Thirty Mid-Grade Spirit Stones

Several people had gathered around the stall.

A young man in plain clothing, his cultivation only at early Foundation Establishment, was gripping an old metal token tightly in one hand.

Facing him stood a late-Foundation cultivator.

The token in the young man’s hand was dark gray.

Its outer edge carried traces of green corrosion left by seawater.

Faded patterns covered its surface.

At first glance, it looked no different from some old decorative object pulled from the bottom of the sea.

The late-Foundation cultivator placed a bag of spirit stones on the stall.

“I’ll pay twice what you just paid.”

“It’s only a piece of old metal.”

“You have no use for it.”

The young man shook his head.

“I already bought it.”

“I don’t want to sell it.”

“Triple the price.”

“I don’t need those spirit stones.”

The late-Foundation cultivator frowned slightly.

“Don’t be stubborn.”

“I’m speaking to you politely and offering a higher price.”

“Is an old token really more important than making a connection with someone?”

The words were not openly hostile.

But the aura of late Foundation Establishment began spreading outward.

The young man unconsciously stepped back half a pace.

The stall owner hurried to speak.

“Gentlemen, the item has already been sold.”

“If you still want to trade, please negotiate between yourselves.”

The late-Foundation cultivator glanced at him.

That single look made the seller immediately fall silent.

Hao Nhien stood not far away and watched the entire exchange.

At first, he had no intention of getting involved.

Disputes over buying and selling were hardly unusual in a market this large.

And the old metal token in the young man’s hand did not reveal any obvious value.

But when the late-Foundation cultivator continued using his aura to pressure the other man, Hao Nhien suddenly paused.

His gaze shifted toward the hand gripping the token.

Then toward the expression on the young man’s face—angry, but helpless.

An old memory surfaced.

The Tieu Dao Sect.

Back when his cultivation had still been low, he had once been bullied by the Duong Family’s Five Tigers and had something taken from him by force.

Hao Nhien remembered the feeling clearly.

Knowing someone was openly robbing you.

Knowing it was wrong.

Yet still having to endure it because resisting against such a difference in strength would only make things worse.

It had been a long time since Hao Nhien had thought about that incident.

Later, he had gone through countless life-and-death battles.

He had faced enemies far stronger than those Five Tigers had ever been.

Compared with everything that happened afterward, being robbed back in the Tieu Dao Sect seemed almost insignificant.

Yet now, watching the young man struggle to keep something he had already purchased, Hao Nhien remembered that old helplessness with surprising clarity.

He remained still for a while.

Lang Tuyet had been about to continue walking.

When she realized Hao Nhien was no longer following, she turned.

“Something wrong?”

Hao Nhien shook his head.

“Nothing serious.”

“I just remembered something from long ago.”

“What?”

“Back when I was in the Tieu Dao Sect, a group of people stronger than me once took something from me by force.”

“At the time, even though I knew I was being bullied, I still had to endure it because I wasn’t strong enough to resist.”

Lang Tuyet looked at him.

Then her gaze moved toward the stall.

She understood quickly.

“You’re thinking about that young man?”

Hao Nhien nodded.

“I don’t know why he wants to keep that token.”

“Maybe he simply likes it.”

“Maybe he has some personal reason.”

“But either way, he paid for it according to the rules.”

“He shouldn’t be forced to surrender it just because his cultivation is lower.”

This text came from the author's NovelPhoenix publication without consent, so the posted version is the one that supports them.

Lang Tuyet studied his expression.

The corner of her mouth lifted slightly.

“You want to help him?”

“I just don’t like that kind of transaction.”

Lang Tuyet considered it for a moment.

Then she walked forward.

Hao Nhien did not stop her.

Ahead, the late-Foundation cultivator had clearly lost patience.

“I’ll ask you one last time.”

“Triple the price.”

“Selling or not?”

The young man clenched his teeth.

“Not selling.”

The other man’s aura immediately increased.

But before he could step forward, a woman’s voice came from the side.

“The item has already been sold.”

“Whether the new owner wishes to transfer it is his decision.”

“Using cultivation to pressure him does not invalidate the previous transaction.”

The late-Foundation cultivator turned.

Lang Tuyet approached calmly.

Her gaze passed over the token in the young man’s hand.

Then stopped on the bag of spirit stones sitting on the stall.

“If you want to buy it from him, negotiate.”

“If he refuses, then the transaction ends there.”

The man frowned, ready to argue.

But after getting a proper look at Lang Tuyet and sensing her aura, he immediately realized she was not someone he could casually provoke.

He remained silent for a moment.

Then he looked toward the young man again.

“Fine.”

“If you won’t sell, then forget it.”

“It’s only an old object.”

“There’s no need for me to fight over it.”

He took back the bag of spirit stones and turned away.

The person accompanying him followed immediately.

The dispute ended quickly.

No further threats.

No attempt to create trouble.

The stall owner visibly relaxed.

The young man remained still for a moment, as though he had not quite believed the other party would truly leave.

Lang Tuyet looked at him.

“You already bought that item?”

The young man nodded.

“Yes.”

“I had just finished paying when that man came over and wanted to buy it.”

“But I didn’t want to sell.”

“Then keep it.”

“If you completed the purchase according to the rules, no one has the right to force you to transfer it.”

The young man quickly cupped his hands.

“Thank you, miss.”

Lang Tuyet gave a small nod.

She was about to turn away when Hao Nhien walked over.

His gaze rested on the metal token in the young man’s hand.

From a distance, Hao Nhien had focused only on the dispute.

Now that he was closer, several patterns on the surface looked strangely familiar.

The lines had been worn by seawater.

But the way they intersected at several points reminded him of the gray-black metal fragment Chu Thanh had transferred to Lang Tuyet on the road to Southern Border.

Hao Nhien narrowed his eyes slightly.

He could not be certain the two objects were related.

Their shapes and outward materials had several differences.

And similar ancient patterns could appear on artifacts from the same general period without necessarily belonging to the same system.

But the resemblance was enough to make him want a closer look.

Hao Nhien looked toward the young man.

“Fellow Daoist, may I examine that token for a moment?”

The young man looked at him.

Then at Lang Tuyet.

The two had just helped him.

There was little reason to refuse such a simple request.

He immediately handed the token over.

Hao Nhien accepted it and examined it carefully.

It was slightly heavier than its size suggested.

The surface was cold.

Long-term exposure to seawater had corroded parts of it.

The patterns had been carved quite deeply.

Many sections were worn, but the major lines remained visible.

Hao Nhien tested it with spiritual sense.

No spiritual-power fluctuation appeared.

No unusual reaction.

At first glance, it truly was nothing more than an old piece of metal.

But Hao Nhien still remembered several of the patterns from the object that had been transferred through the Heavenly Spirit Merchant Association.

He returned the token to the young man.

“Fellow Daoist, how much did you pay for this?”

The young man seemed surprised.

“Ten mid-grade spirit stones.”

Hao Nhien nodded.

“I’m somewhat interested in the patterns.”

“If you’re willing to resell it, I’ll pay thirty mid-grade spirit stones.”

The young man froze.

That was exactly the same price the late-Foundation cultivator had just offered.

But this time, the person asking to buy it had not used his aura to threaten him.

Nor did Hao Nhien show any intention of forcing the transaction.

The young man looked at Hao Nhien.

Then at the token in his hand.

“You two just helped me.”

“How could I take that many spirit stones from you?”

Hao Nhien smiled.

“Helping you and buying the token are separate matters.”

“I want to buy it because I find the patterns interesting.”

“Not because you owe me anything.”

He paused.

“If you still want to keep it, then keep it.”

“I’m only asking.”

“I don’t need to buy it at any cost.”

The young man lowered his gaze toward the token.

After some time, he looked up again.

“If Young Master truly likes it, I’m willing to sell.”

Hao Nhien took out thirty mid-grade spirit stones, placed them into a small pouch, and handed it over.

The young man checked the spirit stones.

Then he gave the metal token to Hao Nhien.

He glanced at the object as it left his hand.

A trace of reluctance crossed his face.

But immediately afterward, he seemed almost relieved.

“Thank you, Young Master.”

“To be honest, after what just happened, I wasn’t sure I could safely keep it anyway.”

Hao Nhien looked at him.

“You bought it properly.”

“Would someone really dare openly rob you in the middle of Sea City?”

The young man smiled bitterly.

“Probably not in the middle of the market.”

“But I can’t stay here forever.”

“And that man may not truly give up just because he failed to buy it today.”

As he spoke, his gaze unconsciously shifted toward the far end of the street.

The late-Foundation cultivator from earlier had not gone far.

He stood some distance away, looking back toward the stall.

He was clearly still watching.

When the young man looked at him, he did not even bother hiding it.

He merely returned a cold stare before continuing his conversation with the person beside him.

The young man looked away and shook his head.

“I only thought the token looked interesting because it had been recovered from the sea.”

“It wasn’t something I absolutely needed to keep.”

“If carrying it home means watching my back the entire journey, then selling it is probably better.”

“And Young Master offered a very good price.”

“I don’t have much reason to regret it.”

He cupped his hands toward Hao Nhien and Lang Tuyet.

“Either way, I still need to thank both of you for helping me.”

“Otherwise, I might not have had the chance to decide for myself whether to keep or sell it.”

Hao Nhien looked toward the direction the young man had glanced.

Then slowly nodded.

He understood the choice.

For an early-Foundation cultivator without powerful backing, protecting an item in front of others did not necessarily mean being able to carry it safely out of the city.

Hao Nhien said nothing more.

He returned the greeting.

The young man did not remain long.

Soon he disappeared into the crowd.

Lang Tuyet watched him leave.

Then she turned toward Hao Nhien.

“You really bought the token only because the patterns looked interesting?”

Hao Nhien lowered his eyes toward the object in his hand.

His fingertip lightly traced the markings worn by seawater.

“At first, I only wanted to help him out of an uncomfortable situation.”

“But when I saw it up close, I remembered something I had seen before.”

Lang Tuyet raised an eyebrow.

“The metal fragment Chu Thanh transferred to the merchant association?”

“Mm.”

“The shapes are different.”

“But several patterns are arranged in a similar way.”

“I can’t say whether they’re actually related.”

“I only thought it was worth checking.”

Lang Tuyet looked at the token.

Her expression became more interested.

“You only glanced at the shipment during the transfer and still remembered details like that?”

“I noticed it from the moment Chu Thanh first took it out.”

“So I retained some impression.”

“But without placing the two side by side, there’s no way to say anything for certain.”

Lang Tuyet extended a hand.

“Then let me see it.”

“Maybe today you didn’t just help someone.”

“Maybe you also bought something worth far more than thirty mid-grade spirit stones.”

Hao Nhien handed it to her.

Lang Tuyet turned it over in her hands and examined the surviving lines.

After a while, she slowly nodded.

“The method used to make this doesn’t resemble the ordinary old goods being sold in this market.”

“But there’s nothing proving it was a spiritual artifact either.”

“If you suspect it’s connected to that shipment, we can return to the merchant association and compare them.”

Hao Nhien took back the token.

“I was thinking the same thing.”

Lang Tuyet smiled.

“Then today you spent thirty mid-grade spirit stones to buy yourself a question.”

Hao Nhien laughed.

“If there’s no connection in the end, I’ll treat it as a souvenir from Sea City.”

Lang Tuyet nodded.

“That works too.”

After leaving the stall, the three continued farther through the market.

Lang Tuyet bought several small items she thought were worth researching.

Hao Nhien selected only a few common aquatic spiritual plants so he could later study their growing conditions.

Lanh Hoa remained behind them.

He occasionally watched the passing crowd but did not involve himself in their purchases.

By the time the sky began darkening, the three finally returned to the merchant association’s courtyard.

The next day, Hao Nhien planned to visit the harbor and inspect the vessels used to cross the Sea Region.

At the same time, he wanted to learn what conditions a person with limited True Qi circulation would need to endure a long journey across the sea.

He still did not know what Southern Border would bring.

But on the very first day, he had already seen enough to make him want to continue looking.

And ahead of him, the Sea Region remained larger than anything he had ever imagined.