The Immortal Clan begins with deductive intelligence.

Xu Changqing didn't say anything more and turned to walk towards the ferry.

Once outside the clan's protective formation, the cold wind was instantly no longer obstructed.

Xu Changqing put on a black robe and then summoned an old, flat boat-shaped magical artifact.

Driven by spiritual energy, the small boat transformed into a streak of light, speeding away close to the ice surface.

The journey was not without its challenges.

Xu Changqing carefully avoided the deep water areas where the ice had broken, flying as close to the edge of the reed beds as possible.

About an hour later.

A huge island shrouded in a blue light curtain appeared ahead.

Qinghefang Market.

This is the largest trading market within a radius of hundreds of miles, directly under the jurisdiction of the Qinghe Sword Sect.

Inside, there are not only various shops, but also a special area for independent repairmen to set up stalls.

As soon as Xu Changqing entered the market, the clamor of voices and the heat wave hit him, dispelling the chill from his body.

The snow on both sides of the street had been cleared clean, and the road was paved with bluestone slabs. Shops lined both sides, with their signs fluttering in the wind.

Despite it being the dead of winter, the market was still bustling with activity.

Probably because news of the "Grand Opening Ceremony" had already spread, many independent cultivators and family cultivators who had heard the news gathered here, hoping to try their luck or take the opportunity to do some business.

Instead of going to those grand shops, Xu Changqing turned into a slightly quiet alley.

At the end of the alley, there is a black signboard that reads "Bai Lian Ge".

Xu Changqing pushed open the door and went in.

The shop was dimly lit, but the furnace was burning brightly, and a shirtless, red-faced man was hammering a piece of red-hot iron.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

Sparks flew everywhere.

"Take a look at what you want; everything is priced on the shelves."

The man didn't even raise his head, his voice like muffled thunder.

Xu Changqing didn't say anything, but closed the door behind him, walked to the counter, and gently patted the surface.

"Shopkeeper, we don't do business, we just want to sell some goods."

The red-faced man stopped what he was doing, threw the hammer onto the anvil, grabbed a towel to wipe his sweat, and then turned around, his large, round eyes scrutinizing Xu Changqing from head to toe.

"Something you can't show to others?"

The man snorted and said without any politeness, "As long as the goods are good, I'll take them all."

Xu Changqing didn't waste any words and patted the storage bag.

"Bang."

The large roll of tin-covered bull hide, along with its shiny black horns, slammed onto the counter.

The red-faced man's previously nonchalant gaze suddenly sharpened.

He stretched out his rough, large hand, touched the leather, and then tugged at it forcefully.

"A late-stage Tier 1 Ironhide Bull?"

The man looked up, his eyes changing, filled with a mixture of curiosity and surprise: "The skin was peeled off so perfectly, not even a large cut... Brother, impressive skill."

A hide of this quality would require either several late-stage Qi Refining cultivators to surround and kill it, and even then, they would need perfect coordination.

Either they set up an extremely ingenious trap.

Regardless of the reason, this person is no ordinary individual.

Xu Changqing remained calm, his hands tucked into his sleeves: "It was a lucky find, shopkeeper, name your price."

The man gave him a deep look, his eyes unconsciously filled with a hint of awe, and didn't ask any more questions.

He picked up the pair of bull horns and tapped them, producing a crisp, metallic clang.

"The hide is good, but it hasn't been tanned, so it will take me a lot of work. The horns, however, are top-grade and suitable for crafting offensive magical weapons."

The man pondered for a moment, then held up three fingers.

"Three hundred and fifty low-grade spirit stones. If you want cash, that's the price. If you want to exchange it for a magic weapon, I can give you three hundred and eighty stones."

Xu Changqing made a mental calculation.

The Tongtian Mirror gave an estimate of 550 yuan, which included the demon core and the cost of the ox bones and tendons.

The leather and horn sold for 350, which was already a fair price, even a little higher than he had expected.

It seems this shopkeeper is indeed an honest person.

"Exchange for cash."

Xu Changqing answered readily: "Also, I have a beef tendon here. Shopkeeper, see if you can buy it too."

As he spoke, he took out the coiled beef tendon again.

The man's eyes lit up. He grabbed the beef tendon, tugged at it, and a satisfied look appeared on his face.

"Good stuff, add 100 more, 450 spirit stones in total."

The man was a straightforward fellow; he pulled a heavy cloth bag from under the counter and tossed it onto the counter.

"Dian Dian".

Xu Changqing took the bag, scanned it with his divine sense, and found that the number was exactly right.

Four hundred and fifty spirit stones.

The heavy weight in his hands finally lifted the weight off his heart, a weight that had been hanging in his chest for so long.

Thank you.

Xu Changqing put away the spirit stones, didn't linger any longer, and turned to leave.

After leaving the shop, he did not leave immediately. Instead, he wandered around the alley a few times, changed his clothes, and then entered a "Wanbaoge" shop.

Wanbaoge truly lives up to its reputation as one of the top shops in the market. Dozens of counters are lined up in a row, filled with a dazzling array of magical artifacts and elixirs.

Xu Changqing lowered the brim of his hat, revealing only half of his yellowish fake face.

Several shop assistants stood behind the counter, busy with their feet barely touching the ground, their foreheads covered in oil and sweat.

Xu Changqing found a moment to approach the counter, his voice low and hoarse.

"Shopkeeper, bring me a bottle of Qi-Boosting Powder."

He didn't ask for four bottles. This Qi-inducing powder is for beginners to sense Qi. It's normal for an ordinary cultivator to buy one bottle for their junior.

Buying four bottles from one shop at once would be too conspicuous.

The shop assistant was busy fiddling with his abacus when he heard about the business. Without even looking up, he casually replied, "One bottle of Qi-Inducing Powder, 110 low-grade spirit stones."

Xu Changqing frowned.

"How come it's increased by 10% so quickly?"

The shop assistant then looked up and saw that although Xu Changqing's attire was not conspicuous, he did not dare to be too negligent. He simply put down his pen with a bitter face.

"Fellow Daoist, you've just emerged from seclusion, haven't you?"

The waiter glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention, then lowered his voice and said:

"The prices of medicines in the market have gone crazy these past few days. The price increase for Qi-Inducing Powder is actually quite reasonable. Go ask at the pharmacy across the street; the Rejuvenating Pills for healing injuries have gone up outrageously. The price changes every day, more than tripling!"

Xu Changqing's heart skipped a beat as he recalled the patrol spirit boat that had soared into the sky that day.

"What happened?"

"There's been a huge mess at the Demon-Slaying Dike."

The shopkeeper shrank back, his face full of mystery: "I heard that a few days ago, the monsters deep in the Great Swamp went berserk and attacked the dam. The scene was terrible, and many rogue cultivators died. Even several inner disciples of the Qinghe Sword Sect perished."

"Just the other day, a deacon from the Sword Sect personally led a group to the market and bought up more than 80% of the healing and detoxifying pills available."

"The remaining stock, won't all the shops hold onto it and sell it off? Things are valued for their scarcity. Although Qi-Inducing Powder isn't for healing, two of the ingredients in this alchemy are similar to healing medicines, so naturally the price will rise accordingly."

Xu Changqing listened with a furrowed brow.

The warships rushed off a few days ago, apparently to block the breach.

The year after that, the temple opened its doors and accepted many disciples...

He knew perfectly well that there was no such thing as a free lunch in this world.