On the path to immortality, I can see destiny.

The cultivator surnamed Lu smiled slightly, showing no fear whatsoever.

"There's no need for Fellow Daoist Zhang Tie to worry about that. If I, Lu, were to die a violent death in the wilderness, it would be my own fault, and I can't blame anyone else."

After saying that, his aura began to rise gradually, also reaching the fifth level of Qi Refining.

Seeing this, Zhang Tie wanted to immediately take out his magic weapon and fight, but when he saw the sign next to him prohibiting fighting, he put the magic weapon away. However, his eyes became more and more sinister as he looked at the cultivator surnamed Lu.

That fierce look made Zhao Fan's heart skip a beat, and he couldn't help but feel a little worried for the cultivator surnamed Lu.

"Young man, you're too kind. Although this market is relatively safe, there are still quite a few people who use clever words and flattery to sell inferior goods. You should be careful when buying anything."

The cultivator surnamed Lu remained completely calm and composed, even offering Zhao Fan some advice in front of Zhang Tie.

After hearing what he said, Zhao Fan couldn't help but sigh. If it weren't for this uncle telling him, he probably would have wasted a lot of money.

Moreover, he risked alienating others to help him, and Zhao Fan was deeply grateful for his righteousness.

Thinking about it, Zhao Fan naturally looked at the middle-aged cultivator's stall.

The stall of the cultivator surnamed Lu mainly contained talismans and a few medicinal herbs.

Zhao Fan glanced at the herbs, and his eyes lit up when they landed on one of them.

Zhao Fan planned to sell some useless low-level magic artifacts and some unused pills he had refined to exchange for medicinal materials to enhance his cultivation.

The medicinal herbs at the stall of the monk surnamed Lu happened to be one of the herbs he needed.

"Fellow Daoist, how many spirit stones does this medicinal herb cost?"

Zhao Fan pointed to the medicinal herbs he needed and asked.

It was a pale blue flower with crystal-clear petals, called Blue Water Lotus, which was one of the ingredients for making the Pure Spirit Pill.

The Qingling Pill, on the other hand, is a mid-grade first-level pill, most suitable for those at the fourth to sixth level of Qi Refining.

"It is fate that I met you today, young friend. This item is of little use to me, so I might as well give it to you."

The cultivator surnamed Lu was exceptionally generous, actually picking up the medicinal herbs and presenting them directly to Zhao Fan.

Zhao Fan was naturally unwilling to take it for free. This older brother had already helped him so much and even caused him trouble, so how could he let him suffer another loss?

"Absolutely not! Since you're selling it, how can I not pay?"

The cultivator surnamed Lu sighed and nodded slightly.

"Very well, since you insist, young friend, this herb is originally worth fifteen spirit stones, but since it is destined for you, ten spirit stones will suffice."

Zhao Fan was puzzled. How could spirit stones be so worthless? A single herb cost fifteen spirit stones.

However, he didn't think much of it. His elder brother had helped him so much, so how could he possibly lie to him? It must be that the medicinal herbs for improving cultivation were indeed quite expensive.

Thinking of this, Zhao Fan directly counted out fifteen spirit stones and handed them to the middle-aged man.

"Whatever the price is, that's the price. How could I let my fellow Daoist suffer a loss?"

After saying that, he picked up the medicinal herbs and left, looking carefree and at ease.

Unbeknownst to them, behind them, the cultivator surnamed Lu and Zhang Tie exchanged a knowing smile and secretly communicated telepathically.

"That silly kid is quite proud."

"He seems quite wealthy. Should we wait until he comes down the mountain..."

"Let's wait and see. Someone this age with the cultivation level of the fourth level of Qi Refining might be a genius from some family who's out here for training. Making a move rashly might cause trouble."

After leaving the stall, Zhao Fan did not look back, but he was lamenting in his heart that he was too poor. A single herb cost fifteen spirit stones, and if he wanted to collect enough herbs for the Qingling Pill, he would need one or two hundred spirit stones.

Thinking of this, he reached out and touched the healing pills he had refined. If that's the case, wouldn't his healing pills be quite valuable?

Thinking it over, Zhao Fan immediately set up a stall in the corner of the open space and laid out all the healing pills, fasting pills, detoxification pills, and other medicines he had refined.

In the market, elixirs are in high demand, especially those that enhance cultivation; they are practically priceless.

As soon as he put the medicine out, someone came to inquire about it.

"What kind of pills do you sell, fellow Daoist?"

The newcomer was a young man in a white robe, the same young cultivator he had met briefly on the way up the mountain.

"I have healing pills, detoxifying pills, and fasting pills here. Which kind of pill do you need, fellow Daoist?"

Hearing Zhao Fan say this, the young man was somewhat disappointed. Although these pills were very useful, the most important thing for cultivators was, of course, pills that could improve their cultivation level.

But since we're here, we might as well buy some healing pills.

"How many spirit stones does one bottle of these healing pills cost?"

Zhao Fan thought for a moment, then hesitated before speaking.

"Rejuvenation Pill, thirty spirit stones per bottle."

Upon hearing the price, the young man's hand holding the pill bottle trembled violently. Looking at Zhao Fan's serious expression, he almost laughed out of exasperation.

"Fellow Daoist, this is no joke. A bottle of normal healing pills costs only two spirit stones. Are your healing pills capable of bringing the dead back to life and healing bones?"

"what?"

Zhao Fan was stunned by the question. He found it unbelievable that a bottle of ten healing pills was only worth two spirit stones.

At this price, you can't even recoup the cost of the medicinal herbs.

"Fellow Daoist, you jest. A single Blue Water Lotus costs fifteen spirit stones, and this Rejuvenation Pill requires seven kinds of medicinal herbs. Just considering the cost of the herbs alone, it's already two spirit stones. How can we possibly break even?"

The young man was silent for a moment, then seemed to have thought of something. His lips twitched uncontrollably, and he almost burst out laughing.

"Fellow Daoist, that house over there specializes in selling spiritual herbs and pills. It's been here for nearly fifty years. The prices are slightly higher than those sold by independent cultivators. You can go and inquire about the prices of various spiritual herbs."

Seeing his strange expression, Zhao Fan was a little puzzled, but he still tidied up the things on the stall and went to ask about the prices.

A moment later, Zhao Fan returned with a livid face.

After learning the exact price of the herbs, Zhao Fan finally realized that the two cultivators had conspired to cheat him!

Two of these blue water lotuses can be bought for just three spirit stones! Even the best quality and oldest ones cost only three spirit stones each.

Even the medicinal materials needed to make the Qingling Pill can be bought for just a dozen spirit stones.

Zhao Fan felt an intense pang of heartache and wanted to turn back to find the two cultivators, but found that they had long since vanished.

The young man, who had been watching the show from the sidelines, finally couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Fellow Daoist, do not get angry about this. They are just worldly possessions. Do not let them corrupt your Daoist heart."

Although it was meant to comfort him, the smile in those words made Zhao Fan blush.

However, he couldn't say much; he had been tricked, and he couldn't take it out on others.

Thinking that the family fortune his master left him had been swindled away, Zhao Fan couldn't help but clench his fists, and it took him a while to calm down.

However, he learned from his mistake and this time he didn't completely trust the young man's words. Instead, he asked around at each stall and finally got a general idea of ​​the prices of various items.

He also learned that not only were the medicinal herbs cheaper, but the magical artifacts were also much more expensive than the cultivator surnamed Lu had said.

Of course, the price quoted by the cultivator surnamed Zhang was indeed inflated; the price of a low-grade magic weapon is generally between fifteen and twenty spirit stones.

As for low-level talismans, they are consumables that are used in large quantities, so they are indeed cheap. Those of average quality cost about five for one spirit stone, while those of good quality naturally have a different price, but they will not exceed two for one spirit stone.