Druid Fairy

Chapter 118 Easily Solved (Third Update, Seeking Monthly Tickets)

Following the method from Su Meiniang's memory, Li Pingcan knocked on the tombstone three times long and two times short in a specific rhythm.

"Squeak!"

With a soft sound, the tombstone slowly moved to one side, revealing a dark opening just wide enough for one person to pass through.

A murky smell, a mixture of earthy and bloody odors, wafted from the cave entrance.

He frowned slightly, and without making a sound, he spread out the fungal carpet. With a hum, the air trembled slightly, but the drifting spores were completely blocked by the invisible membrane.

"There are array formations and restrictions here?"

Left with no other option, they had to walk in.

Inside the cave, a hidden world unfolds. A staircase paved with bluestone winds its way down, and every few steps on the walls on both sides, a luminous stone emitting a faint green glow is embedded, casting shadows over the entire underground space.

This so-called "ghost market" was even more rudimentary than he had imagined.

It was just an enlarged natural cave, with a dozen or so stalls scattered around. Most of the stall owners, like him, covered their faces with black robes or straw hats, exuding a cold aura that kept strangers at bay.

As soon as Li Pingcan sensed the animal affinity, he felt a sense of unease. He clearly felt that almost everyone around him was surrounded by an intense, overwhelming malice, greed, and vigilance.

The feeling was like falling into a den of venomous snakes, each one flicking its tongue, plotting how to swallow its own kind whole.

Li Pingcan clicked his tongue inwardly; it certainly matched his stereotype of rogue cultivators.

He suppressed his discomfort and began to wander around the various stalls.

Although this ghost market is small, it sells a wide variety of things, most of which are "contraband" items that cannot be brought to light.

There were magical artifacts of unknown origin, potent but extremely toxic evil pills, incomplete jade slips containing cultivation techniques, and even several cages with signs that read "Fresh furnace, price negotiable," inside which were several young men and women with numb eyes and trembling.

Li Pingcan's gaze swept over them, his eyes somewhat cold.

He arrived at a stall that specialized in selling elixirs. The stall owner was a thin old man with a goatee and a pair of triangular eyes that darted around, revealing a shrewd and cunning nature.

"Fellow Daoist, what would you like to buy?" the old man asked.

"How much is the Spirit Nourishing Pill?" Li Pingcan asked in a low, hoarse voice.

"Ten low-grade spirit stones per bottle, ten bottles per bottle, no bargaining."

"So expensive?" Li Pingcan's heart skipped a beat. The Spirit Nourishing Pills he had seized from the Holy Lord were of even higher quality.

"Fellow Daoist, this is a genuine product from a legitimate sect, with pure medicinal properties and no deception. If you think it's too expensive, you can always go look elsewhere." The old man waved his hand impatiently.

Li Pingcan knew the other party was telling the truth; the ghost market was all about scarcity driving up prices. Suppressing his reluctance, he asked, "How much in mid-grade spirit stones?"

"One hundred for one." The old man finally looked up at him. "One hundred high-grade spirit stones for one mid-grade spirit stone. But judging from your poor appearance, you probably don't have any."

Li Pingcan was indignant. "They even want to kick me while I'm down. These rogue cultivators are truly despicable."

Forget it, he's a magnanimous man and won't stoop to the level of this rogue cultivator. If he really smashed up this black market, there would be nowhere to buy Spirit Nourishing Pills and Qi Recovery Pills in the future.

With a try-it-and-see attitude, he asked, "Do you accept spirit crystals?"

"Spirit crystals?" The old man scoffed as if he'd heard a joke. "That stuff is only used by the lowest level Qi Refining cultivators. Even dogs wouldn't want it! If you don't have spirit stones, don't waste my time doing business!"

Li Pingcan was rebuffed, but he secretly noted it down. It seems that the currency system in the cultivation world is quite hierarchical.

He stopped wasting words, suppressed his heartache, took out four mid-grade spirit stones, and exchanged them for forty bottles of Spirit Nourishing Pills.

Four hundred low-grade spirit stones gone just like that. Use the pills sparingly; even with the Divine Berry Technique, they'll only last for two months.

It feels like I'm being ripped out of my flesh. I suddenly miss the days when I used to treat the Holy Lord's pills like candy.

After buying the pills, he wandered around other stalls, hoping to find a great bargain, just like in the storybooks.

Surprisingly, he actually discovered something.

In the corner of a stall selling all sorts of strange and unusual materials, he saw a shriveled, dark seed, about the size of a thumb, that looked quite unremarkable.

The stall owner, a burly man with a mask on, saw him staring at the seed and said in a deep voice, "Fellow Daoist has a good eye. This is a seed I obtained from an ancient cave. It must be some kind of rare and precious herb. One price: one mid-grade spirit stone!"

Li Pingcan sneered inwardly; this big man was bragging without even thinking.

But as a druid, he could clearly sense that this seemingly lifeless seed contained a faint yet incredibly pure trace of life and spiritual energy.

He remained calm and pretended to scoff, "What ancient seed? I think it's just a dead seed that's been sitting for hundreds of years. Whether it can even sprout is another question. Ten low-grade spirit stones, take it or leave it."

"Hey! How dare you talk like that?" the burly man said, getting impatient. "Fifty yuan!"

"Five dollars!"

After some haggling, Li Pingcan finally acquired the seed for the "high price" of eight low-grade spirit stones.

He was secretly delighted and planned to plant it next to the mulberry tree when he got back to see what treasures it would grow.

Just as I was about to leave, feeling satisfied, I noticed a commotion in the crowd ahead.

"Look! There's a top-grade Tier 1 magic weapon!"

"What? A magical artifact! And a top-grade one at that?! Really?!"

Li Pingcan also became interested. This was the second magic weapon he had seen besides the "Dynasty Magic Weapon" in Liang Xianguan's hands!
The flying sword was entirely crimson, with patterns resembling magma flowing across its blade, radiating a scorching and sharp aura.

"A first-tier, high-grade magic weapon, the 'Crimson Flame Sword'." The stall owner, a taciturn man in black, looked at the excited crowd and said succinctly, "One high-grade spirit stone."

Lee Pyeongchan's lips twitched, and he silently turned away.

Can’t afford it, goodbye.

It's surprising that the Holy Lord has so little "cash." He originally thought that a thousand low-grade spirit stones would be a "huge sum," but it turns out he can't afford anything.

That makes sense. The Holy Lord was ready to flee at any moment, so keeping the spirit stones as inanimate objects was pointless unless he converted them into resources to improve his combat power. Therefore, Li Pingcan obtained a considerable amount of pills and spiritual wealth, but not many spirit stones.

However, not being able to afford to buy doesn't mean you can't sell something to recoup some losses.

The black, mid-grade, first-tier magic robe found in the storage bag was made of a special material, impervious to blades and spears, and possessed three practical formations combining offense and defense: "Wind Transformation," "Shield," and "Golden Blade." However, for some reason, it could affect a person's mind, making it uncomfortable to wear and taking up space. It would be better to sell it and exchange it for some spirit stones.

He arrived at a stall that specialized in buying old magical artifacts. The stall owner was a rather shrewd-looking fat man.

Li Pingcan took out the black robe and said, "Fellow Daoist, take a look at this item."

The fat man took the robe, examined it carefully for a moment, and a barely perceptible glint flashed in his eyes. "Hmm, the material is not bad, it's the rare 'Bewitching Silkworm Silk'. It's a pity that this robe is tainted with evil energy, and judging from the wear and tear, it's a second-hand item. If you're willing to part with it, I'll offer ten mid-grade spirit stones."

"Ten?" Li Pingcan laughed in exasperation. His main domain was quick at gathering information, and after observing for a long time, he had a basic understanding of it. "Fellow Daoist, do you think I don't know what's good for me? This 'Bewitching Silkworm Silk' itself has the miraculous effect of calming the mind and resisting illusions. Moreover, the array patterns on it are still intact. Without forty mid-grade spirit stones, forget it!"

"Forty pieces? Fellow Daoist, this is robbery!" the fat man exclaimed. "This robe is filled with evil energy; purifying it will be time-consuming and laborious, and there's even a risk of loss. Fifteen pieces at most!"

"You can sell them to demonic cultivators for thirty. I'll leave if you take even one less!"

"Twenty! Twenty mid-grade spirit stones! That's the highest price I can offer! Fellow Daoist, your robe is of dubious origin; selling it to me is the safest option!"

In the end, Li Pingcan sold the black robe for twenty mid-grade spirit stones.

Although it didn't meet my expectations, I still made a small profit.

He carefully put away the spirit stones, then turned and left this place of trouble without lingering any longer.

The moment he stepped out of the ghost market and into the night, a feeling of being watched crept into his heart.

Not far behind him, two furtive figures were slowly lurking behind him, taking advantage of the darkness and the cave's cover.

"They are so hospitable! I just came out to spend money, and people are already rushing to give me 'gifts' in return. Their simple and honest folk customs are truly touching."

Even a wild beast that wants to eat you will at least roar first, giving you a warning. These people, however, don't say a word, just think about stabbing you in the back and robbing you for profit.

He sighed softly, but his steps remained steady. His otherwise ordinary face, altered by the "Tendon and Bone Transformation" technique, showed no emotion whatsoever. The [Fungus Master Domain] silently unfolded. The every movement of the two tails behind him was clearer than the lines on his palm in the 4D panoramic map forming in his mind.

A cool breeze swept through the mountains, swirling up a few withered leaves and making a rustling sound.

One is tall and the other is short; one is fat and the other is thin.

Both were at the mid-stage of Qi Refining. The fatter one, slightly more advanced, was around the fifth level of Qi Refining and was currently displaying a greedy expression, making no attempt to conceal his intentions. The thinner one, at the fourth level of Qi Refining, appeared more cautious, seemingly trying several times to dissuade his companion, but was impatiently glared at each time by the fat man.

"Greed is the original sin, and mindless greed is a path to death." Li Pingcan sighed inwardly, but then turned a corner and entered a deserted beast trail belonging to a large wild animal.

He was creating an opportunity for the other party while also saving himself trouble.

At the end of the animal path was a huge rock covered in moss, with no further way forward. Li Pingcan stopped, turned around leisurely, and quietly waited for the arrival of the "guest".

"Ta Tata..."

Heavy footsteps approached from afar, and the fat and thin duo blocked the beast path, their faces contorted in a sinister grin.

"Kid, you've got a knack for picking locations, huh? Are you trying to find a lucky spot for yourself?"

The fat cultivator crossed his arms, his triangular eyes gleaming with a cat-and-mouse-like light. He unleashed the full pressure of a fifth-level Qi Refining cultivator, attempting to completely crush Li Pingcan with his aura.

Li Pingcan acted as if nothing had happened, and even looked at the other person with interest.

Judging from his physique and complexion, it's clear he's been poisoned by elixirs and his foundation is weak. I really don't know how he managed to cultivate to the fifth level of Qi Refining.

"What brings you two fellow Daoists who have been following me all this way?" Li Pingcan asked, lest he wrongly accuse the "good people".

"What is it? Hehe!" The fat man grinned maliciously, extending his massive hand. "Stop playing dumb with me! Back at the Ghost Market, my brother and I saw it all clearly. You sold quite a few spirit stones, didn't you? If you know what's good for you, hand over your storage bag obediently, kowtow a few times, and if I'm in a good mood, I might even leave you a whole corpse!"

Li Pingcan shook his head, too lazy to speak, and made as if to leave.

"You fucking want to die!" The fat man's eyes flashed with malice when he saw him trying to escape.

He slapped his storage bag, and a short, gleaming magical weapon appeared in his hand, its sharp sword energy instantly locking onto Li Pingcan.

The short blade emitted a buzzing sound, transformed into a streak of blue light, and with a whooshing sound, pierced straight for Li Pingcan's throat!
This attack was swift and ruthless, effectively sealing off all escape routes.

However, just as the cyan dagger was about to reach his body, Li Pingcan moved.

He shouted loudly, his voice like thunder: "Swift Wind Technique!"

Upon hearing this, the fat cultivator curled his lips into a disdainful sneer.

Gale Technique?
It's just the lowest level of magic. What use is it besides wind blades?

Compared to his Qi Refining Level 5 cultivation and a mid-grade first-tier magic weapon, it was simply a joke!

It was as if he could already see the bloody scene of his opponent being pierced through the throat by his own flying blade.

But the next second, the smile on his face froze completely.

The expected scene of magical light flashing did not occur. Instead of retreating and running away, the "Qi Refining Level 3" kid charged forward like a cheetah to meet his flying blade!
His speed was incredible; his figure left a blurry afterimage in the air as he narrowly missed the blade at an extremely tricky angle.

The fat man felt a blur before his eyes, and a strong sense of crisis instantly enveloped his heart!
"not good!"

He was terrified and, without thinking, tried to back away while simultaneously making hand seals to recall the flying blade.

But it was too late.

Li Pingcan's speed far exceeded his expectations. This wasn't some kind of Gale Technique at all, but rather an explosion of pure physical speed!

"You call this thing Gale Spell? What happened to the spell clash? Why aren't you playing by the rules!"

"You have no sportsmanship, you resort to sneak attacks!"

The fat cultivator's thoughts flashed through his mind, but he couldn't care less about them anymore.

A seemingly ordinary fist, yet containing explosive power, had broken through the spiritual energy shield he had hastily erected, and rapidly magnified in his vision, which was distorted by shock.

"boom!"

A deep, resounding boom, like the beating of a drum, briefly broke the howling of the mountain wind.

The fist slammed solidly into the fat man's face.

In that instant, the fat man felt as if he hadn't been punched, but rather rammed head-on by a terrifying giant bear running at full speed.

The force of the punch shattered his nose instantly, and the powerful impact caused his head to snap back violently, his skull churning and buzzing.

He was completely stunned, his mind went blank.

When cultivators fight, shouldn't it be a back-and-forth exchange of spells, a contest of who has more magical power and whose magical weapon is more powerful?

How could anyone... slap someone in the face with their fist?!
His proud fifth-level Qi Refining cultivation seemed like a joke at that moment. His spiritual energy shield was as fragile as a thin sheet of paper in front of that unreasonable fist.

Before he could recover from the huge shock and confusion, a second punch followed.

Having landed a successful blow, Li Pingcan remained unfazed. He pressed forward, his left hand gripping his opponent's wrist holding the magical weapon like an iron clamp, preventing him from resorting to desperate measures. At the same time, his right fist rose again, this time carrying a faint trace of lightning within the force of his punch.

This is a variant of the newly acquired spell [Thunder Wave]!

"ended."

Li Pingcan silently recited the command in his mind, threw a punch, and struck his opponent squarely in the temple.

"Oh!"

This punch was heavier and more deadly than the previous one.

The enormous impact made the fat cultivator's head feel like it had been hit by a heavy hammer on a watermelon. His eyes instantly lost their luster, and his body slumped to the ground, his life force rapidly fading away.

From the start to the end, it only took two or three breaths.

The skinny monk standing to the side was completely dumbfounded.

He stared wide-eyed at his arrogant "Brother Wang," who had just been killed by two punches.

A chill that penetrated to the bone ran from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.

This is no mere Qi Refining Level 3 lamb; it is clearly a prehistoric beast in sheep's clothing!
"Ghost... ghost!"

He let out a piercing scream, turned and ran, scrambling and crawling as if he wished his parents had two more legs.

Li Pingcan leaped several times, aimed a punch at his opponent's wide-open back, and delivered it through the back, concentrating the force in the chest to shatter the heart!
The skinny man collapsed to the ground, twitched twice, and then remained motionless.

After delivering the final blow with a throwing knife, Li Pingcan skillfully began to search the two men's bodies.

Soon, he found a dusty, gray storage bag. As he probed it with his divine sense, a look of disgust appeared on Li Pingcan's face.

"Two penniless bastards."

Inside the storage bag, there were only a pitiful thirty-odd low-grade spirit stones, and not a single mid-grade spirit stone. Apart from some low-quality pills and a few broken magic artifacts, there was nothing else.

"After all that, it turns out he's a robber who's even poorer than me. What bad luck."

Li Pingcan put away the spirit stones and pills, stood up, shook his head, and couldn't help but mutter, "So bad at it, yet loves to play."

He flicked his finger, and the tinderbox flashed with an orange light, the flame landing precisely on the corpse, instantly turning it into a raging fire.

In a matter of moments, both bodies were burned to ashes. A gust of wind blew them away, leaving no trace.

After doing all this, Li Pingcan clapped his hands, as if he had just dusted off the dust on his body.

He straightened his clothes, reverting to his unremarkable appearance as a middle-aged rogue cultivator, turned and walked out of the deep mountains, disappearing into the boundless night as if nothing had happened.

(End of this chapter)