DIV Chapter 15: Yellow Sand Hound

Evening. The three bid their farewells. After some discussion, both Xu Fugui and Sun Yulan decided to wait a bit longer. If there wasn't too much danger in the secret realm, they would go in to try their luck.

"In the secret realm, the greatest danger is actually the cultivators who explore alongside you," Li Chang'an said earnestly, giving them a few more warnings.

Wealth moves people's hearts. When faced with treasures, even blood brothers might turn against each other. In an environment like the secret realm, incidents of killing for treasure would certainly be common.

"This secret realm might also hold opportunities for me," Li Chang'an mused for a long time after seeing the three off.

Although he wouldn't enter the secret realm himself, cultivators would always bring treasures out from within.

Sure enough, before long, a special area dedicated to selling secret realm treasures appeared in the market's trading district. Large numbers of rogue cultivators gathered there, displaying various treasures they had obtained in the secret realm: damaged magical artifacts and spiritual weapons, pills of unknown efficacy, strange and bizarre materials, and so forth.

The selection was dazzling with varying prices, but most items were useless, only appearing good on the outside while being completely rotten within.

"Even the finest treasures become dim and lusterless under the erosion of time," Li Chang'an sighed with emotion after browsing the trading district.

That night, at the midnight hour, a new divination appeared.

[Divination has been refreshed]

[Today's Divination: Neutral]

[You go to the trading district to browse casually, trying to find bargains, but gain nothing]

Seeing the content of this divination, Li Chang'an couldn't help but smile.

"The secret realm has just opened. Perhaps there will be hope for finding bargains later."

Of course, whether he could find bargains or not didn't affect his mood. Finding bargains would be best, but if he couldn't find any, so be it.

Time passed swiftly. Before he knew it, three months had gone by.

Within the market, the numerous rogue cultivators' interest in the secret realm hadn't decreased but had become even more intense, because some people had obtained great opportunities during these three months.

"It's said that someone obtained a skill inheritance, and others discovered ancient spiritual pills that hadn't lost much of their medicinal efficacy..." Various rumors spread throughout the market.

Another night. Li Chang'an sat cross-legged in meditation, silently waiting for a new divination.

[Divination has been refreshed]

[Today's Divination: Auspicious]

[You go out to inquire about news and hear that the beast tamer "Wang Hu" encountered danger in the secret realm, was poisoned by cold toxin, and urgently seeks a Ground Fire Stone to dispel the cold. You then go to trade and obtain a first-tier mid-stage spiritual beast]

"A spiritual beast!" Li Chang'an's eyes lit up.

Finally, there was another auspicious divination, and it was exactly the type he needed most!

Currently, his cultivation level was his greatest weakness.

"A first-tier mid-stage spiritual beast has strength equivalent to a human cultivator at the mid-stage of Qi Refining!"

Moreover, spiritual beasts are bound by spiritual contracts, so there was no need to worry about loyalty issues. As long as he could obtain one, it would be equivalent to having an additional loyal mid-stage Qi Refining guard!

"I never thought the Ground Fire Stone could bring me such great benefits." Li Chang'an took out the Ground Fire Stone and carefully examined it.

He had originally planned to use it to exchange for wood-element treasures, but a spiritual beast was obviously better. If Wu Yun had had a first-tier mid-stage spiritual beast to protect him back then, he wouldn't have died so miserably.

Thinking of this, Li Chang'an couldn't help but feel emotional.

"Sigh, Fellow Daoist Wu really was a good person."

Not only did he deliver spirit stones, pills, and magical artifacts, but he also sent a first-tier mid-stage spiritual beast!

"If Fellow Daoist Wu could come back to life, I would definitely thank him properly," Li Chang'an said with a smile at the corner of his mouth, feeling quite pleased.

The next day, Li Chang'an had his breakfast and set out for the market's trading district.

The trading district was originally the most frequented area by cultivators in the market, and after the secret realm appeared, it became even more lively. It was bustling with crowds, just like a marketplace in the secular world.

"Selling ancient spiritual herbs and ancient spiritual pills!" "One Blue Moon Eagle beast egg, can match mid-stage Qi Refining when mature, selling cheap!" "Black Gold Bear demon beast blood and flesh, very nourishing when eaten..."

Hawking calls and conversation sounds rose and fell. Many people, like Li Chang'an, came here without specific targets, just trying to find bargains. Others came only to exchange information and obtain the latest news about the secret realm.

"Have you heard? Two more late-stage Qi Refining seniors died in the secret realm." "That secret realm is truly dangerous!" "Even the Zheng family lost an elder at the ninth layer of Qi Refining..."

Various pieces of news reached his ears. Li Chang'an maintained a calm expression as he passed through the noisy trading district.

Senior Wang Hu's residence was located behind the trading district.

During this time, Li Chang'an inquired about news concerning him.

"Senior Wang Hu is also injured!" "He was invaded by cold toxin and is seeking to purchase fire-element treasures."

However, most fire-element treasures in the market had been purchased by the Zheng family, because the Zheng family was a pill-refining clan. Forging pill furnaces, nurturing pill fire, and refining pills all required fire-element treasures.

For some reason, Wang Hu didn't seek help from the Zheng family but instead sought to purchase from rogue cultivators in the market.

Li Chang'an pondered thoughtfully.

Soon, he arrived outside the courtyard where Wang Hu lived and knocked on the gate.

"Knock knock knock..."

After a moment, a pale-faced old man opened the gate.

Wang Hu, mid-stage Qi Refining cultivation, first-tier mid-grade beast tamer!

"Young friend, what brings you here?"

"Senior, I have a Ground Fire Stone," Li Chang'an said directly.

Upon hearing this, Wang Hu's body trembled.

"Young friend, please come in quickly!"

The two came to the courtyard. Li Chang'an took out the Ground Fire Stone and directly handed it to Wang Hu.

A hint of excitement immediately appeared in Wang Hu's eyes, but he didn't take the stone. Instead, he looked at Li Chang'an several more times.

"Young friend, you trust this old man so much!" he couldn't help but sigh.

In the cultivation world, there were far too many cases of deception and scheming. When it came to transactions involving first-tier superior-grade treasures like the Ground Fire Stone, no amount of caution would be excessive.

Yet Li Chang'an had generously offered it out.

"Young friend, if you have such transactions in the future, you must be extremely careful," Wang Hu warned.

He felt that Li Chang'an was mostly that type of cultivator with pure thoughts, single-mindedly devoted to immortal cultivation and unaware of the dangers of human hearts.

Thinking of this, he developed favorable feelings toward Li Chang'an. Such cultivators were becoming rare.

Little did he know, Li Chang'an dared to do this purely because of the divination.

"Senior, are we still making the trade?" Li Chang'an asked somewhat strangely.

Wang Hu stroked his beard and smiled, his attitude very gentle.

"Naturally we'll trade. Young friend, please follow me."

He led Li Chang'an to the rear courtyard, which was where he kept his spiritual beasts.

There were more than ten spiritual beasts in the courtyard. Most were first-tier initial stage, with only three reaching first-tier mid-stage.

"Young friend, this old man is willing to use this 'Yellow Sand Hound' to exchange for the Ground Fire Stone in your hand. What are your thoughts?" He pointed to the one with the strongest aura among the three spiritual beasts.

First-tier mid-stage peak! Comparable to a human cultivator at the sixth layer of Qi Refining!

Li Chang'an was stunned and asked, "Senior, wouldn't you be at a loss?"

He had originally thought he could at most exchange for one that had just entered mid-stage, but this Yellow Sand Hound's value far exceeded that of the Ground Fire Stone.

Wang Hu smiled and shook his head.

"Young friend, you have pure thoughts and shallow cultivation. You need a capable helper, otherwise you'll have difficulty taking even a single step in the cultivation world."

Initially, he had indeed planned to trade away the weakest of those three spiritual beasts, but the slight favorable feeling that had just arisen made him change his mind.

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