Bluestone Market! Finally arrived!
Looking at the luxurious market, Qi Ping felt a wave of emotion. Who would have thought that a simple trip to the Bluestone Market would eventually require such elaborate preparations? Under the previous governance of the Qingyuan Sect, even a level-one Qi Refinement cultivator didn't have to worry about safety. Times had truly changed.
Fortunately, with the High-speed Ring-cutter Bees scouting the way, Qi Ping encountered no danger on the road. As he walked back into the market, he no longer felt his former trepidation. As long as he didn't provoke several Foundation Establishment masters or cause the market's defensive array to activate, he was essentially safe.
In keeping with his cautious style, Qi Ping still looked like the same beekeeper in a small straw hat. Upon entering the market, he noticed it was significantly quieter than before. He understood why; with rogue cultivators and demon insects about, the business environment was bound to suffer.
He didn't pay it much mind and headed straight for Boss Gao's Zhiyuan Merchant Guild. When he first entered the cultivation world, he had entertained delusions of finding a hidden treasure for a bargain. The results had proven that to be wishful thinking; he had wasted quite a few spirit stones and earned a round of laughter from Old Man Zhou. Even now, thinking back on it made his face flush with embarrassment.
Bluestone Market wasn't very large, and Qi Ping soon arrived at the entrance of the Zhiyuan Merchant Guild. A glance inside revealed no customers. Boss Gao was dozing behind the counter, looking as though he had been asleep for a while.
"Boss Gao! Wake up!" Qi Ping called out softly.
"Hmm...?"
Hearing the voice, Boss Gao slowly woke up. Seeing it was Qi Ping, he said happily, "It's Brother Qi! Ah... I've slept myself silly. Wait, let me brew some tea for you!"
"Sounds good!"
A moment later, after Boss Gao poured a cup of Snow-Red Tea, the two began to chat. In the sweltering heat of summer, a cup of tea with a touch of snowy chill was very refreshing.
"Sigh... Brother Qi, please excuse my lack of manners just now. With these rogue cultivators and demon insects lately, there haven't been any customers for days. Business is hard..."
Boss Gao sighed, his expression full of helplessness. Who could have predicted a plague of demon insects?
"Yes, outside people are either leaving or dying. Bluestone County is much quieter now. Especially after the insects appeared, so many left. Fatty Zhou, Brother Shan—they all went back to the mortal world."
"They all went back? Sigh! You wouldn't believe it; it used to be so crowded we couldn't keep up. Speaking of the insects, a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Murong Family was actually poisoned to death by a first-tier demon insect! Isn't that strange?"
"A Foundation Establishment cultivator died?" Shock filled Qi Ping's eyes; he hadn't heard this news yet.
"Exactly! If even a Foundation Establishment master can die, what hope is there for ordinary folk like us? It's hard to make a living now. After paying the monthly rent, there's almost nothing left."
And that was the good side of it. Boss Gao's rent was relatively low and he had many regulars. Those in high-rent positions relying on foot traffic were the ones truly suffering.
After they had chatted for a while, Qi Ping turned the conversation toward business.
"Boss Gao, is there any news regarding the spirit beast information I asked you to investigate last time?"
"Hehe, believe it or not, I've been using this slow period to wander around and chat with friends. I have a few friends in that line of work. I likely know eighty or ninety percent of the spirit beast information available in Bluestone County right now!"
A look of confidence appeared on Boss Gao's chubby face.
"Boss Gao, you're impressive!"
Hearing this, Qi Ping felt his heart settle. If he couldn't find a suitable beast after this, it would be a real problem!
"Brother Qi, you flatter me. I have no other skills, just making a living in the market. According to your requirements from last time, for two or three hundred spirit stones, there is a first-tier mid-grade Wind-Spirit Sparrow..."
However, just as Boss Gao began his introductions, Qi Ping interrupted him. Ordinary first-tier spirit beasts were no longer of much use to him. He wanted a first-tier beast with a special talent, or a second-tier spirit beast.
Animal companions were the foundation of his cultivation. Even if he had to sell his Blood Ginseng and everything else he owned, he had to find a good one. Previously, he had lowered his standards out of a desperate need to save his life. But now that he had a means of survival through transformation, what was the point of cultivation if he continued to settle for low-level beasts out of fear of risk?
As long as he didn't provoke a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he was fine. Ordinary Blood Ginseng would only attract mid-to-late stage Qi Refinement cultivators at most, and Qi Ping was confident he could handle them. His goal now was to find the most suitable animal companion within a controllable range of risk.
"Boss Gao, I am looking for a spirit beast worth more than a thousand spirit stones. I am no longer considering ordinary low-level beasts."
Qi Ping's words left Boss Gao stunned.
"More than a thousand spirit stones?" Boss Gao asked, unsure if he had heard correctly.
"Yes, more than a thousand." Faced with the merchant's disbelief, Qi Ping nodded firmly.
"Brother Qi, I must truly look at you in a new light. Let me sort through the information on spirit beasts over a thousand..."
Boss Gao marveled for a moment but didn't pry. It was a taboo to ask about a customer's secrets, especially those involving fortune.
"Alright!" Qi Ping agreed.
He didn't care what Boss Gao thought. It was unlikely he would attract a Foundation Establishment master this way, and if he did, he could flee in advance. As for the Qi Refinement stage, if their strength was average, Qi Ping would happily accept their storage bags.
After about the time it took to finish a cup of tea, Boss Gao slowly spoke.
"Brother Qi, there aren't many spirit beasts for sale in Bluestone Market right now. I know of seven that are priced over a thousand spirit stones."
"The first is the rare Jade-Scaled Demon Spider, first-tier high-grade, with an extremely powerful Danger Sense talent."
"The second is the Li-Fire Crow, second-tier low-grade, with talents like Li-Fire Body and Solar Perception."
"The third is the Illusion-Moon White Fox, second-tier low-grade. I estimate the price will be at least two thousand. It has extraordinary Comprehension and Illusion talents."
"The fourth is the Ghost-Shadow Snake, second-tier low-grade, specialized in assassination with talents like Ghost-Shadow and Extreme Speed..."
Listening to Boss Gao's detailed descriptions, Qi Ping gained a basic understanding of the beasts available. He narrowed the seven choices down to three that suited him best.
First was the Jade-Scaled Demon Spider.
[Species: Jade-Scaled Demon Spider]
[Bloodline: First-tier, High-grade]
[Talents: Danger Sense, Jade Scales, Venomous Silk]
Danger Sense: Possesses a certain predictive ability regarding incoming peril.