When Qi Ping entered the Qingshi Market this time, it had undergone a massive change. As he appeared in his middle-aged persona, the silence was so chilling it made his skin crawl.
He had expected it to be quiet, but not this desolate! Most shops were closed, with only a handful still open. The street vendors who used to shout their wares had all vanished. He didn't even see the usual patrol guards.
'How could it be this empty?'
Such a scene truly made him feel uneasy. If not for Natural Perception's lack of danger warnings, he would have fled long ago.
'Will all the shops close eventually?'
'No... I must secure a stable channel for buying and selling. Otherwise, where will I get resources?'
He hadn't expected the situation to deteriorate to the point where even trading venues were disappearing. The situation must be growing extremely severe.
'I hope I can finalize a stable cooperation with Boss Gao and Meng Yan.'
He lacked too many things—immortal spells, Foundation Establishment cultivation methods, high-grade spirit herbs—all of which needed a reliable source. Currently, Meng Yan was his most likely link; he found it hard to trust anyone else.
The idea of leaving Qingshi County had crossed his mind, but he quickly dismissed it. The Qingtian Domain and the neighboring Sky-Fire Domain were likely not peaceful either. Traveling across domains was the most dangerous undertaking, and he would lose all his connections, not to mention the inconvenience of bringing Old Man Zhou.
Therefore, his best bet was to reach a cooperation with a trustworthy person in the Qingyuan Sect. This would solve many problems and offer better access to powerful spells and high-level resources than the market itself. Furthermore, he considered using this opportunity to take over more land in the Yunwu Mountain Range to accelerate his development—an advantage hard to find elsewhere.
'As long as I can secure a trading channel, it's fine!'
Reaching Boss Gao's Zhiyuan Chamber of Commerce, he saw the door half-closed, and his heart skipped a beat. Fortunately, after sending a bee inside, he found Boss Gao was merely sleeping.
Knock knock knock.
After a while, Boss Gao opened the door, rubbing his bleary eyes. He looked confused at the unfamiliar face until Qi Ping whispered "Bone-Shrinking Face-Changing Art." Gao's eyes widened in realization, and he hurriedly invited him in.
"Brother Qi, it's you! I didn't know who it was!" Gao said while brewing tea.
"Safety first. What happened these past two months? Why is it like this outside?"
"Sigh, don't mention it. Two months ago, another batch of demon insects appeared from nowhere, and many died! Then I heard the Qingyuan Sect disciples fought with the Sky-Fire Pavilion and marauders over something... more deaths. Business is impossible now!"
"That serious? I came to do business with you."
"Depends on what it is. Common items are hard to move, and many things can't be bought for a fair price anymore!"
"Is this easy to move? How many spirit stones can it sell for?" Qi Ping asked, taking out a portion of Spirit-Nurturing Honey.
Boss Gao took the honey, smelled it, and then swallowed a small amount wrapped in spiritual energy. He closed his eyes to savor it. Moments later, his eyes snapped open with a bright light.
"Good stuff, Brother Qi! The spiritual energy is pure, it has a nourishing effect, and even slightly improves physical strength. It's top-tier among first-grade low-rank spiritual items. One portion could sell for eight or nine spirit stones now."
"That high?" Qi Ping was stunned. He had expected six or seven at most.
"Hehe, Brother Qi, these are special times. Spiritual items that can increase cultivation are in high demand. It's normal for the price to be twenty percent higher. On the other hand, spirit beast cubs are worthless now because they consume resources and don't provide immediate help. If you want to buy spirit beasts, now is the time."
Qi Ping understood immediately. This was great news! The price of honey was up, and spirit beasts were down—it was perfect for him.
"Is it easy to sell?"
"Brother Qi, let me put it this way: this stuff is suitable for both early and mid-stage Qi Refinement. It will sell as fast as I can put it out! I could sell tens of thousands of spirit stones' worth without breaking a sweat!"
Qi Ping was relieved. The sales of the honey wouldn't be an issue. Now he just needed a way to buy supplies.
"Good!" He took out all the honey from his storage bag. Boss Gao was stunned by the volume—this was another big deal! But Qi Ping's next sentence stunned him further.
"I will have about three thousand spirit stones' worth of goods every month. Can you handle that?"
Three thousand spirit stones every month! Heavens! There was money to be made!
"Rest assured! I can definitely handle that! For this batch, how about eight hundred spirit stones?"
"No problem!"
They quickly reached an agreement on the details of their future transactions, including where to find Gao if he had to leave the shop. Seeing the smile on Gao's face, Qi Ping knew the man was making a good profit, but he didn't mind. The price exceeded his expectations, and Gao's ability to move the goods was his own skill.
Qi Ping believed in win-win scenarios for long-term stability. He didn't care about small gains; he cared about consistency. However, when Qi Ping mentioned wanting to buy spirit beasts, advanced spells, and spirit herbs, Boss Gao shook his head.
"Brother Qi, I'm powerless there. With the current state of Qingshi County, I can't find those channels anymore... However," Gao paused, "you could try asking Meng Yan. He has wide connections in the Qingyuan Sect and can definitely get those things. The sect has its own trading market."
"He even asked me about you recently because of the Li-Fire Crow. With that bird, Lord Meng should agree to help. But we should be proactive with spirit stones; after all, a long-term relationship requires mutual benefits," Gao said bluntly.
Gao then took out an Alchemy Note and a Spirit Herb Encyclopedia from his storage ring. "I copied these myself during my business dealings. Consider them a gift to celebrate our new cooperation!"