"Shopkeeper He?"
"Hmm?"
"Has the appraisal been completed?"
He Fangwei nodded, his gaze fixed on Han Yi. "Fellow Daoist, you are truly blessed. To be honest, I've never seen a halberd quite like this before."
Han Yi showed a knowing expression. With countless cultivators and an endless variety of magic artifacts across the realm, it was impossible for Shopkeeper He to have encountered every single one. It was perfectly normal for him to be unfamiliar with some.
"However," He Fangwei's tone shifted, "my appraisal has revealed several remarkable qualities about this halberd."
"First, its material is exceptional. The entire halberd is crafted from a rare metal known as Eternal Sun Scarlet Gold, a substance perfectly suited for forging Top-Grade Magic Artifacts."
"Second, this halberd carries a faint aura of the Great Qian National Fortune. Its original owner must have had close ties to the Great Qian Immortal Kingdom. Sealed within the halberd is the soul of a Qianxuan Serpent, fused with that aura of national fortune, granting it tremendous power."
Having finished his explanation, He Fangwei pointed at the halberd, his face unusually solemn. "This isn't an ordinary High-Grade Magic Artifact. It's a custom-made, personalized artifact that surpasses High-Grade standards yet falls short of Top-Grade quality. If we had to classify it, we could call it a Half-Step Top-Grade Magic Artifact."
"Fellow Daoist, are you certain you wish to sell this Magic Artifact?"
He Fangwei's words gave Han Yi pause.
After a moment's thought, however, he nodded firmly. The artifact simply wasn't suited for him, and besides, he already possessed a genuine Top-Grade Magic Artifact—the Golden Light Shuttle.
With Magic Artifacts, quality mattered more than quantity; suitability outweighed the futility of hoarding.
"I'll sell it," Han Yi said. "But what exactly did Shopkeeper He mean by the Great Qian National Fortune Aura and the Qianxuan Serpent?"
He already knew about Eternal Sun Scarlet Gold, an exceptionally rare metal prized for its combination of hardness and flexibility, often used as the primary forging material for Top-Grade Magic Artifacts.
However, the Great Qian National Fortune Aura and the Qianxuan Serpent were unfamiliar to him. He seized this opportunity to inquire, eager to expand his knowledge.
"The Great Qian National Fortune Aura, as the name suggests, is the national fortune of the Great Qian Immortal Kingdom," He Fangwei explained. "Given the vast expanse of the Immortal Kingdom, anything connected to it carries traces of this fortune. Even you and I possess it, though in such minute quantities as to be practically nonexistent."
"The strand of national fortune infused within this halberd, however, must have originated from someone of at least Duke-Marquis rank. In other words, the halberd's owner was connected to a Duke or Marquis of the Great Qian Immortal Kingdom—most likely one of their descendants."
"Fellow Daoist, you must be cautious," He Fangwei warned. "The Great Qian Immortal Kingdom may possess mystical immortal techniques that can trace causality back to its source—perhaps even to you."
He Fangwei's final words made Han Yi's heart skip a beat. He never would have imagined that the burly young man he had slain held such a prominent status.
But the deed was done, and he had no regrets. On the Immortal Path, hesitation meant certain death.
"Thank you for your explanation, Shopkeeper He," Han Yi said. "Could you help me appraise this halberd as well?"
"Selling this halberd will be a bit complicated," Shopkeeper He replied. "It requires some tedious procedures and... persuasion. Therefore, I can only offer nine hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones. What do you think, Fellow Daoist?"
Normally, High-Grade Magic Artifacts ranged in price from one hundred to one thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones. The fact that this halberd could fetch nine hundred already exceeded Han Yi's expectations.
"No problem. I'll sell it," Han Yi said decisively.
"Also, Shopkeeper He, do you have any High-Grade Magic Artifact swords in your shop? I'd like to purchase one," Han Yi added.
"Absolutely! Not just High-Grade, but even Top-Grade Magic Artifact swords—the Nine Dragons Merchant Guild has it all!" Shopkeeper He beamed, his face radiating delight.
Selling magic artifacts meant profit for him, and buying them meant even more. This Fellow Daoist was truly a lucky customer.
Two full hours passed before Han Yi emerged from the Nine Dragons Merchant Guild, his face a mixture of satisfaction and a tinge of regret.
He had sold all his spoils from the trip—the Blood Soul Banner, Inner Armor, Silver Scale Fan, and Halberd—earning a total of 1,535 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones. This sum rivaled the wealth of some Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators with modest resources.
However, Han Yi promptly used the money to purchase a sword—the Chengying Sword, a top-tier High-Grade Magic Artifact crafted by the renowned Wild Artifact Sect, one of the realm's premier artifact-forging sects. It cost him 700 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.
Next, he acquired a series of Mid-Grade Spirit Talismans and above: Exploding Talismans, Swift Movement Talismans, Escape Talismans, Body Protection Talismans, and Yin Thunder Talismans. The Exploding and Swift Movement Talismans were Mid-Grade, the Escape and Body Protection Talismans were High-Grade, and the Yin Thunder Talismans were Top-Grade.
Han Yi had already confirmed the effectiveness of the Yin Thunder Talismans during his previous expedition to the Myriad Demon Mountain Range, making them well worth the cost.
This time, he chose to restock, buying two more for 400 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones. He Fangwei, the merchant, grinned so wide his eyes crinkled, radiating the smug satisfaction of a shrewd trader.
After this tiger-like shopping spree, Han Yi's remaining funds dwindled to just over 300 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.
Including his original two hundred-odd Spirit Stones, Han Yi now possessed over five hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.
But that wasn't all. With five unopened Storage Pouches, a Cosmic Pouch, the Wind Demon Dagger, the newly acquired Chengying Sword, and numerous Spirit Talismans, his wealth was enough to make even Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators green with envy.
This transaction was more than double his previous one. After years of trading with the Nine Dragons Merchant Guild, they had become well-acquainted. Especially since Han Yi had entered the Inner Sect, he had discreetly investigated the guild's reputation and felt relatively confident in their trustworthiness.
He departed laden with riches, intending to seclude himself for a few days to erode the restrictive seal on the Cosmic Pouch. He was far more curious about it than the other four Storage Pouches from cultivators at the Eighth Layer of Qi Refinement.
However, as he approached the courtyard entrance, he encountered Luo Yunzhou, who had been waiting for him.
"Junior Brother Han, I've been waiting for you for quite some time."
"The Sect has suddenly issued new orders. The second and third batches of Inner Sect disciples heading to the Myriad Demon Mountain Range to hunt Demon Beasts have been moved forward. The second batch, which includes Junior Sister Yan Ru and myself, will now depart in seven days."
"I've been waiting here to ask Junior Brother Han for some advice beforehand," Luo Yunzhou said.
"Come on, the spirit wine and delicacies are ready. We've been eagerly awaiting your arrival, Junior Brother Han."
Han Yi nodded, accepting the invitation, though he couldn't help but wonder why the Sect Mission had been moved up so suddenly.
Moments later, Han Yi followed Luo Yunzhou to the Immortal Chess Pavilion. This time, Luo Yunzhou had reserved a private room where Yan Ru was already waiting.
Seeing Han Yi arrive, Yan Ru stood up, a hint of warmth softening her usually aloof expression.
The three settled into their seats.
"By the way," Han Yi asked suddenly, "isn't Junior Sister Qi Hong here?"
In recent years, Qi Hong and Yan Ru had grown quite close. Qi Hong was in the third batch of disciples, so she should have been present if they were inviting Han Yi to share his experience.
Yan Ru shook her head. "Junior Sister Qi Hong hasn't descended from Vermilion Bird Peak. She said she'd consult with a Senior Brother there instead, so we didn't invite her this time."
Han Yi nodded without pressing further.
"Let's get started already," Luo Yunzhou said impatiently.
Han Yi remained composed. He took a sip of spirit wine, pondered for a moment, carefully chose his words, and then said gravely, "This mission is very dangerous."