In the end, Ning still purchased the incense stick, despite the conflicting emotions in the disciple's gaze. It was a mixture of happiness for making a sale and sadness for not being able to sell it at a higher price.

Ning felt it was quite a contradicting gaze with complex emotions.

Being in the first stage of Qi condensation, it was generally advised to avoid using pills for cultivation unless they were of high purity. The early stages were crucial for building a strong foundation, and Ning didn't want to compromise on that. As an avid reader of cultivation novels, he knew the significance of a solid foundation and how it distinguished ordinary individuals from geniuses. Therefore, he chose to focus on steady progress rather than relying on pills.

However, that didn't mean there weren't alternative methods. For instance, the meditation incense he had purchased could slightly enhance the effectiveness of his meditation. While the improvement might not be significant, it was still better than nothing and could aid him no matter how little.

With a considerable accumulation of 83 spirit stones from his various missions, Ning's wealth had significantly increased since he first started his cultivation journey. These spirit stones were not only earned through completing missions but also by selling some of the extra loot he had acquired. After all, not all herbs possessed the same potency as the poisonous lily.

Ning had no reservations about exchanging his spirit stones for valuable resources. Apart from keeping a few for emergencies, he was willing to invest most of his wealth to enhance his strength. He understood that by doing so, he would be better equipped to earn even more spirit stones in the future.

After wandering for a while, Ning finally arrived at a stall that specialized in selling the weapon he had been looking for.

"Hello, Brother, how much for this bow?" Ning pointed towards a black bow among the various weapons displayed in the stall.

The stall owner responded with a friendly smile, "This bow is a regular artifact I obtained during a mission outside. How about 30 spirit stones, junior brother?"

Ning furrowed his brow and pondered momentarily before suggesting, "Brother, could you offer a discount? There aren't many bow users in the sect."

The stall owner deliberated for a while, realizing that the bow wasn't selling well within the sect. However, he was currently in dire need of spirit stones. Eventually, he made a counteroffer, "How about this, brother? I'll include an arrow quiver and twenty-five complimentary arrows. It's all I have."

Ning considered the offer for a moment and eventually nodded, stating, "I'll take it."

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After all, while bow users were rare, bows were also relatively scarce in the sect. In this world, the majority of cultivators preferred swords or spears. Bow users were a rarity, especially considering that in the later stages, cultivators could utilize sword qi or saber qi for long-distance attacks. Additionally, bow users had significant disadvantages in tournaments.

Nevertheless, Ning chose the bow. Instead of engaging in a potentially lengthy and risky fistfight, he could snipe his opponents safely. His main intention was to hunt beasts, utilizing the advantage of the Turtle Breathing Technique to maintain a secure position.

"Ah the stealth archer build, my old friend. Even in this world, I cannot get away from you." As an avid Skyrim enjoyer, who always returned to this build, Ning couldn't help but think so.

Furthermore, he planned to coat his arrows with the venom of the poisonous herbs he had discovered. With this added advantage, he would be able to hunt beasts stronger than himself.

After purchasing the incense and the bow, Ning was left with a total of 49 spirit stones. He continued browsing the market but couldn't find anything else of interest.

In the end, Ning decided to go to the martial arts pavilion, but not before safely storing the bow and arrows in his cave. Ah, how he envied those with storage bags!

...

After greeting the Elder, who still seemed to remember him, Ning made his way toward the huge shelf and began browsing through the martial arts manuals. This time, he had no rush and took his time, immersing himself in the descriptions of various martial arts techniques.

Lost in the world of martial arts, Ning was so engrossed that he didn't realize how late it had become until he heard a cough from the Elder. Time had slipped away quickly, and Ning felt that he still had so much more to explore.

"It seems I'll need to make time to come here for several days to expand my knowledge about different martial arts," Ning sighed, realizing that even within the Mortal Rank selection, there was a vast amount to learn.

Even in this short window-shopping experience, he had come across intriguing martial arts such as the "69 Heavenly Boudoir Technique" or the "Heaven Drilling Mole Technique."

Yes, the Mortal Rank section was filled with "heavenly" techniques.

Aside from the entertainment value, learning the introductions of these techniques could provide Ning with an information advantage against his opponents. Thus, he decided to visit this place more frequently in the future.

However, for now, Ning swiftly picked up a manual from the shelf, catching the gaze of the elders. He presented the selected technique to the elder:

[Eye of the Hawk: Mortal Rank/Medium Level

Cultivators become capable of seeing long distances like a hawk.

Price: 28 spirit stones]

This martial art would complement his weapon, the bow, perfectly. The enhanced vision would allow him to snipe his opponents from afar, a crucial advantage for long-distance fighters. Moreover, it was relatively affordable compared to other medium-level techniques, likely due to the rarity of bow users.

Presenting his choice to the elder, Ning noticed a contemplative expression cross the elder's face. The elder scrutinized Ning once more before sighing as if it was not his place to interfere. Then he delivered his customary line, "You may borrow this manual for a week. Should you exceed the given duration, a fine will be imposed."

Expressing his gratitude, Ning walked away with the manual in his possession.

As the elder watched his departure, a thought couldn't help but creep into his mind. One technique to lower his presence, and now one to enhance his vision.

What was this disciple planning to do?