Transaction

The rear courtyard gate stood wide open. Jiang Ding led Huang Deyou in, followed by Han Lin and three other shop assistants. For a moment, there was even the faintest air of solemnity.

"Shopkeeper Long, welcome. Jiang Ding failed to come out and greet you from afar."

While still some distance away, Jiang Ding cupped his hands and smiled. "I was away from home for two days, and so was unable to meet Shopkeeper Long sooner. Please forgive me."

"Young Master Jiang is too courteous."

Long San was flattered. As far as he knew, this young master came from an extraordinary family and was proud by nature. Men like Long Shi did not even qualify to make him lift a foot, yet today he had come to receive him with such gravity.

The herb gatherers coming and going through the shop were startled when they saw Long San, shopkeeper of the Four Seas Merchant Guild, and immediately regarded this inconspicuous general store a little more highly.

The two entered the rear courtyard together. Huang Deyou hurriedly served tea, then stood attentively several paces away with the attendants Long San had brought.

His expression was slightly embarrassed. The tea was far too poor—nothing but the coarse tea ordinarily used to entertain herb gatherers. Even ordinary households would not use it to receive guests.

"My humble abode is simple. I hope Shopkeeper Long will not laugh at it."

"A mountain need not be high; with an immortal, it becomes renowned. With Young Master here, this humble dwelling is naturally no humble dwelling."

Long San smiled, deeply impressed by this.

Leaving aside this young master's family background, Long San knew that he alone carried at least several thousand taels of silver on him. He had no need to endure such conditions. It could only be said that he simply did not care.

"What happened a few days ago was entirely the fault of our Four Seas Merchant Guild!"

After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Long San rose to his feet and bowed deeply. "This Association has already dealt with the maid named Xiao Cui. Her head will not be brought here to soil Young Master's eyes."

"Furthermore, this is compensation from This Association to Young Master."

Long San used both hands to offer a half-open Gilded Silver Inlaid Square Box.

"Shopkeeper need not blame yourself. It is inevitable that a few people will be blinded by profit..."

Jiang Ding smiled, accepted the square box, and casually opened it. Upon seeing what lay inside, his hand paused slightly.

Normally, it was impolite to open another person's gift face to face. However, since the other party had deliberately left the box half-open, that was presumably his intention.

"It is too valuable. I cannot accept it."

Jiang Ding fell silent for a moment, then closed the box and placed it on the table.

Inside was, astonishingly, Hundred-Year Spirit Ginseng!

Even within the Immortal Sect, it had undergone a qualitative transformation and belonged to the category of spiritual medicine.

It was naturally even more precious in the resource-starved mortal world—a strategic resource traded only among major powers, with a little ability to help one Breakthrough Stage.

"What is a mere Hundred-Year Spirit Ginseng compared to the centuries-old reputation of our Four Seas Merchant Guild?"

Long San handed over a Golden Yellow token as well and said earnestly, "This is our guild's Gold Token. With it, Young Master may purchase any goods at any branch in the Yue Kingdom at a twenty-percent discount!"

In truth, he had agonized over this gift for a long time.

The reason the Four Seas Merchant Guild could establish itself in the Yue Kingdom was because it had earned the trust of many great personages. Jiang Ding was far too young, powerful, and seemingly backed by an immense force. He was precisely the sort of person they needed to spare no effort to befriend.

Long San believed that even if his judgment proved mistaken, the upper ranks of the guild would not blame him too harshly.

Jiang Ding accepted the token without saying whether he would accept the Hundred-Year Spirit Ginseng.

"I have a deal. I wonder if Shopkeeper can handle it."

"Please speak, Young Master."

Long San was delighted inwardly. As expected of someone from a major power—he understood propriety.

Even if ordinary wandering heroes were not greedy for wealth, their eyes would turn red at the sight of Hundred-Year Spirit Ginseng, which could provide a little help in breaking through to Inner Qi Great Accomplishment. It would already be good if they did not rob him for it.

"I need five hundred and fifty thousand pairs of Blue Fluorescent Butterflies, alive. I must have them within three months at most."

Jiang Ding spoke slowly. "I have no money. What I can offer in trade are Luminous Pearls, as well as Pills for Breaking Stages that can break through to Inner Qi Great Accomplishment and Inner Qi Perfection."

Long San shuddered.

Pills for Breaking Stages!

This was not like Hundred-Year Spirit Ginseng, which offered only a little assistance. Most people lacked sufficient foundations, and such slight help was completely useless to them—people like himself, for example.

These were pills specifically for breaking through Inner Qi stages!

He had only ever seen such pills at the merchant guild's headquarters. The only major powers capable of refining them had always been the imperial family, the Wolf God Cult, the Green Ox Palace, and a scant few others.

He was going to be promoted to work at the main guild.

Long San had only one thought: he had bet correctly. The business principles his ancestors had left behind were indeed more precious than gold.

"Blue Fluorescent Butterflies..."

Long San murmured, not daring to agree at once.

An attendant hurried over and whispered a few words into his ear.

"Five hundred and fifty thousand pairs... that is too many." Long San revealed a troubled expression. "The purchase price of fifty or sixty thousand taels of silver is only a secondary concern. Blue Fluorescent Butterflies exist only in the East Spirit Mountain range. Even if we turned all of East Spirit Mountain upside down, we might not be able to gather them all."

He did not ask what so many Blue Fluorescent Butterflies were for. Even a Moon Palace Rainbow Dress, beloved by noblewomen in the capital, required only a thousand pairs of Blue Fluorescent Butterflies.

"I am willing to offer six Minor Void Breaking Pills that can break through to Inner Qi Great Accomplishment, or two Void Breaking Pills that can break through to Inner Qi Perfection."

Jiang Ding said indifferently.

Such pills were not expensive in the Immortal Sect; they could be bought for five or six thousand to over ten thousand mortal coins, equivalent to an ordinary person's wages for three to five months.

There were no serious aftereffects either. One merely needed time to expel the Pill Toxin, and could not take it repeatedly within the same major realm.

As for Eaglet Inner Qi, the requirements were too high. It could indeed break through a stage, but it would destroy certain exceedingly minute meridians, Severing the possibility of condensing a Dao Body Prototype and reducing one's cultivation to zero.

"Deal!"

Long San abruptly rose to his feet, his eyes blazing with fervor.

He had been at Minor Accomplishment of Inner Qi for more than ten years without advancing an inch. If this deal went through, then No matter what, he had to get one for himself, right?

As for difficulties, then let there be difficulties!

"Very good."

Jiang Ding smiled, put away the century-old Aged Ginseng, and handed over a Green Jade Pill Bottle. "This is the advance payment. The Four Seas Merchant Guild has done business for centuries; surely you will not disappoint me!"

"Rest assured, Young Master!"

Long San drew a deep breath, took the jade bottle, and hurried away.

The East Spirit Prefecture branch could not handle this business alone. The main guild had to send a large number of people over—not only to catch butterflies, but also to guard against the covetous eyes of other factions.

As for whether the Pill for Breaking Stages was real...

This matter was of great importance. As a member of the Four Seas Merchant Guild, I, Long San, should naturally throw myself into danger and offer my body to test the medicine!

The courtyard returned to silence.

Jiang Ding gripped the sword at his waist. His aura flickered between light and dark—at times conspicuous, at times like withered wood. Gradually, his aura grew weaker and weaker, until it soon Disappeared completely.

Unless one looked carefully with one's eyes, one would almost instinctively Ignore the fact that there was a person here.

Minor Breath Concealment Technique Initiated!

"Not easy... After so many days, I finally managed to use it successfully without relying on Reconnaissance Camouflage."

Jiang Ding sighed. He could feel his inner force circulating through his entire body, transformed through extremely intricate pathways and drawing in his life aura to its utmost limit.

For now, it was only effective when he deliberately circulated his inner force. Even slightly strenuous movement or an attack would cause it to fail.

Jiang Ding carefully got to his feet and walked out of the small courtyard.

It was a little past eleven, the busiest time in the shop. Many herb gatherers, trained farmers, half-grown children, and women were waiting at the counter to hand over the Specimens they had collected.

After nearly a month of gathering, the common weeds and little bugs found everywhere could no longer be exchanged for money. They could only go to more remote places, so prices had risen somewhat. Each set of Specimens was worth three or four copper coins.

Jiang Ding walked around the shop once. No one took the initiative to glance at him, including Huang Deyou, who was usually so fawning.

It was not that they Could not see such a living person. Rather, he was like a stone—unless he did something that drew attention, people would simply Ignore him.