Mortal Alchemy

Chen Ping cautiously wandered through the black market.

The dazzling array of goods was overwhelming.

Even rogue cultivators brazenly sold stolen goods.

Chen Ping's money was limited; he only had eleven hundred spirit stones, which wasn't much.

He had to be careful with his spending to buy what he needed.

He had cultivation techniques left by his ancestors and could also refine the necessary pills himself. His purpose in coming to the black market was to find materials for Foundation Establishment Pills, second-order spirit fire, a second-order pill furnace, or materials for Golden Marrow Pills, as well as a better sword.

The magical artifact he refined from first-order Azure Jade Bamboo was barely usable. If he found something better, he wouldn't mind replacing it.

After wandering around the market for two days, Chen Ping hadn't gained anything and hadn't bought anything.

Even when he saw materials for Yuan Qi Pills, he didn't buy them.

He was already pressed for time with refining Spirit Sense Pills and Body Tempering Pills, plus his own cultivation.

Moreover, buying materials for Yuan Qi Pills could easily leave hidden risks and wouldn't be very profitable.

He saw that a batch of Yuan Qi Pill materials sold for four spirit stones.

This meant he would spend four spirit stones in costs to take Yuan Qi Pills, which was tempting.

However, he was too short on time to refine them, and how many Yuan Qi Pill materials to buy was a problem.

Buying too much could attract attention, so Chen Ping simply didn't buy any.

He also saw Eternal Youth Pills in the black market, selling for five hundred spirit stones each!

Many female cultivators flocked to buy them, even if it meant going bankrupt, showing Chen Ping the madness of female cultivators.

This made Chen Ping's heart pound: "If I had the materials for Eternal Youth Pills, why would I refine Spirit Sense Pills!"

A batch of Eternal Youth Pills was worth five thousand spirit stones!

Unfortunately, he searched the entire black market and didn't see any materials for Eternal Youth Pills; otherwise, he would risk buying them.

Among them, Longevity Pills were the most expensive. One Longevity Pill, which extended life by three months, sold for one thousand spirit stones and was also in high demand.

These good things definitely wouldn't be available in White Sand Market.

This made Chen Ping's heart surge; pill refinement had great potential.

If these good things weren't even on the auction, wouldn't there be even better things at the auction?

"Let's go to the auction and see..."

Chen Ping's heart filled with anticipation as he headed to the auction.

...

The auction was in the center of the black market, a huge pavilion, and people from all directions were heading to the auction.

"To enter the auction, pay a ten spirit stone entrance fee." A beautiful woman outside the auction stopped Chen Ping.

Chen Ping clicked his tongue: "So expensive?"

Ten spirit stones was equal to five months of his monthly salary in the Pill Hall.

The beautiful woman smiled and said, "This fellow Daoist, our black market auction charges ten spirit stones, and after the auction, we will safely escort you out of the black market."

Chen Ping's eyes lit up: "The service is quite thoughtful."

He took out ten spirit stones, received a number plate, and entered a booth on the first floor.

Chen Ping glanced around; there were at least several hundred booths densely packed together.

Most of the booths were occupied.

Chen Ping drank the spirit wine provided by the auction and waited for a while.

An old man in black robes, exuding an aura of decay but radiating Foundation Establishment cultivation, walked onto the stage. His voice was hoarse:

"Welcome, fellow Daoists, to the black market auction."

"Before the auction begins, let's talk about the rules."

"No robbery or murder is allowed within the auction, or you will be hunted down by the black market's Golden Core True Person."

The audience quieted down, listening quietly to the old man in black robes.

This made Chen Ping secretly startled; what a large scale! A black market auction actually had a Golden Core grand cultivator sitting in town!

This sentence gave many Qi Refining cultivators a reassurance.

"Next, the auction officially begins. The first item is a second-order pill formula."

As soon as the voice fell, it caused an uproar.

Second-order pill formula?

A young and beautiful female cultivator carried an old pill formula onto the stage.

"Second-order pill formula - Eight Treasures Body Tempering Pill!"

Countless people's eyes lit up, and there was an exclamation:

"It's actually a second-order body tempering pill formula!"

"Good fellow, this is not something that the Eastern Region's cultivation world has!"

"Nonsense, the Eastern Region's cultivation world is mainly focused on Dharma cultivation, but if you can't establish a foundation, taking the path of body cultivation is also a good way..."

Chen Ping was secretly surprised.

The old man in black robes raised his hand and pressed down, and the auction hall quieted down. He smiled and said:

"In the Eastern Region's cultivation world, Foundation Establishment Pills are controlled by the four major sects, and taking the path of body cultivation is also a good way."

"Taking the path of body cultivation and hunting monsters in the Eastern Wilderness is also more advantageous. I believe everyone here understands..."

"The starting price for this pill formula is five hundred spirit stones, and each bid will increase by ten spirit stones."

As soon as the voice fell, someone immediately bid.

"Five hundred and fifty!"

"Five hundred and six..."

"Five hundred and seven..."

Soon, this second-order pill formula was炒to a high price of seven hundred, but some Qi Refining cultivators who had no hope of Foundation Establishment were in high spirits.

"Seven hundred and fifty!"

"Seven hundred and sixty!"

"Seven hundred and seventy!"

"Seven hundred and seventy first time, seven hundred and seventy second time, seven hundred and seventy third time, congratulations to the VIP in Box 393 for winning the pill formula!"

Seeing this scene, Chen Ping couldn't help but be shocked. Just a pill formula could sell for so much money?

Seven hundred spirit stones should be all the wealth of a small cultivation family.

And he has the pill inheritance of his ancestors...

But he has no intention of selling the pill formula. The inheritance left by his ancestors is the foundation of his life.

Immediately afterwards.

The old man let the beautiful female cultivator bring up a bottle of pills:

"Next is the second auction item, first-order pill - Body Tempering Pill!"

"This thing's effect is body tempering, which can polish the bottleneck of the late stage of Qi Refining's body. It is a must-have for cultivators in the late stage of Qi Refining."

Immediately, a group of Qi Refining cultivators went crazy.

"What, Body Tempering Pill?"

"Can it polish the bottleneck of the body, then wouldn't I have hope for Foundation Establishment?!"

"This thing must be taken down!!!"

Chen Ping also took a breath: "There are actually Body Tempering Pills for sale here?"

He refines Body Tempering Pills himself, and he knows the effect of Body Tempering Pills best.

It can indeed polish the bottleneck of the body and make Qi Refining cultivators more likely to impact Foundation Establishment.

The black-robed cultivator was full of smiles: "There are a total of one hundred bottles of this item, which will be sold at the highest auction price, first come, first served."

"The price starts at twenty spirit stones, and each price increase must not be less than one spirit stone."

As soon as the voice fell.

"Twenty-two spirit stones! I want all one hundred bottles!" Not many people bid.

People who want this pill must hope that the price is low, and there are not many people who bid.

But the black market auction must have arranged托来哄抬 prices.

"Twenty-four spirit stones!"

"Twenty-five spirit stones!"

Everyone watched coldly, but the price was quickly raised to thirty spirit stones.

"Thirty-three spirit stones!"

"Thirty-fourty spirit stones!"

"Thirty-five spirit stones!"

"Thirty-five spirit stones for the first time, the second time, the third time! Deal!"

Everyone watched coldly, but their hearts were fiery, and finally watched the deal at this price, and hurriedly went to the auction to buy Body Tempering Pills.

Chen Ping's eyes were also fiery: "A bottle of Body Tempering Pills can sell for thirty-five spirit stones!"

Chen Ping calculated the cost of a furnace of Body Tempering Pills, which is less than three spirit stones.

The trouble with refining this pill lies in collecting monster bone blood.

"If I can also find a channel to sell Body Tempering Pills..."