Chapter 5, The Cormorant Lake Meeting (Part 2)

At this moment, the entire island had become lively, with more than one-third of the stalls already having owners. Each vendor was busily displaying the treasures prepared for trade, including magical tools, spiritual herbs, talismans, talisman paper, elixirs, and various kinds of spiritual materials that had never been seen before. Zhao Shoushou was truly amazed by the sights before him, but what concerned him the most was the price of the first-grade low-quality Qi dispersing elixirs at the various stalls selling elixirs.

If it were not for the dual constraints of cultivation methods and spiritual roots limiting the time available for daily practice, Zhao Shoushou believed he would dedicate all his time to cultivation. Unfortunately, the legendary ability to cultivate endlessly in circles remains merely a wish, perhaps only existing within some major sects.

Brother Zhao, you are being too polite. It is merely a transaction based on mutual consent, nothing to be concerned about. I am certain that your journey is to purchase elixirs to break through your bottleneck. I wish you great success and significant progress in your cultivation. Fatty Jia skillfully set up a tent on the bluestone, waiting for the arrival of the other traders

The lively calls of vendors rise and fall on the not-so-large island, where treasures for sale are equally diverse and peculiar, including fifty-year-old ginseng, fifty-year-old goji berries, and fifty-year-old lotus roots harvested from the Purple Jade Mountain Range. Consuming these can replenish one's energy, while for ordinary people, they promise longevity. One low-grade spirit stone can be exchanged for any ten items.

During the practice, time always seems to pass at an unusually rapid pace. When the sun rises once again and sunlight spreads across the land, Zhao Shoushou opens his eyes and ceases his cultivation. At the same time, a pair of eyes fixates on the surface of the Cormorant Lake, where one can once again witness the long-awaited proper entrance of a practitioner.

The price of the elixir is constrained by the cost of raw materials and the success rate of its refinement. If the supply at the Cormorant Lake conference is slightly increased, the price may experience a slight decline. Zhao Shoushou wishes to purchase as many as possible based on the current price of 14 yuan for inferior spirit stones, as this would greatly benefit either breaking through bottlenecks or stabilizing his cultivation after advancing to the second layer of Qi Refinement.

The quarterly meeting at Cormorant Lake is also held on a small island in the center of the lake. This little-known island is unremarkable, and the organizers merely aim to prevent disturbances from mortals. Only those who successfully pass through the trial of the mist can set foot on the island, which serves as a natural line of defense.

Take a walk and take a look. The low-grade Vajra Hammer, once activated, possesses immense power and astonishing might. With a single strike, it can easily shatter mountains and split rocks. It only requires thirty low-grade spirit stones to bring this treasure home. If this opportunity is missed, one will surely regret it and suffer greatly

Hahaha, it has been a while since we last met in March, and Zhao has become even more accomplished in his cultivation. The second level of Qi Refinement is just around the corner. How many Mist Stones are available for sale this time? Old Jia has always been fair and honest, treating everyone equally, with reasonable prices and no credit offered. In the blink of an eye, Fat Jia has already nimbly ascended the small island, in stark contrast to his physique.

"Daoist Jia, you are being too polite. How could my minor progress possibly catch your esteemed attention? This is the lake treasure prepared for the transaction, please take a look." Zhao Shoushou said with great trepidation and courtesy. In the cultivation world where strength reigns supreme, he had no grounds for pride when facing a practitioner at the peak of the sixth layer of Qi Refinement.

However, he was not in a hurry; instead, he chose a bluestone located in the northeast corner to sit cross-legged and perform the Great Circulation. Based on past experience, the arrival of other cultivators generally began after dawn. The peak of the Cormorant Lake gathering was expected to occur around noon today, with more than one hundred low-level Qi Refining stage cultivators in the early to mid-stages coming to trade. Therefore, he had ample time to complete his cultivation schedule for the day

The content of dan poison in a spiritual pill is generally considered waste if it exceeds 10%. Today, however, a waste pill containing 30% dan poison has surprisingly become the best-selling treasure, and it has quickly sold out. The shops that purchase gold and silver are similarly crowded, and Zhao Shoushou, after selling a thousand taels of silver accumulated over several years, unexpectedly obtained a low-grade spiritual stone. This is likely intended for some refining apprentices who are preparing to extract first-tier low-grade spiritual materials, such as silver essence and gold essence.

The expectation was not in vain; soon a first-tier magic ship came cutting through the waves. At the bow stood a rotund man, whose height and width were nearly identical, resembling the figure of Maitreya Buddha, smiling broadly as he clasped his hands in greeting towards Zhao Shoushou. The ship was prominently surrounded by a layer of golden light emitted from a defensive magic array. The visitor was precisely the target Zhao Shoushou had been waiting for a long time, and he was also the largest buyer at the Cormorant Lake conference, having acquired both Mist Stone and Mist Fish.

As for the first-tier inferior-grade artifact, the Diamond Hammer, it is clearly the work of novice artifact craftsmen. Once activated, it consumes a significant amount of spiritual power while its effectiveness is rather limited, making it suitable only for specific situations.

I am a little bird, no matter how I try, I cannot fly high. I search and seek for a miraculous remedy, my only request is to circulate my energy, which is not too ambitious. On the second day, before the sun had risen, a small boat with an oil lamp on Cormorant Lake echoed with a haunting yet self-satisfied song, and the one singing was none other than Zhao Shoushou, a novice in the first layer of Qi refining, who could no longer contain his eagerness.

As for ginseng, goji berries, and lotus root, which appear to be similar but have a medicinal age of fifty years, they are more like a tasteless delicacy that one might regret discarding. Generally speaking, only materials with a medicinal age of over one hundred years can be refined into elixirs. Such spiritual medicines can only have some decent effects on mortals. Of course, for many loose cultivators who cannot afford spiritual elixirs, these spiritual medicines with a medicinal age of fifty years can still serve as a somewhat pitiable supplementary resource

The first-grade low-quality Qi-Refining Powder, renowned for being produced by the famous Danshan Sect, can be purchased at the price of ten pieces for one low-grade spirit stone. The maximum content of Dan Poison is only thirty percent, and it can be expelled from the body within three months. It is a product of excellent quality at a reasonable price, a rare opportunity that should not be missed by all fellow cultivators

Acquisition of gold and silver, acquisition of gold and silver, one thousand taels of silver or one hundred taels of gold can be exchanged for one low-grade spirit stone, the quantity for acquisition is limited, those who wish to sell should act quickly

The small fishing boat arrived at its destination after approximately half an hour. The small island in sight measured only three to five hundred meters in diameter, with the only notable feature being a clean, flat white stone at regular intervals, which served as vendor stalls. Undoubtedly, at this moment, there was not a single cultivator present; Zhao Shoushou remained the first to arrive.

"Well, 62 pieces of mist stones, plus one mist fish, and 8 pieces of low-grade spirit stones, in addition, I will also give you a low-grade fireball talisman of the first rank. How does that sound?" Jia the Fatty quoted a slightly higher price with great familiarity. The low-grade fireball talisman of the first rank is the most basic entry-level talisman, and one piece of low-grade spirit stone can purchase three of them. Exchanging two extra pieces of mist stones for one fireball talisman is advantageous from any perspective.

Daoist friend Jia possesses high moral integrity, and I, as a younger brother, will remember this deeply. In the future, should I have any gains, I will first trade with you, Daoist friend." Zhao Shoushou promised gratefully. To the wealthy and extravagant Fatty Jia, a first-grade low-grade fireball talisman was merely a trinket, but for someone like him, who had nothing to his name, it was a life-saving treasure, especially precious near Cormorant Island, where water attribute techniques predominated.