After a period of time passed.
Fang Xi felt that Situ Qingqing was not paying much attention to him, so he finally found an opportunity to disguise himself as a wandering cultivator and entered the Qingzhu Mountain Market.
This time, he was dressed in a dark green robe, wearing a bamboo hat, with a sturdy figure exuding a fierce aura.
"The last time I was only in the Qi Refining Initial Stage, even the shop assistant looked down on me."
"This time is much better, with cultivation in the Qi Refining Middle Stage, it's not considered bad..."
Passing by the Baiqiao Tower, Fang Xi's eyes didn't even flicker.
Some grudges were not ready to be settled yet, so he could only bury them deep in his heart.
After paying a piece of spirit crystal as the stall fee at Situ's family's base in the market, Fang Xi arrived at his own stall and tapped his storage bag.
A roll of snake skin, a large amount of pale snake bones, and snake meat preserved with ice appeared.
The mixture of bloody and foul smells made the nearby stall owners furrow their brows.
But looking at Fang Xi, who looked fierce and intimidating, they dared not say anything, only cursing silently in their hearts.
"Actually, it's demon beast meat!"
"Cultivators who can hunt demon beasts are truly ruthless individuals!"
"I also want to hunt demon beasts, but unfortunately, demon beasts in Yue Country are extremely rare. If there are any discoveries, they have long been monopolized by local cultivators..."
"Let me take a look!"
The onlookers sporadically exchanged words, and a scholar-dressed immortal cultivator stepped forward, "Excuse me, friend, may I ask what grade this demon beast meat is and how it is sold?"
"One-grade inferior demon snake meat, ten catties for one piece of inferior spirit stone! Snake bones bundled for five spirit stones! Snake skin negotiable..."
Fang Xi sat cross-legged, answering with a slight raise of his eyelids.
"Unfortunately, this meat seems to have been stored for some time. Even with ice, it's not very fresh..."
The scholar stood up regretfully.
"Poor ghost, hurry up and leave!"
Fang Xi opened his eyes, revealing a glint of sharpness.
This scholar was not a body-refining cultivator, and his whole body was not even worth a piece of inferior spirit stone. Moreover, his cultivation was only in the Qi Refining Initial Stage!
He was not the target customer at all!
"Ah... Why be angry, friend? I'll leave now... I'll leave now..." The scholar was scared stiff and blended into the crowd.
The wandering cultivators watching burst into laughter, not finding anything amiss.
Cultivators with higher cultivation levels could freely humiliate those with lower cultivation levels; this was the law of the cultivation world.
Once at the bottom, Fang Xi had now barely climbed up a bit after advancing to the Qi Refining Middle Stage.
Unfortunately... there was still a long way to go to reach the top.
"Oh? More demon beast meat?"
Not long after, a rough voice sounded.
The crowd parted, and a man over two meters tall, like a tower of iron, walked up to the stall, ignoring the snake skin and bones, only focusing on the snake meat.
After inquiring about the price, he shook his head, "One spirit stone for ten catties is too expensive!"
Fang Xi glanced at the man, confirming that he was also a body cultivator, and immediately showed a friendly smile, "Friend, if you purchase over fifty catties, I can offer a discount..."
After some bargaining, the big man eventually threw out four spirit stones and bought fifty catties of snake meat.
Unfortunately, after this big man, there wasn't much business left.
Only a talisman master's apprentice came and bought all the snake blood for one spirit stone, reportedly preparing to use it to adjust talisman ink.
Fang Xi was not in a hurry. Cultivators were always patient, and the spiritual energy within the market was much better than in the slums, perfect for meditation.
This meditation lasted a whole day.
As it was almost time to close the stall, Fang Xi calculated to himself, "Today's market is still good, with nine spirit stones earned..."
Wandering cultivators without a residence permit were not allowed to stay overnight in the market, to prevent them from absorbing the market's spiritual energy for free.
Just as Fang Xi was preparing to close the stall, he saw two cultivators approaching, chatting and laughing. His eyes couldn't help but widen slightly: 'Are these two?'
The ones who came turned out to be Chen Ping and Lu Zhi.
At this moment, Chen Ping was dressed in a lake blue robe with gold embroidery, looking spirited, while Lu Zhi had changed out of mourning clothes and was wearing a bright red dress, appearing more charming.
The two strolled over and soon arrived at Fang Xi's stall.
"Not bad, not bad, indeed there are demon beast skins to buy here!"
Chen Ping pointed at the snake skin, then looked somewhat regretful, "Unfortunately... it's only a one-grade inferior demon beast. Friend, how much for this roll of snake skin?"
Obviously, he did not recognize Fang Xi.
After all, Fang Xi had adjusted his appearance, looking tall and sturdy, quite different from his slightly frail appearance before.
"One price, ten spirit stones!"
Seeing a potential customer, Fang Xi glanced at Lu Zhi and immediately raised the price.
Men always liked to show off and spend money foolishly in front of women, especially beautiful women.
"Deal!"
Chen Ping agreed without hesitation.
It was Lu Zhi who furrowed her brows, "This snake skin is worth at most five spirit stones... Isn't ten a bit too high?"
"Ah... This snake skin is intact. If carefully crafted, it can produce at least a hundred pieces of talisman paper. Talisman paper made from demon beast skins is much better than ordinary grass paper. It is said to increase the success rate of talisman crafting, so it's not expensive at all..." Fang Xi, being good friends with Chen Ping, knew a thing or two about talismans and casually remarked.
"That's right, and... Zhi Jie, this kind of demon beast skin talisman paper is even more special to me... Moreover, as you know, I am already a first-grade superior talisman master. This slight premium is nothing, a few more drawings and I'll make it back." Chen Ping looked affectionately at Lu Zhi.
'These two, have their relationship reached this point? Is it time for a wedding soon?'
'No... Chen Ping's progress in talisman crafting is really this fast? I heard from Jiuxuan last time that he was trying to refine a first-grade superior talisman, and now he succeeded? This is unbelievable... No, this is cultivation!'
Just as Fang Xi was complaining in his heart, Lu Zhi was actually convinced and nodded, "Alright, I'll go with your decision!"
Chen Ping immediately threw out ten spirit stones and took the demon snake skin.
Fang Xi watched the unsuspecting customer leave with some regret.
'If I had known earlier, I would have sold the chameleon skin as well... Unfortunately, it would be too conspicuous to bring it out now.'
He had given the chameleon demon beast to Di Qi, and selling the skin might expose his identity.
Moreover, this demon beast skin had special properties, and Fang Xi wanted to keep it for his own use.
Just as he watched Chen Ping leave, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a figure out of the corner of his eye.
Fang Xi's pupils slightly dilated, but he continued to pack up and leave as if nothing had happened.
It wasn't until he left the market that he let out a long sigh, "It's actually Situ Qingqing... Is she following Chen Ping?"
"Could it be... she's really investigating Chen Ping, not me?"
"Was I overthinking before?"
"No... Why is the Situ family paying so much attention to Chen Ping? Could it be they want to win him over, or directly bring him back home as a tool? No... Chen Ping wouldn't enjoy such treatment yet, unless he breaks through to the second-grade talisman master, but how is that possible?"
Fang Xi chuckled, casually burning his clothes, changing back to his farmer attire, and returning to his shack to continue cultivating.
The path of cultivation required perseverance.
Even if his cultivation speed was as slow as a snail, he couldn't neglect it.
"Now that I have spirit stones, I can buy some elixirs to assist in cultivation tomorrow?"
While meditating, a thought crossed Fang Xi's mind, "But this seems not very cost-effective... The spirit stones on me are enough to buy several 'Qi and Blood Pills' suitable for body cultivators... With the assistance of elixirs, the progress in martial arts will be faster. If I can push my martial arts to the third level of body refining, I will be more confident in selling meat or engaging in other trades, which will bring in more income. Accumulating spirit stones faster, then buying elixirs for cultivation in the later stages seems more efficient and can enhance combat power!"
Enhancing combat power!
As Fang Xi felt a looming threat, this reason became even more compelling.
After all, survival was the top priority!
The next day.
Fang Xi rose early, ignoring the greetings of the neighboring female cultivator, and went to the market.
Bailianfang!
As soon as he entered, he felt a wave of heat rushing towards him.
As the largest manufacturer of magical instruments in the Qingzhu Mountain Market, Bailianfang looked very simple and unadorned.
In front were counters selling magical instruments, while in the back were many furnaces where a dozen or so apprentice craftsmen were trying to repair and refine magical instruments under the guidance of their masters.
"Friend, are you looking to buy magical instruments?"
A blacksmith with red cheeks and bare arms greeted Fang Xi politely.
"I want to customize a magical instrument!"
Fang Xi said, taking out the chameleon skin from before, "Although this demon beast is not high in rank, it excels in hiding its form. I want to use this skin as material to create a special type of magical instrument suitable for concealing oneself!"
"I see. Please come inside, I will find Master Gu for you!"
The blacksmith led Fang Xi to a guest room. Not long after, the door opened, and an old man with white hair walked in, "I am Gu Tian, and you want to create a special type of magical instrument, friend?"
"Exactly!" Fang Xi nodded.
Gu Tian examined the demon beast skin, took out a strange magical instrument to inspect it for a while, then nodded and shook his head, "This demon beast skin is of average grade, with average defense... Fortunately, it is relatively intact, so we can inscribe a formation on it. Do you have any other requirements?"
"The grade of the magical instrument doesn't need to be high, inferior grade is fine. I don't have any specific requirements for defense..." Fang Xi said, "The main focus is on concealing one's form to the best extent possible, so that even ordinary people cannot detect it... As for the detection abilities of cultivators, like the Spiritual Eye Technique, I have no requirements."
Even though Gu Tian had seen many peculiar customers, Fang Xi's request still surprised him, "So... this is a magical instrument specifically designed for ordinary people?"
A magical instrument that could be seen through by cultivators at a glance was an insult to his craftsmanship!
Fang Xi, at his wit's end, said, "So... there's no need to add any precious materials, or any special formations... Can it be a bit cheaper?"
In the Qingzhu Mountain Market, inferior magical instruments generally cost around ten spirit stones, while medium and high-grade magical instruments ranged from tens to hundreds of spirit stones.
However, customizing a special type of magical instrument would definitely be more expensive, even for an inferior-grade magical instrument.
Gu Tian was speechless for a moment, then said, "Alright, I can do it for fifteen inferior spirit stones. Pay a deposit of five spirit stones first, and let's sign a contract..."
Since its establishment, Bailianfang had always been a reputable shop.
Moreover, signing a contract ensured confidentiality.
For Fang Xi, this was naturally what he wanted.
After imprinting a trace of mana on the two copies of the contract, Fang Xi paid five spirit stones, then left Bailianfang.
(End of Chapter)