32: The lessons of life are all hidden within the secrets of heaven!

Inside the Treasure Pavilion.

"Shopkeeper, this 'Scarlet Flame Iron' of yours is not of the right quality."

Wang Duojin pinched a fist-sized dark red Ore, his face full of disdain.

"There are Impurities inside the Ore body, and the fire energy is not pure. It is worth at most three Low-Grade Spirit Stones."

The fat shopkeeper wiped his sweat, accompanying the gesture with a smile.

"Little Daoist, you are truly an expert. But this is, after all, an excellent Material for refining fire-attribute Magical Artifacts. Five Spirit Stones, not a penny less!"

Wang Duojin threw the Ore onto the counter, his abacus clicking and clacking.

"Five Spirit Stones? With five Spirit Stones, I could go next door and buy three pieces of Profound Iron with better quality than this, and then hire Blacksmith Zhang to forge an excellent kitchen knife!"

He lowered his voice.

"Shopkeeper, let me do the math for you again. This batch of goods was acquired from the Black Wind Mountain mine three days ago, and you suppressed the price by twenty percent at the time. Your shop's daily rent is one Spirit Stone, and the assistant's wages are half a stone. If I give you three Spirit Stones, you still net half a stone. Why not do it?"

The fat shopkeeper's smile froze on his face; the way he looked at Wang Duojin was as if he had seen a ghost.

How did this kid know even the price he paid for the stock?

"Four! Four Spirit Stones, and you can take it, Little Daoist!" he said, gritting his teeth.

"Three, plus that 'Moss Stone' under your counter that you use to prop up the table leg," Wang Duojin insisted, not giving an inch.

The fat shopkeeper was stunned and subconsciously looked under the counter.

Isn't that just an ordinary piece of broken stone?

"Deal!"

Wang Duojin happily paid the three Spirit Stones, tucked the Scarlet Flame Iron and the moss-covered, dirt-stained stone into his pocket, and turned to leave.

The fat shopkeeper watched his retreating figure, always feeling that something was wrong, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

At the other end of the street, in front of a small stall selling miscellaneous goods.

Su Linger squatted down and picked up a silver bell.

The bell was carved with fine snowflake patterns and was exquisitely crafted.

"Young lady, do you like this?"

The stall owner was an old woman with a wrinkled face and a kind smile.

"This bell was found by my old man in the northern snow mountains when he was young. It rings very crisply!"

Su Linger shook it gently.

Cling.

A crisp sound, like ice springs dripping, carried a hint of refreshing coolness.

This sound reminded her of the spiritual waterfalls on Myriad Dao Divine Mountain and the cup of tea that her Revered Master brewed.

"Granny, how much for this?" she asked softly.

"It's not expensive, not expensive. Seeing that you like it, just give me twenty copper coins."

Su Linger took out twenty copper coins from the pouch her Revered Master had given her and carefully placed them in the old woman's calloused palm.

"Thank you, Granny."

She tied the small bell to her wrist and stood up.

As the wind blew and her wrist moved slightly, a series of crisp bell sounds rang out.

Walking along the bustling street, listening to this sound that belonged only to her, she felt the whole world becoming vivid.

In the west of the city, Blacksmith Zhang's shop.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The bare-chested blacksmith swung a heavy iron hammer, striking the red-hot iron billet in front of the furnace time and time again.

Sparks flew, and waves of heat rolled out.

Ye Chenfeng stood not far away, watching quietly.

He wasn't watching what the iron billet would eventually become—whether it was a knife, a sword, or a farm tool.

He only watched the blacksmith.

Watching the force of every hammer blow, the angle at which he turned the billet, the sweat rolling down his forehead, and the focus in his eyes.

The blacksmith's figure was not tall; he was even a bit thin and gaunt.

But every time he swung the hammer, he used all his strength, his waist, back, and arms twisting into one, pouring all his energy into the hammerhead.

Simple, direct, effective.

Ye Chenfeng thought of his own sword.

The "Chaos Sword Scripture" was incredibly profound, and the "Wind Chasing Sword Art" was as swift as the wind.

But he always felt that his sword was missing something.

Now, he seemed to understand.

His sword was missing this "substance" forged through a thousand hammer blows.

It was missing this "focus" that concentrates all power into a single point.

He stood there for a long time.

Until the iron billet was forged into the prototype of a hoe.

The blacksmith threw it into a water bucket, and with a "hiss," white smoke rose up.

Ye Chenfeng bowed slightly to the sweat-drenched blacksmith.

Then, he turned and left.

He didn't buy anything, yet he felt he had gained something more precious than any divine Sharp Weapon.

In front of the tea stall.

Chu Xuanjin finished the last cup of tea.

Watching his three Disciples disperse, he also stood up.

He did not go to those magnificent, golden pavilions, but instead walked into several of the most ordinary-looking Medicinal Pill shops and weapon stores with the highest foot traffic.

"Shopkeeper, I want all of your 'Qi Recovery Pills' and 'Golden Wound Medicine'."

"Boss, I'll take as many of these standard iron swords and long knives as you have in your shop."

"Give me one thousand of these Yellow Rank Low Grade defensive Talismans."

Chu Xuanjin was generous with his spending, yet he specifically chose the most basic goods with the lowest grade and highest quantity.

The shopkeepers of several stores were overjoyed.

They had never seen such a strange customer; he was like a manager out procuring supplies for a Sect, yet he only wanted these worthless Low Grade goods.

They couldn't wait to clear out the stock that had been accumulating in their warehouses for years for this "great philanthropist."

Chu-Great Philanthropist-Xuanjin quietly put the piles of Medicinal Pills, weapons, and Talismans into his myriad dao ring.

These were all "consumables" to trigger the System's critical return in the future.

Treasures rewarded by the System could not trigger a return again.

To fleece the System, one had to provide their own forage.

He knew this well.

An hour later.

Below Wangjiang Tower.

Wang Duojin was the first to run back, carrying a large package half a person tall, filled with all sorts of strange Ores and Materials, his face beaming with the joy of harvest.

"Revered Master! I picked up a huge bargain today! Look at this 'Black Gold Stone'. The shopkeeper didn't know its value and sold it to me as ordinary iron Ore. I only spent five Spirit Stones! If I sell it, it's worth at least fifty!"

Su Linger also walked over, holding a bright red candied hawthorn in her hand, the silver bell on her other wrist making a pleasant sound as she walked.

Seeing her Revered Master, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she handed the candied hawthorn over.

"Revered Master, for you."

Ye Chenfeng arrived last. He was still silent, but his eyes were brighter and calmer than before.

Chu Xuanjin did not take Su Linger's candied hawthorn, just smiled and shook his head.

He glanced at Wang Duojin's package, listened to the bell on Su Linger's wrist, and finally, his gaze fell on Ye Chenfeng's ordinary iron sword.

"It seems everyone has gained something."

He stood up.

"Let's go. It's time to leave this place."

The four of them walked out of Tianluo City without looking back.

The setting sun stretched their shadows long and thin on the official road behind them.