Aged Ginseng

[Library Points: 1242]

Jiang Ding glanced at his phone.

With the addition of the animal specimen option, the specimen collection progress had accelerated again. Hundreds or even thousands of specimens were received daily, with an unknown proportion of flora and fauna around one to two in ten.

At this rate, I'll have enough points in two to three months. Jiang Ding felt a slight joy.

Ten thousand Library Points would allow the Central Array Spirit Computer to tailor a cultivation technique, greatly enhancing a cultivator's compatibility with a specific technique and improving their cultivation speed.

Of course, ten thousand points corresponded to techniques for the Foundation Establishment realm and below, with limitations on the technique's level.

In three months at most, should I deduce the Eagle's Takeoff Sword Art or the Great Sun Seed Sword Refining Technique? Jiang Ding hesitated.

The Eagle's Takeoff Sword Art had already reached Minor Accomplishment and improved daily. It felt like a waste to spend ten thousand points on it.

However, while the Great Sun Seed Sword Refining Technique was excellent, the required materials were too rare. It was uncertain whether the Heavenly Sound Stone taken by the Golden Saber Sect was the legendary Supreme Clarity Divine Iron.

"I'll decide then."

Jiang Ding sighed and placed his hand on his sword hilt.

"Greetings, shopkeeper!"

"Shopkeeper!"

The shop assistants and manager, busy in the front yard after a long absence, rose to greet him. Jiang Ding waved them off and casually found a corner to sit.

The shop had been open for over half a month, and its reputation had gradually spread. Many people nearby knew that a peculiar owner had arrived on Broken Board Street, collecting all sorts of plants, flowers, birds, and insects, but only one of each type, never repeating.

Including Huang Deyou and Han Lin, there were four people in the shop, serving the constant stream of herb collectors, mountain folk, and occasionally children and women from the city who had heard about it.

"The Flowering Snake Vine and Toad Grass were accepted yesterday, so why aren't you taking them now? Is all my hard work wasted?! Huh!"

A herb collector, his face weathered by the elements, slammed the counter in anger.

The shop assistant Han Lin flinched.

"Old Li, our shop has a long-standing rule: first come, first served." Huang Deyou quickly arrived, a hint of arrogance in his voice. He defused the situation with a few words, causing the herb collector's anger to subside, and he left with a fawning smile.

Soon, another mountain villager caused a commotion because a tiny insect, no bigger than a finger, had broken a single strand of his hair, and he was refused service. Huang Deyou rushed over to handle it.

Jiang Ding observed carefully and noticed that Huang Deyou didn't always maintain a high-handed attitude.

When dealing with relatives of suspected Wild Wolf Gang leaders or distant relatives of certain constables, his attitude softened considerably. Even if the goods weren't up to par, he would offer a few coins for tea money from the 'special expenses' account and speak kindly.

No matter who he encountered, he could always guide them according to his own intentions, ensuring the smooth operation of the business.

So impressive...

Jiang Ding marveled inwardly.

If you put me and Huang Deyou in a world without spiritual energy, he would live much better than I would, much better.

Four Seas Merchant Guild.

A maid led Jiang Ding into a private room on the second floor. Tea steamed, its aroma filling the air, filtered by a thin layer of True Qi membrane at the tip of his nose.

It wasn't any particular cultivation technique or martial art. The Eagle's Takeoff Sword Art, compared to other mortal internal energy techniques, possessed extremely fine control by nature, almost instinctive, making it "immune to all poisons" in a sense.

"Young Master Jiang's visit graces my humble establishment," Long San scurried over, smiling from afar.

"Shopkeeper Long is too kind."

Jiang Ding bowed slightly.

After some customary pleasantries, Jiang Ding got straight to the point. He took out a box containing seven man-made luminous pearls, each the size of a thumb. Their luminescence could last for over a hundred years.

In a world with low technology, they held immense value as luxury items.

"Shopkeeper Long, what price can you offer?"

Long San was surprised.

Pearls again?

Could this gentleman have raided a river spirit's lair? Otherwise, where did he get so many glowing pearls?

"This..."

Long San's expression showed hesitation.

"What, the Four Seas Merchant Guild doesn't accept them?" Jiang Ding asked with a smile.

"Of course not. Your items are too precious, and I was momentarily distracted." Long San regained his composure. "We've been through thick and thin together, so I'll be direct."

"Will you be selling these items again in the future? Perhaps you don't know, but if you have many, the price will decrease somewhat."

This didn't sound like the words of a typical merchant; it was too honest.

However, Long San was confident that the person before him wouldn't deceive him, at least not for a few silver coins.

After a moment of thought, Jiang Ding replied.

"Yes."

As effective trade goods, he was too lazy to change them, but he wouldn't sell them indiscriminately in one place to the point where their value dropped too much.

"How about seven hundred taels per pearl?"

Long San pondered for a moment.

"Fine, try to exchange them for Aged Ginseng."

After leaving the Four Seas Merchant Guild, Jiang Ding weighed the bundle of ginseng boxes tied together in his hand, wrapped in black cloth.

One ninety-year-old ginseng, three seventy-year-olds, seven fifty-year-olds, and twelve two- to thirty-year-olds. A total of two thousand two hundred taels of silver. He still had two thousand seven hundred taels in silver notes tucked in his chest.

He had basically cleared out the Four Seas Merchant Guild's Aged Ginseng, and they wouldn't be able to restock for at least six months.

"This should be enough for a month of high-intensity training..."

Jiang Ding thought to himself as he walked back to Rotten Plank Street, ignoring occasional events like martial arts competitions for marriage, monkey shows, or temple fairs.

He found his current life quite satisfying.

He had only gone out twice in the past month, never without reason, avoiding all trouble, and cultivating in peace.

It wasn't that he couldn't obtain better old medicines, or even hundred-year-old ginseng that only circulated among major powers.

He could go to East Spirit Mountain to gather them. Even with fierce beasts guarding them and drones monitoring the surroundings, he could still collect them.

It was just dangerous, and he didn't want to go.

Jiang Ding's footsteps paused, and his brow furrowed.

"As expected of the widespread chaos outside the realm mentioned in books."

"This is a city governed by capable ministers who hold military power. What are they doing in broad daylight?"

From the drone's perspective, Three individuals, dressed differently as a beggar, a merchant, and a peddler, had followed him all the way. They begged normally and sold their wares along the street, but their peripheral vision kept glancing in his direction, with extreme professionalism.

If it weren't for the drone, he wouldn't have noticed them at all.

"This is what they call 'jianghu' experience."

Jiang Ding's expression turned cold. He silently committed the actions of the three men to memory, planning to review the recordings later and study them more.

Drones weren't infallible. If they encountered a Foundation Establishment Cultivator or a Qi Refining cultivator who practiced eye techniques, they could detect the drone a thousand meters high in the sky.

If he couldn't acquire more advanced drones in the future, everything would have to rely on himself.

He let out a cold laugh and, as usual, walked into Rotten Plank Street, heading back to his shop.

The three men did not stop him. After confirming his address, they exchanged glances and wound their way through the streets, eventually entering the backyard of a magnificent mansion in the eastern part of the city.