Chen Er Zhu asked curiously, "Senior Brother Hao, you were in such a hurry to find me, is there something important?"
"I heard you took on the mission to guard Wanghu Village?"
"Yes, this mission is quite simple. I just have to stay in Wanghu Village, and I can do whatever I want with the rest of my time. It's perfect for Cultivation."
"Actually, since you've already taken this mission, there's not much point in me saying all this, but if I don't tell you, I won't feel right. This Wanghu Village mission is simple, yet it's also dangerous."
"Dangerous? Isn't it just guarding Wanghu Village for half a year? What's dangerous about that?"
"Chen Shidi (Junior Apprentice-brother Chen), you don't know. I heard that three Disciples who guarded Wanghu Village went missing one after another. There was no trace of them, neither alive nor dead. Even a Golden Core True Person Immortal Master from the Sect went to investigate, but returned without success."
"What? Three Disciples went missing? The mission didn't say anything about this, and the Elder at the Mission Hall didn't tell me about these things when I accepted the mission."
"The missing ones were all Lianqi (Qi Condensation) Level 3 Outer Sect Disciples. They had no backing and no connections. If it weren't for three disappearing one after another, the Sect might not have even paid attention.
The investigation yielded no results, so the Sect didn't take it seriously. However, within a thousand-li radius, everything is under the jurisdiction of the Lingding Immortal Sect. The Sect needs these Mortal towns and villages to recruit Disciples, and villages like Wanghu Village must have a Sect Disciple guarding them.
So the Sect deliberately concealed these matters. If I hadn't been in the Sect for a long time and had extensive connections, hearing many bits of gossip, I might not have known about this."
Originally, Chen Er Zhu thought this mission was completely safe, and he would have plenty of time to Cultivate.
He didn't expect that this seemingly simple and safe mission actually contained hidden dangers.
However, he had already accepted the mission and even received half of the mission reward. Six months of his monthly stipend were already in his pocket, so regretting it now was certainly not an option.
"Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother Hao. I've already accepted the mission, and it's too late to regret it. I'll just be careful when I go to Wanghu Village. After all, it's only for six months." Chen Er Zhu thought for a moment, then smiled and said to Hao Lei.
The reason Hao Lei hesitated whether to tell Chen Er Zhu about this was because he knew Chen Er Zhu had already accepted the mission, and even if he told him, he couldn't withdraw from it.
"Senior Brother Chen, since you can take this mission, it means you've already reached the Lianqi (Qi Condensation) Level 3 Realm, right?"
"Yes, I just advanced to Lianqi (Qi Condensation) Level 3 today."
Although he already knew Chen Er Zhu was a genuine Lianqi (Qi Condensation) Level 3 Cultivator, upon hearing Chen Er Zhu's personal confirmation, Hao Lei still looked at Chen Er Zhu with envy.
Hao Lei had been a handyman on Purple Cloud Peak for almost ten years. He had seen many Disciples with Five Elements Spiritual Roots, but Chen Er Zhu was the fastest he had ever seen, from successfully drawing Qi into his body to advancing to the Lianqi (Qi Condensation) Level 3 Realm.
Let alone a mere three months, some Five Elements Spiritual Root Cultivators might not even advance to Lianqi (Qi Condensation) Level 3 after three years of Cultivation.
"Since you've advanced to Lianqi (Qi Condensation) Level 3 and accepted the mission to guard Wanghu Village, the Sect must have issued you six months of monthly stipend Spirit Stones, right?
With these Spirit Stones, plus the mission reward, I suggest you purchase a defensive Magical Artifact. Although the Spirit Stones you have can only buy a Low Grade defensive Magical Artifact, it's completely sufficient for you right now."
Chen Er Zhu had long heard of Magical Artifacts and Talismans, these exclusive items for Cultivators, but due to his low Realm and lack of funds.
He had only heard of items like Magical Artifacts and Talismans and had never actually seen them.
After Hao Lei's reminder, Chen Er Zhu quickly asked, "Senior Brother Hao, where can I buy Magical Artifacts?"
"Our Lingding Immortal Sect's Treasure Item Pavilion specializes in selling Magic Treasures, but the prices are quite expensive, so I don't recommend it. If you want to buy one, I recommend you go to the Outer Market not far from the foot of Lingding Immortal Sect mountain.
That's a place specifically for Outer Sect Disciples and some Loose Cultivators to trade. The Outer Market not only has a complete range of goods, but the prices are also very fair.
However, the drawback is that you need to have a good eye, because if you misjudge or are tricked, you'll end up buying worthless goods at a high price.
But you don't have to worry too much. The Treasure Item Pavilion has a presence in the Outer Market, and the Treasure Item Pavilion has an excellent reputation; you definitely get what you pay for."
"I've heard of the Outer Market, but I've never been there. Where exactly is the Outer Market located?"
"This is a map to the Outer Market. If you follow this map, you'll definitely find the Outer Market."
The map was extremely simple, but the roads and directions were clearly marked, and Chen Er Zhu understood it at a glance.
After parting ways with Hao Lei, Chen Er Zhu first found a place to use the copper mirror to replicate twenty-one Supreme Quality Qi Gathering Pills from the twenty-one Low Grade Gathering Qi Pills he had on him.
Chen Er Zhu did want to replicate Top-Grade Spirit Stones.
However, for a low-level Cultivator at Lianqi (Qi Condensation) Level 3, possessing Supreme Quality Qi Gathering Pills was already quite incredible. If people knew he had Top-Grade Spirit Stones.
This could very likely cost him his life.
The reason the bandits from Tiger Head Stronghold plundered and burned Wangjia Village.
It was because the wealthiest man in Wangjia Village, on the night of his sixtieth birthday, got drunk and leaked that his family had a priceless heirloom treasure.
After this matter was known to the bandits from Tiger Head Stronghold.
To seize the treasure from the wealthiest man in Wangjia Village, these bandits from Tiger Head Stronghold ransacked his family and implicated the other villagers of Wangjia Village.
A mere Mortal treasure caused the death of the entire family of Wangjia Village's wealthiest man.
If people knew he actually possessed Top-Grade Spirit Stones, let alone Foundation Establishment Cultivators, even Golden Core True Person Immortal Masters, and perhaps even Nascent Soul True Lords, would be alarmed.
Following the map Hao Lei gave him.
Chen Er Zhu quickly arrived at the Outer Market at the foot of Lingding Immortal Sect mountain.
The Outer Market, as the name suggests, is a market that provides free trading for Outer Sect Disciples of Lingding Immortal Sect.
Lingding Immortal Sect also has an Inner Market.
The Inner Market is a place for Inner Sect Disciples, Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and Golden Core True Person Immortal Masters of Lingding Immortal Sect to trade freely. With Chen Er Zhu's current Realm, he was not yet qualified to go to the Inner Market.
Because he had heard of the Outer Market before.
So upon arriving at the Outer Market and seeing the streets, which resembled the bustling market streets in their town, Chen Er Zhu was not surprised.
The ground of the Outer Market streets was paved with bluestone, and the pavilions on both sides had lanterns hanging with different characters. Although the surroundings were noisy, the pedestrians were orderly, appearing busy but not chaotic.
Inside the market, there were shouts of vendors everywhere. There were those selling Gathering Qi Pills, those selling spiritual blood, and those selling Talismans.
Not only that, but items like Spirit Beasts, Puppets, and Magical Artifacts were visible everywhere along the streets.
"Xiao Xiongdi, do you want Medium Grade Gathering Qi Pills? Two Low-Grade Spirit Stones a bottle. I also have Qi Supplementing Pills, only one Low-Grade Spirit Stone for a bottle." A Slovenly Old Daoist, seeing Chen Er Zhu, quickly began to hawk his wares to him.
"Do you have Low Grade Gathering Qi Pills?"
For Chen Er Zhu, only buying Low Grade Gathering Qi Pills was the most cost-effective, because Low Grade Gathering Qi Pills were cheap, and he could replicate Supreme Quality Qi Gathering Pills with the copper mirror.
Buying Medium Grade or High Grade Gathering Qi Pills would be a complete waste of Spirit Stones.
The Slovenly Old Daoist froze when he heard Chen Er Zhu's words.
All the Cultivators he encountered either bought Medium Grade Gathering Qi Pills or High Grade Gathering Qi Pills, and a small number of Cultivators would even ask for Supreme Quality Qi Gathering Pills.
This was the first time he had seen someone like Chen Er Zhu, who wanted to buy Low Grade Gathering Qi Pills.