Azure Skirt Girl

At noon, Wang Changsheng appeared deep within the Green Bamboo Mountain Range and slowly descended outside an Azure Bamboo Forest.

The Wang Family had established a Market together with two other Immortal Cultivation Families. Its scale was roughly comparable to Green Bamboo Market, but the Market run by the family was rather far from Peaceful County. Moreover, his current duty was to guard Peaceful County. Without a special reason, rashly returning to the family Market would earn him punishment.

Beyond the bamboo forest lay a narrow valley, choked with weeds, with a steep Stone Wall at its end.

Wang Changsheng came before the Stone Wall. After Blue Light flashed across his body, he walked toward it and passed straight into the Stone Wall.

His vision blurred, and he suddenly appeared on a neat Bluestone street.

Several yards ahead stood a white stone archway, engraved with four large golden characters: "Green Bamboo Market." Beyond the archway stretched a long Bluestone street.

Buildings of varying sizes lined both sides of the street. Some were five or six zhang-high pavilions, while others were crude stone houses.

People streamed through the street, all of them cultivators. From time to time, they entered the shops on either side, making the place bustling with life.

This was not Wang Changsheng's first visit to Green Bamboo Market. He did not linger and simply walked down the street.

Half a quarter-hour later, Wang Changsheng arrived at a spacious plaza paved with Bluestone, where several dozen small stalls had been set up.

The stalls displayed all kinds of goods: Refining Materials, Alchemy Materials, Talismans, and Spirit Tools. However, they were all ordinary wares.

"Top-quality Golden Marrow Spirit Rice! Come take a look! Three Spirit Stones per jin!"

"Mid-grade Spirit Tool, Golden Moon Blade! Only eighty Spirit Stones! Its power is tremendous! Come take a look!"

"Qi Refining Pills, one bottle! Refined by an experienced Alchemist! Don't miss it as you pass by!"

The moment he approached the plaza, cries of hawking filled the air.

Most of those setting up stalls in the plaza were Rogue Cultivators. They could not afford shopfronts in the Market, while setting up a stall in the plaza cost nothing, so Rogue Cultivators gathered there to sell their goods.

Ning Province had seven commanderies, each with a small Market. To attract Rogue Cultivators to stay, every Market set aside an open area for them to set up stalls free of charge.

Of course, stalls were subject to strict limits. They could be no longer than one zhang and no wider than two chi. Any larger, and fees would be charged. This was to protect the interests of cultivators renting shops.

Life was not easy for Rogue Cultivators. Shops belonging to Immortal Cultivation Families would not hire outsiders, and only a few independent merchants or large shops recruited workers from outside.

Most Rogue Cultivators had no special skills. Some resold supplies, some worked as guides in large Markets, and some labored for others. So long as they could earn Spirit Stones, Rogue Cultivators would scramble to do even the bitterest and filthiest work.

Most Rogue Cultivators made their living by hunting Demon Beasts and gathering spirit herbs. It was an exceedingly dangerous profession. Every year, countless Rogue Cultivators died in the jaws of Demon Beasts. Even so, great numbers still became demon hunters each year, specializing in hunting Demon Beasts and collecting spirit herbs. Only a small portion strayed down the crooked path, murdering others for treasure and becoming Heretical Cultivators reviled by all.

The lives of Heretical Cultivators were even harder. Most Rogue Cultivators were impoverished, so robbing and killing them would not earn many Spirit Stones and might even lead to a loss. As for disciples of Immortal Cultivation Families or sects, they had deep foundations and the protection of their elders, leaving almost no chance to strike. Once exposed, they would be wanted and swiftly brought to justice.

Thus, only the occasional cultivator who could not see the light would murder for treasure, and Heretical Cultivators generally did not live long.

Liu Qing'er had repeatedly warned him to stay obediently on Lotus Island and not wander about, lest he be targeted by Heretical Cultivators.

Wang Changsheng had not taken his mother's warning to heart. He felt she was worrying that the sky would fall. How could there be so many Heretical Cultivators in the world? Unless driven into a corner, who would become one? And even if such cultivators existed, how could they happen to target him?

He found an empty patch of ground, took out a piece of coarse cloth, and placed the Spirit Egg upon it. Beside it, he set down a sign bearing a line of words: Spirit Egg laid by a Snowcloud Chicken, exchange for Water Attribute spirit items of equal value.

The Spirit Egg contained dense spirit qi and was suitable for consumption by all cultivators. However, Wang Changsheng cultivated a Water-Attribute Technique, so he needed Water Attribute spirit items more.

The Spirit Egg could hatch into a Snowcloud Chicken. A Tier 1 Lower Rank Snowcloud Chicken was worth far more than a Spirit Egg, but the egg needed to absorb sufficient spirit qi before it could hatch. Even if placed atop a Tier 1 Spirit Vein, it would take more than two months to hatch.

The small section of Spirit Vein he had discovered was more than sufficient for hatching the Spirit Egg. However, he could not guard it at all times. If, while he was away, some Treasure Sniffing Rat found and ate the egg, he would suffer a devastating loss. After considering it again and again, he decided to come to Green Bamboo Market and exchange the Spirit Egg for Water Attribute spirit items.

Before long, a broad-faced Middle-aged Man stopped in front of Wang Changsheng's stall.

"Fellow Daoist, I don't have any Water Attribute spirit items on hand. How about I buy it with Spirit Stones? Ten Spirit Stones?"

A trace of shrewdness showed in the Middle-aged Man's eyes.

Wang Changsheng rolled his eyes at the Middle-aged Man and said bluntly, "Do you take me for a greenhorn who has just stepped onto the path of cultivation? If you want to take advantage, go somewhere else."

Some experienced Rogue Cultivators specialized in picking up bargains in the plaza where Rogue Cultivators set up stalls. Only cultivation greenhorns who did not understand market prices would be deceived. Wang Changsheng had received a comprehensive education in cultivation knowledge. He was no novice who had just entered the Cultivation World, nor was he so easily fooled.

The Middle-aged Man was not angered. With an awkward smile, he said, "It seems Fellow Daoist is an expert as well. How about I offer nineteen Spirit Stones for this Spirit Egg?"

Once a Spirit Egg hatched into a Snowcloud Chicken, selling it would earn a tidy sum of Spirit Stones. Though it took a long time, time was the one thing Rogue Cultivators lacked least.

"Not for sale. I will only exchange it for Water Attribute spirit items of equal value." Wang Changsheng shook his head and refused.

"How about this? Twenty-one Spirit Stones. I can't offer any more than that."

Wang Changsheng continued shaking his head, his attitude utterly resolute.

Seeing this, the Middle-aged Man did not press the matter and turned to leave.

Over the next half day, people stopped in front of Wang Changsheng's stall one after another, all wanting to trade with him.

Some were willing to pay Spirit Stones, some wanted to exchange Talismans, and others wished to trade Spirit Tools, but Wang Changsheng refused them all.

The sky darkened, and the various shops brought out lighting tools, illuminating the Market brightly.

The stall owners also took out Moonlight Stones, bathing their stalls in bright light.

After giving it some thought, Wang Changsheng put away the Spirit Egg and began wandering through the plaza, hoping to come across something worthwhile.

The stalls were filled with a dazzling array of goods. Wang Changsheng saw several items that suited his fancy, but his purse was shallow, so he did not buy them.

"Eh, what is this?"

Wang Changsheng gave a soft cry of surprise and stopped before a small stall.

The stall owner was an Azure Skirt Girl of sixteen or seventeen. Her figure was graceful and willowy, her skin like snow, and her black hair fell all the way to her waist.

Several pieces of Demon Beast Material, two Bluestone wine flasks, and two Spirit Tools were displayed on the stall. The two Spirit Tools were a string of blue beads and a foot-long azure dagger.

Spirit Tools were common weapons for cultivators in the Qi Refining Stage, with prices ranging from several dozen to several hundred Spirit Stones.

Wang Changsheng cultivated the "Cloud Rain Art" and was quite sensitive to Water Spirit Qi. He could clearly sense that the Water Spirit Qi around the Azure Skirt Girl's stall was denser than at the other stalls, especially near the string of blue beads.

He crouched down, picked up the string of blue beads, and examined it carefully.

He could tell that the string of blue beads could gather Water Spirit Qi. Though it did not gather much, wearing it while cultivating would speed up his cultivation somewhat.

"What is this Spirit Tool called? What does it do? How many Spirit Stones?" Wang Changsheng asked directly.

"This mid-grade Spirit Tool, the Water Gathering Pearl, is an auxiliary Spirit Tool that can gather Water Spirit Qi. It was refined from the Clam Pearl of a Tier 1 Middle Rank Azure River Mussel. Although its effect cannot compare to a Tier 1 Water Gathering Formation, Fellow Daoists who cultivate Water-Attribute Techniques will cultivate somewhat faster if they wear it. Everything on this stall is for exchange only, not for sale." The Azure Skirt Woman spoke slowly and pointed to a wooden sign on the stall.

Only then did Wang Changsheng notice a wooden sign in the corner of the stall, bearing four large characters: Exchange Only, Not for Sale.

After pondering for a moment, Wang Changsheng took the Spirit Egg and a misty green Talisman from his Storage Pouch.

"This is a Spirit Egg laid by a Tier 1 Spirit Bird, a Snowcloud Chicken. Along with this First Grade High Rank Soaring Talisman, how about exchanging them for your Water Gathering Pearl?"

The Azure Skirt Woman was somewhat tempted, her face showing hesitation. Before long, she said, "Add another five Spirit Stones, and I'll exchange it with you."

Wang Changsheng frowned, somewhat displeased. "Your Water Gathering Pearl was clearly used by someone before. One Spirit Egg and one Soaring Talisman are more than enough to exchange for it. If Fairy is unwilling to trade, then Forget It."

"Add one more Spirit Stone. Just one." The Azure Skirt Woman raised one finger.

Wang Changsheng hesitated briefly, then gritted his teeth and agreed. This Water Gathering Pearl could increase his cultivation speed; he truly could not refuse.