Yuan Ming left the Black Fire Pavilion and took a stroll around the area, soon discovering the shops set up by the Hundred Poison Cave, Beast King Sect, and Green Rock Association, all concentrated in this district. He had a preliminary understanding of the situation here.

As a Sect founded on a merchant guild, Green Rock Association operated the largest store among the Five Sects, selling a wide variety of items, mainly various grades of spiritual materials, to attract the passing cultivators.

The shop of Hundred Poison Cave sold various deadly poisons and precious poisonous insects.

As for the Beast King Sect, a body-refining sect, it sold body-tempering spiritual liquids, elixirs, and so on, being the smallest in scale.

Yuan Ming was quite interested in the deadly poisons from Hundred Poison Cave and the body-tempering elixirs from Beast King Sect, but his finances were tight. Since he came here to look for frost spiritual materials, he focused on finding this item first and decided that other things could wait until later.

"I've recently been preoccupied with studying the incense burner. Once I wrap up these matters, I need to find a way to earn more Spirit Stones," Yuan Ming thought to himself.

Before he came to this market, he hadn't realized how important Spirit Stones were. Only upon arriving here did he discover that everything was priced in Spirit Stones, which could not only buy all sorts of rare spiritual materials but could even be used to commission other cultivators to do things.

It seemed that in the cultivation world, with Spirit Stones, one could indeed do whatever they wished.

With this thought, Yuan Ming stepped into the three-story building housing the Qingyan Shop.

The first floor of the shop was spacious with numerous counters lined up neatly with various types of spiritual materials, dazzling to the eyes.

Customers either wandered alone or in small groups, continuously weaving through the counters.

Yuan Ming looked around briefly and made his way directly to a counter.

In Qingyan Shop, spiritual materials were arranged by attribute, and the counter he approached displayed water attribute materials.

A man with black whiskers stood behind the counter, engaged in a fierce price negotiation with a short and plump young man of a genial appearance over two blue Spirit Grasses.

In such a large shop, the rule of first come, first served was observed. Yuan Ming stood by patiently, not interrupting.

The short and plump young man was an expert in bidding, eloquent and astute. After a barrage of aggressive haggling that left the whiskered man unable to retort, the latter reluctantly agreed to the young man's price.

Yuan Ming watched with amazement. He had always considered his own speaking skills to be decent, but compared to this short and plump young man, he was far inferior.

The young man, at the mere Qi Refining Third and Fourth Level, had such impressive eloquence. Yuan Ming wondered how he had developed it, as the cultivation world truly contained all kinds of people.

The young man left with satisfaction, materials in hand.

"Esteemed customer, are you looking to buy some spiritual materials?" the whiskered man noticed Yuan Ming waiting and awkwardly asked.

"Do you have any frost attribute spiritual materials in your shop?" Yuan Ming didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point.

"Oh, you are knowledgeable, customer! You've come to the right place! Speaking of frost materials, they are indeed rare items. Other stores might not have them, but our Qingyan Shop naturally does," said the man with black whiskers, his voice tinged with unabashed pride.

"Regarding the grade, do you have mid-grade ones?" Yuan Ming asked, also excited, hope shining in his eyes.

According to the Three Cave Masters, the higher the grade of the frost attribute spiritual material, the better it would meet the Green Fish Sword's advancement requirements.

"Just getting a few frost spiritual materials cost our shop a considerable amount; we don't have mid-grade frost spiritual materials for the time being," the whiskered man's smile stiffened and then turned to a slight embarrassment as he shook his head.

Yuan Ming felt quite disappointed, but he didn't mind too much as he hadn't expected to find them at the first shop he visited, and he had other purposes for coming here.

"Do you purchase spiritual materials here?" he didn't leave, instead asking another question.

"Of course, we buy! We offer fair prices and treat young and old equally. Esteemed customer, if you have any exceptional items, we can sit in a private room inside and discuss in detail," said the man with black whiskers.

A quarter of an hour later, Yuan Ming walked out of the Qingyan Shop, a smile appearing beneath his wide-brimmed hat.

He sold off the spiritual materials he had obtained from Hu Huo and Kun Tu, as well as materials he had saved up before, excluding a few he needed, all in exchange for over thirty Spirit Stones.

With his original savings, Yuan Ming now had a total of seventy Spirit Stones in his possession.

This was a considerable fortune for a Qi Refining Stage Cultivator who had just entered the cultivation world less than two years ago.

Based on his research beforehand, the typical value of a mid-grade spiritual material was around forty to fifty Spirit Stones. Even if frost spiritual materials were more precious, seventy Spirit Stones should be more than enough.

Yuan Ming proceeded, soon spotting another seemingly respectable spiritual material shop and stepping in.

Less than half an hour later, he walked out and continued on.

A two hours passed quickly.

In a tavern in the market, Yuan Ming sat at a window-side seat on the second floor, silently eating his meal and not seeming to be in the best of moods.

During that two hours, he had asked seven or eight small shops selling spiritual materials, but he still had nothing to show for it.

Black Rock City was one of the biggest markets in the Southern Border and Northern Territory, and if he couldn't find the frost spiritual materials he needed here, it would likely be in vain to look elsewhere.

Yuan Ming was secretly anxious, considering his next move for the afternoon.

The footsteps clattered from the stairwell, and two figures walked in.

Yuan Ming was startled, these two turned out to be acquaintances, one was Zhao Tong, and the other was the short and chubby young man he had met before at Qingyan Pavilion, the master of bargaining.

"How did they come together?" Yuan Ming felt strange, then suddenly remembered he had taken off his conical hat for convenience while eating, and grabbed it to put back on.

"Yo, Brother Yuan! What are you doing here?" Zhao Tong's eyes were sharp, and he immediately saw Yuan Ming, greeted him from afar, and walked over with the short and chubby young man.

"Heard this place was bustling recently, came to take a look and see if I could find some treasures. What about you, Brother Zhao?" Yuan Ming, realizing he couldn't hide, quietly put away his hat and stood up to welcome them.

"Oh, don't mention it. Made a mistake a few days ago, and the Sect demoted me here to take care of Biluo Shop's business for half a year," Zhao Tong sighed.

"I always felt Brother Zhao had a knack for business. Now the business at Biluo Shop will probably prosper even more. By the way, who is this?" Yuan Ming blinked and looked towards the short and chubby youth.

"Forgot to introduce him, this is Fellow Daoist Gu Yue, an old friend of mine from Black Rock City. Old Gu, this is Yuan Ming, my fellow Sect brother; I've mentioned him to you before, the master of saving money, you two should get closer." Zhao Tong casually introduced the two, unceremoniously sat down, and began enjoying Yuan Ming's food and drinks.

"So, it turns out you are Yuan Ming. We seem to have met before at Qingyan Pavilion," Gu Yue said smilingly after sizing up Yuan Ming.

"Fellow Daoist Gu Yue has good eyes, recognizing me even with a hat on, admirable. Please, have a seat," Yuan Ming also said with a slight smile.

"What? You've met before?" Zhao Tong swallowed a big bite of food, cheeks puffed, as he spoke.

"We met at Qingyan Pavilion. Brother Gu Yue's bargaining skills are commendable; I quite admire them," Yuan Ming did not hide the fact.

"A mere trifle, hardly worth mentioning," Gu Yue said with a wave of his hand.

"Old Gu is an informant in Black Rock City, living off his mouth, of course, his eloquence is unmatched, I admit I'm inferior to him," Zhao Tong laughed, apparently having a good relationship with Gu Yue.

"An informant?" Yuan Ming was taken aback.

"It seems like it's Brother Yuan's first time in Black Rock City. The workshops and shops here are plentiful, visitors come from all over, and newcomers can't get their bearings in three to five days. Informants like Old Gu have been mingling in Black Rock City for years, mainly hired by those who are here for the first time to inquire about news, look for items, and so on," Zhao Tong explained.

Hearing this, Yuan Ming's mind was suddenly stirred.

"Brother Yuan Ming, have you found what you needed? If not, you can ask Old Gu to help you look," Zhao Tong said.

"Not yet, I wonder if Fellow Daoist Gu Yue might be free?" Yuan Ming seized the opportunity to ask, looking towards Gu Yue. He was quite in the dark about Black Rock City Market, and his chances of blindly finding Frost Spiritual Material in the afternoon were truly slim; it might be better to hire Gu Yue for assistance.

Since Zhao Tong was acquainted with Gu Yue, and with that relationship, Gu Yue should be trustworthy.

"If Brother Yuan has a request, naturally I have the time," Gu Yue happily agreed.

"Since you two have business to discuss, I shall not stay any longer," Zhao Tong stood up, wiped his mouth, and said.

"My matter isn't urgent; if you both have important things to do, you can go ahead," Yuan Ming said.

"We don't have anything special, just came here to drink and catch up. You two talk slowly," Zhao Tong laughed heartily and took his leave.

"Whatever you need, Brother Yuan, just say it. I dare not boast, but when it comes to various types of merchandise and information in this city, I do have some connections," Gu Yue said.

"I need Frost Attribute Spiritual Materials, the higher the quality the better, mid-grade would be best," Yuan Ming probed.

"Frost Spiritual Materials are rare to begin with, and those above mid-grade are even harder to find. But now that you're in Black Rock City and have found me, it's not entirely impossible," Gu Yue said, eyes narrowing before breaking into a smile.

"Well then, I'll leave this matter in your hands. How much do you charge for your service?" Yuan Ming inquired.

"One Spirit Stone per day will do," Gu Yue replied.

"Then help me look for one day," Yuan Ming said reluctantly, taking out a Spirit Stone, ready to toss it over.

"If you don't find it, you'll have to return this Spirit Stone," Yuan Ming thought for a moment, pulled back his hand gripping the Spirit Stone, and said.

He seemed to have plenty of Spirit Stones, but the items he wanted to buy were expensive, and he had to be careful with each one.

"Deal, Brother Yuan, please follow me," Gu Yue took the Spirit Stone and left the tavern.

"Where to?" Yuan Ming followed.

"If it's for mid-grade Frost Spiritual Material, it's almost impossible to find it here in the West Market; we have to look in some large shops in the East Market," Gu Yue said.

"East Market, West Market?" Yuan Ming was taken aback.

"Black Rock City is large, but the layout is simple, divided into East, West, South, and North; we are currently in the West Market. Shops set up by powers from the Southern Border and Northern Territory are here, while the East Market is where shops from the Southern Border Southern Domain, Eastern Domain, and Central Plains Da Jin Country are located," Gu Yue explained matter-of-factly.

Yuan Ming listened, nodding thoughtfully.

He had heard of the Southern Border Southern Domain, Eastern Domain, and other places but never had the chance to encounter them. He didn't expect that the city would have shops from those regions, and he might indeed broaden his horizons shortly.

It really was a good decision to come to Black Rock City.

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