I have Immortality In The Cultivation World

Chapter 164: Chapter 163: Reopen the Store

Cave Abode.

Zhou Yi routinely consulted the I Ching, cultivated the roots with the Jade Dew Art, and pondered over the Lightning Method.

The spiritual fields were looked after by Spirit Ginseng babies, the Formation and Prohibition were managed by the oxen, and without any Golden Core Cultivation Technique to practice, he suddenly found himself with free time on his hands.

"A mysterious Golden Elixir True Monarch appears in the Eastern Sea without concealing his tracks, and after more than two months, the news should have spread to the nearby sects. Yet apart from old man Wan Bao's visit, I haven't received a single invitation, as if I'm being deliberately ignored!"

"After all, my origins are a mystery. If I were a cultivator from the Eastern Sea breaking through to the Golden Core Realm, well understood and established, I'd probably be overwhelmed with banquet invites and solicitations."

Zhou Yi could understand the sects' apprehensions, for if he were a demonic cultivator or with malicious intentions, once he became an elder with access to core secrets, it could easily lead to the destruction of a sect.

"Therefore, just waiting in my cave abode is too slow; I need to actively demonstrate my value!"

"It doesn't matter whether I earn Spirit Stones or not; I'll slowly build my reputation, and naturally, people will come to establish connections with me."

...

A few days later.

A new shop appeared in the Wanbao Market, called the Four Arts Hall.

True to its name, it sold Spirit Pills, Magic Artifacts, Array Plates, and talisman seals. While the grades weren't high, they were rare fine pieces, priced about thirty to forty percent higher than similar items.

Loose Cultivators were extremely sensitive to prices, wishing they could split a Spirit Stone in half. There were many inquiries, but not a single product was sold.

Zhou Yi was unconcerned about this, leisurely reading storybooks behind the counter.

Ever since cultivating the Jade Dew Art, he had never lacked Spirit Stones. While everyone else was exchanging their lives for Spirit Stones, he was just spending a bit more of his lifespan.

"These Eastern Sea storybooks aren't much different from those in the Nine Continents; land battles turn into sea battles, stumbling upon ancient ruins becomes finding Immortal Realm palaces under the sea, and the elder martial sisters and younger martial sisters turn into Dragon Maidens and mermaids... Hm, the last part is well described!"

Zhou Yi was enjoying the book when he heard a familiar voice.

"Fellow Daoist, you didn't even inform me about opening a shop; I would have arranged the best location for you."

Wan Bao said as he entered, his gaze sweeping over the area where Array Plates and Spirit Talismans were displayed.

These two types of items had their spiritual patterns and prohibitions outwardly visible, enabling one to distinguish their quality without even touching them. From a distance, the more he looked, the more startled he became, sensing their Xuan Miao uniqueness—any more would be redundant, any less would be insufficient.

"Brilliant!"

Wan Bao praised repeatedly, "Fellow Daoist, you possess such profound mastery over the four arts of cultivation; truly an extraordinary talent!"

Zhou Yi smiled and said, "They're just some low-level legacies. With enough time, one naturally becomes proficient. It's incomparable to your renowned methods of Artifact Refining in the Eastern Sea."

After some time gathering information, Zhou Yi had also come to know more about Wan Bao, who reportedly stumbled into a water abode in his youth and acquired numerous Artifact Refining legacies. After achieving success in his practice, he refined many Magic Artifacts, and in fights, he was straightforward and brutal, hurling over a dozen treasures at once.

Ordinary True Monarchs only had two or three Magic Artifacts at most, and those who focused on refining Magic Divine Abilities were even more cost-effective. In battle, faced with a sky filled with treasured light, their presence was diminished by a third.

Over time, the name Wan Bao stuck, and his original Daoist name gradually became unknown.

"Refining artifacts over time, I have come to realize that true skill lies in the details! Those Magic Artifacts crudely assembled with Spiritual Objects are simply an insult to the way of Artifact Refining."

Wan Bao, unable to contain his excitement while looking at a few artifacts through the showcase, said, "May I purchase a few to take back and study closely?"

What he called "study" meant disassembling the Magic Artifacts to examine the layout of prohibitions and conjecture the refining techniques to enhance and perfect his own Artifact Refining legacies. Generally speaking, this was considered taboo, at least not something to be proposed directly.

"Of course you can," Zhou Yi replied, taking out two flying swords and a Mystic Iron Shield from the display and said, "These three Magic Artifacts are the ones I'm most satisfied with regarding the inscription of their prohibitions; they're low-grade but their power is not weaker than mid-grade. I gift them to you for your study."

"Thank you very much!"

Wan Bao beamed with delight and said, "Compared to this, my congratulatory gift seems a bit modest, I'll have to make it up to you tomorrow."

"You are too kind, friend."

Zhou Yi clasped his hands and said, "Being new to the Eastern Sea and already having a cultivation cave abode has afforded me much convenience."

"It's nothing..."

Wanbao simply stood in the shop, chatting and discussing the art of artifact refining without concealing his appearance or presence.

The loose cultivators who entered the store afterward were first startled, then pretended to browse the top-grade items, listened to the True Monarch's discourse for a while, and hurriedly left to boast to their friends.

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A Golden Core Realm master has opened a shop!

Word-of-mouth spreads the fastest; in just half an hour, the entire marketplace was abuzz with the news.

In the Cultivation World, where strength reigns supreme, a Golden Core Realm master was akin to a top celebrity; every move could trend, while a Nascent Soul elder was a legendary figure.

Outside the Four Arts Hall, many loose cultivators started to loiter about, sneaking glances inside the shop, with the braver ones posing as customers and coming in to buy a stack of spirit talismans.

Zhou Yi said with a smile, "That will be fifteen spirit stones."

"Ah? Oh, oh yes, right!"

This loose cultivator probably hadn't heard the price clearly, fumbled a handful of spirit stones from his storage bag, placed them on the counter, and turned to leave.

"Friend, you've given too much."

Zhou Yi counted out fifteen spirit stones, called back to the customer, but the person hurried away, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

Seeing someone taking the lead, the cultivators loitering outside followed suit and entered the shop. Regardless of the price, to speak a few words with a True Monarch and receive a "Thank you for your patronage" was considered a bragging right; it was as good as having discussed cultivation with a True Monarch!

Wan Bao watched interestingly from the sidelines; since his promotion to the Golden Core, he couldn't remember when he had last paid such attention to loose cultivators.

At this moment, watching Zhou Yi introduce magic artifacts with a smile, haggled over prices at an even pace, and counted spirit stones meticulously, he naturally transitioned from being a Golden Core Realm master to the shopkeeper, which made Wan Bao inwardly applaud.

"To let go of the True Monarch's demeanor, to treat Qi-refinement loose cultivators with equality and a pleasant countenance, one's character must not be bad!"

Seeing Zhou Yi busy with calculations, Wan Bao decided not to disturb him further and vanished into a streak of light.

Months passed.

The business of the Four Arts Hall grew increasingly prosperous. Initially, it benefited from Wan Bao's intentional and unintentional promotion, as well as Zhou Yi's reputation as a Golden Core Realm master, but later it relied on the quality of the goods.

The prices were thirty to forty percent higher than usual, but the power of the products increased by the same margin, making it a great deal in the end.

For instance, among lesser magic artifacts, a mere one percent increase in power could result in an exponential increase in price, not a simple additive one.

Red Cloud Island was a famous marketplace in the Eastern Sea, and the Four Arts Hall's reputation spread quickly. Some disciples from various sects also came to purchase magic artifacts due to its fame.

Zhou Yi once again entered the sight of the sects; the importance of a True Monarch proficient in the Four Arts of Cultivation to a sect was self-evident.

Wan Bao had a wide network of acquaintances and would occasionally have True Monarchs seeking his help in refining treasures, and would drop by the Four Arts Hall during these times. They would chat with Zhou Yi, becoming somewhat familiar and would leave with a batch of magic artifacts and spirit pills, with few sects purchasing spirit talismans and array plates.

Spirit talismans were commonly inherited within sects due to their simplicity and ease of learning.

Array plates, on the other hand, were avoided due to concerns about the refiner leaving behind backdoors, including but not limited to formation loopholes, monitoring, eavesdropping, countermeasures, and more.

Through this opportunity, Zhou Yi got to know many fellow cultivators. It couldn't be said that their relationships were profound, but at least they would nod and exchange greetings upon meeting.

Once one's cultivation reached the Golden Core Realm, there were few things in the world that could provoke greed, so as long as the interaction did not touch upon matters of righteous vs. demonic or blood feuds, everyone maintained a good facade.