Chapter 28
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 28
Having made his decision, there was no reason to delay.
Lee Hyun laid out seven storage pouches on the ground before him.
Their internal spaces varied considerably. The smallest was no bigger than a modest bedroom, whereas the new pouch purchased at Emerald Cloud Market and the one claimed from Wi Mun-do were cavernous enough to swallow an entire warehouse whole.
Just as well. I can put the three Rock Honey Peach trees into the largest one.
First, Lee Hyun emptied the pouches and sorted his existing belongings into a single pile: spirit stones, talismans, pill bottles, cultivation manuals, spell scrolls, the formation stones for the Nine-Flame Fire-Accumulation Formation, the bronze pill cauldron, the Earth-Shoveling Sword, and his supplies of food and clothing.
With the pouches cleared, he stepped into spirit field No. 1-1.
I should be able to move them alive, right…?
Spirit beasts and spirit insects required specialized vessels like spirit-beast pouches or spirit-insect pouches, but plants were different. Back when he tended the spirit fields of Cheongha Valley, he had frequently transported specimens using ordinary storage pouches. In fact, the very stock used to cultivate these underground plots had originally been brought from Cheongha Valley inside storage pouches. There was no question that they could survive the journey.
The real issue was time.
Lee Hyun had seen Cheongha Rice and Fasting Pills lose a significant portion of their spiritual qi after sitting inside a storage pouch for several years. Time within an interspatial pouch flowed far slower than in the outside world—feeling almost suspended—yet it was not frozen entirely.
For that reason, cultivators normally relied on specialized jade boxes filled with spirit soil and nutrient-rich spirit liquid matched to a plant’s specific attribute when moving rare specimens, reinforcing the containers with restrictions and sealing talismans to prevent the medicinal efficacy from dissipating.
Lee Hyun possessed neither specialized jade boxes nor the leisure to craft them, and he had far too many spirit plants to move.
If I dig up as much of the root systems and surrounding soil as possible, then quickly excavate Tunnel No. 2 to replant them, there shouldn’t be any major issues.
Lee Hyun went through spirit fields No. 1-1 through No. 1-5, packing the spirit plants away one by one. Whenever he spotted stray Fluffy Bees along the path, he coaxed them into his spirit-insect pouch.
As the rhythm took hold, his efficiency surged.
Activating the Earth-Sensing Technique alongside the Qi-Observation Technique, Lee Hyun traced the subterranean spread of the roots. Then, channeling the Soil-Turning Spell, he loosened the surrounding earth, carving dozens of plants at a time out of the ground within massive blocks of soil.
Rumble—
Whenever a block of earth over a zhang across rose smoothly with dozens of thriving plants embedded inside, Lee Hyun loosened the drawstring of a storage pouch.
Spiritual light surged forth, and the massive block of earth vanished into thin air.
“Good.”
He moved to the next plot and repeated the process without hesitation.
In spirit field No. 1-6:
He first gathered the mature lotus seed pods and stored them separately. Next, he collected the blossoms and broad leaves of the Yin Water Lotuses, along with the thick muck entwined around their roots and even a portion of the pool water generated by the Spiritual Rain Spell, packing it all into a storage pouch.
In spirit field No. 1-7:
The three Rock Honey Peach trees branched out broadly beneath the low ceiling. Lee Hyun picked only the ripe peaches, leaving the young fruit untouched on the boughs.
Next, he pruned away the branches that had grown too sprawling for easy transit. Since the pruned cuttings could later be used for grafting, he wrapped the fresh cuts in damp cloth and bound them securely.
Hours slipped by.
Three colossal mounds of soil, anchoring the peach trees and their massive root balls intact, rested in the center of the hollowed field. Lee Hyun opened his largest storage pouch, enveloped the Rock Honey Peach trees in beams of white light one after another, and pulled them into the spatial fold.
“Phew… that’s done. Now it’s just you little ones.”
Bzzzz—
Agitated by the upheaval, the remaining Fluffy Bees darted erratically through the air around him. Lee Hyun drew his spirit-insect pouch and carefully ushered every last one into the bag.
Next came the tools and facilities.
Timber, paper, metal fittings, and spare tools stacked in the workshop; the bronze piping, water collection basins, and axles of the automated irrigation system, all disassembled and bound; the field journals documenting his harvests; the wooden boards into which he had carved his handmade status window; and every scrap of daily living necessities accumulated over the years—he packed everything until the chambers were stripped bare.
By the following day:
Every trace of long habitation and artificial cultivation was gone from Tunnel No. 1, leaving behind nothing but an empty, cavernous husk. Lee Hyun cast multiple sensory spells, scouring every corner of the underground network for lingering spiritual residue or personal effects, collecting what he could and destroying what he couldn’t.
Finally, he stepped back into the modest stone chamber that had served as his bedroom.
He lay down on the stone bed where he had slept for years. A familiar, grounding chill seeped into his spine. Closing his eyes, he could almost still hear the steady drip of water in the reservoir, the whisper of spirit leaves in the subterranean breeze, and the low hum of Fluffy Bees.
Lee Hyun sat up and brushed off his robes.
“I’ll just make Tunnel No. 2 even better.”
Weaving his fingers into intricate hand seals, he released the full force of the Soil-Turning Spell throughout the subterranean network.
Rumble—
The cavernous halls that had stood for years caved in with a dull roar. Churning earth and crushed stone surged forward, swallowing the living quarters. Ventilation shafts, drainage runnels, and long corridors collapsed in rapid succession. When the final cavern was sealed beneath tons of compacted bedrock, not even an expert utilizing the Earth-Sensing Technique would suspect anything had ever existed here. It looked like a solid, undisturbed stratum of natural rock.
“Farewell.”
* * *
Twenty days later.
Sixty-five thousand li due south of Tunnel No. 1.
A brisk wind carried a sharp, salty scent across the high ridge.
Swish.
Lee Hyun came to a smooth halt as he descended the mountain slope. Stepping onto a sun-warmed boulder, he looked out toward the southern horizon.
A boundless expanse of deep azure met the sky.
“The ocean.”
It was his first time laying eyes on an open sea since arriving in this world. The infinite blue and the salty tang hanging in the air were remarkably similar to the memories of his past life. Yet the horizon seemed vastly more distant here, and the sheer scale of the coastal cities and harbor fortresses far outstripped anything from modern history.
Lee Hyun reached into his robes and withdrew several mortal regional maps he had acquired during his journey.
After slipping out of the Untaek Kingdom, he had crossed four mortal borders to reach the southern edge of the Haereung Kingdom. By the metrics of the cultivation world, he had likely already stepped outside the borders of the Earth Kingdom, a Tier 4 cultivation nation.
He did not know which cultivation power governed the Haereung Kingdom, nor did he care. Crossing the wide strait before him would leave this region behind entirely.
“Might as well cross the water too.”
One of the Cheongun Sect disciples he had slain might well have been backed by an influential senior elder. The farther he fled, the deeper he could sleep.
Haemun City, situated at the southernmost horn of the Haereung Kingdom.
Outside the towering city walls, the grand paved highway split into multiple arteries choked with ox carts and heavy wagons trundling toward the docks. Caravans carried towering loads of silk, porcelain, raw timber, and medicinal herbs bound for outbound ships. Wagons leaving the harbor rolled inland loaded with sea salt, dried fish, massive mother-of-pearl shells, and pungent crates of exotic spices, filling the air with a briny, intense aroma.
Beyond the shoreline, a thick forest of masts rose from the docks, so dense they eclipsed the horizon.
Before stepping past the outer gates, Lee Hyun circulated the Seven-Form Disguise Art.
He relaxed his eyelids slightly, allowed the corners of his mouth to drop, darkened his skin to the leathery bronze of a sun-beaten traveler, and adhered a neatly trimmed false beard to his jaw. He hunched his shoulders by a fraction and shortened his natural stride.
Next, he securely tucked his seven storage pouches into hidden seams within his robes and broad belt.
Finally, he pushed both the Spirit-Concealment Technique and Qi-Concealment Technique to their utmost limits.
The sights inside Haemun City felt completely foreign. Tanned merchants brushed shoulders with sailors wearing white turbans, and fair-skinned foreigners with pale eyes bargained fiercely in the market stalls. Strange, melodic dialects floated out from the open-air taverns.
Lee Hyun wandered the thoroughfares for a few shichen, quietly tuning his ears to the local inflections and common sea-slang until he blended into the crowd.
At the terminus of the grand boulevard lay the open harbor.
Dozens of stone piers thrust into the swelling tides. Vessels ranging from sleek skiffs to gargantuan multi-masted galleons came and went in a ceaseless rhythm. Bare-chested laborers trotted across narrow gangplanks beneath the crushing weight of heavy timber and earthen jars. Every time an iron-rimmed wagon rolled across the flagstones, the stone piers rumbled underfoot.
“Looking for a berth to the Haeo Kingdom?”
The bark of a port runner caught Lee Hyun’s attention.
“Is there a vessel bound for the Haeo Kingdom departing soon?” Lee Hyun asked, his voice rough and low.
“Of course! The Haeyeon Ship, bound straight for Cheongjin Port in the Haeo Kingdom across the strait, weighs anchor tomorrow at dawn. Takes about forty days.”
“Faster than I expected.”
“Compared to the open ocean, the southern strait is narrow, and the Haeyeon Ship is a direct vessel that skips the secondary ports. If the monsoon strikes it can drag on for three months, but the winds are blowing true right now.”
The runner cast a practiced eye over Lee Hyun’s travel-worn attire.
“A berth in the shared hold is two taels of silver. A second-class cabin for six is five taels. A private stateroom to yourself runs fifteen taels.”
“I’ll take the private stateroom.”
“A wise choice, sir. The Haeyeon Ship is one of the largest and most dependable vessels in all of Haemun City.”
Lee Hyun followed the runner to a registry pavilion near the edge of the central pier.
The Haeyeon Ship was an absolute behemoth of a vessel, easily measuring a hundred zhang from stem to stern. Her hull was carved from pitch-black ironwood, bristling with seven towering masts. At her prow perched an imposing figurehead of an ocean swallow with outstretched wings. Deep below the main deck lay cavernous cargo holds and crew berths, while an elevated three-tiered sterncastle housed the passenger staterooms.
Hm?
Lee Hyun caught sight of cultivators among the travelers lingering by the embarkation gangway.
An elderly man in plain Daoist robes stood beside a young youth. Subtle fluctuations escaped their bodies, revealing them to be at the 5th and 3rd layers of Qi Refining, respectively.
The Daoist elder cast a cursory glance over the crowd, his gaze sliding briefly across Lee Hyun before drifting away with complete indifference.
Seeing no flicker of suspicion in the elder’s eyes, Lee Hyun felt satisfied. The Spirit-Concealment Technique and Qi-Concealment Technique were functioning flawlessly.
Keeping a measured distance from the two cultivators, Lee Hyun ascended the gangplank and boarded the Haeyeon Ship.
* * *
The following morning.
Dong—!
The deep resonance of a bronze harbor drum reverberated over the water.
Sailors threw off the heavy mooring hawsers, while deckhands pushed long spruce poles against the quayside to ease the massive vessel away from the stone pilings. As the sea breeze caught the upper rigging, yards of furled canvas tumbled loose one after another.
Whump! Snap!
The pristine white sails caught the prevailing wind, snapping taut with a violent crack. The colossal hull of the Haeyeon Ship glided smoothly out into open water.
Standing at the stern railing, Lee Hyun watched Haemun City slowly recede into the morning haze. The stone ramparts and the forest of ship masts dwindled until they became mere specks, and the roar of the harbor market was swallowed by the rolling crash of white-capped waves.
Leaning comfortably against the salt-crusted rail, Lee Hyun took in the sheer expanse of the sea. Sunlight fractured across the water like millions of silver scales, and the cool sea wind washed over his brow. White foam boiled along the hull’s wake, trailing behind as several broad-winged sea birds banked effortlessly on the rising thermals.
Screech—
Splat.
A white streak dropped toward Lee Hyun’s right shoulder, but the subtle evasion of the Square-Inch Step—inherited from Yu Baek-cheon, a famed Profound Realm martial artist of the Heavenly Yang Kingdom—shifted him half an inch aside, leaving the droppings to strike harmlessly against the scrubbed deck.
* * *
On the morning of the fifteenth day.
A sudden uproar broke out along the starboard railing.
“Look out there!”
“A whale! A sea beast!”
Passengers surged to the rails in excitement. Lee Hyun strolled over and followed their pointing fingers.
At first, he thought an uncharted reef had broken the surface. But the mass was moving, carving a steady path through the swells.
Whooooosh—!
A tremendous jet of vapor and spray rocketed dozens of yards into the azure sky.
A titanic whale cruised parallel to the ship at a safe distance. Pale silver striations ran down its midnight-blue flank, and its visible length easily surpassed fifty zhang.
How can an ordinary creature grow that massive?
Moments later, two smaller calves breached beside the colossus, rolling playfully in the surf.
An old sailor chuckled from the rigging, waving his hands to reassure the anxious passengers. “Settle down, folks! It’s only a Silver-Backed Whale! Gentle giants, every one of them—no danger to our timber!”
The tension melted away, replaced by murmurs of wonder.
Lee Hyun discreetly activated the Farsight Technique alongside the Qi-Observation Technique. Although he detected a faint, dormant trace of spiritual qi within the leviathan’s flesh, it was nowhere near concentrated enough to classify the creature as an actual demonic beast. It was merely a natural marvel born of a world steeped in latent qi.
* * *
Forty-five days after leaving the harbor, in the late afternoon:
A jagged coastline emerged from the horizon, cradling a thriving harbor city beneath low hills. Coastal skiffs, merchant dhows, and heavy trade vessels bustled through the harbor approaches, and the jetties were thick with activity.
Hoooot—!
The horn of the Haeyeon Ship blared across the water, announcing her arrival.
“Cheongjin Port!”
“We’ve made landfall!”
Relieved cheers erupted across the decks as travelers hurried to bundle their trunks.
Cheongjin Port, Haeo Kingdom.
Setting foot upon the stone docks, Lee Hyun noted that the local dialect differed noticeably from the cadence spoken in Haemun City. Yet the core vocabulary remained mutually intelligible, and the characters inscribed on the storefront signboards and official notices were identical.
After clearing the harbor customs checkpoint without drawing attention, Lee Hyun purchased a regional territory map. Securing a quiet room at an inn, he spread the parchment flat across the low table.
The Haeo Kingdom was a mortal domain positioned across the strait from the Haereung Kingdom, bordered directly to the south by the Cheongro Kingdom and the Namryeo Kingdom.
“Hmm…”
Studying the painted terrain, this southern landmass appeared significantly narrower from north to south than the grand continent he had left behind.
Rolling the parchment closed, Lee Hyun’s gaze landed on the storage pouch tied at his side. He thought back to the miscellaneous pill bottles he had looted from the Cheongun Sect disciples.
I have no intention of ingesting them, and several are entirely unidentified. There’s no point in holding onto them. It would be far wiser to convert them directly into spirit stones.
The following morning:
Under a new disguise, Lee Hyun walked seventy li west of the harbor to Cheongjin Market, a modest gathering place for local cultivators. He liquidated a portion of the pills there before changing his face once more two days later and traveling to Osong Market further inland.
By the time he finished selling the remaining medicines across several discreet apothecary shops in Osong Market, his reserve of low-grade spirit stones had grown by 670.
While there, he acquired a detailed map of the regional cultivation landscape. According to the charts, the Haeo Kingdom lay within the sphere of influence of the Ram Kingdom, a Tier 4 cultivation nation. The northern territory across the sea, including the Haereung Kingdom, was marked as part of the Chang Kingdom.
In other words, I traveled from the Earth Kingdom through the Chang Kingdom, and have now crossed into the Ram Kingdom.
Two distinct cultivation nations and an entire ocean now separated him from the Cheongun Sect. At this distance, any pursuit had effectively run cold.
Still, there’s no reason to linger near the markets where I fenced the Cheongun Sect pills. Should I push a bit further south? I have plenty of lifespan and no schedule to keep.
Roughly twenty days later:
Sixty thousand li south of Cheongjin Port, in the southern reaches of the Ram Kingdom.
The southernmost edge of the Namryeo Kingdom.
Lee Hyun stood on the crown of a jagged coastal cliff, gazing down at the sweeping panorama.
Once again, he had reached the ocean.
Towering rollers smashed violently into the reefs below, throwing plumes of white spray into the sky before cascading back into the dark water.
Crash—!
Since leaving Cheongjin Port, Lee Hyun had traveled through the Haeo Kingdom and the Cheongro Kingdom until finally arriving at this southern coast of the Namryeo Kingdom. In the Cheongro Kingdom, vast reed marshes and blue-plumed waterbirds dominated the landscape; upon crossing into the Namryeo Kingdom, rugged red-clay hills and dense, broadleaf forests became the norm.
Just how far did I travel?
Lee Hyun laid several maps over one another, retracing the route from where Tunnel No. 1 once stood.
Sixty-five thousand li to Haemun City.
Thirty thousand li across the southern strait to Cheongjin Port.
Another sixty thousand li from Cheongjin Port to this windswept cliff.
“One hundred and fifty-five thousand li in total…”
The winding reality of his overland journey meant he had walked far more than that, but that was the direct distance traveled south as the crow flew.
At this distance, I can forget the Cheongun Sect entirely and sleep with both eyes closed. Should I dig Tunnel No. 2 somewhere along this coast? Whenever I get restless underground, I could come up here and watch the waves.
First… I need to map out the local cultivation landscape in southern Namryeo.
Before breaking ground on Tunnel No. 2, he needed to understand the local markets, the balance of power, and what spirit plants were readily traded. Most critically, if he wanted to concoct Barrier-Breaking Pills in substantial numbers, he had to confirm whether the required medicinal herbs could flourish in an artificial underground cavern.
If certain core ingredients proved impossible to cultivate beneath the earth, he would have to rely on buying them from the markets.
* * *
Half a month later.
Southern Namryeo Kingdom, Namae Market.
Lee Hyun walked a quiet mountain trail cloaked in drifting mist. Before entering the mountain range, he had reshaped his appearance using the Seven-Form Disguise Art, taking on the persona of a hollow-cheeked, middle-aged rogue cultivator in his mid-forties.
At the trail’s end loomed a sheer stone precipice. To mortal eyes, the path simply vanished into solid rock.
Lee Hyun released a faint wisp of qi at the 3rd layer of Qi Refining. The mist stirred, and the stone facade rippled like the surface of a pond, parting to reveal an arched portal leading into the market beyond.
Two guards at the 6th layer of Qi Refining stood watch beside the illusion barrier. After listening to their standard admonitions regarding public conduct, Lee Hyun paid the nominal entry fee and stepped inside.
Namae Market was far more expansive than any trading hub he had visited before.
Incredible…
By a casual count, hundreds of cultivators traversed the broad stone thoroughfare. Three-story carved wooden pavilions and grand apothecary storefronts flanked the street, while an enormous open plaza ahead accommodated hundreds of independent stalls.
The merchandise laid out on display carried a distinctly maritime flavor:
The salted carcasses of deep-sea demonic fish bristling with needle-sharp scales.
Lustrous pearls the size of a fist harvested from ancient clams.
Sun-dried spirit kelp harvested from deep ocean trenches, alongside brilliant red coral branches radiating pure, dense water-attribute spiritual qi.
Several vendors even displayed wide glazed tubs containing live, exotic demonic fry darting through bubbling water.
Stepping into a bookshop near the central avenue, Lee Hyun purchased a thin primer titled Brief Guide to Cultivation in the Southern Ram Kingdom, alongside several detailed local charts. The text offered a concise summary of the primary markets, prominent clans, and charted sea routes throughout the southern reaches of the nation.
There were no supreme sects stationed in the southern territories.
Because high-grade spirit veins were scarce along the coast, the great sects and venerable ancient clans of the Ram Kingdom were clustered throughout the fertile central plains and northern peaks. The southern fringe was left primarily to Foundation Establishment clans guarding minor spirit veins and nomadic bands of Qi Refining rogue cultivators.
Among the various organizations listed, one faction drew Lee Hyun’s interest:
[Azure Tide Merchant Alliance.
A joint coalition formed by eight prominent maritime trading companies operating across the Namryeo Kingdom and the southern archipelagos. The alliance oversees spirit vessel construction, coordinates protected sailing routes, and deals predominantly in raw spiritual materials, medicinal pills, and demonic beast parts.
Fifteen Foundation Establishment cultivators sit as Alliance Elders, and significant mercantile policies are decided by the Alliance Elders’ Council.]
Fifteen Foundation Establishment cultivators…
While not a force Lee Hyun could provoke lightly, within the context of the entire Ram Kingdom, they were merely a regional trade collective lacking even a single Golden Core cultivator. So long as he operated with proper caution, dealing with a trade alliance would be vastly simpler and safer than tiptoeing around an entrenched sect like the Cheongun Sect.
According to the primer, while the Azure Tide Merchant Alliance did not hold direct jurisdiction over Namae Market, they operated multiple flagship pavilions and storage depots within its grounds, alongside branches scattered across the surrounding coastal towns.
Reaching the bustling heart of Namae Market, Lee Hyun slowed his pace.
Across the paved avenue stood an imposing, four-story pavilion. Carved prominently above the lacquered grand entrance was an emblem of rolling blue waves.
[Azure Tide Pill Pavilion]
A wooden placard stood before the entrance, detailing the medicines currently in stock. Lee Hyun’s gaze caught on one particular entry.
[Tier 1 Bone-Tempering Powder]
Low-grade, one dose: 18 low-grade spirit stones.
Mid-grade, one dose: 30 low-grade spirit stones.
Bone-Tempering Powder?
It was a spiritual medicine capable of permanently strengthening a cultivator’s bones, reinforcing skeletal density in proportion to the medicinal potency absorbed.
And the core ingredient required to refine it was none other than…
The Bone-Corroding Flower.
His interest thoroughly piqued, Lee Hyun turned and stepped inside.
“Welcome, Fellow Daoist.”
A young clerk in a flowing blue robe stepped forward to greet him, the rolling wave crest of the Azure Tide Merchant Alliance neatly embroidered along his sleeves.
“I’d like to take a look at the Bone-Tempering Powder.”
“You’ve come to the right place. Our Azure Tide Pill Pavilion’s Bone-Tempering Powder enjoys an outstanding reputation throughout the southern archipelago. Might you be a body-refining cultivator?”
“No, I am not.”
“Ah, no matter. Even for an ordinary cultivator, tempering the skeleton allows one to better withstand external impacts and the violent recoil of powerful spells. You’ll feel a noticeable difference within just three or four doses.”
“What is the difference between the low-grade and mid-grade batches?”
“The mid-grade offers roughly thirty percent higher medicinal potency with far less pill poison. However, if this is your first time taking it, the low-grade is more than sufficient.”
“How is it taken?”
“Dissolve the powder in spirit spring water and consume it in divided doses across three days. If you gulp it down all at once, you will suffer severe bone aches and a racking fever.”
“Understood.”
Lee Hyun inspected the display counter. The powder was packaged in palm-sized envelopes, each sealed tight with a small talisman to lock in the medicinal potency.
“Does the Azure Tide Merchant Alliance refine this in-house?” he asked.
“Indeed. It is concocted by our alliance’s certified Tier 1 alchemists.”
“Do you sell the pill recipe?”
The clerk smiled apologetically and gave a firm shake of his head. “We do not sell the recipe. While Bone-Tempering Powder isn’t monopolized solely by our alliance, our formula is imparted only to internal alchemists or long-standing guest alchemists.”
“What does it take to become a guest alchemist?”
“You must prove your credentials as a Tier 1 alchemist and complete various tasks to establish trust with the alliance. For specific details, you would need to inquire at the General Affairs Pavilion.”
Lee Hyun gave a slow nod.
He had no intention of joining them right away, but knowing a legitimate pathway existed to acquire a recipe that utilized Bone-Corroding Flowers lifted his spirits. Once he finished excavating Tunnel No. 2 and consolidated his cultivation, approaching them as a guest alchemist wouldn’t be a bad option.
He nearly asked whether the pavilion bought raw Bone-Corroding Flowers, but held his tongue.
Best not to rush. For all I know, its connection to Bone-Tempering Powder might not be common knowledge here.
Leaving the pavilion, Lee Hyun continued his stroll through the bustling streets of Namae Market.
Deep within the eastern stall district, beneath a sprawling canopy of black oiled cloth, dozens of flowerpots were lined up in neat rows. Thin sheets of oiled paper covered each pot, shielding passersby from toxic pollen. Beneath the translucent paper grew pale spirit herbs bearing layered, ivory petals.
Bone-Corroding Flowers!
Pretending to see them for the first time, Lee Hyun crouched beside the display.
“What kind of spirit herb is this?”
“That’s the Bone-Corroding Flower,” replied the middle-aged vendor tending the stall.
“What is it used for?”
“It’s the primary ingredient for Bone-Tempering Powder. Cultivate it properly, and you can harvest seeds as well.”
So it really is common knowledge here after all.
“How old are these?”
“The smaller ones have grown for twelve years. The larger specimens are thirty-one years old.”
“What’s the price?”
“One low-grade spirit stone for a twelve-year-old plant. Six spirit stones for the thirty-one-year-old.”
Lee Hyun casually inspected the soil and root crowns. The vendor’s assessment was accurate; the medicinal age matched the plant’s development.
“Did you raise these yourself?”
“Aye, grown in my family’s spirit fields. There are quite a few spirit farmers cultivating Bone-Corroding Flowers around these parts.”
“Demand must be fairly steady, then.”
“The Azure Tide Merchant Alliance churns out Bone-Tempering Powder constantly, so there’s always a reliable market.” The vendor pointed toward a hefty pot near the corner. “If you have a knack for spirit botany, you could buy a young one to nurture. Once a stalk reaches a century of age, the Azure Tide Merchant Alliance pays a handsome sum for it.”
“A hundred years…”
A subtle glint flashed in Lee Hyun’s eyes.
To an ordinary Qi Refining cultivator, a hundred years was virtually an entire lifetime. But for a clan passing down spirit fields over generations, producing century-old herbs was entirely feasible.
Which means… even if I put up a stalk or two of my Bone-Corroding Flowers exceeding one hundred and sixty years, people won’t immediately suspect where they came from.
Lee Hyun straightened and surveyed the rest of the lane. This was far from the only stall offering them; several neighboring herb shops were selling detoxified stalks aged forty to sixty years as raw medicinal ingredients.
* * *
Azure Tide Merchant Alliance, Spirit Material Hall.
The interior of the hall was cavernous. A long row of appraisal counters ran along one side, where seasoned appraisers inspected materials while sellers waited patiently on benches across the room.
Mounted high upon the main wall hung several large wooden plaques engraved with the alliance’s official procurement prices for various spirit herbs and ores.
Scanning down the list, Lee Hyun finally spotted the entry for Bone-Corroding Flowers near the bottom.
[Procurement Rates for Bone-Corroding Flower Rootstocks]
Final valuation determined by physical appraisal of age and vitality.
Standard reference rates:
— 100 Years of Medicinal Age: 30 low-grade spirit stones
— 200 Years of Medicinal Age: 120 low-grade spirit stones
(Deductions apply for damaged roots, broken growth points, or deficient medicinal potency.)
Lee Hyun’s eyes locked onto the numbers.
He reread the figures twice, verifying he hadn’t misread the brushwork.
Thirty stones for a hundred years, but a hundred and twenty for two hundred?
Just then, the front entrance creaked open as a cultivator stepped into the hall carrying a heavy flowerpot.
“I’m here to sell a Bone-Corroding Flower rootstock!”