Chapter 93: Dao Companion, Five Poisons

Chapter 93: Chapter 93: Dao Companion, Five Poisons

With that thought, Li Changsheng unloaded the four bags of Spirit Rice onto the ground.

"Chang the Pill Master, would you like to take a look?"

"Of course."

Changxing nodded and turned to look at the young man beside him.

The youth didn’t waste words. He immediately stepped forward and hefted one of the bags with a single hand to test its weight.

But the way he tested it was rather out of the ordinary.

Others would just estimate the weight, but he was different. The bag of rice bounced up and down in his hand like a small pebble.

"WHOA!"

The onlooking Cultivators stared at the youth in astonishment, letting out gasps of surprise.

Li Changsheng’s mouth twitched. ’This man’s Body Refinement cultivation is quite high,’ he thought.

A bag of rice weighing nearly seven hundred jin. Even he would need to channel his Spiritual Power to move it with ease.

But to toss it around like a stone, as the youth was doing, was something he couldn’t do even if his cultivation reached Late-Stage Qi Cultivation.

This was a difference in raw physical strength.

The youth tossed it a few more times. Seeing that Li Changsheng was only stunned for a moment before regaining his composure, he felt a bit stifled.

He casually lifted the other three bags of Spirit Rice, then turned, nodded at the old man, and stepped back behind him.

Changxing walked forward, opened a bag to inspect the contents, and nodded in satisfaction.

With a wave of his hand, the four bags of Spirit Rice on the ground vanished.

Changxing smiled at him and said, "Since you know I’m an Alchemy Master, do you want Spirit Stones, or medicinal pills?"

Li Changsheng replied without hesitation, "Pills." After a pause, he added, "Preferably Refining Jade Pills."

"Refining Jade Pills are fine."

Changxing clearly didn’t mind. He thought for a moment and said, "With a ten percent premium, the Spirit Rice comes to two hundred and seventy-five Spirit Stones."

"I’ll value the Refining Jade Pills at thirty stones each. How about I give you nine?"

Li Changsheng’s eyes lit up upon hearing this. He cupped his hands in thanks, "Many thanks, Chang the Pill Master."

"You’re welcome."

Changxing flipped his hand over, producing a jade bottle. He passed it over with a smile, "You should check it."

Li Changsheng opened the wooden stopper, glanced inside, and quickly sealed it again before putting it in his storage bag. He cupped his hands and said, "Many thanks, Chang the Pill Master."

Changxing stroked his beard and smiled. "It was a fair trade. No need for thanks."

A thought stirred in Li Changsheng’s mind. He flipped his hand over, taking out the feeder root of the Purple Sun Ginseng and the piece of Tier One Top-Grade Spirit Wood. He offered them over, "Chang the Pill Master, are you interested in this Purple Sun Ginseng root and this piece of Tier One Top-Grade Spirit Wood?"

"Purple Sun Ginseng?"

Changxing’s eyes swept over, and once they landed on the ginseng root, he couldn’t look away. He carefully picked it up and examined it closely, occasionally probing it with his Spiritual Power.

"It really is Purple Sun Ginseng..."

Changxing’s expression was one of pleasant surprise, but then he sighed. "A pity it’s just a feeder root that has lost its Spiritual Qi..."

He looked up at Li Changsheng and asked, "This ginseng root and spirit wood are both very useful to me. What do you want for them?"

Li Changsheng cupped his hands. "I would still like Refining Jade Pills."

Changxing thought for a moment, then flipped his hand over and produced another jade bottle, handing it to him. "There are nine Refining Jade Pills in here. That should be more than enough to cover the value of these two items."

Li Changsheng checked the contents and nodded repeatedly. "Many thanks, Chang the Pill Master."

"The transaction is complete."

Changxing smiled and clasped his fists. "Farewell."

"Safe travels, Chang the Pill Master."

He watched the three of them leave.

Li Changsheng turned his head, his expression thoughtful as he looked at the cage on Big Flower’s back.

「A moment later.」

A new stall appeared in a corner of the Marketplace. It wasn’t much of a stall, just a cage made of two bamboo frames.

On either side of the cage lay a massive Spirit Beast.

In the middle of the cage hung a wooden sign with three large words written on it: "Selling Spirit Beasts."

Li Changsheng sat calmly on a stool, waiting for customers to arrive.

The size of Xiaohua and Little Xiaohua served as a living advertisement.

It wasn’t long before a Cultivator came over to ask for prices.

However, he had no intention of selling Xiaohua and the others, but rather the six adult Red Foxes inside the cage.

Li Changsheng cheerfully dealt with the Cultivators who wanted to buy Xiaohua.

The afternoon soon arrived.

Quite a few Cultivators had come by, but unfortunately, none of them had asked about the Red Foxes.

Li Changsheng wasn’t in a hurry. He closed his eyes and visualized the Three-leaf Spirit Absorption Vein Map, trying to deduce a suitable path for manipulation.

He didn’t want to end up like Dong Xing and the others, forcefully manipulating the veins, causing them to stick together and conflict, ultimately disfiguring himself.

By the time the sun set, the flow of people in the Marketplace had gradually thinned.

Li Changsheng opened his eyes, opened the cage, and placed the six Red Foxes into his Spirit Beast Bag.

He swung himself onto Xiaohua’s back and leisurely made his way home.

「For the next half-month.」

Li Changsheng sold a total of four Red Foxes, all bought by Spirit Farmers from other regions to be raised. He earned four hundred and eighty-seven Spirit Stones.

And that was only because he used the two Tier One Middle-Grade Red Foxes as an advertisement; otherwise, he would never have been able to sell any in this small Marketplace.

Another day passed.

Just as Li Changsheng was about to pack up his stall and head home.

Two figures arrived at his stall.

"I’ll take the two Red Foxes. How many Spirit Stones?"

Li Changsheng looked up, and when he saw who it was, he couldn’t help but be stunned for a moment.

’How did those two end up together?’

The newcomers were none other than Dong Yao and Wu Yong. They were standing close together, their relationship appearing quite intimate.

"Senior Brother Li, long time no see." Dong Yao curtsied slightly in greeting.

Although Dong Yao still had her face covered by a black veil, her aura was completely different from before. There was less fragility and a lot more sharpness.

Wu Yong said, "Junior Brother Li, it’s been over a year since we last saw each other at the Spirit Field Hall, hasn’t it?"

Li Changsheng nodded and cupped his hands. "Yes, it has. Senior Brother Wu’s cultivation has become even more profound." He paused, looking between the two of them, and asked, "Are you two...?"

Wu Yong said heartily, "Yaoyao and I have become Daoist partners. We’ve returned this time to tell her grandfather."

Beside him, Dong Yao’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

"Daoist partners!"

Li Changsheng was slightly surprised, then smiled. "Congratulations on your union."

Come to think of it, looking closely, they did look like a married couple. Both had their faces covered with gauze, revealing only their eyes and brows.

"HAHA..."

Wu Yong laughed out loud, took a Spirit Beast Bag from his robes and handed it to him, then took out another two hundred and fifty Spirit Stones for him.

Li Changsheng took them instinctively, looking at the two in confusion.

At that moment, Dong Yao, standing to the side, chuckled and explained, "The Spirit Beast Bag contains the five poisons I found for you, Senior Brother. The Spirit Stones are to purchase those two Red Foxes from you."

Hearing this, Li Changsheng’s eyes brightened.

He had been looking forward to this Daoist Technique, the Five Poison Refining Spirit Method, for a long time. Now, he could finally get started.

He transferred the five poisons into his own Spirit Beast Bag, handed Wu Yong’s bag back, and pointed at the two Red Foxes in the cage. "You can take them yourselves."

Wu Yong nodded. After collecting the two Red Foxes, the pair took their leave.

He watched their departing figures.

"Daoist partners..."

Li Changsheng shook his head and smiled. He packed up his stall, climbed onto Xiaohua’s back, and slowly headed home.

As he passed by Dong Xing’s small courtyard.

The candlelight in his room was bright, and boisterous laughter could be heard from time to time.

’Looks like Senior Brother Dong is very pleased with his new grandson-in-law...’

Li Changsheng smiled and urged Xiaohua to hurry home.

Back at his own small courtyard.

Li Changsheng swung himself to the ground and eagerly headed for the wooden house.

He went up to the second floor and lit the lamp.

Li Changsheng sat cross-legged on the soft couch and took out the Spirit Beast Bag.

With a thought, Xiaohai slowly crawled out from his sleeve.

Xiaohai’s body was now more than half as slender as before. The black and gray patterns covering its surface had become deeper, making it look like a thread of refined steel.

Moreover, thanks to its innate magical ability, it moved silently, clearly a fine insect for sneak attacks and assassinations.

Li Changsheng smiled, cleared his mind of stray thoughts, and opened the Spirit Beast Bag.

A centipede, as long as his palm, pitch-black, with densely packed legs, appeared on the table.

The moment it appeared, it shot up, bared its venomous fangs, and lunged at Li Changsheng’s face.

Instead of being afraid, Li Changsheng’s expression was one of pleasant surprise. "A Thousand-legged Poison Centipede!"

Just as the Thousand-legged Poison Centipede flew into mid-air, a long, thin black shadow slammed into its side, sending it flying to the ground.

Before the Thousand-legged Poison Centipede could move again, the slender figure reappeared beside it, coiling around it like a snake and binding it tightly.

Li Changsheng gathered Spiritual Power in his palm, picked them both up, and placed them on the table.

He could see the Thousand-legged Poison Centipede still struggling furiously, its body secreting venom that made the tabletop SIZZLE and corrode. But its venom had no effect on Xiaohai; the moment it touched its body, it slid right off.

Li Changsheng focused his thoughts. Spiritual Power swiftly flooded the Five Poison Refining Spirit Method’s vein map, which he had already cleared.

As the spiritual light coalesced and took form.

Li Changsheng quickly bit his ring finger and pressed it to the head of the Thousand-legged Poison Centipede.

BUZZ...

A wave of Spiritual Power rippled out from his ring finger. The blood, infused with the Magic, spread across the Thousand-legged Poison Centipede’s entire body.

SCREECH...

The Thousand-legged Poison Centipede seemed to be in great pain and struggled madly. But with Xiaohai coiled around it, how could it possibly break free? In just a few breaths, the blood spread over its entire body and seeped into it.

Li Changsheng felt a new connection form in his mind. At the same time, he felt a slight sense of oppression. He had Xiaohai release the Thousand-legged Poison Centipede and tried to control it.

Compared to the Insect Seal, the control from the Five Poison Refining Spirit Method was a bit stiff, but it wasn’t a major issue. Their main purpose was to assist his cultivation anyway.

「After some experimentation.」

Li Changsheng opened the Spirit Beast Bag again. Just as before, he had Xiaohai restrain the creatures while he formed a contract with them using the Five Poison Refining Spirit Method.

In the time it took to drink a cup of tea, he had contracted the other four venomous beasts one by one.

They were: a gray, palm-sized gecko with a small horn on its head.

A poisonous snake, about half a meter long and as thick as a chopstick, pale green in color.

A Ghost-faced Scorpion the size of a baby’s fist, purplish-black all over, with a pattern on its back resembling a twisted, ghostly face.

And a Red Jade Toad that looked like a ruby, its body covered in sparkling, crystalline spots.

As a result of consecutively contracting the insects.

Li Changsheng’s mind felt as if a huge rock was pressing down on it. He could no longer fight off the drowsy sleepiness. He ordered Xiaohai, the insect swarm, and the few poison bugs to guard the surroundings, then fell into a deep sleep.

He slept straight until the sun was high in the sky.

Li Changsheng opened his eyes, moved Xiaobai who was lying on his chest, and sat up, rubbing his temples with a slight headache.

Consecutively contracting five low-grade venomous beasts had left even his resilient mind in a daze. But after a night’s sleep, although his head still ached, the mental pressure had eased significantly.

Li Changsheng calmed his breathing and focused his gaze inward.

[Target: Li Changsheng]

[Cultivation: Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer "51%"]

[Cultivation Technique: "Golden Turtle Spirit Technique (5/9)" Traits: "Toughness, Spirit Recovery"]

[Magic: Insect Seal (Incomplete) "Major Accomplishment 3%" / Five Poison Refining Spirit "Minor Accomplishment 1%" / Golden Turtle Shield "Minor Accomplishment 23%" / Minor Cloud and Rain Technique "Minor Accomplishment 25%" / Sharp Metal Technique "Minor Accomplishment 15%" / Three-leaf Spirit Absorption Vein Map...]

[Status: Healthy.]

Li Changsheng fixed his gaze on the "Five Poison Refining Spirit" technique, and a stream of information flowed into his mind.

[After refining five venomous beasts, the Five Poison Refining Spirit Method reaches Minor Accomplishment. It can increase Mid-Qi Cultivation speed by thirty percent.]

[When the Five Poisons advance to Middle-Grade and are refined, the method reaches Major Accomplishment. It can increase Late-Stage Qi Cultivation speed by thirty percent.]

[When the Five Poisons advance to Top-Grade and are refined, the Magic will be cultivated to Perfection. It can increase Late-Stage Qi Cultivation speed by fifty percent.]

"With the five poisons, my path of cultivation has become a little smoother."

Li Changsheng nodded in satisfaction, dismissing the panel with a thought.

His gaze fell upon the five venomous beasts resting on the table.

Of the five, three could be considered exotic species.

The Thousand-legged Poison Centipede, the Ghost-faced Scorpion, and the Red Jade Toad.

Among them, the Ghost-faced Scorpion had the highest growth potential; it was said to have a chance of evolving into a demon.

The remaining gecko and snake were common varieties that might never be able to advance to Middle-Grade Spirit Insects in their entire lives.

"This Dong Yao."

Li Changsheng muttered, "She gave me too much..."

Among the three exotic insect beasts, none of them were cheap. The least valuable, the Thousand-legged Poison Centipede, was worth at least three hundred Spirit Stones.

This sudden, generous gift made Li Changsheng a little uneasy.

But since he had already refined them, he could only hope it wasn’t a huge trap.

Just as he was about to check the cultivation information for the insect beasts, a clear voice came from outside.

"Senior Brother Li, Dong Yao has come to visit."

"Tsk tsk..."

Li Changsheng cringed a little. "Speak of the devil... and here you are."

He straightened his clothes slightly and went downstairs.

「A moment later.」

Li Changsheng welcomed Dong Yao into the wooden house, poured her a cup of tea, and smiled, "What brings you here, Junior Sister?"

"Why didn’t Senior Brother Wu come with you?"