Wait… I’m a Druid in a Cultivation World?! - Chapter 57

Qingshi Market!

Finally, he had arrived!

Gazing at the extravagant market, Qi Ping couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotions.

Who would have thought that just visiting Qingshi Market would require so much preparation?

Back when the Qingyuan Sect still governed the area, even a first-level Qi Refinement cultivator like him didn’t have to worry about safety. But now… times had truly changed.

Fortunately, with his High-Speed Ring-Cutter Bees scouting ahead, Qi Ping hadn’t encountered any dangers on the road.

As he stepped into the market again, the fear he once felt was gone.

As long as he didn’t provoke multiple Foundation Establishment cultivators or trigger the market’s defensive formation, he was basically safe.

And true to his cautious nature, Qi Ping still wore the same straw hat, looking every bit the humble beekeeper.

Once inside, he immediately noticed how much quieter the market had become.

Well, it makes sense, he thought. Between the bandit cultivators and the demonic insects, how could business thrive in such an environment?

But Qi Ping didn’t dwell on it. Instead, he headed straight for Boss Gao’s Zhiyuan Trading House.

When he first entered the world of cultivation, he had naively hoped to stumble upon hidden treasures. But reality had proven otherwise—not only had he wasted a lot of spirit stones, but he’d also been laughed at by Old Man Zhou.

Just thinking about it now made his face burn with embarrassment.

Qingshi Market wasn’t particularly large, so Qi Ping soon arrived at the trading house.

A quick glance inside revealed no customers—only Boss Gao dozing behind the counter, looking like he’d been asleep for a while.

“Boss Gao! Wake up!” Qi Ping called softly as he entered.

“Hmm…?”

Roused by the voice, Boss Gao blinked awake. Recognizing Qi Ping, his face brightened.

“Ah, Brother Qi! Hah… I must’ve been out cold. Let me brew you some tea!”

“Sounds good!”

A short while later, after Boss Gao poured him a cup of Frostfire Tea, the two settled into conversation.

On a scorching summer day, the cooling sensation of the tea was incredibly refreshing.

“Ah… Brother Qi, my apologies for earlier. With all these bandit cultivators and demonic insects lately, business has been dead for days. It’s tough out here…”

Boss Gao sighed, his expression weary. Who could’ve predicted the chaos brought by the demonic insect outbreak?

“Yeah, outside, people are either fleeing or dying. Qingshi County is much quieter now, especially after the demonic insects appeared. Many have left—Fatty Zhou, Brother Shan… they’ve all returned to the mortal world.”

“All of them? Ah… Back then, the streets were packed, and we couldn’t even keep up with the crowds. But now? Speaking of demonic insects—can you believe an Apprentice from the Murong Clan was actually poisoned to death by a first-tier demonic insect? How bizarre is that?”

“A Foundation Establishment cultivator died?!” Qi Ping’s eyes widened in shock—this was news to him.

“Exactly! If even a Foundation Establishment expert can fall, what hope do ordinary folks like us have? These days, after paying rent, there’s barely any spirit stones left…”

And Boss Gao was one of the luckier ones—his shop’s rent was relatively low, and he had regular customers. Those in high-rent, high-traffic areas were struggling even more.

……

Perhaps because both men were in the mood to chat, they talked for a while before Qi Ping finally steered the conversation to business.

“Boss Gao, any updates on the spirit beast information I asked you to look into last time?”

“Heh, you’re in luck! With business so slow lately, I’ve had time to chat with friends in the trade. Right now, I know about 80-90% of the spirit beasts for sale in Qingshi County!”

As he spoke, a confident grin spread across Boss Gao’s plump face.

“Impressive, Boss Gao!”

Hearing this, Qi Ping felt reassured.

If even this couldn’t help him find a suitable spirit beast, then he was truly out of options!

“You flatter me, Brother Qi. I’ve got no special skills—just scraping by in the market. Now, based on your previous requirements—for around 200-300 spirit stones, there’s a first-tier mid-grade Windfeather Sparrow—”

But before Boss Gao could continue, Qi Ping interrupted.

Ordinary first-tier spirit beasts were no longer useful to him. What he wanted now was a first-tier beast with a special talent—or even a second-tier spirit beast.

Animal companions were the foundation of his cultivation. Even if he had to sell everything, including his Blood Ginseng, he needed a high-quality spirit beast.

Back then, he had lowered his standards out of desperation for survival.

But now, with his shapeshifting ability as a safety net, clinging to low-tier spirit beasts out of fear would only hinder his path to immortality.

As long as he didn’t provoke Foundation Establishment experts, he could handle any ordinary threats. And at most, the Blood Ginseng might attract a few mid- or late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators—no big deal. He was confident in dealing with them.

What Qi Ping needed now was to find the best possible spirit beast within manageable risk limits.

“Boss Gao, I’m looking for a spirit beast priced at over a thousand spirit stones. Lower-tier ones won’t cut it anymore.”

The moment these words left his mouth, Boss Gao froze.

“Over… a thousand spirit stones?” he repeated, as if unsure he’d heard correctly.

“Yes, over a thousand,” Qi Ping confirmed with a firm nod.

“Brother Qi, you’ve truly surpassed expectations in just a short time! Let me think… information on beasts over a thousand…”

Boss Gao sighed in amazement but didn’t pry further. Asking about a customer’s secrets—especially those involving fortuitous encounters—was a major taboo.

“Alright!” Qi Ping agreed.

He didn’t care what Boss Gao thought. Provoking a Foundation Establishment expert was unlikely, and even if one came, he could escape in time. As for Qi Refinement cultivators? If they weren’t too strong, Qi Ping might just help himself to their storage pouches.

After about the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Boss Gao finally spoke again:

“Brother Qi, there aren’t many high-tier spirit beasts for sale in Qingshi Market right now. From what I know, there are seven options priced over a thousand spirit stones.”

“First—the Jade-Scale Demon Spider, a rare first-tier high-grade beast with a powerful danger-sensing talent.”

“Second—the Blaze Crow, a second-tier low-grade beast with talents like Blaze Body and Solar Perception.”

“Third—the Illusion Moon Fox, second-tier low-grade, estimated to cost at least two thousand spirit stones. It has remarkable insight and illusion talents.”

“Fourth—the Shadowfang Serpent, second-tier low-grade, excels in assassination with talents like Shadowmeld and Extreme Speed…”

After listening carefully to Boss Gao’s detailed descriptions, Qi Ping quickly grasped the basics of the available spirit beasts. From the seven options, he narrowed it down to three that suited him best.

The first was the Jade-Scale Demon Spider.

[Species: Jade-Scale Demon Spider]
[Bloodline: First-tier High-Grade]
[Talents: Danger Sense, Jade Scales, Venomous Silk]

Danger Sense: Can predict imminent threats to itself.