The first transaction was quickly completed, but Bai Sui did not leave right away. Instead, she continued to browse inside the shop.

This Hundred Treasures Hall was quite large, divided into two floors. The first floor mainly sold practical goods such as talismans, books, array disks, and low-grade medicinal pills—items cultivators most frequently visited for.

Relatively speaking, the second floor had fewer customers, but the items sold were more expensive, specializing in spirit plants, magical tools, high-grade pills, and all sorts of rare treasures and curios.

At this moment, besides Bai Sui and four or five shop assistants, there were no fewer than twenty customers on the first floor, with several cultivators standing before nearly every shelf.

After buying the Compendium of Yiyue Techniques, Bai Sui wandered among the various customers, listening to their conversations with the assistants, quietly picking up a lot of information about the merchandise.

Eventually she arrived at the counter selling talismans and bought a Golden Armor Talisman, the same one that alluring female cultivator had purchased earlier.

This Golden Armor Talisman was a defensive talisman that could defend against a full-force strike from cultivators below the fifth layer of Qi Refining.

Although in actual combat, facing continuous attacks, its practical effect might be a mere drop in the bucket, it was still one of the indispensable ace cards for low-level cultivators.

Something for life preservation was necessary to buy, even if it cost one spirit stone. Gritting her teeth, no matter how expensive, she had to buy it!

Afterwards, the counter girl introduced her to a talisman called the “Swift Movement Talisman.” Its price was one spirit stone for ten sheets, with a slight teleportation-like effect. It could be used in battle and also for escaping at critical moments. Bai Sui was delighted upon seeing it, and since the price was relatively cheap, she bought a set!

Beyond this, there were many other talismans.

For instance, the Cleaning Talisman, one spirit stone for one hundred sheets, could be used to clean rooms and garments. Mm… the item was good, and the price was cheap, but she had hands; she could clean her room and wash her clothes herself. Good steel must be used on the blade’s edge. Such low-efficiency talismans must absolutely not be bought!

The Communication Talisman, one spirit stone for fifty sheets, could transmit messages across geographical distances, the perfect choice for cultivators traveling outside and needing short-to-medium-range communication. However, at present she had few friends, and buying it would be useless. She just glanced at it and decided not to buy!

The Fire Gathering Talisman, one spirit stone for ten sheets, used for attack. But its function clearly overlapped with the “Fireball Technique” she already knew, so there was no need to buy it!

The Lightning Talisman, a marvelous life-saving tool and the enhanced upgrade of the “Swift Movement Talisman.” But it cost five spirit stones per sheet. Wuwuwu… the item was excellent, but she couldn’t afford it!!

In the end, Bai Sui only bought ten Swift Movement Talismans and one Golden Armor Talisman. Then, reluctantly tearing her gaze away, she went up to the second floor.

The items on the second floor were even more expensive, but there were fewer people. She went up mainly with the mindset of “since I’m here, I might as well look around” to feast her eyes.

As soon as she ascended the stairs, she smelled the familiar scent of dried medicinal herbs.

“Miss counter attendant, how do you sell this Spirit Gathering Grass?” Arriving at the counter selling spirit plants, Bai Sui pointed at a tied bundle of Spirit Gathering Grass inside and asked.

The attendant was a sweet-looking young woman, a bit older than the ones downstairs. Dressed in a beautiful long skirt uniform, she appeared more mature, likely in her early twenties. Seeing Bai Sui come to the second floor alone, she did not ignore her because of her small stature. She smiled and said, “This bundle of Spirit Gathering Grass has a total of thirty stalks and costs six spirit stones.”

Thirty stalks for six spirit stones—that was one spirit stone for five stalks!

Spirit Gathering Grass was one of the main raw materials for refining Qi Condensing Pills. It was not easy to cultivate, so such a high price made sense.

Bai Sui nodded, then, like an old hand, craned her head to inquire about the spirit plants beside it.

“And this bundle of Jade Vine?”

“Same price.”

“Three Harmony Butterfly?”

“Same price.”

“Four Seasons Melody?”

“Same as well.”

The more Bai Sui asked, the more her heart bloomed with joy.

Because all these spirit plants were in her own greenhouse!

Her former sect, the South Dipper Sect, had mainly earned its livelihood by supplying various spirit plants to the market. Bai Sui had learned some basics from Aunt-Master Jiang, and now it had become her own source of wealth.

And their market prices were even better than she had imagined!

After asking about the prices, Bai Sui finally showed her true intent. With a face full of expectation, she asked, “So does your shop… buy these spirit plants?”

“Buy?”

The counter attendant was clearly taken aback. Once she recovered, she asked skeptically, “We do buy them, but little sister, do you have these?”

“Yes, I do!”

With a look of “innocent naivety,” Bai Sui once again brought out her “nonexistent” master: “My master sent me to ask. If you buy them here, and the price is right, we can supply them.”

Probably never expecting the little girl in front of her to also be able to do business, the counter attendant showed a surprised smile. After a round of haggling with Bai Sui, they finally settled on a purchase price of one spirit stone for eight stalks.

Bai Sui was very satisfied with this price. She roughly estimated she had about six to seven hundred stalks of various spirit plants in her greenhouse. Converted, that would sell for over eighty spirit stones!

Spirit stones, no less! Wasn’t that much faster money than chopping firewood?

Suddenly rich, wasn’t she!!

After that, she also asked about the prices of Marrow Cleansing Pills and Qi Condensing Pills on the second floor.

When she learned that Marrow Cleansing Pills were worthless—five could be bought for one spirit stone, sold on the first floor—while Qi Condensing Pills were very expensive, a single pill selling for a full five spirit stones, she was stunned.

So Qi Condensing Pills were that expensive!

Then Senior Ge Dan had given her three Qi Condensing Pills. Thinking back now, the favor was truly immense!

One had to know, for an ordinary cultivator, earning a dozen or so spirit stones a month was already considered decent income!

And an independent courtyard in the Outer Market rented for just thirty spirit stones a month!

As for the Outer Ward, the rent for a simple dwelling was only five spirit stones!

With this comparison, Senior Ge Dan’s caring favor moved Bai Sui to a complete mess.

* * *

After browsing the Hundred Treasures Hall a bit longer and getting a clear picture of the prices of various cultivation supplies, Bai Sui left contentedly.

Before leaving, she could not resist the counter girl’s sweet talk and bought a bracelet for storing various talismans, spending another five spirit stones.

To sum it up, the Compendium of Techniques cost three spirit stones, the talismans cost two spirit stones, and the storage bracelet cost five spirit stones at the last moment. This trip had spent a total of ten spirit stones!

She only had eighteen spirit stones in total. Setting aside three mid-grade spirit stones she absolutely could not touch, her usable spirit stones were now down to five!

‘Bai Sui, ah, Bai Sui, you’ve really gotten too big for your britches. Just one trip to the market, visiting just one shop, and you’ve already spent two-thirds of all your spirit stones! Do you really think you’re some big tycoon?’

Somewhat regretfully patting her own head, Bai Sui felt a twinge of remorse for her indulgence.

But turning her head to look at the beautiful bracelet now encircling her left wrist, her mood calmed down a little.

This item was exquisitely crafted, with a gorgeous design. The beads were crystal clear and smooth to the touch, quite pleasing to the eye, which soothed her wounded soul somewhat.

This storage bracelet, identical in appearance to an ordinary bracelet, was made up of five transparent beads, respectively red, yellow, green, cyan, and purple. Unlike a storage pouch, which had a vast internal storage space, each bead of the bracelet was just a small box, so it was generally only used to store small items like talismans and pills.

When using it, one only needed to focus one’s intent and gently brush the surface of a bead.

Thus, it was especially suitable for the need to quickly deploy talismans in combat scenarios.

As for the five colors, Bai Sui temporarily classified them according to priority. Red stored offensive talismans, yellow stored enhancement-type talismans, green stored defensive ones, while cyan and purple were respectively dedicated to life-saving escapes and storing pills. This arrangement kept things from being messy.

‘This thing really is rather pretty.’

Walking along the broad streets of the Inner Market, Bai Sui was in a good mood as she raised her arm now and then to admire the “accessory” on her wrist. Although this bracelet was a women’s style, its crystalline and beautiful design was truly eye-catching, especially suiting her fair complexion. Everyone has a love for beauty; it’s only natural. She couldn’t blame herself for not resisting the counter girl’s coaxing.

Anyway, it was already bought, and there was no need for regrets.

Having lived so many years of hardship, she really did deserve to treat herself a little.

Thinking this, the last wisp of gloom in her heart dispersed. Afterwards, Bai Sui strolled here and looked there along the bustling streets, gaining a new understanding of the Outer Market’s prosperity and liveliness.

It was said the cultivation world was fraught with crises, danger lurking everywhere. But this market, under the backdrop of a major sect, seemed like a paradise, a rare pure land for cultivators.

When she had the money and strength in the future, she absolutely must move into the market to live!

Bai Sui secretly resolved this.

However, before that, she had to properly improve herself, and then earn money, earn money, and earn money!

Man is a hero, money is his gall; without money, what’s there to boast about!