The next morning, Kai and Chen Wei made their way to the Sect Marketplace. Unlike the specialized pavilions dedicated to specific crafts, this marketplace was a hodgepodge of everything a cultivator might need - or want.

  When they arrived, Kai's eyes darted from stall to stall, taking in the array of goods on display. Colorful banners fluttered in the breeze, advertising everything from spirit herbs to magical weapons.

  "Senior Brother, if you don't mind me asking, why are we here at the marketplace?” Chen Wei asked. “Wouldn't the weapons pavilion be a better place to get a new weapon?"

  "We're here because I want to craft the weapon myself,” Kai answered.

  "Craft it yourself?” Chen Wei's eyes widened in surprise. “But Senior Brother, I didn't know you were a blacksmith!"

  "I'm not, at least not in the traditional sense,” Kai chuckled softly. “But I like to be well-rounded. There's more than one way to craft a weapon, you know."

  Kai had another reason for coming to the marketplace - namely, setting up an alchemy stall. But that was for another day. He patted Chen Wei on the shoulder. "You'll see soon enough. Now, let's find the materials we need. We have a weapon to craft."

  Chen Wei looked confused but nodded.

  As they walked, a message appeared before him:

  What would you like to craft?

  Kai thought for a moment before mentally responding. "I want to craft a staff with a retractable blade."

  Staff with Retractable Blade

  Materials needed:

  [Empty Slot] - Main Material

  [Empty Slot] - Secondary Material

  [Empty Slot] - Binding Material

  [Empty Slot] - Elemental Crystal

  [Empty Slot] - Enhancement Rune

  [Empty Slot] - Grip Material

  The system then provided explanations for each material:

  Main Material: This will form the core of your staff. Choose a sturdy wood with good qi conductivity.

  Secondary Material: This will be used for the retractable blade. Select a durable metal that can hold a sharp edge.

  Binding Material: This will secure the blade mechanism to the staff. Look for something flexible yet strong.

  Elemental Crystal: Optional, but recommended. This will imbue your weapon with an elemental affinity, enhancing certain types of techniques.

  Enhancement Rune: Optional. This can provide additional effects or boosts to your weapon's capabilities.

  Grip Material: This will wrap the handle of your staff. Choose something comfortable that provides a secure grip.

  Kai nodded to himself. "Alright," he said, turning to Chen Wei. "Let's start with finding some suitable wood for the staff. Any ideas where we might find that?"

  "I think I know just the place, Senior Brother. Follow me!"

  The young disciple led Kai through the crowded marketplace, weaving between shoppers and ducking under hanging signs. They soon arrived at a stall piled high with various types of wood.

  The outer disciple manning the stall was a stocky young man with a quick smile and quicker tongue. His eyes lit up as Kai approached.

  "Welcome, welcome!" he called out. "Looking for the finest wood in all the Azure Sky Sect? You've come to the right place!"

  Kai nodded politely, his eyes scanning the selection. He pointed to a dark, richly grained wood. "What can you tell me about this one?"

  The vendor's smile widened. "Ah, excellent eye! That's Thunderstruck Oak, blessed by the heavens themselves! Legend has it that a thousand-year-old tree was struck by divine lightning, imbuing the wood with incredible power. It's said that weapons made from this wood can call down lightning at will!"

  Material: Thunderstruck Oak

  Rank: Uncommon

  Description: A sturdy oak wood with slightly enhanced conductivity. May occasionally produce small static discharges when struck.

  Kai raised an eyebrow. Slightly enhanced conductivity, huh? Quite a gap between that and 'calling down lightning at will'.

  "Interesting," Kai murmured. "And this one?" He pointed to a pale, almost translucent wood.

  The vendor's eyes gleamed. "That, my friend, is Ghost Whisper Willow! It's harvested from trees that grow in haunted forests. Weapons made from this wood are said to be able to strike spirits and incorporeal beings!"

  Material: Ghost Whisper Willow

  Rank: Uncommon

  Description: A lightweight wood with minor spirit-attuned properties. Slightly more effective against spiritual entities.

  Kai nodded, hiding his amusement. Minor spirit-attuned properties. This guy could sell sand in a desert.

  "And what about this blue-tinged wood?" Kai asked, pointing to a stack near the back.

  The vendor's smile grew impossibly wider. "Ah, you have a discerning eye indeed! That is Azure Mist Pine, grown in the misty valleys of the Azure Mountains. It's said that weapons made from this wood can control the very air itself, creating mists and fogs to confound your enemies!"

  Material: Azure Mist Pine

  Rank: Rare

  Description: A water-attuned wood with natural moisture retention properties. Can enhance water-based techniques when used in weapon crafting.

  Kai's eyes lit up. This was exactly what he was looking for. He turned to Chen Wei, speaking quietly. "I think this is the one."

  Chen Wei nodded, then turned to the vendor. "How much for the Azure Mist Pine?"

  “Well, it's a rare wood, you know,” The vendor stroked his chin. "Very difficult to obtain. I couldn't possibly part with it for less than... 1000 low-grade spirit stones."

  "1000?” Chen Wei spat out. “That's highway robbery!"

  The vendor held up his hands. "Now, now, you have to understand the value of what you're getting. This wood is imbued with the very essence of water and mist! Why, I've heard tales of staffs made from Azure Mist Pine that could summon rainstorms with a single wave!"

  “Let's not exaggerate,” Kai stepped forward. “The Azure Mist Pine has water-attuned properties, yes, but it's not going to be summoning any rainstorms. It enhances water techniques, nothing more."

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  The vendor's smile faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered. "Well, of course, the true potential of the wood depends on the skill of the craftsman and the user. But surely you can see why 1000 spirit stones is a fair price for such a rare material?"

  Chen Wei opened his mouth to argue further, but Kai held up a hand to stop him. "650 spirit stones," Kai said. "That's a fair price for a rare, water-attuned wood."

  The vendor hesitated, clearly torn between his desire to make a large profit and the fear of losing the sale entirely. "Well... I suppose I could go down to 750. But that's my final offer!"

  Kai shook his head. "700, and we'll throw in a good word to our fellow disciples about your stall."

  The vendor sighed dramatically. "You drive a hard bargain. But I can see you know your materials. 700 it is."

  As Chen Wei counted out the spirit stones, Kai allowed himself a small smile. Not a bad start. A little overpriced, but not as bad as it could have been.

  With the Azure Mist Pine secured, Kai turned to Chen Wei. "Next, we need a metal for the retractable blade."

  "I know just the place. Old Man Liu's stall is just around the corner."

  As they approached the metal stall, Kai was nearly bowled over by the enthusiasm of the vendor. Old Man Liu, despite his name, was a middle-aged man with an energy that belied his years.

  "Welcome, welcome!" he practically shouted. "Looking for metal? You've come to the right place! I've got iron that can withstand a thousand blows, steel that can cut through mountain stone, silver that repels evil spirits..."

  Kai held up a hand, stemming the tide of words. "Thank you. I'm looking for something specific. A metal suitable for a retractable blade in a staff."

  Old Man Liu's eyes lit up. "Ah. Let me show you some options."

  As the enthusiastic vendor laid out various metal samples, Kai examined each one carefully, relying on his system messages for accurate information.

  Material: Starfall Iron

  Rank: Uncommon

  Description: A dense, durable iron with trace amounts of celestial ore. Slightly more resilient than standard iron.

  Material: Serpent Scale Steel

  Rank: Rare

  Description: A flexible steel alloy that retains a keen edge. Ideal for weapons that require both strength and flexibility.

  Material: Misty River Steel

  Rank: Rare

  Description: A light and flexible steel with water-attuned properties. Can generate a light mist when swung at high speeds.

  Kai's eyes lingered on the Misty River Steel. Perfect. It matches the water theme of the Azure Mist Pine.

  "I'll take the Misty River Steel," Kai said, interrupting Old Man Liu's ongoing sales pitch.

  The vendor blinked in surprise, then grinned. "Excellent choice! This steel is light and flexible, allowing the blade to move as fluidly as a flowing river. And it has an innate ability to generate mist or fog when swung!"

  Kai nodded, the vendor's description matched the system message. "It's perfect for what I need. Now, do you have anything that could help make the blade retractable?"

  Old Man Liu's eyes widened. "Ah, for that, you'll want something special." He ducked behind his stall and emerged with a small ingot of golden metal. "This is Heavenly Gold. It's highly conductive and incredibly resilient. Perfect for creating springs and gears that won't wear out."

  Material: Heavenly Gold

  Rank: Rare

  Description: A highly conductive and resilient gold alloy. Ideal for crafting intricate mechanisms that channel Qi.

  "That sounds perfect. How much for both the Misty River Steel and the Heavenly Gold?"

  "Well, these are both rare materials...,” Old Man Liu stroked his beard. “How about 800 spirit stones for the pair?"

  Chen Wei stepped forward, his eyes narrowing. "800? That's a bit steep, isn't it? The Misty River Steel is nice, but it's not that rare. And you're only offering a small amount of the Heavenly Gold."

  Kai watched as Chen Wei haggled with the vendor. After several minutes of back-and-forth, they settled on a price of 500 spirit stones for both materials.

  As they left Old Man Liu's stall, Kai turned to Chen Wei. “We now need something to bind the core of the staff and secure the blade mechanism."

  Chen Wei furrowed his brow. "Bind the core? I'm not sure where we'd find something like that."

  "Perhaps I can help," a new voice chimed in. They turned to see Old Man Liu leaning over his stall. "For what you're looking for, you'll want some kind of tendon or sinew. Strong, flexible, able to conduct Qi. Tan Yifei's stall, two rows over, might have what you need."

  Kai bowed slightly. "Thank you for the advice."

  When they arrived at the stall, they found Tan Yifei to be a young woman with sharp eyes and a no-nonsense attitude. When Kai explained what he was looking for, she immediately reached under her stall and pulled out a coil of silvery material.

  "Silver Serpent Tendon," she said briskly. "Incredibly strong and flexible. Ideal for binding the core of a staff and securing a blade mechanism. It also conducts Qi, allowing for smooth energy transfer between the staff and blade."

  Material: Silver Serpent Tendon

  Rank: Rare

  Description: Extremely durable and flexible tendon from a spirit beast. Excellent Qi conductor and binding material.

  Kai nodded, impressed by the accuracy of her description. "It sounds perfect. How much?"

  "150 low-grade spirit stones," Tan Yifei said firmly.

  Kai raised an eyebrow. It was a fair price, considering the quality of the material, but he decided to try his luck. "How about 100?"

  Tan Yifei's eyes narrowed slightly, but then she nodded. "Done. You've got a good eye for materials. Not many would recognize the value of this tendon."

  As Kai handed over the spirit stones, he decided to ask about another material he needed. "Do you know where I could find Elemental Crystal Shards?"

  Tan Yifei pointed down the row. "Third stall on the left. Tell Gramps that Tan Yifei sent you."

  "Thank you for your help,” Kai bowed slightly.