Chapter 106: Raging Waves Island!

"Go get ready."

Shen Yan waved his hand dismissively. A sense of urgency had taken hold of him, and his earlier intention to keep his talents hidden had faded. The most pressing matter now was to raise his own cultivation. Otherwise, no matter how many resources he possessed, he would only be making a wedding dress for someone else.

Qian Muqing took a deep breath, steadied himself, and without another word went to prepare the list Shen Yan had given him. After a long moment, he returned carrying a storage pouch and handed it over.

"Senior Shen, everything you asked for is here. Please take a look and count."

Shen Yan raised a hand to receive it, swept his spiritual sense across it, and confirmed that all was in order. He smiled and said, "I've troubled you, Shopkeeper Qian."

With that, he paused for a moment, then produced a porcelain bottle containing spirit pills and tossed it over.

"Thank you for the information. I'll be going out these next few days. When I'm not at the shop, please help me keep an eye on it."

After speaking, he turned and left the Hundred Treasures Pavilion. The porcelain bottle held pills he had refined—their effect was simple: they could help a Qi Refining consummation cultivator open their meridians. Qian Muqing's cultivation was already nearing the consummation stage of Qi Refining. With this bottle of spirit pills, he could save at least five years of bitter toil.

Watching Shen Yan's departing figure, Qian Muqing uncorked the bottle and gave it a light sniff. Astonishment flooded his face. A moment later, his eyes reddened. He folded his hands and bowed deeply with the utmost respect.

"Thank you, Senior, for granting the pills."

By then, Shen Yan had already left the Hundred Treasures Pavilion and was heading out of Haiyue City.

Though the spiritual energy within Haiyue City was abundant, it was not safe for Shen Yan. For one thing, the Eastern Sea cultivators' goal might not necessarily be him, but he could not afford to let down his guard. For another, having suddenly revealed great wealth—combined with the fact that an extravagant cultivator had appeared out of nowhere in the secret market—Haiyue City could easily fix its suspicions on him.

So Shen Yan simply took his leave, planning to find a quiet place where he could upgrade all of his magic artifacts before departing for the Green Lotus Sword Sect ruins.

Traveling westward, he searched carefully according to the map and ultimately chose a spot beside a great lake called Yueyang Marsh. Though Yueyang Marsh was named a marsh, its surface area was no smaller than Jinzhou Bay. Such a vast body of water not only sustained countless mortals but even housed a small cultivation market within its depths.

Shen Yan, however, did not go directly to the market. Instead, he found a place within Yueyang Marsh rich in water vapor, dove to the bottom, and built a small cave dwelling modeled after Feng Jun's. After setting up formations to prevent spiritual energy from leaking and to ward off the probing of other cultivators' spiritual sense, he devoted his full attention to mastering the art of artifact refinement.

Two years later, Shen Yan looked at the verdant pendant before him, and the corners of his mouth curled upward involuntarily.

Two full years he had spent wholly engrossed in refining magic artifacts, and at last he had succeeded in producing a peak-grade magic artifact—the Qingcang Pendant. It was a peak-grade artifact he had forged by imitating the Soul-Suppressing Bell after refining it. Its main purpose was to defend against spiritual-sense attacks.

The Qingcang Pendant's effects were far inferior to the Soul-Suppressing Bell's, yet Shen Yan was already deeply satisfied. Its creation meant that his refinement techniques could now craft any magic artifact. The next step was to elevate his own artifacts to low-grade spiritual artifacts.

Elevating a peak-grade magic artifact to a low-grade spiritual artifact was far easier than refining a low-grade spiritual artifact from scratch, so Shen Yan was confident he could reach his goal within half a year.

But the two years had drained the spirit stones in his storage pouch completely. He urgently needed to replenish them now—otherwise, if the innate purple qi within the Heavenly Emperor's Divine Seal ran low, his strength would inevitably suffer greatly.

He circulated the Spirit Refining Art to ease his weary mind, then cleaned up the stubble on his face. With a few finishing touches, he transformed from a wild, unkempt figure back into an immortal-like cultivator with an air of transcendence.

"Fifty-seven high-grade magic artifacts and twelve peak-grade magic artifacts. Trading those should net at least twenty thousand spirit stones."

After a moment's deliberation, the Qingling Sword beneath his feet trembled slightly, and his figure vanished from the cave dwelling, speeding toward the market in Yueyang Marsh.

The market in Yueyang Marsh was built on an island called Raging Waves Island. It was said the island master was a mid Foundation Establishment cultivator. However, that cultivator was in seclusion all year round, and the island's day-to-day affairs were managed by his disciple—a Qi Refining consummation cultivator named Qi Lian.

Before long, Shen Yan arrived at the waters around Raging Waves Island. Looking at the misty, cloud-wreathed scene ahead, he nodded quietly. Truly, this was a fine piece of spiritual land. No wonder it had drawn a mid Foundation Establishment cultivator to establish a market here—it turned out there was a first-grade spirit vein beneath.

Stepping onto Raging Waves Island, Shen Yan concealed his aura, paid a single spirit stone, and made his way toward the exquisite pavilion at the center of the island.

The Raging Waves Pavilion.

Gazing at the three bold, sweeping characters on the plaque, Shen Yan walked through the door. Immediately, a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator in blue robes came forward.

"This one is Qi Ming of Raging Waves Island. Greetings, fellow Daoist."

The cultivator who called himself Qi Ming clasped his hands in salute, then asked, "May I ask whether you've come to purchase or to sell?"

"I have some magic artifacts to sell. Call out the person in charge of your establishment."

Shen Yan wasted no words. A mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator had no authority whatsoever to decide the fate of several dozen magic artifacts, so he spoke without hesitation. At the same time, he released his aura, and the pressure of Qi Refining consummation descended upon Qi Ming.

"Qi Refining consummation!"

Qi Ming's expression shifted. He then spoke to Shen Yan with deference. "Please, fellow Daoist, come in and sit. I'll go and fetch—"

"No need. Qi Ming, you may withdraw."

Just then, a pleasant female voice came from ahead. A woman in blue robes descended the stairs at the front. She was slender yet had delicate features. Though a female cultivator, her bearing was extraordinary—clearly someone who had weathered much experience.

"Qi Lian greets the fellow Daoist. How may I address you?"

Qi Lian smiled faintly and made her greeting.

"My surname is Shen. I happen to be passing through this fine place today and have some magic artifacts to sell. Does your Raging Waves Pavilion take them?"

Qi Lian pursed her lips, studied Shen Yan carefully, and confirmed she did not know this Qi Refining consummation cultivator. She then took over the conversation.

"Rest assured, fellow Daoist. Although my Raging Waves Pavilion is only a small market in Yueyang Marsh, my master is a Foundation Establishment cultivator. A few magic artifacts are well within our capacity."

As the person in charge of Raging Waves Island, Qi Lian was well traveled and had dealt with many cultivators who spoke with such grand confidence. She showed not the slightest sign of being intimidated.

"Good."

Shen Yan gave a slight nod, then tossed out a storage pouch containing the high-grade and peak-grade magic artifacts.

"Here are fifty-seven high-grade magic artifacts and twelve peak-grade magic artifacts, including one peak-grade artifact capable of defending against spiritual-sense attacks. How many spirit stones can you offer?"