Eternal Life: I Can Harvest Demon Beast Talents

"The Auction is being held on the lowest mountain peak to the west."

The attendant in yellow clothing truly knew a lot.

Next, Lin Changheng also inquired about shops that buy second-hand goods.

There were indeed a few places.

These kinds of shops were generally extremely profitable, but one needed considerable power to establish and maintain them.

It wasn't a matter of business acumen or capital.

However, since this was a New District with new shops, Lin Changheng had no intention of immediately selling the stolen goods. Under these circumstances, it would be easy to attract unwanted attention, especially when offloading multiple Tier Two Spiritual Artifacts.

'Wouldn't that be tantamount to advertising myself as a "Tribulation Cultivator" or a "fat sheep"?'

'It would likely just bring trouble.'

...

In front of a massive pavilion, over a hundred feet tall, two figures stopped one after the other.

"Immortal Master, please look. This is the Divine Materials Pavilion."

The attendant in yellow, who was leading the way, said respectfully.

Lin Changheng followed his gesture. The pavilion was magnificent, with soaring, upturned eaves and intricate interlocking brackets.

A huge plaque hung high above the entrance. On it, the three words "Divine Materials Pavilion" were written in flamboyant, gilded calligraphy, shimmering with a faint Spiritual Light that spoke of its grandeur.

Cultivators streamed in and out of the towering entrance. Most were in the Qi Cultivation Stage, but there were some Foundation Establishment Cultivators as well. Amidst the crowd, many beautiful Female Attendants with graceful figures bustled about, serving the customers.

Lin Changheng stood with his hands clasped behind his back, giving the grand shop a once-over before saying to the attendant in yellow, "You wait here."

As he spoke, he tossed a Spirit Stone into the attendant's hands.

"Thank you, Immortal Master! I'll wait for you out here!" The attendant's face lit up with surprise. He quickly hid the Spirit Stone, bowed, and retreated obediently to stand quietly by a pillar, careful not to block the path or overstep his bounds in any way.

'He knew a place like this wasn't somewhere a mere mortal like him could just wander into.'

Lin Changheng took out a folding fan and flicked it open with a crisp SNAP. With a self-assured expression, he strode inside.

The moment he entered, he felt the interior space was far more spacious than it appeared from the outside. Soft, bright light spilled from the ceiling, illuminating every detail in the hall without being harsh on the eyes.

A unique fragrance, a blend of faint sandalwood and various Spiritual Materials, permeated the air.

A beautiful Female Attendant in a long, green dress, her cultivation at the Early Stage Qi Cultivation, immediately approached. With a professional, respectful smile, she said, "Welcome to the Divine Materials Pavilion, honored guest. How may I help you? I can serve as your guide."

"I need some Tier Two Spirit Wood."

"Tier Three would also be fine."

Lin Changheng glanced at the Female Attendant, his eyes then sweeping over the shop's counters as he smiled and waved his fan.

A flash of understanding flickered in the Female Attendant's eyes as she realized Lin Changheng's cultivation level. She quickly stepped aside to lead the way, subtly changing her form of address. "Senior, please follow me. The High Tier Spirit Wood is on the second floor."

The second floor was much quieter, and the Spiritual Materials on display were clearly more valuable. She led Lin Changheng to a counter dedicated to various types of Spirit Wood.

The one in charge here was a sharp-featured older man with a goatee, his cultivation an impressive Early Stage Foundation Establishment.

He glanced up at Lin Changheng and, sensing a Spiritual Pressure also at the Foundation Establishment Stage, broke into a smile. He cupped his hands and said, "Fellow Daoist, are you in need of Tier Two Spirit Wood? My surname is Qian, and I'm responsible for the sale of High Tier Spiritual Materials."

"Greetings, Mr. Qian."

Lin Changheng nodded with a smile. "Indeed. What I need is East Wheel Willow Wood. Does your esteemed pavilion have any in stock?"

"Naturally, we do."

To Lin Changheng's delight, Mr. Qian actually nodded under his gaze. The man then reached under the counter and pulled out a section of Spirit Wood, seven inches long and as thick as the mouth of a bowl.

He placed it on a special brocade cloth. "Please take a look, Fellow Daoist. This specimen is of Upper Grade quality from our pavilion's stock. The grain is uniform, its resilience is excellent, and it's brimming with Wood Essence Qi. It's a superior choice for refining a Wood Element Flying Sword, a Law Whip, or for setting up certain special Wood Arrays."

"As for the price, it's calculated by the inch. One inch for four hundred Lower Grade Spirit Stones."

'Lin Changheng rejoiced inwardly, knowing this trip hadn't been a waste.'

'An item that was so hard to find in Floating Immortal City, and yet I found it so easily here.'

'Or is it just that it's only available during this special occasion, the opening of the new district?'

Without thinking more, Lin Changheng reached out and picked up the section of willow wood. A faint green light flickered at his fingertips as he carefully inspected its internal grain and Spiritual Qi distribution.

He simultaneously activated his Insight Skill. His eyesight was extraordinary; a brief inspection was all it took to know that while the wood's quality was passable, it was far from superior. It contained quite a few impurities.

He set the willow wood down and shook his head, his tone level. "Mr. Qian, let's speak plainly. This wood has internal imperfections, and its Essence Qi flow is already sluggish. It can hardly be called 'Upper Grade quality.' If I were to buy it at this price, I would be taking a loss."

A flicker of surprise showed in Steward Qian's eyes. He hadn't expected this customer to be an expert capable of spotting the flaws at a single glance.

His smile didn't waver as he let out a laugh. "Fellow Daoist is truly a connoisseur! In that case, I won't mince words. This batch of wood may have some slight flaws. If you're sincere about buying, how about two hundred and fifty Lower Grade Spirit Stones per inch?"

Lin Changheng didn't agree immediately. Instead, he said, "The quantity I require is not small—at least three feet. And the price is still a bit high…"

Three feet was indeed a large order. Steward Qian mulled it over for a moment. "Our pavilion certainly has three feet in stock, but as for the price…"

Lin Changheng didn't speak, just looked at him quietly.

Steward Qian gritted his teeth and whispered a few instructions to the Female Attendant. A moment later, she returned from the inner storeroom with two more sections of East Wheel Willow Wood, totaling three feet in length.

"You may inspect them, Fellow Daoist. They are identical to the one I just showed you. We also have some truly Upper Grade pieces of this wood. Would you be interested in seeing them?"