https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-110-Refining-the-Golden-Attribute-Huangfeng-Valley/13510311/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-112-Curiosity-Is-a-Liability-in-Business-Here/13510313/
Chapter 111: Observations in Huangfeng Valley – Seeds of the Tianluo Starflower
Chapter 111: Observations in Huangfeng Valley – Seeds of the Tianluo Starflower
Huangfeng Valley housed a spirit vein and was the sole region of concentrated spiritual energy within a two-hundred-mile radius. Yet it had one notorious feature: at least four times a year, violent yellow sandstorms tore through the valley.
Cultivators below the Foundation Building stage stood no chance of survival if caught in these storms. Even Foundation Building cultivators could only resist the tempest’s pull temporarily, unable to remain inside the valley for long. No one understood why this occurred.
After failed attempts to exploit the valley, the three major sects of Li Zhou abandoned it, leaving it—and the surrounding spiritually barren lands—as a natural boundary. Later, solitary cultivators dared to enter during the calm periods between storms, seeking cultivation opportunities. Some survived, but many were buried beneath the sands.
Eventually, scavengers arrived to dig for treasures left behind by the deceased. Over time, Huangfeng Valley became infamous among Li Zhou’s solitary cultivators. Adventurous souls often lingered nearby, drawn by the risks and rewards.
This morning, however, brought surprises. Unfamiliar faces flooded the area, including many rare Foundation Building cultivators soaring on sword beams into the valley. Normally, such a sight would send cultivators fleeing. But here, courage was the one thing no one lacked. Curious and undeterred, they followed the newcomers to uncover the commotion.
When Xiao Chen arrived, he spotted over five thousand cultivators already gathered. Though Huangfeng Valley was three times larger than Shi Valley, it now teemed with people. He landed his sword beam on a nearby hill, donned his Cloak of Hidden Tracks to conceal his identity, and descended.
His visit served dual purposes: procuring resources and discreetly selling artifacts from the Hundred Poisons Demon and Heifeng Sanren’s storage bag. Some items might draw unwanted attention, so discretion was key.
As he entered the valley, the market buzzed with activity. Stalls lined the paths, and two cultivators bickered over a prime spot. Further in, haggling voices grew louder.
To his left, a youth protested, “Your Nourishing Qi Pills are overpriced! No one sells like this!”
A middle-aged cultivator countered, waving two secondhand Flying Swords, “Drop the price by one spirit stone! I’m buying two artifacts at once!”
To his right, a girl pleaded with a vendor, “Please, just one less grain of spirit sand for this Spring Rejuvenation Pill? My mother’s injuries are dire—please!”
Xiao Chen paused. Spirit sand? He hadn’t dealt with the currency in years. The mention stirred memories—last winter, he’d sold pills for spirit stones. Now, a single grain of sand separated hope from despair.
The girl’s tears moved him, but his storage bag held no spirit sand. Sighing, he handed her a full spirit stone and walked away.
Deeper into the valley, the wares grew pricier and stranger. Some stalls sold tattered ancient scrolls—rumored maps to ruins or Golden Core Zhenren tombs. Others hawked poisons, including the infamous Springtime Elixir and Plum Blossom Three Delights Pill.
One stall shocked him: a delicate-looking female cultivator held a sign offering to sell herself into servitude for 300 spirit stones. Xiao Chen had heard of such desperation but never witnessed it. Lihuo Bazaar forbade cultivator slavery, a rule set by Yun Xiang Zhen Ren, the sect’s elusive Golden Core elder. Though she hadn’t been seen in a decade, her decrees remained unchallenged.
Near the valley’s heart, second-tier Spirit Herbs appeared. A radiant beauty knelt among potted flowers, her hair pinned with an upper-grade magic artifact—a jade hairpin that accentuated her graceful neck. Surrounded by blooms, she stood out like a living painting.
“Fellow cultivator,” she smiled, noticing Xiao Chen examining flower seeds, “interested in growing your own? These are Tianluo Starflower seeds—ten spirit stones per seed, with discounts for bulk purchases.”
The seeds looked familiar. Probing his storage bag, he found a box of twelve from Daoba. Comparing them, his seeds were larger, with faint spiritual patterns on the edges—clearly superior.
Cultivating spirit flowers offered triple benefits: medicinal ingredients, spiritual energy gathering, and aesthetic charm. He picked up a flowerpot. “Is this a specially crafted magic artifact?”
The pot pulsed with mana—a low-grade magic artifact requiring two spirit stones to activate. The vendor nodded, “A friend crafted these to boost flower survival rates. Simply embed spirit stones in the base.”
The sets—carved with plum, orchid, bamboo, chrysanthemum, and other motifs—matched his Cuiwei Valley’s scenery. “I’ll take all three sets. Any discount?”
“Thirty stones each, but twelve total for 300.”
(End of Chapter)
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