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The beautiful maid said, "Senior, although your magic weapon is of top grade, it has clear signs of wear. Additionally, we at Tianbing Baozhai must consider the unknown risks associated with its source, so we can only offer to buy it back at half the market price. What do you think?"
When a magic weapon is recovered, it can either be resold or melted down for refining materials. Beyond labor costs, the risks of its unknown origins must be factored in—after all, who knows who was killed for this weapon? Because of this, prices are typically lowered to ensure a profit.
Qi Yuan didn't mind. He had no shortage of spirit stones and wasn't concerned about a small amount of money. As long as the Divine Weapon Sect absorbed the risk, any losses would be acceptable.
However, he did not agree immediately. Instead, he hesitated for a moment, putting on a cautious expression before nodding in agreement.
The beautiful maid smiled and picked up the magic weapon from the round table. "Please wait a moment, Senior. I'll bring you the spirit stones."
With a graceful bow, she turned and walked out of the room coquettishly.
Shortly after...
The maid returned, handing a storage bag to Qi Yuan with a hint of charm in her voice. "Senior, these are the spirit stones for recycling the magic tool. Please check them."
Qi Yuan took the bag, but when he felt the subtle touch of the maid's fingertips, his expression darkened slightly. The atmosphere in the room turned heavy.
A vulgar woman trying to seduce me? Go back, cleanse yourself, and practice harder.
The beautiful maid's face turned pale, her body stiff with fear. She was merely in the Qi Training stage and had no ability to challenge a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage.
She had taken a gamble and lost...
Qi Yuan, wary of causing trouble in the Divine Weapon Sect's territory, quickly restrained his aura. After confirming that the number of spirit stones was correct, he purchased a high-grade defensive magic weapon—the *Thousand Mountains Tower*—and left the Tianbing Treasure House.
Over the next few days, Qi Yuan visited Wanmiao Temple and Tianxing Sect, selling off the Qingjiao Flag and defensive robes.
He also disposed of several ordinary mid- and low-level magic weapons.
It was a perfect opportunity to clear out his storage bag, reducing its burden and making space for the next unfortunate victim.
At Wanmiao Temple, Qi Yuan spent a large sum to acquire a mid-tier talisman—the *Ghost Vine Talisman*.
Once activated, it summoned countless vines that covered the sky, trapping enemies while revealing terrifying ghostly faces to instill fear.
Just imagine—a sky filled with eerie ghost faces surging toward you. Even the most strong-willed opponent would be stunned for a few crucial moments.
It was an excellent talisman for ensnaring enemies!
During the Foundation Establishment stage, talismans like the *Heavenly Thunder Seed* and *Golden Brick Talisman* could still be effective in combat. However, one must always prepare ahead of time and have multiple tricks up their sleeve.
He also needed to find an opportunity to repair his *Magic Sound Harp*. Currently, its harmonics were effective against Foundation Establishment cultivators, but it would be useless against those in the Core Formation stage.
Only after repairs could its true power be unleashed!
For now, he could temporarily purchase a set of top-tier magic weapons as concealed weapons. It wasn't ideal, but it would suffice as a temporary measure.
In the following days, Qi Yuan stayed at Qi Yunxiao's residence, rarely going out. Instead, he focused on cultivating the *Dayan Jue* and studying the *True Solution of the Broken Puppet*, gradually attempting puppet refinement.
Although he had one or two hundred second-level puppet trophies stored away, he couldn't simply rely on them forever.
He needed to hone his skills and prepare for third-level puppet crafting in the future.
A single puppet wasn't powerful on its own. Only in large numbers could they turn the tide of battle.
...
A pangolin, nearly ten feet in size, suddenly emerged in the courtyard. Its brown scales were thick and rough, while its claws were razor-sharp. However, its eyes looked dull, lacking agility.
After half a month of practice, Qi Yuan could now control twenty second-level puppets. While they didn't give him a significant advantage in direct combat yet, they were useful for reconnaissance and harassment.
A good way to reduce unnecessary risks!
At that moment, a servant arrived with a pot of spiritual tea, placing it on the coffee table.
Qi Yuan, having spent quite some time controlling the puppets, decided to take a break. He sipped the tea, soothing his throat while studying the *Dayan Jue* and the true essence of puppetry.
As the saying goes, "The more you see, the more you understand." Theory must be revisited frequently during practice—one never knew when a new insight might emerge.
But his moment of peace didn't last long.
Half an incense stick's time later, the tranquility was disrupted.
A fair-skinned woman in red rushed in, shouting, "Master Qi..."
Qi Yuan frowned. In a deep voice, he said, "Qi Yunxiao is in seclusion, refining weapons. If you're looking for him, come back in half a month."
The woman in red exclaimed, "What? Master Qi is in seclusion *now*? But what about his promise to my lady? The agreed date is tomorrow!"
Qi Yuan glanced at the anxious woman, then ignored her. As long as she didn't disturb his studies, she could do whatever she wanted.
The woman in red was as restless as an ant on a hot pan. Just then, her eyes landed on Qi Yuan, and she suddenly realized something—she had been too preoccupied to notice him before.
Now, she looked at him closely.
At first, she was clueless. Then, she was shocked. The man before her was a Foundation Establishment cultivator!
If she offended him by mistake, it would be disastrous.
The woman quickly lowered her voice and said apologetically, "I didn't realize you were here, Senior. Please forgive my rudeness!"
When did Master Qi befriend a Foundation Establishment cultivator?
Qi Yuan gently blew the steam off his teacup. "If you have nothing else to say, leave. Don't disturb my reading."
The woman hesitated before turning to leave. But after taking two steps, she stopped and turned back.
"Senior," she said respectfully, "may I ask... are you a friend of Master Qi?"
She cursed Qi Yunxiao inwardly. They had agreed on this long ago, yet now he had gone into seclusion, breaking his promise without even informing them.
Where could they find another escort for her lady on such short notice?
Qi Yuan thought for a moment. "Not really a friend. We have a deal, so I'm staying here temporarily."
"Ah!" The woman was surprised.
Her eyes flickered with thought before she spoke again, her tone soft and polite. "Senior, are you free in the coming days? I would like to hire you to escort my lady for a few days. The payment is negotiable."
Master Qi had allowed this man to stay in his courtyard, so he was likely not a ruthless person. Perhaps it was worth a try to ask him for protection.
Otherwise, this trip to the Chen family felt too dangerous.
"What's your lady's name?" Qi Yuan calmly put down the jade slip in his hand, picking up another book.
"My lady is a renowned array master in Jinma City. Her name is Xin Ruyin. Have you heard of her, Senior?" The woman in red spoke with pride, her eyebrows raised in excitement.
"I've heard of her," Qi Yuan said indifferently. "Leave the spirit stones and the departure time, then you may go."
If anyone had noticed, they would have seen a brief flicker of interest in his deep, dark eyes...
The woman's face lit up with joy.
Having a Foundation Establishment cultivator as a bodyguard was far better than relying on Master Qi, who was only at the tenth level of the Qi Condensation stage.
(End of Chapter)