Longevity starts from having a daughter in old age

“Is there anything wrong with this secret manual?”

Xu Mu picked up the secret manual thrown on the ground, flipping through it as he asked.

Hearing Xu Mu’s question, the stall owner revealed a surprised look, then hesitantly said, “Could you have just come from the Inner Sea?”

Xu Mu paused in his reading, raising an eyebrow as he asked, “How did you know?”

“If you hadn’t just come from the Inner Sea, you wouldn’t be unaware of the matter concerning this ‘Twelve Startle Cicada Skill’.”

“Matter? What matter? Could you give more details?”

Xu Mu neither denied nor confirmed whether he had just come from the Inner Sea, instead sidestepping the issue.

Without asking further, the stall owner began to explain the issue relating to the Twelve Startle Cicada Skill.

This Twelve Startle Cicada Skill was dubbed by the Outer Sea cultivators as the number one Divine Secret Skill in the Outer Sea.

There were two reasons for this. The first was its origin, which came from the cave dwelling of an ancient cultivator in the Shattered Void Secret Realm. When the cave dwelling appeared, it stirred up a huge commotion in the Outer Sea, resulting in countless casualties among the high-level cultivators.

Even the Cluster Stars Sect from the Inner Sea had sent experts to join the scramble.

And this Twelve Startle Cicada Skill, it was said, was discovered in the deepest part of the cave dwelling.

The second reason was that this Twelve Startle Cicada Skill had caused the death of Lu Jingkong, the top Loose Cultivator of the Outer Sea.

Subsequently, this secret manual somehow managed to circulate around. Because of the fame of the Shattered Void Secret Realm, there was a rush to buy and cultivate it, with everyone thinking they were the unique prodigies.

Indeed, there are many unique secret martial methods in this world that require special physiques for successful cultivation.

These special physiques don’t show any signs normally, but when practicing the suitable martial methods, they can burst out with earth-shattering power.

Unfortunately, there was no one who successfully cultivated it, but there were piles of those who died while doing so.

With time, this once hot topic of a secret manual gradually became neglected waste paper.

Upon hearing this, Xu Mu was unable to suppress a surge of excitement and immediately asked, “Do you have a complete version here?”

The one Xu Mu held in his hand only contained a small part at the beginning, which was akin to a detailed introduction.

The stall owner wasn’t surprised at Xu Mu’s reaction.

That’s because all cultivators who were hearing about this secret manual for the first time had a similar response.

One not stopping until hitting a wall, not giving up until reaching the Yellow River.

Everyone thought they were unique.

“I do happen to have a complete copy of the cultivation secret manual! However, fellow daoist, you’re not planning on actually practicing it, are you? I must clarify in advance that I won’t take any responsibility if issues arise!”

“No need for you to be responsible, just sell it to me! I merely want to research it a bit!”

“Very well! I also have several records on the cultivation insights of the Twelve Startle Cicada Skill from high-level cultivators. Would you like to buy them as well?”

The business that came to his doorstep was not to be missed. He had already given a reminder, so whatever happened next would not be his responsibility.

“Yes!”

“I also have more than a dozen secret manuals in a similar situation to the Twelve Startle Cicada Skill. Would you like to buy them all and see?”

Xu Mu suddenly wondered if the stall owner throwing the book on the ground was intentional?

Fortunately, these secret manuals were not valuable. Each added together only amounted to a dozen or so Lower-grade Spirit Stones.

If he could succeed in practicing them, it would be a return of hundreds of times.

Even if he didn’t manage, he doesn’t value Small Spirit Stones that much.

Apart from these secret manuals, he also bought dozens of secret methods related to concealing one’s aura, changing one’s aura, and disguise techniques.

As well as five or six writings on the conditions of the Outer Sea.

In the end, it all amounted to only twenty-five lower-grade Spirit Stones.

For Xu Mu, it really didn’t amount to spending money, but for stall owner who was only at the beginning of Qi Cultivation, it was a rarely seen grand transaction. So, out of joy, he also waived a piece.

“Fellow Daoist, please come again in the future, if there are any new writings, I will definitely keep them for you!”

After leaving the book stand, Xu Mu continued walking towards the center of the market, stopping in front of a three-story pavilion.

This was the highest and most luxurious shop in the entire market.

As he stepped in, a beautiful maid came forward to greet him.

“May I know what senior wants to purchase? Do you need me to introduce our items?”

“I’d like to buy some formation array and alchemy materials.”

Xu Mu took out the list he had previously prepared and handed it to the maid.

It contained the materials for establishing the Spirit Gathering Array and the ingredients for refining the third tier Mysterious Yuan Pill.

As for the materials for the fourth tier, he estimated they wouldn’t have them. Xu Mu also didn’t know how to refine fourth-tier cultivation enhancing pills. The maid received it and looked at it, her pupils involuntarily shrinking slightly.

Despite Xu Mu’s intentional control of the purchasing quantity, it was still an unforeseeable transaction for ordinary cultivators.

“Senior, please wait in the inner hall! I will have someone fetch the goods immediately!” The maid was even more respectful.

“No need, just go and get the things. I’ll go and take a look upstairs!”

Xu Mu glanced at the hall on the first floor. It was filled with low-grade materials. It was indeed better than the street stalls, but it still wasn’t to his preference.

“Senior, please wait! Just let me guide you!”

The maid quickly ran to the counter, handed the list to a shop assistant, gave some instructions, then hastily ran back to Xu Mu.

“Senior, please!”

Xu Mu did not reject her offer, and followed her up to the second floor.

Compared to the first floor, the items sold on the second floor were indeed of a higher grade. There were even several tier three magic artifacts, and a few tier three pills.

When he saw one of the pills, he couldn’t help but light up.

“Bone Cleansing Pill?”

This was a tier three pill, like the Jade Dew Pill and the Divine Brilliance Pill, it was also a pill used to improve physique.

Back when he was in the Inner Sea, he had collected for a long time without finding it.

“Do you have pill recipes for sale?” Xu Mu pointed to the Bone Cleansing Pill.

“I need to ask the shopkeeper for that.”

“That’s good! If it’s available, include it with the materials!”

Although this tier three pill didn’t have much use for him anymore, it could be used by Little Ling’er and the others in the future. It could comprehensively improve their physique and expedite their cultivation progress.

After looking around the second floor and buying a few unfamiliar materials, Xu Mu wanted to continue up to the third floor but was stopped by the maid. “Senior, third floor access is not permitted.”

“Why?”

“The third floor is our Whale Sea Gang’s private exchange area, and outside of the high-ranking members of our gang, outsiders who want to go up must have cultivation at the Foundation Establishment Stage or above. Moreover, we only accept middle-grade spirit stones or equivalent trading materials.”

Xu Mu’s eyes flickered, and considering the situations he observed on his journey, he felt that no one in this small marketplace could threaten him.

After contemplating, he decided to reveal his cultivation level and take a look upstairs.

To see if he could buy a few slightly useful materials.

The things he had bought earlier were at most better than nothing, providing very limited help to him now.

So Xu Mu released his aura, a spiritual pressure unique to the Foundation Establishment Stage immediately filled the entire second floor. Whether it was the maids serving the guests or the guests choosing goods, all of them were startled and looked over.

The glances that were cast at Xu Mu revealed a trace of awe.

In such a secluded small marketplace, a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator was definitely a big figure.

“Can I go up now?”

“Ye, yes! Senior, please!”

The maid wiped a cold sweat, secretly thanking her stars for being sufficiently polite when she initially served him.

However, she was not too surprised at his revelation.

In a place like the Outer Sea, there really are too many people who like to hide their cultivation levels.

Leading Xu Mu to the stairs, the maid stopped.

“Senior, there are special receptionists upstairs. I won’t go up. If you need me, you can call me at any time! I can do anything for you!”

Xu Mu automatically ignored the last sentence, nodded slightly, and took the steps up to the third floor.

Compared to the second floor, the third floor was much narrower, there were no countertops displaying goods, only a plump lady in purple, seated on a long bench, meditating.

Whether it was because she heard the footsteps or because she had set up an Alert Array, the moment Xu Mu stepped foot onto the loft, she opened her eyes. Upon seeing Xu Mu’s face, she seemed somewhat surprised.

“I’m Xu Yiren, the vice-leader of the Whale Sea Gang. It’s a pleasure to meet you!”

Her smile was radiant, accompanied by a natural friendliness.

“I’m Xu Mu!”

Xu Mu gave a nod, reciprocating with a slight smile.

“May I ask what you’d like to buy?”

Coming here obviously meant to make purchases, Xu Yiren didn’t chit-chat with him, instead, she asked him directly.

“I want to buy some medicinal materials.”

Xu Mu straightforwardly listed the materials needed for the True Element Pill and the Dust Reduction Pill.

Over the years, although he had collected many tier four and tier five pill recipes, he hasn’t learned them.

Firstly, because the investment required to learn these pills was too great.

Secondly, the process of pill-making was troublesome and the results weren’t too profitable.

If he needed them, he could just purchase them with spirit stones; which was more cost-effective than self-manufacturing.

To him, only the True Element Pill and the Dust Reduction Pill, pills such as these that were even hard to buy, were worth learning and refining.

Of course, he didn’t expect the other party to provide all the materials. For him, it was enough to collect one or two of them.

When Xu Yiren heard that Xu Mu wanted to purchase medicinal ingredients, and obviously paired to create a pill recipe, her eyes suddenly brightened.

“May I ask, Are you an Alchemist?”

“No! I’m buying for a friend!”

Xu Yiren wasn’t stupid, realizing that Xu Mu didn’t want to admit it, she asked no further.

After asking Xu Mu to wait for a moment, she took out a ledger and started browsing through it.

After much searching, she only found one medicinal ingredient named Dust Bone Flower.

“I’m sorry, friend, we only have this one!”

Xu Yiren seemed somewhat embarrassed.

However, Xu Mu revealed a trace of joy.

Because Dust Bone Flower was the main ingredient for Dust Reduction Pill, which he had been searching for a long time without success. He didn’t expect to find it in this small marketplace, and the price wasn’t high either.

It seems that he truly was blessed after surviving a great calamity.

After settling the spirit stones, Xu Mu was about to turn around and leave, but Xu Yiren suddenly called out to him.

“May I ask, are you just passing through, or do you intend to stay here for a while?”