Over the next week, Xitu maintained a steady routine. Each morning, he opened his shop early and then returned home before sunset. He treated himself to sumptuous meals and cultivated until midnight every day.
Today, he finally sold off all his goods, except for a few kept for safety, and both Qi Harmonization Pellets bottles reserved for cultivation. He had earned another 94 Spirit Stones. After subtracting his 'luxury' living expenses, his stash now stood at 160 Spirit Stones.
At the moment, Xitu was resting at home, staring at the floor in deep thought.
'What should I do next? Do I keep selling like a vendor?'
Though the trial had gone well, and he was eager to continue, a small problem cropped up: if he kept this up, someone might grow suspicious.
First, customers might start questioning the origin of his goods. Why was he buying from major stores only to sell the items cheaply here? Was he selling fake goods?
Second, nearby vendors or prying eyes might notice something suspicious. He wasn't an Alchemist or an Artificer. So where were these goods coming from?
Especially if someone who knew him personally saw him selling goods here. A man who had been idly working on Spirit Fields most of the time suddenly wanted to be a vendor. That would definitely raise questions.
'Should I change my approach? If I buy from one store and sell to another, would that be safer?'
'I could use a disguise to avoid recognition... but even that wouldn't help long-term unless I changed appearances constantly. Experienced Alchemists and Artificers might even recognize the items' origin.'
With no immediate solution in sight, Xitu decided to pause his activities and refine his plan. He had to be cautious. If the bowl's existence were exposed, he'd be finished. His cultivation was far too low to defend it.
He shook his head and chose to cultivate for now. After all, strength was everything. If he became powerful enough, these problems would solve themselves.
The following morning, he went out to 'study' the market and perhaps spend some Spirit Stones. He had never been this wealthy before. It was the perfect time to buy things he had once only dreamed of.
He headed to a few major stores in the central area to better understand item pricing and select future targets.
First, he entered the Myriad Treasures Pavilion—the most luxurious and diverse store in the Blue Cloud District. He had heard it had branches in every Cultivation District and City on the continent. Wherever cultivators gathered, a Myriad Treasures Pavilion would be there.
Inside, hundreds of glass panels displayed everything imaginable: herbs, fruits, pills, talismans, puppets, offensive and defensive artifacts, household tools... If you could imagine it, they had it. And if not, they could make it.
After browsing for half an hour, Xitu got a general sense of the pricing and the items worth duplicating. Typically, the Pavilion's prices were 20–30% higher than street stalls and about 10% above smaller stores.
Of course, the quality of items here was superb, well deserving of its reputation as one of the largest organizations.
Over the next few hours, he visited other reputable establishments: the Floating Cloud Treasure House, the Alchemist Association, and the Golden Forge. All of them were backed by powerful factions. After seeing their wares, Xitu had a clear idea of how to proceed.
'My supplier will be the Alchemist Association. I'll buy only 1 type of low-level pill with general use—ideally below Mid Rank. With hundreds of Alchemists able to produce it, tracing the origin would be nearly impossible.'
'As for the buyer… the Myriad Treasures Pavilion. It's always bustling with people buying and selling goods every day. Plus, they offer slightly better bulk prices than the rest.'
'I'll buy with my original appearance and sell with a disguise. I'll also leave a few days between trips. That way, tracking me will be extremely difficult.'
Satisfied with his plan, Xitu looked up at the sky with a bright smile and muttered,
"Perfect. I should be able to build a small fortune before anyone catches on. Maybe I can keep this going till I break through the next stage."
He didn't have a long-term plan yet, but that was a problem for future Xitu.
'Actually... I do have an idea, but I'm not sure if I should use it…' He shook his head.
Afterward, Xitu headed toward the vendor street. He planned to buy a storage pouch to match his second identity. After all, if he wanted to pose as an Alchemist, he needed at least the appearance of wealth.
Why not buy one in a store, you ask? Well, he didn't need a new one, and the store prices were far too high.
Eventually, he stopped at a stall displaying a variety of used items. An old storage pouch caught his eye: plain brown, with fraying drawstrings and faded stitching.
"How much for this pouch?" he asked in a neutral tone.
The vendor, a man with yellowing teeth, grinned. "Ah, sharp eyes you got! That one's my old buddy. Still solid. A cubic meter of space. sturdy and reliable. It is yours for just 50 Spirit Stones."
Xitu raised an eyebrow. "50? For something this worn? Are you sure it still works? My stuff won't suddenly fall out, right?"
The man chuckled. "A bit old on the outside, sure. But the array's intact. Works just fine, I can guarantee it."
Xitu shook his head. "A new one with similar space costs only 50. I'll give you 25."
The vendor's smile faded. "25? That's robbery! You can't cut the price in half just because it's used!"
"Then no deal." Xitu turned as if to leave.
"Wait! Wait, wait…" The man sighed. "30. Final offer."
Xitu glanced back with a grin. "Sounds good to me."
The vendor grimaced and held out a hand. "Fine. 30 Spirit Stones. What an old fox!"
Xitu handed over the Spirit Stones and swiftly took the pouch, as if afraid the vendor might change his mind. Then, he headed home in high spirits.
The minimum rank for a storage pouch was Mid Rank, as only Qi Foundation cultivators with Spiritual Sense could use them effectively. Without Spiritual Sense, they were still usable, but retrieving specific items became a hassle. One would either have to dump everything out or fumble blindly inside. Because of this, Vein Opening cultivators typically avoided them unless necessary—like hunters carrying prey or miners hauling ore.
Technically, Xitu didn't need 1. But most Alchemists, even Low Rank ones, carried storage pouches. It was not out of necessity but as a sign of extravagance. And for just 30 Spirit Stones, he had secured a Mid Rank artifact. That alone made him feel satisfied.
All in all, today was another win in his book.