Summer Wei returned to the courtyard and immediately presented the Seven-Grade herb to Lin Ye.
"I spent a bit of spirit stones," she said casually. "Saw it listed and bought it on the spot."
Lin Ye took the Redbelly Jinx Snake Crown and examined it.
Its shape resembled a snake's head crest—that was where the name came from.
But it wasn't an actual snake part.
"This Seven-Grade herb is nearly thirty thousand years old," Lin Ye said.
"Not bad. You did well."
Then he flicked his wrist and tossed her two pills.
"Four-Grade pills. Golden Origin Pills. Refine them as soon as possible and raise your strength."
Summer Wei froze.
Four-Grade pills?!
She remembered Lin Ye once took a Golden Origin Pill from Xu Liang—but that one had been crudely refined, low-grade workmanship.
Lin Ye's version?
The potency would be at least ten times stronger.
He had planned to refine only one.
But because of the Crimson Lotus Tribulation Cauldron's "refine one, get one free" effect…
Two had come out.
And for Lin Ye, refining this level of pill only took half an hour.
Summer Wei stared at the pills in her hand.
Was he… refining pills for her last night?
A strange warmth surged in her chest.
Her loyalty—already deep—tightened like a vow etched into bone.
"I…" she began.
Lin Ye frowned.
"What? You think the grade is too low?"
"N-No!" Summer Wei panicked.
"How could I deserve your pills…"
"Consider it payment," Lin Ye said flatly. "Get stronger. Don't drag me down later."
Summer Wei rolled her eyes.
Of course. Lin Ye's mouth never produced nice words.
But…
He wasn't wrong.
Lin Ye continued cultivating the Nine Revolutions Asura Art, drawing in the power of the blood-colored star through his Star-Guiding Bridge.
Reaching the Moonwheel Realm wasn't about absorbing moonlight.
It was about accumulating enough stellar power… to condense a moonwheel within one's qi sea.
A massive foundation.
But Lin Ye had activated the Tongming Profound Vein, making his speed many times faster than ordinary cultivators.
Then a bold thought struck him—
"What if… I refine that blood star directly… and turn it into my moonwheel?"
Crazy.
Suicidally crazy.
Many had tried similar things before.
All failed—limited by cultivation arts and the body's ability to withstand it.
Refining a star.
Lin Ye didn't know how powerful the star above the Blood Sea truly was—
—but with the Nine Revolutions Asura Art…
It might be possible.
Not yet.
He was only at Star River Sixth Realm.
His body still needed tempering.
That night, the Five-Stage Beast Egg was officially taken down from Qi Yao Tower.
Rumors said it sold for a shocking 3.2 billion spirit stones.
Qi Yao Tower made a killing off the transaction.
Just the service fee alone was enough to make people dizzy.
Even though Lin Ye and Summer Wei were now famous, Qi Yao Tower still charged 1%.
That was 35 million spirit stones—just for the fee.
Normally it would've been 5%.
They were already showing huge respect.
Summer Wei clicked her tongue, furious on principle.
"These people make money too easily! Blink, and they take 35 million!"
Her own auction house, Da Fu Auction House, didn't always earn that much in an entire month.
Sometimes they even lost money.
Lin Ye didn't react.
The egg had been robbed in the first place.
In other words?
He had pocketed over three billion for free.
It sounded like a lot.
But it burned fast.
To refine a Seven-Grade pill, you needed at least seven Seven-Grade herbs, plus massive amounts of Sixth-Grade and Fifth-Grade ingredients—often more than a thousand materials total.
One Seven-Grade herb could already cost over a hundred million.
A full formula could easily cost tens of billions.
And alchemists often needed multiple sets just to guarantee success.
A Seven-Grade pill wasn't something spirit stones could truly measure.
Many sects would empty their entire treasury for a single one.
Lin Ye couldn't refine them yet.
But he had to prepare.
Since they were already in Thousand Spirit City, he wanted to see what hidden treasures were out there—things ordinary people would miss.
More importantly…
He wanted to find another blood-evil treasure, like the Myriad Beast Blood Puppet.
That kind of item was the real shortcut.
Even stronger than awakening the Tongming Profound Vein.
"Let's go take a look around the streets," Lin Ye said.
Summer Wei's eyes lit up instantly.
"W-We can go out?!"
She'd been stuck inside while Lin Ye cultivated nonstop. As a woman, the urge to shop was basically instinct—especially in a bustling city like this.
"Wait for me!" she said, rushing into her room.
Lin Ye frowned slightly but didn't stop her.
A short while later, she came out in a short one-piece dress, looking lively and refined.
Different from her noble, elegant image back at the auction house.
Here in Thousand Spirit City, she didn't need to keep up appearances.
She could breathe.
Her white neck was adorned with a delicate necklace, highlighting her collarbones—playful yet oddly cool.
Lin Ye only glanced once.
"Let's go."
She quickly followed.
The Blacksteel Leopard stayed behind.
It had just broken through and needed time to consolidate, digesting the excess medicinal energy in its body.
Also…
Taking it along would be way too flashy.
Tomorrow's Herbal Trade Conference would be held in the central plaza.
But the eight major roads leading toward that plaza had already transformed into a temporary market.
Pay a stall fee, and you could sell freely under protection.
The entire market's security was handled by Bailing Medicine Sect.
Outside the market?
If you carried treasure, you might get robbed before you turned the corner.
As they walked, they saw experts from Bailing Medicine Sect and allied sects patrolling, maintaining order.
This scale of event…
Only a sect with real confidence dared to host it.
Shouts and sales pitches filled the air.
"Come take a look! Hundred-year spirit herbs dug from secret realms! Extend your lifespan!"
"Three hundred and fifty-year Longevity Ginseng! Only two left—first come, first served!"
"Five-Color Miracle Leaf! Detoxifies everything! Cure poison, resist poison, become immune!"
True high-tier alchemists were rare.
Most people's needs weren't that high.
So this kind of street market was perfect for ordinary cultivators.
Summer Wei browsed happily.
Some herb boxes were even beautifully crafted.
"Gifts for parents! Gifts for elders! Ten-thousand-year spirit ginseng gift box—buy one, get one free!"
"Buy one, get one free!"
Summer Wei's eyes snapped toward it immediately.
Selling what didn't matter.
The important part was…
Free stuff.
Then, a furious argument erupted from a nearby stall.
"You old fool! You're selling a mere Second-Grade herb for fifty million spirit stones?!"
"You think my Blazing Heart Sect is easy to scam?!"
A crowd started gathering.
Lin Ye's gaze shifted too—locking onto that stall.
"Hm?"