To maintain its reputation, a large cultivation sect must occasionally involve itself in regional affairs.
Don’t underestimate the importance of “reputation.” It plays a crucial role in how many qualified disciples can be recruited and how many talented geniuses can be attracted.
Small sects may not need to pay much attention to these matters because, even if they wanted to, they lack the strength and qualifications. However, if one aspires to join the ranks of the great sects, sometimes it’s necessary to “put on a strong front.”
Xuanling Sect is, without a doubt, one of the great sects in Qingzhou.
Tang Xin set off from the eastern part of Qingzhou and, after a journey of sightseeing, entered the western territories of Qingzhou.
Among the four regions of Qingzhou – east, west, south, and north – the west is the most remote. Due to its many mountains and the prevalence of poisonous insects and plants, the population here is less than one-tenth of the east.
However, it is precisely because of these conditions that the demonic path has found opportunities to secretly grow.
According to information from the Great Elder Xuan Miao, the demonic cultivators active in the western part of Qingzhou are not very powerful. Among those captured or killed, there hasn’t been anyone too strong to handle.
The main reason for organizing this demon-slaying campaign is to gather the young talents of the large cultivation sects in Qingzhou, to mingle, exchange ideas, and foster “relationships.”
The gathering place for the Demon Slaying Alliance is located at the entrance of the “Hundred Poison Mountain Range.” On the way to the mountain range, there is a large market for making final supplies.
Passing by the market, Tang Xin decided to make a brief stop.
Although the system store has countless good items, it’s better to save points for critical moments. For ordinary items, if they can be bought with spirit stones, then buy them. There’s no need to be frugally weird.
“Authentic sleeping smoke, colorless and odorless, guaranteed to make the target sleep for more than twelve hours, and they won’t wake up no matter what!”
“Top-quality Foundation Building spiritual mirror, can see through objects from a distance, even if the target is wearing a lot, you can see everything at a glance!”
“Roasted bamboo rat, fried bamboo rat, steamed bamboo rat, braised bamboo rat…”
After purchasing basic items, Tang Xin arrived at a street with small stalls selling various strange items and looked around.
Finally, he stopped in front of a stall selling sleeping smoke.
“Fellow Daoist, are you interested in top-quality sleeping smoke?”
Tang Xin crossed his arms and remained silent, looking at the other party expressionlessly.
The stall owner took a deep breath.
Well, that “don’t try to fool me” cold expression… It seems I’ve met an expert!
“Understood, what you want is not this ordinary sleeping smoke that is only useful for Qi Refining cultivators!” The vendor took out another exquisitely packaged wooden box, gritting his teeth, “This box is effective even for Foundation Building cultivators. I dare say, on this street, you won’t find three shops that can sell this!”
Tang Xin still didn’t speak.
Not satisfied with Foundation Building sleeping smoke? Sleeping smoke, after all, becomes ineffective at the Golden Core stage!
Seeing the “expert” unmoved, the vendor gritted his teeth again and took out a box made of mahogany, lowering his voice.
“Fear-inducing sleeping smoke,” he introduced, “not only makes people fall asleep but also causes them to have nightmares continuously while asleep. How about it, impressive, right?”
Tang Xin raised an eyebrow, as if to say, “Is that all?”
Even the signature sleeping smoke can’t satisfy her? Her appetite is too big!
“Alright, we’re all experts here, no need for more nonsense,” the vendor sighed deeply, taking out a pink wooden box from his storage bag, “Lust-inducing sleeping smoke, once inhaled, those below the Golden Core stage should have no way to counter it. Please use it carefully.”
Tang Xin still made no move.
“Fellow Daoist, this is truly the treasure of my collection,” the vendor said helplessly, “If you’re not satisfied with this, there’s nothing I can do… Change your expression, I really can’t guess what you mean.”
“I’ll take it.”
She finally spoke.
“Which one?”
“All of them.”
“…”
Joking aside, how could one not buy several boxes of these essential items for a stealthy attack and a life of pleasure?
After purchasing the items, Tang Xin was ready to leave the market.
“Woo—woo—”
A somewhat strange cry suddenly entered her ears.
Following the sound, the source was a stall selling “Spirit Pets”.
In the Nine Provinces continent, a few spiritual beasts can be tamed through special methods to become Spirit Pets.
They can accompany cultivators in battle, patrolling, defense, and even serve as special entertainment.
Strictly speaking, the Corpse Separation Beast encountered earlier also counts as a “Spirit Pet,” albeit one from the demonic path.
The stall owner selling Spirit Pets wore a felt hat, head lowered, face unclear.
Very mysterious.
Upon seeing a customer approach, he didn’t ask anything, just quietly waited for the other party to speak first.
Displayed outside were some common Spirit Pets, like spirit lions, spirit tigers, spirit snakes, etc., mostly of not very high grade.
Tang Xin looked around but didn’t find the Spirit Pet that made the sound earlier.
【Plot Character “Spirit Pet Merchant”: Will recommend suitable Spirit Pets based on the character’s traits. The selected individual cannot choose other Spirit Pets or refuse to purchase.】
A message like this popped up on the panel.
Could this be considered a blessing? If this were for the protagonist, it would definitely be a divine beast capable of devouring the heavens and earth in the later stages…
“I need goods,” she said lightly, “good goods.”
The mysterious stall owner looked up at her.
With a disdainful look and an aura of a villain, he probably hadn’t refrained from committing heinous acts…
“Follow me.”
He left the stall in the care of others and took Tang Xin to an open space behind.
Here, at least a hundred Spirit Pets were all locked in iron cages.
“Take a look at these three.”
The Spirit Pet merchant led Tang Xin to the very back and lifted the white cloth covering the iron cages.
The first one is a creature resembling an octopus with over a dozen pairs of eyes and numerous tentacles. Staring at it for too long might make one question the artistic style of this world.
[Clairvoyant Beast, an unknown rank spirit beast that seems to be a mutated species. It possesses almost unlimited potential for leveling up, with top-tier attack, defense, and psychic powers. The downside is that it gradually erodes the sanity of its cultivator, requiring the cultivator to have an extremely strong will.]
[Estimated success rate of cultivation: 20%]
The second one is a pile of slime-like substance that occasionally twists into a lump or rises high, emitting an unpleasant smell.
[Slime Beast, a high-rank spirit beast with top-notch defense and outstanding attack power. It has a certain resistance to psychic attacks. The downside is that the cultivator needs to be in close contact with it for a long time, becoming one with it. Moreover, as time goes by, the smell of the Slime Beast becomes increasingly repulsive and hard to remove.]
[Estimated success rate of cultivation: 50%]
“Isn’t there a single normal spirit beast?”
Tang Xin said, pinching her nose.
One beast that devours sanity and another that ensures you’ll never be associated with the word ‘charm’ again…
She then turned her gaze to the third cage, where a snow-white little fox was kept, looking much more normal than the first two.
[** Fox…]
