Invincible Starts From Dao Fruit
Chapter 152 - 121 Daoist, please hold on!

Chapter 152: Chapter 121 Daoist, please hold on!

The trade gathering proceeded methodically.

Not long after.

It was Chen Jichuan’s turn, as the third participant. The treasures presented by the previous two cultivators were merely ordinary magic artifacts, none of which interested him.

Finally, it was his moment.

He decisively retrieved a square mirror and a bronze bell from his robes and declared aloud, "This humble Daoist has two top-level magic artifacts. The first is the ’Reflective Mirror,’ capable of unraveling arrays. The second is the ’Yellow Spirit Bell,’ which, when activated above your head, can block flying swords and magical techniques alike. If anyone has rare pill recipes, peculiar pills, unidentified secret treasures, or anything else of value, I am willing to trade these two treasures."

As his voice fell.

He immediately became the focal point of attention.

These two magic tools were originally acquired by Chen Jichuan from Xu Tianfang.

At the time, he had obtained three items in total.

Initially, he had intended to sell off all of his existing top-level artifacts.

But later, he realized he had misremembered; the artifacts he had at the time—like the ’Mystic Guiding Sword’ and ’Liangyi Shield’—were merely high-level magic tools, not top-level ones, leading him to hold on to these treasures.

Over the past decade of wandering, one of those artifacts, the ’Haoyang Spear,’ was traded for a Concealing Breath Technique.

But the other two items remained in his possession. Each time he attended gatherings like this, he would showcase them to entice other cultivators into negotiating, thereby selecting the best offers and acquiring resources that he truly needed.

After that, he would negotiate lower prices and finalize trades using inferior-level items.

To date.

These two artifacts were still in Chen Jichuan’s hands and had taken on a "treasures of the house" status.

The ’Reflective Mirror’ and ’Yellow Spirit Bell’ were exceptionally rare. The former dismantled arrays, while the latter provided self-defense. Both were highly sought after by cultivators exploring the outside world.

Every time he exhibited them, a frenzy ensued.

This occasion was no different.

"Daoist friend..."

"Daoist, my greetings..."

A flurry of transmissions reached Chen Jichuan, with cultivators offering their bids.

Chen Jichuan listened carefully, sorting through the offers one by one. He didn’t respond to those that lacked appeal but engaged further conversations with ones that piqued his interest.

Among those bidders.

Was Qian Jibang.

"Greetings, Daoist friend. I have a broken artifact of unknown material and functionality. Please examine it, and see if it suits your interests."

Qian Jibang presented a piece of greenish-black metal, seemingly a fragment from a damaged magic tool.

The other cultivators turned their gaze toward it.

One after another, they remained silent, unable to discern the origins of the metal fragment.

But Chen Jichuan saw clearly—

[Puppet Remains: Remnants from an Innate Puppet, composed primarily of ’Green Essence Stone,’ ’Soul Stone,’ and ’Gang Silver Sand.’ Due to the inclusion of ’Soul Stone,’ ordinary cultivators struggle to identify the material and cannot separate its components.]

"Bringing scraps from an Innate Puppet to fool me?"

Chen Jichuan chuckled to himself.

Qian Jibang was merely exploiting the difficulty of identifying this item to deceive others. If someone took the bait, it’d be a profit; if no one did, he wouldn’t lose anything either.

A calculating attempt indeed.

But he couldn’t fool Chen Jichuan: "Not interested."

Chen Jichuan didn’t expose his intentions; he merely shook his head and voiced his disinterest.

Qian Jibang graciously relented. After some consideration, he produced a jade scroll from his sleeve and handed it to Chen Jichuan. "This scroll contains the recipe for crafting the ’Sunrise Pill,’ a boon for Innate cultivators practicing Fire-related techniques. I wish to exchange it for your ’Reflective Mirror.’"

Chen Jichuan received the scroll but could only peruse its initial portion for a rough assessment of the recipe’s authenticity and attributes.

Unfortunately.

Chen Jichuan had previously acquired the Sunrise Pill recipe. Moreover, it was merely a high-level pill recipe and fairly commonplace—a tolerable trade for standard top-level magic tools but lacking in value for Chen Jichuan’s supreme treasure.

Additionally, the ’Sunrise Pill’ wasn’t particularly rare or extraordinary.

"Not trading."

"If Daoist friend has no genuine interest, please don’t waste my time."

Chen Jichuan tossed the jade scroll back, his tone notably curt.

In this gathering among strangers, there was no need to veil one’s emotions.

Qian Jibang caught the scroll without showing irritation. After more deliberation, he made several successive offers, yet none satisfied Chen Jichuan.

Ultimately.

With Chen Jichuan visibly irritable and Qian Jibang visibly clueless.

Qian Jimin reached out telepathically and said to Chen Jichuan, "I hold a magic skill titled ’Wind Thunder Wings.’ Once mastered, one can move faster than the wind and lightning—swift enough to elude pursuit by Qi Refining Immortal Masters. If Daoist friend is interested, shall we discuss this further?"

He then retrieved a jade scroll from his sleeve and extended it to Chen Jichuan.

"Wind Thunder Wings?"

Chen Jichuan accepted the scroll. Upon glancing through its description, his curiosity was instantly piqued.

The magic skill specialized in speed.

The practitioner would draw upon Essence Qi from the wind and thunder to forge a pair of Wind Thunder Wings. A single flap of these wings would propel the cultivator forward at lightning speed—faster than many movement and escape techniques.

Even more enticing was its fourteen-layer progression.

Innate cultivators could begin training the skill immediately, and each achieved layer would enhance speed further. By the time one reached the Qi Refining Peak stage, the Wind Thunder Wings would be fully formed, capable of unparalleled velocity beyond imagination.

"My speed isn’t slow, and I’ve dabbled in escape techniques. But I lack a skill exclusively dedicated to speed."

"’Wind Thunder Wings’ is perfect."

Chen Jichuan pondered briefly before messaging Qian Jimin, "Although this skill is impressive, it performs modestly below the Qi Refining level, falling short even behind many escape techniques. As for those of us at the peak of Innate, its value is fairly limited. However, this humble Daoist happens to be intrigued—what artifact, dear Daoist, do you seek to exchange?"

Though he admired the skill, negotiating a lower price was only prudent.

Chen Jichuan had no intention of being taken advantage of.

Moreover.

It was evident that the two Qian brothers were fiercely competing for his ’Reflective Mirror.’ Under such circumstances, Chen Jichuan needed to drive the bargaining hard—his Insight Skill demanded no less.

"Daoist friend jests."

"The ’Wind Thunder Wings’ far surpasses many escape techniques even at the Innate Extreme level—undoubtedly a top-tier skill. Exchanging it for both your ’Reflective Mirror’ and ’Yellow Spirit Bell’ is hardly unreasonable."

Qian Jimin, sensing Chen Jichuan’s engagement, grew bolder and countered.

The two continued their back-and-forth.

Eventually—

"It’s off!"

Chen Jichuan sighed inwardly in defeat.

He was willing to trade only the ’Reflective Mirror’ for the ’Wind Thunder Wings,’ yet Qian Jimin insisted on both the ’Reflective Mirror’ and the ’Yellow Spirit Bell.’

Essentially demanding one additional top-tier artifact.

Despite both parties’ deep interest, no deal was struck.

It was evident—

Both Qian Jimin and Qian Jibang were disgruntled, their silence heavy.

Chen Jichuan, however, suspected they might be criticizing him privately or worse—

"Let’s hope they’re reasonable."

Chen Jichuan silently wished them well.

The trade gathering continued.

Attendees remained fixated on Chen Jichuan’s two top-tier artifacts with covetous eyes—some longing for the ’Reflective Mirror,’ though most thirsting for the ’Yellow Spirit Bell.’

Regrettably.

No offer proved satisfactory to Chen Jichuan. In the end, his two "treasures of the house" remained unsold.

Nonetheless, Chen Jichuan managed to trade two high-level magic tools and two bottles of high-level Sunrise Pills for a pill recipe for ’Fire Yang Pill.’

This ’Fire Yang Pill’ was a high-level pill specifically designed for Innate cultivation. It could generate substantial ’Yang Fire,’ purifying Inner Strength, True Qi, and True Yuan.

The effects were significant.

Though Chen Jichuan’s Jade Spring Pill Pavilion had yielded similar pill recipes with equivalent functionalities, he adhered to the philosophy of "light on material wealth, heavy on knowledge." Items like magic tools and pills held little appeal to him, whereas pill recipes and cultivation techniques were of utmost priority.

Thus, any opportunity to exchange artifacts or consumables for knowledge was a chance he gladly embraced.

After obtaining the ’Fire Yang Pill’ recipe, Chen Jichuan experienced no further windfalls.

This was typical.

Chen Jichuan had grown used to it.

For these smaller trade gatherings, securing even one desired item was considered fortunate. Most of the time, participants exchanged common magic tools, pills, and talismans—or simply offloaded stolen goods.

Roughly half an hour later,

The trade gathering ended.

Without exchanging pleasantries, each attendee concealed beneath a black cloak dispersed in separate directions.

Chen Jichuan quickly stepped away and began wandering the workshop, trading away some of the magic tools and Spirit Stones he had looted from criminals in recent days for pills, talismans, and texts.

The usual pills held no value for him.

But back at Cold Smoke Island’s Echo Valley, his disciples were desperately lacking pills. Texts were likewise direly needed; a surplus would only help.

While maintaining those disciples felt like a drain now, once they reached fruition in their cultivation, they would bring him glory and an effortless rise to power.

At present, it was merely an investment.

Chen Jichuan’s enthusiasm surged, his spirit of altruism unmatched!

...

Hundred Flowers Island.

A peculiar and eerie locale, cloaked in blooming flowers but harboring ghostly hauntings.

Common Innate cultivators dared not tread its paths at midnight for fear of venturing too far into the island’s depths.

Rumor had it, lost within the blossoms lay wandering ghosts stitching embroidered shoes—often appearing as serene elderly figures waiting for their long-lost kin’s return.

Once encountered, none could leave and were doomed to an eternal stay on Hundred Flowers Island.

Yet precisely because of the island’s cryptic and perilous reputation, it served as an inconspicuous location for establishing the workshop.

The cultivators visiting the workshop mostly sought anonymity, and the deep fog and phantom-filled interior provided an ideal escape route. Even if revealing their wealth, they had a reasonable chance of avoiding pursuit and escaping unharmed.

Combined with Hundred Flowers Workshop’s status as a black market, it naturally attracted unscrupulous visitors and became an active hub for fencing stolen goods.

Chen Jichuan traded away his magic tools and Spirit Stones and exited the workshop, vanishing into the fog as he prepared to leave the island.

I ought to wander the Jianghu, sip from a vessel of bitter wine.

Through haze, gaze at woes, buried deep within Hundred Flowers~

...

Hundred Flowers Island hardly lives up to such poetic imagery.

Hoooooo~

Sinister gusts blew past, raising chills.

But as a practitioner of cultivation, Chen Jichuan wasn’t spooked. Having secured a useful pill recipe, he felt satisfied. Thoughts of the ’Fire Yang Pill’ occupied his mind as he set out to study and craft it upon his return.

As he moved along.

Suddenly.

A voice echoed behind him: "Daoist friend, wait!"

Chen Jichuan paused, sighing inwardly.

Turning around, he spotted a figure shrouded in a black robe emerging from the fog. Their face remained hidden by the robe, their voice deliberately low as they addressed him, "Daoist friend, forgive my intrusion. I humbly request to borrow your ’Reflective Mirror.’"

It was none other than Qian Jimin.

...