Qinghe Island is the largest island in the Qinghe Islands and also the largest market town. It has many large teleportation arrays. Every month, a large number of monks come from all over the place to the Qinghe Islands to hunt Qinghe beasts. The place is crowded with merchants and travelers, and is very lively.
Looking down from the sky, Qinghe Island is oval in shape. There is a huge city built with green bricks and stones on the island. The city wall is more than 5,000 miles long and more than 100 feet high. A gold-painted plaque is hung above the city gate, with three large silver characters "Qinghe City" written on it in a flamboyant manner. It is very conspicuous under the sunlight.
Sun Ming grew up on Qingha Island. His parents are both casual cultivators, and he has a younger sister. All four members of his family are Qi-refining cultivators, making a living in the market town. Sun Ming is currently at the fourth level of Qi-refining, and mainly serves as a guide for foreign cultivators. His parents work odd jobs in the market town, and their income is unstable. His sister is only at the first level of Qi-refining, so she can practice at home.
Due to over-hunting of Green Clam Beasts, Green Clam Beasts above level four are becoming increasingly rare, which has led to a sharp drop in the number of foreign cultivators, and Sun Xin's income has also been affected.
The sun is shining brightly and there is not a cloud in the sky.
Sun Ming and several Qi-refining cultivators stood at the city gate, braving the scorching sun and gazing into the distance. Whenever a cultivator entered Qinghe City, it would attract their attention. Of course, they also watched the guests. They mainly received Foundation Establishment cultivators. The cultivators above the Jindan stage were received by the Foundation Establishment cultivators. The guests that the Foundation Establishment cultivators could not receive could only be received by the Qi-refining cultivators. If they snatched the guests, the consequences would be very serious.
Even if you are a tour guide, there is a lot of competition and there are industry rules.
A golden light appeared in the distant sky and flew quickly towards Qingha Island.
Sun Ming and his companions immediately perked up, quickly straightened their clothes, and put on warm smiles on their faces.
Not long after, the golden light landed near the gate of Qingha City. The light faded, revealing an old man in a golden shirt who was as thin as a bamboo pole. The old man's face was flushed, and judging by the fluctuations of his magic power, he was obviously a Jindan cultivator.
The faces of Sun Ming and other Qi-refining cultivators suddenly wilted. A fat, white, middle-aged man walked over quickly and said a few words to the old man in golden shirt. The old man in golden shirt threw him a medium-grade spirit stone. The middle-aged man took the old man in golden shirt into Qinghe City.
"Fatty Li has taken away our customers again. I haven't been open for several days."
A middle-aged man with a round face and small eyes sighed, looking helpless.
The middle-aged man's surname is Liu and his name is Li. He is at the seventh level of Qi Refining and has a wife and a daughter. The three of them are all Qi Refining practitioners. His wife stays at home to take care of their one-year-old daughter. All the expenses depend on him, and he is under a lot of pressure.
Sun Ming hesitated for a moment, took out twenty spirit stones, handed them to Liu Li, and said, "Uncle Liu, I'll lend you these twenty spirit stones. Return them to me when you earn some spirit stones."
"No, Sun Ming. Your sister has just started practicing and needs spirit stones. Your parents are not having a good time either, working odd jobs everywhere."
Liu Li declined politely.
"Uncle Liu, why are you being so polite to me? If you hadn't saved my father, he would have died long ago. Everyone has difficulties. Just accept it!"
Sun Ming said sincerely.
Liu Li thought it over again and again, thanked him, and accepted the twenty spirit stones.
"Someone is coming, it seems to be a caravan."
Sun Ming and others looked into the distance and saw a huge golden turtle appeared on the sea, swimming quickly towards Qingha Island.
Dozens of cultivators stood on the back of a giant golden turtle, and the lowest cultivator was at the Jindan stage.
"Is this Qingha Island?"
Han Changming was secretly surprised and his eyes were fixed on Qinghe City.
He had seen many big cities in the outer sea, but compared with the Qingha City in front of him, they were nothing compared to it.
"This is Qingha Island, please do as you please!"
Fang Yufei spoke up.
Han Changming bowed and flew to Qingha Island.
Fang Yufei and others flew to Qinghe Island, collected the golden giant turtle, and headed towards Qinghe City. Han Changming followed behind. If you didn't know, you would think they were together.
"Hundred Beasts Merchant Alliance!"
There was a flash of surprise in Sun Ming's eyes. The Hundred Beasts Merchant Alliance was a relatively powerful merchant alliance in Zhongtian Continent, with many experts.
Sun Ming and other Qi-refining cultivators looked at each other in bewilderment. None of them dared to step forward to talk. To be precise, the other party did not need a guide.
Han Changming stood at the city gate, looking at the plaque above the gate with a thoughtful expression on his face.
He had just arrived in Zhongtian Continent and was unfamiliar with the place, so he needed a guide to learn about the situation in Qingha City.
He looked at Sun Ming and the others and asked in a deep voice, "I'm in need of a guide. Who among you is familiar with the situation in Qingha City?"
Liu Li pushed Sun Ming and said respectfully, "To answer your question, Senior, Sun Ming has lived in Qingha City since he was a child and is familiar with every plant and tree in Qingha City."
Sun Ming also reacted and quickly replied: "Junior is willing to serve you."
Han Changming nodded, took out two low-level spirit stones, threw them to Sun Ming, and ordered: "Lead the way for me! If you do well, I will give you a reward."
Sun Ming was overjoyed, thanked him repeatedly, and led Han Changming on the way.
The streets of Qingha City extend upward in a sloping manner. They are spacious and clean. Shops are neatly arranged on both sides. There are crowds of people, cars and horses, and flags waving. It is very lively.
Han Changming noticed that the east of the city was a stretch of endless green mountains, with many shops built along the mountains.
"Senior, Qingha City is mainly divided into four areas. The east of the city is a residential area with various caves for rent. The rent ranges from 500 spirit stones for ten years to 50,000 spirit stones. The functions are different. The higher the rent, the more abundant the spiritual energy and the better the supporting facilities."
Just as Sun Ming finished speaking, a deafening thunder was heard from the sky, and a huge thundercloud suddenly appeared over a mountain in the east of the city, with lightning and thunder.
"Will the market manager not blame me for trying to reach a higher realm in a residential area?"
Han Changming asked curiously. Facing a Qi Refining cultivator, he had no scruples and asked if he didn't understand anything.
"The market has a rule that cultivators below the Nascent Soul stage can strive for a higher realm in the market, but cultivators above the Nascent Soul stage cannot. Violators will be severely punished. If a cultivator damages the market's property while striving for a higher realm or practicing secret techniques, he or she will be required to pay compensation."
Sun Ming explained.
Han Changming nodded and followed Sun Ming forward.
"The south of the city is the commercial district. Restaurants, spiritual medicine shops, weapon shops, and pill shops are mostly in the south of the city. If you want to buy martial arts manuals, robes, sea charts, and other things, you can go to the west of the city. The north of the city is mainly for purchasing monster materials, especially green clam beasts. There is an area in the north of the city for cultivators to trade freely without charging any fees."
Sun Ming said slowly.
"Take me to the largest bookstore. I want to buy some classics and sea charts."
Han Changming ordered.
Sun Ming responded and led Han Changming.
Half an hour later, they appeared on a street with few pedestrians, and the shops on both sides of the street were bookstores.
"Senior, Hongbo Building is the oldest bookstore in Qingha City. It is a thousand-year-old store with a complete range of martial arts books. Shopkeeper Su of Hongbo Building is well-informed and familiar with the situation in Qingha Islands."
Sun Ming pointed to a three-story green attic and said with a respectful look.
The green attic's flying eaves and brackets look a bit old, perhaps because of its age.
Han Changming strode in, while Sun Ming tactfully stayed outside.
The hall is spacious and bright, with a large number of classics, jade slips and bamboo slips placed on the tall shelves. It is rather deserted and not many people are there.
A white-haired old man in a green robe sat behind the counter, holding a thick book in his hands and reading it with great interest. A parrot with green and grey feathers lay on his shoulder.
"A distinguished guest has arrived. A distinguished guest has arrived."
The parrot spoke human language.
The old man in green robe quickly put down the book, stood up, bowed and said, "I'm sorry for not welcoming you, Senior. How can I help you?"
"I want to buy some records of the customs and practices of the Green Clam Islands, resources for cultivating immortals, monster beasts and birds, and some biographies."
Han Changming spoke straight to the point.
He urgently needed to understand the situation in the Qingha Islands, especially the situation in the Zhongtian Continent, which was very important for Han Changming's future foothold.
The old man in green robe took out a palm-sized green magic disk, entered a magic formula, handed it to Han Changming, and said, "This is the introduction of the relevant classics. If you like any classics, just tell me. You can also go upstairs and read it slowly."
Han Changming took over the green magic plate, on which there was a line of small words - Qingha Thousand Beasts Record, which recorded more than a thousand kinds of common monsters in the Qingha Islands.
Sun Ming stood at the door waiting with a respectful look.
In less than half a minute, Han Changming came out and Sun Ming hurried to greet him.
"Let's go! Take me to the largest medicine store. I want to buy some medicine."
Han Changming instructed that he had purchased a large number of classics, enough for him to enhance his understanding of Zhongtian Continent and Qingha Islands.
He wanted to take a look at the medicine shops in Zhongtian Continent to see if top-grade medicines could be found everywhere.
He is a third-rank alchemist, and it is not a problem for him to gain a foothold in Qingha City with his alchemy skills.
Sun Ming responded and quickly led the way.
Along the way, Han Changming saw more than twenty Nascent Soul cultivators. This shows the huge gap between Zhongtian Continent and the outer sea.
Half an hour later, Han Changming and Sun Ming appeared at the door of a golden pavilion with carved railings and jade bricks. The three golden characters "Tiandan Tower" on the plaque were extremely conspicuous.
There were quite a few cultivators coming in and out, most of them were Jindan cultivators, and there were also some Yuanying cultivators.
An old man in his seventies, dressed in a red robe, walked out of the Tiandan Tower. He had a round face and big eyes, was tall and thin, had a mustache, wore a red lotus crown on his head, and had a ruddy complexion. Judging from the fluctuations of his magic power, he was obviously a cultivator in the early Nascent Soul stage.
"Master Lu, please stay. Master Lu, please stay. Please help me."
A young man in a green shirt with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes chased out. He had a tall and straight figure, fair skin, and was holding a green folding fan, looking like a handsome gentleman.
"I said I'm busy, let's do it another day! Don't bother me."
The old man in red robe said impatiently, striding towards the distance. When he passed by Han Changming, a strong medicinal fragrance drifted into Han Changming's nose.
After hearing this, the young man in green showed a disappointed expression on his face. He sighed lightly and walked in another direction.
"Is this Master Lu's alchemy skills very high?"
Han Changming asked curiously.
Sun Ming nodded and explained, "Senior Lu is the alchemist with the highest level of alchemy in Tiandan Tower. He can make top-grade elixirs. I don't know how many seniors want to ask Senior Lu to make elixirs, but not many have succeeded."
At the end, an expression of envy appeared on Sun Ming's face.
His parents had no special skills and could only do odd jobs here and there with unstable income. It was too dangerous to go out to sea to hunt monsters.
Sun Ming's greatest wish is to become an alchemist, so that he can go further on the path to immortality, and his parents and sister can live a better life. However, he is just thinking about it. Not to mention that he cannot afford the cost of learning alchemy, he cannot even ask an alchemist for guidance. It is difficult for him to become an alchemist by relying on his own exploration.
Han Changming nodded thoughtfully and walked into the Tiandan Building.
As soon as you enter the Tiandan Building, you will be greeted by a row of tall shelves with a large number of porcelain bottles on them. Dozens of attendants are introducing the effects of elixirs to the guests.
Most of the cultivators in the hall are foundation-building cultivators, and there are no core-forming cultivators.
Han Changming walked towards the second floor. The layout of the second floor was elegant. Dozens of Jindan cultivators were standing in front of the counter, choosing pills.
The air was filled with a strong medicinal aroma, which made people feel refreshed after taking a whiff.
Han Changming walked towards a counter and asked a servant in green behind the counter, "I want to buy a bottle of magic power-enhancing elixir. Do you have any recommendations?"
"Purple Origin Pills, Golden Glass Pills, Red Sun Pills, Bailing Pills, Cold Cloud Pills, and Blue Moon Pills are all suitable for Jindan cultivators to take. They all have the effect of improving mana. Among them, the Purple Origin Pill has the best effect. There are ten pills in a bottle, and the price is 70,000 spirit stones per pill, so a bottle is 700,000. Blue Moon Pills are a little cheaper, 40,000 spirit stones per pill, so a bottle is 400,000 spirit stones."
The green-shirted attendant turned around and took two porcelain bottles, one purple and one green, from the shelf and handed them to Han Changming.
Han Changming pulled out the cork from the bottle and poured out the pills inside. He found that each pill had a pill pattern on it, and was obviously a mid-grade pill.
"Don't you have any top-grade elixirs? How much do you want to sell a top-grade Ziyuan Pill for?"
Han Changming asked, with the immortal cultivation resources of Zhongtian Continent, it is not surprising to have top-grade elixirs for sale.
"Of course, but you have to make a reservation. If you want to reserve a Purple Yuan Pill, you have to wait for thirty years. You can reserve two bottles at most. If you are a VIP of our Tiandan Building, you can reserve five bottles at most and you only have to wait ten years."
Han Changming frowned and continued to ask: "How can I become a VIP of your Tiandan Building?"
"If you spend eight million spirit stones in our store, you can become our VIP. If you have special skills and are valued by our shopkeeper or other elders, you can also enjoy VIP treatment by being given a VIP token."
The green-shirted attendant had a sweet voice.
"Consume eight million spirit stones?"
There was a flash of surprise in Han Changming's eyes. If he sold everything he had, he could come up with eight million spirit stones, but his purpose was not to buy top-grade elixirs.
"If I have a VIP token, can I also buy pills to assist in forming a baby?"
Han Changming continued to ask.
"Of course you can. If you don't have a VIP token, you can only make a reservation. You have to wait thirty years for ordinary Infant Water, and a hundred years for high-quality Infant Water. Or you can take on the task offered by our Tiandan Building. You can get Infant Water faster by completing the task."
After hearing this, Han Changming nodded thoughtfully.
It seems that the elixir that helps to form a baby is not particularly rare in Zhongtian Continent. As long as you can afford the price, you can buy it. This is a good thing for him.
He has two kinds of spiritual fruits that can help form a baby, namely the Golden Marrow Fruit and the Spiritual Baby Fruit. He also has the formula for refining infant water, but he lacks some spiritual medicines.
Han Changming came to the third floor. The layout of the third floor was similar to that of the second floor, mainly selling and purchasing spiritual medicines.
"Do you have these elixirs?"
Han Changming took out a green jade slip and handed it to a maid in green.
The maid in green took a quick look, nodded, and said, "Of course, please wait a moment, senior. I will be back soon."
Not long after, a graceful young woman in a blue dress came over, followed by a maid in a green shirt.
The young woman in the blue skirt has skin as white as snow, facial features as picturesque as a painting, and a beauty mole at the corner of her mouth. Judging from the fluctuations of her magical power, she is obviously a cultivator in the late Jindan stage.
"My name is Lan Yudie. Excuse me, what is your name, fellow Taoist?"
The young woman in the blue dress asked politely.
Han Changming wanted to buy a lot of spiritual medicines, so he was obviously an alchemist.
"My last name is Han. What's the matter? Don't you have the elixir I want?"
Han Changming's tone was calm. The elixir he wanted to buy was not very old, and Tiandan Tower should have it.
"Of course not. If our Tiandan Building can't provide the spiritual medicine, other shops can't provide it either. Fellow Daoist Han, you want a lot of goods. How about we go to the private room to discuss in detail?"
Lan Yudie spoke sincerely, pointing to a guest room not far away.
Han Changming agreed and followed Lan Yudie into the guest room.
As soon as they sat down, a maid in green came in with two cups of fragrant spiritual tea, put down the tea and left.
The tea is light green and exudes a special floral fragrance.
Han Changming ignored it and had no intention of drinking it.
Lan Yudie started chatting with Han Changming. She tried to ask Han Changming about his background in a roundabout way, but Han Changming glossed over her answer.
After a while, a maid in green came in holding a green storage bag.
Lan Yudie took the storage bag, asked the maid to leave, and the maid closed the door.
"Friend Han, this is the elixir you requested. Please check whether the year is correct."
Lan Yudie handed the storage bag to Han Changming and said with a smile.
Han Changming was not polite either. He turned the bag down. After a flash of green light passed by, a pile of jade boxes of different colors appeared on the ground.
He opened them one by one and checked, and only put them away after confirming that they were correct.
"Yes, it's the elixir I want. I don't know how many spiritual stones it costs."
Han Changming asked.
"Here is the bill, a total of 563,500 spirit stones, minus the decimals, Fellow Daoist Han only needs to give 500,000."
Lan Yudie said with a smile.
Han Changming took out a blue storage bag, threw it to Lan Yudie, and said, "There are more than 500,000 spirit stones here, no need to look for them."
Lan Yudie took a quick look with her spiritual sense and nodded.
Han Changming got up and left without staying for long.
After leaving Tiandan Tower, Han Changming went to more than a dozen medicine shops and found that the top-grade elixirs in Qinghe City had to be booked in advance. There were no top-grade elixirs for sale. As long as one could afford the spirit stones, one could buy elixirs that aided in forming an infant.
He bought the materials needed to refine the Infant Transformation Water, and can use it to refine the Infant Transformation Water.