I Cultivate Longevity in the Cultivation Realm-Chapter 72: Thousand Thunder Flashes

Fengming Dock Marketplace is backed by the Qingyuan Sect, but the true management of the marketplace is handled by the Bai Family.

Thus, the largest and most prime location in the marketplace is occupied by Bai’s Trading House, operated by the Bai Family.

Not only does it cover various aspects of food, clothing, housing, and transportation within the marketplace, Bai’s Trading House also features an auction house, said to hold auctions every three, five, or ten years.

Eighteen years constitute one cycle.

Of course, these matters are too distant for him.

This time, he chose to enter Bai’s Trading House simply because it is the largest trading house in Fengming Dock Marketplace, and its reputation has always been assured. No one has ever reported buying something here and receiving goods that do not match.

In other words, items here might be expensive, but they will never be fake.

Compared to the comfortable service of the Hexagonal Pavilion, Bai’s Trading House does not offer any special privileges to guests who come and go.

Zhou Changwang entered, only to be greeted by two elegant innate maids at the door, who slightly nodded and said ’Please,’ allowing him to walk inside.

Thankfully, he wasn’t here to experience any superiority; he walked in by himself, and discovered that inside were exhibition-style showcases. Standing nearby, he could clearly see the treasures displayed on the shelves.

Magical Artifacts, Talismans, Puppets, Spiritual Materials... Each one exquisitely beautiful and exuding spiritual light.

Seeing them, one couldn’t help but be tempted.

Soon, Zhou Changwang noticed, not far from the entrance, an imposing humanoid puppet over a person tall. He couldn’t discern what was special about it, but inexplicably felt that this puppet was very powerful, definitely not an ordinary item.

Especially the sword in the puppet’s hand—its spiritual pressure was ten times stronger than the Dharma Artifact Flying Sword he carried.

Clearly, it was a Middle-Grade Magical Artifact.

Moreover, it was a large Middle-Grade Magical Artifact, so its price must be much higher than ordinary Middle-Grade Magical Artifacts.

After all, Dharma Artifact materials are truly valuable.

"This is a Middle-Level Sword Puppet. As long as it’s commanded, it can unleash power equivalent to a Sixth-Layer Qi Cultivation Practitioner.

Additionally, its exterior is forged from a combination of Red Flame Stone and Crimson Cold Gold, making it incredibly durable, and its defense is not inferior to Middle-Tier Demon Beasts, so even ordinary Sixth-Layer Qi Cultivation Practitioners are really no match for it."

At this moment, someone approached, explaining with a smile.

Zhou Changwang turned his head towards the speaker and saw an unimposing old man with a dirty appearance, but he sensed a strong aura emanating from him, so he hastily cupped his hands and said, "How may I address the elder?"

"I’m Cao Youde. You can just call me Old Cao."

This person casually waved, seeming unconcerned about his status, and continued, "How about it? Interested in buying it?

This puppet is absolutely essential for a cultivator, whether at home guarding your mountain gate or protecting you outside. Even against High-Tier Cultivators, it dares to resist, and in dangerous secret realms, it can shield you from innumerable attacks and dangers. It’s truly an excellent protective treasure..."

"How many spirit stones?"

Zhou Changwang instinctively asked.

"Not expensive.

Only fifteen thousand Lower-Grade Spirit Stones." The old man replied.

Zhou Changwang, hearing this, gave an awkward smile, saying, "It’s not expensive. Such a good thing is worth even twenty thousand Lower-Grade Spirit Stones."

"Do you want to buy it then?

No need for twenty thousand Lower-Grade Spirit Stones. Just offer eighteen thousand and it’s yours. How does that sound?"

The old man’s face lit up with joy, eagerly saying.

Zhou Changwang’s smile stiffened, and he replied somewhat helplessly, "Are you joking, elder? I just think it’s worth the price, but I can’t afford it."

"Then how much do you say?"

The old man seemed somewhat impatient.

"Elder, you overestimate me. Just look at my cultivation and my attire—do I look like someone who can afford a puppet?

I simply feel this puppet is exquisite and powerful. It’s worth fifteen thousand, twenty thousand, even thirty thousand Lower-Grade Spirit Stones.

But I can’t afford it.

I’m just a little loose cultivator."

Zhou Changwang had to earnestly explain. If he was forced to purchase it, he would be in a bind.

"Then why are you even talking?"

The old man coldly snorted but didn’t pursue further. At this moment, a rotund young cultivator, clad in a brocade Daoist robe and evidently well-funded, was also contemplating that puppet. The old man smiled and immediately approached...

Seeing this, Zhou Changwang breathed a sigh of relief, quickly moving towards a middle-aged man who seemed to be a steward, and asked, "Excuse me, do you have Thunder Techniques here?"

"Certainly we do. However, I’m curious about your budget and specific requirements?"

The steward responded, casting a Sound Insulation Technique to prevent surrounding eavesdroppers before answering.

"Preferably Range Thunder Skill, regarding the power scale, I’m not too concerned."

Zhou Changwang thought for a moment, replying.

"For Range Thunder Skill, our Bai’s Trading House has three types: Thunder Gathering and Rain Transformation Technique, Shenxiao Five Thunders Strike, and Small Five Elements Thousand Thunder Skill.

These three skills all count as high-tier Thunder Skills. Thunder Gathering and Rain Transformation Technique gathers the thunder in the sky and transforms it into light rain, rain within thunder, thunder within rain, making it hard to defend against.

Shenxiao Five Thunders Strike is a secret tradition of a certain sect, rumoured to date back to three thousand years ago. Once executed, it can manifest five thunders, with unparalleled power.

As for the Small Five Elements Thousand Thunder Skill, it transforms the power of the five elements into lightning, both mysterious and powerful. Once used, a thousand measures of thunder crash down, with none to obstruct."

"I wonder which Thunder Technique your friend desires?"

The steward replied.

"What are their respective prices?"

Zhou Changwang asked with a frown.

"The Thunder Gathering and Rain Transformation Technique is five hundred and eighty Lower-Grade Spirit Stones, the Shenxiao Five Thunders Strike is more expensive at seven hundred and ninety-nine Lower-Grade Spirit Stones, and as for the Small Five Elements Thousand Thunder Skill, it’s seven hundred and fifty Lower-Grade Spirit Stones.

Don’t be misled by the price differences of these Thunder Techniques; their power is all top-notch, with little distinction."

The steward was obviously well-versed in the pricing of numerous spells and introduced them directly.

"Too expensive, and as for high-tier techniques, I can’t learn them now either."

Zhou Changwang frowned, looking at the steward with an inexplicable expression.

So he was here to jest?

"Indeed, these Thunder Techniques, while powerful, are difficult to learn and master. For an average cultivator, it’s extremely tough to reach entry-level understanding.

However, in the Cultivation Realm, there are countless experts, and some have thought to break down and simplify high-tier techniques. In doing so, practice is not so difficult anymore.

For example, the Thunder Gathering and Rain Transformation Technique has been split by an expert into two spells: Thunder Gathering Technique and Thunder Rain Skill. Once you’ve mastered these two, learning the Thunder Gathering and Rain Transformation Technique becomes much easier.

The Shenxiao Five Thunders Strike follows the same principle, broken down into Water Thunder Technique, Fire Thunder Technique, Golden Thunder Technique, Earth Thunder Technique, and Wood Thunder Technique. Learn these five and mastering the Shenxiao Five Thunders Technique comes naturally."

The steward, well-prepared, spoke directly.

"And what about the Small Five Elements Thousand Thunder Skill?"

Zhou Changwang had never thought before that Thunder Techniques could be used in such a way.

Decomposition?

You could say that there are more solutions than problems.

The wisdom of cultivators is indeed undeniable.

"Of course there is, specifically the Five Elements Thunder Transformation Technique and Thousand Thunder Flashes."

"What are their respective prices?"

...

In the end, Zhou Changwang still chose the Thousand Thunder Flashes.

One hundred and twenty Lower-Grade Spirit Stones.

In fact, he initially leaned towards the Thunder Rain Skill, but upon learning that the Thunder Rain Skill merely involved rain carrying thunder and that the lightning would only traverse through the rain at his will, rather than every drop carrying electricity, he gave up.

Instead, the Thousand Thunder Flashes seemed less powerful but actually had a thousand bolts of lightning that would fly out with the casting of the spell.

Even if each bolt’s power was so minimal that it paled in comparison to even the weakest Fireball Talisman, making it virtually a deceptive skill.

It seemed like countless lightning bolts were flying chaotically, but when striking a cultivator, it was likely they could just shake it off, but he sought not the power of the technique, but the casting range that could cover the entire Spirit Field.

At least, those chaotic bolts of lightning were tangible.

Naturally, only the Thousand Thunder Flashes was more suitable for him to plant Thunder Spirit Rice Trees.

Taking the Jade Scroll recording the Thousand Thunder Flashes, Zhou Changwang felt a sigh of emotion in his heart, realizing that sellers indeed tend to be more astute than buyers. He had already inquired—this Thousand Thunder Flashes cost one hundred and twenty Lower-Grade Spirit Stones, while the Five Elements Thunder Transformation Technique was two hundred and eighty-eight Lower-Grade Spirit Stones.

And once someone learned these two spells, they’d inevitably want to learn the Small Five Elements Thousand Thunder Skill in the end, which in total would cost over a thousand Lower-Grade Spirit Stones.

To learn the Small Five Elements Thunder Transformation Technique directly?

Certainly possible, but the difficulty is self-evident.

Zhou Changwang also didn’t believe he had any innate talent for spells.

The Attribute Panel was indeed powerful, enabling quick promotion of any spell, but the prerequisite was reaching entry.

Without entry, how could there be promotion?

"By the way, shopkeeper, that Elder Cao..."

After completing the transaction, Zhou Changwang was about to leave when he suddenly noticed Cao Youde, who was still engaging a cultivator in incessant conversation, and couldn’t help but pause.

"Don’t worry, your friend.

Elder Cao is a high-tier cultivator at the Seventh-Layer Qi Cultivation and also a Middle-Grade Puppet Master, and won’t make things difficult for you.

He only placed his puppet here for sale because he spent too much to refine a swordsman puppet recently... perhaps being overly eager to sell is causing this persistence.

Please be understanding about this."

The manager clasped his hands together, saying.

"I see."

Zhou Changwang realized.

Although he had previously guessed that the other party was not of simple status or strength, he hadn’t expected him to be not only a high-tier cultivator but also a Tier One Middle-Grade Puppet Master.

To him, this was undoubtedly a big shot.

Though the other party seemed amiable, he didn’t want to provoke such a person, so he took a slight detour before exiting Bai’s Trading House.

"This journey, although having some complications, was ultimately quite smooth."

Standing at the entrance of Bai’s Trading House, Zhou Changwang felt a sense of reflection, quickly identified his direction, and headed towards his residence.

...