C17 The Heavens Were Unfair

"Yichen, we're brothers, there's no need for formalities. If I could cultivate, I'd be doing it already. This is tailored for your Spiritual Root. Take a close look."

"Ah!"

"Oh, and I've got a secret manual on pill refining. I'll pass it on to you once I've mastered it."

"Alright, thanks..."

"Ding! Congratulations, you've gained 1 Charisma point."

Fanh Yichen's face was alight with excitement, his cheeks twitching with joy. More good fortune coming his way!

"But there's some bad news. The auction's not until tonight, and we're out of Spirit Stones. We've only got five left."

"Ah! Just five? I've got over 60 I haven't used yet. Here, take them!"

"No rush. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. For now, let's head over to the Spirit Herbs section and sell some stuff."

Mentioning Spirit Herbs reminded Ning Xiaofan of Xiaofeng. He wondered how the foolish bird was faring. Had it been scorched in the Earth Fire Pool? It had been ages since there was any word.

The trio bypassed several stalls and skirted the central auction house of the market on their way to the Spirit Herbs area.

They hadn't stepped foot in any shops, mainly because their supply of Spirit Stones was meager. Everything in the shops was priced significantly higher than in the sect's market, so they were wise to steer clear.

Reaching the Spirit Herbs, they noticed many vendors. With just one Spirit Stone, anyone could set up shop on an empty stall.

The market's primary aim wasn't to hoard Spirit Stones from these vendors. To such a vast marketplace, these stones were a mere fraction of their annual revenue. Auctioning off just a couple of rare treasures each year would cover all expenses.

"Lin Bo, come on!"

"Big brother, I'm starving."

This guy was always thinking with his stomach. "Get yourself some food. We'll be here selling some items."

"Okay, thanks, Mr. Ning. You're the best."

"Yichen, hand over the money!"

Ning Xiaofan was out of Spirit Stones himself, with only four left in his storage space – hardly enough to buy Spirit Food.

"Xiaofan, how much should I give?"

"Ten Spirit Stones should do it. Let him spend them as he pleases!"

Fanh Yichen gritted his teeth and reluctantly passed the Spirit Stones to Lin Bo. If it weren't for Xiaofan's say-so, he wouldn't have parted with even one. After all, these were Spirit Stones!

"Ding! Congratulations, Master, you've earned 1 Charm Point."

Lin Bo was quick on his feet, snatching the Spirit Stones and vanishing into the Spirit Herb section. Only then did Ning Xiaofan and Fanh Yichen turn their attention to the nearby stalls.

There were easily a hundred vendors, the majority peddling Spirit Herbs, with just over a dozen offering Spirit Grass.

The selection was mostly common: Immortal Vines, Dragon Whisker Mace, Bright Opening Seeds, ginseng decades old, and various Spirit Fruits. Nothing particularly rare caught their eye.

Unbeknownst to Ning Xiaofan, the truly exceptional Spirit Plants were typically snapped up by the big conferences or put up for auction if the price wasn't right. That's why you'd rarely find aged Spirit Grass on these stalls.

Fanh Yichen watched as the stall transformed like a magic act, with piles of herbs appearing and disappearing. Soon, the stall overflowed with Spirit Herbs, each one boasting over thirty years of growth – a rarity even in the world of immortal cultivation.

"Young man, did you grow all these Spirit Herbs yourself?"

"Sir, do I look old enough to have cultivated herbs of such vintage?"

The elder squatted down for a closer look and his face went pale. The stall held at least twenty different Spirit Herbs, each with three stalks – that's over sixty in total, each over thirty years old?

It was astonishing. Had this youngster cornered the market on an Immortal Herb Garden?

"Young man, where did these Spirit Herbs come from?"

Ning Xiaofan replied with a smile, "They're from an unnamed mountain. I've already used a few for alchemy. This is what remains."

"Refining pills now, are we? What grade of medicine pill are you concocting that you'd use such high-quality Spirit Herbs? You're quite the spendthrift!"

Ning Xiaofan's eyes sparkled. Could the potency of the herbs be linked to the pill explosion?

"Young man, how did you come by such an extensive collection of herbs? Purple Spirit Flower, Hundred Fragrance Grass, Questioning Fate Flower, Qianji Leaf, Dragonbone Herb, Sun Shadow Orchid, Snow Drop Flower, Mountain Peach Grass, Throat Healing Grass, and decades-old wild ginseng—these are all vintage, and they don't come cheap!"

"Sir, you're well-informed! You truly know your stuff!"

"Oh, it's nothing. Young man, could you tell me the price of the Hundred Fragrance Grass?"

Ning Xiaofan wasn't sure of the exact price, but he had plenty more in his storage space. The twenty or so stalks he had now were just the beginning. If they sold well, he could always bring out more.

"To tell you the truth, I'm not certain of the price myself. These Spirit Herbs were gifts from a friend. I'm just looking to trade them for some Spirit Stones. I'm not sure what they're worth."

The old man's eyes gleamed. "Son, I'm interested in the Hundred Fragrance Grass. The going rate for an ordinary one is about twenty Spirit Stones, but with decades of medicinal effect, it's hard to set a price. It should be no less than a hundred Spirit Stones."

"That much?"

"Yes, indeed. Even at a hundred, it feels like you'd be at a loss. I only have a limited number of Spirit Stones available. Could we make a deal for eighty Spirit Stones, and I'll throw in some medicine pills?"

"Alright, eighty Spirit Stones it is, and you can keep the medicine pills."

"Thank you, thank you so much."

"Ding! Congratulations, Master, your Charisma has increased by one point."

As the elder laid down the Spirit Stones and picked up the Spirit Herbs, many onlookers turned their gaze, their mouths watering at the sight of the herbs on display.

"Young man, how much for the Purple Spirit Flower?"

"Well, I'm not entirely sure, but all of these herbs are going for a hundred Spirit Stones per stalk. If you're interested, payment comes first."

A hundred Spirit Stones was no trifling sum. Even cultivators at the Foundation Establishment level didn't usually have such an abundance, unless they belonged to a family steeped in the ways of cultivation or were direct disciples of a sect. Those individuals tended to have more Spirit Stones at their disposal.

As soon as Ning Xiaofan finished speaking, the nearby vendors converged on his stall like bees to honey.

"I'll take this Snow Drop Flower. Here are the Spirit Stones."

"I'm claiming the Mountain Peach Grass. Here's the payment."

Ning Xiaofan's booth was swamped with people, each extending Spirit Stones eagerly towards him.

A red-robed elder, wielding a folding fan and dressed in the garb of a Confucian scholar, cast a discerning look and declared, "Hold on, young man. I'll purchase all the Spirit Herbs you have. Please tally them up."

"We want some too! You can't monopolize them all for yourself."

"I'll offer twice the price for the whole lot!"

The elder's statement stirred up a hornet's nest, prompting glares sharp as knives from the crowd.

"Old timer, think you're the only one with money?"

"Back off, get in line!"

"And who might you be?"

The crowd was abuzz, each person trying to outdo the elder with their remarks, but he simply smiled at Ning Xiaofan.

Sensing the tension escalating and fearing a brawl, Ning Xiaofan quickly intervened. "Please, everyone, hold on. The prices of these herbs will remain the same—one hundred Spirit Stones each. If you're interested, form a line. There's a limit of one per person. I'll be back tomorrow, and we'll set the prices then."

Ning Xiaofan was buying time. Whether he would return the next day wasn't his call to make. His immediate goal was to gather two thousand Spirit Stones without inciting a riot, lest he risk his own neck.

The elder chuckled, "I am a disciple of the Divine Herb Sect from the East Zhou Kingdom, and I assure you, I'm quite serious."

"The Divine Herb Sect may be formidable, but you hold no sway over Heavenspan Market. You wouldn't dare cause trouble here."

"Is the Divine Herb Sect supposed to impress us?"

Ning Xiaofan noticed the crowd's bravado waning. He sent a covert message to the elder, who simply nodded in response, keeping his silence.

"Everyone, please form a line. Today's Spirit Herbs are going for 100 Spirit Stones each. I've set the price, now let's keep things orderly!"

"I'll take one stalk..."

"My turn, I'd like one stalk, please..."

"Ding! Congratulations, Master. Your Charisma has increased by 1 point."

"Ding! Congratulations. Your Charisma has increased by 1 point."

"Ding..."

The sound of the notification was incessant, each 'ding' signifying a 1-point boost in Charisma.

Those who snagged the Spirit Herbs couldn't help but feel thankful, and with each purchase, Ning Xiaofan's Charisma ticked up another point.

In no time at all, the 23 Spirit Herbs were sold out, leaving those who missed out to turn their hopeful gazes toward Ning Xiaofan.

"Hey, young man, will you be back with more tomorrow?"

"Possibly, but that depends on whether there's anything left to harvest on my land."

There was nothing the crowd could do. They were too slow, and each of those herbs could easily fetch 200 Spirit Stones. This kid was practically giving them away.

As the crowd dispersed, an old man approached with a grin, "Young man, how many more of those herbs do you have?"

"Well, sir, I don't have many that are twenty to thirty years old, but there are still a few dozen left."

The old man paused, taken aback by Ning Xiaofan's response. Was there a deeper message in his words? The old man had centuries of experience and had met all sorts of people; he could read between the lines as easily as whistling through his own eyebrows.

"Young man, this is a special token from the Divine Herb Sect of East Zhou. If you have quality herbs, bring this token to the East Zhou Kingdom. We can negotiate a good price. As long as you have Spirit Herbs, Spirit Stones will follow."

With a flash of light, Ning Xiaofan revealed a Storage Space in his hand. "Elder, do you think these Spirit Herbs meet the standard?"

Without setting up a stall, they were safeguarded by a protective restriction. Unless the stall owner permitted, no one could take anything.

In the world of immortal cultivation, it was survival of the fittest. The best items were always displayed prominently, and without restrictions, the powerful could act with impunity.

"Wow, over a hundred Spirit Herbs and a good number of aged ginsengs—that's impressive. Hold on, let me do the math!"

The elder closed his eyes, tallying up the total. "Young man, I won't shortchange you. You have 130 Spirit Herbs here. How does 200 Low Grade Spirit Stones each sound?"

"I'll defer to your judgment."

"Great, that'll be 26,000 Spirit Stones."

Ning Xiaofan's mind reeled at the mention of 26,000 Spirit Stones, nearly causing him to stumble. As a newcomer to the world of immortal cultivation, he'd never imagined a cultivator possessing so many Spirit Stones. Even the elders of the Sky Burning Valley might struggle to produce tens of thousands of Spirit Stones. Now, the disciples of the Spirit Herb Garden had their Magic Artifacts sorted.

To thrive, one must have their own domain, and currently, the hundred or so people in the Spirit Herb Garden were his strength. He needed to find a way to bolster their power quickly.

They might only be Worker Disciples, but Ning Xiaofan was determined to use his strength to turn them into masters, even if only among their peers. Doing his best was what mattered.

With a flicker of light, the elder sent a Storage Space flying into Ning Xiaofan's hands. Upon inspecting it with his spiritual sense, he found 260 Middle Grade Spirit Stones, the equivalent of 26,000 Low Grade Spirit Stones.

The Middle Grade Spirit Stones shone with a brilliant light, pleasing to the eye. Not bad at all.

"Young man, the token you're holding can be used at any medicine shop marked with the 'Zhou' character. The Great Zhou Medicine Stores are scattered across the Rosefinch Continent, with specialists ready to buy your medicinal herbs. That token will grant you certain privileges."

"Thank you kindly, sir."

Ning Xiaofan examined the token—a bronze piece with the East Zhou God of Medicine on the front and the character 'Shang' on the back, indicating it was a commercial token from the Medicine God Sect, not for personal use.

"Ah, and remember my name—Dan Hee. Perhaps our paths will cross again someday, haha."

The elder stowed the Storage Space for the herbs and departed. Ning Xiaofan gazed at the middle-grade Storage Space in his hand, marveling at the elder's wealth; even his coin pouch was worth a hundred Spirit Stones.

He pulled out an extra middle-grade storage space and tossed it to Fanh Yichen, "Yichen, this one's on me."

"Wow, a middle-grade storage space? Talk about deep pockets!"

It just seemed so unfair. More than 20,000 Spirit Stones and not even a flinch.

He couldn't recall anyone ever having that many Spirit Stones, not even the elders in Sky Burning Valley.

It's maddening how some folks just make you feel downright inferior.

"Xiaofan, we've got Spirit Stones now, two thousand of them! That should get us into the auction, right?"

"Oh, Yichen, you sweet, clueless thing. We don't just have two thousand Spirit Stones. Take a closer look, will you?"

Fanh Yichen examined the item, his eyes sparkling, "Two hundred and sixty Spirit Stones?"

Ning Xiaofan saw Fanh Yichen's hands shaking, his cheeks burning with excitement. "Xiaofan, big bro, are these... middle-grade... Spirit Stones? We've struck it rich!"

Fanh Yichen's exclamation was cut short as he clapped his hands over his mouth. To the onlookers, it seemed the pair had scored over two thousand low-grade Spirit Stones and were giddily lost in their dreams.

"Exactly! We're flush now. Time to hit that auction house."

"Two hundred and sixty times a hundred... My god, that's like twenty-six thousand low-grade Spirit Stones. Unbelievable!"

Fanh Yichen's head spun, his vision swimming with Spirit Stones, utterly bewildered...