After bowing respectfully, Qin Zhaoming passed by her and went up to the second floor.
As soon as he reached the second floor, a bitter herb smell wafted strongly.
Soon, his gaze met with a man who appeared to be in his mid-thirties, sipping tea.
Qin Zhaoming respectfully greeted him, who had a gentle and kind smile.
"Hello, Senior Fang."
"Mm. You've come."
Fang Yi, who had been savoring the tea aroma like a scholar, looked Qin Zhaoming over.
"Kid. You're really lucky. How you've managed to survive for three years climbing Mount Zeyang every day... tsk tsk."
"Haha. Indeed."
Qin Zhaoming, who was smiling like an innocent child, respectfully held out his gourd bottle and bundle.
"Senior Fang. I ask for your help again today."
"Let me see."
Fang Yi, who had been examining the dew containing spirit qi in the gourd bottle, nodded with a satisfied expression.
"Good! Good! You're truly diligent. You collected this at dawn today, so the spirit qi hasn't dissipated yet. This is worth two spirit stone fragments. And this... Oh?"
Fang Yi, who had opened the cloth pouch, let out an exclamation of admiration.
"Three-Colored Grass? The roots are damaged, but spiritual energy still remains... Good! I'll give you eight spirit stone fragments for this. Do you agree?"
Fortunately, it was the same price Qin Zhaoming had expected.
Fang Yi indeed had a merchant's credibility. It was an uncommon conscience in this harsh world.
Of course.
That was also why Qin Zhaoming frequently patronized this Spirit Elixir Pavilion.
"Yes! I'll sell everything."
"I like your straightforwardness!"
Fingernail-sized crystals popped out from Fang Yi's waist.
Whoosh!
Ten spirit stone fragments flew through the air and gently landed on Qin Zhaoming's palm.
"Thank you! But Senior."
"Hmm?"
After hesitating for a moment, Qin Zhaoming took out an old pouch and respectfully held it out.
His fingertips trembled slightly at the heavy weight.
No one except Qin Zhaoming himself would know how precious the contents of this shabby pouch were.
Swallowing with tension, he forced a smile and said:
"Senior, would it be possible to exchange all these spirit stone fragments for a spirit stone?"
"...A spirit stone? Not fragments, but a real spirit stone?"
"Yes."
Fang Yi tilted his head as if doubting his ears. After a moment, he said with wide eyes:
"Kid. Don't tell me you've collected all the spirit stone fragments?"
"Yes. As you mentioned before, I've brought 110 pieces."
"Hmm."
Fang Yi stood silently for a while.
He received the pouch Qin Zhaoming offered, shaking it here and there to gauge its weight.
"An ordinary kid with no proper skills gathered 110 spirit stone fragments? How long did it take?"
"Ahaha. Having learned nothing, it took me three years."
"Three years!"
Fang Yi's exclamation was full of surprise. He marveled at the boy who was smiling like an innocent child.
As if feeling a peculiar emotion, he muttered so quietly it was barely audible:
"A young kid with no parents or master, risking his life for three years without giving up...?"
At this moment.
Fang Yi's attitude changed. A genuinely curious light appeared in his gaze toward Qin Zhaoming.
Abandoning the air of playing around to pass time, he spoke seriously:
"Yes. I remember now. I did say I'd exchange them for a spirit stone if you brought 110 spirit stone fragments. When was that?"
"Two years ago."
"Hoho. Come to think of it, your frequency of selling dew increased from then on. To climb Mount Zeyang daily with an ordinary person's body... Now that I think about it, your survival is truly a miracle."
Blue mist rippled in Fang Yi's eyes as he stroked his chin.
He was using Spirit Eye Technique, a supernatural skill that could see through all mysteries.
'Ugh.'
Meeting that strange gaze felt like facing a tiger. Fang Yi before him seemed not like a person but a monster.
Though his hands and feet trembled finely, he forced a smile. Qin Zhaoming continued to act like an innocent child.
After several breaths...
Fang Yi, who had been examining him for quite some time as if appraising an object, shook his head.
"...Not only perseverance but also an admirable character. However, a trash spirit root. How unfortunate. There's no possibility of great achievement."
Qin Zhaoming, who had been acting like the most innocent child possible, tensed inside.
Fang Yi's assessment was a fact he already knew, so it wasn't particularly hurtful.
'Please.'
He just wished for the transaction to end quickly.
According to his observations over the past three years, this practitioner named Fang Yi was relatively trustworthy.
He was the most conscientious merchant he had met since his reincarnation.
He had a good reputation as the owner of the Spirit Elixir Pavilion. He was known for keeping his promises well.
Among the people Qin Zhaoming could choose, he was the best option.
'I can only trust him.'
For Fang Yi, a 4th-level Qi Refinement practitioner, one spirit stone wasn't a treasure.
'It's like a hundred thousand to someone earning ten million a month.'
He judged that Fang Yi wouldn't tarnish his shop's reputation and rob a kid who had diligently collected dew for three years, all for just one spirit stone.
Just as Qin Zhaoming was swallowing nervously...
After stroking his chin for a long time, Fang Yi suddenly chuckled.
"Alright! A merchant must keep his promises. Here's one spirit stone."
Whoosh!
He was magnanimous. A blue crystal the size of a thumb flew through the air in a parabolic trajectory.
Qin Zhaoming, with widened eyes, hurriedly caught it.
He tightly gripped the spirit stone, as if afraid someone might see. He couldn't hide his slightly trembling fingertips from the joy welling up deep in his heart.
A spirit stone!
Not a fragment, but a real spirit stone!
An important treasure for him to achieve the Dao!
With this, he could step onto the path of immortality and begin cultivation!
'Finally obtained it.'
Qin Zhaoming trembled with excitement, biting his lips tightly.
Remembering the absolutely hellish times, his eyes grew red.
The day was not far off when he would condense spirit qi and become a Qi Refinement practitioner.
"Thank you!"
He quickly put away the spirit stone and bowed at the waist.
For Fang Yi, the owner of the Spirit Elixir Pavilion, it might just be ordinary currency, but for him, it was the hope that would change his fate.
It was a lamp that would improve his life!