Gateway of Immortality-Chapter 330: The Serenity Pill

From the voice, it was clear that the speaker was a female cultivator.

She seemed quite familiar with the elderly man, speaking with an air of casual ease.

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The elderly man, following her suggestion, chuckled and said, "Since you suggest it, I will briefly explain the rules of the secret market, and then we can begin."

"The rules are simple. Each of you will present an item you wish to trade and state your desired terms. If any Daoist is interested, they may bid. Ultimately, the decision to trade rests with you, and I will not interfere."

"During the transaction, no one is to ask about the origin of the items or each other’s identities. All deals are made with immediate exchange, and once the trade is completed, the matter is settled."

"No one is allowed to leave the secret market alone before its conclusion."

"Furthermore, though my abilities are modest, I do have some means at my disposal. I advise those with ill intentions to abandon any thoughts of mischief—let’s avoid any unpleasant situations."

After finishing his speech, the elderly man gestured to the female cultivator beside him. She leaned forward and addressed the restless burly man in a soft voice, "Daoist, I did not qualify for the auction, and it was only today that I learned from the senior here that you possess three Thousand-Vine Flowers. I rushed here from Yinshan Stronghold for this very reason. I do indeed have a Serenity Pill in perfect condition and am willing to trade it with you. Are you interested?"

The burly man eagerly nodded. "Yes, yes, I am!"

Without hesitation, he took out the three Thousand-Vine Flowers and placed them on the table for display.

Inside a jade box, the three flowers appeared plump and fresh, still brimming with vitality despite having been harvested. The other cultivators' gazes were immediately drawn to them.

Several cultivators attempted to negotiate with the burly man, hoping to trade different items for the Thousand-Vine Flowers, but he refused them all.

"Unless it's a medicine that nourishes the soul, I don’t need anything else!" he declared firmly.

Seeing this, the female cultivator wasted no time. She quickly nodded and said, "These are indeed mature Thousand-Vine Flowers. Here is my Serenity Pill. Please inspect it, Daoist. If you have no other requests, let us complete the exchange now."

With that, she retrieved a jade bottle containing a single water droplet-shaped pill.

The burly man carefully examined the pill inside the jade bottle. Once he confirmed it was indeed a Serenity Pill, he let out a long sigh of relief and was just about to agree to the exchange when a voice interrupted.

"Hold on!"

A man seated lower down the table, wearing a wooden mask, suddenly spoke up. Ignoring the burly man's piercing glare, he addressed the female cultivator, "Daoist, I am also interested in the Serenity Pill and am willing to offer a top-grade artifact worth far more than the Thousand-Vine Flowers. Why not take a look at my artifact before making your decision?"

As he spoke, the masked man placed a copper ring artifact on the table for all to see. It was undeniably a top-grade artifact of excellent quality.

No one had expected such a twist in the transaction, and the other cultivators watched the unfolding situation with great interest.

Although the Serenity Pill was not as valuable as a top-grade artifact in general terms, to those in urgent need, it was priceless. It just so happened that both the burly man and the cloaked figure were desperate for it, making it highly sought-after.

"Uhh..."

The female cultivator hesitated slightly, her tone wavering. It was clear that the top-grade artifact had piqued her interest.

Seeing this, the burly man grew anxious and nearly stood up, gripping the edge of the table. "I also have artifacts! Give me the Serenity Pill, and I will give you my artifacts as well!"

In his haste, he rummaged through his Mustard Seed Pouch and took out several artifacts, offering them to the female cultivator to choose from. However, they were all high-grade artifacts.

His voice changed noticeably in his urgency—what he had used earlier must have been a disguise, and now, in his desperation, his true voice was revealed.

This was not unusual, and the other cultivators were unfazed by it.

However, Qin Sang’s eyes narrowed sharply upon hearing the burly man's real voice. Hidden beneath his cloak, his gaze scrutinized the man carefully, as if trying to pierce through the mask and discern his true identity.

A look of surprise, shock, and deep suspicion surfaced on Qin Sang’s face.

In contrast to the burly man's urgency, the masked man remained calm and composed. "Daoist, I advise you to think carefully. There are countless herbs similar in effect to the Thousand-Vine Flower, but opportunities to exchange them for a top-grade artifact are rare. If I didn’t need the Serenity Pill, I wouldn’t be making such an unprofitable trade."

The female cultivator pondered for a moment, then clasped her hands toward the masked man and said apologetically, "I appreciate your generous offer. However, while top-grade artifacts are indeed valuable, the Thousand-Vine Flower is crucial to my cultivation. My apologies."

"What a pity."

The masked man shook his head lightly and did not press the matter further. He calmly retrieved his artifact.

The female cultivator then turned to the burly man. "Exchanging the Serenity Pill for the Thousand-Vine Flower is already more than satisfactory for me. I dare not be greedy for your artifacts. If you have no objections, let us complete the exchange under the senior's witness."

Both parties handed their respective treasures to the elderly man, each paying him a fee of ten percent of the item’s value in spirit stones to finalize the transaction.

Once completed, the deal was sealed, and neither party could renege.

After several twists and turns, the much-coveted Serenity Pill was finally in the burly man's hands.

His excitement was palpable as he tightly gripped the jade bottle, examining it repeatedly. No matter what other treasures appeared in subsequent transactions, they failed to capture his interest.

If not for the secret market's rule prohibiting attendees from leaving early, he would have left long ago.