Chapter 6: Cloud Sea Market

Gu Ze heard a familiar voice and was just about to respond, but he froze in shock.

He immediately opened his panel, as if trying to confirm something.

[Li Xunmiao]

[Human Race]

[Age: 14]

[Favorability: Unknown]

[Cultivation: Qi Refining First Layer]

[Cultivation Technique: Yellow Springs Heart Sutra]

[Divine Ability: None]

[Treasure: Yulong Jade]

[Weapon: Zangtian Sword]

Just as he thought! Li Xunmiao had already reached the first layer of Qi Refining.

Although, to initially enter Qi Refining, one only needed a touch of immortal fate.

But ordinary cultivators would require a period of time just to comprehend a technique. Attempting Qi Gathering could even fail several times before succeeding.

To gather qi in one night and consolidate one’s cultivation—this was truly the mark of a protagonist blessed by the heavens.

Half a year had always seemed too conservative; in the book, Li Xunmiao started with an ordinary technique, then after obtaining the [Yellow Springs Heart Sutra], she re-cultivated and recovered her fifth layer Qi Refining cultivation within a month.

Gu Ze suddenly realized, she wasn’t just quick to recover because she had cultivated before—it was simply that she had an exceptionally strong affinity with the Yellow Springs Heart Sutra, granting her this monstrous cultivation speed.

He hurriedly put away the Frost Dust Mirror in his hand and stored it in his storage pouch. Gu Ze rubbed his cheeks, trying to relax his tense expression as he went out to greet her.

“Junior Sister, your talent is truly extraordinary—to succeed in Qi Gathering in just one night, congratulations.”

“Senior Brother Gu, don’t tease me. I don’t know how long I’ll need to cultivate before I reach your level.” Her pretty face flushed and she lowered her head.

Gu Ze knew Li Xunmiao was being modest, but being compared to by a genius like her inevitably made him feel a little ashamed.

“Ahem, you’ve probably heard the Peak Master say, I’ve cultivated for three years and only just broke through to the fourth layer of Qi Refining.”

“Senior Brother Gu is different…” she whispered softly.

Gu Ze chuckled and couldn’t help but ruffle Li Xunmiao’s hair.

He did need to hold tight to this protagonist’s thigh, but it wasn’t that he wanted to endlessly take advantage of Li Xunmiao.

What’s more, Li Xunmiao barely had any wariness toward him, and Gu Ze couldn’t bear to take advantage of her pure kindness. If he did that, wouldn’t he be just like those villains in the book?

“Junior Sister, I’m really glad to hear you say that. Let’s head down the mountain—I’ll treat you to a big meal.”

“But…I already took the Bigu Pill from Shizun.”

After reaching Qi Refining, one could abstain from food. From then on, one wouldn’t need to eat and could always be energetic.

Apparently, Qingquan only stopped by Gu Ze because it was on the way—she had immediately discovered that Li Xunmiao had succeeded in Qi Gathering and went straight to her Dongfu.

“It’s not so easy for Qi Refining cultivators to give up eating altogether; it’s good to enjoy a nice meal every once in a while.”

“Our Yunhai Immortal Pavilion has a Yunhai Market, with everything you could need for daily life, and you can even taste immortal cuisine made just for Pavilion disciples—delicious and affordable. I’ll take you to look around today.”

Li Xunmiao’s expression shifted slightly; she covered her mouth and was silent for a moment, then nodded in agreement to Gu Ze’s invitation.

Yesterday, Senior Brother deliberately led her around the mountain at random—so there really was something else going on. Li Xunmiao immediately connected the dots.

Otherwise, he could have introduced her to this market yesterday.

Could it be that Senior Brother really knew about that secret realm in advance? What exactly was his motive, or… was it for me?

Lost in thought, Li Xunmiao snapped back to herself and found that she was already riding the immortal boat Gu Ze had rented, now arrived at the Yunhai Market.

The market really was situated above the sea of clouds. Beneath her feet was a solid layer of cloud.

Just two days ago, Li Xunmiao had been an ordinary mortal, and now she was walking atop the clouds—she found it all truly astonishing.

“This Yunhai Market sits atop cloud layers stabilized by a special formation. Cultivators can easily walk on it without falling, but if you don’t have Lingqi in your body…well, you can imagine the consequences yourself, Junior Sister.” Gu Ze casually explained.

The force supporting their bodies was a layer of spiritual power; the clouds below shifted constantly, drifting dozens of meters in a moment, yet the cultivators standing on them did not move with them.

Li Xunmiao’s doubts vanished instantly.

So it was only because she had no cultivation yesterday that Gu Ze hadn’t mentioned this place.

That explained everything.

Walking among the clouds, a fresh breeze brushed by.

Though the blazing sun hung high overhead, it was not sweltering at all.

Rows upon rows of small stalls were neatly arranged throughout the sea of clouds, set up by disciples from the Ershisi Peaks—some selling their goods, some seeking treasures.

Li Xunmiao had never seen such a sight. One moment she was staring blankly at treasures on the ground, the next she was drawn away by a mysterious fragrance.

Gu Ze strolled leisurely behind Li Xunmiao, feeling incredibly at ease.

No wonder everyone wants to become immortal—immortals don’t have to worry about mortal troubles.

“I’m telling you, these three treasures—fifty Low-Grade Spirit Stones and they’re yours.” Suddenly, a familiar voice called out.

Gu Ze turned in surprise.

Bai Yazhi?! This woman had actually reached the first layer of Qi Refining as well.

She must have found some treasure to aid her cultivation in the forests of Biluo Peak yesterday.

And now, she’d come to Yunhai Market to rely on her luck and try to get bargains!

Gu Ze quietly suppressed his aura and sidled closer.

“Th-this Junior Sister, please don’t make things difficult for me. I can see you’re a new disciple, and I’m already giving you the lowest price—just twenty Low-Grade Spirit Stones each. And you still want to bargain? Everyone knows my treasures are the cheapest here.”

The middle-aged stall owner was clearly losing his patience.

The man wore a pale red daoist robe, sleeves rolled up, his muscles bulging.

His cultivation was only at the fifth layer of Qi Refining, and his usual hobby was forging Low-Grade Treasures to sell or exchange for some pills.

A few days ago, he’d happened to find a small piece of pitch-black stone in the mountains, sensed Lingqi within it, and managed to forge it into a treasure.

He fused it with refined iron, and finally made these three items.

However, he himself didn’t realize how unusual they were, and still sold them at Low-Grade Treasure prices.

So-called “treasures” were just the term for the magical items Qi Refining cultivators possessed.

Low-Grade Treasures were most suitable for those at the third layer of Qi Refining or below.

A Medium-Grade Treasure could be used by those at the fourth, fifth, or sixth layer.

Extremely rare Top-Grade Treasures could even unleash the full power of Qi Refining Grand Perfection.

After reaching Foundation Establishment, these were no longer called treasures but Lingbao.

At Golden Core, it was very difficult for cultivators to have treasures matching their realm—on one hand, forging required too many Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, on the other, Life-Bound Treasures needed to be crafted personally, and few Golden Core cultivators could make them for others.

A Nascent Soul cultivator was almost a master of a region; the treasures they wielded were shaped by Heaven and Earth, and once a Nascent Soul treasure emerged, there would certainly be a great war in the Immortal Realm.

Back to the present. Hearing the dispute between the two, Gu Ze sneered inwardly.

Bai Yazhi, as the female antagonist who constantly caused trouble for Li Xunmiao in the story, was naturally full of schemes.

She was even trying to use her status as a new disciple to haggle here at Yunhai Market.

Most senior disciples would indeed give new juniors some discounts.

“Fifty-five spirit stones, not a single one more. If not, I’ll just check elsewhere.”

Gu Ze couldn’t help but feel Bai Yazhi’s bargaining style was awfully familiar.

You’re a woman who looks about twenty, yet you haggle like an old auntie?

Noticing Gu Ze joining the fun, the stall owner seemed to find a lifeline.

“This Junior Brother, please be the judge—twenty spirit stones for a Low-Grade Treasure, isn’t that already cheap enough?”

Bai Yazhi suspiciously turned her head, only to see the last face she wanted to see.

Li Xunmiao’s bootlicker!

Gu Ze pretended not to notice Bai Yazhi’s knife-like glare and stroked his chin, “If these were just Low-Grade Treasures, twenty spirit stones wouldn’t be expensive at all. But these few…Senior Brother, your cultivation is higher than mine—didn’t you notice anything unusual?”

Not only was Bai Yazhi picking up a bargain, she was also haggling down the price.

For a humble craftsman disciple, forging treasures to earn a few spirit stones wasn’t easy—how could Gu Ze let her get away with cheating him?

At Gu Ze’s reminder, the man also sensed something wrong.

Of the dozens of treasures on his stall, all placed separately, why had Bai Yazhi picked out the exact three he’d forged a few days ago?

Something was up!

That black piece of metal must have enhanced the treasures’ qualities.

He was only at the fifth layer of Qi Refining, and had never made a Medium-Grade Treasure before—if these three were really of higher grade, it would be a huge deal for him.

“Not selling, not selling—I need to find an expert to appraise these.” He made up his mind and instantly swept the entire stall on the cloud into his storage ring.

“You…” Bai Yazhi fumed, watching the three treasures she was about to get slip away, and nearly wanted to curse Gu Ze out.

***

In the end, she still held back because his cultivation was slightly stronger than hers, and turned away in anger.

Watching her leave, Gu Ze knew it was only his cultivation level that kept her in check.

Back when she tried to snatch Li Xunmiao’s jade pendant, she only picked on the weak and feared the strong.

Good thing he hadn’t lost his cultivation, or for a while, his realm would’ve been lower than Bai Yazhi’s.

Without the suppression of his cultivation, Gu Ze was sure Bai Yazhi would have gone crazy trying to get back at him.

With Bai Yazhi’s talent, it wouldn’t take long for her to catch up to Gu Ze.

But Gu Ze still had the protagonist’s thigh to lean on.

In the book, she was nothing but Li Xunmiao’s stepping stone—here, Gu Ze would make sure she stayed beneath his feet as well.