Chapter 170 - 169: New Furnace

Chapter 170: Chapter 169: New Furnace

In the bamboo forest, birds could be heard chirping.

In the small courtyard, the fragrance of flowers filled the air. They were vibrant and colorful, a remarkable sight completely different from when he first arrived. This was mainly thanks to Zhang Ping’s efforts.

In the early morning, Chen Qingyang, full of Primordial Energy, stood in the courtyard looking at his surroundings. The two young men were already busy, and Hong’Er was tidying up in the Alchemy Room.

"Senior Brother Chen, what do you think of my house?"

It was clear that Zhang Ping had put a lot of thought into it. Though it was just a bamboo hut, he had creatively given it some unique design touches.

"It’s very nice. It complements the bamboo forest and courtyard perfectly and has a certain artistic charm."

Behind the small courtyard, more and more patches of land had been cleared for vegetables. ’If I get the chance in the future,’ Chen Qingyang thought, ’I should have Zhang Ping plant Spirit Medicines. With his personality, he’s well-suited for that kind of work.’

Zhang Ping chuckled. "Senior Brother Chen’s praise is the best. I’d rather hear one word of praise from you than ten from anyone else."

Just then, Hong’Er walked out from outside carrying a basin. "You, sir, may look the most dutiful and honest, but you have the smoothest tongue, always saying just the right thing. When it comes to charming people, you’re the most skilled of all!"

After saying her piece, she didn’t forget to add to Chen Qingyang, "Senior Brother Chen, don’t let him fool you!"

She poured the water from the basin onto the vegetable patch, then went to fill it anew. Seeing this, Zhang Ping feigned injustice. "Senior Brother Chen! I’m not that kind of person! You mustn’t believe this little lady’s words."

"Hmph, who are you calling a little lady?" Hearing this, Hong’Er rushed over from outside to hit him, flicking water all over Zhang Ping with a wet towel.

"Help me..." Zhang Ping ran around, laughing playfully, which made Li Sheng, who was standing nearby, roar with laughter. Even Xu Baoling from the Alchemy Room poked her head out to look.

It hadn’t been that long, but Hong’Er and Zhang Ping’s relationship had already become this good. In terms of Cultivation, Hong’Er was on the verge of entering Qi Refining, yet Zhang Ping still showed no signs of progress. He wondered if the atmosphere in the courtyard would remain the same when Zhang Ping was the only one left behind.

"How is the Qi Gathering Pill refining going?" Chen Qingyang directed this question to Li Sheng.

"Reporting to Senior Brother, it’s been a bumpy road. I can still only produce one pill at a time. My progress is quite slow."

At that moment, Xu Baoling came out and spoke up for him. "That’s not entirely true. Compared to the master, of course one would think so. But for a normal person, his speed is acceptable. And although he can still only produce one Pill, its efficacy has slightly improved."

Hong’Er chimed in from the side, "Senior Sister Xu is right. I’ve taken that Elixir a few times, and it’s been very beneficial for my Cultivation."

Chen Qingyang nodded. "That’s good to hear. In a few days, I’ll bring over a Pill Furnace. We can also exchange for some Merit then. You must continue to study pill matters diligently; it will be very important for your future."

Li Sheng bowed with his hands clasped. "Thank you, Senior Brother Chen."

...

After chatting with everyone for a while and checking in with each of them, Chen Qingyang returned to his room and took out the pile of Magical Treasures he had collected.

In the end, he decided to keep the Qiankun Mirror and the Soul Banner from Netherworld Peak. These items had extraordinary origins and might prove useful later. The rest could all be sold.

He also needed to make another trip to the Cloud Scripture Jade Pavilion to find a suitable Artifact Refining Technique and try to sacrificially refine the Qiankun Mirror. He had promised Liu Tao he would give her a Protective Magical Artifact, and this would also allow him to learn another Skill.

On the path of an Immortal Sect, the art of Artifact Refining was a must-learn.

After busying himself until nightfall, Chen Qingyang left the small courtyard and traveled by Wind Control, arriving at the Gentle Breeze in a matter of moments.

It was indeed a night market, with many more people and stalls than during the day. He browsed as he walked until he reached the entrance of the Gentle Breeze. After going inside, he found only Shopkeeper Wang busy at work.

Chen Qingyang set the pile of items down with a loud thud. Shopkeeper Wang quickly looked up. "Ah, it’s you, Senior Brother... wait, that sound... it doesn’t sound like Elixirs this time?"

"That’s right. I was wondering if you accept these kinds of things."

No matter what was brought to him, Shopkeeper Wang would nod. "We’ll take anything useful. Let me just open it up and have a look."

After Chen Qingyang nodded, the shopkeeper took everything out from inside.

"TSK TSK..." He made clicking sounds with his tongue from time to time as he looked.

"Incredible. These are all Magical Artifacts used by Inner Sect Disciples, and some even employ techniques from the Demon Sects. Senior Brother, where did you get so many?"

Chen Qingyang retorted, "Such sharp eyes to be able to tell even that. Shopkeeper Wang’s Cultivation must be quite profound, wouldn’t you say?"

Shopkeeper Wang chuckled. "To be honest with you, Senior Brother, every trade has its tricks. I couldn’t get anywhere with my Cultivation, so I had to put immense effort into learning about treasures just to make a living in this Immortal Sect."

"Never mind Magical Artifacts and Elixirs; I can appraise anything from Spirit Beasts and Immortal Grass to Cultivation Techniques. As long as you can bring it, Senior Brother, I can give you a price."

Chen Qingyang replied, "You don’t need to ask where I got my things. You can see they aren’t from our Tai Xu Sect, so accepting them won’t violate any Sect rules. Hurry up and give me an appraisal."

"Alright, alright, alright!" With three quick "alrights," the profiteering merchant narrowed his eyes again and carefully examined each item, even running his fingers over every single inscription.

"The Magical Artifacts are fundamentally sound. The only issue is that their Qi Mechanisms were damaged in battle and they require Sacrificial Refinement. Would it be convenient for you to wait upstairs, Senior Brother? I need to take a closer look."

Chen Qingyang nodded. "Fine."

Not knowing what trick Shopkeeper Wang was playing, Chen Qingyang waited upstairs for nearly an hour. The shopkeeper finally came up, carrying each Magical Artifact on a tray lined with new red silk. He brought them before Chen Qingyang, a booklet among them.

"My sincerest apologies for making you wait so long, Senior Brother." As he spoke, he picked up the booklet.

Chen Qingyang said, "It’s fine. Just get to the point."

Shopkeeper Wang’s expression was complicated—partly joyful, partly troubled. "Sigh. These are all extraordinary items, the kind only an Essence Condensation Cultivator could refine. But now... they’re so badly damaged, it’s really..."

Chen Qingyang waved his hand, cutting off the long-winded speech. "I think there’s no need for you to beat around the bush, Shopkeeper Wang. Just give me a price. I’ll say it again: if the price is right, I’ll sell. If not, we can forget it."

’The scoundrel laid so much groundwork, all just to set up his price.’

"Hehe." Shopkeeper Wang laughed awkwardly. "You’re absolutely right, Senior Brother. I was being long-winded. Please, take a look at this ledger."

Chen Qingyang took it and glanced through the pages. It not only listed how many Spirit Stones each Magical Artifact was worth but also included a detailed evaluation of each item’s condition, written so clearly that anyone would believe it at a glance.

He looked at the final price: a total of just over one hundred thousand Spirit Stones.

Chen Qingyang put down the ledger. "Shopkeeper Wang, you truly live up to your reputation as a businessman, always calculating things so precisely. Since we can’t make a deal, let’s just forget it."

He made a move to leave. Shopkeeper Wang quickly blocked his path. "Senior Brother, I don’t understand your meaning."

Chen Qingyang asked, "Four months ago, you promised to find a Pill Furnace for me. Have you made any progress on that?"

Shopkeeper Wang nodded hastily. "I have! And it’s an excellent Pill Furnace, no ordinary item. It comes from..."

He was about to launch into another long speech but was once again cut off by Chen Qingyang’s raised hand. This was the most troublesome part. When the other party wouldn’t even listen to your reasoning, you couldn’t make much of a profit even if a deal was eventually struck.

"Just give me the price."

"Hehe!" Tapping his fingers, Shopkeeper Wang calculated for a moment. "It’s also just over one hundred thousand. The Magical Artifacts are one hundred and four thousand, the Pill Furnace is one hundred and one thousand. That means I owe you three thousand Spirit Stones. I’ll make an executive decision: we can call last time’s debt settled as well."

Chen Qingyang smiled. "And there’s the problem. The prices are too convenient. I think this is all just a trap you’ve set for me, Shopkeeper Wang. Let’s keep personal feelings and business separate. A deal is a deal."

Seeing that his little scheme had been exposed, Shopkeeper Wang didn’t seem to mind at all and continued with a playful laugh, "Haha... Incredible. Senior Brother Chen is truly sharp. Well then, I’ll just have to take another loss. On top of the three thousand Spirit Stones, how about I add another thousand?"

Chen Qingyang simply raised three fingers. "One thousand is far from enough. If you can add thirty thousand, then we have a deal. And even then, I feel I’m selling them too cheap. After all, a few of these Magical Artifacts can save a life in a critical moment."

"What an injustice! There’s no way the profit margin is that big..." Shopkeeper Wang paced around anxiously, as if trying every trick in the book but still failing to meet Chen Qingyang’s demands.

This time, Chen Qingyang’s tone became firm. "I said add thirty thousand, and I mean thirty thousand. I won’t go back on my word. If you can’t decide after I count to three, the deal is off."

Shopkeeper Wang actually came over and grabbed his hand. "Senior Brother, deals are made through negotiation! If you don’t even let me speak, how can we possibly do business..."

But Chen Qingyang paid him no mind, simply starting his count, "Three... two..."

"Fine, fine, fine! Stop counting! We’ll do it your way, alright?"

But Chen Qingyang just shook his head.

"Aiyo, Senior Brother, I’ve already given up so much profit! What else could you be unsatisfied with?"

Chen Qingyang replied, "I’m the Pill Master here. I know better than anyone whether that Pill Furnace is worth the price. If it isn’t, this deal isn’t happening."

Shopkeeper Wang was completely outmaneuvered. "Fine, fine, fine, I’ll take you to see the Pill Furnace right now."

It turned out there was a small courtyard hidden behind the bamboo building. In the courtyard, Chen Qingyang saw the Pill Furnace.

It was the color of bronze, shimmering with a golden light. It was carved with the aspect of a True Dragon and a Tiger, adorned with symbols of fortune and prosperity. At eight points around its base sat golden toads, each holding a flame-like Treasure Pearl in its mouth.

It was even better than the one Master Jing Yuan had given him.

He reached out and touched it; it was indeed excellent. Still, to say it was worth a hundred thousand Spirit Stones meant the profiteering merchant was still making a hefty profit.

"Alright, I agree to this deal."

Shopkeeper Wang’s face lit up with a smile. "I told you! Everyone is willing to do business here at my Gentle Breeze because they know my goods are the real deal."

On his way back, Chen Qingyang carried the Pill Furnace with one hand. It wasn’t a very graceful sight, but he didn’t run into anyone on the road.

In a few moments, he landed in the center of the small courtyard.