Xiao Yan's gaze lingered only briefly on the copper slab before shifting away, then slowly swept around the jade platform, occasionally pausing to show interest in other herbs as well. After such a while, he casually picked up the slab from the platform. As soon as he took it in hand, a subtle coolness spread through it—though this was not due to any unusual quality of the slab itself, but simply because it had been exposed to the cold for a long time. With genuine interest, Xiao Yan flipped over the slab and gently rubbed his fingers across its surface. The texture felt ordinary, much like that of a common copper plate; if it weren't for the intricate patterns etched upon it, few would have considered it anything special. These complex patterns, however, remained completely unfamiliar to him, and the presence of rust spots had caused them to warp slightly, making it difficult to view them clearly. "Could this really be an ancient artifact?" "Studying the bronze slab closely, Xiao Yan felt quite astonished. No matter how thoroughly he probed, he couldn't detect any unusual qualities in it. Had it not been for the prior transmission from Tian Huo Zun, he would have found it difficult to associate this item with ancient times. Though internally amazed, Xiao Yan's expression remained calm—seeming only slightly curious about the slab. The disheveled elder merely glanced at him without comment. This bronze slab wasn't unique to Xiao Yan; many others had visited and examined it before, yet none had ultimately purchased it. 'Don't hesitate—this bronze slab is actually more expensive than the Snow-Bone Herb, and it's priced at a fixed rate,' the elder said casually, fiddling with his ears. His fingers paused on the slab, and Xiao Yan smiled, asking, 'What makes this bronze slab so special? How can it be worth more than the Snow-Bone Herb?' 'Well, I'm not sure.'" The disheveled elder sneered, offering an answer that left Xiao Yan momentarily stunned. Xiao Yan chuckled, realizing how odd this man truly was—such an answer, delivered with such conviction. Some of the onlookers nearby couldn't help but laugh at the elder's response, clearly rarely encountering a vendor of such poor standards. "Though I'm not entirely sure what purpose these copper sheets serve, I do know they're relics from ancient times," the elder said, glancing at the people who had been chuckling, then smiling warmly. As soon as he spoke, the laughter around him abruptly ceased. A series of expressions of astonishment fixed themselves upon the copper slab in his palm—everyone knew that anything linked to the term "ancient" would surely be significant, yet they still found it hard to believe that such an unremarkable piece of copper could be connected to the ancient era. Compared to their bewilderment, Xiāo Yīn's grip on the slab tightened instinctively the moment the disheveled elder uttered those words. He hadn't expected the elder to have such keen insight. Indeed, even Xiāo Yīn himself hadn't paid much attention to the slab before the Tianhuo Master had pointed it out—clearly, this disheveled elder possessed exceptional discernment. "Hmm, I wonder," Xiāo Yīn said, his expression tightening slightly, yet maintaining a warm smile. He gently placed the slab down and turned his gaze toward the elder, smiling in response. "The pattern on this piece, I've seen it occasionally in ancient texts, but as for exactly what purpose it serves—I can't tell you either. In fact, if I knew, I'd surely sell it!" The slovenly elder rolled his eyes, saying, "Honestly, I just believe this thing has something to do with ancient times. Whether I buy it or not, that's all." Everyone present exchanged a look of bewilderment, then shook their heads in resignation. How could anyone possibly believe such a claim solely based on the elder's word? It was no surprise that this item had remained untouched for so long. As for this stubborn old man, Xiao Yan found himself equally frustrated, chuckling, "Then, sir, how would you like to exchange for this copper plate?" "A prescription for a seventh-rank premium elixir." "The disheveled elder chuckled warmly, pleased that someone actually showed genuine interest in this item. Hearing this, Xiao Yan sighed again, shook his head, and regretfully glanced at the copper slab. "It's too expensive. Even if, as the elder says, this slab is indeed an ancient relic, there are countless ancient artifacts that have survived through the ages—many of which are everyday items. Simply based on its pattern, it's impossible to determine its true worth." "Well, then, I'll take the Snow-Bone Root instead," Xiao Yan sighed, withdrawing a jade vial from his storage ring and gently placing it on the jade pedestal. "Elder, this is a 'Pure-Heart Pill,' a mid-tier seventh-rank pill. When taken during the process of refining medicine, it helps stabilize the mind and improves the success rate of the refining process. I believe you'll find it a fair exchange for the Snow-Bone Root." "The Suoxin Pill is undoubtedly an excellent auxiliary remedy, offering particularly significant benefits to alchemists. Many alchemists make it a point to secure one of these pills before beginning their work, as the process of refining pills is most easily disrupted by interruptions or mental distractions. With such a pill, these disturbances can be effectively minimized. Among all auxiliary remedies, the Suoxin Pill stands out as a premium choice, possessing genuine value that surpasses even that of the Xuegu Shen. Thus, Xiao Yan has no doubt that the messy old man will accept it. Indeed, as soon as the words 'Suoxin Pill' reached the old man's ears, his face instantly registered a look of astonishment. He quickly reached for the jade vial, poured out one of the pale white pills, and then placed it beneath his nose, inhaling deeply. "Indeed, it's a pure-heart pill..." After carefully examining it for a moment, the messy elder's eyes suddenly lit up. The pure-heart pill was extremely beneficial to alchemists. He often prepared some in advance whenever crafting pills, but the highest grade he could produce—offering this specific effect—was only seventh-grade, low-tier. It wasn't a matter of lack of skill; he simply hadn't come across the right recipe yet. Recipes were, after all, the alchemist's greatest treasure. Most ordinary people kept them private, only sharing them when used as part of a trade. "Heh, quite a good offering, young man—very generous! I'm quite impressed with you," the elder said warmly, placing the pill directly into his storage talisman, then still gazing at Xiao Yan with eager eyes. Xiao Yan smiled, took the jade box containing the snow-bone ginseng from the jade platform, and placed it into his storage talisman as well. Yet, he remained completely unfazed by the elder's intense gaze, turning and preparing to leave. "Ah, wait a moment!" Only when seeing Xiao Yan about to leave did the messy old man finally find himself unable to bear it, and hurriedly called out. "What's wrong?" Xiao Yan turned his head, looking at the old man with some curiosity. "Heh, youngster, don't you want this copper plate? I can swear to you—it's absolutely something from the ancient times!" The old man pointed at the copper plate resting quietly on the jade platform, speaking with great enthusiasm. Xiao Yan glanced at the still-still copper plate on the jade platform and shook his head, expressing a touch of regret: "I can't afford it. A seventh-rank premium prescription—no one would be willing to part with that." The old man rubbed his hands and chuckled: "Well, then, I'll step back. I won't ask for a seventh-rank premium prescription. Just give me your Shuxin Pill prescription, and I'll give it to you—how about that?" Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned, his expression somewhat hesitant. Although the Shuxin Pill prescription wasn't as valuable as a seventh-rank premium one, it still carried considerable worth, and exchanging it for the copper plate was still above his psychological "Xiao Yan, let's switch. You shouldn't lose out—this item is indeed ancient, though I suspect this fellow doesn't know how to activate it..." As Xiao Yan hesitated, the soft voice of Tian Huo Zhunshi resonated once again directly into his ears. Upon hearing Tian Huo Zhunshi's words, Xiao Yan nodded mentally. Tian Huo Zhunshi's insight undoubtedly surpassed theirs. If he had expressed such confidence, there must be some solid grounds for it. Seeing Xiao Yan still silent, the disheveled elder assumed he might be reluctant, so he gritted his teeth and pulled out another jade box from his storage amulet. Inside the box lay a snow-boned ginseng, even more refined in appearance than the one Xiao Yan had previously purchased. "Since you're after snow-boned ginseng for preparing pills, if you provide me with the recipe for Suzhen Pill, I'll add another snow-boned ginseng to this copper plate. How does that sound?" The slovenly elder sighed, a bit pained, explaining that the Snow-Bone Root was originally intended for himself. Seeing this, Xiao Yan's face brightened, and he nodded with a smile. It was always better to strike a balance—should this elder grow angry and take back the copper plate, Xiao Yan would likely have nothing but to smile helplessly. Given the elder's peculiar nature, such a situation was far from unusual. With a flick of his hand, a snowy scroll appeared in Xiao Yan's grasp and was then tossed toward the elder, who promptly caught it. Observing the elder's excited expression, Xiao Yan smiled again. First, he stored the finer Snow-Bone Root in his storage scroll, then reached out his hand toward the copper plate. Just as his fingers were about to touch it, a purple iron fan suddenly materialized and swiftly tapped the plate with a crisp sound, while a soft, gentle laugh echoed softly. "Hehe, friend, I've also taken a liking to this copper piece—would you be so kind as to part with it?"