https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-165-Imperial-Flow-Blood-Refined-Sword-Pill/12900283/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-167-Completing-the-Path-to-the-Netherworld-Pill-Strengthening-the-Body-and-Nourishing-the/12920474/
Chapter 166: Expressing Sincerity, Three Foundation Establishment Pills
Chapter 166: Expressing Sincerity, Three Foundation Establishment Pills
"Huo, it's almost winter already, I didn't even realize it."
Bending down, Luo Chen shook off the fine snowflakes from his body as he entered the tailor's shop.
He couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.
The last time winter came was the last time.
Time flies, and it's almost been a year.
So many things have happened during this year that even if he were to gather around a stove and chat about the past, Luo Chen wouldn't know where to begin.
He only knew one thing.
Last May, he was at the third layer of Qi Condensation.
Now, in less than two years, he has reached the ninth layer of Qi Condensation and has already started planning for Foundation Establishment.
His rapid progress is astonishing! Even the geniuses of the sect would be dumbfounded if they saw this!
But none of this came easily.
Consuming so many resources every day and persisting for hundreds of days, if converted into spirit stones, would astonish even Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Only Luo Chen, with his resourceful ways, could support such rapid cultivation.
After greeting the old woman in the tailor's shop, Luo Chen put on his mask and once again entered the underground hall of Zhenlong Black Market.
This was the second month after the inner city of Dahexian Market was destroyed, and the second time the black market was held as scheduled.
As soon as he entered, Luo Chen sensed a familiar gaze upon him.
The person did not try to hide it, but there was no malice in it either.
Feeling the gentle gaze, Luo Chen nodded towards the person.
It was Tianxingzi.
"This senior seems to be quite concerned about me!"
Luo Chen chuckled and was about to find a quiet corner to sit down when a black-robed cultivator approached him.
"Senior Murong, our master has arranged a new seat for you. Please follow me."
"Oh?"
Luo Chen was taken aback but did not refuse. He followed the cultivator, passing by numerous Independent Persons.
Finally, he sat down on a golden silk rosewood chair at the edge of the hall.
As he sat down, numerous gazes fell upon him.
This was because the seats on both sides had always been reserved for Foundation Establishment True Cultivators.
Even if there weren't enough Foundation Establishment True Cultivators, these seats would remain empty and would not be given to Qi Condensation Independent Persons.
"Is this one of the VIP treatments that Tianxingzi mentioned?"
Luo Chen felt a bit uncomfortable when he first sat down.
But soon, he accepted this reality.
After serving as the president of the Luo Tian Society for so long, he was used to others looking up to him.
Now, he was merely sitting at the edge of the Qi Condensation stage.
Moreover, sitting in this position had its advantages.
If he wanted to bid for a desired treasure, most Qi Condensation Independent Persons would hesitate before competing.
This was the pressure that the "position" brought.
Unless it was a crucial resource, Independent Persons would not offend powerful figures, as they knew the wisdom of knowing when to stop.
After sitting down, Luo Chen realized that he had come a bit early.
There were only about a hundred people in the hall, and none of the other Foundation Establishment cultivators had arrived.
A black market cultivator served him tea, and he enjoyed it leisurely.
However, as more people arrived, he sensed something amiss.
The auras of those who appeared were distinctly different from the Qi Condensation Independent Persons.
Among them, there were several familiar auras.
The Great Perfection Spirit Eye Technique was not just about concealing one's aura and changing spiritual energy fluctuations.
After reaching Great Perfection, it had many uses, including the ability to mimic others' auras.
Naturally, this made him especially sensitive to others' auras.
"The one exuding a faint mist is Wang Haichao!"
"Nan Gong Jin is also here."
"The female cultivator with the shallow dew is, as expected, Li Yixian from the Li family."
"So, the familiar elderly Foundation Establishment cultivator talking to a few people is probably Duan Qiankun from the Duan family."
It was unexpected that today's black market had gathered the leaders of the four major Foundation Establishment forces in Dahexian Market.
Especially Nan Gong Jin, who kept glancing at Luo Chen.
He seemed curious as to why a Qi Condensation cultivator could sit with them.
Although it was just at the edge of the hall.
Luo Chen remained calm and continued to enjoy his tea and pastries, appearing confident.
His demeanor caused the others to avert their gazes.
"Perhaps he's Tianxingzi's honored guest!"
They all thought to themselves.
Luo Chen remained silent and had no desire to communicate with them.
The more he spoke, the more likely he was to reveal his true identity.
When the number of people reached about two hundred, Tianxingzi stood up and announced the start of today's auction.
The first item up for auction finally made Luo Chen understand why the black market auction had gathered the four major Foundation Establishment forces in Dahexian Market.
"Twenty sets of Netherworld Robes, middle-grade magic tools."
"When worn by cultivators, they can defend against low-level ghostly attacks."
"The starting bid is five hundred spirit stones per set. Each increase must be at least fifty spirit stones!"
"Ladies and gentlemen, please!"
Without hesitation, almost as soon as the last sentence was spoken, the four Foundation Establishment cultivators began bidding.
In the end, each of them won five sets, with an average price of seven hundred spirit stones per set.
This harmonious bidding left everyone breathless.
Tianxingzi, the owner of the black market, seemed to have expected this and was unconcerned about their collusion.
Perhaps this price was also within his acceptable range.
"The second item is ten Green Fire Lanterns, high-grade magic tools."
"When activated, they can detect nearby ghosts and release a Flame Sun Aura, attacking all ghosts below the Foundation Establishment stage within range."
"The starting bid is five hundred spirit stones per item. Each increase must be at least fifty spirit stones."
This time, Tianxingzi didn't even have to say 'please'.
The four Foundation Establishment cultivators immediately started bidding.
In the end, each of them won two items, with an average price of eight hundred spirit stones.
One of the remaining two items was won by a Qi Condensation cultivator in the hall who had reached Great Perfection.
The other was obtained by Luo Chen, who bid eight hundred and fifty spirit stones.
Slightly higher than the average price for Foundation Establishment cultivators, but fifty spirit stones cheaper than the Qi Condensation cultivator at Great Perfection.
This was the advantage of sitting in this position.
After obtaining the Green Fire Lantern, Luo Chen finally understood why these local Foundation Establishment cultivators had gathered here.
There was no other reason!
Today, the Zhenlong Black Market released a large batch of custom-made Magical Tools in advance, although their grades weren't particularly high.
Undoubtedly, they were all excellent items specifically targeting evil spirits and ghostly souls.
Recently, Luo Chen had been paying close attention to various news from the Dahexian Market.
The local major powers were expanding their territories, gathering resources, and sending people to explore the Great River Ghost City.
The items inside were extremely valuable! Not to mention the small sects and the businesses established by various families in the inner city, which were still trapped within.
It was certain that the people couldn't be saved, but at least the items had to be retrieved.
Moreover, with so many cultivators having perished inside, the inheritance alone was enough to make people envious.
With the Netherworld Robe and Green Fire Lantern, exploring the inner city was no longer a daunting task but an empowering opportunity!
However...
"What's the background of this Zhenlong Black Market? How did they manage to gather so many resources targeting evil spirits and ghostly souls in just two months?"
"Robe, Magical Tool... Even talismans and pills are available."
After spending another hundred Spirit Stones to bid for a Yellow Springs Pill, Luo Chen fell into deep thought.
In the Eastern Wilderness Cultivation World, there weren't many powers capable of mass-producing Magical Tools.
Within the Jade Cauldron Domain, among the seven sects of the domain, there was a Golden Core stage sect called the Flame Alliance, which specialized in forging.
The Green Fire Lantern, capable of releasing Flame Sun Aura, was indeed consistent with the Flame Alliance's typical forging style.
Outside the Jade Cauldron Domain, nearby was Tianfan City, and further away, there was the Huaxing Sect.
Was the Zhenlong Black Market a subordinate organization of these powers?
Or was there some form of cooperation between them?
Luo Chen wasn't the only one with these questions; the four local Foundation Establishment Cultivators were also speculating in the same manner.
But no one dared to ask directly.
Tianxingzi's strength was unfathomable.
Every time he brought out so many resources, who knew what methods he employed. At the very least, he wouldn't be weaker than the local Foundation Establishment Cultivators.
Thinking more highly of him, he might even be on the same level as Uncle Mi Hua or comparable to a sect's Foundation Establishment Cultivator.
"A corpse of a Second-stage Jin Ming Ling Hou, 70% complete. The most important eyes have been removed, but the other materials are intact."
"Can be sold separately or as a whole."
"Starting bid: 2,000 Spirit Stones."
Having participated in the black market auctions multiple times, Luo Chen was already familiar with the various rules, big and small.
For instance, the rules regarding starting bids and bidding increments.
For items with a starting bid below 500 Spirit Stones, the bidding was generally unrestrained.
For items between 500 and 1,000 Spirit Stones, the bidding increment was 10 Spirit Stones each time.
For items with a starting bid above 1,000 Spirit Stones, the minimum increment was 50 Spirit Stones.
For items involving 5,000 Spirit Stones or more, the default bidding increment was 100 Spirit Stones.
This rule was established not long ago.
It prevented situations where someone would use a single Spirit Stone to bid for a treasure worth tens of thousands, causing annoyance among the other bidders.
The Zhenlong Black Market also didn't want to deal with such trivial matters, potentially provoking the bidders to lose their temper.
Seeing the corpse of the Second-stage demon beast, Luo Chen was a bit tempted.
The main ingredient for the Imperial Flow was the bone, blood, and flesh of a same-source demon beast.
Although the Jin Ming Ling Hou's eyes were the most crucial, for Luo Chen, a complete set of bone, blood, and flesh was undoubtedly more valuable.
"Should I bid for it?"
Luo Chen hesitated for a moment.
But in that moment, Wang Haichao bid 5,000 Spirit Stones and immediately secured the demon beast's corpse.
Luo Chen furrowed his brows; this price was a bit low.
After all, it was the corpse of a Second-stage demon beast, and even though it lacked the most important material, it still contained the demon beast's core, which should be worth at least 6,000 to 7,000 Spirit Stones!
However, it was just a pity about the price.
Luo Chen didn't feel any regret.
The Imperial Flow pill formula was still being explored, and after a month, it remained a work in progress.
Even if he acquired the corresponding main ingredient, he couldn't start refining it right away.
Moreover, some demon beast corpses were not easy to preserve.
Oh well, he'd consider it again after figuring out the pill formula!
"Universal Speech Grass, a Second-stage spirit grass. When fed to a spirit beast, it can help dissolve the horizontal bone in its throat in advance."
"Three Qi Condensation Puppets, with combat power comparable to the mid-stage Qi Condensation. They are essential treasures for guarding, exploring, and treasure hunting."
"A Purple Dao Robe, a Supreme Quality defensive robe, with defensive capabilities not inferior to specialized defensive Magical Tools."
...
One by one, the treasures were auctioned off like flowing water.
The transaction prices were astonishing.
After witnessing this for a while, Luo Chen couldn't help but marvel at how much more the platform earned compared to small sects and cultivators.
His hard work in pill refining for a month might not yield much more profit than the black market's commission.
Moreover, the items in the Zhenlong Black Market weren't necessarily all sourced from them.
Many of them were from wanderers who, to avoid the hassle, commissioned the black market for the auction in advance.
As long as the items were sold, the organizers could collect a corresponding proportion of the handling fee.
This was practically a risk-free business!
Soon, the first round of auctions came to an end.
Tianxingzi descended and, without hesitation, headed straight for Luo Chen.
This scene caught the attention of the four local Foundation Establishment Cultivators.
A soundproof barrier was erected, and Tianxingzi greeted Luo Chen with a hearty smile.
"Young friend, how have you been?"
"Senior, you seem full of vigor. I believe your cultivation has progressed significantly!"
Luo Chen also knew how to flatter.
Tianxingzi shook his head, "I'm old, and I don't expect to achieve the Golden Core stage in this lifetime. Whether my cultivation improves or not isn't important. What's important is..."
"What about your Foundation Establishment stage friend who is a pill cultivator? How is he considering the offer?"
It seemed that he attached great importance to the Blood-Boiling Pill collaboration! Luo Chen's mind confirmed this thought, and without any delay, he said, "He said it's no problem, but..."
The juicy part was coming!
Tianxingzi perked up, "What conditions do you have? Just name them!"
Luo Chen didn't hold back and stated directly, "Although the Blood-Boiling Pill is only a First-stage pill, its refinement difficulty is extremely high, and the demand for main ingredients is also substantial."
"Therefore, we require your side to provide the corresponding raw materials at the normal market price."
Tianxingzi nodded, "That's only natural. Now that the Hundred Herbs Hall has moved, many medicinal ingredients are indeed hard to come by."
"How about this: give me a list, and I'll do my utmost to obtain whatever is possible."
Luo Chen immediately took out a list and handed it to Tianxingzi.
This gesture of goodwill pleased Tianxingzi.
It was evident that Luo Chen had come with sincerity.
Taking the list, Tianxingzi scanned it with his eyes, reading it line by line.
Fire Dog Whip, Phantom Dark Grass, North Sea Jade Pillar, Exploding Ape Demon Blood, Earth Fire Evil, Snow Fox Demon Blood, Yellow Spring Evil...
After reading, he looked up in surprise.
"Does it require so many materials to refine the Blood-Boiling Pill?"
No wonder he was so surprised.
It was not only because the list required a large number of medicinal ingredients, but also because many of the materials were clearly of conflicting medicinal properties.
For example, the Exploding Ape Demon Blood and Snow Fox Demon Blood were both specified as first-stage quality, but one had an explosive nature, while the other had an icy nature.
This was not simply a matter of Yin-Yang balance; their properties were extreme and must not be used together in a pill.
Similarly, the two evil auras, Earth Fire Evil and Yellow Spring Evil, were of first and second stages respectively.
What kind of pill would require two different evil auras, and of different ranks and attributes?
Also, what on earth is this Fire Dog Whip?
Luo Chen smiled silently.
These were not just the raw materials for the Blood-Boiling Pill.
Among them were also the main ingredients for various other pills, such as the Wondrous Pill, Path to the Netherworld Pill, and Blood Fiend Pill.
Firstly, this was to confuse Tianxingzi and prevent him from guessing the main ingredients of the Blood-Boiling Pill.
After all, there was definitely a powerful force backing him, and they might have experienced high-level pill refinement experts.
If they were to deduce the pill formula from the main ingredients, he would be at a huge loss.
Secondly, Luo Chen genuinely needed these main ingredients.
The Hundred Herbs Hall and Spirit Source Hall had moved away.
The Immortal Construction Residence was destroyed.
Many things were now beyond his reach.
Even within Luo Tianhui, the production of the Wondrous Pill had been halted.
As for the North Sea Jade Pillar, although it was cheap, only the Hundred Herbs Hall, backed by the Medicine King Sect, could afford to purchase and resell it in large quantities.
After all, it was a specialty of the Outer Domain.
The Path to the Netherworld Pill had an incomplete formula, but Luo Chen had studied it for a long time and had made some progress.
He was confident that he could complete the formula.
With the help of the System Beginner Level, he was almost certain of success.
At that time, he would be able to refine the pill to enhance his divine soul's foundation.
As for the Yellow Spring Evil, it was a consideration for Wang Yuan, just in case.
Seeing Luo Chen's smile, Tianxingzi realized his intentions.
He was planning to acquire the resources he wanted through cooperation while also concealing the original material ratio of the Blood-Boiling Pill.
A clever little trick.
Tianxingzi looked at Luo Chen intently and then carefully put away the list.
"Rest assured, since I've agreed to the cooperation, I'll do my best to meet your and your friend's needs."
"As a token of my sincerity, I'll also share some news with you, young friend!"
Luo Chen looked at him curiously.
What kind of news could be considered a Foundation Establishment True Cultivator's sincerity?
"Foundation Establishment Pill!"
"I've already contacted three of them, and they'll be delivered to Dahexian Market soon."
"Huff!"
...
A deep, heavy breath came from the man in front of him.
Tianxingzi was pleased with Luo Chen's reaction.
He believed that no one could remain calm under such a show of "sincerity."
Luo Chen also realized his loss of composure and quickly regulated his breathing.
No wonder he had reacted so strongly; it was the Foundation Establishment Pill!
And the last time this old man had said it was hard to come by.
But now, he was telling him that he had contacted "three" of them!
Three, not one or two!
If it were one or two, Luo Chen might not have reacted so strongly.
After all, with his talent, he was genuinely concerned that one or two might not be enough.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have given the one that Uncle Mi Hua had given him to Qin Liangchen as a favor.
But with three, he would have three chances to break through to the Foundation Establishment Stage.
Even a donkey should succeed with three chances!
It turned out that when others said it was hard to come by, they weren't referring to one or two, but more!
Luo Chen's voice was hoarse and dry.
"Senior..."
"Wait!"
Tianxingzi raised his hand, and just as Luo Chen thought he had a condition, the old man smiled and said, "These three Foundation Establishment Pills required a lot of favors from me. So, regarding the price... what do you think of five thousand spirit stones per pill?"
Was five thousand spirit stones a cheap or expensive price?
It was definitely expensive!
Even if the Foundation Establishment Pill was a second-rank pill, it was still just a pill.
Similarly, other second-rank pills started at three to five hundred spirit stones per bottle.
Selling Foundation Establishment Pills individually at two thousand spirit stones was already a sign of respect for the "increase in breakthrough probability" attribute.
At the Jade Cauldron auction, the Five Great Foundation Establishment Cultivators had only paid two thousand spirit stones each for their pills.
However, this price was very cheap for ordinary wanderers.
Firstly, they had no channels to purchase them.
Secondly, even if one or two appeared at auctions, the transaction prices were often sky-high.
The last Foundation Establishment Pill had been sold for six thousand eight hundred spirit stones! The competition was fierce!
Lastly, Luo Chen could completely accept this price.
He was the master of Luo Tianhui, a noble pill refinement expert.
Now, he could proudly declare to anyone:
"I have ample resources!"
The total for three pills was only fifteen thousand spirit stones.
Not to mention, he currently had sixteen thousand five hundred spirit stones on hand.
After the last auction, his two million spirit stones had dropped to nine thousand five hundred.
A month later, Luo Tianhui had earned him another eight thousand!
At today's auction, he had made a few small purchases, including the Green Fire Lantern and Yellow Springs Pill, for less than a thousand spirit stones.
In other words, if Tianxingzi were to bring out three Foundation Establishment Pills now,
Luo Chen could buy them on the spot!
Unfortunately, the old man said he would need to wait for some time.
"Thank you, senior, I'm very satisfied with this price!"
"Please notify me as soon as the Foundation Establishment Pills arrive."
Luo Chen sincerely expressed his gratitude.
Since the other party had shown their sincerity, he couldn't be stingy.
"Once the materials are purchased, I'll have my friend refine the Blood-Boiling Pill for you as soon as possible."
Tianxingzi laughed heartily, "Then, let's have a pleasant cooperation!"
"Pleasant cooperation!"
Without participating in the subsequent free trading session, Luo Chen left the Zhenlong Black Market early.
After exiting, he discovered that the snowfall on the streets had become heavier.
This winter was perhaps the most wonderful winter in history.
Luo Chen was excited.
After concealing his aura, he blended into the darkness of the night.
(End of Chapter)
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