Wanchun Hall, Chen Qingfeng

Lu Chuan spent several hours before completely dissecting the Ink Cloud Blood Leopard, stowing every useful part into his backpack.

A First-Order Peak Fierce Beast was valuable from head to toe. Even its flesh, blood, and bones could fetch a hefty price.

Unfortunately, his backpack was only so large. It could not hold the entire Ink Cloud Blood Leopard's corpse.

Carrying it back on his shoulders was not realistic either. The target would be far too conspicuous, and the thick smell of blood might even attract other Fierce Beasts along the way.

So Lu Chuan had no choice but to abandon most of the flesh and blood, taking only the more valuable parts.

Even so, his backpack had been stuffed to the point of bulging.

"What a pity. The backpack can't hold it all. So much has gone to waste..."

Lu Chuan glanced at the Ink Cloud Blood Leopard's corpse, already carved into countless pieces, and muttered, "I heard that the Inner City sells a storage treasure called a Storage Bag, with its own space inside.

"A tiny bag like that can even hold an entire house.

"Once I have money in the future, I should get myself one of those Storage Bags..."

As he spoke, Lu Chuan slung the backpack over his shoulders and dashed toward the outskirts of Python Mountain.

It was his first time entering Python Mountain to hunt Fierce Beasts, yet he had already gained so much. Lu Chuan felt refreshed all over, as if even the wind followed his steps.

"Today's haul should be worth at least a million! Martial Artists really make money fast. No wonder none of them are poor once they become Martial Artists."

Thinking to himself, Lu Chuan unconsciously used the Forest Penetrating Deer Movement Technique from the Five Elements Stance Training, racing through the forest and charging out of Python Mountain at top speed.

He returned the way he had come without a hitch.

By nightfall.

Lu Chuan appeared at Fengle City's gates with the bulging backpack on his back. The Sha Qi rolling off him was overwhelming, and everyone entering the city nearby changed expression, instinctively making way for him.

Only after Lu Chuan had entered the city did they begin discussing him.

"That kid's Sha Qi is terrifying. Could he be a Martial Artist?"

"Unlikely. How old is he? But his strength must be considerable. Even if he isn't a Martial Artist, he can't be far from becoming one."

"Look at that backpack of his, swollen like that. He must have made a huge haul."

"Ah... the Wilderness is full of Fierce Beasts and savage animals. As long as you have the strength, getting rich comes along for the ride."

Quite a few people talked among themselves as they watched Lu Chuan's retreating figure, their eyes filled with envy.

After entering the city, Lu Chuan did not return home. Instead, he followed the main street to a pharmacy called Wanchun Hall.

This was a shop opened outside the city by the Inner City's Wanbao Group.

It not only sold all kinds of medicine, but also served as a purchasing point. Many hunters from the Outer City would sell their valuable catches to Wanchun Hall.

In fact, there were several shops like Wanchun Hall in the Outer City.

They all did the same kind of business.

Some were even much larger than Wanchun Hall.

The reason Lu Chuan chose Wanchun Hall was that he had dealt with it many times and knew it was among the fairest of the Outer City's many pharmacies.

"Well, well... Young Brother Lu is here. Did you make a big haul today?"

The moment he entered, a chubby young man walked over with a grin.

This man was Chen Qingfeng, the person in charge of Wanchun Hall.

Lu Chuan had started leaving the city to hunt a year ago. Over that year, he had caught some valuable things, all of which he had sold to Chen Qingfeng.

The two were also not that far apart in age, and Chen Qingfeng had a fairly easygoing personality.

After going back and forth a few times, they had developed a bit of a friendship.

Of course, they were only ordinary friends. Exchanging a few words when they met was fine, but if something truly happened, neither would help the other.

"Shopkeeper Chen, you're so free today. Business must not be going well!"

Lu Chuan chuckled and teased Chen Qingfeng.

"Ah... I'm practically too poor to lift the lid off the pot. But when I woke up early this morning, I heard magpies calling. I knew something good was coming to my door. Who would've thought it was you, Young Brother Lu, my lucky star?"

Chen Qingfeng was not angered by Lu Chuan's words. Instead, he cheerfully played along.

Though this fellow was young, he was extremely smooth. A merchant's shrewdness had been carved into his bones.

At a glance, he noticed the bulging backpack on Lu Chuan's back and figured that Lu Chuan must have made a great haul today.

Naturally, he was happy to flatter him a little in hopes of securing this business.

After all, there were plenty of hunters in the Outer City, but few could truly bring back good things. Resources were limited, while competition was plentiful.

Now that business had come knocking, he naturally had to seize it.

"Shopkeeper Chen's mouth is getting sweeter and sweeter. Did you smear it with honey?"

Lu Chuan chuckled. Naturally, he did not believe Chen Qingfeng's ghost-fooling nonsense.

A merchant's mouth was a ghost that deceived people.

If three out of ten sentences were true, it meant his ancestral graves were smoking with incense. If you truly believed him, then you had already lost.

But Lu Chuan did not care about such things. He merely laughed softly and said, "I did make a bit of a haul today.

"Shopkeeper Chen, let's talk inside!"

"Oh..."

Chen Qingfeng was stunned for a moment, then his eyes immediately gleamed. His private room was not somewhere just anyone entered. Ordinary items were traded in the main hall.

Only genuinely precious items were brought into the room, to avoid too many eyes and too many mouths.

It seemed Lu Chuan had truly made a major haul this time!

Countless thoughts flashed through Chen Qingfeng's mind, and his eyes grew brighter. He immediately said, "All right... Young Brother Lu, this way!"

Lu Chuan did not stand on ceremony. At Chen Qingfeng's gesture, he walked into a VIP Reception Room at the end of the hall.

Then, with a casual motion, he opened his backpack and poured everything inside out in one go.

He was not worried that Chen Qingfeng would be tempted by wealth. Their year of dealings had not been for nothing.

Although this fellow looked miserable on the surface, Lu Chuan was certain that his background was far from ordinary.

He was very likely a direct descendant of some major Lineage in the Inner City.

A person like that would not covet this little bit of loot from him. On the contrary, by casually pouring everything out, Lu Chuan gave Chen Qingfeng the feeling that he trusted him.

He might even gain a little goodwill from Chen Qingfeng because of it.

So while his action appeared reckless, it had actually been carefully considered.

"This is..."

The instant Lu Chuan emptied everything from his backpack, Chen Qingfeng froze. Then his pupils contracted as he blurted out, "Crystal Cores... You actually hunted Fierce Beasts! Young Brother Lu... you've cultivated Internal Strength and reached Martial Arts Reaching Rank..."

As he spoke, he stared at Lu Chuan with a face full of astonishment.

"Just luck!"

Lu Chuan smiled faintly. "Stop standing there. Hurry up and take stock of it, then give me an estimate!"

He did not want to dwell on this matter and immediately changed the subject.

"Impressive!"

Chen Qingfeng exclaimed sincerely.

He had seen plenty of Martial Artists, but Martial Artists who had clawed their way out of the slums were exceedingly rare.

Moreover, Lu Chuan was not yet twenty.

In the Inner City, reaching Martial Arts Reaching Rank at his age would not amount to much. It could only be called mediocre talent.

But this was the Outer City, and Lu Chuan lived in the slums.

How many resources could he possibly have?

Yet under such circumstances, he had still cultivated Internal Strength and reached Martial Arts Reaching Rank. That was truly terrifying.

"Wait a moment. I'll take stock of the materials, then give you a price."

Taking a deep breath, Chen Qingfeng suppressed the countless thoughts in his heart and turned his gaze toward the pile of materials on the floor.

He was a smart man and knew what Lu Chuan was thinking.

Naturally, he did not press Lu Chuan about how he had cultivated Internal Strength. Instead, he followed Lu Chuan's lead and shifted the conversation to the pile of materials on the ground.