45

Returning from the bamboo pavilion, Qingchen's back was soaked with sweat.

"Mo Qiuxian..." he gritted his teeth, uttering those three words.

He couldn't understand: how could he have offended him by merely cultivating the *Brahma Demon Refining Technique*?

Did Mo Qiuxian forbid others from cultivating the techniques he had obtained?

If he wouldn't allow others to cultivate them, why would he offer them to the sect?

That was clearly impossible; there must be another reason he didn't know.

Qingchen pondered, what use could I be to him?

I hadn't shown any rapid improvement in my power, which meant I didn't possess any divine soul techniques.

Besides, when I went to the General Affairs Hall this time, I deliberately used the *Disguise and Bone Shrinking Technique* to make my face appear somewhat pale.

I looked like I was depleted of vital energy, so it was even less likely that I possessed any extraordinary treasures to attract him.

Therefore, only one possibility remained.

“Cultivators of the *Brahma Refining Demon Art* only focus on soul techniques and blood essence…”

Qing Chen suddenly sat up straight.

He hadn't revealed any soul techniques, so all that remained was his blood essence!

The *Brahma Refining Demon Art*'s 'Brahma Aperture Blood Refining' technique's effects were more pronounced the stronger the blood essence.

But why would Mo Qiuxian, a late-stage Qi Refining expert, be interested in his meager blood essence?

Unless… unless Mo Qiuxian was waiting for him to reach the mid-stage Qi Refining, when his blood essence was more abundant, before making his move!

He was deliberately slowing down my cultivation speed, then using that as an opportunity to strip me of my outer disciple status.

Because the sect wouldn't pay attention to a disciple without potential.

Afterwards, Mo Qiuxian would transfer me to the General Affairs Hall or somewhere else for his control.

Once my cultivation broke through to the mid-stage Qi Refining, or even deeper, he would devour me.

"So, after all this time, I've become his prey? Am I his blood pig?"

Qing Chen slammed his hand on the stone table.

Then all those disciples cultivating the *Brahma Demon Refining Technique*—wouldn't they all become his prey?

Thinking this, Qing Chen felt a strange excitement, though he didn't know why.

Early the next morning, Qing Chen changed into a black cloak with a hood, his aura faintly emanating from the third level of Qi Refining.

He put the short sword given to him by the sect into his storage bag, then touched the 180 spirit stones inside. He took a deep breath and headed towards the market halfway up the mountain.

The market on the outer peak was much more bustling than the last time he'd been there. Stalls stretched for half a mile, and shouts rose and fell.

"First-grade low-level spirit herbs! Five spirit stones a bunch!"

"Freshly refined fireball talismans! Three spirit stones each!"

Qing Chen mingled in the crowd, his eyes scanning the various stalls.

He needed to buy some life-saving items.

He stopped in front of a stall piled high with talismans. The stall owner, a disciple with a thick beard, was wiping ink off the talismans with a cloth.

“Senior brother, I’ll take all these talismans. How about eighty spirit stones?” Qingchen’s voice was low.

The bearded man looked up at him, his brows immediately furrowing. He slammed the cloth on the stall:

“Junior brother, isn’t eighty spirit stones a bit too little? Look at all these talismans I have. You can add some more.”

Qingchen smiled. “Senior brother, on your stall, ten low-grade and ten mid-grade talismans, that’s only seventy spirit stones at most. I’m giving you eighty; I’m already letting you make an extra ten.”

The bearded man grew anxious, reaching for the talismans and pulling them closer to his chest. "You can't say that! Those five escape talismans are for saving your life!"

He pointed to several talismans drawn with wind patterns. "These escape talismans sell for ten coins each in the market! Five of them are fifty! Add the others, and it'll be at least a hundred spirit stones!"

Qing Chen was secretly delighted; that was exactly what he wanted to hear.

"Fine, a hundred it is!"

He quickly pulled out a hundred spirit stones from his storage bag and placed them on the stall. "Senior brother can't go back on his word, can he?"

The bearded man's face instantly fell. He opened his mouth but couldn't utter a word.

Even if these talismans didn't sell for a hundred and twenty coins, a hundred and five or a hundred and ten would still be worth it.

But the words were already out, and everyone around was watching. He could only grit his teeth and shove the talismans into Qing Chen's arms:

"Take them away! Don't come to my stall again!"

Qing Chen secretly gloated. Sure enough, a gentleman can be deceived by appearances; he's concerned with saving face.

If he were the stall owner, these good-for-nothings wouldn't even consider buying it for less than 110 spirit stones; he wouldn't let them go so easily.

Ten fireball talismans, five escape talismans, and five water arrow talismans—enough to deal with a first-tier demonic beast.

He didn't stop, browsing another stall selling magical artifacts. The stall owner was a tall, thin man holding a black iron shield.

"How much for this black iron shield?" Qing Chen asked, pointing at the shield.

"Forty-five spirit stones!" the tall, thin man quickly replied, "A low-grade defensive magical artifact, definitely enough to stop a first-tier early-stage demonic beast!"

"I just sold some Qi-Nourishing Pills and demonic beast essence blood, so I only have forty-two spirit stones left."

He deliberately touched the empty medicine bottle. "If you don't sell it, I'll go look elsewhere."

The tall, thin man stared at the medicine bottle, then weighed the bag of spirit stones in his hand, finally sighing, "Fine, I'll sell it to you!"

Qing Chen handed over the spirit stones and took the black iron shield.

He then wandered into a stall selling array plates. The stall owner, an inner disciple in a blue robe, was toying with a palm-sized wooden plate.

“This illuminating array plate, eighty spirit stones?” Qingchen frowned.

“Senior brother, a low-grade first-tier defensive array plate costs at most fifty! This is just a small array protecting the cave, and you dare to sell it for eighty? That's the price of a mid-grade magic weapon!”

The blue-robed disciple calmly picked up the array plate. “Junior brother, don't be hasty. Let me explain. My array plate is expensive for a reason.

This array plate has an added warning function. If anyone trespasses, the communication talismans within a mile will spontaneously combust. With this array plate, at least you can know the danger in advance, right?”

Qingchen was most interested in this warning function. Although it only had a mile-long range, it was enough to save his life.

He gritted his teeth: "Seventy-five! Not a penny more!"

The green-robed disciple smiled and tossed the array plate to him: "Deal!"

Qing Chen couldn't help but sigh; the art of array formations was truly lucrative! A low-grade first-tier array plate could sell for the same price as a mid-grade magic weapon.

It made Qing Chen's teeth itch with envy; from now on, he'd rob every array master he saw!

The cost of this array plate was probably no more than twenty spirit stones. The myriad arts of cultivation truly lived up to their reputation.

Especially since the art of array formations was known as the most difficult skill, it truly lived up to its name—a real money-maker.

After a spree of purchases, Qing Chen had essentially exhausted all the spirit stones and pills he had obtained from the sect.

He now only had ten spirit stones left, just in case.

However, his storage bag was full of things, which slightly increased Qingchen's sense of security.

But vigilance was still essential.

He would rather expend more spirit stones and effort than put himself in danger.

After all, life is only once, and there are no second chances. As long as you're alive, there's always a chance to turn things around.