The recruitment by the four great sects was a grand event held only once every ten years. Families and rogue cultivators from various regions had already arrived in Starfall City to prepare.
Concurrently, there was competition among the four great sects. They dispatched disciples in advance to station themselves in Starfall City for publicity, primarily to prevent outstanding geniuses from being snatched away.
Eighty years prior, an exceptional genius had appeared in Starfall City. Three months before the recruitment大会, they were discovered by the Ziwei Sect and recruited early.
This genius later achieved Foundation Establishment at twenty and Core Formation at eighty-five, a fact that made the other three sects sigh with regret whenever they recalled it.
Therefore, in subsequent recruitment events, the four great sects would establish their presence in Starfall City beforehand. If they found individuals with outstanding potential, they would recruit them first.
Xiao Fei helped Huang Feifei arrange a large bag of magic robes in the market. The market was now much more crowded.
However, people were not interested in ordinary magic robes at the moment. Despite Huang Feifei's efforts to hawk them, few inquired. Everyone clutched their limited spirit stones tightly.
The Dragonfall Abyss mission assessment was about to begin, and people were more focused on treasures that could rapidly enhance combat power.
Items like talismans, magic artifacts, armor, and elixirs were very popular.
The Dragonfall Abyss had treacherous terrain and various demonic beasts. Furthermore, cultivators entering it would also fight amongst themselves.
Approximately half of the cultivators who entered the Dragonfall Abyss assessment died within.
Cultivators who lacked confidence in their own strength would not dare to sign up.
"Feifei, you watch here by yourself. I'll go look around elsewhere."
"Young Master, please go ahead. I'm fine here."
Huang Feifei felt a bit disappointed that the magic robes she had worked hard to make were not selling, but she didn't show it.
After leaving Huang Feifei's stall, Xiao Fei first went to buy a large batch of auxiliary ingredients for Qi Gathering Pills and spirit charcoal.
He then visited several shops specializing in spiritual herbs and purchased ten sets of ingredients for refining Black Jade Pills.
Unfortunately, these herbs were processed and dried finished products, so they could not be planted in his spatial dimension.
As he passed by the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, he noticed a sign at the entrance announcing that the pavilion would be hosting an auction, specifically for items beneficial to the Dragonfall Abyss assessment.
Xiao Fei looked at the wooden sign for a while. Immediately, a maid approached and handed him a small booklet containing detailed descriptions of the auction items.
After taking the booklet and flipping through it for a while, Xiao Fei realized how ignorant he was, discovering the existence of so many good items.
However, these good items were truly expensive. The starting bids alone were beyond the reach of ordinary rogue cultivators for most of them.
Xiao Fei currently possessed quite a few treasures: a mid-grade first-tier Falling Rain Pear Blossom, a low-grade first-tier Peach Wood Sword, mid-grade first-tier soft armor, and a cloak that could render him invisible.
It was just that the Peach Wood Sword hadn't been used much, and its grade was now a bit low. He should replace it.
Furthermore, the auction also featured many rare treasures that held significant appeal for Xiao Fei.
For instance, there were magic artifacts that allowed Qi Refining cultivators to fly, spiritual wines that could rapidly replenish mana, and treasures that, when unleashed, could unleash a strike equivalent to that of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
However, these treasures cost hundreds or even thousands of spirit stones each, making them unaffordable for most cultivators, who could only look.
Indeed, wealth was the key to power everywhere.
Xiao Fei glanced at the date. There were still two months left. He also planned to attend the auction, if only to broaden his horizons and join the excitement.
He had 500 spirit stones remaining. If he was lucky, he might be able to acquire a treasure that would significantly boost his strength.
He needed to accumulate some spirit stones during this time. If possible, he could buy one or two more items.
He still had over 200 portions of medicinal ingredients for Qi Gathering Pills in his spatial dimension. If he refined all of them into Qi Gathering Pills, assuming a 30% success rate, he should be able to sell them for one to two thousand spirit stones.
However, refining 200 batches of pills would require a significant amount of time, impacting his cultivation.
In fact, he could sell the raw ingredients directly for over a thousand spirit stones. The difference wasn't that substantial.
This was because his current success rate was still too low, and Qi Gathering Pills were the most widely used elixirs in the cultivation world. Some alchemists, through years of practice, could achieve a success rate of seventy to eighty percent.
A 30% success rate for Qi Gathering Pills was only slightly better than breaking even. His previous success rate of ten to twenty percent was a complete money-losing venture.
The ginseng he had planted in his spatial dimension was now fifty to sixty years old. If he dug some up, it should also fetch a good price.
Additionally, there were the two Red-tipped Fruits. The branches were now laden with fruit, at least over a hundred of them, which were worth five to six hundred spirit stones.
Xiao Fei suddenly realized he was quite wealthy, but all his wealth was stored in his spatial dimension, yet to be sold.
He hadn't even accounted for the Black Leaf Datura and Iron Thorns; those were reserved for his own use.
Xiao Fei, with his hands clasped behind his back, was mentally tallying his personal assets. Lost in thought, he almost collided head-on with someone approaching him.
Looking up, he saw it was Zhu Yu, an acquaintance.
Zhu Yu, who always favored wearing luxurious robes, was dressed very plainly today, yet it still couldn't conceal his handsome face.
"Walking without looking where you're going!"
"Are you in such a hurry to get reincarnated!"
They exchanged insults, glared at each other, and then strode away, ignoring each other. After all, they couldn't fight in the city.
Zhu Yu had something on his mind today and wasn't in the mood to banter with Xiao Fei. Ever since he had left last night, he hadn't dared to return to the cave dwelling.
He had stayed out until now. Calculating the time, he figured it should be about right, and he hurried towards the cave dwelling at the foot of Spirit Spring Mountain.
The protective formation at the entrance of the cave dwelling was still as it was, with no signs of damage. Zhu Yu opened the formation, fully unleashed his divine sense, and tiptoed inside.
In the inner chamber of the cave dwelling, his master, the white-haired, youthful-faced rogue cultivator, lay on the ground, black blood flowing from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.
"Master!"
"Master!"
Zhu Yu called out softly a few times. There was no response, so he emboldened himself and reached out.
The body was stiff and cold, having been dead for a long time.
"Hahaha…"
"You're finally dead!"
"You have this day too!"
"If I could choose, I would rather have never met you. You be your rogue cultivator expert, and I'll be my rich young master. I don't even care about cultivating immortality!"
As Zhu Yu laughed, tears streamed down his face.
Recalling his experiences over the years, he had lived every day in humiliation, forcing himself to smile and swallowing all the bitterness alone.
After years of bitter waiting, he had finally found an opportunity and secretly used the poison of the Black Leaf Datura to incapacitate the old man.
Zhu Yu sat by the corpse, crying and laughing alternately!
After his emotions had subsided, he stood up and rummaged through the old man's body, finding a cloth bag about the size of his palm in his embrace.
This was a highly precious storage bag in the cultivation world, which the old man had cherished dearly.
He extended his divine sense into it. It contained a space over ten feet long, filled with treasures that would drive Qi Refining cultivators mad.
Zhu Yu searched the old man's body further but found nothing else. He then cast a Fireball spell, burning the old man's corpse to ashes.