agree that I risked my life to get you the Purple Lotus Flower, and you would give me the Deer Horn Powder?"
"What, trying to back out?"
He had already gripped the hilt of his sword at his waist, ready to draw his sword.
"We were clear before, you bring the Purple Lotus Flower, and I will only sell the Deer Horn Powder to you."
Gao Xian didn't want Lao Wang to turn hostile, but he couldn't back down either.
Having mingled in society for so many years, he knew that people like Lao Wang always wanted more, always pushing the boundaries.
The more you yielded, the more arrogant and vicious they became.
Gao Xian emphasized, "If you want the Deer Horn Powder, you can only buy it with spirit stones."
"You brat,"
Lao Wang impatiently said, "Don't force me to take action!"
He threatened Gao Xian with a sideways glance, "With just your meager skills, I could easily chop off your head with one sword!"
"My master is a guest elder of the Lianyun Sect, and the shopkeeper Zhu of the pharmacy is my master's uncle. Don't mess around."
Gao Xian slowly stepped back.
He understood that people like Lao Wang were always looking for advantages, always trying to push their luck.
He had to be cautious; the other party might actually resort to violence.
Reminded by Gao Xian, Lao Wang calmed down a bit.
He snorted, "You talking nonsense won't work. I won't give you the Purple Lotus Flower for free!"
"Fine, these Purple Lotus Flowers are worth ten Deer Horn Powders."
Gao Xian didn't want to argue with him.
Once he refined the Bewildering Powder, he wouldn't have to fear facing Lao Wang.
Let him have his way today.
Lao Wang's eyes shifted, "No, twenty Deer Horn Powders!"
"In that case, forget it."
Gao Xian took two more steps back, waving his hand in disdain, signaling Lao Wang to leave with the Purple Lotus Flower.
Seeing Gao Xian's firm stance, Lao Wang could only reluctantly agree.
He then spent two more spirit stones to buy twenty Deer Horn Powders.
As he left, Lao Wang specifically warned Gao Xian not to sell the Deer Horn Powders to anyone else!
After this confrontation, Gao Xian further realized the danger posed by Lao Wang.
Once Lao Wang left, he quickly lit the fire and started refining the Bewildering Powder.
Through the Moonlight Mirror, Gao Xian elevated the Bewildering Powder to the level of a master.
Combined with his previous alchemy experience, he was able to refine the Bewildering Powder in less than a day.
A large handful of fine powder, almost transparent and emitting a faint fragrance.
Gao Xian used a small gourd he had prepared long ago to store all the Bewildering Powder, tightly sealing the medicinal properties.
He had taken a White Dew Pill earlier to guard against poisoning.
The White Dew Pill couldn't directly detoxify, but it could protect the spirit, ward off evil, and condense qi.
Although not a specific antidote, it was more than enough to resist low-level drugs like the Bewildering Powder.
However, just now, he had caught a faint scent of the drug, and his vision had blurred, almost fainting on the spot.
The master-level Bewildering Powder had an unexpectedly strong effect.
Gao Xian felt a bit troubled.
This substance had no antidote, so he had to be extremely careful when using it.
It would be quite embarrassing if he ended up knocking himself out before affecting others.
Now, it seemed that using the Bewildering Powder for self-defense was not a wise strategy.
He needed to come up with a more secure and reliable self-defense method.
Gao Xian took out the Moonlight Mirror, and the data on it had slightly increased.
Both the Ice Arrow Technique and the Flame Bomb had reached the level of mastery.
However, according to Lao Wang, these spells operated too slowly and were difficult to unleash their power during battles.
Lao Wang's character was questionable, but as a cultivator who frequently hunted in the mountains, he had rich combat experience.
It was unnecessary to deceive him.
Gao Xian also felt a bit uneasy.
Although these two spells seemed powerful, would they actually hit the target when used? And how much power would they have if they did hit?
He had no idea.
As Lao Wang had said, swords were more practical!
Gao Xian glanced at the Pine Pattern Longsword inserted by the bed.
With his mediocre sword skills, engaging in a sword fight would only lead to a quicker death.
The ultra-high speed of the Lightning Dragon Hand was helpful for swordsmanship but didn't provide substantial improvement.
"Oh right..."
Gao Xian suddenly had a flash of inspiration, thinking of a sect leader who had castrated himself to practice a peerless sword technique.
To leverage his speed advantage, he decided to switch to using embroidery needles.
His Lightning Dragon Hand didn't offer much advantage in swordplay, but it should be simple to use it to shoot flying needles.
Gao Xian had seen some videos of needle shooting, where one would shoot with their fingers, relying solely on wrist strength.
At that time, he found it quite miraculous.
With his Lightning Dragon Hand, achieving this was very easy.
Thinking of this, Gao Xian became excited.
He packed his things, taking several talismans with him, and hung the Pine Pattern Longsword on his waist using a sash.
The sash was a versatile wide belt that could hold various items.
The sword was hung on the sash using a sword hook, which was more stable and made drawing the sword easier.
Although Gao Xian was not skilled in swordsmanship, wearing a sword represented a tough stance, deterring others and avoiding trouble.
In his left sleeve, he held a Golden Body Talisman.
Feeling well-prepared, he then left the house.
Having been here for some time, the farthest place Gao Xian had visited was the neighboring Lao Wang's house.
Leaving the house, Gao Xian walked slowly along the yellow earth road.
The houses on both sides were not uniformly planned, constructed with bricks, stones, or yellow earth, appearing very casual.
The courtyard walls were also of various styles, giving a chaotic appearance.
The roadside was littered with firewood, bricks, and various debris, with countless pieces of garbage scattered around, attracting swarms of mosquitoes and flies.
Gao Xian was not unfamiliar with this scene; it resembled the chaotic environment of his rural hometown, just messier and dirtier here.
Along the way, he encountered several cultivators, each maintaining a certain distance.
However, two female cultivators, curious, carefully examined Gao Xian, their sparkling eyes showing a strong interest.
This was a treatment Gao Xian had never experienced in his life.
He was used to being ignored as a passerby, so attracting the interest of beautiful women while walking was his wildest dream.
This made Gao Xian feel very good, boosting his confidence and making him relax a bit.
Following the remembered route, Gao Xian arrived at the bustling central street of Feima Market.
This long street divided Feima Market into two parts, with almost all shops located on this street.
There were grain shops, clothing shops, pharmacies, liquor stores, weapon shops, grocery stores, and more, catering to all the needs of the cultivators in Feima Market.
In addition, many cultivators set up stalls along the street, selling items like animal skins, meat, low-level magical tools, and other goods.
The street was bustling with people, filled with various calls and conversations, creating a lively atmosphere.
This scene finally allowed Gao Xian to truly relax.
In broad daylight, with so many people around, he believed no one would dare to cause trouble.
No one approached Gao Xian for conversation; the unfamiliar cultivators instinctively maintained a distance of five or six feet.
What really made Gao Xian uncomfortable were the cultivators running stalls.
Greasy-faced and obsequious, they resembled mere peddlers, lacking any air of cultivation.
Whenever he paused for a moment, the stall owners immediately approached him, enthusiastically introducing their goods.
Their service was as attentive as that of a Hai Di Lao waiter, making Gao Xian, who already had some social anxiety, even more uneasy.
He could only quicken his pace and move away.
Gao Xian saw the most imposing pharmacy located in the center from a distance, with a shiny signboard hanging at the entrance and a neatly dressed assistant loudly attracting customers.
He didn't want to run into Zhu, the shopkeeper, or see Qiniang.
Quietly slipping into a nearby grocery store, Gao Xian spent a few pieces of silver to buy dozens of thick steel needles.
These ordinary household sewing needles were not valuable.
It was only in a semi-closed area like Feima Market that they could be sold at such a high price.
Returning home smoothly, Gao Xian held a two-inch-long sewing needle between his index and thumb, muttering to himself in excitement, "Success or failure depends on this..."
(End of this chapter)