A year had passed since the first main spirit puppet arrived at the Void Black Market.
Over this year, business had been exceptionally slow. It seemed that poverty was rampant, with many peak Void Returning stage cultivators unable to produce even a single item worth a few million spirit stones. They were simply too poor.
Out of the sixteen Dao Merging Pills brought that day, only four had been sold so far.
The first main spirit puppet sat dejectedly in a secluded corner of the Void Black Market. He calculated that the Heavenly Dao Will and spirit stones earned from the four sold Dao Merging Pills totaled just over twenty million. Although each pill was priced at six million spirit stones, the actual sales often required a significant price reduction.
Fortunately, without considering labor costs, the raw material cost for each Dao Merging Pill was only a little over a hundred thousand spirit stones. After deducting the expenses for replication and research, these four pills had managed to break even, with a small profit of a few million.
After a short rest, the first main spirit puppet prepared to seek out suitable targets for sales.
Just then, he sensed something. His gaze shifted towards a specific direction.
In that direction, a figure who had just entered the Dao Merging stage was approaching, followed by several peak Void Returning cultivators. They trailed behind the newly advanced cultivator, all heading towards the first main spirit puppet.
As he watched the Dao Merging stage cultivator approach, the first main spirit puppet felt a sense of familiarity. It was the same cultivator who had first purchased his Dao Merging Pills.
"Hahaha, fellow Daoist, you are indeed here. Your Dao Merging Pills are quite effective. Half a month after returning to my plane, I felt the stirrings of a breakthrough."
"During my breakthrough, I felt I was just a sliver away, but it was your Dao Merging Pill that allowed me to seize that crucial opportunity."
The newly advanced Dao Merging stage cultivator said with a smile. He then gestured to the peak Void Returning cultivators accompanying him.
"Fellow Daoists, I purchased my pills from this Daoist. Not only was the price much lower than that of Cangyan Medicine Pavilion, but the effects are also comparable!"
Hearing this, the eyes of the peak Void Returning cultivators lit up. They were all from the same region, and had been stuck at the peak Void Returning stage for a long time. They always seemed to be missing a sliver of opportunity for the Dao Merging stage, with some even failing multiple times.
Then, one day, a friend among them, the one who had just successfully broken through to the Dao Merging stage, had achieved it. They had all gone to congratulate him. And this newly advanced cultivator had not forgotten his promise to the first main spirit puppet, revealing the existence of these relatively inexpensive Dao Merging Pills.
"May I know your name, fellow Daoist? Do you have more of those Dao Merging Pills?"
"My surname is Li. If you don't mind, you can call me fellow Daoist Li. As for the Dao Merging Pills, I happen to have a few more. They are six million spirit stones each..."
"We know. We've already prepared the money."
Before the first main spirit puppet could finish speaking, swayed by the success of their friend and his strong endorsement, the group of peak Void Returning cultivators did not even haggle over the price. They immediately produced a mixture of Heavenly Dao Will and spirit stones, totaling six million spirit stones.
They were so straightforward. Seeing this, the first main spirit puppet couldn't help but show a hint of surprise and joy. There were a total of four peak Void Returning cultivators.
With the exchange of money and goods, the four peak Void Returning cultivators happily departed with their pills. This sale accounted for four more pills, bringing in another twenty-four million spirit stones, this time as pure profit. By now, the total value of what the first main spirit puppet had earned, converted to spirit stones, had reached over forty million.
With a thought, a figure at the first level of the Dao Merging stage gradually approached the first main spirit puppet from another direction. This was naturally another main spirit puppet. For the past year, the second and third main spirit puppets had been protecting the first from the shadows. However, there had been no one targeting the first main spirit puppet in the Void Black Market, making their task relatively easy.
The first main spirit puppet handed over the accumulated Heavenly Dao Will and spirit stones to the second main spirit puppet. The second main spirit puppet left without a word, without causing any ripples. The purpose of the second main spirit puppet's departure was, of course, to return to the Earth Void Realm.
About half a month later, when the second main spirit puppet returned to the Earth Void Realm and the Heavenly Dao Space, Li Qi was already waiting. His consciousness could already control the main spirit puppets, so he was naturally aware of everything that had happened on their end.
In just over a year, selling eight pills was already a pleasant surprise for Li Qi. From the second main spirit puppet, Li Qi received two spatial rings. One contained several million spirit stones, while the other held the more valuable Heavenly Dao Will, with a total value of at least thirty million, nearing forty million.
This indeed highlighted how poor cultivators in the lower realms were. If it weren't for the existence of Heavenly Dao Will, and relying solely on spirit stones, it was unlikely many could afford such expensive pills.
"Fatty, come out for dinner."
Li Qi called out within the Heavenly Dao Space. The Heavenly Dao Will of the Earth Void Realm trembled atop the dome of the Heavenly Dao Space, radiating a joyful emotion.
"Eat, eat!"
With sufficient capital, Li Qi smiled slightly and waved his hand over the spatial ring containing the Heavenly Dao Will. He continuously tossed out balls of Heavenly Dao Will, feeding them to the Heavenly Dao of the Earth Void Realm.
"Munch, munch, munch."
"Burp..."
After the entire spatial ring of Heavenly Dao Will was consumed, the satisfied Heavenly Dao Will exuded a lazy emotion and quietly retreated to a secluded spot to digest. Li Qi paid it no further mind, as the feeding was complete. His attention then returned to matters at hand.
Only eight Dao Merging Pills remained in the possession of the first main spirit puppet. With the recommendation of the first satisfied customer, his high-quality imitation "Minor Reconstruction Breaking Obstacles Pill" had begun to gain recognition. The subsequent sales of pills should become much easier.