Eternal Life: I Can Harvest Demon Beast Talents

Lin Changheng lowered his head to inspect the wood, all but ignoring the latter half of what Steward Qian said. He planned to use this wood for Body Forging, for which this quality was more than enough.

It wasn't for refining Spiritual Artifacts, setting up arrays, or Talisman Making, all of which required higher quality.

After confirming it was the correct item, Lin Changheng was inwardly pleased but remained impassive. "The item is as described, but the price is too high. I'll take your seven-inch sample as well, for a total of two hundred Spirit Stones per inch."

Steward Qian gasped. "Fellow Daoist, you drive too hard a bargain! Even though you're buying a lot, two hundred forty per inch is my bottom line!"

"Frankly, we both know that East Wheel Willow Wood of this quality has very few practical applications. For Artifact Refining, Talisman Making, or Array Formation, it would negatively affect the quality of the final product. Plus, the impurities are difficult to remove completely. This is the kind of stock that ends up sitting in a warehouse, almost impossible to sell."

Lin Changheng lifted his gaze to meet Steward Qian's and said in a low, deliberate tone,

"Besides, if I'm not mistaken, this Spirit Wood was harvested and has been in storage for a very long time, hasn't it?"

"Cough, cough..."

Lin Changheng had hit a nerve.

Lin Changheng sneered inwardly. Although the wood had been preserved extremely well, with almost no loss of its spirituality, it could not deceive the True Intent of his Rongsheng Divine Abilities.

He then threw out another price: "Two hundred and ten per inch."

His tone was nonchalant, yet carried an unshakable certainty.

"Mr. Lin..."

What followed was a sharp exchange, a battle of wits where both men vied for advantage. But Lin Changheng had the upper hand, having found and exploited his opponent's weakness.

Steward Qian tried to raise the price, but Lin Changheng accurately pointed out the wood's shortcomings and the state of the market, refusing to yield an inch.

In the end, seeing Lin Changheng's resolute stance and deep understanding of the market, Steward Qian knew he'd met his match. Fearing he'd lose this major sale if he pushed any further, he relented with a wry smile. "Alright, alright! Let's just say I'm making an investment in our friendship, Fellow Daoist! Three feet and seven inches of East Wheel Willow Wood, at a price of two hundred twenty Spirit Stones per inch. We have a deal?!"

"A pleasure doing business with you." Only then did a faint smile touch Lin Changheng's lips. He took out the Spirit Stones and completed the transaction.

After stowing the East Wheel Willow Wood in his Storage Bag, Lin Changheng felt a sense of satisfaction. The shrewd back-and-forth had saved him a considerable number of Spirit Stones.

He gave Steward Qian a slight nod, then turned and headed downstairs.

He had calculated that the amount he just purchased was enough to last him until his Body Refining reached the Peak of the Tier Two Late Stage.

After this, it was just a matter of long-term, patient refinement.

...

Afterward, led by an attendant in a yellow uniform, Lin Changheng continued to browse the Marketplace, purchasing many necessary supplies and provisions.

But the most critical item, a breakthrough-assisting elixir for his Deep Lake Spirit Clam—a Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object—was nowhere to be found.

However, a Shopkeeper he inquired with revealed that an elixir to aid a Spirit Beast's breakthrough would be appearing at the upcoming Auction.

Beast Taming Clans, such as his own, had received the news in advance.

The purpose was to give the clans who needed it time to prepare their Spirit Stones for the eventual bidding war.

'That's a clever method.'

Lin Changheng smiled.

"We Beast Taming Clans have our own cultivation methods; how else would we have passed down our inheritance to this day? We generally won't bid on such things. Loose Cultivators with Spirit Beasts, however, are another story," the Shopkeeper said with a dismissive sneer.

But to him, this information was incredibly useful.

It gave him a solid footing.

If he couldn't obtain the breakthrough-assisting elixir, he would have no choice but to let the Deep Lake Spirit Clam attempt its breakthrough on its own.

The risks for a Spirit Beast undertaking a breakthrough were quite high. Success was one thing, but failure meant severe injury in the best-case scenario, and death in the worst.

That was a risk Lin Changheng was doing his utmost to avoid.

Then, to show his gratitude for the information, Lin Changheng made a point of purchasing some common supplies for Spirit Beasts from the shop before he left.

...

His errands were finished surprisingly quickly, and before he knew it, dusk was approaching.

Lin Changheng headed straight for the largest Spirit Wine Tower in the Marketplace, intending to treat himself to the Spiritual Food and fine wines of the Bixiao Sect's territory.

The tower was eleven stories tall, resembling the Shang Zhou Deer Platform from his past life, though here each table was separated by a privacy curtain.

It was also a chance to enjoy the night view, as this Marketplace had no curfew.

"Senior, this way please."

A Female Cultivator in an elegant, palace-style dress came out to greet him.

It had to be said, the prices were quite high.

Lin Changheng took a seat on the high balcony, by the railing, where he could overlook the entire Marketplace.

He casually ordered five house specialties and a pot of Spirit Wine, and the bill came to over fifty Spirit Stones.

However, the dishes were richly fragrant and brimming with Spiritual Qi, and the wine was smooth and mellow. It was well worth the price.

Lin Changheng didn't say a word, simply paying the Spirit Stones without complaint.

The smile on the face of the Female Cultivator in palace attire grew more genuine. "Please enjoy your meal, Senior," she said respectfully. "If you need anything at all, just call for me." She then withdrew with a graceful bow.

He had just picked up his jade chopsticks, not yet having taken a bite, when the curtain to his private booth was swept aside by a withered hand.

An old man with a full head of black hair and a matching beard, dressed in a shabby Daoist Robe with a large, vermilion wine gourd at his waist, poked his head in with a wide grin. He took a long, hard sniff.

"TSK, what a scent! Absolutely fragrant! Young friend, isn't it lonely eating all this delicious food by yourself? This old Daoist can tell from your kind face that you must be a magnanimous person. You wouldn't mind if I joined you and added a pair of chopsticks, would you?"

Before Lin Changheng could respond, the old man strolled right in and plopped himself down in the opposite seat. His eyes were glued to the pot of Spirit Wine on the table, and his Adam's apple bobbed with a conspicuous swallow.

The Female Cultivator who had just served the meal saw what was happening and rushed back in, looking at Lin Changheng with a troubled expression. "Senior, this..."

Lin Changheng's gaze swept over the old Daoist. The man's Cultivation was also at Middle Stage Foundation Establishment, but his aura was murky and chaotic. He reeked of alcohol and had the look of an untamable vagrant.

Though intrigued, Lin Changheng's expression remained neutral. He waved a hand at the Female Cultivator. "It's fine. Just bring another cup and bowl."

Looking as if she'd been granted amnesty, the Female Cultivator in palace attire quickly fetched another set of tableware and retreated.

The old Daoist beamed, rubbing his hands together. "A generous young friend! This old Daoist's surname is Wu, and my given name is a single character: Jiu. To meet you today is fate, young friend! We must share a few cups!" As he spoke, his gaze again drifted toward the wine pot.

Lin Changheng poured him a cup of the Spirit Wine and said coolly, "Mr. Wu, please, help yourself."

Then he asked suddenly, "Mr. Wu, of all the people here, why did you happen to approach me to share a table?"

Wu Jiu eagerly snatched up the cup and drained it in a single gulp. He let out a long, contented sigh, his eyes narrowing in bliss. "Ah... good wine! Truly worthy of being the Drunken Immortal Inn's 'Biyun Burnt'!"

Only then did he answer, "Hehe, it's not dark yet, so there aren't many patrons. It just so happens this old Daoist has a very keen nose, and I smelled that the food and wine at your table were the most fragrant. So, here I am to bother you, am I not?"

Having said that, as if only just now noticing the spread of delicacies, he unapologetically picked up his chopsticks. "You don't mind if this old Daoist has a taste, do you, young friend?"

"Help yourself, Fellow Daoist," Lin Changheng said, his tone even. He picked up a piece of Spiritual Bamboo Shoots for himself, but his mind was racing.

'This old Daoist seems crazy and overly familiar, but anyone who managed to cultivate to Middle Stage Foundation Establishment is by no means an ordinary person.'

'I just can't tell if there's a deeper purpose to his actions, if this is simply his true character, or if he has some other motive.'

Wu Jiu devoured several mouthfuls of food like a tornado sweeping through clouds, poured himself another cup, and drank it down. Only then, temporarily sated, did he wipe his mouth on his sleeve and fix his squinted, drunken eyes on Lin Changheng. "You're a new face, young friend. Not from around here, are you? Are you here traveling, on business, or to attend the Auction?"

Lin Changheng set down his chopsticks and met the man's gaze, countering with a question of his own. "Oh? And are you a local, Mr. Wu?"

"Hehe, not me either. I've just been wandering around this area for over thirty years, so you could say I'm half a local."

Wu Jiu was surprisingly frank. He didn't try to hide anything, simply picking up the wine pot and filling Lin Changheng's cup to the brim.

"Who travels for thirty years? If you've been here that long, why not just settle down?"

Lin Changheng asked bluntly.

"Hehe, let's just say something has me tied down here. I can't exactly get away at the moment..."

Wu Jiu sighed, shaking his head from side to side, though he didn't seem the least bit melancholic.

A wry smile played on Lin Changheng's lips. "Don't tell me you came here to ask for my help with that, Fellow Daoist?"

Wu Jiu drained another cup, then lifted his head to peer at Lin Changheng, his nose slightly flushed and his eyes showing a hint of drunkenness. "A cautious person such as yourself would certainly refuse... And this old Daoist wouldn't be able to bring himself to ask."