CHAPTER 39: CHAPTER 39 FINALLY OBTAINING THE SPIRIT TURTLE_1

"Fellow Daoists who are new to the trade fair, let me give a brief introduction. All Daoist friends are free to exchange and trade, and the treasured items most desired by many will go to the highest bidder. The main purpose of the trade fair is to exchange resources and meet each other’s needs. Shops in the market of the Outer City are closed, and the underground trade fair is the only channel through which Loose Cultivators can obtain resources. After the exchange is over, Daoist friends are free to trade, and I will also sell precious resources that have flowed out of the Inner City."

"I’ll start!"

The white-haired elderly Daoist seated to the left of Fang Wu was the first to speak, taking out three peculiar yellow talisman papers. "Three Demon-Spotting Talismans, is anyone interested?"

Demon-Spotting Talismans? Jia Ren mused. Cultivators heading to the Great Wilderness to hunt Magical Beasts often bought a few Demon-Spotting Talismans to find traces of their prey. The price was quite fair: one Spirit Stone for each Demon-Spotting Talisman. Jia Ren himself had bought a few when he followed Yang Shengwu to hunt beasts. The talisman’s sensing range wasn’t large, at most two li, and its duration was limited. Now... what’s the use of buying such a useless Demon-Spotting Talisman? Could it perhaps sense the arrival of Five Elements Sect Cultivators?

"Elder Wu, don’t disgrace yourself with Demon-Spotting Talismans. You didn’t sell any last time; you haven’t learned your lesson," someone jeered. "A Talisman Master who only makes the Demon-Spotting Talisman—if you had learned to make Evil Warding Talismans, you would’ve gone to the Inner City long ago."

Upon hearing this, the white-haired Daoist, Elder Wu, looked ashamed. "Alas," he sighed, "I only obtained half a damaged scroll, which only records the Demon-Spotting Talisman technique..."

Elder Wu had once made a good amount of Spirit Stones from his Demon-Spotting Talismans, living quite a comfortable life. But who could have expected the onset of the eerie mist, swiftly followed by the war between the Five Elements Sect and Thousand Beasts Mountain? Unable to sell his Demon-Spotting Talismans, his life became increasingly difficult.

Jia Ren took a second glance at Elder Wu, surprised to encounter a Talisman Maker among the Loose Cultivators of the Outer City. It’s a pity he only mastered the Demon-Spotting Talisman. Comparatively, that technique is easier to acquire. Jia Ren didn’t rush to speak. Elder Wu wasn’t at his wit’s end yet; he certainly wouldn’t be willing to sell his Demon-Spotting Talisman technique. Even if he were, Jia Ren couldn’t afford the price.

The Demon-Spotting Talismans unsurprisingly failed to sell. The next Daoist stepped up, offering to sell magic artifacts. Most were untraceable Low-Quality Magical Artifacts, numerous in quantity, likely acquired through plunder. Few Loose Cultivators showed interest, and no one inquired further. One after another, Cultivators took their turn, presenting their stockpiled elixirs and treasures for sale or exchange.

"Four Fragmented Spirits for one jin of Spirit Rice," a buyer called out hopefully, scanning the crowd. Receiving no response, he sat down dejectedly. Datong Rice Shop used to sell one jin of Spirit Rice for Four Fragmented Spirits, but many Loose Cultivators had found this too expensive and hadn’t bought any. Now, the rice shop had long since closed, and the Loose Cultivators didn’t have much grain left; they were all eating into their reserves. Without Spirit Rice, how can one fill their stomach? Monster Beast Meat? Unfortunately, that’s even more expensive.

With no grain at hand, anxiety set in. Low-level Loose Cultivators were far from reaching the Fasting Realm. After the two sects began their war, Spirit Rice became a strategic resource and had completely run out for purchase. This was one of the Five Elements Sect’s tactics. No matter how well you hide, without Fasting Pills and Spirit Rice, how long can you hold out? The Loose Cultivators weren’t fools; they had long understood the Five Elements Sect’s intentions and their own future predicament.

Even those who had a decent supply of grain wouldn’t consider selling. It was easy to sell but incredibly difficult to buy back. Four Fragmented Spirits for one jin of Spirit Rice was already not cheap, and the price was only expected to increase.

"Selling one Spirit Turtle, only exchanging for Spirit Rice." A gaunt, middle-aged man took out a washbasin-sized Spirit Turtle from his Spirit Beast Bag. The Spirit Turtle was his Spirit Beast; under his control, it retracted its head and limbs into its shell, lying motionless on the stone table.

Jia Ren watched him. Is this the man who was looking for that female Cultivator with the surname Wang for dual cultivation? I’ve finally found the man himself!

"The highest bidder gets it!" the gaunt middle-aged man announced, his voice weak. He had no Spirit Rice left and had been starving, missing three meals a day. He hadn’t bought much when Datong Rice Shop sold rice at high prices, reluctant to overspend. He had assumed that the situation would improve over time and rice prices would fall, so why waste Spirit Stones unnecessarily? This was the typical mindset of a Loose Cultivator: Spirit Stones were hard to earn, so they saved whenever possible.

But tranquility never came; instead, war erupted between the Five Elements Sect and Thousand Beasts Mountain. Now, it wasn’t just about high-priced Spirit Rice; acquiring any at all was difficult. He had considered eating his Spirit Turtle, but with the trade fair only a few days away, he had endured the hunger. Eat my Spirit Beast? There isn’t much meat on a turtle. It would be better to exchange the Spirit Turtle for Spirit Rice; that would last longer.

Many cultivators looked on. A Spirit Turtle? And it’s alive? Monster Beast Meat was a rare and valuable commodity, and the sight of the Spirit Turtle stirred the hearts of the Loose Cultivators. The Spirit Turtle weighed about thirty-odd jin; after removing the shell and inedible parts, yielding twenty jin of meat would be a good outcome.

"Daoist friend, would you consider selling it for Spirit Stones?" someone asked.

The gaunt middle-aged man didn’t even glance at the questioner, too listless to respond.

"Fifty jin of Spirit Rice."

Fifty jin of Spirit Rice was worth far less than a thirty-odd jin Spirit Turtle, as Monster Beast Meat was more valuable than Spirit Rice. The Spirit Turtle was a low-grade Magical Beast, and its shell was a material for crafting Low-Quality Defense Artifacts, which alone could sell for at least ten Spirit Stones. But times had changed. With everyone’s food reserves dwindling, only relatively wealthy individuals could offer fifty jin of Spirit Rice for the Spirit Turtle.

"Fifty-five jin of Spirit Rice."

Fifty jin of Spirit Rice didn’t deter everyone; some Loose Cultivators still had some means.

"Fifty-eight jin of Green Bud Rice."

"Thirty jin of White Corn!"

White Corn was of higher quality than Green Bud Rice. Its normal price was two Fragmented Spirit Stones per jin, making thirty jin of White Corn equivalent to sixty jin of Green Bud Rice. The bids increased by smaller margins after that. Loose Cultivators didn’t have large stockpiles; bidding so much Spirit Rice would likely empty their larders. One couldn’t just give up eating Spirit Rice entirely for a taste of turtle meat, could they?

"Sixty-three jin of Spirit Rice."

Seeing fewer and fewer Cultivators raising their bids, Jia Ren decided to intervene. Only one competitor remained. Both he and Jia Ren were restrained, each increasing the bid by only one jin of Spirit Rice at a time, neither wanting to be the sucker who overpaid. In the end, Jia Ren secured it with a bid of seventy jin of Spirit Rice, and there were no more challengers.

"Daoist Jia, you have a considerable fortune." The gaunt middle-aged man smiled as he handed over the Spirit Turtle, looking at Jia Ren with anticipation.

Jia Ren didn’t have enough loose Spirit Rice, so he had to take out a rice bag that held a hundred jin, from which he poured out seventy jin of Spirit Rice and gave it to the man. With one hand, he gave the Spirit Rice, and with the other, he received the Spirit Turtle.

"Daoist Jia, would you be willing to sell the remaining thirty jin of Spirit Rice?"

The cultivators who had been bidding were few, mostly those with ample Spirit Rice reserves. Many more Loose Cultivators had little Spirit Rice and were desperately seeking to buy some.

I can’t sell it! Jia Ren thought. Seventy jin of Spirit Rice is already enough to make people envious. If I dare to sell more Spirit Rice openly, wouldn’t that imply I have an even larger stash?

"Apologies," Jia Ren said, "I, Jia, have limited Spirit Rice. If it weren’t for my urgent need for this Spirit Turtle, I wouldn’t have parted with any Spirit Rice. However, which of you Daoist friends is willing to sell Spirit Rice? I’m willing to buy it for Five Broken Spirits per jin."

Jia Ren quickly stowed the rice bag to avoid trouble. The Loose Cultivators wouldn’t believe him if he simply explained that he had no more Spirit Rice. Instead, he took a different approach: offering a high price to buy Spirit Rice was far more convincing than any explanation. His offer to buy Spirit Rice diverted their attention and successfully pushed the going rate into the Five Broken Spirits per jin era.

"Daoist Jia, leave us some way to live! We’ve had no Spirit Rice for our pots for a long time!"

"Five Broken Spirits per jin for Spirit Rice! Those of you Daoists who have extra, don’t hide it anymore!"

Despite the price increase, still, no one came forward to sell Spirit Rice. The less Spirit Rice there was available, the higher its price would climb until a solution to the shortage was found.