Chapter 12: Treasure Hunting in the Market

Hansu did not seek out the heroine for a meeting, and her friends had told her that lately, most of those high-level Qi Refining cultivators had gone into seclusion. She cautiously asked Aunt Chrysanthemum, worried that failing to complete her task might lead to her being sent away. Fortunately, Aunt Chrysanthemum assured her that this time it was fine; there were no current assignments. The elder had spent much energy recently and would also be entering seclusion soon. All matters would be postponed until after the sect’s grand competition. Only then did Hansu breathe a sigh of relief—having just advanced her cultivation, she felt no pressure for the moment and, being naturally lazy, had no desire to cultivate further. Her parents were still in seclusion, the peak was quiet and deserted, and with nothing else to occupy her, she accepted Senior Brother Bing’s invitation and arranged for her small group to stroll around the market together.

Unfortunately, Qiqi and Lu Ming were both shaken by the fact that Hansu had reached the fourth level of Qi Refining, and so they each returned home to cultivate. Thus, only Bai Ke and two inner sect senior brothers and sisters accompanied her on this outing.

On the appointed day, Hansu rose early and rode her little white lotus artifact to Hongling Valley. The market was nestled in the winding valley between the outer nine peaks and the inner seven peaks. As soon as she stepped into the agreed-upon eatery, she found the other three already waiting. Once all four had gathered, they began exchanging information.

“Sister Hansu, what do you want to buy?” asked the gentle Sister Tao Xinmian.

“I’d like to buy something tasty, and then see if there’s anything interesting,” Hansu replied. The others were speechless, but knowing her family background, they understood that she had plenty of magical artifacts and spirit pills prepared for her, and truly lacked for nothing. Any rare treasures or exotic herbs were unlikely to be purchased by a child anyway. She was probably here just for curiosity, having nothing better to do.

After a brief exchange, Sister Tao Xinmian revealed she hoped to buy a magic robe. A junior sister had received one as a gift from another outer sect senior, made primarily of exotic silkworm threads—exceptionally beautiful and with high defensive properties. Tao Xinmian wanted to see if she could find a good robe, or perhaps purchase some exotic silkworm threads to have one crafted. Bai Ke, the bookworm, sought rare books or jade slips to add to his collection. Senior Brother Zhu Shaoyi from Spirit Sword Peak was interested in rare materials to forge his natal flying sword. Hansu, eager simply to wander and broaden her horizons, suggested they split up. The others were hesitant, but seeing the bright identification jade token hanging from her clothes, they merely advised her to avoid remote areas and let her go.

Markets were always places where protagonists in novels acquired heaven-defying treasures—often from inconspicuous stalls or unremarkable objects. Hansu’s purpose this time was precisely to seek such opportunities. She remembered that in the novel, Lu Tan Immortal had found a small, insignificant stone devoid of spiritual energy at the stall of a masked, disheveled cultivator. That stone turned out to be Jade Gold Crystal, which could perfect her spatial abilities and upgrade them. Hansu had no intention of snatching others’ fortunes, but the book did reveal that the cultivator was actually a sect ancestor at the Nascent Soul stage, who, unable to ascend and nearing the end of his life, concealed his identity and set up a humble stall in the sect market, benefiting those with fate. The stall offered treasures rare and unknown in the Luoxing Realm. Hansu wanted to see for herself and perhaps find something nice for her parents.

She wandered through the streets, filling her storage bracelet with spirit fruits and wines. She visited every strange and quirky stall, thinking—according to novel logic—there was always the possibility of a good item hidden among the junk. But none caught her eye: stones with no spiritual energy, unfamiliar herbs on the verge of wilting, oddly shaped fragments of magical artifacts—she saw many of these, but none stirred her heart. She firmly believed in fate; if she saw something she desperately wanted, she would buy it. If her heart remained unmoved, no matter how much money she had, she would not buy it. Perhaps it was someone else’s destiny. To hoard things with no use was a waste of resources and would bring heavenly retribution.

Thus, after traversing most of the market, she had not bought a single useful item. But as she walked, she suddenly spotted a small stall that seemed to match the description of the Nascent Soul cultivator from the book. Hansu’s eyes brightened. She took a fruit she’d just purchased from her storage bracelet and was about to approach, when suddenly someone blocked her path.