Chapter 85: The Exchange Fair

As the saying goes, the setting sun is infinitely beautiful, yet it is already near dusk. By now the entire sky had darkened, but the whole sect of Yellow Maple Valley was alive with all manner of light. It bathed the grounds in brilliance, evoking the bustle of a night market from days long past.

Those lights came from one peculiar ore after another, each radiating a soft glow. The colors were many and varied, though white was the most common.

The disciples were still in high spirits, having just finished dinner. Pairs of them strolled among the little stalls, wandering off their meal and enjoying the evening. There were also many disciples performing tricks and all kinds of entertainments.

As for the lofty Golden Core cultivators, they sat in the council hall, arranged in two rows, with Lin Yang in the seat of honor. They raised and lowered their cups in endless succession, tasting the delicacies on their plates. These dishes were no ordinary fare; each was made from precious ingredients, either century-old spirit herbs or the flesh of second-tier demon beasts.

Not only were the dishes delicious, they could also slightly improve one’s cultivation. Their presence made the group of young female disciples dancing nearby seem almost unnecessary. Thus, in that cheerful atmosphere of clinking cups and laughter, everyone spent a full hour before the true exchange began.

After an hour, seeing that everyone had eaten more or less enough, Lin Yang dismissed all the dancing and serving disciples. What followed was the serious business. Once the disciples had gathered away the leftovers and cleaned the council hall thoroughly, a stone platform suddenly rose in the center of the hall, and the cultivators took their seats around it in a circle.

Lin Yang himself stepped up onto the platform. Strange luminous patterns covered its surface, all converging at the center, where there was a table. On the table sat a tray, and on the tray lay the medicinal herb Lin Yang had prepared: a thousand-year fire attribute spirit ginseng. It was a huge root, so thick it matched a fist in width, and with its dried leaves and root stalk it measured a full meter in length.

Even on the withered body of the ginseng, there were red meridians. Though dried and dead, those veins still faintly pulsed with red flowing light, like magma in motion.

Standing at the top, Lin Yang said, “My thanks to all fellow Daoists for coming to celebrate my Golden Core assembly. First, I offer my gratitude to everyone. Since I am the host, I should begin with a fine opening.”

He lifted the spirit herb from the tray and introduced it. “A thousand-year fire spirit ginseng, with exceptionally abundant yang energy. It is especially suitable for refining tonic pills or pills used to break through realms.”

“I wonder which fellow Daoist has interest, or wishes to exchange for it?”

After a while, the few Daoists below did not know what to say. Perhaps they did not need it, or perhaps they simply did not know how to trade for such a precious medicinal herb.

When Lin Yang saw that no one spoke, he added some polite words. “If any fellow Daoist has any thoughts, I hope you will not stand on ceremony. Since you have come here to grace us with your presence, there is no need to be reserved. Feel free to speak and inquire as you please.”

At last, Elder Lei rose to his feet. “Then let this old man begin.” As he spoke, he took out a golden iron block.

“This is purple-gold crystal, the most precious refining material within a purple-gold vein. A single vein can likely yield only one piece of it. Fellow Daoist Lin should know how valuable this material is.”

“I wonder whether Fellow Daoist Lin is willing to exchange for this third-tier material.” As he finished speaking, he controlled the purple-gold crystal so that it floated through the air and slid into Lin Yang’s hand.

Lin Yang took the material and tested its hardness and texture. He quickly confirmed that it was indeed purple-gold crystal. This sort of material was excellent as a primary component for a Golden Core stage magic artifact, and he happened to need exactly this kind of thing for forging his Kingly Authority Sword. Of course, he would still need several supplementary materials.

“What Elder Lei says is entirely correct. Then I shall trade with Elder Lei. It seems I am the one who has profited.”

With that, he placed the herb into a jade box and handed it over to Elder Lei. After receiving it, Elder Lei sat back down, returned to his place, and took out the herb to examine it.

Lin Yang then produced another fire-attribute medicinal herb. This was a coral that grew within a magma lake, something he had plucked from a secret realm.

“This spirit herb is fire-attribute, with medicinal potency of over a thousand years, and it is completely intact. It is quite suitable either for collection or for use.”

The herb looked like coral, with faint flames still rising from its top. It was exceedingly beautiful, and under the dim yellow light it took on an added air of mystery.

“I wonder which fellow Daoist would like to take this herb home?”

He lifted it up and walked around the edge of the platform, displaying it to everyone below. The crowd also sensed its value.

It carried a faint sulfurous smell, but once inhaled it brought a feeling of exhilaration. Just smelling it had a refreshing effect, making it especially suitable for future refinement into pills that enhance spiritual power.

One of the Golden Core cultivators from Ghost Spirit Gate, upon seeing the herb, was overjoyed. He immediately took out a pill and hurried onto the platform, approaching Lin Yang to introduce it.

The pill was entirely blood-red, even the powder within it crimson. Moreover, the whole thing gave off a thick stench of blood, deeply unpleasant.

“This pill is refined using the heart’s blood of over a hundred children, boys and girls, all possessing spiritual roots. It can improve one’s aptitude, and is especially suitable for those of poor talent. Fellow Daoist Lin possesses five spiritual roots, so your cultivation must progress rather slowly; this pill should be very suitable for you.”

The Golden Core cultivator of Ghost Spirit Gate spoke the cruelest words in the calmest tone imaginable.

Lin Yang looked at the pill and could feel as though it were covered in the resentful souls of children. This blood-colored pill was the only trace they had left behind. So Lin Yang rejected it outright.

“I will not use such a heaven-defying and conscience-rending pill. Please take it away. I certainly will not use a thing like this.”

With no concern for face, Lin Yang sent the Golden Core cultivator down from the platform.

“I imagine the other fellow Daoists would not use such a monstrous pill either. You should go back down.”

“Cultivation is just like this: if you do not advance, you retreat. Since you have stepped onto the path of cultivation, I do not care how much blood is spilled. I never thought Fellow Daoist Lin would have such naive ideas.”

Having said that in a tone of suppressed rage and embarrassment, he turned and left. If this had not been Yellow Maple Valley’s territory, he might well have struck out in anger.

Lin Yang paid him no heed and simply continued. “Might there be any other fellow Daoists interested?” With that, he displayed the spirit material once more.

“That thing of yours is quite suitable for this old man.”

At that moment, a Golden Core cultivator from Heaven’s Ridge Fort spoke up. Or rather, he rose from his seat and walked forward, holding a material no larger than a fingernail in his hand. It looked like a lump of iron, dark and dull, and exceptionally hard.

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