Chapter 53: Spirit-Locking Talisman

Huangyu Island.

Hongyu Market.

A figure dressed in black walked toward the interior of the market.

This figure was none other than Li Qing.

According to his understanding, the value of a Golden Scale Fruit should be around five to six thousand spirit stones.

His main purpose for coming here was to exchange all the resources he had previously obtained from Jiao Yujian into spirit stones.

The Golden Scale Fruit was his most important priority at the moment.

He absolutely could not allow even the slightest error to occur.

Therefore, he had to make thorough preparations in advance.

Li Qing even had a certain premonition.

It was highly likely that he would have to compete directly with Foundation Establishment stage cultivators for the Golden Scale Fruit this time.

Ordinary Qi Refinement stage cultivators, even those in the late stages of Qi Refinement, would not have enough wealth to obtain a Golden Scale Fruit unless they were disciples of powerful families.

Due to the special effects of the Golden Scale Fruit on the physical body, even Foundation Establishment stage cultivators would be tempted.

Li Qing's figure followed the surrounding crowd into a shop that sold magical treasures.

"Guest, may I ask what you are looking to purchase?"

As soon as he entered, a young servant in blue approached him.

"I wish to dispose of some unnecessary magical tools!"

Li Qing asked, feigning a low voice.

The servant's eyes lit up upon hearing this.

Looking at Li Qing's attire, he could roughly guess a few things.

Dressed so inconspicuously, the items being offered were likely of questionable origin.

"Please follow me this way, guest."

The blue-clad servant joyfully led Li Qing into a side room.

Compared to ordinary sales, customers like this could bring much greater profits to the shop.

After a short while, a middle-aged man wearing blue-bordered gold patterns walked in.

"I am Lan Yu, the manager of this shop!"

"May I ask what it is you wish to sell, Fellow Daoist?"

The middle-aged man asked with a smile.

He was well-versed in etiquette and did not proactively ask for Li Qing's name.

Li Qing swept his divine sense across the man, only to find that his divine sense seemed to hit a barrier, making it impossible to sense the man's strength.

However, judging by the scale of the shop, he should only possess the strength of the Qi Refinement stage.

"I want to sell these few magical tools!"

Li Qing waved his sleeve.

Two of Jiao Yujian's magical tools flew out from his storage bag.

These two were fine mid-grade magical tools. He did not take out the high-grade one; after all, he was currently only at the mid-stage of Qi Refinement, and it was better to act with caution.

"Eh?"

The middle-aged man looked slightly surprised upon seeing the two magical tools.

He hadn't expected the items being offered to be two exquisite mid-grade magical tools.

Originally, the man hadn't paid much attention to Li Qing; since the opponent's cultivation was only at the mid-stage of Qi Refinement, he didn't think this person would have anything worth noting.

It seemed he had misjudged.

The value of these two exquisite magical tools alone was around one thousand two hundred low-grade spirit stones.

For a small shop like theirs, this was a significant transaction.

An ordinary late-stage Qi Refinement cultivator might not necessarily be able to produce two exquisite magical tools for trade directly.

"Fellow Daoist, the quality of these two magical tools is quite excellent."

The blue-clad man did not intentionally disparage the value of the tools.

"We can offer one thousand one hundred low-grade spirit stones for these two!"

"What do you think, Fellow Daoist?"

The blue-clad man spoke with confidence, appearing to be full of sincerity.

Li Qing nodded slightly.

The price offered in the shop was slightly higher than he had expected.

Small shops in general markets have their own unique ways of survival.

Small shops could not satisfy the needs of Foundation Establishment stage cultivators.

Powerful cultivators generally went to large, well-established shops.

Ordinary Qi Refinement cultivators were their primary customers; once a cooperation was established, there could be many subsequent transactions.

"Fine, I will accept the manager's offer of one thousand one hundred low-grade spirit stones!"

Li Qing nodded.

Seeing the transaction easily reached, the smile on the blue-clad manager's face grew even wider.

In the next moment.

The blue-clad manager waved his hand.

A small pile of spirit stones appeared on the table—not too many, not too few, exactly one thousand one hundred low-grade spirit stones.

Li Qing quickly collected the spirit stones into his storage bag.

"May I ask if Fellow Daoist has any resources you need to procure?"

The blue-clad manager looked at Li Qing eagerly.

Among Qi Refinement cultivators, this man was already considered a major client.

Li Qing did not speak immediately after hearing this, instead falling into a brief silence.

The blue-clad manager felt a surge of joy in his heart.

It seemed there was still a chance.

"Fellow Daoist, although my shop is not large, we have all kinds of treasures, and they are of high quality and low price!"

"Furthermore, we have a treasure here that you might find quite interesting."

Seeing that Li Qing remained silent, the blue-clad manager continued.

"Oh?"

"Tell me about it."

Seeing the manager's confidence, Li Qing couldn't help but feel a bit of interest.

He did indeed need to purchase some things, though he had originally intended to visit more powerful shops.

Li Qing currently didn't hold much regard for the items in ordinary small shops.

After all, he carried two exquisite high-grade magical tools on his person.

"Did you notice anything when you entered, Fellow Daoist?"

The blue-clad manager asked with an air of mystery.

Li Qing looked at the manager indifferently without speaking.

Seeing his attitude, the blue-clad manager did not feel embarrassed and continued on his own: "Could it be that you didn't notice that it was difficult for you to probe my strength?"

"This is precisely one of the major specialties of this shop—the Spirit-Lock Talisman!"

Upon hearing this, Li Qing couldn't help but lean forward slightly.

When the manager entered, he indeed had not sensed the man's aura, making it difficult to determine his strength.

At this moment, the blue-clad manager performed a hand seal.

An aura of magical power was immediately exposed.

"Seventh level of Qi Refinement," Li Qing thought to himself.

"Could the manager tell me more about this so-called Spirit-Lock Talisman?"

Li Qing asked with interest.

"Fellow Daoist, the Spirit-Lock Talismans sold in my shop are the only ones of their kind on the entire Huangyu Island," the blue-clad manager said confidently.

"The Spirit-Lock Talisman is a first-tier mid-grade talisman. Its main function is to gather and lock one's own aura."

"For example, if your strength is at the mid-stage of Qi Refinement, once you use a Spirit-Lock Talisman, even a late-stage Qi Refinement cultivator will still be unable to sense your true strength."

While the blue-clad manager was speaking eloquently, Li Qing could not wait and asked again.

"What if it is a Foundation Establishment stage expert?"

Upon hearing this, the blue-clad manager fell silent.