Seventeen Foundation Establishment Cultivators on site all focused their gazes on Li Mu.
"I intend to exchange these three top-grade Spiritual Artifacts for some rather special items. I'm not lacking in Cultivation resources for now. I prefer collecting rare ancient artifacts, such as Spiritual Plant seeds, special Cultivation Techniques, high-grade Spiritual Materials, and lightning-attribute Materials. Things like that amber jade are quite good. If any of you have such items, you can show them to me. Perhaps you can exchange for a third-tier Spiritual Artifact first. If there's nothing that satisfies me, then I'll sell them for 5,000 medium spirit stones each," Li Mu explained, scanning the seventeen Foundation Establishment Cultivators present.
Upon hearing this, the seventeen Foundation Establishment Cultivators on site were all momentarily stunned, then quickly understood.
Master Li did not seem old, but his Artifact Refining skills were outstanding. He was a Guest Elder of Wanbao Pavilion, and casually refining a Spiritual Artifact could earn him more Spirit Stones than others could earn in several years, or even a lifetime.
With Wanbao Pavilion backing Master Li, he had as many ordinary Cultivation resources as he desired, so it was understandable that he enjoyed pursuing rare ancient artifacts.
Several Foundation Establishment Cultivators looked at Daoist Ling with envy. Daoist Ling had good fortune, having invited 'Master Li,' and a discarded artifact was sold at a high price due to 'Master Li's' special preference.
"Alright! The trade begins now, Daoist Friend Lin, it's your turn. You can take out any Spiritual Items you have to trade with me," Li Mu said, gesturing to the black-robed Cultivator seated to his left.
The black-robed Cultivator nodded, his Divine Sense probing into his Storage Pouch. He frowned and rummaged for a while, and then, with a 'whoosh, whoosh,' old Spiritual Items appeared out of thin air on the round table. In a blink of an eye, dozens of strange-shaped Spiritual Items appeared before the black-robed Cultivator.
"Master Li, these are my treasures. What do you think of this Heart-Shaking Thunder? And this Heavenly Spirit Divination Mirror is also a unique item; it has the ability to warn of danger... In addition, please look at this Millennium Ancient Clam Shell. Whenever it rains, it has the ability to gather water Spirit Qi, which is very magical..." The black-robed Cultivator introduced his collection of rare ancient artifacts to Li Mu one by one, eloquently describing their magical properties.
However, what the black-robed Cultivator didn't know was that when he took out the Spiritual Items and displayed them in front of Li Mu, their true information had already fallen into Li Mu's eyes.
What Heart-Shaking Thunder? It was just a disposable Spiritual Artifact refined from fire-thunder stone. However, this did give Li Mu some inspiration. Besides refining durable Spiritual Artifacts, he could also refine disposable Spiritual Artifacts, or Spiritual Artifacts for daily life.
As for the Heavenly Spirit Divination Mirror, it was merely an ordinary first-tier Spiritual Artifact with only some investigative functions, not as magical as the other party claimed.
The Millennium Ancient Clam Shell was also not a rare item; it was the shell of a second-tier Water Essence Spirit Clam. When it rained, the water Spirit Qi was abundant, and water Spirit Qi would automatically gather inside, creating a strange phenomenon, nothing unusual.
... ...
Dozens of Spiritual Items were examined, all quite ordinary, none catching Li Mu's eye.
"Daoist Friend Lin, is that all?" Li Mu asked, looking at the black-robed Cultivator with disappointment.
The black-robed Cultivator immediately became anxious. None of his treasured items had caught Master Li's eye, yet he very much wanted to obtain the Gengjin Sword.
"Master Li, if you don't like these Spiritual Items, I am willing to pay Spirit Stones for the Gengjin Sword," the black-robed Cultivator said, looking at Li Mu and proposing strongly.
"I am not short of Spirit Stones. We can discuss purchasing with Spirit Stones later. Next Fellow Daoist, please," Li Mu said with an embarrassed smile, looking at the burly Cultivator with a full beard seated to the left of the black-robed Cultivator.
"Master Li, look at mine!" The burly Cultivator joyfully pulled out a pile of items from his Storage Pouch. There were Ores, Spiritual Plant seeds, beast skin maps, Yao Beast bones, and so on, a large pile of messy items, laid out on the round table, occupying a large area and emitting a foul smell.
Several Foundation Establishment female Cultivators on site frowned in disgust. Some of the pitch-black items in that pile made them uncomfortable.
However, Li Mu's eyes lit up when he saw the Spiritual Items the burly Cultivator took out, discovering a good item.
"Brother Chen, how long has it been since you tidied your Storage Pouch! You've ruined good things!" Bai Ling Xianzi said with a laugh, teasing him.
"Hehe, most of these are spoils from hunting Yao Beasts. Some of them I don't even know the origin of. Master Li, please see if there are any Spiritual Items you need," the burly Cultivator chuckled foolishly, looking at Li Mu and asking with concern.
"Daoist Friend Chen, you're quite lucky. You actually picked up a lump of rank 4 - soil breath black earth. I want this lump of soil breath black earth, and these few Spiritual Plant seeds. Which Spiritual Artifact do you want to exchange for? Feel free to choose," Li Mu said, sweeping his Divine Sense, extracting a black, oily, gelatinous lump of spiritual soil and a dozen different types of Spiritual Plant seeds from the pile, looking at the burly Cultivator with delight and asking.
Upon hearing this, all the Foundation Establishment Cultivators present were shocked, not expecting a third-tier top-grade Spiritual Artifact to be traded away so easily.
Rank 4 - soil breath black earth? What kind of luck did that fool Chen have to possess such a Spiritual Item?
"Thank you, Master Li. I want to exchange for that Kui Vine Spirit Whip," the burly Cultivator's spirits lifted, and he said eagerly, looking at the three Spiritual Artifacts in front of Li Mu.
Li Mu nodded, picked up the Kui Vine Spirit Whip, and was about to toss it to him. Besides the rank 4 - soil breath black earth, he also found a good spiritual seed among the dozen or so Spiritual Plant seeds.
Just then, someone anxiously spoke up to stop him: "Master Li, you haven't even looked at my Spiritual Items yet, how can you make such a hasty decision!"
Following the sound, a disheveled old Daoist was seen clattering a pile of Spiritual Items onto the trading round table.
The disheveled old Daoist's actions immediately caused a man and a woman Cultivator to follow suit, eagerly taking out their treasured Spiritual Items from their Storage Pouches and placing them on the round table for Li Mu to choose from.
Seeing this, the other Foundation Establishment Cultivators silently followed suit, taking out the Spiritual Items they had prepared for trade, their own treasured Spiritual Items, and placing them on the round table. For a time, the trading round table was filled with all kinds of Spiritual Items, pile after pile, a truly spectacular sight.
Li Mu frowned, feeling dazzled. For a moment, he couldn't sift out high-grade Spiritual Items from so many things.
However, Li Mu was not greedy. He tossed the wood-attribute Spirit Whip to the burly Cultivator and explained to the others, "I'm sorry, I've taken a liking to Daoist Friend Chen's items. This trade is concluded."
"Thank you, Master Li, thank you, Master Li!" The burly Cultivator took the wood-attribute Spirit Whip and thanked Li Mu profusely with joy.
"Master Li, please look at my Spiritual Items, are there any you like!"
"Yes, yes, and mine! I want to exchange for a Gengjin Sword. If there are no Spiritual Items that Master Li fancies, I can buy it with Spirit Stones!"
"That's right! Master Li, I hope you compare goods from multiple sources and don't make a hasty decision."
... ...
Seeing Li Mu and the burly Cultivator complete the trade, the Foundation Establishment Cultivators on site all grew anxious. To exchange a useless 'junk' item and a dozen Spiritual Plant seeds for a third-tier top-grade Spiritual Artifact was a stroke of luck they also yearned to encounter. Some were even more eager, expressing their desire to purchase directly with Spirit Stones.
"Everyone, please calm down and give me some time to choose," Li Mu replied helplessly.
Afterward, Li Mu carefully selected from the Spiritual Items on the table, occasionally using his Divine Sense to manipulate objects, picking and choosing from them.
Now, the Foundation Establishment Cultivators were like people waiting for a lottery draw, staring at Master Li's every move, waiting for him to announce the 'lottery results.'
At this point, the Foundation Establishment Cultivators also realized that Master Li, besides being proficient in Artifact Refining, was also a master at discerning Spiritual Items.
"I've taken a liking to Daoist Friend Xiao's spiritual tablet, as well as these twenty-odd Spiritual Plant seeds, plus this third-tier purple-gold bamboo, in exchange for a Spiritual Artifact. Daoist Friend Xiao, are you willing?" Li Mu asked, taking out a few items from the Spiritual Items in front of Xiao Hongyao and looking at her.
"Uh! Master Li, may I be so bold as to ask, what is this spiritual tablet? Hongyao obtained this item by chance a long time ago, but she doesn't know its function," Xiao Hongyao did not answer directly but looked at Li Mu and asked with embarrassment.
Li Mu gave Xiao Hongyao a meaningful glance, noticed the gazes of the Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and said with a smile, "This is a Formation plate, which can be used to assist in setting up Formations."
After speaking, Li Mu drew the Formation plate to himself, and then, casually unleashed a burst of spiritual power. The spiritual tablet absorbed this spiritual power and immediately burst with spiritual light, releasing a powerful Formation force. The vision of the Foundation Establishment Cultivators changed, and they appeared in a forest.
Subsequently, Li Mu dispelled the illusion Formation, and the vision of the Foundation Establishment Cultivators immediately returned to clarity.
The Foundation Establishment Cultivators then reacted, looking at Li Mu with vigilance. In that brief moment, they had all fallen for it and had no time to react. If Master Li had attacked them...
The expressions of the Foundation Establishment Cultivators became serious, and they grew even more reverent towards 'Master Li.'
Xiao Hongyao's eyes glowed as she looked at the spiritual tablet in Li Mu's hand, also sensing its powerful might.
As if sensing something, Li Mu smiled, retreating to advance, and reminded, "This plate can only exert its power in the hands of a Formation Master. If Daoist Friend Xiao is unwilling to exchange, then let's call off the trade!"
After hearing Li Mu's introduction, Xiao Hongyao frowned, and the smile on her face immediately vanished. She looked at the third-tier top-grade Fire Flame Essence Wheel on the table with reluctance, caught between a dilemma. Master Li was too cunning and hadn't revealed all the information about the Formation plate. However, she didn't know the true value of that spiritual tablet.
However, a Spiritual Item that can be associated with a Formation Master is certainly valuable.
"Master Li, look at mine, do you have any Spiritual Items you want? If not, I'll buy it with Spirit Stones," just then, a bare-armed male Cultivator grew impatient and asked eagerly.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Hongyao immediately grew anxious and decided without thinking, "Exchange! Master Li, I'll exchange with you."
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Xiao Hongyao made a decisive choice.
Upon hearing this, the bare-armed male Cultivator immediately became anxious. How could this woman change her mind at the last minute?
"Good! The Fire Flame Essence Wheel belongs to Daoist Friend Xiao!" Li Mu said with a smile, taking the selected Spiritual Items and handing the Fire Flame Essence Wheel to Xiao Hongyao.
"Thank you, Master Li!" After receiving the Fire Flame Essence Wheel, Xiao Hongyao immediately cast a spell to refine it.
Li Mu's gaze lingered on the Spiritual Items in front of several Sword Cultivators, hesitating about something.
After a while, Li Mu's Divine Sense extracted a black scorched wood, two silver Ores, and a Jade Slip from the Spiritual Items in front of a white-robed Sword Cultivator: "Daoist Friend Ning, would you be willing to exchange these Spiritual Items for the Gengjin Sword?"
"Exchange!" The white-robed Sword Cultivator did not hesitate and nodded decisively.
Li Mu smiled and nodded, taking the few Spiritual Items and then 'controlling' the Gengjin Sword to the other party.
Watching the three third-tier top-grade Spiritual Artifacts complete their trades, the other Foundation Establishment Cultivators on site looked dejected and quickly put away the Spiritual Items on the table.
"Alright, Master Li's trade has concluded smoothly. Next, it's Daoist Friend Bai Ling's turn to trade!" Daoist Ling breathed a sigh of relief and gestured to Bai Ling Xianzi.
"Okay, I have several bottles of Spirit Pills here, specifically third-tier huantian pills and third-tier Clear Jade Pills, with five pills in each bottle. One huantian pill can save three years of hard Cultivation, and the Clear Soul Pill has the effect of strengthening Divine Sense..." Bai Ling Xianzi introduced the Spirit Pills she had brought out in a continuous stream.
... ...
The Foundation Establishment trade fair was still ongoing, but Li Mu had already gained the essence of this trade fair, picking up several bargains. He did not make any more moves, patiently waiting for the trade fair to end.
About an hour passed.
The trade fair ended, and Li Mu left the Daoist temple under the enthusiastic farewells of the Foundation Establishment Cultivators.
"Fellow Daoists, there's no need to see me off further! If you need Spiritual Artifacts refined, you can make a reservation with Manager Wang at Wanbao Pavilion then," Li Mu said with a continuous smile and gesture.
"Alas, Master Li isn't treating us as friends! I'd rather be able to reserve Artifact Refining directly with Master Li."
"Master Li, to be honest, reserving Spiritual Artifacts with 'Manager Wang' means we'll at least be fleeced three more layers of our blood. We hope Master Li will give us a chance."
"That's right! That's right!"
... ...
The Foundation Establishment Cultivators pleaded eagerly, their faces etched with troubled smiles.
"Uh! That will have to wait until two months later. I'll be leaving for a while. You can come directly to Wanbao Pavilion to find me then!" Li Mu replied helplessly.
After speaking, under the escort of Wanbao Pavilion's Foundation Establishment Guard - Hu Yong, Li Mu boarded the spiritual boat, and his figure disappeared into the sky in a blink of an eye.
About half an hour later, the spiritual boat swayed and landed.
"Master Li, do you really not need me to escort you to your destination?" Wanbao Pavilion's Foundation Establishment Guard - Hu Yong asked with a puzzled expression.
"No need! It's inconvenient for you to follow me to where I'm going. Did Manager Wang instruct you to do something? Just tell him it's my decision," Li Mu stated bluntly.
"Alright! Master Li, please be sure to pay attention to your safety!" Wanbao Pavilion's Foundation Establishment Guard - Hu Yong nodded and reminded him solemnly.
"I will, you can go!" Li Mu smiled and nodded, watching him leave.
Wanbao Pavilion's Foundation Establishment Guard - Hu Yong nodded, piloted the spiritual boat, and flew away from the spot.
Watching the spiritual boat disappear into the sky, Li Mu breathed a sigh of relief. He swept his Divine Sense around several times, and after confirming no one was present, he immediately took off his Linglong Mask, changed into the Qingxuan Sect Outer Sect Disciple robes, and then, rode his sword, heading towards Qingshui Town.
Three hours later, Li Mu flew directly into Green Dragon Valley, inspected the hundred acres of spiritual fields, and cast several Qingfeng Huanyu Techniques, watering the Wind Spirit Grass, White Jade Spirit Rice, and Emerald Spirit Fruits with spiritual rain.
"Woof woof!" Crimson Wolf heard the commotion outside the house and barked excitedly, running out of the stone house in the rain.
"Woo woo woo..." Running to Li Mu's front, Crimson Wolf whimpered aggrievedly, complaining to its master about the sadness of being left alone for the past few days.
"Come on, let's go back inside, I'll make you something delicious!" Li Mu patted Crimson Wolf's head to comfort him.
Upon hearing this, Crimson Wolf immediately stopped whimpering and trotted behind Li Mu.
Returning to the stone house, Li Mu started a fire to cook while also beginning to tally the gains from this trade.