Bai Yu entered the Black Market, but he was in no hurry to set up a stall and sell Essence Nourishing Powder.
He first strolled around the Black Market several times, unhurried and at ease, looking like an old hand.
Along the way, Bai Yu felt his eyes opened wide.
The Black Market had all manner of goods.
There were weapon sellers, offering weapons forged from ten-refined steel and even hundred-refined steel, sharp enough to slice through iron like mud.
One weapon stall owner stacked twenty copper coins together, then grabbed a steel saber and brought it down.
The twenty copper coins were sliced cleanly apart, drawing waves of astonished cries.
There were also sellers of pills and cultivation manuals, even sellers of wild beasts and women.
Of course, there were even more ordinary goods, such as mountain game, grain, eggs, and other daily necessities.
Not everyone coming and going was a martial artist. Ordinary people still made up the majority.
Daily necessities were not expensive, and were even a little cheaper than in the city.
But anything related to martial arts saw its price soar higher and higher.
A single bottle of medicinal pills for martial artists cost at least one tael of silver.
A Yellow Rank, Low Grade cultivation manual started at five taels of silver.
Bai Yu even spotted a copy of Five Spirits Fist. When several people asked the price, the stall owner directly named fifty taels.
Bai Yu could not help clicking his tongue inwardly. Even if he bargained the price down considerably, he still could not afford it.
It could only be said that the various cultivation manuals and medicinal formulas in this world were monopolized by aristocratic clans and great families.
For ordinary people to rise through martial arts was truly far too difficult.
After looking around once, Bai Yu had a rough idea of the market.
Then he found an empty patch of ground, hung up a sign, and began setting up his stall.
He first spread out a piece of burlap, placed several packets of Essence Nourishing Powder on it, and considered himself open for business.
"Come take a look! Freshly made Essence Nourishing Powder!"
"Nourish your qi, transform your blood, and keep your spirits high—your spear will stand tall and never fall!"
Bai Yu's shout immediately drew quite a few people over.
Someone promptly asked,
"Brother, what are you selling here? What does it do?"
Bai Yu smiled.
"Brother, that is an excellent question. This is freshly made Essence Nourishing Powder. After martial artists take it, it can increase their qi and blood and invigorate their spirits."
For martial artists, qi and blood were the foundation. Medicinal pills capable of benefiting qi and blood were all exceedingly precious.
Hearing Bai Yu say this, many people immediately became interested.
"Stall owner, how much is this Essence Nourishing Powder?"
"Three hundred copper coins per packet!"
Bai Yu had divided one dose of Essence Nourishing Powder into twenty portions. His approach was simple: small profits, quick turnover.
Other medicinal pills cost over a tael of silver, while Bai Yu only charged three hundred copper coins. That tempted many people.
But just then, a snide voice rang out.
"Kid, how can you guarantee that this trash medicine works? What if it's fake?"
Bai Yu followed the voice and saw a lean man with a scar across his face.
After Scarface said that, the others began to hesitate as well.
"Yeah, how can you guarantee it isn't fake medicine?"
"Three hundred copper coins might not be terribly expensive, but it isn't cheap either. If it's fake medicine, wouldn't we cry ourselves to death?"
Scarface grew even more smug and pointed at the Essence Nourishing Powder.
"Others sell theirs for over a tael of silver, but you only want three hundred copper coins. Who knows what fake medicine you used."
"It would be one thing if it simply did nothing. If it turned out to be poisonous, then it would be all over."
Bai Yu frowned and said coldly,
"Sir, you may take medicine however you please, but you cannot speak however you please. How can you call my medicine fake for no reason?"
Bai Yu sized him up. The man's qi and blood were weak and floating; he was only slightly stronger than an ordinary person, at most an unranked martial artist.
Scarface had been choked by Bai Yu's retort and felt he had lost face.
"Kid, it would be fine if your medicine is real. But if it is fake, then after you leave the Black Market, the road might not be so peaceful."
The threat in his words was plain to Bai Yu.
He said flatly,
"Then what do you suggest?"
Scarface said,
"That is simple. Give me a packet of medicine, and I'll test it for you free of charge."
"I'll make a name for you, and I won't even charge you silver."
"Once I've tested it, everyone will dare to buy it with peace of mind."
As he spoke, he stepped forward and reached for the medicine.
Just then, Bai Yu moved like lightning and seized Scarface's wrist.
Scarface struggled repeatedly, only to discover that Bai Yu's arm seemed forged from pig iron, utterly immovable.
Bai Yu had already understood Scarface's intentions. He merely wanted to use the opportunity to freeload.
Scoundrels like this could be found everywhere. Like flies, they drilled through every crack they found, making them exceptionally troublesome.
How could Bai Yu possibly let Scarface have his way?
With a casual flick of his hand, he shoved Scarface away.
"There is no need for you to trouble yourself with testing the medicine. I have my own way."
Bai Yu looked toward a boundary stone nearby. He estimated that it weighed one or two hundred jin.
He released a little of his qi and blood, spread his arms, and lifted the massive stone into the air.
The crowd was immediately startled.
"This brother must have the strength of two or three hundred jin!"
"A first-rank martial artist—no wonder he dared to set up a stall in the Black Market."
"Scarface has kicked an iron plate this time."
Scarface's expression changed drastically. He hurriedly squeezed into the crowd and turned to leave, afraid that Bai Yu would settle the score with him.
Bai Yu set down the stone and struck while the iron was hot.
"My Essence Nourishing Powder nourishes qi and blood, strengthens the body, and even has miraculous aphrodisiac effects."
"I became a first-rank martial artist because I took Essence Nourishing Powder."
The crowd was greatly tempted by his words.
But there were no fools in the Black Market. No matter how well Bai Yu spoke, who could guarantee that it was not fake medicine?
Bai Yu was not flustered. He glanced around and an idea came to him.
He said to a linen-clad young man with rather vigorous qi and blood,
"Brother, I'll give you half a packet of medicine. Do you dare try it?"
The linen-clad young man was overjoyed, feeling as though he had struck the jackpot.
Since the stall owner dared to let someone test the medicine, there was a ninety-nine percent chance it was genuine. At the very least, it could not be fake medicine.
He asked in disbelief,
"Me?"
Bai Yu nodded. "Of course."
As he spoke, he handed half a packet of Essence Nourishing Powder to the linen-clad young man.
The young man beamed with delight and swallowed the half-packet of Essence Nourishing Powder on the spot.
Sure enough, the qi and blood throughout his body began to surge. His face turned bright red at once, and wisps of white vapor even rose from his head.
Just then, a fragrant breeze drifted past. The crowd followed the scent and saw only a veiled woman with lush curves.
The woman was exceptionally well-endowed, truly as vast as the sea; as she moved, one could almost see the ocean waves rolling.
At the sight of her, the linen-clad young man immediately had a nosebleed.
His face flaming red, he pressed down his spear and turned to run.
The people around him instantly understood.
"This medicine really can replenish qi and blood—it works at once!"
"Isn't that so? It replenished him so much that he got a nosebleed."
"Looks like it really is good medicine. The stall owner wasn't lying. It replenishes qi and blood and can even boost a man's vigor."
Many people immediately became eager.
"Little brother, give me a packet. I mainly want to replenish my qi and blood."
"That's right, I want to replenish some qi and blood too. Give me one packet."
"I'll take two packets. Can you make it cheaper?"
Very quickly, all ten packets of Essence Nourishing Powder on Bai Yu's stall were sold out.
Even the remaining half-packet was sold at half price.
Bai Yu waved his hand.
"Everyone, I'm truly sorry. Essence Nourishing Powder is not easy to prepare, and I only had ten packets. Please come again next time."
Bai Yu had actually prepared twenty packets, but as a newcomer, it was unwise to reveal too much wealth.
Selling ten packets for around three taels of silver should not cause any problems.
The crowd dispersed, but Bai Yu discovered that one person remained where he was.
It was the linen-clad young man, who had returned after leaving.
Bai Yu asked curiously,
"Brother, is there something you need?"
Before you continue