Chapter 267 - 197: A Main Ingredient with Roots and Opportunistic Extortion
Chapter 267: Chapter 197: A Main Ingredient with Roots and Opportunistic Extortion
"It’s him!"
Lin Changheng had an excellent memory and instantly recognized this person as the shop assistant who used to run errands for the middle-aged Shopkeeper at the "Alchemy Pavilion."
Although they hadn’t interacted much, he had come to sell Elixirs quite a few times, so he had seen the assistant on many occasions.
The strange thing was, the original shop had changed its sign, the old Shopkeeper was nowhere to be seen, yet the former assistant had become the Leader, the apparent new owner in charge.
Lin Changheng’s Divine Sense gave him direct feedback: this man’s Cultivation had already reached the Foundation Establishment Stage, and he was hiding it well.
He was likely at the First Layer of Foundation Establishment and had probably broken through two or three years ago; his aura had mostly stabilized.
But he couldn’t escape Lin Changheng’s Divine Sense probe, nor his profound mastery in the arts of Qi Concealing and Concealing Breath.
Combining this with what the young woman had said about the [Purple Jujube Grass] being sold, the man’s timely return from outside with that very Treasure Medicine, and the scent of blood on him...
...Lin Changheng instantly pieced everything together, forming a conclusion that seemed outrageous but was highly likely to be true.
’Interesting. This little shop is a den of crouching tigers and hidden dragons—and a vicious tiger and a malevolent dragon at that!’
Lin Changheng’s thoughts raced, but in just a few breaths, he had already masked his realization with the feigned surprise of seeing the "lost" Treasure Medicine reappear in the box.
"This is the [Purple Jujube Grass]?"
Lin Changheng confirmed again.
"Indeed. You may open the box and inspect it, sir."
The Male Cultivator in charge nodded with a smile, his eyes filled with warmth as he looked at Lin Changheng.
Or rather... it was fervency!
"Very well!"
Lin Changheng, as if oblivious, nodded slightly. He then reached out and carefully opened the Moyu Long Box to look inside.
The moment the Moyu Long Box opened, a clear, crisp herbal scent washed over him, mingled with the faint fragrance of purple sandalwood.
Inside the box lay a Spirit Grass that glowed with a faint, dark purple halo. Its stem was gnarled like an old vine, its surface covered in fine, bright patterns.
Most striking were the three date-pit-shaped leaves at its tip. Each one was crystal clear, and a purple liquid seemed to flow within.
"It really is [Purple Jujube Grass]."
The relevant features recorded in the texts flashed through Lin Changheng’s mind. They matched perfectly, confirming its identity.
A flicker of joy went through him.
’I’ve finally found this Treasure Plant!’
Moreover, the three date-pit-shaped leaves meant it was at least thirty years old!
More importantly, this [Purple Jujube Grass] still had its roots! They were withered, but they were there!
They might be useless to others, but to Lin Changheng, it was a completely different story!
He possessed the True Intent of the Rongsheng Divine Abilities!
With the roots in his possession, he could harvest it crop after crop, endlessly!
...
Seeing this, the Male Cultivator in charge said with a laugh, "You have a good eye, sir. A Loose Cultivator picked this Purple Jujube Grass from a green swamp in the Wilderness and sold it to our shop. The roots still have some of the swamp’s unique soil on them. Look—"
He pointed at the roots, where a small amount of dark green soil was indeed clinging.
Lin Changheng’s gaze narrowed, and in the process, he discovered a nearly invisible golden line on the back of the first and second date leaves.
"Hm?"
’This is a sign that the Purple Jujube Grass is about to transform into Golden Patterned Purple Cudweed! This means that if it grows for another ten years, this Treasure Plant has a chance to evolve to Tier Three!’
’At that point, its medicinal efficacy will double!’
’But this detail is usually only recorded clearly in certain Tier Two Alchemy Dao and pharmacology texts. It’s secret knowledge that most Cultivators wouldn’t know.’
He closed the Jade Box impassively, tapping his fingertips on the lid a few times as if contemplating.
"If I may ask, how many Spirit Stones does your esteemed shop want for this [Purple Jujube Grass]?"
"Hehe, if you’re sincere about buying, sir, I’ll give you an honest price. Take it for two thousand Spirit Stones!"
The Male Cultivator in charge directly quoted a price.
"That... seems a bit expensive, doesn’t it?" Lin Changheng feigned hesitation.
"This [Purple Jujube Grass] has three date-pit-shaped leaves, which means it can be used for refining three [Youthful Appearance Pills]. Each one of those is something even a Core Formation Cultivator would covet. You can use them as gifts to build connections, or even earn a favor from a Core Formation Cultivator. Looking at it that way, do you still think the price is high, Fellow Daoist?"
The Male Cultivator didn’t back down. Instead, he started giving examples, his inflammatory words making Lin Changheng’s eyes light up.
"Very well! I’ll buy it!"
Lin Changheng promptly counted out two thousand Lower Grade Spirit Stones, placed the Moyu Long Box containing the [Purple Jujube Grass] into his Storage Bag, and immediately took his leave.
Once Lin Changheng had disappeared into the crowd of pedestrians on the street, the Male Cultivator in charge remarked with a faint smile, "Business is quite good today."
"Just sent one off, and another comes knocking."
After putting away the Spirit Stones, he turned to the young woman, his eyes narrowed as he instructed, "Watch the shop carefully. I’ll be right back! If another Cultivator comes asking, just say the Shopkeeper is out and to come back another day. Stall them for a day or so, and by then I’ll have returned with the new medicinal materials. Do you understand?"
"I understand..."
The young woman was startled by his gaze and nodded her head repeatedly, like a chick pecking at grain.
"That’s a good girl. If you had been this obedient earlier, you wouldn’t have had to suffer so much, would you?"
The Male Cultivator in charge nodded in satisfaction, gave the young woman’s cheek a hard pinch, and then with a flicker of his body, quickly followed him out.
Meanwhile, Lin Changheng had already taken a few twists and turns through the Marketplace. He found a corner, changed his clothes, and put on an old Human Skin Mask. Then, he began to stride openly, no longer concealing himself, as he headed for the exit of the Marketplace.
The moment he was out of the Marketplace, he summoned his Dharma Ship and shot away with a WHOOSH.
Throughout this entire process, a Divine Sense had remained locked onto Lin Changheng.