The next day, Sheng Dazhu and Wen Erniu returned disheveled and distraught, saying as soon as they arrived, "The mountain path was long, and we couldn't make it back last night. We stayed out overnight and encountered something sinister. All the brothers who went with us disappeared, only the two of us narrowly escaped back."
The disciple who came to collect the shadow puppet just nodded faintly upon hearing this and did not ask further or meddle.
The remaining servants witnessing this scene were suddenly somewhat terrified.
Once again, they realized the horrifying fact that "their lives were as insignificant as grass."
And at this moment, the new servants officially became old servants.
...
A few days later, when there were not many people descending the mountain, three to five old servants emerged from the Suspended Room early in the morning and hurried down the mountain.
These people rushed back hastily during the afternoon, feeling like they just narrowly escaped and heaved a sigh of relief. Their waists or bosoms seemed to bulge with something, presumably weapons.
Song Yan also took advantage of an early morning to quickly leave the Suspended Room and head to the market at the foot of the mountain.
Though the journey was somewhat long, it went smoothly.
According to the disciple who transmitted skills, this market was a low-level market.
However, despite being labeled low-level, it seemed quite well-organized.
Wooden high-footed structures, carts, and stalls made up a large trading market resembling a bustling town corner.
Many of the vendors were shouting, with weapons, concealed weapons, poisons, and Jianghu secrets being sold the most.
Several vendors were shouting, "If you can't use the cultivating profound items, come here to exchange them for some interesting stuff, guaranteed to satisfy you."
Meanwhile, some other vendors sat quietly inside the building without yelling or speaking, seemingly closing their eyes to nap, while a small jade plate was placed on the table in front of them, alongside a sign saying: Brush with a Jade Token.
Song Yan headed straight for the pavilion, saw the sign, and took out his Jade Token to brush.
With this swipe, something wondrous happened.
Information lines floated into his mind.
Evidently, these silent individuals were indeed official disciples of the Demon Sect, seemingly with average wares, which is why they had come to this low-level market to set up stalls.
Even so, to Song Yan, it was somewhat like Grandma Liu's first visit to the Grand View Garden—an intriguing experience.
Finished shadow puppets, paper figures, poison talismans, rare medicines, flying swords, and even magic spells were all up for trade.
The shadow puppets produced in the tannery were merely the initial "form."
These "forms" were taken by the official disciples and required time to refine before they could become usable shadow puppets.
The damage rate in this process was very high, even exceeding that of talismans, hence the high demand for shadow puppets, necessitating many servant disciples in the tannery.
Among the rare medicines, Song Yan indeed saw the "Fanatic Fans" that Qi Yao mentioned earlier.
[Fanatic Fans]: Burn hair or skin flakes into powder, mix with the powder, let the target smell it, it can make the target infatuated; the weaker the target's power, the less powder needed, each bottle can be used up to five times; limited effect on cultivators of the Refining Profound level, priced at 5 Contribution Points.
Regarding magic spells, annotations followed each one.
Some carried one annotation, others two.
Those with one noted, "This spell is not exclusive to the Puppet Palace, acquired externally."
Those with two had additional comments such as "already practiced, usable," "never practiced, roughly read, should be usable," "cultivation entry-level, okay," "incomplete, uncertain if practiceable."
Song Yan swiftly scanned through the magic spell section of merchandise.
He needed to find spells that could hide auras or attack, otherwise, he would merely have the realm of Refining Profound level without being able to effectively exhibit it.
He searched store by store and quickly favored two spells.
[Qi Concealment Technique]: Refining Profound spell, popular spell, never practiced but definitely usable, priced at 49 Contribution Points.
[Qi Arrow Technique]: Refining Profound spell, popular spell, never practiced but definitely usable, priced at 39 Contribution Points.
Evidently, these two spells were very common, belonging to spells that weren't secrets in the cultivation realm. However, practicing spells also requires time and energy, and no cultivator would spend time on practicing these two.
The former...
In the sect, there's no time for you to perform, what would you conceal Qi for?
You're not some extraordinary great cultivator, what's the point of Qi concealment?
The latter...
It seems to be an extremely ordinary, extremely basic attacking spell.
This point can be imagined.
Profound Qi stored within the body, gathered, released from inside to outside, isn't it similar to the "Six Meridian Divine Sword" and the like?
But the "Six Meridian Divine Sword" is just a martial arts exercise, belonging to the lowest form of power in the cultivation realm.
If you have other options, who would practice this?
However, even though these two spells were ubiquitous, Song Yan still couldn't afford them.
Such spells were not something a servant could afford.
Song Yan cast a wistful glance at those two spells, then turned and left, going to the mortal vendors, where he spent 1 Contribution Point to get some items traded by bandits.
Three bottles of "Strengthening Ginseng Pill" to replenish Primordial Qi, a top-grade mind-confusing potion "Long Sleep and Clear Wind," and a sharp dagger that mortals would consider a Divine Weapon.
These three items were evidently uncommon in Jianghu, but here they could be exchanged for just 1 Contribution Point.
...
...
That day, he hurried back to the mountain in the afternoon.
Just then, Sheng Dazhu walked over with a smile, clapping his hands and calling out, "What did Brother Song buy?"
Song Yan shook the bottle in his hand and said, "Bought some Strengthening Ginseng Pill."
As soon as these words came out, several of the "talented ones" among the servants froze.
Everyone relies on Dual Cultivation to refine profound energy, how come you're maintaining your condition, is it worth it?
Sheng Dazhu glanced at the bottle; he certainly recognized the "Strengthening Ginseng Pill," and then smiled, "Brother Song is truly a good person."
Song Yan said, "Yes, sometimes I also think I'm quite good."
Sheng Dazhu no longer paid attention to him.
He turned around, a mocking smile appeared on his lips.
Initially, he intended to eliminate this rival, after all, they were both "talented at the same time." Who knows if there would be competition later on?
To prevent surprises, it's better to eliminate earlier.
But now it seems, such a person might not even be worth his effort.
Just a useless waste.
He has his underlings waiting below the mountain to kill this opponent; there would be plenty of chances in the future.
However, the other ones named Qi Yao and Xu Changjun seem not as easy to deal with.
Sheng Dazhu frowned, a trace of obscure thinking flashed in his eyes, but soon he appeared smiling again.
...
...
Night falls.
Qiu Lianyue, who had kept watch for the first half of the night, came down, and Song Yan fed her a Strengthening Ginseng Pill.
This kind of spiritual elixir from the Jianghu is truly effective for mortals.
Miss Qiu felt warmth inside, all her limbs relaxed, drowsiness surged up; she was truly touched since merchants are profit-driven and dismissive of farewells, who cares about emotions? So, even though Song Yan completely disregarded her, she wouldn't find it strange.
However... Song Yan actually lived up to his words, spending contribution points to buy her this.
"Brother Song, thank you."
Miss Qiu pulled up the quilt, using the twisted red glow filtering through the gaps, watched the young lad, feeling a bit relaxed for the first time at heart.
"Sleep."
Song Yan said.
Miss Qiu nodded.
After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, her breathing became even.
Song Yan descended steps, came to the bedside, took out the Mind-Confusing Potion named "Long Sleep and Clear Wind" from his bosom, uncorked it, and waved it before Qiu Lianyue's nose.
A colorless and odorless gas dispersed like a gentle breeze brushing against her body, entering her system with her even breathing.
She... fell into a deeper sleep.
Immediately following, Song Yan took a dagger, shed his clothes stained with his scent, placed them behind the door, and swiftly opened it, darting out into the eerie red mist outside like a spectre.
In the bloody mist, countless ghostly creatures would pounce upon seeing life, trying to possess them.
But they completely ignored Song Yan only because Song Yan possesses Ghost Profound Root.
Song Yan glanced around, the lively solitary cliff in the daytime was completely deserted, his gaze swept over, falling upon the distant Suspended Room of Sheng Dazhu and Wen Erniu.
...
...
"In a few days when new servants arrive, we'll act once more, wait till we've saved enough Contribution Points, then we can go to a better place as official disciples."
"What about Song Yan, Qi Yao, and Xu Changjun?"
"Someday when they go down the mountain, we'll follow them and then get our brothers to directly slaughter them.
I've researched, the tests are all batch by batch, the fewer competitors in the same batch, the more choices we'll have later."
"Heh, meeting us is just their bad luck."
Wen Erniu said with a mocking smile.
Suddenly, she heard a fierce and abrupt "bang" noise coming from above.
She was stunned for a moment and instinctively asked urgently, "What's wrong?"
But the only answer she received was a cry of pain.
In the twisted red light, Sheng Dazhu, who was sitting on high, seemed to be suddenly struck by something terrifying, falling straight down in a humiliating posture, while the door had swung open wide!
Outside the door, in the bloody mist, there came the terrifying clattering sound, skins, bones, remnants, ghostly creatures fiercely rushing in greedily, a deep ghostly shadow silhouette standing quietly at the door, forming a stark contrast with those many jostling ghostly beings.
"No!!!"