Chapter 100: The Exchange

The Flying Immortal Fruit is exceptionally rare. Legend has it that it can allow an ordinary person to attain immortality on the spot. While this is merely an exaggeration, it serves to illustrate the fruit's extraordinary nature.

The Flying Immortal Pill, refined using the Flying Immortal Fruit as its primary ingredient, possesses mild medicinal properties suitable even for ordinary people. For cultivators, it can raise one’s cultivation level by an entire major realm.

Yin Tianfang learned of the Flying Immortal Fruit thanks to the jade slip containing the "Tri-Part Technique." Cultivating this technique requires the assistance of numerous spiritual herbs, one of which is this very fruit. The technique records details about the fruit in great depth.

Obtaining the fruit so easily left Yin Tianfang pleasantly surprised.

"The Yang family wants this fruit; it seems the Yang family patriarch is severely wounded," Yin Tianfang pondered.

As a cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage, the Yang family patriarch had disregarded his status to attack him, nearly costing him his life in the wilderness. Yin Tianfang held not a shred of affection for the Yang family. Furthermore, the Yang family had complex, intertwined ties with the Qingshan Sect. For that reason alone, if he ever possessed sufficient strength, Yin Tianfang would not mind turning the Yang family upside down.

Turning back toward the jungle, he found a quiet and secluded cave. Yin Tianfang emptied the storage bags he had taken from the Yang family members. The spiritual stones were piled like a mountain, numbering in the thousands.

Although they were not top-tier spiritual stones, the sheer quantity meant the spiritual energy contained within was substantial. Yin Tianfang sat cross-legged amidst the stones, forming hand seals. As he breathed in and out, wisps of white mist emanated from the stones, merging into his body and flowing into his dantian.

Within his dantian, a white lotus trembled gently, greedily absorbing the incoming mist. Its petals became increasingly crystal clear, looking as if they were carved from jade.

Three days later, within the cave, all the spiritual energy from the stones had been absorbed. The stones turned ash-gray, eventually crumbling into powder with a soft sound.

As the last wisp of energy was consumed, a sudden gale stirred within the cave, and the aura surrounding Yin Tianfang erupted like a volcanic blast.

Opening his eyes, two beams of sharp light pierced the void, captivating and intense. Exhaling a long breath of turbid air, Yin Tianfang rose to his feet, flashed out of the cave, and headed toward the city.

Re-entering the city, Yin Tianfang walked straight toward the center, where a trading venue was located. It was a place for cultivators to trade, and everyone who entered was required to follow the rules: no fighting allowed.

Moreover, rare and exotic treasures often appeared there. This trip was intended to exchange for the medicinal herbs needed for his Tri-Part Technique.

A moment later, Yin Tianfang stopped before a magnificent pavilion. Located in the city center, it was imposing and towered over all other buildings. Many cultivators moved in and out, none of them ordinary.

Yin Tianfang walked toward the entrance.

"Stop!" Just as he reached the gate, two figures raised their hands to block him. "Is this your first time here?" one of them asked.

"Yes." Yin Tianfang nodded, observing the two with a hint of surprise. They looked to be in their thirties, yet their cultivation had already reached the Foundation Establishment stage.

Two Foundation Establishment cultivators acting as gatekeepers for a trading house? One had to admit that the power behind this establishment was dauntingly immense.

"Visitors are guests, but you must follow our rules. To enter, you must pay one top-tier spiritual stone," one of them said.

Yin Tianfang’s heart twitched slightly. A single top-tier spiritual stone just for entry? He handed over the stone with a calm expression, though his heart bled.

After receiving the stone, the other guard handed Yin Tianfang a cloak, saying, "You surely understand that one should not flaunt wealth. This cloak can block divine sense and protect the customer’s privacy."

Accepting the cloak, Yin Tianfang draped it over himself to conceal his face and stepped inside. Upon entering, an elderly man in gray robes approached, smiling and gesturing for him to follow, leading him to a set of stairs.

"I can only accompany you to this point. You may stay in this trading house for up to one day; for every day beyond that, you must pay another top-tier spiritual stone. Furthermore, no fighting is permitted once you enter. Otherwise, you will bear the consequences yourself," the old man said unhurriedly before retreating.

Standing before the stairs, Yin Tianfang pondered for a moment, looking toward the top of the flight. That led to the second floor, and beyond that, another staircase led to the third.

After lingering for a moment, Yin Tianfang stepped onto the stairs. As soon as both his feet landed, a wave of pressure descended, causing him to frown slightly.

Had he not reached the Foundation Establishment stage, this sudden pressure would have surely caused serious injury. After standing on the first step to acclimate himself, he continued toward the second floor.

His pace was steady, his expression composed. This pressure meant little to him; he was already at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, and this level of pressure was only meant to test those at the Foundation Establishment level.

Before long, Yin Tianfang reached the second floor. Looking at the stairs leading to the third, he lost the urge to push further. If the threshold for the second floor was Foundation Establishment, then the third likely required the Golden Core stage to enter.

Abandoning the idea of ascending further, Yin Tianfang walked along the second-floor corridor, carefully observing his surroundings. There were several rooms, labeled with signs such as "Pills," "Techniques," "Spiritual Herbs," and "Intelligence."

Specific items had to be traded in specific rooms. This allowed visitors to find exactly what they needed.

Yin Tianfang walked toward the room labeled "Spiritual Herbs." As he pushed the door open, several obscure gazes fell upon him instantly. However, thanks to the strange cloak blocking their divine sense, they could not see his true face with their eyes alone.

Inside the room, there were nine cushions. Eight were already occupied, so Yin Tianfang took the last one.

Just as he sat down, one of the occupants placed a jade box before him. Opening it, a faint, elegant fragrance permeated the room, putting everyone at ease. Their gazes turned toward the box.

Inside lay a strange flower, crimson as fire.