https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-163-Sword-Pill-Clarity-Liquid-and-Cooperation/12900281/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-165-Imperial-Flow-Blood-Refined-Sword-Pill/12900283/
Chapter 164: The Heavenly Peng Transformation, I Have a Foundation Establishment Friend
Chapter 164: The Heavenly Peng Transformation, I Have a Foundation Establishment Friend
"Right, our cooperation will involve trading each Blood-Boiling Pill for one hundred Spirit Stones."
"This price is, of course, much lower than the auction price. As compensation, every time the black market opens, we will inform you of any treasures available."
Tianxingzi slowly said, "Furthermore, if there is anything you fancy, you can secure it in advance, without having to compete in the auction."
"Additionally, if you have any resource needs, you can inform us. I will do my utmost to find the corresponding resources for you."
Hearing such a generous cooperation offer, Luo Chen was undeniably tempted.
A Blood-Boiling Pill for one hundred Spirit Stones was slightly cheaper than the normal auction price. However, with a stable supply channel, the quantity would be advantageous.
Everyone understood this principle.
Moreover, if he could connect with the Zhenlong Black Market, many of his concerns would be alleviated.
Handling illicit goods, purchasing resources, and finding treasures—all these could be done with a head start.
There was one more crucial point to consider: the supply channel!
Currently, the Luo Tian Assembly's various medicinal herb supply channels were mostly sourced from the Lianyun Merchant Alliance, a force that was not particularly friendly to Luo Chen.
Their current cooperation was only due to his association with the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect.
If one day this was exposed, his alchemy neck would be at risk.
If he agreed to cooperate with the Zhenlong Black Market, he would have two legs to stand on.
At the very least, from the first contact with the Zhenlong Black Market, they had shown him kindness.
Whether it was the "advice" or today's proactive offer to auction the Blood-Boiling Pill at a high price, every move was a signal of goodwill.
However, some things still needed to be concealed.
After pondering for a moment, Luo Chen shook his head slightly.
Before Tianxingzi could feel disappointed, he said, "This matter, I cannot decide on my own. I need to discuss it with my friend and give you an answer."
Tianxingzi nodded, "Indeed, that is only reasonable."
"You can also pass on my conditions to your friend. Both of you can enjoy the same Zhenlong VIP treatment!"
Hearing about the VIP treatment, Luo Chen's lips twitched slightly.
Sure enough, this kind of setup was quite common in the cultivation world!
Although the cooperation was not yet finalized, Luo Chen already had some ideas.
"Senior Tianxingzi, I wonder if your side can procure more Clarity Liquid?"
"Clarity Liquid?"
Tianxingzi had seen and remembered Luo Chen's purchase of Clarity Liquid earlier.
It was clear that the other party had a significant demand for this spiritual medicine.
Perhaps it was for the legendary long-term use that could cause a cultivator's eyes to undergo a transformation!
Unfortunately...
"Sorry, this item is strictly controlled by the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect, and very little flows out. Even today's bottle was obtained by chance."
Luo Chen was very disappointed.
But soon, the other party made him happy again.
"What about Pearl Brightening Liquid? It is more suitable for Qi Cultivation cultivators and is easier to obtain."
Luo Chen was delighted, "Then I entrust this to you, Senior. The price will definitely not let you down."
"It's a small matter," Tianxingzi waved his hand, "Now that the Spirit Medicine Pavilion in the Great River Market is gone, many pills are indeed hard to buy. If you have any needs, just speak up."
That's quite a bold statement!
Luo Chen's eyes lit up.
He did not hesitate and immediately listed three pill names.
After hearing them, Tianxingzi couldn't help but smile bitterly.
"Little friend, your appetite is truly large. Among these three pills, only Golden Essence Liquid is relatively easy to obtain. The other two are quite difficult."
"Even with your side's strength, it's impossible?" Luo Chen frowned.
Tianxingzi slowly shook his head, "The Spirit Essence Pill is a specialty of the Medicine King Sect. It is usually only available at large auctions, and most are second-rank. First-rank Spirit Essence Pills have too little profit, so they are often used internally."
Is that so?
Luo Chen couldn't help but think back to the banks of the Lancang River, where neither Pang Renxiong nor Miao Wen could produce a first-rank Spirit Essence Pill.
In the end, they only gave him five bottles of second-rank ones.
It seems that's indeed the case.
However, he could actually use second-rank Spirit Essence Pills, albeit with a bit more trouble.
"Second-r-r-rank is fine too!"
Hearing this, Tianxingzi couldn't help but look at Luo Chen with surprise.
"Are you buying these for your alchemist friend?"
Luo Chen fabricated, "Yes!"
"Tsk tsk, it seems I underestimated that person. I didn't expect them to be a Foundation Establishment cultivator."
When did I become a Foundation Establishment cultivator?
Luo Chen was puzzled.
But he quickly realized.
Second-rank pills are often only suitable for Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Qi Cultivation cultivators might not be able to withstand the massive medicinal power.
His ability to use them was due to the guidance of the Golden Core Elder, Pang Renxiong.
It was likely that Tianxingzi was unaware of the technique of breaking down Spirit Essence Pills using the Pill Art Simple Heart Technique.
Understanding this, Luo Chen did not reveal it.
This would create the impression that he had a Foundation Establishment alchemist friend, which would undoubtedly be beneficial for future cooperation.
After expressing his admiration, Tianxingzi turned to the last pill Luo Chen needed.
"Foundation Establishment Pill, this is really hard to get."
Luo Chen felt a bit disappointed.
Even the Zhenlong Black Market...
No!
It's hard to get, not impossible!
He immediately said earnestly, "If Senior can help me procure a Foundation Establishment Pill, I will definitely persuade my friend to cooperate with your side!"
Tianxingzi shook his head, "We'll see. I will do my best, but..."
His hesitant expression made Luo Chen curious.
But having this channel was undoubtedly excellent.
The local Jade Cauldron Sword Pavilion was completely wiped out, and the Medicine King Sect's operations had all left.
Originally, he hoped to rely on the Great River Auction to purchase Foundation Establishment Pills, but that had become uncertain.
If he went to other markets, he would be unfamiliar with the area, making it difficult to participate in the distribution of Foundation Establishment Pills.
Currently, the only hope is the Zhenlong Black Market.
A force that dares to besiege and kill a Jade Cauldron Golden Core Sword Cultivator would be joking if they couldn't come up with a few Foundation Establishment Pills.
"Perhaps the cooperation can be seriously considered."
Luo Chen thought about it and did not plan to refuse Tianxingzi.
Apart from the issue of cultivation resources, the raw materials for medicinal herbs were also something he had to consider.
This batch of Blood-Boiling Pills was the result of using all the raw materials he had accumulated previously.
To continue refining Blood-Boiling Pills, he needed to purchase the corresponding herbs.
The Exploding Ape Demon Blood and Heavenly Sun Fruit were relatively easy to obtain from the Lianyun Merchant Alliance.
However, the main ingredient, Earth Fire Evil, was something no one in the Great River Workshop could provide.
If he didn't want to cut off this source of income, cooperation was the only way forward.
"Let's keep Tianxingzi waiting for a bit!"
He couldn't agree too easily; at least he needed to see the other party's sincerity.
After both sides reached an agreement, Tianxingzi removed the soundproofing barrier.
At this point, the black market trading session had passed the second round and entered the final free trading phase.
Luo Chen had no specific target and started wandering among the cultivators.
His Spirit Eyes were half-open, half-closed, trying to find a bargain.
This was something every cultivator fantasized about.
However, after a full circle, he didn't encounter a single bargain.
Suddenly, Luo Chen's steps stopped beside two people.
"I've never seen Brother Wang with such a red face before!"
Luo Chen approached with a smile.
Instantly, he drew the side glances of the two.
The one haggling with Wang Yuan was clearly a Foundation Establishment True Cultivator.
He was robust, even more so than Wang Yuan before his bone-shrinking disguise, resembling a giant beast bear.
It was the Foundation Establishment True Cultivator who gave Luo Chen a familiar feeling! He looked over with a fierce expression, as if warning Luo Chen not to come closer.
However, Wang Yuan frowned and stepped in front of Luo Chen.
"He's my friend."
The Foundation Establishment True Cultivator sneered, "Then it's perfect. You two can pool your Spirit Stones, and maybe you can buy this cultivation technique."
"Cultivation technique?"
Luo Chen poked his head out curiously.
In Wang Yuan's hand was an ancient and worn animal skin scroll.
It had a restricted aura, with only a few lines of content visible.
But even these few lines were enough to make Wang Yuan's heart move.
"It's an incomplete physical refinement technique, very useful for me."
"But he wants a high price, not selling for less than 7,000 Spirit Stones."
A voice whispered in Luo Chen's ear, using Wang Yuan's unique sound transmission method.
The main body of the transmission was a subtle manipulation of internal energy, wrapped in spiritual power.
Although not as powerful as a Foundation Establishment cultivator's spiritual transmission, it could still avoid being eavesdropped by a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Wang Yuan had taught Luo Chen this method in his free time.
However, Luo Chen still hadn't mastered it.
Internal energy?
He didn't understand it at all!
Luo Chen nodded, looking at the scroll.
He wanted to see what kind of technique was worth 7,000 Spirit Stones.
Even if it was incomplete!
《Tianpeng Transformation》
The front part of the scroll explained the principles of the technique.
By merging the essence of the Peng bird-type demonic beast into one's body, one could cultivate this technique.
Upon reaching completion, one could temporarily transform into the true body of the demonic beast, increasing one's combat power.
However, this technique required a high level of physical strength from the cultivator.
"No wonder Wang Yuan values this technique so much. The way it utilizes internal energy and physical strength is just the tip of the iceberg, and it's already very beneficial. If it were complete..."
"Unfortunately, it's just an incomplete physical refinement technique."
Wang Yuan's voice whispered in Luo Chen's ear again.
"This technique was obtained by this cultivator from an ancient relic on Tiandu Peak, and it's a third-level physical refinement technique."
"If I obtain it, although I won't be able to cultivate it, I can absorb its essence and combine it with my own knowledge to perfect my second-level physical refinement technique."
This was a case of using someone else's stone to attack jade.
Especially since this external stone was far superior to his own.
A third-level physical refinement technique!
No wonder even an incomplete version was worth such a high price.
In reality, the price was still a bit low.
Unlike magical techniques, cultivation techniques were always very expensive.
He clearly remembered that Wang Yuan had said he wasn’t lacking in resources for cultivation up to the Great Qi Perfection stage.
Why, then, was he short on Spirit Stones now?
"Just now at the auction, I bought a lot of resources for body refinement and some for Qi refinement. So... in short, I only have three thousand five hundred left."
Luo Chen suddenly understood.
Cultivating both the body and magic was no easy feat.
The consumption of resources far exceeded that of ordinary cultivators.
Wang Yuan had no reliable means of earning more, and all his savings came from killing and plundering.
He knew this wasn't a reliable method, so he decided to follow Luo Chen and focus on their business together.
Luo Chen didn't treat him unfairly, directly providing him with the generous benefits of a Foundation Establishment period benefactor in a minor sect.
But even with this, he hadn't accumulated much more wealth in the limited time.
Luo Chen remembered that just a while ago, Wang Yuan had bid on a supreme-quality magic glove.
He sighed.
Luo Chen grabbed the piece of beast skin and, under the cold gaze of the Foundation Establishment True Cultivator, said fearlessly:
"Take a look at this. It's from a long time ago, and the content on it probably doesn't align with the current mainstream cultivation methods."
"It should be heavily discounted, right?"
The man nodded slightly, not arguing.
"Yes, though its rank is high, it is still incomplete. We can only draw a little inspiration from it at most."
"It's even less valuable then, with very low worth."
The man nodded again, quite in agreement.
"Moreover, it says at the beginning that it requires the essence blood of a Peng bird-type beast to aid in cultivation."
"Brother, it's a Second Rank one!"
"A Second Rank Peng bird-type beast, which Foundation Establishment True Cultivator can kill? It would require a Golden Core Elder to take the essence blood!"
"Another price reduction!"
The man agreed quite a bit.
Luo Chen smiled slightly. "So..."
"So, you're saying seven thousand Spirit Stones. Do you want it or not?"
Hearing the other party's confident words, Luo Chen glanced back at Wang Yuan with a resentful look.
All this is your fault!
My unbeatable bargaining skills are completely useless here.
After all, he was a master at bargaining, even with Elder Chu at the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower.
Wang Yuan also realized his mistake.
But in his life, he rarely worried about "money."
In his mortal days, he advanced rapidly, achieving the innate realm of martial arts.
Back then, he didn't lack money and certainly didn’t develop any bargaining skills.
In his cultivation days, what he lacked wasn’t "money," but strength.
Once he gained strength, he could kill and plunder, accumulating resources much faster than the average person.
He never worried about Spirit Stones either.
It was only recently, as his realm grew higher and the resource consumption for dual cultivation increased significantly, that he began to feel the pinch.
Luo Chen sighed, lowered his head, and glanced at the beast skin in his hand.
He had one more trick up his sleeve: pretending not to want it and walking away decisively.
In most cases, the seller would stomp their feet, clench their teeth, and pretend to be reluctant to call him back.
But given the current situation, this trick probably wouldn't work either.
"Huh?"
Luo Chen blinked and casually pinched the thick beast skin.
Then, he raised his head with a worried look.
"Fine, fine, you really got the better of me, Senior."
"Seven thousand, right?"
The man chuckled, losing his aloof demeanor.
"Yes!"
"Wang, bring the Spirit Stones!"
"But..."
Luo Chen shook his head at him and took out a large pile of Spirit Stones from his Storage Bag, counted out three thousand five hundred, and handed them over.
Wang Yuan also realized what to do and gave three thousand five hundred.
The burly Foundation Establishment True Cultivator took the Spirit Stones, first removing the restrictions on the beast skin, then handed it to Luo Chen.
He pursed his lips, looking as if he had sold it cheaply.
"All low-grade Spirit Stones, what a hassle."
A typical case of benefiting and still complaining!
Luo Chen didn't bother dealing with him anymore, pulling a face of disappointment, and dragged Wang Yuan away from the Zhenlong Black Market.
Outside, the moon hung high, illuminating the entire land.
Wang Yuan was very grateful and moved.
"Luo Chen, thank you so much this time. Consider these Spirit Stones as a loan, to be deducted from my salary..."
"Shh!"
Luo Chen raised his index finger, interrupting the other’s words.
Under Wang Yuan's puzzled gaze, Luo Chen used the Free and Unfettered Wind Riding and Qi Concealment Spell, blending into the night.
Wang Yuan did the same, using the Qi Concealment Spell and his own methods to follow closely behind.
After a short while, they had already moved far away from the Zhenlong Black Market.
"Is someone following us?"
"Initially, there were two, but we've already shaken them off."
"Good, let's head back to the Sky Ascension Assembly first!"
...
Under the gentle moonlight, Luo Chen, in front of Wang Yuan, used his Spirit Energy to form threads, slowly cutting into the beast skin.
His movements were very slow and gentle, as if he was afraid of damaging the beast skin.
Even Luo Chen's breathing became faint, extremely cautious.
After a while, Luo Chen exhaled deeply.
Both hands held one piece of the beast skin.
"This..."
The usually composed Wang Yuan couldn't help but gape at the sight.
Looking at the two pieces of beast skin, each filled with densely written text.
Luo Chen admired, "Truly a marvelous technique, such a wondrous beast skin."
In Wang Yuan's confusion, Luo Chen handed over the piece of beast skin with "The Transformation of the Heavenly Peng."
"These are your three thousand five hundred Spirit Stones."
Then he held the remaining piece with both hands, "These are my three thousand five hundred Spirit Stones."
"We didn't lose on this deal; we actually made a big profit!"
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(End of Chapter)
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