Immortality and Cultivation: Starting with Harvesting the Talents of Demonic Beasts

Chapter 254 Willow Wood Acquired, Slovenly Old Taoist
"The auction was held on the lowest peak on the west side."

The servant in yellow indeed knew a lot.

Next, Lin Changheng also looked into shops that could recycle second-hand items.

There are indeed several places.

Because these kinds of shops are basically extremely profitable, but you need to have the strength to stand firm and take over.

There were no business skills or capital involved.

However, since it was a newly established shop, Lin Changheng did not intend to sell the stolen goods immediately. Under such circumstances, it would be easy to attract extra attention, especially since the items he was selling were several second-tier spiritual artifacts.

Doesn't that mean they're directly labeling themselves as "treasure hunters" or "easy targets"?

This will likely cause trouble.

……

Two figures stopped one after the other in front of a huge pavilion that was more than ten feet tall.

"Immortal Master, please look, this is the 'Divine Materials Pavilion'."

The servant in yellow at the front spoke respectfully.

Lin Changheng looked in the direction of the gesture and saw the pavilion with its flying eaves and brackets, exuding a magnificent aura.

A huge plaque hangs high, with the three gilded characters "Shencai Pavilion" written in a vigorous and elegant style, exuding a sense of grandeur.

Cultivators came and went in an endless stream beneath the tall gate. Most of them were at the Qi Refining stage, but there were also some Foundation Establishment cultivators. Among them were many beautiful and graceful female attendants who were busy serving the guests.

Lin Changheng stood with his hands behind his back, glanced at the impressive shop, and said to the yellow-clad servant behind him, "Wait here."

As he spoke, he tossed a spirit stone into the other person's arms.

"Thank you, Immortal Master! I'll be waiting for you outside!" The servant was overjoyed. He quickly hid the spirit stone, bowed, and obediently stepped back to a pillar, standing quietly with his hands at his sides, not daring to block the way or overstep his bounds in the slightest.

He knew that this was not a place that an ordinary person like him could enter at will.

Lin Changheng took out a folding fan, snapped it open, and stepped in with a calm expression.

Upon entering, one immediately notices that the interior space is far more spacious than it appears from the outside. Soft, bright light streams down from the ceiling, illuminating every detail of the hall without being glaring.

The air was filled with a faint, unique aroma of sandalwood mixed with various spiritual materials.

A beautiful maidservant dressed in a light blue dress, whose cultivation level was at the early stage of Qi Refining, immediately came forward with a professional and respectful smile on her face: "Welcome to the 'Divine Materials Pavilion'. May I ask what you need? I can show you around and introduce you to the place."

"I need some second-tier spirit wood."

"Third-order is fine too."

Lin Changheng glanced at the waitress, then turned his gaze to the shop counter, fanning himself and laughing.

A knowing glint flashed in the maid's eyes, and she realized Lin Changheng's cultivation level. She quickly stepped aside to lead the way, subtly changing her form of address: "Senior, please follow me. The high-grade spirit wood is on the second floor."

Upon reaching the second floor, the environment became quieter, and the displayed spiritual materials were noticeably more precious. Lin Changheng was then led to a counter that specifically displayed various types of spiritual wood.

The person in charge of this place was an elderly man with a sharp face and a goatee, whose cultivation level had reached the early stage of Foundation Establishment.

He glanced at Lin Changheng, sensing his spiritual pressure as a fellow Foundation Establishment cultivator, and smiled, cupping his hands in greeting, "Fellow Daoist, do you need second-tier spirit wood? My surname is Qian, and I'm in charge of trading high-tier spiritual materials."

"Greetings, Fellow Daoist Qian."

Lin Changheng nodded and smiled, "That's right, what I need is [Eastern Willow Wood]. I wonder if your esteemed establishment has any?"

"Of course."

Under Lin Changheng's gaze, this Fellow Daoist Qian actually nodded, which pleased Lin Changheng. Then, he saw the other party pull out a piece of spirit wood that was seven inches long and as thick as a bowl from below.

He placed it on a specially made brocade cloth: "Fellow Daoist, please take a look. This is a top-quality item from our store's inventory. The wood is uniform, extremely tough, and contains abundant Yi wood essence. It is an excellent choice for refining wood-type flying swords, magic whips, or setting up certain special wood-type formations."

"As for the price, it's calculated by the inch, four hundred low-grade spirit stones per inch."

Lin Changheng was overjoyed, knowing that his trip had been worthwhile.

Things that are hard to find in the [Floating Immortal City] can be found so easily here.

Or is it only held at special times like the opening of this workshop?

Without much thought, Lin Changheng reached out and picked up the piece of willow wood. A faint blue light flashed at his fingertips as he carefully examined its internal texture and distribution of spiritual energy.

At the same time, he used the [Insightful Aura] technique, which gave him exceptional eyesight. With a little examination, he knew that the wood was of acceptable quality, but far from top-grade, and contained many impurities inside.

He put down the willow wood, shook his head, and said in a calm tone, "Fellow Daoist Qian, let's not beat around the bush. This wood has internal knots and growths, and the flow of vital energy is already sluggish. I'm afraid it can't be called 'superior quality.' If I buy it at this price, I'm afraid I'll lose money."

A hint of surprise flashed in Manager Qian's eyes. He hadn't expected the other party to be an expert who could spot the flaw at a glance.

His smile remained unchanged as he laughed heartily, "Fellow Daoist, you truly have discerning taste! In that case, I will not mince words. This batch of timber may have slight flaws, but if you are truly interested, how about two hundred and fifty low-grade spirit stones per inch?"

Lin Changheng did not agree immediately, but said, "My requirement is quite large, at least three feet. And the price is also slightly high..."

Three feet is indeed a large order. Manager Qian pondered for a moment and said, "Our establishment certainly has the quantity of three feet, but the price..."

Lin Changheng didn't speak, he just looked at him quietly.

Manager Qian gritted his teeth and whispered a few instructions to the maid. A moment later, the maid brought out two pieces of willow wood, totaling three feet in length, from the inner treasury.

"Fellow Daoist, you may examine it. It is exactly the same as what was just shown. In addition, we also have genuine high-grade wood of this kind. I wonder if you would like to see it?"

Lin Changheng looked down to examine it, seemingly ignoring the latter part of Manager Qian's sentence, because he used this wood to forge his body, and its quality was sufficient.

Rather than being used for refining magical artifacts, setting up formations, or making talismans, it requires a higher quality.

After confirming that everything was correct, Lin Changheng was satisfied, but remained outwardly calm: "The items are the same, but the price is too high. I can take the seven-inch sample as well, at two hundred spirit stones per inch."

Manager Qian gasped in shock: "Fellow Daoist, your bargaining is too ruthless! Although you want a lot, 240 coins per inch is my bottom line!"

"In reality, we both know that this quality of [Eastern Wheel Willow Wood] has very limited applications. Its quality is affected by its use in refining weapons, making talismans, and setting up arrays. Moreover, impurities are difficult to remove completely, so it is easy to accumulate in warehouses and is difficult to sell."

Lin Changheng raised his eyes and looked at Manager Qian, saying quietly,
"Furthermore, if I am not mistaken, this spirit wood has been felled, harvested, and stored for a long time, hasn't it?"

"Cough cough..."

This hit the nail on the head regarding Manager Qian's thoughts.

Lin Changheng sneered inwardly. Although the wood was well preserved and its spiritual essence was almost completely preserved, it could not escape the perception of his [Rongsheng Divine Power] true meaning.

Then he offered another price: "Two hundred and ten coins per inch."

His tone was calm, yet carried a hint of certainty.

"Friend Lin..."

Next, the two engaged in a verbal battle, subtly vying for dominance, but Lin Changheng gained the upper hand, seizing control of the other's weaknesses.

Manager Qian tried to raise the price, but Lin Changheng accurately pointed out the shortcomings of the timber and the market conditions, refusing to budge an inch. Finally, seeing Lin Changheng's resolute attitude and his excellent understanding of the market, Manager Qian realized he had met a tough opponent. He knew that continuing to argue might cost him this big deal, so he could only compromise with a wry smile: "Fine, fine, let's just consider this a friendship! The willow wood is three feet seven inches long, at 220 spirit stones per inch, how about a deal?!"

"It's a pleasure doing business with you." Lin Changheng finally showed a faint smile and took out spirit stones to complete the transaction.

Lin Changheng was satisfied as he put the willow wood into his storage bag. This tug-of-war between them had saved him a lot of spirit stones.

He nodded slightly to Manager Qian, then turned and went downstairs.

He had calculated that the amount he purchased was enough for him to cultivate to the peak of the late stage of the second level of body refinement.

After that, all that remains is the issue of long-term refinement.

……

In the following time, led by the servant in yellow, Lin Changheng purchased many necessary and spare items in the market.

However, the most crucial breakthrough boosting pills needed for the Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object and the Deep Lake Spiritual Clam were not available.

However, one of the shopkeepers he inquired with revealed that the spirit beasts that boosted the pills would appear at the auction.

Their families, who were involved in beast taming, received the news in advance.

The purpose is to allow families in need to prepare spirit stones in advance so that they can compete for them later.

"That's a brilliant idea."

Lin Changheng smiled.

"Our Beast Taming family naturally has its own set of training methods, otherwise how could it have been passed down to this day? We basically don't take action, except for rogue cultivators who have spirit beasts." The shopkeeper sneered, not caring at all.

But this information was indeed very useful to him.

This gave him peace of mind.

Without the boosting elixir, the Deep Lake Spirit Clam can only break through on its own.

The risks faced by spirit beasts are quite high. If they succeed in breaking through, all is well, but if they fail, they will be seriously injured or even die.

Therefore, Lin Changheng is trying his best to avoid it.

Then, to express his gratitude for the information, Lin Changheng specially bought some commonly used resources for spirit beasts before leaving.

……

The matter was completed quite quickly, just as dusk was approaching.

Lin Changheng went directly to the largest spirit wine restaurant in the market, intending to try the spirit food and wine of the Bixiao Sect area and treat himself.

It is eleven stories high and looks like the Deer Terrace of King Zhou of Shang in the past, except that each table is separated by a curtain.

Enjoy the night view while you're at it; there's no curfew in this area.

"Senior, this way please."

A female nun dressed in elegant palace attire came out to greet the guests.

It must be said that the cost of living is still quite high.

Lin Changheng sat directly on the high pavilion by the railing, overlooking the entire neighborhood.

I randomly ordered five specialty dishes and a pot of spirit wine, which cost more than fifty spirit stones.

However, the dishes were fragrant and vibrant, and the wine was mellow, so it was worth the price.

Lin Changheng didn't say much and readily paid the spirit stones.

The palace-clad female cultivator's smile grew even more sincere as she respectfully said, "Please enjoy your meal, senior. If you need anything, please feel free to call me." She then gracefully withdrew.

He had just picked up his jade chopsticks and hadn't even tasted the food when a withered hand lifted the curtain of the private room.

An old man with black hair and beard, dressed in a shabby Taoist robe, and with a large crimson wine gourd hanging from his waist, peeked in with a smile and sniffed the air.

"Tsk, delicious! It smells wonderful! Young friend, wouldn't you be lonely eating all this delicious food by yourself? You have a kind face and must be a magnanimous person. Would you mind sharing a table and adding another pair of chopsticks?"

As he spoke, without waiting for Lin Changheng's response, he walked in on his own, plopped down opposite him, stared intently at the pot of spirit wine on the table, and his Adam's apple bobbed noticeably.

Upon seeing this, the female cultivator who had just finished serving the dishes hurriedly followed, looking at Lin Changheng with a troubled expression: "Senior, this..."

Lin Changheng's gaze swept over the old Taoist. This man was also at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, but his aura was murky and foul, reeking of alcohol, and he had an unruly demeanor.

He felt a slight stirring in his heart, but remained outwardly calm, waving his hand at the female cultivator: "It's alright, just add another cup."

The female cultivator in palace attire felt as if she had been granted a pardon and quickly fetched tableware before retreating.

The old Taoist priest immediately beamed and rubbed his hands together, saying, "Young friend, you are very generous! My surname is Wu, and my given name is 'Jiu' (meaning 'wine'). It is fate that we meet today, so we must drink a few cups together!" As he spoke, his gaze drifted to the wine pot again.

Lin Changheng poured him a cup of spiritual wine and said calmly, "Fellow Daoist Wu, please make yourself at home."

Then he suddenly asked, "Fellow Daoist Wu, how come you just happened to ask me to share a table?"

Wu Jiu Laodao eagerly picked up his wine cup, downed it in one gulp, squinted his eyes, let out a long sigh, and exclaimed with delight, "Ah... fine wine! No wonder it's 'Biyun Shao' from 'Zui Xian Ju'!"

He then replied, "Hehe, it's not night yet, and there aren't many diners. It just so happens that the old Taoist has the keenest sense of smell and smelled the most delicious food and wine on your table, so I came to bother you."

After saying that, he seemed to have just noticed the table full of delicacies, and unceremoniously picked up his chopsticks, "Young friend, would you mind if this old Taoist tried some?"

"Please feel free, fellow Daoist." Lin Changheng said calmly, picking up a piece of spiritual bamboo shoot with his chopsticks, while his mind was racing.

This old Taoist priest may seem crazy and overly familiar, but he has cultivated to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, which is no ordinary person.

It's unclear whether this action has a deeper meaning, reflects genuine feelings, or has some other motive.

Wu Jiu Laodao devoured a few bites of food in a whirlwind, then poured himself a cup of wine. Only then was he temporarily satisfied. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve, squinted his drunken eyes, and looked at Lin Changheng: "Young friend, you look unfamiliar. Are you not a local? Are you here for sightseeing, business, or to attend an auction?"

Lin Changheng put down his chopsticks, looked at the other person, and asked instead of answering, "Oh? Could it be that Fellow Daoist Wu is a local?"

"Hehe, I'm not an old Taoist priest. I've just been traveling here for over thirty years, so I've become half a local."

Wu Jiu Laodao was quite straightforward and didn't hide anything, picking up the wine pot and filling Lin Changheng's cup as well.

"Is there any way to travel for thirty years? Since things have come to this, why not settle down here?"

Lin Changheng asked directly.

"Hehe, naturally something has held this old Taoist back, and he can't get away for the time being..."

Old Daoist Wu shook his head and sighed, but he didn't seem to be feeling any melancholy.

Lin Changheng immediately gave a half-smile: "Fellow Daoist, could it be that you came here hoping I would help you?"

After finishing another cup, Wu Jiu Laodao raised his slightly red and slightly drunken nose and looked at Lin Changheng: "A cautious person like you, young friend, will surely refuse... but this old Daoist cannot bring himself to say it."

(End of this chapter)