Chapter 11: Blood Replenishing Pill

On the island.

Li Qing’s figure was not particularly conspicuous in the bustling marketplace.

Most cultivators wore items to conceal their appearances, so by comparison, Li Qing’s appearance was quite normal.

Without realizing it, Li Qing arrived at a Spirit Beast Pavilion.

It was an elegant two-story building.

On the plaque above the door, three shimmering characters were carved in gold powder: Spirit Beast Pavilion.

Upon entering, a young man in a gray robe, who was at the early stage of Qi Refining, immediately walked over.

"Sir, I am a clerk here. May I ask what you are looking to purchase?"

The early-stage Qi Refining man was very humble; even though Li Qing’s cultivation was only at the mid-stage of Qi Refining, the clerk remained respectful.

"Do you purchase Profound Water Spirit Fish here?" Li Qing asked in a low voice.

"Yes, we do. As long as it is related to spirit beasts, we will buy it back," the gray-robed man said enthusiastically.

For him, as long as a transaction could be made—whether a customer was buying a spirit beast or selling one to them—he would earn a commission.

"Please, come this way."

The gray-robed man led Li Qing to a small room to the side.

It was more convenient to negotiate in a private room.

"May I see the Profound Water Spirit Fish you wish to sell?" the man asked eagerly.

Li Qing pinched a spell in his hand.

A ball of clear water instantly appeared in the room, with several exceptionally lively Profound Water Spirit Fish struggling back and forth within it.

"Not bad, it really is the Profound Water Spirit Fish."

"And judging by their appearance, these are mature Profound Water Spirit Fish."

Seeing that the items Li Qing produced met the requirements, the man was full of joy.

"It seems you are a highly skilled Monster Hunter, sir."

The gray-robed man took the opportunity to flatter Li Qing.

Li Qing’s expression faltered upon hearing this.

However, due to the concealment of his bamboo hat, the man could not see his face.

He had been thinking about finding a suitable excuse for selling the spirit fish later, and the man’s words had just given him a hint.

No matter how discreet Li Qing was, as his transactions increased, he would likely be discovered eventually.

At that point, it would be difficult to keep his secrets hidden.

The term "Monster Hunter" mentioned by the man fit Li Qing’s current situation perfectly.

"Monster Hunter" was a general term for a type of identity.

It referred to cultivators who made a living by hunting monsters in the sea.

In the entire Haoyuan Sea, the islands occupied by humans were very limited.

Most of the vast, endless sea was occupied by monsters.

The Haoyuan Sea referred to areas where humans gathered on a large scale as the "Inner Sea."

The sparsely populated, monster-infested waters were called the "Outer Sea."

Powerful monsters were rarely seen in the Inner Sea, as they had mostly been wiped out by the major sects long ago.

Only the Outer Sea remained a savage land.

Although the Outer Sea was fraught with danger, it also held many opportunities.

Beyond the valuable carcasses of the monsters themselves, rare treasures and herbs also grew in the endless sea.

There were also some Monster Hunters who, relying on their own strength, could catch spirit fish from beneath the sea to sell; these cultivators were generally water-element practitioners.

A short while later, Li Qing quietly walked out of the Spirit Beast Pavilion.

Now, his pockets were heavier by four hundred low-grade spirit stones.

The shop’s purchase price was slightly lower than the market rate, but he had sold forty fish at ten spirit stones each.

This price was acceptable to Li Qing. To get a truly good price, he would have to find a stall and sell them himself, otherwise, this was the standard rate.

What Li Qing lacked most right now was time.

Naturally, he wouldn't waste his time for the sake of a few extra spirit stones.

Out of an abundance of caution, Li Qing went to two more shops, finally clearing out the spirit fish he had on hand.

After going back and forth, Li Qing had finally completed his accumulation of wealth.

His storage bag now held a full one thousand and sixty low-grade spirit stones.

This was the first time he had possessed such a massive fortune.

If calculated solely by his annual salary of sixty low-grade spirit stones, it would take over a decade of eating and drinking nothing to save this much; now, he had done it in just four months.

With the spirit stones in his possession, Li Qing walked with a newfound sense of confidence.

He walked quickly toward a Spirit Medicine Hall.

This was Li Qing’s first time entering a Spirit Medicine Hall.

His predecessor had only purchased "Spirit Gathering Powder," used by early-stage Qi Refining cultivators, when he had sufficient spirit stones in the beginning.

The room was extremely spacious, with a row of dark wooden counters stretching across the front.

The fragrance of medicinal pills wafted toward him.

Li Qing couldn't help but take a few extra breaths.

A clerk wearing a gray robe embroidered with clouds of alchemy walked over.

"Do you have Yangyuan Pills for sale?" Li Qing asked directly.

"Yes, sir. Please, come this way."

The clerk led Li Qing to a counter on the side of the shop, where white jade bottles were displayed.

"First-grade Yangyuan Pills are four low-grade spirit stones each."

"If you buy in bulk, we will give you one extra for every ten you purchase," the clerk said, skillfully reciting the shop’s policy.

Li Qing nodded slightly; the price in the shop was fair.

Pills for Qi Refining cultivators were first-grade spirit pills.

Except for some special medicinal pills, the grade of the pill was generally based on the cultivator’s cultivation level.

For example, the Foundation Establishment Pill was a special type of spirit pill.

"Give me two bottles of Yangyuan Pills first," Li Qing said directly.

"Very well, sir, please wait a moment while I pack them for you."

The clerk smiled.

He was happy to encounter a customer as straightforward as Li Qing, as it saved him a lot of trouble.

"No rush. Do you have any spirit pills suitable for nourishing the physical body?" Li Qing continued to ask.

"Sir, what a coincidence!"

Hearing that Li Qing had further needs, the clerk’s smile grew even wider.

"Our master alchemist, Ding Yunzi, just harvested some Blood Grass and refined quite a few Blood Replenishing Pills."

Upon hearing "Blood Replenishing Pills," a look of pleasant surprise appeared on Li Qing’s face.

He hadn't expected an unexpected gain this time.

The price of Blood Replenishing Pills wasn't expensive—five spirit stones each.

However, because of their wide range of uses, most cultivators—not just body cultivators—would buy some to nourish their bodies.

The Blood Grass needed to refine Blood Replenishing Pills was generally only common in the Outer Sea, making them quite sought after.

With the aid of the Blood Replenishing Pills, Li Qing’s cultivation of the Thunder Spirit Technique would be even faster.

It just so happened that his body’s natural talent seemed to have been exhausted.

After entering the late stage of the low level, he began to clearly feel the obstacles.

"Give me two bottles of Blood Replenishing Pills as well."

"Right away, please wait a moment while I go get them." The clerk nimbly walked behind the counter.

Li Qing had originally intended to purchase more at once, as the total would only come to a little over two hundred spirit stones.

However, thinking that he was currently just a low-level cultivator at the fourth level of Qi Refining, he worried about being targeted by those with ulterior motives, so he decided against it.