The ornate youth glanced at
"Since you like them, consider them a gift." The ornate youth smiled faintly and spoke with casual generosity.
Nie Li regarded the other boy. Sure enough, this youth had clearly grown up in a noble family — his methods were far more refined than
With a flick of his right hand, Nie Li produced a bottle of pills from his Space Ring. They were Soul Tempering Pills — one grade higher than Soul Condensing Pills — and he placed them on the table.
"I'll trade this bottle of pills with you. How does that sound?" Nie Li said calmly, looking at the ornate youth.
The ornate youth picked up the bottle and took a sniff. His expression shifted slightly. He had originally planned to refuse whatever Nie Li offered, letting Nie Li owe him a favor, then make his demands later. But he hadn't expected Nie Li to produce a bottle of pills like these.
These pills were far more valuable than the two bottles Li Fu had received earlier. Their significance to the family was enormous — he couldn't refuse.
After a brief pause, the ornate youth said, "In that case, it would be rude to decline." He tucked the pills away.
Nie Li, with an easy smile, collected the seven scrolls inscribed with Legendary forbidden techniques. "If I happen to spot any treasures here in the future, I'll trade pills for them. The Sacred Flame Family won't object, will they?"
"Of course not. You may browse and select anything you wish." The ornate youth nodded. Refusing would make him a fool. After interacting with Nie Li, he understood that Nie Li was not someone easily manipulated. An Alchemist who could move so confidently through this Black Purgatory clearly had resources and skill. Building a good relationship with Nie Li would definitely benefit the Sacred Flame Family.
Pills were consumable goods — the more, the better.
Nie Li didn't want too much contact with the Sacred Flame Family for the time being. After all, he didn't yet have enough leverage to negotiate as an equal with a family that boasted Legendary powerhouses. A preliminary connection was sufficient.
Having secured those Legendary forbidden technique scrolls, Nie Li continued browsing the other treasures. Another item caught his eye.
"Out of all these treasures, I've finally found an attribute-less item," Nie Li thought. Chaos-type and attribute-less items were the hardest to find, and he had finally stumbled upon one. It was three translucent flying knives.
It was unclear who had forged them, but intricate inscriptions were carved across their surfaces. They appeared to be crafted from Celestial One Divine Crystal — an attribute-less material with tremendous destructive power capable of easily piercing through an opponent's defenses. Only attribute-less Soul Power could activate them. Once Soul Power was channeled in, the knives would turn invisible, nearly undetectable even by Soul Power perception. Even a Legendary powerhouse could be caught off guard and killed.
They were absolutely perfect for catching opponents by surprise!
Nie Li was almost certain — he had to have these three flying knives.
"How much for these three?" Nie Li asked, turning to the ornate youth beside him.
The ornate youth hesitated. "These three flying knives have been passed down since ancient times. Their power is extraordinary. Although no one has been able to activate them to this day, the Sacred Flame Family has no intention of selling them casually."
Attribute-less items that no one could activate with Soul Power — that was only natural. Treasures had to find the right wielder.
The ornate youth's reluctance to sell was likely just a negotiation tactic to drive up the price.
"Ten bottles of Soul Tempering Pills — how about that?" Nie Li said, looking at the ornate youth. He had plenty of pills. Forget ten bottles — even a hundred wouldn't make him flinch.
The ornate youth shook his head with a smile. "I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you, brother."
Nie Li frowned slightly. Was the Sacred Flame Family truly unwilling to sell? Ten bottles of Soul Tempering Pills should have been an enormous temptation.
"Let me be straightforward. These three flying knives were forged from Celestial One Divine Crystal. Whether they're truly from ancient times, I can't say for certain. But Celestial One Divine Crystal has a specific trait — it resonates only with someone who possesses attribute-less power. On top of that, the inscriptions on these knives are extraordinarily complex. Only someone familiar with such advanced inscriptions can activate them. Attribute-less individuals are one in a thousand, and those who understand such profound inscriptions are one in ten thousand. So keeping these knives on hand is completely useless to you. It could take centuries before you find a suitable owner for them." Nie Li smiled faintly and shook his head.
Hearing this, the ornate youth was momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected Nie Li to be so knowledgeable — to identify the material and the user requirements at a single glance.
"Celestial One Divine Crystal?" The ornate youth furrowed his brow. He had heard of Celestial One Divine Crystal, and it matched Nie Li's description exactly. Some clan members had told him the knives were ancient heirlooms, but no one could say for sure. If what Nie Li said was true, then holding onto these knives really had no value for the Sacred Flame Family.
Seeing the ornate youth's hesitation, Nie Li smiled calmly. "This Black Purgatory world is fraught with danger. Even the Sacred Flame Family could face unimaginable crises at any moment. A weapon no one can use is far less practical than these Soul Tempering Pills."
The ornate youth gave a faint smile. "Even if I were willing to part with these three flying knives, ten bottles of Soul Tempering Pills would be far from enough. They can't compare to its true value."