Chapter 282: Still Young

Chapter 282: Still Young

Chu Ning had encountered and crafted a wide variety of pills, as well as pill formulas. Moreover, back in the Jiuhua Sect, he had also crafted pills using the demonic cores of the Red Flame Beasts.

So when he took the pill from Tang Jinchuan, he immediately sensed that it had been refined using a demonic core.

However, this pill differed from those he had crafted before. Previously, he had only utilized a portion of the dan liquid from the demonic core as a supplementary material to enhance the pill's quality.

But the pill in his hand now was clearly refined with a demonic core as the primary ingredient, paired with several spiritual herbs.

Although he suspected that most of the pills in Iceland Immortal City were likely refined in this manner, Chu Ning still held a glimmer of hope as he said to Tang Jinchuan, "Fellow Daoist Tang, I feel that this pill may not be very suitable for me. Do you have any other pills with similar effects?"

Hearing this, Tang Jinchuan nodded slightly and took out three more pills to give to Chu Ning.

"Fellow Daoist Chu, there aren't many pills suitable for Golden Core cultivators to improve their cultivation. These four pills are the most popular among fellow Daoists in our pavilion.

In the Northern Cold Land, it's rare to find a place that can offer four different types of pills with the same effect."

As he spoke, a hint of pride crept into Tang Jinchuan's voice.

Chu Ning held the four pills in his hand, sensing them briefly, and soon realized that they were all refined using demonic cores.

This gave him a general idea that the pill-concocting techniques in the Northern Cold Land were probably closely related to demonic cores.

Soon, he also guessed that this had something to do with the region's proximity to the Xuefeng Mountain Range and its connection to the boundless sea.

In the East Sacred Continent and the Western Alliance Continent, there were indeed numerous demonic beasts as well.

However, most of these beasts resided within the spiritual energy mountain ranges.

While the two continents bordered the Infinite Sea, and legends spoke of demonic beasts lurking in its depths, essentially no cultivators dared to venture there.

The Northern Cold Land was different.

Between it and the Infinite Sea lay the Boundless Sea, a body of water teeming with life and an abundance of demonic beasts.

In contrast, although the Xuefeng Mountain Range did possess spiritual veins, the climate rendered it less lush compared to places like the Yunxiao Mountain Range, which enjoyed spring-like weather all year round.

As a result, the region had far fewer spiritual herbs.

This was also why so many Golden Core cultivators had arrived early for the opening of the Snow Mist Valley.

The scarcity of spiritual herbs and the abundance of demonic beasts in the sea likely explained why pill concocting techniques in this region relied heavily on demonic cores.

As these thoughts raced through Chu Ning's mind, he carefully examined the four pills in his hand, gauging their quality.

Combining this assessment with Tang Jinchuan's tone, he formed a rough estimate of the pill-concocting standards in the Northern Cold Land.

They fell far short of the complete pill-concocting legacy of the Jiuhua Sect.

Within the Jiuhua Sect, there were numerous spiritual pills suited for Golden Core cultivators to enhance their spiritual sense, let alone those meant for improving their cultivation.

With these thoughts in mind, Chu Ning chose two pills that he believed would be most suitable for him and asked Tang Jinchuan, "Fellow Daoist Tang, may I ask the price of these pills?"

Tang Jinchuan smiled and replied, "Fellow Daoist Chu has a keen eye. These two are high-grade middle-tier pills, and their price is naturally not cheap. There are nine pills in a bottle, valued at five thousand lower-grade spirit stones."

Upon hearing this price, Chu Ning, who had intended to buy two types of pills, now pointed to one of them and said, "In that case, I'll take just one bottle."

Tang Jinchuan promptly handed over a bottle of pills, and Chu Ning took out the corresponding spirit stones from his storage bag to pay for them.

Of course, what Chu Ning truly desired was to obtain the corresponding pill formulas so that he could refine the pills himself, reducing costs and further refining them to enhance their effects.

However, given the rarity of these pills, it was even more unlikely that he could acquire their formulas.

Chu Ning knew without a doubt that Tang Jinchuan would not sell the formulas.

"I'll just have to wait and see if there will be any relevant pill formulas or spiritual herbs for sale at the trading session later," he thought to himself.

At this point, Chu Ning's interest in browsing the Frost Moon Pavilion waned, as his primary goal was to obtain spiritual herbs.

As for other treasures, he had no shortage of them.

When Tang Jinchuan suggested that they head to the trading session together, Chu Ning readily agreed.

In the past few years, he had focused on secluded cultivation.

But now, Chu Ning felt it necessary to interact more with other cultivators.

After all, whether it was to obtain pill formulas or to return to the Western Alliance Continent, he needed to gather information from fellow cultivators.

As they chatted, Tang Jinchuan led Chu Ning to a small hall used for the trading session. Inside, there were only two other cultivators present.

One of them, a man with the appearance of being in his fifties, wore a yellow robe, but what drew the most attention were his long arms. He had a cultivation base at the mid-Golden Core stage.

The other man was slightly younger, clad in a blue robe, and his face carried a hint of coldness. He was at the early-Golden Core stage.

Both men were surprised to see someone as young as Chu Ning, especially since he was accompanied by Tang Jinchuan.

The long-armed elder took the initiative to speak, "Fellow Daoist Tang, we've never seen this young fellow Daoist before. May we have the pleasure of an introduction?"

Tang Jinchuan understood the elder's implication and didn't offer much explanation.

With a smile, he introduced Chu Ning, "This is Fellow Daoist Chu Ning, who resides in Iceland Immortal City.

Chu Ning had no intention of being mistaken for someone associated with the Frost Moon Pavilion, so he took this opportunity to clarify his stance.

Upon hearing this, Tang Jinchuan glanced at Chu Ning. Chang Lishan and Shen Qiaan also stood up and returned his greeting.

Soon after, Tang Jinchuan had to leave, leaving only the three of them in the hall.

Shen Qiaan seemed to have a relatively aloof personality. After a brief greeting, he closed his eyes and meditated, appearing disinterested in socializing.

However, Chang Lishan was quite talkative and took the initiative to chat with Chu Ning.

Learning that Chu Ning had been in seclusion and hadn't ventured out much, he shared some of the significant events that had occurred in the area around Iceland Immortal City in recent years.

"A level-eight demon beast appeared in the southeast sea five years ago, and many cultivators lost their lives. However, it seems that the demon beast was only temporarily staying in that area, as it left three years ago."

"There might be a fierce battle in the Snow Mist Valley this time. Some cultivators claim that they saw a millennium Snow Crystal Reishi there ten years ago. It's said to have gained sentience, and when that cultivator wasn't paying attention, it escaped. This time, many people are probably coming for this herb."

Hearing this, Chu Ning was astonished.

He was familiar with the Snow Crystal Reishi even from his time in the Jiuhua Sect.

This spiritual herb was an excellent ingredient for refining pills, and millennium Snow Crystal Reishi was usually not used for pill refining.

That's because a millennium Snow Crystal Reishi could produce several drops of Reishi liquid every half a year, which was extremely beneficial for cultivating one's spiritual sense.

It was comparable to the effect of millennium Spirit Milk on restoring spiritual sense.

Chu Ning couldn't help but ask,

"A millennium Snow Crystal Reishi? Won't this attract Nascent Soul cultivators to act?"

"No, it won't!" Chang Lishan laughed.

"The three Nascent Soul cultivators of the Longkong Temple have been in seclusion for many years. While this treasure is indeed valuable, it's not enough to make them leave their seclusion. As for the other Nascent Soul cultivators, they are also unlikely to appear because they worry that their presence might alert the three Nascent Soul cultivators of the Longkong Temple, given the proximity of the Snow Mist Valley to Iceland Immortal City."

Chu Ning nodded and continued chatting with Chang Lishan.

Gradually, more cultivators entered the hall, making it less convenient for the two of them to continue their private conversation.

Chang Lishan then invited Chu Ning to his cave abode.

Chu Ning had intended to make some connections with the local cultivators, and since Chang Lishan seemed amiable, he readily asked,

"May I know where Fellow Daoist Chang resides? I will definitely pay a visit to your abode after this gathering."

"I live on the fourth level of the Upper City, Sector Eighteen," Chang Lishan replied, noticing a slight strange smile on Chu Ning's face.

"What a coincidence!" Chu Ning exclaimed. "I never thought that Fellow Daoist Chang would be my neighbor. I live in Sector Nineteen."

"What?" Chang Lishan was also surprised to hear this and then laughed in realization.

"I knew someone had moved into the neighboring cave abode a few years ago, but we never met. I never expected it to be Fellow Daoist Chu."

With this revelation, the two of them felt a newfound sense of camaraderie.

They continued their conversation via transmitted voices.

About an incense stick's worth of time later, nearly thirty more Golden Core cultivators had arrived in the hall.

Chang Lishan then said to Chu Ning,

"I think most people have arrived. The Snow Mist Valley will open in about two months. The number of Golden Core cultivators is still relatively small right now, but in about a month, there will be more, and the trading session will be even more lively."

Chu Ning nodded and began to survey the hall.

Among the thirty-odd cultivators present, there were only four at the late Golden Core stage, with the rest evenly split between the middle and early Golden Core stages.

At that moment, a tall and elegant middle-aged female cultivator wearing a luxurious dress entered the hall, followed by Tang Jinchuan.

Chu Ning's gaze swept over the dignified and noble woman, and his expression turned slightly stern.

She was a late Golden Core cultivator, and from her aura, it seemed that she had been at this stage for a long time.

Her strength was comparable to that of He Feng, Tie Shi, and Hua Shusheng, whom he had encountered in the Spirit Domain.

"Greetings, fellow daoists. I am Wu Lingwei of the Frost Moon Pavilion. Welcome to our pavilion. Following our usual practice, we will first present a few treasures for your perusal before you commence your own trading activities."

As she spoke, Wu Lingwei began to take out some treasures.

Perhaps because the major trading day, which occurred once every ten days, was a frequent occurrence for the Frost Moon Pavilion, and the fact that today's gathering wasn't the grand finale that happened once every ten years when the Snow Mist Valley truly opened, the items Wu Lingwei presented, in Chu Ning's opinion, couldn't be considered top-notch.

Moreover, the quantity wasn't very large.

However, whether it was spiritual herbs or refining materials, they all seemed to be carefully selected, so they were quite well-received.

With over thirty Golden Core cultivators present, the items were quickly snapped up.

Soon after, the cultivators began their free trading session.

Chu Ning noticed that everyone placed their items on display without any concealment, making it convenient for others to inspect with their spiritual sense, so he followed suit.

What surprised them even more was the set of small green swords that Chu Ning had taken out.

With their knowledge and experience, they could instantly tell that these were magical treasures, and moreover, a complete set of them.

The Northern Cold Land was very different from the Western Alliance Continent. Here, sect influences were far less prevalent, and this was especially true near Iceland Immortal City, where solitary cultivators were more common.

Without the guidance and resources of a sect, neither alchemy nor artifact forging tended to flourish.

Even the Frost Moon Pavilion rarely displayed magical treasures.

Typically, even after a cultivator formed their Golden Core, they would go for long periods without possessing their own magical treasure.

So, when Chu Ning presented a complete set of sword-like magical treasures, it was no wonder that everyone was astonished.

In comparison, the talismans and spiritual herbs that Chu Ning had displayed seemed far less noteworthy.

Soon, a voice reached out to him.

"Fellow cultivator, what are you looking to exchange for your set of magical treasures? It seems that many here are unable to meet your requirements."

This was clearly a transmitted message, and Chu Ning looked up to see a middle-aged cultivator nodding at him from a distance.

Chu Ning replied in a similar manner:

"Some special spiritual herbs."

He then proceeded to list the names of the herbs he required.

Seeing the hesitant look on the other cultivator's face, Chu Ning sighed inwardly.

He then asked, "Do you happen to have any high-grade middle-tier or above pill formulas for Golden Core cultivators?"

Upon hearing this request, the middle-aged cultivator's face betrayed his surprise.

He shook his head and transmitted his reply. "I apologize, fellow cultivator, but I cannot produce the herbs you seek. However, I do have quite a few demon cores and some excellent artifact refining materials. Are you interested in those?"

After Chu Ning declined, this potential trade came to nothing.

Subsequently, several other cultivators approached him, but each of them shook their heads after hearing what Chu Ning was looking for.

Chu Ning didn't wait passively and instead took the initiative to approach other cultivators, especially those who seemed to be alchemists, judging by the spiritual herbs they had on display.

However, after asking around, almost no one could provide him with pill formulas, leaving Chu Ning greatly disappointed.

Feeling dispirited, he sold off some talismans and then idly chatted with some of the Golden Core cultivators.

He thought that this trip might be fruitless, but at least he could make some new acquaintances.

Just then, a voice entered his ears.

"Cultivator Chu, what exactly are you looking to exchange for your set of magical treasures? It seems that many here are unable to satisfy your request."

As this transmitted message reached his ears, Chu Ning looked up and saw Wu Lingwei standing before him.

Seeing her interest, Chu Ning didn't hide the truth and replied, "Cultivator Wu, the spiritual herbs I seek were already examined by your associate, Fellow Cultivator Tang. If you don't have those, I'd like to exchange for some pill formulas."

"Pill formulas?" Wu Lingwei's expression changed slightly upon hearing this.

These were the treasures of the Frost Moon Pavilion, their means of making a profit, so naturally, they wouldn't be given to Chu Ning lightly.

With this thought, Wu Lingwei turned to leave.

However, she seemed to suddenly remember something and paused, transmitting her voice to Chu Ning. "Cultivator Chu, if you're looking for pill formulas that are currently in use, I'm afraid I can't help you. But we do have some ancient pill formulas here. Are you interested in those?"

"Ancient pill formulas?" Chu Ning's heart stirred at these words.

If Wu Lingwei was offering these formulas, it likely meant that the Frost Moon Pavilion had already researched them and found them impractical to refine.

The question was whether these formulas were impractical due to the rarity of required demon cores or the unavailability of certain spiritual herbs.

With this in mind, Chu Ning asked, "Cultivator Wu, are these complete ancient pill formulas?"

Wu Lingwei nodded and transmitted her reply. "Rest assured, fellow cultivator, they are indeed complete formulas. However, since they are ancient, many of the required materials may no longer be available. We obtained an entire ancient pill formula manual, and if you're interested, I can show you one or two of the formulas within."

"A complete ancient pill formula manual?"

Chu Ning was even more astonished now.

"If it's convenient, I'd like to take a look."

Wu Lingwei nodded in agreement. "Please follow me, Cultivator Chu."

Half a stick of incense time later, the small trading session came to an end.

Chu Ning descended from the third floor of the Frost Moon Pavilion, his face filled with a conflicted expression, as if he were weighing his options.

In contrast, Wu Lingwei, who had accompanied Chu Ning downstairs, wore a broad smile.

"To exchange a nearly useless ancient pill formula manual for a magical treasure is an excellent deal.

This Cultivator Chu probably doesn't realize that those pill formulas are practically useless.

If it were that simple to modify and refine them, our Frost Moon Pavilion's alchemists would have done so already.

Some of the older, more cunning cultivators showed initial interest but lost interest after learning some details.

This Cultivator Chu is still young and naive!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end