"May I ask, how much is this 'Blue Lizard Demon' priced at?"
The next day, on his family's private mountain peak, Qi Baicang inquired from a Qi Family cultivator at the Qi Refining Middle Stage standing in front of him.
This Middle Stage cultivator was from the main peak's Treasure Vault.
After deciding to sell it to the clan, in order to prevent the demon beast meat from spoiling, Qi Chuan went directly to the main peak's Treasure Vault and informed them about acquiring a demon beast corpse.
He just mentioned that it was his Second Uncle who accidentally killed the invading demon beast.
Upon learning this, the people at the Treasure Vault were surprised but readily agreed and quickly sent someone to inspect.
"It's indeed a Tier One Lower Grade demon beast, the Blue Lizard Demon. The beast blood and demon beast materials aren't particularly valuable, but its demon beast meat is quite valuable. The essence can be extracted for alchemy. This adult Blue Lizard Demon is also slightly larger than the usual ones..."
"How about this, I'll give you a fair price, twenty-two lower grade spirit stones. How does that sound?"
The middle-aged cultivator pondered for a moment and said to Qi Baicang with a smile.
Being from the Qi Family, cheating is quite rare. Twenty-two lower grade spirit stones is indeed a fair price, also considering that the Blue Lizard Demon is relatively rare among Tier One Lower Grade demon beasts, giving it considerable value.
If it were an ordinary Tier One Lower Grade demon beast, the price would be much lower.
Upon hearing this, Qi Baicang exchanged glances with Qi Chuan and secretly thought the price was acceptable, so he nodded, and the deal was made.
Soon, the middle-aged cultivator had the Blue Lizard Demon corpse taken away. The blue-green beast blood was also all bottled in jade bottles without any waste.
And in Qi Chuan's hand, there were now twenty-two lower grade spirit stones.
With these spirit stones, Qi Chuan could also purchase elixirs to enhance his cultivation.
After consulting his Second Uncle, Qi Chuan directly headed to the Exchange Pavilion located at the main peak.
The Exchange Pavilion is a place open to all Qi Family cultivators to exchange various items and resources, usually using spirit stones or contribution points.
However, the pavilion does not store items for exchange. It merely provides a list, and after a clan cultivator confirms the exchange and submits spirit stones or deducts contribution points, the items are retrieved from the Treasure Vault.
Soon, Qi Chuan arrived at the Exchange Pavilion and met an elder there.
This elder, being in charge of the Exchange Pavilion, was evidently an elder with considerable authority.
"Your name is Qi Chuan, right? What do you wish to exchange?" The Exchange Pavilion Elder handed back Qi Chuan's clan token and said with a smile.
"Elixirs, elixirs to enhance cultivation," Qi Chuan replied without hesitation.
Upon hearing this answer, the Exchange Pavilion Elder wasn't surprised. Many who came here were exchanging for elixirs.
Then he took out a sheet of paper, which recorded various types of elixirs and the spirit stones or contribution points required for exchange.
"Qi Condensing Pill... three spirit stones per pill? It accelerates the Qi Refining Early and Middle Stage cultivation speed but gradually loses effect in the Qi Refining Middle Stage and becomes ineffective in the Qi Refining Late Stage."
"Qi Firming Pill... two spirit stones per pill, its effect is slightly lower than the Qi Condensing Pill..."
"There's also the Spirit Tempering Pill, which is quite effective even in the Qi Refining Middle Stage, but it's much more expensive..."
Qi Chuan surveyed and found that there weren't many suitable elixirs for himself on this paper list, just a few types.
Despite numerous elixirs listed above, many served different purposes, with only a small portion focused on enhancing cultivation.
Among them, few were suitable for consumption at the Qi Refining Early Stage and reasonably priced.
After pondering for a moment, Qi Chuan decided, "I'll take the Qi Condensing Pill then, give me eight of them."
After speaking, he immediately took out twenty-four lower grade spirit stones and placed them in front of the elder.
"Didn't expect that at your young age, you already have quite an asset?"
The Exchange Pavilion Elder was slightly surprised. Generally, at Qi Chuan's age, having a few lower grade spirit stones was considered good, but he didn't think much of it and directly processed the exchange.
Soon after, Qi Chuan received a jade bottle containing the eight Qi Condensing Pills.
"A whole demon beast corpse, plus adding two of my own lower grade spirit stones, only managed to exchange for a bottle of eight Qi Condensing Pills. Alchemists are really profitable, if there's an opportunity in the future, I must learn Alchemy!"
Qi Chuan mused inwardly.
This was still the fair price within the clan.
If it were in the outside cultivation realm market, exchanging a Blue Lizard Demon corpse for eight Qi Condensing Pills would be impossible.
Qi Chuan shook his head and then walked out of the Exchange Pavilion.
"Have you heard? It's said that in three years, the Wind Moon Sect will open its mountain gates for disciple recruitment..."
"What? Really?"
Just as he walked out of the Exchange Pavilion, he encountered two young cultivators coming his way, conversing.
Upon hearing their words, Qi Chuan paid slight attention but continued walking forward.
They passed by each other, and the two behind continued their discussion.
"Could it be fake? A friend of mine, who is a descendant of an elder in the clan, said this. It's supposed to spread soon."
"Ah, the Wind Moon Sect, if I could enter and become an outer sect disciple, that wouldn't be bad. But we're older now, over twenty, do we even stand a chance..."
"..."
Qi Chuan left the main peak, heading towards his own independent mountain.
Thinking about the words he heard earlier, he wore a contemplative expression on his face.
"Just when one wave settles, another rises."
"The secret realm within the fifty-mile restricted area has yet to finalize, and on the other hand, the Wind Moon Sect is about to recruit disciples?"
He inevitably recalled the past conversations with his Second Uncle about Profound Sword True Master and the Sword Dao.
"Entering the Wind Moon Sect does not guarantee access to the Sword Dao, but without entering the Wind Moon Sect, it's almost impossible to access it."
"And even if there's no access to the Sword Dao, possessing the identity of a sect disciple would undoubtedly offer many conveniences, enabling access to more sect resources and accelerating cultivation."
"Thinking this way, even as an outer sect disciple, if there's a chance, it's worth trying to join. There might later be opportunities to promote from the outer to the inner sect, but staying within the family sets a limit."
"There's still three years. I can still improve, and if the disciple recruitment is true, I should have a decent chance..."
Thinking thus, upon returning to his family's mountain peak, Qi Chuan consulted his Second Uncle.
"Wind Moon Sect recruiting in three years? I haven't heard, but it's likely possible."
Upon hearing, Qi Baicang recalled, "Typically, Wind Moon Sect recruits directly from the mundane world outside, from various mortal cities within their controlled large territories, through the Spirit Testing Ceremony, held once a year, only accepting mortal Immortal Seeds with clean backgrounds."
"However, every so often, they will open their mountain gates wide, recruiting a batch of disciples from various family cultivators and loose cultivators as a supplement."
"The last time they opened wide was about twenty years ago, so this time the gap is a bit shorter, but still possible."
At this point, Qi Baicang smiled and said to Qi Chuan, "This time, you might truly have a chance to join the Wind Moon Sect and gain the Sword Dao inheritance from Profound Sword True Master. After all, you're currently at the Qi Refining Second Layer, and with three more years to work hard, you could have a substantial chance to become an outer sect disciple."
He recalled the joking remark Qi Chuan made to him in the past.
After the two conversed, Qi Chuan returned to his room with a contemplative look, while inside, various thoughts began to take shape.
Before, without a pathway or opportunity, it was whatever. Now, knowing there's a chance to join the Wind Moon Sect, why not give it a shot?
Though it's unclear what the Wind Moon Sect's exact standards will be or how the Qi Family will decide on this, focusing on enhancing one's cultivation should be the right path.
Perhaps… set a small goal for myself.
Within three years, advance to the Qi Refining Middle Stage?
With this thought, Qi Chuan took out the jade bottle from his bosom, opened the bottle's mouth, and poured out a Qi Condensing Pill.
The Qi Condensing Pill was perfectly round, displaying a dark green hue, emitting a fragrance of elixirs that filled the air. Upon inhaling it, his internal mana seemed to ripple slightly.
After briefly observing the elixir, Qi Chuan no longer hesitated and swallowed it in one go.