I Want You Too

The two strolled through the city at leisure. Yue Qianchou looked around everywhere; everything here was incomparably novel to him. Guan Yu glanced at him. Although much of his anger had faded after spending this time together, he could not help still holding a grudge over Yue Qianchou getting his Primordial Spirit controlled. He asked in a deep voice, "Are you leaving after just looking around, or are you planning to stay here for a few days?"

Yue Qianchou was still brimming with interest and could not help nodding. "Why think about leaving when we've only just arrived? Let's stay a few more days! You know this place. Where do you think would be suitable to stay?"

A faint smile inadvertently appeared on Guan Yu's face. "Follow me!"

The two headed forward, passing through a fairly large square where many people had set up all kinds of stalls. Guan Yu led him before an inn. Yue Qianchou looked around and discovered that this was likely the grandest inn he had seen since arriving. The sign above read "Hundred Flower Inn." Without giving it much thought, he followed Guan Yu inside.

The moment they entered, an attendant came over and greeted them warmly. "Gentlemen, are you here to eat or to stay?" Yue Qianchou sized him up and found that even this attendant had seventh-level Qi Refinement cultivation. Guan Yu walked to the counter, rapped on it, and called, "Shopkeeper, two of your best rooms!"

The busy fat man behind the counter hurried over. The plump shopkeeper smiled amiably. "Our best rooms cost ten mid-grade Spirit Stones per day. Two rooms will be twenty mid-grade Spirit Stones. How many days would you like to stay?"

"How many days?" Guan Yu turned and asked.

Yue Qianchou froze for a moment, then frowned. "You've got to be kidding! Two rooms for one day cost twenty high-grade Spirit Stones? Ordinary sect disciples probably couldn't afford even one day with half a year's worth of Spirit Stones!"

The fat shopkeeper said amiably, "This little brother must be here for the first time! Our Hundred Flower Inn belongs to Hundred Flower Palace, and it is also the finest inn in all of Hundred Flower Valley. Staying here, you can rest with complete peace of mind. Whether they are from the Righteous Path or the demonic path, few would dare cause trouble here. So twenty mid-grade Spirit Stones a day is absolutely worth every penny."

"Hmph! Few dare cause trouble here? Doesn't that mean there are still people who dare?" Yue Qianchou muttered. Seeing the shopkeeper's expression change, he considered that offending someone from Hundred Flower Palace right after arriving would do him no good, so he changed his tune. "Then we'll stay for one day first!"

The shopkeeper's expression immediately eased again, and he smiled. "Then shall I open two rooms for you gentlemen?" Yue Qianchou nodded, then put on a show by reaching into his completely empty lapel and pulling out two handfuls of Spirit Stones, placing them on the counter.

Seeing him pull two large handfuls of Spirit Stones from his flat lapel, the shopkeeper could not help giving him a few curious extra looks. Yue Qianchou's heart tightened. Looks like I need to buy a storage pouch for show.

After the shopkeeper registered them, he called an attendant to lead the two upstairs. Yue Qianchou inadvertently caught sight of the strange smile on Guan Yu's face. He paused slightly, then immediately understood. No wonder he specifically brought me to this damnably expensive place. So he still has a bone to pick with me. Damn it! He wants me to bleed a little money! This is not a good sign—I need to stamp it out in time.

A place that cost such a high price to stay in really was different. There was nothing to fault in the furnishings and arrangements of the guest room. When he pushed open the window, the square lay right before him. Looking at the bustling square, Yue Qianchou's mood greatly improved, and the gloom from Guan Yu's little scheme faded somewhat as well.

"Mm! A market in the Cultivation World. Let's see what good things they have." Yue Qianchou muttered a few words and slowly wandered out of the inn.

Walking through the market with his hands behind his back, he looked at the vendors around him. If one did not know better, who would have guessed this was the Cultivation World? Yue Qianchou browsed one stall after another at an unhurried pace, yet found scarcely anything he recognized.

When he reached one stall, he found it deserted, utterly different from the liveliness around it. Suddenly, he saw that the tabletop was covered with all kinds of talismans. He stopped and asked, "Fellow Daoist, what are these used for?"

The stall owner hurriedly stood and introduced the talismans one by one. "This is a Smoke Talisman. It is somewhat useful for fleeing when you encounter danger—ten for one low-grade Spirit Stone. This is a Fire Talisman. Throw one out, and flames one zhang high will rise within a radius of one zhang. They can last for ten breaths. One low-grade Spirit Stone each. This is an Arrow Talisman. Within thirty zhang, it hits wherever you point and can pierce a brick wall one chi thick. Two low-grade Spirit Stones each. This is a Diamond Talisman..."

The more Yue Qianchou listened, the brighter his eyes became. These were simply indispensable treasures for murder and arson! He could not help carefully examining the stall owner before him—a young man in his early twenties, an eighth-level Qi Refinement cultivator.

"Fellow Daoist, would you like to buy some? If you buy more, I can give you a discount," the young cultivator asked sincerely. Yue Qianchou smiled. "Did you make all these yourself?"

The young cultivator nodded. "I made them myself. This is a secret art passed down through my family. If my cultivation were sufficient, there are many more powerful talismans I could make. I would not have fallen so low as to make a living selling these low-level talismans."

Yue Qianchou asked with a smile, "What, do you have no family left?" The young man lowered his head gloomily and gave a faint shake of it.

"I do want to buy them, but I don't know how effective they really are," Yue Qianchou said somewhat hesitantly.

The young cultivator grew a little anxious. "Fellow Daoist, do you see that I am young and fear that the talismans I made are not effective enough? If you do not believe me, we can find a secluded place and try them out."

Yue Qianchou rubbed his nose and pondered. "Then let's find somewhere to test them? If they really are effective, I'll take them all."

"Please wait a moment, Fellow Daoist!" Hearing that Yue Qianchou would take everything if the effects were good, the young cultivator hurriedly packed up his stall and led Yue Qianchou through twists and turns until they reached the outskirts of the town.

Yue Qianchou looked around and found that it was indeed very secluded. Satisfied, he nodded. "Fellow Daoist, show me a few talismans." The young cultivator immediately pulled several different talismans from his bundle and demonstrated them one by one before him.

The effects were indeed good. Yue Qianchou was extremely pleased and could not help asking curiously, "I saw that your stall was deserted, as if no one even came to look. Are the talismans you make really so beneath people's notice?"

The young cultivator slowly lowered his head and answered honestly, "This is my first day setting up a stall here. At first, quite a few people were enthusiastic when they saw the talismans, but once they heard that I made them myself, they would not buy them. Generally, the higher a person's cultivation, the better the talismans they make, so..."

His voice trailed off. Yue Qianchou understood. This unlucky kid is far too honest. Couldn't you just say your father or master made them?

"Fellow Daoist, please consider it helping me! You saw the power of my talismans just now. Their strength is no worse than others' talismans of the same kind. If you buy more, I will definitely give you the lowest price. Otherwise, I cannot even afford tomorrow's stall fee," the young cultivator pleaded.

"Fine! I'll take them all." Yue Qianchou patted his shoulder as he spoke, while surveying the surroundings. The young cultivator nodded repeatedly in delight. Then he heard this buyer pat his shoulder again and say, "I want you too!" Before he could react, his vision blurred.

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