Movie: Get Alpha Dog at the start

Chapter 1366 isn't enough (Seeking monthly votes!!!)

At the exit of the Giant Sword Gate Market, Qin Hao looked at the bustling crowd behind him, his face unable to hide his disappointment.

For three months, he traveled to the markets of the seven major sects of Yue Kingdom—"Fengxi Market" of Huangfeng Valley, "Qingling Market" of Qingxu Sect, "Jianxin Market" of Giant Sword Sect, etc., but still could not find a magic weapon or talisman that suited him.

Although there are exquisite and top-quality magic weapons in the market, they are either incompatible with his main metal-type cultivation method or their power is unsatisfactory. Talisman treasures are even rarer. The only two "talisman treasures" he has are ridiculously expensive, and their power is only slightly higher than that of the gray sword talisman treasure, which is not worth it at all.

However, the trip was not without its rewards. His improved version of the Flame Bullet Talisman was very popular in the Seven Sect Market.

In addition, they encountered several groups of ignorant evil cultivators along the way, seizing nearly a thousand low-grade spirit stones and more than a dozen incomplete cultivation manuals from their storage bags. Qin Hao's net worth has now exceeded five thousand low-grade spirit stones, and his AI's database has added more than twenty independent cultivation manuals. Although their quality is far inferior to the Qingxu Sect's classics, they have filled some gaps in certain areas.

Qin Hao rubbed the storage pouch at his waist, pondering, "If I can't find any ready-made magical artifacts or talismans, should I try to forge them myself?"

"It seems it's time to make a trip to the Yuanwu Kingdom!"

With this in mind, Qin Hao no longer hesitated and summoned the Golden Blade—the pale golden blade gleamed with a cold light. He lightly touched the blade with his toes and stood firmly on it. After injecting his magic power, the Golden Blade transformed into a stream of light and flew straight towards the Yuanwu Kingdom. In the blink of an eye, it flew dozens of feet away, leaving only a faint golden trail.

Half a month later, Qin Hao arrived at the market of the Tianxing Sect in the Yuanwu Kingdom. This market was nearly twice the size of the "Qingling Market" in the Yue Kingdom. The streets paved with bluestone were lined with stalls, and most of the stall owners were rogue cultivators at the fifth or sixth level of Qi Refining, selling low-grade spiritual herbs, ordinary magic tools, and incomplete talismans. Occasionally, a disciple dressed in the Tianxing Sect's robes would walk by, and the surrounding rogue cultivators would subconsciously give way—the identity of a sect disciple naturally carried a deterrent effect in the market.

As soon as Qin Hao entered the market, a man in a blue robe approached him with a familiar smile: "This fellow Daoist looks unfamiliar. Is this your first time visiting the Tianxing Sect market?"

The man was about thirty years old, with a Qi Refining Level 5 cultivation. He had a tattered storage bag hanging from his waist. His eyes swept over Qin Hao's figure with a scrutinizing gaze.

Qin Hao raised an eyebrow, his tone playful: "This market sees hundreds of cultivators coming and going every day. Can you possibly remember them all, fellow Daoist?"

“Hehe, not at all.” The man in the blue robe rubbed his hands together and laughed, “It’s just that I’ve never seen anyone as tall as you, with broad shoulders and a thick back, before, so it left a deep impression on me.”

Qin Hao shook his head inwardly—he had thought about disguising his appearance before, but found that he didn't have a transformation treasure that could hide from the cultivator's divine sense. Forcibly disguising himself would only arouse suspicion, so it was better to show his true face.

"What brings you here, fellow Daoist?" he asked directly, knowing that the other party was most likely a "broker" in the market, earning spirit stones by guiding visiting cultivators and introducing them to trade.

Seeing Qin Hao's straightforwardness, the man in the blue robe stopped beating around the bush: "So that you may know, fellow Daoist, I am very familiar with the market of Tianxing Sect. Whether you are looking for spiritual materials, buying magic artifacts, finding a place to stay, or asking for information, just tell me. After it is done, I will give you a few low-grade spirit stones as a reward for your hard work."

Qin Hao needed a local expert like this—he was new to the area and knew nothing about the layout and connections of the Tianxing Sect's market. Having a broker to guide him would save him a lot of trouble.

"If I need to find someone, can you help me find them too?"

"As long as the other party resides in this market town regularly, or has a fixed place to stay, I am certain I can find them!"

The man in the blue robe patted his chest and assured him confidently, "Whom are you looking for, fellow Daoist? Is it a disciple of a sect or a rogue cultivator? Do you have a name or any distinguishing features?"

"Find a young weapon refiner surnamed Qi," Qin Hao said slowly. He learned from the plot memories organized by the AI ​​that a young weapon refiner named Qi Yunxiao lived in seclusion near the Tianxing Sect market in Yuanwu Kingdom. This person had remarkable talent in weapon refining and had mastered the Qi family's ancestral array formation knowledge. More importantly, the woman behind him was Xin Ruyin, an array formation genius who was rare in a thousand years.

The man in the blue robe led Qin Hao through several alleys to a dilapidated blacksmith shop. Above the shop door hung a wooden sign that read "Blacksmith Shop," the paint long since peeled off. Inside, the shelves held a dozen or so magical artifacts—all the most common low-grade magical artifacts, such as iron swords, copper shields, and wooden hairpins. Their spiritual light was dim, clearly made from inferior materials, at most suitable for early-stage Qi Refining cultivators as a stepping stone.

"Fellow Daoist, please don't misunderstand." Seeing Qin Hao frown, the man in the blue robe quickly explained, "These are all illusions—Fellow Daoist Qi is afraid of trouble, so he deliberately displayed these ordinary magic artifacts to avoid being targeted by sect disciples or evil cultivators. The real treasures are in the backyard, where he also lives. We can see them as soon as we go in."

As he spoke, he walked into the shop and whispered a few words to an old man who was forging iron. The shopkeeper glanced at Qin Hao, but didn't ask any questions. He took out a communication talisman from his pocket, infused it with magic power, and threw it into the backyard.

A moment later, a young man's voice came from the backyard, cool and wary: "Since you were introduced by a fellow Daoist, please come in."

Qin Hao casually tossed three low-grade spirit stones to the man in the blue robe, who immediately beamed with joy and bowed, saying, "Fellow Daoist, rest assured, I will wait outside the shop. If you need any more spiritual materials or lodging after you've finished your business, just call me!"

Qin Hao nodded and followed the shopkeeper into the backyard—the backyard was not the weapon-refining room he had imagined, but a dense bamboo forest, with faint fluctuations of spiritual energy among the bamboo leaves, clearly indicating that there was an array set up.

"Fellow Daoist, do not worry. This is the 'Bamboo Forest Maze,' which only has an illusion effect and no lethal power. Just follow me." The innkeeper led the way, stepping in specific directions. Before long, the bamboo forest scene suddenly changed, and an elegant bamboo house appeared before them.

A young man dressed in white walked out of the bamboo house. He was about twenty years old, with a handsome face, but his brows were filled with a hint of sorrow.

"Qi Yunxiao greets fellow Daoist. May I ask what brings you here? Do you wish to commission a magic weapon or purchase materials for refining it?"

"I have come here today not for magical artifacts or materials, but to make a deal with Fellow Daoist Qi." Qin Hao returned the greeting and got straight to the point: "I have heard that Fellow Daoist Qi's artifact refining skills are extraordinary. I hope that Fellow Daoist Qi can pass on his artifact refining methods to me."

Qi Yunxiao's face instantly darkened, and he interrupted directly: "This is absolutely unacceptable! The weapon-refining methods and formation techniques of my Qi family were created by our ancestors with painstaking effort and are only passed down to family members, not to outsiders. Fellow Daoist, please return."

Qin Hao remained calm and composed, a faint smile still on his face: "What if I were to exchange it with you for a thousand-year-old spiritual herb?"

"What? A thousand-year-old elixir?" Qi Yunxiao's pupils suddenly contracted, his voice trembled, and his previously indifferent attitude crumbled instantly as he eagerly asked, "Do you really have a thousand-year-old elixir?"

"Not now," Qin Hao said slowly, noticing Qi Yunxiao's face turn pale instantly, and added, "Fellow Daoist Qi, please don't misunderstand—millennium-old spiritual herbs are so precious, would you carry them with you at all times?"

Qi Yunxiao's face alternated between pale and flushed, his eyes filled with struggle—he both desperately wanted the thousand-year-old elixir to heal Xin Ruyin and worried that Qin Hao was deceiving him. But thinking of Xin Ruyin's increasingly weak body, he gritted his teeth and said, "If you truly possess a thousand-year-old elixir, I am willing to impart all my knowledge of weapon forging to you!"

"Not enough." Qin Hao shook his head gently.

Qi Yunxiao's expression darkened further, but he knew the value of the thousand-year-old spiritual herb, and finally compromised: "How about adding my Qi family's ancestral knowledge of formations?"

Fearing Qin Hao wouldn't believe him, he added, "I'm willing to swear on my inner demons that if I conceal anything, may I suffer a cultivation deviation and die a horrible death!"

"There's no need for an oath from your inner demons. Instead, swear on the life of the person you desperately need the thousand-year-old elixir to save—if you conceal anything, or if I bring the thousand-year-old elixir and you go back on your word, may her condition immediately worsen and become incurable."

These words struck Qi Yunxiao like a sharp blade, hitting him where it hurt. His face turned pale instantly, and he stared intently at Qin Hao, his eyes filled with rage: "You'd better really have a thousand-year-old elixir, otherwise, even if it costs me my life, I will never let you get away with this!"

In the end, he gritted his teeth and swore an oath as Qin Hao had asked—to him, Xin Ruyin's life was more important than his own cultivation and the inheritance of his family.

Qin Hao nodded in satisfaction: "We will still trade here a month from now. I hope Fellow Daoist Qi will not disappoint me."

After saying that, he turned and left the bamboo forest, leaving Qi Yunxiao standing there, his clenched fists so tightly that his nails almost dug into his palms—he could only pray that this mysterious Fellow Daoist Qin could really bring a thousand-year-old elixir.

After leaving the blacksmith's shop, Qin Hao had the broker take him for a stroll around the market, but still came up empty-handed. Finally, the broker gave him two spirit stones to send him on his way. Afterward, Qin Hao changed direction and left through the west gate of the market.

But they hadn't gone far from the market area when two dark figures suddenly darted out from the woods by the roadside.

"Boy, hand over all your spirit stones and talismans, and I'll spare your life!" the axe-wielding cultivator said viciously.

Qin Hao smirked coldly: "You two dare to block my way?"

Before the other party could even reply, he immediately summoned the Golden Blade. After infusing it with magic power, the blade shone with a dazzling golden light, and a golden blade aura shot straight toward the axe-wielding cultivator's heart.

"Not good!" The axe-wielding cultivator hurriedly raised his axe to block. With a crisp "clang," the short axe was cleaved in two by the blade energy. The remaining force of the blade energy did not diminish and grazed his shoulder, leaving a deep wound that exposed the bone.

Seeing this, the chained cultivator hurriedly swung his chains, aiming straight for Qin Hao's ankle, trying to entangle him. Qin Hao remained calm, taking out a Vajra Talisman, and a golden protective shield instantly unfolded, blocking the chains' attempt to entangle him.

At the same time, he took out three armor-piercing golden arrow talismans, infused them with magic power, and threw them out—three silver arrows of energy accurately struck the chained cultivator's wrist, shoulder, and knee. The latter screamed in agony, and the chains clattered to the ground, blood flowing freely.

"Run!" Seeing that they were no match for the two cultivators, they turned to run.

How could Qin Hao give them a chance? He manipulated the golden blade, transforming it into a streak of light that instantly caught up with the two. With a flash of blade energy, he took their lives.

He checked the two men's storage bags and found only a dozen or so low-grade spirit stones and a few ordinary talismans, with nothing else of value.

"Pah, you two poor devils, why did you have to learn to be evil cultivators!"

Qin Hao casually put the storage bag into his pocket, used his magic to clean up the traces at the scene, and then flew towards the distant mountains.

Half a month later, Qin Hao appeared on the outskirts of Huangfeng Valley. He found an outer disciple who was preparing to return to Huangfeng Valley, gave him two low-grade spirit stones, and asked him to help arrange a meeting with Han Li.

Seeing that Qin Hao was generous and his cultivation was far superior to his own, the disciple dared not be negligent and hurriedly ran into the valley to report.

Before long, Han Li arrived in a hurry. He was wearing the outer disciple's robes of Huangfeng Valley, and his cultivation had broken through to the tenth level of Qi Refining.

"Senior Brother!" Han Li's eyes lit up instantly when he saw Qin Hao, and he quickly stepped forward.

The two found a secluded mountain peak to sit down, and Han Li began to recount his experiences over the past year: After joining Huangfeng Valley, he was assigned to the Spirit Plant Garden to tend to the spiritual herbs. He originally thought he could cultivate in peace, but unexpectedly, not long after he obtained the Foundation Establishment Pill, a Foundation Establishment cultivator used the excuse of "fair trade" to exchange the Foundation Establishment Pill for a fragmented cultivation technique. Now he can only rely on refining Huanglong Pills to cultivate slowly, and he still has a long way to go before reaching the Foundation Establishment stage.

"Senior brother, what stage has your cultivation reached now? Do you still have your Foundation Establishment Pill?" Han Li asked, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

Qin Hao shook his head with feigned regret: "I have already broken through to the twelfth level of Qi Refining and have taken the Foundation Establishment Pill, but unfortunately I have not been able to successfully break through to the Foundation Establishment stage—I still lack the aptitude for the three spiritual roots."

Upon hearing this, Han Li's face was full of regret, followed by some frustration: "Even you, Senior Brother, failed. It seems that even if my Foundation Establishment Pill hadn't been replaced, with my four spiritual roots, it would have been difficult for me to successfully establish my foundation."

"Junior Brother Han, there's no need to be so self-deprecating," Qin Hao comforted him. "Although Foundation Establishment Pills are precious, there are other ways to obtain them. Next year, the seven sects of Yue Kingdom will jointly open the 'Crimson Forbidden Land.' The forbidden land not only contains a large number of spiritual herbs, but also the main ingredients that can be used to refine Foundation Establishment Pills. As long as you can obtain one of these main ingredients, you can exchange it for Foundation Establishment Pills from your sect."

Hope rekindled in Han Li's eyes, and he nodded emphatically: "Senior brother is right! As long as there is hope, we cannot give up! I will definitely venture into the Crimson Forbidden Land next year!"

Seeing that Han Li had regained his spirits, Qin Hao got down to business: "Junior Brother Han, to be honest, I came to Huangfeng Valley this time to ask you for a favor."

"Senior brother, please speak freely!" Han Li said without hesitation, his tone sincere: "If it weren't for the Ascension Token you gave me, I wouldn't have been able to enter Yellow Maple Valley; if it weren't for the spirit stones and talismans you gave me, I wouldn't be where I am today. As long as I can help, I will do my best without hesitation!"

Qin Hao felt a warmth in his heart and slowly said, "I would like to ask my junior brother for a thousand-year-old spiritual herb..."

Han Li's expression changed instantly—a thousand-year-old spiritual herb was incredibly precious, and he could only accelerate its growth with the help of the little green bottle. If this were exposed, the consequences would be unimaginable. Yet the person before him was his only true friend and benefactor on his path of cultivation.

He was silent for a moment, then nodded emphatically: "Alright! Senior brother, please wait a few days, I will find a way to bring the thousand-year-old spiritual medicine."

The two exchanged a smile, saying nothing more—some unspoken understandings are beyond words. (End of Chapter)