"This maid greets Senior! What would Senior like to purchase? I shall fetch it for you at once."
The maidservant was at the eighth layer of the Qi Refinement stage, yet she exuded the air of a courtesan. Striking coquettish poses, her tone was laced with flattery and seduction.
Qin Sang recalled Ran Luo mentioning that many low-level cultivators in the Demon Sea, especially female cultivators, willingly became concubines or even cultivation cauldrons for high-level cultivators just to survive and cultivate.
Such things were not uncommon in the Canglang Sea either, but people there at least made an effort to be discreet rather than so brazen.
Not considering himself qualified to judge, Qin Sang kept his tone even. "This poor Daoist wishes to purchase one type of spiritual material and two types of spiritual herbs, all of which are at least rare treasures. Lead me to your steward, miss."
A trace of disappointment flickered in the maidservant's eyes. She complied with an affirmative and led Qin Sang upstairs.
The steward here was merely a late Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Qin Sang did not conceal his aura. Sensing it, the steward immediately stepped forward with an enthusiastic welcome, waving for the maidservant to withdraw.
Once they were seated in a quiet room, Qin Sang got straight to the point. "This poor Daoist wishes to purchase two things: a natural treasure known as Everlasting Camphor, and two spiritual herbs named the six-petaled butterfly violet and the soul-attracting grass. Does your esteemed shop carry them?"
Seeing this, the steward realized Qin Sang was the sort of ascetic cultivator who despised being bothered with trifles. Wasting no words, he said composedly, "Please wait a moment, Senior. Junior shall go inspect the storeroom. If our shop doesn't have them, Senior may need to wait a little longer—Junior will send men to contact the various guilds across Tianwu Island to inquire on your behalf, sparing you unnecessary trips."
"Oh?"
Qin Sang gave the steward an appraising look. The man appeared around fifty years of age and sported a neat goatee. He looked rather astute; no wonder he could serve as a steward on Tianwu Island.
"Very well. If you can find what I need, you will certainly be rewarded. This poor Daoist will wait patiently here."
"Many thanks, Senior."
A look of delight surfaced on the steward's face, and he hurried off.
It took more than half an hour before the steward returned. "Apologies for keeping Senior waiting. Junior just had men inquire with the major guilds, but none of them have Everlasting Camphor or soul-attracting grass for sale. However, we did discover that the Wuchen Guild happens to have two six-petaled butterfly violets on consignment. According to Senior's wishes, should we have them sent over, or..."
Just as expected, neither Everlasting Camphor nor soul-attracting grass was available.
Qin Sang sighed inwardly. Still, finding two six-petaled butterfly violets was already an unexpected windfall. He stood up, tossed a small pouch of spirit stones to the steward, and said, "Send someone to guide the way; this poor Daoist will head over in person. By the way, do you know where one can buy the most detailed topographical map that includes the distribution of demon beasts?"
Since he could not find Everlasting Camphor, he had to start with the fire-repelling sparrow.
Qin Sang had previously gathered sporadic clues regarding traces of fire-repelling sparrows, but the likelihood of Everlasting Camphor being in those places was slim.
Everlasting Camphor was capable of attracting at least an entire flock of fire-repelling sparrows. Only where large numbers of them congregated could the presence of Everlasting Camphor be essentially confirmed.
The steward weighed the small pouch in his hand, a broad grin spreading across his face. "Never mind a topographical map—even an item catalog for the Grand Auction is something Junior can arrange! Senior can come collect it later; Junior will surely handle everything properly for you."
"You can even obtain the item catalog for the Grand Auction?" Qin Sang asked in a deep voice. "Can you guarantee its accuracy?"
The steward patted his chest. "Senior can rest assured. It was actually leaked deliberately by Tianwu Island, so it is definitely genuine. However, no one can find out about the grand finale treasures in advance; one can only learn of them by attending the auction in person."
"Good. Procure both for me."
Qin Sang had not yet agreed to join the Qiongyu Guild. If the Grand Auction offered what he needed, he planned to stay until the auction concluded before deciding where to go.
When Qin Sang arrived at the Wuchen Guild's stronghold, their steward had already received word and had been waiting for some time.
"The senior who consigned the six-petaled butterfly violets demands a talisman treasure in exchange."
The steward of the Wuchen Guild was a Witch Clan woman. She placed a jade box containing the six-petaled butterfly violets before Qin Sang.
Qin Sang opened the jade box to look inside; two flowers lay flat within.
Their six petals unfurled naturally like the wings of a butterfly, vividly multicolored and exceptionally gorgeous.
"A talisman treasure?"
Hearing the condition, Qin Sang weighed it in his mind. The value of two six-petaled butterfly violets fell short of an intact talisman treasure, but since they were urgently needed items, parting with one was acceptable.
Yet two six-petaled butterfly violets were only enough to sustain the Heavenly Eye Butterfly through its transition to the mid-second transformation. From this, one could see just how difficult it was to nurture an exotic insect.
After musing for a moment, Qin Sang produced a talisman treasure obtained from Daoist Jiupao.
The female steward took it, inspected it carefully, and said with delight, "Senior, the power of this talisman treasure is completely intact—a rare, top-grade piece. Junior will contact that senior right away. He will certainly be willing to make the exchange."
"Hold on."
Qin Sang stopped her. "When you contact that fellow Daoist, tell him that this poor Daoist wishes to meet him and make his acquaintance. Ask if he is willing."
The recipe from the Yuling Sect contained a detailed description of the six-petaled butterfly violet.
The moment Qin Sang saw the two flowers, he could tell they had definitely been gathered within the past two years.
Six-petaled butterfly violets never grew in isolation; whenever they appeared, at least several plants grew together. The man might still have other six-petaled butterfly violets on him, or it would be just as well if Qin Sang could learn the location where they had been gathered.
Seeing the female steward hesitate, Qin Sang's expression darkened, and he said coldly, "This poor Daoist will meet him right here. Could your reward possibly be lacking?"
Only then did the female steward's expression ease, and she hurried off.
Before long, heavy footsteps sounded outside. A burly Witch Clan cultivator pushed the door open and strode in, grumbling unhappily, "If Fellow Daoist wants to buy spiritual herbs, just buy them! Why go through the trouble of calling Old Wu over? Old Wu doesn't believe for a second that you're so eager to make friends. If you have business, spit it out!"
With that, the burly man sat down casually across from Qin Sang, slapped the jade box onto the table, and fixed his eyes on the talisman treasure in Qin Sang's hand.
Qin Sang was not offended. Chuckling, he said, "Fellow Daoist Wu is straightforward, so this poor Daoist will speak plainly. I am willing to purchase these two six-petaled butterfly violets."
Qin Sang pushed the talisman treasure forward.
The burly man took it and examined it, exclaiming in admiration, "That lass didn't lie to me. It really is a fine talisman treasure."
Qin Sang caught the jade box the burly man tossed across, stowed it into his Qianjun Ring, and continued, "Unworthy though I am, this poor Daoist happens to know a thing or two about the six-petaled butterfly violet. When such a spiritual flower appears, there are never just two. However many more Fellow Daoist Wu has, this poor Daoist wants them all, and the price is open to discussion. Alternatively, would you be willing to sell the location where the flowers grow?"
"So it was for this? What pill is Fellow Daoist refining that requires so many six-petaled butterfly violets?"
The burly man looked at Qin Sang in surprise. After pondering for a long while, he said, "Old Wu truly only has these two; there are no extras. As for where the spiritual herb grows... Seeing how straightforward you are, I won't hide it from you, lest you come looking for trouble later. There are indeed several immature spiritual flowers left on that island, but that island is no safe place. Harvesting these two was already a stroke of luck for me, and I would never dare return. Are you certain you want to buy it?"
Chapter 675