A Record of a Mortal’s Journey to Immortality

Han Li curiously examined the items on display and swept his spiritual sense past them.

The branch had extremely thin wood spiritual Qi, but it also possessed an intense lightning-attributed power as if it was formed from lightning. He was astonished by its existence.

This immediately reminded him of the Heaven Lightning Bamboo.

But even ten-thousand-year-old Golden Lightning Bamboo didn’t possess such fearsome lightning power. Its Divine Devilbane Lightning is usually well restrained.

As for the crimson gem, it let out a fishy scent as if it were the inner core of a beast, but he couldn’t tell its origins.

Han Li looked at this with some interest, but after a moment more, he quietly left to another vendor’s booth.

He then arrived at demon vendor with head-sized chunks of black ore that gave off a chill.

...

Han Li slowly paced through the hall and looked at what was on display. He would occasionally stop and take a close look.

From start to finish, he hadn’t said a word as if he were ignoring the vendors entirely.

Han Li quickly looked through all the items on display, but he found himself somewhat disappointed.

Although all the items were rare enough, there was nothing that truly tempted him.

Although these items have come from the wilderness, there were unfamiliar items and would only be useful to an odd few.

Han Li swept his gaze around. Just as he thought about whether he should leave the hall, he suddenly heard footsteps behind him.

The white mist around him blurred and he suddenly turned around. The footsteps then came to a stop as if in surprise of Han Li’s quick reaction.

The person was a demon cultivator as they were covered in black Qi. They had a slim body and was examining Han Li.

They were both hidden by secret techniques. Apart from a faint silhouette, nothing could be made out.

“Is there anything you want from me?” Han Li calmly asked.

“Did you not find any suitable items, Fellow Daoist?” A pleasant female voice spoke from the black cloud.

“Yes, I haven’t found anything that caught my interest. Why did you ask me that?”

“It appears this is your first time at the Profound Zenith Hall. In truth, apart from what is put on display the truly good items are found in private exchanges,” the woman calmly said.

“So it was like that. But wouldn’t it be easier to find a suitable customer if one showed it in the open?” Han Li said with a frown.

“So you don’t know, Fellow Daoist, or you’re being deliberately dense. Even with the concealment pendants and banners, it is still easy to tell one apart. Furthermore, some items are quite provocative so it isn’t best to have too many people know about it. Alright, that’s enough for now. Do you have any items you wish to trade?” The woman’s impatience seemed to grow colder out of impatience.

“So long as you have good items, I am willing to trade. However, I must ask why did you seek me out.” Han Li said.

“It’s rather simple,” the woman said with an indifferent tone, “I was able to tell that you were most likely someone new to Deep Heaven City when you were closely examining the vendor items. Although our cultivation is restricted, I can tell on closer inspection that you are most likely a Deity Transformation-stage cultivator. You are a suitable person to trade with me, and you weren’t the first person that I sought out. Tell me what you have that is suitable for a demon. Apart from a few of my own items, I’ve also been entrusted to several items by my comrades. That’s why you take out all your good things.”

When Han Li heard this, he smiled.

“I do have a few things that are suitable for demons. But can I take a look at your things first?”

“Hmph,” the woman coldly chuckled, “I have spirit medicines, materials, a few human magic treasures and ancient treasures. What do you want?”

Han Li’s eyes wandered for a bit and he asked, “I don’t need any finished goods, but I am interested in materials. Do you have any True Toad spirit blood? I require it.”

The woman paused and immediately shook her head, “True Toad spirit blood. Hehe, you sure know how to pick them. True Toad Liquid is not only useful to humans but demons as well. No one would be selling it in the Profound Zenith Hall.”

“If that’s the case, then do you have any five-thousand-year-old gold grass and...” Han Li didn’t pay any mind to the woman’s mocking tone and promptly listed other materials that he lacked from his pill formulas.

When she heard Han Li, her face turned unsightly. When Han Li was finished, she gloomily said, “Don’t delude yourself. Those materials are for cultivation progression pills. They are all found in the wilderness, so our demon clan is lacking them as well. We definitely wouldn’t be trading those to humans.”

Han Li wasn’t disappointed by her words and calmly proposed, “There is no need to be anxious. I don’t even need the right year of the herbs. Saplings and seeds will do as well. I am even willing to trade at cost.”

After some hesitation, the woman said with a doubtful tone, “In that case, it could be possible, but it is also troublesome as I don’t have any of those right now. Let me see what you have.”

“So long as you can gather them together, I will trade with you the next time I am here.” Han Li said with a happy tone.

“Yes, but this is something that I must take a look at first. Even if seeds and saplings are commonly scarce when few people wish to buy them. But in case I do find them, what will you be giving to me? I won’t be considering spirit stones, even high-grade ones.” The woman said with an arrogant tone.

When Han Li heard this, he sent her a voice transmission with a calm expression.

“What? You actually have ten-thousand-year-old spirit herbs?” The woman trembled inside the fog and she spoke with delight.

Han Li smiled and said, “So long as you can find the items I require, I will give them to you.”

After her delight passed, doubts filled her mind. “Why don’t you make medicine pills with those herbs? Why do you want to trade with me?”

“Please don’t ask too much about my circumstances. If you feel that it is suitable, please do your utmost to gather those materials. The next time I come here, I will trade with you. Consider this one to be a down payment.” Han Li soon swiped his hand over his storage bracelet and took out a half-foot-long wooden case and casually handed it over to her.

The woman in the black Qi was startled and unconsciously reached out for it. Her expression wavered and she quickly brushed her spiritual sense past the gap in the wooden box.

She yelped and took a long look at the item in the box. Then she slowly opened the lid and her expression turned solemn.

“Are you truly planning to use this as a down payment. Don’t you fear that I will take it and won’t return?” The woman coldly said.

“This is a trifling three thousand year old herb. With your status, you aren’t going to do something like that. Additionally, this is a display of sincerity to guarantee your business. So long as you bring those medicine herbs to me, I’ll definitely leave you satisfied.” He said with a neutral tone.

She flipped her hand and put away the box. Then, she confidently said, “It seems you are sincere about the deal, but items you want can’t be gathered in a short amount of time. I will need several years to gather the three medicines.”

“Good, I await good news.” Pleased, Han Li saluted her.

To him, a medicine herb of several thousand years wasn’t valuable. It was a cheap price to gain her trust. Furthermore, Han Li was confident that his promise of a ten-thousand-year-old medicine herb was enough to have her find his items.

Since Han Li was unwilling to attract too much attention to the human side of the city, this was a suitable method.

The woman nodded and wordlessly left.

Han Li narrowed his eyes to look at the slender silhouette through the black mist. Suddenly, he began to walk to the exit on the human side.

But when he walked past the first human vendor, his eyes were drawn onto the branch once more and he unconsciously stopped. After some hesitation, he walked over.

“Could you tell me about the origins of this item?” Han Li walked over to the vendor and reached out for the green branch. He then stroked it with his finger.

“The origin? I saw heavenly lightning strike dried spirit wood. Afterwards, it grew alive and turned into this spirit wood. I don’t know anything about its origins or usage.” A hoarse, aged voice spoke from the white mist.

Han Li flipped the branch several times and muttered, “Heavenly lightning turned wood. How surprising.”

“Hehe, rare indeed,” the old man chuckled, “However, I won’t hide this from you. This item contains potent lightning power. Even if you forcefully refine it, you won’t be able to use it for tool refinement. I wanted to see if the demons were interested, but it seems you are too!”