"This just cost me eighty spiritual sands! Earning is tough, but spending is easy."
Chen Ye sighed in frustration. Thinking about the two young mouths waiting to be fed at home, he felt another headache coming on.
He rubbed the back of his head, and his hand felt wet.
Looking closer, it was blood!
Damn, it wasn't just an imaginary pain, it truly hurt!
He's been so busy lately he even forgot to bandage his own head while he helped Qing Jun with theirs.
The result was the wound had reopened.
As evening approached, there were only a few loose cultivators left in the Free Trade Zone.
Those living outside the market began packing their things to head home.
Although the Yunxi Sect maintained order in the market, no one dared make trouble inside. But as soon as these loose cultivators left the city, if it turned dark, who would see if they were robbed and killed?
Chen Ye's heart skipped a beat as he belatedly realized that going out with the Dark Old Man last night had been a risky venture.
With some time remaining, instead of leaving immediately, Chen Ye strolled to a stall.
"Friend, you haven't left yet?"
A muscular man looked up abruptly and glanced at Chen Ye. Seeing it was him, he sighed with disinterest:
"If I don't find a buyer soon, the Silver Scale Flower will die!"
Chen Ye squatted down, continuing to observe the Silver Scale Flower.
This sly old goat must be harmful!
The Silver Scale Flower is a key material for refining the Qi Recovery Pill. It has robust vitality and harmonizes well with Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.
Even if damaged and uprooted, it can still survive at least seven days, not the two days the old man claimed!
The muscular man, seeing Chen Ye's focused observation, couldn't help but ask with a hint of hope: "Friend, do you fancy this Silver Scale Flower? Although it looks withered, once healed, it would have plenty of buyers in the market!"
Chen Ye shook his head: "The precondition is being able to heal it. This Silver Scale Flower is beyond saving, its days are numbered. If it dies, wouldn't it be a waste of effort?"
"How could it be beyond saving? Friend, don't believe that old man's nonsense!" the muscular man said anxiously.
Chen Ye casually took out a Jade Saber from his cloth bag: "To be honest, I am a Spirit Plant Master. As the old man said, this flower will wither in two days."
The muscular man slumped down on the blue brick floor, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead with his sleeve: "Alas! How could this be! My child is about to enter the disciple selection for Lingyin Sect, I thought... Alas!"
Chen Ye remained outwardly calm, though his palms were sweating: "No wonder you're so anxious, I also have two little ones, I understand. How about this, eight spirit stones to buy it, how does that sound?"
Clenching his teeth, Chen Ye decided he would still buy it.
If bought for eight spirit stones, he would still have a few stones left for emergencies.
Besides, the Swift Blade Technique is notably effective at eradicating external afflictions on spirit plants.
Damages caused by pests, demonic Qi erosion, and the like could all be addressed.
The muscular man's eyes glinted upon hearing Chen Ye's offer:
"Herb Hall in the city offers a recycling price of seven spirit stones. Fine, friend, take it!"
That decisive?
Chen Ye suddenly felt uneasy, but no matter how he examined the Silver Scale Flower, he couldn't find anything else wrong with it.
After all, he still had his proficiency panel as a fallback.
After paying the eight spirit stones, Chen Ye checked his money pouch.
The once bulging pouch was now thin, containing only four spirit stones and eighty-three spiritual sands.
But looking at the withering Silver Scale Flower in his arms, his mood lifted once again.
Chen Ye waved a big hand: "Disciples, let's go home and have beef hotpot!"
"Gulp!"
Qing Jun, unable to resist, wiped away the drool from her mouth. Though she didn't know what beef hotpot was, the mention of beef made her hungry.
As Chen Ye turned a corner with the Silver Scale Flower in his arms, he ran right into the old goat-bearded man.
The old goat-bearded man was carrying a liquor jar, his face flushed with redness. Seeing the Silver Scale Flower, he paused: "Kid, did you buy that Silver Scale Flower?"
Chen Ye couldn't discern this old man's cultivation, which made him nervous.
Just his luck; he'd just cut in on a flower deal and got caught by the old goat.
He held the Silver Scale Flower tightly: "Uh, was senior here to buy the Silver Scale Flower?"
The old goat-bearded man, seeing Chen Ye's guarded stance, laughed heartily:
"Why would I find fault with you over this flower? Kid, let me give you a piece of advice: don't take everyone else for a fool! The Silver Scale Flower is critically ill; no ordinary person could cure it. In the vast Yunxi District, only I have the skills."
He glanced regretfully at the Silver Scale Flower, swaggering away with his liquor jar.
"Master, why not sell the flower to the senior? That way, we'd only lose one spirit stone," the usually silent Zhiwei suggested softly.
This girl rarely spoke, but when she did, it was crucial.
Chen Ye had his own plans and snorted: "I am also a Spirit Plant Master!"
In the distance, the old goat-bearded man staggered, leaving without looking back. His loud laughter could still be heard: "The youth are formidable indeed, the youth are formidable indeed!"
That sly old coot had been eavesdropping all along, waiting for me to turn around and sell it to him.
Chen Ye twitched at the corner of his mouth.
Was he duped?
Not exactly, as he needed a sick plant to practice his proficiency.
The Silver Scale Flower is indeed seriously ill, but crucially, it's cheap.
If it cost ten spirit stones, Chen Ye might hesitate, but not buying it for eight spirit stones would waste his golden finger!
Others might have profited, but Chen Ye certainly didn't lose.
...
Chen Ye covered the Silver Scale Flower with black cloth and cautiously headed home with his two disciples, fearing they might encounter tribulation or demon cultivators on the way.
Luckily, nothing happened along the way.
Following the muddy road, they managed to twist and turn back to the slum area just before sundown.
In a spare moment, he glanced at his panel:
[Cultivation Technique: Evergreen Technique Minor Achievement: 20/100]
In one day, his Evergreen Technique increased by five points.
Give it another eight days, and it would reach great success.
Just then, he saw a familiar run-down house, and his taut nerves immediately relaxed.
Though the house was shabby, it gave Chen Ye a sense of security.
In the twilight of the slum area, smoke wafted from the cooking fires. Taoist Zhang leaned crookedly against the doorframe, the dull red embers of his pipe highlighting the wrinkles on his face.
A pile of ash lay around, suggesting that he had spent an entire day smoking aimlessly.
He deliberately knocked the pipe against the door frame, making a clanging sound, his cloudy eyes fixed on Zhiwei's thin shoulders:
"Old Chen, what good stuff did you bring back? Hey! Zhiwei is back, Grandpa Zhang hasn't seen her in a month!"
This perverted old man was much more troublesome than Wang Po.
Wang Po worked at the market, was respectable, and had a stable family.
There's a saying about deferring in happiness. When paths cross, the richer yields.
Wang Po understood this; she, with shoes, worried about Chen Ye, who was barefoot.
But Taoist Zhang was different.
He lived in drunken dreams daily, shamelessly, just like Chen Ye's former self. He had no other scruples.
If he didn't pin Taoist Zhang down now, that creepy old man would hold a grudge and become a hidden threat.
Chen Ye discreetly shielded his two disciples, ignoring Taoist Zhang.
He went straight indoors, slamming the wooden door shut, keeping Taoist Zhang out of sight.
Chen Ye's expression turned a bit heavy:
Improving spirit plant proficiency and earning spirit stones is important.
But more crucial than making money in this unstable cultivation realm is enhancing one's strength!
Had he known some combat skills, at Qi cultivation fourth-layer, would he really fear Taoist Zhang?
Ultimately, he was not his past self; not long ago, he was just an office worker.
He had to refine his magical battle skills...