The Price

Chen Mu jumped over the courtyard wall and saw people sprawled all over the ground beneath the tree.

Only one big bald man lay out in the sun, his scalp gleaming with oil.

Chen Mu crouched down and searched him, actually finding two taels of silver!

A promising start!

He could not help looking expectantly at the group of lackeys beneath the tree.

But before long, Chen Mu headed toward the inner courtyard with a dark look on his face.

After taking two steps, he felt too annoyed to let it go.

He turned back and dragged everyone beneath the tree out into the sunlight.

Then he moved the big bald man into the shade and even arranged him in a comfortable position. After all, the man had paid.

Only then did he stride into the inner courtyard.

There were still lackeys lying all over the place inside.

A quarter of an hour later.

Chen Mu left Dengjia Alley carrying a Ghost-Head Saber, his face full of gloom.

A dignified gang leader did not even have a single copper coin on him?!

He was worse off than his own lackeys!

He had sought out Jie Jia for information and specifically tracked down the White Wave Gang Leader's residence.

He had thought he would make a fortune, but after all that effort, he had only gotten four taels of loose silver and a few dozen copper coins.

"And he dared call himself a man of the world?"

"He was worse than me selling fish!"

"What a disgrace!"

Chen Mu felt thoroughly indignant.

This White Wave Gang grinding spot was finished.

A whole gourd of Spirit-Disturbing Incense had gone to waste.

"Hopefully this saber is worth something."

As the gang leader's personal weapon, it should... probably be rather valuable.

A gang leader who did not even have a copper coin to his name did not inspire much confidence.

Inside the Zuo Family estate.

Zuo Quan, head of the Zuo Family, sat in the main hall with a grim face.

"Fifty thousand taels of silver from each family? That Daoist Qianshan is taking advantage of the crisis." Zuo Sheng did not look any better.

"He is taking advantage of the crisis. But if the county has no Exorcism Artifact to suppress things, no one will be able to sleep soundly." Zuo Quan sighed.

"Especially since our Zuo Family has already suffered from a Malevolent Spirit before. That Daoist Qianshan said it himself—families like ours are the most likely to attract another Malevolent Spirit."

"Hmph! I think he has ulterior motives!" Zuo Sheng said coldly.

"Would he harm us?" Zuo Quan immediately became worried.

"Father, we need to make plans early." Zuo Sheng narrowed his eyes.

"What does Sheng'er mean?"

"We should move. To Nanyang Prefecture." Zuo Sheng answered decisively.

"Move... I'll think about it. Think about it some more." Zuo Quan hesitated slightly. "Isn't there still Qingfeng Temple?"

"Qingfeng Temple..." Zuo Sheng frowned deeply.

Qingfeng Temple was famous, but no one could say whether it truly had any real ability.

He did not want to entrust his life to others.

"I still suggest moving." After thinking it over, Zuo Sheng spoke firmly.

"Fine." Zuo Quan furrowed his brow and pondered for a moment before finally nodding. "Focus on your martial arts training. I'll arrange everything else."

His son was obsessed with martial arts. Since childhood, he had secretly practiced, fooling even him.

Outsiders thought he was merely a spoiled Young Master.

Who would have expected him to have cultivated such astonishing martial skill?

When the Malevolent Spirit had attacked their home last time, his son had displayed tremendous power, allowing everyone to learn of his true strength.

He had always doted on his only son, and now he valued him even more.

"We still need to placate Daoist Qianshan for now. We cannot be the first to stick our heads out." Zuo Sheng said calmly.

"Sheng'er has considered everything thoroughly." Zuo Quan nodded approvingly.

Every two days, Chen Mu went out to catch fish.

With the Red Falcon Body Tempering Technique, he did not fear long distances.

He replaced his baskets with two larger bamboo ones and kept changing fishing spots up and down the Bailang River.

He also reached agreements with several restaurants, including Eight Directions Pavilion in Anle Ward.

There was no need for him to hawk his catch retail anymore. He sold the fish directly to those restaurants and eateries.

After staying busy for an entire month, he had saved another twenty-odd taels of silver.

He had the chaos of war and soaring prices to thank for that.

Otherwise, he could not have sold them for such high prices.

He hardly went looking for the White Wave Gang anymore.

Robbing their money earned him less than fishing for it himself.

"I'll leave once I've saved two hundred taels." Chen Mu thought unwillingly.

If Malevolent Spirits had not been causing trouble, life in Qingshan County would not have been difficult.

He had martial arts to practice and money to earn. There were no disputes and no troubles.

He could stay home every day and grind Proficiency, occasionally making something delicious to reward himself.

That truly matched Chen Mu's ideal life.

"What a pity..."

A month had passed, yet Yin Soul Monsters still appeared from time to time.

Chen Mu had no choice but to make plans early.

With the thought of leaving Qingshan City in mind, Chen Mu began preparing for a long journey while earning money from fishing.

He made two sets of convenient clothes from durable, dirt-resistant gray cloth, along with two pairs of sturdy cloth shoes. He prepared meat floss, jerky, and dried rations that could be stored easily.

Whenever he had spare time, he wandered around the West City Cattle and Horse Market. He planned to buy a mount.

Qingshan County was not close to Nanyang Prefecture.

With bags and bundles all the way, a means of transportation was essential.

That day, he had just come out of the cattle and horse market.

He saw a crowd gathered beneath the archway at the market entrance.

A wooden board stood there, covered in notices.

Donkeys purchased at high prices;

Yellow bull breeding services;

Family-inherited horse hoof repair...

Chen Mu felt as though he were looking at the little ads pasted on utility poles in his previous life.

At that moment, a large notice had been posted in the middle, and a government yamen runner stood before the board, loudly making an announcement.

"Qingfeng Temple outside the city is constructing a Prayer Altar and is now hiring workers from across the city."

"Due to the ritual's requirements, all laborers must have been born in the first, seventh, or twelfth month."

"Anyone selected will immediately receive one tael of silver or one hundred and twenty jin of White Wheat as settlement money."

"Three meals a day will be provided, along with ten copper coins per day. Those willing to work, hurry to the East Gate to register."

The moment the yamen runner finished speaking, a large crowd ran toward the East Gate.

Prices were soaring, and life was difficult these days.

Settlement money of one hundred and twenty jin of White Wheat, plus three meals a day—it was an excellent job for ordinary commoners.

Chen Mu stood at the edge of the crowd and listened carefully.

"A Prayer Altar?"

"Is this Qingfeng Temple's method for fighting Yin Soul Monsters?"

"Has the County Office finally managed to enlist Qingfeng Temple?"

Chen Mu was quite delighted.

Did that mean he no longer had to leave?

He very much wanted to see the world outside, yet he did not want to leave his familiar surroundings.

That was probably why little people remained little people.

Chen Mu shook his head, throwing off the messy thoughts.

If this had been when he'd first arrived in this world, he definitely would have signed up as eagerly as those commoners ahead of him.

Now... the pay and benefits were just too lousy.

Avoiding the surging crowds on the streets, Chen Mu hurried home.

He needed to ask Jie Jia for information.

To find out just how capable Qingfeng Temple really was.

"I don't know," Jie Jia said blandly.

Chen Mu looked at Jie Jia in surprise.

"There is a price for using artifacts." Jie Jia shot Chen Mu a glance.

"Feng Ren's strength is passable. But protecting the entire city? No matter what artifact it is, he can't afford that price," Jie Jia said calmly.

This wasn't the first time Chen Mu had heard of artifacts.

But he hadn't expected there to be a cost to using them.

"All artifacts require a price?"

"Can you go without eating?" Jie Jia countered.

Chen Mu immediately understood.

Just as fuel-powered cars needed gasoline, computers needed electricity, and people needed food.

Artifacts possessed special abilities, but they consumed energy.

"What's the price of the Exorcism Mirror?" Chen Mu asked curiously.

This thing was an Exorcism Artifact distributed by the Great Liang government. Nearly every city at county level or above had one.

"I don't know. It seems to be connected to certain rituals," Jie Jia said uncertainly.

"Different artifacts demand all kinds of prices. Some need water, some need meat. Some need to be struck by lightning, while others need to be burned by fire..."

Chen Mu listened with great interest.

He was extremely curious about these things.

He had originally thought this was simply a martial arts world.

But the successive appearance of Yinhun and artifacts made Chen Mu feel that this world held many more mysteries.

"They're that picky?" Chen Mu chuckled. "What else?"

Jie Jia clammed up, while his eyes beneath those drooping lids began drifting toward Chen Mu's money pouch.

Chen Mu promptly turned around and went to practice the Sleeve Sword.

After grinding away for over two months, his Sleeve Sword was about to reach Tier 3.

As for information about artifacts, he could ask around again when he had the chance.

In any case, he wasn't about to let this old man take advantage of him.