"Master Tianjing is being too polite. Why don't we start with me?" said a cultivator in a brocade robe seated beside Master Tianjing, with a gentle smile. "Ah, well, since you're so eager, then I shall start with you," Master Tianjing chuckled, stepping back a few paces and truly inviting the brocade-robed cultivator to begin. As for the rules of the exchange gathering, every cultivator present had gone through them countless times—there was no need to explain them further. "Ah, well, since Master Tianjing has said so, I shall not hesitate any longer," the brocade-robed cultivator remarked, slightly taken aback, and then rose gracefully, bowing slightly to both sides before lightly tapping his palm against the storage pouch beneath his robe. A flash of red light followed, and a wooden box, about the size of a palm, appeared in his hands. The box was crafted from some rare kind of wood, uniformly emerald green, with a steady flicker of flame-like red light pulsing throughout. On the lid, two sets of golden and silver seal scrolls were affixed diagonally, adding to the box's air of mystery. All eyes were drawn to the scene, fixed upon the box with varied expressions. These cultivators, all seasoned observers, naturally recognized that the contents of the box were no ordinary matter—being able to witness such a treasure at the very beginning of the exchange gathering stirred a sense of renewed enthusiasm among them. With a glance from behind his silk robe and mask, he subtly revealed a touch of pride, then lightly touched the two scrolls with his fingers. The golden and silver scrolls drifted down, and the lid of the box opened on its own. Instantly, a crimson object rose slowly from within—the strange, ethereal mushroom, veiled in red mist. Though only a few inches in size, the mushroom was vividly red and intensely warm, its surface smooth and translucent, with delicate red clouds swirling continuously around it, as if surrounded by celestial qi—exactly the appearance of a celestial treasure. By the time Han Li had been left speechless, someone had already identified the mushroom. "It's the Chì Jīng Zhī! A Chì Jīng Zhī with three thousand years of cultivation! This rare mushroom grows only within molten rock and volcanic heat—ordinary people rarely witness it, let alone obtain it." "Your skill is truly remarkable," one of the black-robed cultivators sighed, murmuring the words. Whether it was admiration or envy, one could not tell. "The Chìjīng Zhī? This is indeed the Chìjīng Zhī among the Hónghuǒ Jīngzhī. Truly no ordinary plant—merely observing the flame spiritual energy it emits reveals its exceptional nature." A ripple of excitement spread among the other cultivators, with several companions even beginning to whisper among themselves. The inlaid-jin robes cultivator, upon being recognized by the black-robed one for his own plant, blinked slightly in surprise, but quickly composed himself and said, "Since this esteemed guest has already identified my offering, I shall not elaborate further. One Chìjīng Zhī, a top-tier alchemical ingredient of the Fire attribute, cultivated over three thousand years. In exchange, I offer ten thousand spiritual stones—or equivalent Earth-attribute alchemical and crafting materials of the same level." "Ten thousand spiritual stones?" Han Li paused, then his eyes brightened. The price was not exorbitant—indeed, it fell well below his expectations. During the turbulent times in the Star Sea, even a high-tier immortal essence pill required over ten thousand spiritual stones. This rare and exceptional mushroom, aside from the already-materialized "Nine-Curve Ling Shan" specimen, surpassed all other medicinal herbs in value. This stirred Han Li's interest deeply, making him genuinely enthusiastic. While it might not be among the most precious treasures, the sheer number of spiritual stones Han Li possessed—counting in hundreds of thousands—was no small feat, all gathered from the storage bags of the cultivators who had perished at his hands. Particularly impressive was the sixth Dao heir, whose storage bag contained no less than two or three thousand mid-tier spiritual stones—an extraordinary windfall that far exceeded the means of ordinary Yuan-Gen cultivators. Of course, no matter how many spiritual stones Han Li accumulated, they could never match the value of the spiritual artifacts, talismans, or even several ancient treasures. Some items simply could not be purchased with stones alone. If Han Li were willing to sell his ancient relics—such as the floral basket and the small bell—he could easily exchange them for several hundred thousand spiritual stones. As he pondered these matters, several other cultivators also expressed interest in this rare item. Several cultivators immediately stepped forward, communicating quietly with the robed cultivator, then presented him with various items. While others could not see clearly, the robed cultivator merely glanced down at each offering and promptly declined them with no hesitation, leaving the several cultivators somewhat disgruntled and retreating to their original positions. It seemed either the price was still too high, or he simply didn't have the right materials on hand at the moment. Even the young fire dragon disciple by his side looked deeply regretful. He practiced genuine fire-based cultivation techniques, and this Fire Essence Mushroom was especially well-suited for his practice. Observing all this, the gentleman in the silk robe, growing increasingly helpless, gently lifted the wooden box, about to repackage the Fire Essence Mushroom. Han Li subtly transmitted a message. "Excuse me, my friend—would you be interested in a soil-type spirit jade?" The silk-robed cultivator paused mid-action, instantly recognizing Han Li's voice. He was slightly surprised and replied, "Indeed, I have spirit jades? But this is specifically the Crimson Essence Mushroom—typically, I'd need at least a seventh-level spirit jade to exchange for it. For sixth-level ones, I'd need two or more." Han Li listened carefully, then reflected further. Although he had originally used nearly all his spirit jades to refine medicinal pills. He also retained some of the most valuable rare spirit beasts' spirit pearls as reserves, in case they might have other future uses. Currently, exchanging one seven-tier spirit pearl for the Chìjīng Zhī mushroom is quite reasonable. While the green liquid can continuously nurture the fire quality of the mushrooms, it cannot do so for spirit pearls. As for the relative value of the two, however, it's difficult to determine. Although seven-tier spirit pearls are already quite rare in the Chaixing Sea, they clearly fall short when compared to the Chìjīng Zhī. In Tiannan, though, the situation is different—seven-tier pearls are rare, and even five- and six-tier ones are hard to find, given that there are few such high-tier spirit beasts on the land. Thus, exchanging a seven-tier spirit pearl for this three-thousand-year-old Chìjīng Zhī mushroom is indeed fair. With his plan settled, Han Li suddenly stood up and walked toward the robe-clad cultivator. This sudden move startled Lü Lu and the Fire Dragon Child, who both stared at Han Li in surprise. As Han Li took a few steps and reached the robe-clad cultivator, he flipped his hand, and a jade Then he simply handed it over to the other party, remaining silent and making no further comment. The robe-clad cultivator, though composed, opened the jade box and carefully examined it for a while before his eyes finally lit up with surprise. "Deal!" He gestured, resealing the Chijing Zhī within the wooden box and immediately presented it to Han Li. At the same time, he neatly stored Han Li's jade box into his storage bag. Han Li nodded in acknowledgment and then calmly returned to his original position. Lü Luo and the Fire Dragon Child were both visibly astonished, yet both wisely refrained from asking Han Li any questions, merely sending a few words of congratulations through their inner communications. Han Li responded with a composed demeanor, showing no signs of unusual excitement. Yet at this moment, Han Li had already noticed that several of the present Yuan-Infant cultivators were now gazing at him with renewed interest. Clearly, his unexpected acquisition of the Chijing Zhī had sparked considerable curiosity among them. Yet Han Li didn't consider it significant. With his current abilities, unless he encountered a cultivator at the late Yuan Ying stage, even a Yuan Ying mid-stage cultivator wishing to make a move against him would find it difficult to hold him—there were always ways for him to safely escape. "Good. That guest we just exchanged with has now completed his turn. Shall we now invite the next guest—situated near the gentleman in the brocade robe—to proceed in order?" Tian Jing True Man smiled warmly at the female cultivator seated nearby. "Of course. Then it shall be my honor to present my treasures." The woman dressed in a soft green tone spoke gracefully, rising gently from her seat. "I don't possess the same fortunate circumstances as the previous guest, who obtained such rare treasures. However, I am well-versed in the art of crafting artifacts and have personally forged a still-unclaimed Immortal-Confined Ring. Once I perform a simple recognition ritual upon it, it will serve as my primary artifact. I may not be boasting, but though the materials used—such as Jin Jing—are ordinary, the power of this artifact is certainly substantial. "Excellent for trapping enemies or for defense, it is a truly versatile treasure that excels in both offense and defense." The woman spoke calmly, her sleeves gently swaying. Instantly, a small, pristine ring—only a few inches in size—flew out from her sleeve, fluctuating in size and glowing with constant brilliance. Without further words, she lightly pointed with one hand toward the ring. At that moment, the ring trembled and swiftly expanded, growing into a massive ring several zhang in diameter, with a thickness comparable to an arm. Clear silver glyphs shimmered across its broad, luminous surface, radiating an impressive aura of spiritual energy.