69: Chapter 69 Crimson Feather Phoenix

Following the music, Yun Ming stepped into the Bao Dan Pavilion.

The moment he entered, he almost instinctively held his breath.

A dazzling array of items met his eyes.

No other description could be more appropriate.

Inside the spacious hall, rows of medicine cabinets over ten feet tall stood against the walls, their dense drawers labeled with various names—spring return pills, yangqi pills, Origin-Cultivating Powder... from the lowest Grade One Low Tier to Grade Two High Tier pills that would tempt even a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, everything was available. In the center of the hall, several crystal counters displayed Medicinal Pills of excellent quality, stored in jade bottles that shimmered with a soft luster under the gentle pearly light.

There were even foundation establishment pills, priced at a mere one hundred thousand Spirit Stones.

Seeing this, Yun Ming couldn't help but shake his head.

Medicinal Pills were indeed the primary business of the Bao Dan Pavilion.

But as Yun Ming's gaze swept across the room, he realized there was far more than just pills.

On the right wall hung various Magical Artifacts—Flying Swords, Spirit Banners, Seals, and Bronze Mirrors. They ranged from Low Grade to Medium Grade, with even one or two High Grade Magical Artifacts locked away in glass covers, shrouded in Spiritual Qi.

On the left shelves were stacks of Talismans—Fireball Talismans, Golden Light Talismans, and Earth-Escaping Talismans. Their ranks varied from Tier One to Tier Two, with a few Tier Three ones resting on the very top.

Further inside, one could see Spirit Pet Cages, Formation Plates, Cultivation Technique Jade Slips, Artifact Refining Materials...

Everything one could possibly need was there.

This was the true depth of a major Sect Market.

While Yun Ming was looking around, a maidservant dressed in a light green ruqun stepped forward to greet him.

She swept her gaze over Yun Ming's aura, pausing for a brief moment before her smile grew even more fervent.

"Greetings, Senior," she said with a slight bow. "How may I assist you? Although our Bao Dan Pavilion is famous for its Medicinal Pills, we also have everything from Cultivation Techniques and Magical Artifacts to spirit pets, Talismans, and Formation Materials. Please let me know if you need anything."

Foundation Establishment Late Stage.

In this market, that was considered a high-tier customer.

Yun Ming didn't beat around the bush and said directly, "I have something I want to sell. Do you accept the Golden Core of a Golden Core Stage snake demon?"

The maidservant was taken aback, a look of surprise flashing through her eyes.

A Golden Core Stage Yao Beast—anyone who could hunt such a creature would have to be at least at the same stage. Although the person before her was only at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage, he was able to produce a Golden Core...

Not daring to be negligent, she quickly said, "We do, we do. Please wait a moment, Senior. I'll fetch the deacon to discuss the details with you."

"No need," Yun Ming waved his hand. "Just give me a quote. If it's fair, I'll sell it."

The maidservant hesitated for a moment but nodded. After a brief calculation, she quoted a figure.

After hearing it, Yun Ming nodded inwardly.

The price was twenty percent higher than he had expected. It seemed the Bao Dan Pavilion was indeed fair.

"What about the carcass?" he asked again. "I'm selling the snake demon's carcass too."

The maidservant's eyes lit up. "The carcass of a Golden Core Stage Yao Beast is a treasure from head to toe. The blood, scales, bones, and tendons can all be used for medicine or Artifact Refining. If Senior sells them together, the price will naturally be even better."

Without further ado, Yun Ming flipped his hand and took a Storage Pouch from his naxu ring. Inside were the Golden Core and the headless snake carcass.

The Golden Core was about the size of a fist, golden all over, with a faint mist swirling within. Although the snake carcass was headless, it was still over a hundred feet long, its pitch-black scales shimmering with an eerie light. Even though it had been dead for a while, it still emitted a faint pressure.

The maidservant took it and, after checking with her Divine Sense, gasped. She quickly called two Servants to take the snake carcass to the back hall for processing while she hurried to the counter with the Golden Core. A moment later, she returned with a Storage Pouch and presented it with both hands.

"Senior, here are the Spirit Stones for the snake carcass and the Golden Core. Please check them."

Yun Ming took it and scanned it with his Divine Sense—the amount was correct, not a single stone more or less.

He nodded with satisfaction and put away the Storage Pouch.

"Would Senior like to see anything else?" the maidservant asked attentively. "The Medicinal Pills of our Bao Dan Pavilion are famous throughout the entire market. If Senior needs something for cultivation, we have high-quality Grade Two Origin-Cultivating Pills here—"

"I'll look around first," Yun Ming interrupted her.

The maidservant tactfully stepped back. "Please feel free to browse, Senior. If you need anything, just call me."

Yun Ming nodded and began to stroll through the hall with his hands behind his back.

He didn't head directly toward the direction of the music. Instead, he intentionally walked very slowly.

He looked at the Medicinal Pills, the Magical Artifacts, and the Talismans. Occasionally, he would stop to pick up an item and examine it for a moment before putting it back.

Stopping and starting.

It looked like he was just browsing.

But with every step, he was unknowingly getting a little closer to that music.

And a little closer still.

Finally, he stopped at a corner by the window.

There stood a waist-high wooden rack, upon which rested a Spirit Beast nest carved from green jade. The nest was lined with a thick layer of Fire Silkworm Silk, and an egg lay quietly upon it.

Yun Ming looked down at the egg.

The egg was about the size of an adult's head, pale gold in color, and covered with fine dark-red patterns that faintly formed some ancient design. A gentle warmth emanated from the egg—the aura of life.

What a pity—

Yun Ming's gaze fell upon a crack on the eggshell.

The crack snaked down from the top of the egg, about three inches long. Although it had healed and scabbed over, it was still clearly visible. Around the crack, the pale gold surface of the shell was noticeably duller, and the aura of the entire egg seemed somewhat listless.

He looked up at the price tag next to it.

"Red-Feathered Luan Egg, possesses Phoenix Bloodline, can reach Golden Core Middle Stage upon maturity. Price: 180,000 Spirit Stones."

One hundred and eighty thousand.

Yun Ming did a quick calculation in his head.

He had just sold the snake carcass and Golden Core for 230,000 Spirit Stones. If he bought this egg, it would take up most of it.

But the price was indeed not high.

For a spirit bird with a Phoenix Bloodline that could reach the Golden Core Middle Stage upon maturity, a perfectly intact living egg could easily sell for four or five hundred thousand Spirit Stones. One hundred and eighty thousand—this was clearly considering the risk posed by that crack.

Whether it could even hatch was hard to say.

Thus, the price was stuck in this awkward middle ground: not exactly cheap, but not outrageously expensive either.

As Yun Ming was examining it, footsteps approached from behind.

"Is Senior looking at this Red-Feathered Luan Egg?"

It was the maidservant.

"What's the story with this egg? That crack..."

The maidservant sighed and explained, "Senior has a keen eye. This Red-Feathered Luan Egg was brought in three months ago by a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, who said he found it by chance in some ruins."

"At the time, the egg was under a Restriction Seal. While breaking it, he accidentally damaged the shell. Although he eventually succeeded in breaking the Seal, the egg was already damaged, and its aura became weak. He originally thought it would recover on its own, but after waiting for two months without improvement, he simply sold it to our Bao Dan Pavilion."

"The Spirit Beast Masters in our pavilion have examined it and said that the foundation is still there, and the Phoenix Bloodline is genuine. If it can hatch, it will at least reach the Golden Core Stage in the future. But whether it can hatch is something no one can guarantee." She pointed to the crack. "Although this wound has healed, it damaged the life force within. The chance of hatching is less than thirty percent. That's why the price has been kept low, and it has been sitting here for many days without any takers."

Yun Ming listened, his gaze fixed on the egg.

"I'll take this egg," Yun Ming said.

The maidservant was stunned. "Senior..."

"One hundred and eighty thousand, right?" Yun Ming took out the Storage Pouch he had just received, counted out 180,000 Spirit Stones, and handed it over along with the pouch. "Deal."

The maidservant took it blankly, and it took her a while to snap out of it. She nodded hurriedly, "Yes, yes! Please wait a moment, Senior, I'll wrap it up for you right away."

She was about to turn and fetch a brocade box when Yun Ming called out to her.

"By the way, once this egg hatches, how do I make it recognize me as its master?"