Chapter 9: End of the First Marketplace Trip
Chapter 9: Chapter 9: End of the First Marketplace Trip
Niu’s Shop was massive. When Chen Mo had first come here, he immediately knew this establishment was extraordinary. To be able to rent out a Spirit Field under the jurisdiction of the Marketplace to a mortal who hadn’t even started Cultivation, their background was naturally quite substantial. Otherwise, back at the Yi Er San Grain Station, he wouldn’t have brought out this shop’s name to use as a shield.
Chen Mo had also asked around and found out that the top official of the Marketplace was also surnamed Niu. He deduced that, barring any surprises, it was either the same person or a relative.
The security at the entrance of Niu’s Shop was extremely strict. Anyone entering had to be thoroughly questioned by a Guard first. However, since it was the grain-selling season, the shop had opened a dedicated lane for Spirit Plant Cultivators like them.
Chen Mo stood at the back of a line of at least a dozen people. These Spirit Plant Cultivators, just like him, pushed handcarts of various sizes loaded with bags of Spirit Rice. Joyful smiles beamed on their faces. After all, it was a bumper harvest. Who wouldn’t be happy?
After waiting for about half an hour, Chen Mo finally entered the courtyard.
The handcarts were lined up in a row. Within the crowd, Chen Mo spotted Boss Wei—the man who had received him back then—at a glance. Boss Wei looked to be in his early thirties. His exact strength was unknown, but it was certain that he was at most at the Qi Refining Early Stage. His status in Niu’s Shop was average; he had some say but couldn’t call the shots.
Boss Wei soon noticed him as well and came over with a face full of smiles. "Fellow Daoist Chen, it’s been a long time!"
Chen Mo cupped his hands in greeting. "Greetings, Boss Wei. Thanks to your blessing, this year’s harvest wasn’t bad. I’ve come specifically to pay the referral fee I owed on credit."
Wei Wuwei glanced at the one and a half bags of Spirit Rice on the cart, his brows furrowing slightly. "How much is this? A hundred and fifty catties?"
"Two hundred catties."
Hearing it was two hundred catties, Wei Wuwei immediately breathed a sigh of relief. "Not bad, not bad. To harvest five hundred catties in your first year of farming is already quite good."
In truth, the first year as a Spirit Plant Cultivator was always the hardest to endure. Due to a lack of experience and poor management, many Cultivators couldn’t even reach a yield of two hundred catties per acre. Some didn’t even hit a hundred catties! However, this kid had good luck, actually stumbling upon a bumper harvest year right from the start.
"Boss Wei, please deduct the hundred and ten catties I owe you. As for the remaining ninety catties, I’d like to trouble you to exchange them for Spiritual Sand or Fasting Pills," Chen Mo said straightforwardly. He wasn’t afraid the other party would embezzle his grain. Since Wei Wuwei was willing to lend him seeds on credit back then, he naturally wouldn’t covet a mere thirty or fifty catties.
Wei Wuwei looked at Chen Mo and fell into deep thought for a moment without speaking. After about twenty breaths of time, he finally spoke. "How about this? I can see that your first year as a Spirit Plant Cultivator hasn’t been easy. For the referral fee and the cost of the seeds, I’ll only take eighty catties. For the remaining one hundred and twenty catties, I’ll give you twelve Fasting Pills. That will be just enough for your consumption over the coming year. What do you say?"
Boss Wei’s offer caught Chen Mo somewhat by surprise. On second thought, however, it made perfect sense. After all, based on what he had shown, he had only harvested five hundred catties. If the rent was fully deducted, he would only be left with ninety catties, equating to nine Fasting Pills. That wouldn’t even be enough for his daily consumption, let alone for his Cultivation and improvement! It seemed that sometimes, playing poor wasn’t a bad strategy!
"Thank you so much, Boss Wei." Chen Mo bowed with his hands clasped. "But about the seeds..."
"Wait here for a moment." Wei Wuwei turned and left. A short while later, he returned to the courtyard. "I’ll lend you another catty on credit. Next year, it’ll still be a hundred and ten catties of Spirit Yellow Rice!"
"Thank you so much, Boss Wei!"
"The seeds will be the same as last year. Come to the shop to collect them in the second month of spring. I’ve noted it down for you."
"Alright!"
With that said, Wei Wuwei called over a nearby shop assistant to push the cart of Spirit Rice away for weighing. A moment later, he returned with a Porcelain Bottle in hand.
"Here are twelve Fasting Pills. Please count them."
Chen Mo unplugged the stopper, and a medicinal fragrance instantly filled the air. They were indeed Fasting Pills, and the quantity was correct! He nodded and tucked the bottle into his waistband.
"Fellow Daoist Chen, if you have other matters to attend to, go ahead. The shop is incredibly busy these few days, so please forgive any lack of hospitality," Wei Wuwei said in parting.
"Not at all. Please, go about your business."
In Chen Mo’s eyes, this supervisor had quite a high emotional intelligence. To be so polite to a lowly Spirit Plant Cultivator meant his future prospects wouldn’t be bad. If he could build a relationship with him, it would likely be a good choice.
After leaving Niu’s Shop, carrying a massive fortune, Chen Mo strolled through the Marketplace. Whether it was listening to music at the brothels or hitting the gambling dens, he managed to restrain himself, not stepping a single foot inside. He didn’t even spend half a grain of Spiritual Sand at the vendor stalls promising top-tier treasures or rare bargains.
These were his Cultivation resources for the entire upcoming year! Wealth, Dharma, Companions, and Place. Resources were the most crucial element! With his Golden Finger, he could afford to play it safe and steadily improve step by step. There was absolutely no need to risk being scammed just to hunt for bargains. As the saying went, the buyer is never as shrewd as the seller.
Early the next morning, Chen Mo waited at the entrance of the Marketplace. After waiting for the better part of an hour, Wang Lixia, leaning on a cane, slowly walked over along the bluestone pavement. The moment they met, Chen Mo offered up the three prepared Fasting Pills with both hands.
"Thank you, Senior, for helping me overcome this difficult time!"
Wang Lixia raised her brow slightly and casually accepted the Fasting Pills. When she looked at him again, her impression of him had improved a few degrees.
"Let’s go."
Chen Mo followed behind her, walking very slowly. The journey started off peacefully enough. However, what was bound to happen eventually did.
When the two had traveled about twenty to thirty miles, Wang Lixia suddenly stopped. Her wizened right hand tightly gripped her cane and slammed it heavily against the ground. "What kind of cowardly scoundrels are hiding out there?" she barked in a hoarse voice. "Show yourselves!"
Instantly, two masked middle-aged Cultivators darted out from the woods. The moment they appeared, Wang Lixia immediately frowned. Although the two Cultivators before her were masked, the sense of oppression they gave off was not small at all. If her deduction was correct, both of them were likely at the Qi Refining Third Layer!
Although the Qi Refining Third Layer was nothing special in the Marketplace, it was considered top-tier among Spirit Plant Cultivators. Meanwhile, the two ruthless highwaymen were clearly stunned the moment they saw Wang Lixia. Soon, their gazes shifted to Chen Mo behind her.
"You can pass, Fellow Daoist, but the one behind you must leave behind a toll!" one of the masked Cultivators demanded.
"HUMPH!"
With a cold snort, two immensely powerful Flaming Palms erupted from her body in the next instant, hurtling straight toward the pair. Wang Lixia simply didn’t give them a chance to speak. Having been a Spirit Plant Cultivator for so many years, she was long accustomed to such things. These highway Cultivators were either Spirit Plant Cultivators just like her, or illegal Miners who had sneaked out of the pits. Even if they were all at the Qi Refining Third Layer, she was confident that her mastery of the Flaming Palm would definitely be enough to suppress them.
Sure enough, after Wang Lixia’s fierce attack, the two men realized they had messed with the wrong person. After hastily dodging, they bolted back into the woods without a second word. They had only come to bully the weak; there was absolutely no need—and no possibility—for them to risk their lives fighting these Spirit Plant Cultivators to the death!
Seeing a single Flaming Palm force the highway Cultivators to flee, Chen Mo became even more resolute in his determination to cultivate this Magic to the Minor Achievement stage!