Chapter 12: Origin-Nourishing Spirit Liquid

Chapter 12: Essence Cultivating Elixir

After retracting the demonic sword into his body, Xiao Se stepped out of the Xiao family estate. He wandered through the spacious streets, turning this way and that, until he finally arrived at a medium-sized market west of Wutan City, which belonged to the Xiao family.

“Brother, there are so many people here!” Suddenly, Long Kui’s excited voice echoed in his mind.

Looking at the bustling crowd brushing shoulders around him, Xiao Se smiled faintly and said, “This is a medium-sized market owned by the Xiao family, a place for mercenaries near the Beast Mountain Range to trade.”

“Brother, are you looking to buy something?” Long Kui’s melodious voice sounded again in Xiao Se’s mind.

“Yes, I plan to refine a second-grade pill to aid my cultivation, called the Essence Cultivating Elixir. I have all the medicinal ingredients except for one—a first-grade wood-elemental demon core,” Xiao Se replied softly, gently touching the demon sword pattern on his right forearm.

Feeling Xiao Se’s gentleness, Long Kui chuckled and said, “Then let me help you look, Brother. Although I can’t fight, my perception is very keen.”

“Thanks,” Xiao Se replied. Hearing Long Kui say she couldn’t fight, he smirked. In her blue state, she indeed couldn’t fight, but in her red state, her combat power was probably off the charts—though how much power she could unleash remained unknown.

After wandering around for some time, Xiao Se gradually made his way deeper into the market. The items traded in the inner sections were generally more valuable than those outside, so the chances of finding a first-grade wood-element demon core were higher there.

After visiting seven or eight stalls, Xiao Se saw many kinds of demon cores but none matched the first-grade wood-element core he needed.

“Brother, about three hundred meters to the southwest, there’s a crystal emitting wood-element energy. It should be the wood-element demon core you’re looking for,” Long Kui’s voice suddenly sounded in his mind just as Xiao Se was starting to feel weary.

At those words, Xiao Se’s eyes lit up and he smiled inwardly. “Thanks, Long Kui.”

He quickly walked over to the stall Long Kui had pointed out, bent down, and picked up a green crystal stained with blood from the stall. Tossing it lightly in his hand, he smiled at the middle-aged mercenary behind the stall, whose appearance was somewhat simple and honest, and asked, “Boss, what kind of demon beast does this demon core come from?”

Seeing Xiao Se dressed in the Xiao family disciple robe, the middle-aged mercenary hurriedly and courteously explained, “Hehe, young master, you have a sharp eye. This is a first-grade demon core from the Ghostwood Fox, which is considered high quality among first-grade cores. I remember it took three of us brothers just to kill that Ghostwood Fox.”

As he spoke, the mercenary shed a tear of regret, paused for a moment, then continued, “If young master likes it, I won’t cheat you—just seven hundred gold coins.”

For a moment, Xiao Se felt touched by the mercenary’s words, but the price he quoted made him twitch the corner of his mouth.

A regular first-grade demon core usually costs between four hundred and four hundred fifty gold coins, and even the better ones never exceed five hundred. Asking seven hundred for a first-grade Ghostwood Fox core—did he think Xiao Se was a fool?

Wiping the blood off the Ghostwood Fox demon core, Xiao Se returned it to its place and said calmly, “That’s too expensive. I’ve searched the entire Beast Mountain Range and never found a first-grade demon core worth seven hundred gold coins. The Ghostwood Fox is indeed a tough opponent among first-grade demon beasts, but I don’t believe it took three brothers to kill one. If you can’t accept four hundred and fifty gold coins, I’ll look elsewhere.”

If it weren’t for the decent quality of this wood-element demon core, he would have just walked away.

Apparently unprepared for the sharp judgment of this eleven-or-twelve-year-old child, the middle-aged mercenary’s honest expression twitched, and he smiled awkwardly. “Is that too low? After all, it wasn’t easy for us brothers. The Ghostwood Fox is one of the toughest first-grade demon beasts around.”

Xiao Se shook his head. “Because I know about the Ghostwood Fox, I’m offering four hundred fifty gold coins. The usual price for first-grade demon cores ranges between four hundred and four hundred fifty, so this is my highest offer.”

“Then how about a bit more? Five hundred gold coins,” the middle-aged mercenary said, clearly unhappy with the price.

“Four hundred fifty. If you want more, I’m leaving,” Xiao Se stared at him.

“Four hundred ninety?” the mercenary offered again.

Without a word, Xiao Se turned to leave.

“Wait, four hundred eighty!”

“Four hundred seventy!”

“Damn it, four hundred fifty, take it!”

Xiao Se turned back with a smile, completing the deal as he said, “I’m just running errands for someone else. Don’t expect much from me.”

The middle-aged man rolled his eyes, no longer pretending to be simple or courteous. “Cut it out. I can tell you really want to buy this. I do need the money to treat my brothers’ injuries. Otherwise, do you think I would sell it to you?”

After securing the Ghostwood Fox demon core, Xiao Se searched the surrounding area to ensure he could successfully refine the Essence Cultivating Elixir.

Soon, he spent the remaining four hundred twenty gold coins to buy a common first-grade wood-element demon core, then leisurely headed toward the market exit.

His gold coins were nearly depleted, and he had nothing else particularly needed to buy, so holding onto them served no purpose.

About five hundred meters from the market exit, a commotion in the crowd caught Xiao Se’s attention.

Peering through the throng, he saw Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun’er blocked by a lecherous-looking young man. Behind the young man stood a group of crooked, rough-looking middle-aged men.

Xiao Se roughly sensed that most of these middle-aged men were Fighters, with the lowest level being the eighth rank of Fighting Qi.

“I didn’t expect it to be Galeo. Xiao Yan’s Fighting Qi seems to have dropped to the fourth rank. Looks like he’s in for a tough time,” Xiao Se murmured to himself as he quickened his pace to slip into the crowd.

At the center of the crowd:

“I never thought I’d run into Miss Xun’er here. It seems fate has truly brought us together,” Galeo said, his gaze burning with unabashed admiration as he looked at the graceful young woman standing not far away.

Xun’er’s delicate brows furrowed slightly. She was about to scold him when she saw Xiao Yan step forward, positioning himself between her and Galeo, and angrily shouted, “Galeo, what do you mean? Step aside now.”

Xun’er looked coldly at Galeo. At this moment, it was no different from looking at a corpse. She never spared scoundrels who dared to harass her.

“Xiao Yan, it’s you again. You’re always ruining my fun,” Galeo said, his pale face turning ugly, his pupils full of malice.

At this, a short, thin middle-aged man behind Galeo leaned in and whispered, “Young master, the old man ordered that you must not have conflict with the Xiao family, especially with Xiao Yan.”

“Shut up!” Galeo slapped the man’s face without turning back.

He was still wary of Xiao Yan, recognized as the greatest genius Wutan City had seen in a century. His father, Galeobi, had warned him not to make trouble openly.

But now, with more and more onlookers gathering, all waiting to see him embarrassed, Galeo’s pride was at stake. If he backed down now, especially in front of Xun’er, how would he ever maintain his standing in Wutan City?

(End of chapter)