Chapter 15: Schemes

Near the stall.

Many cultivators cast their gazes toward the Deep Sea Thick Earth, yet not a single one took the initiative to ask for the price.

Seeing this situation, the dark-skinned, thin cultivator began to lose his composure.

"Everyone, you really shouldn't miss out on such a large piece of Deep Sea Thick Earth," the dark-skinned cultivator hurriedly stepped forward to say.

After the man finished speaking, Li Qing couldn't help but chuckle inwardly.

Although there were many cultivators around, none of them were in need of Deep Sea Thick Earth. Most of the crowd gathered were rogue cultivators who naturally had no use for it; they were merely there to watch the excitement.

As the man stepped forward to solicit interest, the crowd of onlookers gradually dispersed.

Only a few people remained, their eyes revealing interest, and among them was Li Qing.

Seeing the crowd thinning out, the dark-skinned cultivator began to grow even more restless.

"Fellow Daoists, are any of you interested in this item?" The dark-skinned cultivator's tone became somewhat urgent.

After the remaining few took a few looks, one of them stepped forward.

The man appeared to be a disciple of a small local sect, and his strength seemed to be at the mid-stage of Qi Refining.

"What is the value of this item?" the man asked.

"I have other matters to attend to and don't want to waste time here. If you are interested, how about we set the price for this piece of Deep Sea Thick Earth at one hundred low-grade spirit stones?" the dark-skinned man said directly.

After speaking, the dark-skinned cultivator looked at the few remaining people with an eager expression.

Before he could continue, the few people who were already scarce left quite decisively.

In an instant, only Li Qing remained.

Watching the people around him leave, the dark-skinned cultivator knew his asking price was too high.

He had harbored thoughts of making a big profit, never expecting such an unfavorable start.

The actual value of this piece of Deep Sea Thick Earth was barely over one hundred low-grade spirit stones. Most cultivators had no use for it themselves and only came here hoping to pick up a bargain. Once they heard the man's price, they knew there was no bargain to be had and left.

"I wonder if this fellow Daoist is interested?"

The dark-skinned cultivator looked at Li Qing and asked, full of anticipation.

Li Qing did not speak; he shook his head slightly.

Seeing Li Qing shake his head, the man was clearly becoming anxious.

"Fellow Daoist, you should know the value of Deep Sea Thick Earth. If I didn't have urgent matters to attend to, I wouldn't sell it for less than one hundred and ten low-grade spirit stones," the dark-skinned cultivator said hurriedly.

"You must know that within a sect, Deep Sea Thick Earth can easily be sold for that price," the dark-skinned cultivator said with a hint of confidence.

"Then why don't you sell it directly to sect cultivators?" Li Qing continued from beneath his bamboo hat.

After hearing Li Qing's words, the man froze, then lowered his head slightly.

Seeing his little scheme exposed, a flash of resentment crossed the dark-skinned cultivator's eyes.

The reason why he didn't sell it to sect cultivators was obvious.

Once a rogue cultivator encounters a powerful sect cultivator, they are inevitably suppressed. If they happen to run into someone ruthless, it is not impossible that their life might be at stake.

Li Qing's words had pointed out the truth of the matter.

The dark-skinned cultivator knew in his heart that even if he didn't sell it to Li Qing, it would be difficult to get a price of one hundred low-grade spirit stones.

"I wonder what price you would like to pay, fellow Daoist?"

In order to sell the Deep Sea Thick Earth in his hands as quickly as possible, the dark-skinned man had to compromise.

"Eighty low-grade spirit stones," Li Qing said.

Li Qing knew that in a place like this, if one wanted to acquire the spiritual items they needed, a few rounds of haggling were inevitable, so he offered a relatively low price.

"Eighty low-grade spirit stones? Impossible."

The dark-skinned man's tone became intense.

If it were eighty low-grade spirit stones, he could have sold it to anyone and wouldn't have needed to set up a stall here.

"How about this: if you are sincere about wanting it, take it for ninety low-grade spirit stones. I won't sell it for any less."

Seeing the man's tone, Li Qing knew this was basically his bottom line.

"Fine."

"I'll take it for ninety low-grade spirit stones."

Li Qing didn't waste any more words; he took ninety low-grade spirit stones directly from his storage bag and handed them to the man.

Initially, seeing Li Qing dressed as a rogue cultivator, the dark-skinned cultivator had doubted whether he could produce the spirit stones.

Seeing Li Qing produce the stones so readily, a flash of greed crossed the dark-skinned cultivator's eyes.

He had long since noticed that the person before him was merely at the mid-stage of Qi Refining.

The dark-skinned cultivator even suspected that this person might be someone from a small family out to purchase supplies.

Only sect cultivators would be interested in Deep Sea Thick Earth.

At that moment, greed welled up in the dark-skinned man's heart; he had done this kind of thing more than once before.

"I wonder which sect you belong to, fellow Daoist?"

The dark-skinned cultivator asked nonchalantly.

Beneath his bamboo hat, a cold sneer flashed in Li Qing's eyes. He had noticed the greed in the dark-skinned cultivator's eyes just moments ago.

Li Qing did not speak; he reached out, took the Deep Sea Thick Earth, and prepared to stand up and leave.

Seeing Li Qing's submissive gesture, the dark-skinned cultivator seemed even more convinced of his own thoughts.

After Li Qing's figure merged into the crowd and quickly disappeared, the dark-skinned cultivator stared fiercely into the depths of the crowd for a moment, then packed up his stall and left quickly.

Little did he know, the Li Qing he was looking for was also quietly watching his departing figure from a corner.

Seeing the dark-skinned cultivator leave, a hint of hesitation appeared on Li Qing's face, but in the end, he did not follow him.

When he had taken the Deep Sea Thick Earth, he clearly sensed that the vibration of the Sea-Suppressing Pearl had not ceased.

The Deep Sea Thick Earth in his hand could cause the Sea-Suppressing Pearl to vibrate slightly, but it was far less attractive to the pearl than what was inside the dark-skinned cultivator's storage bag.

It seemed that the Deep Sea Thick Earth in the dark-skinned cultivator's possession was far more than what he had sold, and the amount stored in his storage bag was likely much larger.

Li Qing had just considered whether to follow him and find an opportunity to kill him and seize the treasure.

With his strength in the late stage of the low-level Thunder Spirit Art, dealing with a fourth-level Qi Refining rogue cultivator was more than enough.

Li Qing felt no burden in his heart regarding killing the dark-skinned cultivator.

The world of immortal cultivation was one where the strong preyed on the weak, and only the fittest survived.

Moreover, the greed revealed in the dark-skinned cultivator's eyes clearly showed that he viewed Li Qing as a fat sheep.

Judging by the dark-skinned cultivator's expression, it was clear that many lives had been lost at his hands.

After Li Qing's soul arrived in this world, he quickly began to integrate into its rules.

The fusion of memories from two lifetimes allowed him to see the essence of the world more thoroughly.

Once he stepped into the world of immortal cultivation, he knew clearly in his heart that the path to longevity would surely be paved with bones.

This was the same for any cultivator.

There was one thing he knew clearly.

And that was that he did not want to become one of the bones beneath someone else's path to longevity.

Li Qing's hesitation just now was not out of a lack of heart, but because he had other thoughts.