8: Yujiafang Market

"Spirit Stones aren't needed, and no credentials are required either, but there are a few rules you need to be aware of.

Killing and fighting over treasures are not allowed within the marketplace. If you violate this, you'll be hunted by the Yu Family. Heh, even a Cultivator at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining would have to think twice.

But as long as you follow the rules, the Yu Family Marketplace generally won't bother you.

If you need to do business here, like opening a shop, the price is very high. However, for a street stall, it's only one Spirit Stone per day, which is quite affordable.

Although the Yu Family Marketplace isn't large, it's like a sparrow small yet complete with all its organs. The four major arts of cultivation—Alchemy ( Dan), Artifact Refining ( instrument), Talismans ( symbol), and Formations ( formation)—are all available here, and crucially, the prices are very reasonable.

I see you, Fellow Daoist, seem to be encountering a marketplace for the first time? Were you perhaps cultivating in seclusion alone before?"

Meng Tie explained the various rules of the marketplace to Su Yu. It was basically clear that the Yu Family Marketplace was quite upright.

However, it seemed he sensed something unusual about Su Yu, as if he had never been to a marketplace before. Given his cultivation level, that really shouldn't be the case!

Hence, he asked this question.

Su Yu replied, "Previously, I was following my Revered Master, cultivating in seclusion. Now, my cultivation is stuck at a Bottleneck, so I've left seclusion to travel, hoping to find an opportunity to break through this Bottleneck."

Su Yu told a lie, but as long as it wasn't scrutinized deeply, Meng Tie wouldn't be able to detect it.

Moreover, if he probed further, he would offend Su Yu.

Therefore, Meng Tie let the topic drop.

"In that case, Fellow Daoist, please follow me."

Meng Tie also held a great deal of respect for such ascetic Cultivators, and at the same time, he gained some understanding of Su Yu's background.

With his cultivation level, he was likely above the Tenth level of Qi Refining. Plus, he had a Revered Master who had nurtured him to this point. Even if that Revered Master wasn't a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, they were at least at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining.

This further solidified Meng Tie's desire to latch onto a powerful figure.

After the two entered the marketplace, their vision spun for a moment, and the next instant, they arrived at a place that resembled a village.

Except everyone here was a Cultivator.

And there were quite a few of them. Right at the entrance, there were rows of stalls selling various items.

Su Yu swept his gaze over them—a dazzling array!

Spiritual Plants, Spirit Ore, Medicinal Pills, Talismans, Magical Artifacts—everything you could think of.

Although they were somewhat low-grade, that was only from his perspective. For ordinary Cultivators, they were just right.

Su Yu walked up to a stall and looked at the Cultivation Techniques on display, a gleam flashing in his eyes.

"Fellow Daoist, how much for this Cultivation Technique?"

Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Su Yu asked with a calm expression.

"This technique is called the Profound Jade Art. It's a technique that can be cultivated all the way to Foundation Establishment, with considerable power. Cultivating it to Major Achievement allows one to condense a Profound Jade Dharma Body, increasing physical strength by thirty percent. The price is three hundred Spirit Stones."

The stall owner was a burly man with a full beard. Seeing Su Yu's inquiry, he answered.

Hearing this, the gleam in Su Yu's eyes grew even brighter.

Such a technique was sold for a very high price in the System Mall, yet in the cultivation world, it only cost three hundred Spirit Stones.

Su Yu immediately wanted to buy it.

immortal purchase coins could be recharged using Spirit Stones or exchanged for Spirit Stones. He still had over three hundred immortal purchase coins, which was enough to purchase this technique.

But suddenly, Su Yu realized something. He suppressed the barely contained excitement in his heart and instead began to think calmly.

After all, products from the System were bound to be of high quality. Even among Foundation Establishment techniques, the gap could be huge.

A bargain-bin item like this obviously couldn't compare to the techniques within the System.

And most importantly, Su Yu had just checked the System Mall and found that whether it was Foundation Establishment or Qi Refining techniques, they were all the Qi Refining chapters or Foundation Establishment chapters of certain top-tier techniques.

It seemed like top-tier techniques were being disassembled and sold separately.

For example, the Green Origin Thunder-Slaying Sword Art he was looking at now was a top-tier technique that could be cultivated to the Tribulation Transcendence Stage.

Its Qi Refining chapter was worth several thousand Spirit Stones, and its Foundation Establishment chapter was sold for thirty thousand Spirit Stones!

But judging from its description, its power was such that ten copies of the Profound Jade Art couldn't compare.

"Looks like I need to work hard to get Spirit Stones!"

Only Su Yu could see the System panel; others could only see him seemingly spacing out.

After closing the System panel, Su Yu shook his head and left the stall.

Seeing this, the stall owner grew anxious and spoke up, "Fellow Daoist, two hundred Spirit Stones will do! Fair price for young and old alike!"

Su Yu didn't say a word, just walked towards other stalls.

Seeing this, the stall owner could only grit his teeth in frustration. If he had known, he wouldn't have set the price so high.

He had clearly seen a flash of interest in Su Yu's eyes earlier, which is why he decided to sell this common-as-dirt Profound Jade Art for three hundred Spirit Stones.

But he never expected this person to change his mind halfway.

What a huge loss.

Seeing that Su Yu didn't purchase such a technique, Meng Tie was also puzzled.

After all, this technique was considered common for Cultivators above the Late Stage of Qi Refining, but for low-level Cultivators like them, it was a superior, excellent technique.

He himself currently only cultivated one Qi Refining technique, and wanting to reach above the Tenth level of Qi Refining in this lifetime was very difficult. He might even be stuck at the Late Stage of Qi Refining for the rest of his life.

That's precisely why he hadn't reminded Su Yu.

But he didn't ask further.

After browsing through all the stalls, Su Yu truly had his horizons broadened.

Compared to the product photos in the System Mall, these tangible items he could see and touch were much more satisfying.

It's just a pity that all these things were junk; he couldn't use a single one.

But then again, this was a low-level marketplace after all. Forget Foundation Establishment Cultivators, even Loose Cultivators above the Tenth level of Qi Refining were rare here.

"Fellow Daoist Meng, let's part ways here. I still have some matters to attend to."

Su Yu didn't want to waste any more time, so he bid farewell to Meng Tie and headed deeper into the Yu Family Marketplace.

However, to thank Meng Tie, he exchanged for a Spirit Stone from the System and tossed it to him, treating it as a token of gratitude.

Seeing this, although Meng Tie wanted to persuade him to stay and even considered following Su Yu, he thought better of it after some consideration.

After all, he had just met Su Yu and didn't know his character. The cultivation world wasn't that stable; if Su Yu turned out to be a demonic Cultivator, that would be troublesome.

Using his Divine Thought to sense, Su Yu detected several Cultivators with similar auras. His mind settled; this was the location of the marketplace Revered Master's Immortal Cave within the Yu Family Marketplace.

Then, ignoring everything around him, he went straight to the Yu Family Marketplace Master's Immortal Cave. It was a cave dwelling carved into the side of a mountain, with several Cultivators at the Middle Stage of Qi Refining guarding it.

Outside the cave, the glow of Formation Restrictions flowed. Even a Cultivator at the Late Stage of Qi Refining couldn't force their way in.

"Fellow Daoist, this is the Immortal Cave of our Yu Family Marketplace Master. Please stop!"

Seeing this, the guarding Yu Family Cultivator immediately changed expression, drew a Magical Artifact from the Storage Pouch at his waist, and stood ready, watching Su Yu warily.

But Su Yu was a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. He had no intention of paying them any mind. He directly used his aura to intimidate the several guards outside and strode openly into the cave.

Inside the cave, there were several Cultivators. One among them had a cultivation level at the eleventh level of Qi Refining, making him the strongest of the group.

That person wore a black robe and had graying hair, looking about sixty or seventy years old.

Sensing Su Yu's intrusion, he immediately flew out from the meditation room, followed closely by a man and a woman. He looked at Su Yu and said, "Fellow Daoist, forcing your way into the pavilion of our Yu Family Marketplace Master—do you not hold our Yu Family in any regard?!"

Su Yu hadn't revealed his cultivation level, though he had only used his aura to intimidate the guards outside.

But this gray-haired old man could also accomplish such a feat, so he mistakenly assumed Su Yu's cultivation was the same as his.

The reason he couldn't see through Su Yu's cultivation was that he thought Su Yu must possess an extremely exquisite Concealment Secret Art.