Making a Killing

"Do you sell Grass Return Pills?"

In the Black Market, Chen Fei had changed his appearance again and arrived before a Stall, asking tentatively.

"Yes. Twenty-five taels apiece," the Stall Owner said a little lazily, glancing at Chen Fei.

"That expensive?"

Chen Fei said in some surprise. He had looked into it two days ago, and back then they had still been twenty taels apiece. He had not expected them to surge wildly again now.

Before the Rebel Army arrived, the market price of Grass Return Pills had actually only been ten taels apiece.

"Don't complain that it's expensive. You know the current situation in Pingyin County. Most of the pills have been handed over. For even a few to be left over is already not easy."

Seeing that Chen Fei did not run off before finishing his questions, the Stall Owner roused himself a little and explained.

"That makes sense."

Chen Fei nodded, a faint smile appearing on his face as he said, "Then do you buy Grass Return Pills?"

"You want to sell?"

The Stall Owner had originally been reclining sideways in his chair, but now he sat up straight at once and looked at Chen Fei. "How's the appearance? Forget it, the appearance isn't important. How many can you provide each day? If the quantity is large, the price can be discussed."

"I can still guarantee twenty or thirty a day."

"Good! If you can guarantee that amount, I'll give you this price for each pill."

The Stall Owner made a gesture. Chen Fei glanced at it, shook his head slightly, and said, "You sell them for twenty-five taels, but when buying you only give fifteen taels? Too little."

"Fifteen taels isn't little. We also have to bear a lot of costs, don't we?" the Stall Owner said with a chuckle.

"Fine, then I'll think it over."

Chen Fei did not say much either. He smiled, intending to turn and leave.

"Hey, don't go. The price is negotiable."

Seeing that Chen Fei was about to leave, the Stall Owner hurriedly stopped him. Right now, all the Alchemists in Pingyin County were Refining pills under heavy loads. Those that could drift outside were phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.

If he could purchase an extra twenty or thirty Grass Return Pills every day, then when the time came, it would absolutely count as a Great Merit.

Chen Fei stopped and looked at the Stall Owner without speaking.

"Name a price." Seeing Chen Fei staring at him, the Stall Owner said somewhat helplessly.

"Twenty-three taels."

"That price is too much." The Stall Owner shook his head like a rattle-drum.

"The price of pills changes every few days. Maybe in a few days, you'll be making a profit."

"What thing keeps rising forever? There are very few people who can afford twenty-five taels. When I buy them, it's mainly to hand them over to the Main Family, just in case."

"Then how much do you say?"

"Sixteen taels. This price is quite suitable..."

Chen Fei and the Stall Owner haggled for a while, and in the end set the purchase price at twenty taels.

On the surface, Chen Fei looked somewhat regretful, but in his heart he was already blooming with joy. Before the Rebel Army came, when Chen Fei sold Grass Return Pills, one pill was only eight taels, and he still had to purchase the Herbs himself.

Now the Herbs were provided by the Zhao Family, and the price of Grass Return Pills had soared. Calculating it inside and out, Chen Fei was simply making a killing.

With Chen Fei's current Great Perfection Grass Return Pill Refining methods, he could sell around twenty-five pills a day in the Black Market. That meant one day's profit was Five Hundred Taels of silver.

Compared to the past, this had directly leaped up by a great step.

"Take a look at the pills. There are about a hundred in total."

Chen Fei took the medicine bottles out from his bundle. The Stall Owner did not dare be negligent. Although he had said just now that he did not care about appearance, if it could be better, then of course that would be even more perfect.

As the bottle stopper was opened, a medicinal fragrance drifted out. The Stall Owner carefully poured out one pill. Looking at the smooth, round surface of the Grass Return Pill, a smile could not help appearing on his face.

For Grass Return Pills of this standard, paying this price was not a loss. When the time came, the Main Family would even have to praise him for having a good eye!

"Keep this money safe."

After the Stall Owner checked the quantity and confirmed there were no problems, he quickly counted out the Silver Taels and placed them in front of Chen Fei.

Two thousand taels of silver were quite heavy, pressing down on the counter with a muffled thud.

Transactions in the Black Market had always been paid in spot silver, and silver notes were rarely used. Now, because of the Rebel Army, even fewer people dared use silver notes.

Chen Fei carried the bundle of Silver Taels on his back, looked at the Stall Owner, and asked, "Light Spirit Pills—do you buy them?"

"You also have Light Spirit Pills!"

The Stall Owner's eyes could not help widening. This was far too pleasant a surprise. The market price of Light Spirit Pills in the past had been fifteen taels, but now it had long since soared.

As a result, very few martial artists now used Light Spirit Pills for cultivation. Even those in the Bone Forging Realm only used Grass Return Pills.

But on the Rebel Army's side, demand for Light Spirit Pills was still extremely vigorous. Sometimes, if the quantity of Light Spirit Pills was sufficient, they could additionally exempt some of the required Grass Return Pills and Qi Blood Pills.

"I can refine them, but my technique is average, and the pill yield isn't high. If you trust me, you prepare the Herbs, and we'll split the accounts by proportion."

The Light Spirit Pill Herbs Chen Fei had prepared himself before were almost used up. Now, Herbs could not be bought within Pingyin County, and Chi Defeng also could not find Refugees to go gather them.

Chen Fei could only turn his gaze toward these Stall Vendors. After all, behind many of these people were the Noble Families within Pingyin County.

"One set of herbs for one Light Spirit Pill. That's the bottom line."

The Stall Owner looked at Chen Fei and pondered for a moment before saying, "How about this? We'll provide the herbs. One set in exchange for one Light Spirit Pill from you, and at the same time, we'll give you three taels of silver for your trouble. What do you think?"

"A bit low. Make it six taels. I like that number," Chen Fei said with a smile.

"Done. Consider it making a friend of you."

The Stall Owner considered it for a moment, then agreed. The main reason was that in Pingyin County, there were only a few alchemists capable of refining Light Spirit Pills. Even if they wanted to train someone now, it was already too late, because herbs were far too scarce to allow any waste.

One set of herbs for one Light Spirit Pill was already no loss. If this had been before, it would have been an insane profit. But now that the value of herbs was soaring in a straight line, it could only be called fairly decent.

"Give me three sets of herbs first. I'll come find you again tomorrow."

"All right. Please wait a moment."

The Stall Owner went to the rear hall, notified his people to fetch the herbs, and at the same time reported the matter upward.

After the time it took for an incense stick to burn, the herbs arrived in Chen Fei's hands. Chen Fei identified the herbs and found no problems. He cupped his hands to the Stall Owner, then directly left the Black Market.

Halfway back, Chen Fei recharged all the silver taels into the Panel, and his body behind him suddenly felt lighter.

No little tail appeared, which was somewhat beyond Chen Fei's expectations. It seemed the Noble Families behind that Stall Owner sincerely wanted to cooperate with Chen Fei. Or perhaps, since it was only the first day, they were not in a hurry and wanted to watch a little longer.

After cautiously circling around several times inside Pingyin County, Chen Fei finally returned to the Courtyard he had rented.

He did not immediately start refining pills. After resting for a moment, Chen Fei took out a secret manual.

Returning Origin Archery.

A bow technique secret manual. Chen Fei had bought three such manuals in total from Chi Defeng. If he wanted more, there were none left.

Martial artists who used bow and arrow were already few in number, and naturally, even fewer such manuals circulated outside. In the army, there were comparatively more who used bow and arrow, but the secret manuals there were even harder to see in the outside world.

Chen Fei wanted to cultivate archery not because he felt his Sword Technique was weak, but simply because he wanted to add another method for facing enemies, especially a way to wound enemies from a distance.

Actually, cultivating hidden weapons would not be bad either, but the range of hidden weapons was a little too short. Chen Fei had now achieved some success in his Movement Technique, and in the foreseeable future, his investment in Movement Technique would absolutely not be low.

Thus, within short distances, Chen Fei could entirely make up for things with his own movement technique. On the contrary, when the distance was too far, or the enemy was too strong and Chen Fei was unwilling to go forward and cross blades at close quarters, that was when bow and arrow would come in handy.

Another reason that prompted Chen Fei to cultivate archery was that recently, Chen Fei had already cultivated all the cultivation methods in his hands to the Great Perfection level.

The time for cultivating inner force was fixed. Chen Fei also could not refine pills all day long, not to mention he did not have that many herbs. Even if he did, Chen Fei would not keep refining without pause.

Making money made people happy, and the Panel also needed silver taels. But all of this was for the sake of increasing strength. Chen Fei could not put the cart before the horse, and so after taking care of other matters, Chen Fei had to make sure his own strength did not stagnate.

Grinding proficiency, watching his strength grow stronger bit by bit, had already become part of Chen Fei's current life. He could not quit it at all.