Harvest

After the giant python died, the surrounding mist scattered completely!

Jiang Fan leaped onto a tree, took out a flint, and studied the map. He finally confirmed that Old Third Yue had set him up!

Old Third Yue and the others often traveled to Phoenix Mountain, so they no longer needed a map.

Yet they had still brought one along, clearly to prevent the bait they had brought from secretly escaping. If the bait escaped successfully and returned to the city to report them, River City would no longer have a place for them.

So Old Third Yue and the others had deliberately marked the map in the opposite direction. Even if their target escaped, he would flee toward the depths of Phoenix Mountain.

The people they had brought were all ordinary folk. Entering the depths of Phoenix Mountain meant certain death!

With this second line of defense, even if the bait escaped, he would die in Phoenix Mountain, and their plan would not be exposed.

It truly was a meticulous scheme—and utterly ruthless!

Jiang Fan sighed inwardly!

If he had encountered something other than the Azure-Scaled Giant Python this time, some other high-tier mutated beast, he might really have died here.

Thinking of this, Jiang Fan hurriedly used the faint light on the tree to identify the direction.

Once he had confirmed it, he quickly leaped down.

After hesitating for a moment, he hoisted the Scorpion-tailed Wolf and the woodcutter's knife onto his shoulders and ran toward the outskirts of Phoenix Mountain.

The Azure-Scaled Giant Python was simply too large!

There was no way he could carry it alone!

And the woodcutter's knife in his hand was not sharp enough to dismember the giant python either!

His storage space could not hold physical objects, either.

So although he found it extremely regrettable, he still chose to give up.

This place was already close to the depths of Phoenix Mountain. He could encounter a mutated beast even stronger than the Azure-Scaled Giant Python at any moment!

He had to leave as quickly as possible!

Fortunately, he had survived without any danger. After sprinting for more than ten miles, Jiang Fan finally left the outskirts of Phoenix Mountain.

Because there was only one road out of Phoenix Mountain, once he came out, he easily found Old Third Yue's car by following his own sense of direction.

Jiang Fan did not know how to drive, and the city gates had long since closed by then, so he had no choice but to take a short rest inside the car.

In truth, calling it a rest was inaccurate. He had not fallen asleep at all.

Although he had already left Phoenix Mountain, this was still the wilderness, where there was always a chance of encountering mutated beasts. Thus, he kept his eyes narrowed while remaining constantly alert to his surroundings.

At first light, Jiang Fan got up.

Using the hazy light, he searched through everything in Old Third Yue's car.

After discovering nothing of value, he hoisted the Scorpion-tailed Wolf onto his shoulders and strode toward River City.

Jiang Fan's cultivation had increased, and he now moved with astonishing speed!

Although the distance was several dozen kilometers, he covered it in just two hours.

When he reached the city gates, it had just turned six in the morning!

It was precisely the time when the city gates opened!

Jiang Fan's clothes were tattered, and when he entered the city carrying the Scorpion-tailed Wolf, he immediately drew the attention of many people.

Ignoring the people's pointing and whispering, he headed straight for the mutated-beast trading market!

The hunting teams at the mutated-beast trading market often ambushed their prey at night and returned in the morning!

That was why the market was especially lively in the morning!

By the time Jiang Fan reached the mutated-beast trading market, the stalls outside were already surrounded by people.

Some hunting teams displayed their prey after successful hunts for customers to buy.

However, this was only the Outer City, and most families were poorly off. The customers who came to buy were mostly doing so to improve their children's blood vitality, so the quantities they purchased each time were pitifully small!

Jiang Fan's arrival attracted a great deal of attention.

He ignored it, instead imitating the hunting teams and placing the Scorpion-tailed Wolf on a sales counter.

After he put it down, several people came over to ask about it, but when they heard that he wanted to sell the whole thing, they left dejectedly!

After lingering there for a while, Jiang Fan gradually lost patience.

He took two or three strides to a nearby stall.

"Do you buy Scorpion-tailed Wolves?"

The people at this stall were clearly a hunting team as well.

They had noticed Jiang Fan long ago. They had originally been quite curious that a young man had carried over a Scorpion-tailed Wolf.

When they saw Jiang Fan approach, they were about to speak, but after hearing his question, the burly leader froze and said irritably, "Can't you see that we're selling them too?"

Jiang Fan knew they had misunderstood him, but he did not get angry.

"What I mean is, I'll sell this Scorpion-tailed Wolf of mine to you whole, and you can sell it to others afterward!"

"At a discounted price!"

As soon as Jiang Fan said this, not only did the eyes of the few men light up, but the other people nearby gathered around as well.

"Sell it to me! Sell it to me!"

The middle-aged man from this hunting team was clearly familiar with the others. When he saw them come over to stir things up, he immediately cursed them out!

"Get lost, get lost, get lost!"

"He came to me first!"

Then he hurriedly put on a polite expression and said to Jiang Fan, "My name is Xiao Zhiqiang! What should I call you, little brother?"

The rule of the mutated-beast trading market was that whoever a customer approached first got the deal!

So when the others heard Xiao Zhiqiang's joking scolding, they stopped competing and stood to one side to watch the show!

"Old Xiao, you'd better give the little brother a fair price. Don't cheat him!"

Xiao Zhiqiang shot everyone a glance.

"Do I really need you to tell me that?"

After saying this, he immediately put on another smiling face when he turned back to Jiang Fan.

"Little brother, let's discuss this over here!"

Jiang Fan did not tell Xiao Zhiqiang his name, nor did he move. He simply quoted a price.

"Final price: fifty thousand Blue Star Coins!"

This price was based on the quotes other stall owners had given him the last time he had asked about it at the mutated-beast trading market. It was probably somewhat inflated.

Sure enough, Xiao Zhiqiang's expression changed when he heard it.

"Little brother, if you quote that price, I won't be able to make any money!"

The others joined in the uproar.

"Hahaha, little brother knows his stuff!"

"..."

Jiang Fan estimated the situation from everyone's reactions.

"Forty-eight thousand. If you want it, take it right now!"

Seeing Xiao Zhiqiang hesitate, Jiang Fan immediately added, "You don't have to hunt it, so there's no danger to your life. You don't have to butcher it, so there'll be no loss. You can turn around and make more than three thousand. This kind of deal isn't easy to come by!"

The mutated-beast trading market was different from the Inner City.

At the Inner City's vegetable market, the meat sold was usually clean mutated-beast flesh that had already been butchered.

At the mutated-beast trading market, however, complete mutated beasts were placed on display and cut up on-site. After customers bought the meat, they took it home to process themselves.

So Jiang Fan was not entirely wrong when he said there would be no loss.

Jiang Fan's words clearly moved Xiao Zhiqiang.

Seeing the people around him watching like tigers eyeing their prey, he slapped the counter.

"Fine!"

One hand exchanged the money, the other the goods!

After receiving Xiao Zhiqiang's cash, Jiang Fan left the stall area. He vaguely heard voices coming from behind him.

"Old Xiao, not bad! You made a huge profit again this time! You have to treat us!"

"That's right, that's right! You have to treat us!"

"This little brother looks all ragged. Could he have hunted this Scorpion-tailed Wolf himself? If he did, he's one vicious character!"

"How could that be? He looks at most like a high school student. Where would he get the ability to hunt mutated beasts?"

"Let me tell you, I saw him leave with Old Third Yue and the others yesterday!"

"What? Could it be that Old Third Yue suddenly grew a conscience?"

"..."

Jiang Fan had already prepared his explanation, so he was not afraid of anyone questioning him.

As he walked out of the stall area of the mutated-beast trading market and was about to turn, he ran straight into Xiao Xin, the front-desk attendant there.

When Xiao Xin saw Jiang Fan, her eyes immediately widened. She pointed at him and stammered, unable to get a word out.