I Offered Too Much!!

By the time Li Guanqi returned to the inn, Li Nanting had just awakened. Seeing Li Guanqi sitting with his eyes closed in deep concentration, the elder had no idea what had just transpired. Unable even to perceive Li Guanqi's aura, he could nonetheless sense that something about him seemed subtly different. Pengluo sneaked back out, holding out a small sliver of radish to the elder. "Grandmaster, want some more? It cleanses the marrow and purges impurities from the body! Guaranteed quality, fair to young and old alike!" Li Guanqi opened his eyes at that exact moment and hoisted Pengluo up by the scruff of his neck. "Are you trying to make my master break straight through to the Void Refining Realm? His cultivation has advanced so rapidly that he must stabilize his foundation first! Stop playing these petty tricks from now on." Pengluo shrank back, properly subdued. He had only been trying to help Li Nanting boost his strength quickly... Rising to his feet, the old man noticed Li Guanqi's slightly furrowed brow and asked softly, "What is it? I gather your cultivation has advanced, so why the heavy frown?" Li Nanting walked over and sat beside him, his voice gentle with concern. After a moment of thought, Li Guanqi replied quietly, "The cultivation method I'm currently practicing is an incomplete scroll—I only have the first half. Because of that, something always feels slightly off whenever I cultivate. Furthermore, I have two very powerful items on hand, yet I haven't been able to gain even an initial grasp of them. Both are connected to the Six Paths of Buddhism." Li Nanting frowned slightly, then murmured, "If you cannot grasp their essence, why not seek out a temple to cultivate in seclusion for a while? You wouldn't need to convert to Buddhism, nor would you need to become a true monk. You would merely be there to understand its doctrines and methods." Hearing this, Li Guanqi's eyes lit up, a sharp glint flickering within them! "Right! Why didn't I think of that?!" Li Guanqi sent a transmission to Lin Jinting and learned that there happened to be a fairly large temple over in Qingxuan Province. Once he obtained its location, excitement stirred in his chest. He smiled naturally and said, "As expected of Master—your perspective and vision really are on another level." Li Nanting was thoroughly pleased by his flattering words. "You, ah, you—always sweet-talking. Well then, my realm has stabilized for now. Shall we set off for Qingxuan Province immediately?" Li Guanqi considered it. Having nothing urgent pressing upon them, he said after a brief pause, "There's no rush. We'll rest here for the night and set off tomorrow. That way, the two of us can stroll through the city, and I'd like to check out the local Treasure Pavilion or similar establishments to see if there are any suitable cultivation arts." Li Nanting nodded in agreement. After tidying up briefly, the two of them headed out. The moment Li Guanqi stepped inside the city's Wanbao Hall, he caught the attention of the steward. He couldn't help it; dressed in a second-grade robe, he found it nearly impossible not to draw eyes. Between his striking looks and refined demeanor, he stood out like a crane among a flock of chickens. A slender middle-aged man walked over with a fawning smile and bowed respectfully. "Wanbao Hall welcomes our two honored guests. What may we assist you with today? Wanbao Hall encompasses everything under the sun—so long as you have a need, we can virtually always satisfy it." Li Guanqi felt a twinge of disdain at the boast; the man was talking far too big. Still, he didn't pay it any mind and stated plainly, "I am looking for the second half of a cultivation method called the Thunder Execution Divine Art." At those words, the steward's expression stiffened. Had the customer merely wanted to purchase a cultivation art, Wanbao Hall certainly had plenty to choose from. But this man had named a specific art and demanded only its second half. Setting aside what grade the art might be, no one in the vast Immortal Realm would dare make promises about finding half of a specific scripture. "Er... Young Master must be joking," the steward replied. "I doubt anyone in the entire Fuyu Lands could guarantee finding half of a specific method." Then he changed the subject: "However... if our honored guest is willing to pay a certain fee, Wanbao Hall can help post a request to search for it. And if you are open to other techniques, Wanbao Hall has many available, including a number of rare ones." Li Guanqi's interest was piqued, and he said, "Then show me your lightning-attribute cultivation arts. If you have any of a higher grade than what I'm currently practicing, I might consider switching." Confident once more, the steward led them upstairs. Yet in a heavily guarded secret chamber, Li Guanqi browsed through the selections with a persistent frown. Most of the arts were first-grade, while second-grade or third-grade ones were exceedingly rare. Looking at their low grades and meager amplification for cultivators, he could not help but feel disappointed. Still, coming across the missing half of the scroll in his possession was akin to searching for a needle in the ocean, and he held out little hope. In the end, Li Guanqi picked out two protective magic treasures and a teleportation scroll for Li Nanting, purchased an unranked sword, and departed Wanbao Hall. As for having Wanbao Hall help search for the art, Li Guanqi had no intention of bothering. His current method could only sustain his cultivation up to the True Immortal Realm at most; if he hadn't found the second half by then, things would become rather troublesome. After some thought, Li Guanqi escorted Li Nanting back to the inn first. He then changed into a black robe, intending to explore the black market. The city's black market was situated on a plain outside the northern gate. Under the dim night sky, a hundred-zhang stretch of modest stalls had been haphazardly set up along the path. Shrouded entirely in his black robe, Li Guanqi let a faint, imperceptible pressure linger around him, instantly deterring many prying eyes and causing onlookers to retract their gazes. Li Guanqi walked slowly, casually scanning both sides of the lane. Pengluo quietly poked his head out from under the hood and perched on Li Guanqi's shoulder, his beady eyes darting around. Resting atop his head was another creature with even tinier eyes. "Squeak, squeak!" A faint cry sounded beside Li Guanqi's ear. Pengluo's eyes lit up, and he pointed toward a tattered stone bowl sitting on a small stall not far ahead. Li Guanqi walked straight up to the vendor, who was likewise clad in a black robe. Wasting no words, Li Guanqi pointed at the pitch-black stone bowl and asked in a low voice, "How much?" The man looked up at Li Guanqi, finding his aura completely unfathomable. He raised three fingers. "Three hundred thousand." Li Guanqi held up three fingers as well. "Thirty thousand." "Deal!" The moment the word fell, the vendor swiftly wrapped up the stone bowl and shoved it forward. The corner of Li Guanqi's mouth twitched, and he cursed under his breath, *I offered too much!!* Seeing his hesitation, the man thrust it forward again, terrified that Li Guanqi might back out. Tossing over a storage bag, Li Guanqi accepted the stone bowl with an ashen face. Sweeping his divine sense over it, he found it was nothing more than an ordinary black stone. Yet on his shoulder, Xiao Gutou was squeaking anxiously in agitation. Paying the little beetle no mind for now, Li Guanqi turned his wrist to stow the stone bowl away and continued walking forward.