Green Wutong Tower

The three of them struggled forward with the surging crowd.

The deeper they went, the more upscale and luxurious the shops lining the streets became, and the martial artists they passed radiated increasingly formidable auras. Occasionally, Chen Yuan even caught a faint, unsettling ripple of energy that made his heart tighten.

That was likely a Bone Forging Realm expert—or perhaps something even higher.

Finally, they squeezed through a congested stretch of street, and the view opened up before them!

A massive blue stone plaza sprawled ahead, its surface engraved with enormous anti-slip runes.

At the center of the plaza stood a towering nine-story glazed stone pagoda that pierced the clouds. Its body was covered in mysterious, unfathomable runes, emitting a faint, calming wave of energy.

Around the plaza, stalls and shops stretched endlessly in dense, orderly rows, as far as the eye could see.

The roar of voices crashed like a tidal wave—this was the Vast Sea Market, the largest trading hub in Tian Nan Prefecture.

Within the market, the bustle was extraordinary. The glow of countless rare treasures, the scent of medicinal herbs, and the pressure of spiritual energy nearly dazzled the eyes and disoriented the mind.

One stall displayed rare medicinal herbs still caked with fresh soil, brimming with spiritual energy and exuding a rich, enticing fragrance. Another shop hung gleaming weapons and armor etched with flowing runes, their sharpness palpable.

Vendors hawked various Demonic Beast materials—massive pelts, bone-white skeletons, razor-sharp claws, and even demon soul crystals sealed with special runes, still writhing and howling within.

Some simply spread an unknown beast hide on the ground, laid out a few tattered thread-bound books or broken jade slips, and claimed they were inheritance manuals from a fallen senior expert, drawing crowds of onlookers debating their authenticity.

Shouts of hawking, haggling, and bragging interwove into a sea of noise:

"Hundred-year Crimson Sun Grass, freshly picked from the Heavenly Fire Mountain danger zone! The finest for tempering blood and breaking through bottlenecks! One hundred twenty taels per stalk, no bargaining!"

"Fine rune longsword from the Hundred Refinements Pavilion! Cuts hair blown against the blade, comes with a built-in 'Sharp Edge' rune for excellent armor-piercing! Includes the first three moves of the Flowing Wind Sword Art—only eight hundred taels!"

"Come take a look! Complete Black Cloud Leopard pelt, top-grade material for inner armor or robes! Trading only for cultivation-boosting pills!"

"Complete ancestral manual Overlapping Waves Force! Master it, and your blood and qi surge like overlapping waves, with boundless power, reaching up to the Tendon Transformation Realm! Only eight hundred taels or equivalent pills—miss it and regret it for life!"

"Buying all kinds of yin-attribute spiritual herbs and Demonic Beast materials—fair prices!"

Wang Meng's eyes gleamed, almost drooling as he wanted to touch and ask the price at every stall, even though he couldn't afford most of it.

Sun Yun was clearly captivated too, her gaze drifting between a secluded stall selling various poison-tempering materials and hidden weapons, and another stall piled with delicious snacks.

Chen Yuan, by contrast, remained much calmer. He silently estimated the value of each item, inwardly shocked by the market prices in the prefecture city. The main currency here seemed to be shifting from silver taels to pills and materials.

Wang Meng then led them straight to "Hundred Pills Hall," handed the list to a shop assistant, and while watching the herbs being gathered, expertly checked their quality, occasionally breaking off a piece to sniff—he actually looked quite seasoned.

Chen Yuan and Sun Yun waited quietly inside the shop, observing this sizable medicinal herb store.

After the purchases were done, Wang Meng took them to "Thousand Forge Workshop."

Learning that the custom blades still needed two more days, he arranged with the shopkeeper to pick them up the day after tomorrow.

With business settled, Wang Meng visibly relaxed, his shoulders slumping as he reverted to his usual carefree demeanor. "Alright, official stuff's done. Still early—come on, let me show you two around the Vast Sea Market. There's plenty of fun and interesting stuff here!"

"But let's agree—look only, no buying... well, try not to buy much. I don't have much private savings to spare for you."

He added with an awkward chuckle.

Chen Yuan had an idea. He didn't want to make a big show of selling the Demon Serpent materials, so he spoke up. "Fifth Senior Disciple Brother, Sixth Senior Disciple Sister, how about we each browse the market on our own for a while?"

"On the way here, I noticed a bookshop by the roadside. I'd like to see if they have any regional geography records or travelogues to broaden my knowledge. Let's meet back at the stone pagoda at the market entrance in one hour. What do you think?"

Wang Meng thought for a moment. The prefecture city was relatively safe, so he nodded. "Alright. Be careful yourself—don't wander into any remote spots. Meet at the stone pagoda in one hour."

Sun Yun added a reminder. "Watch your belongings."

So the three split at the street corner. Chen Yuan watched them walk away, then turned and merged into the flow of people heading into the market.

Chen Yuan scanned sharply, searching for a suitable target.

He needed to sell the Demon Serpent materials, so he had to find a shop large enough, reputable enough to offer a fair price, and not tempted by greed.

Soon, a quaint and elegant five-story wooden building caught his eye—Green Wutong Tower.

The building was imposing, and those entering and exiting mostly had steady, composed auras. The couplet on the plaque read, "Spiritual Plants Contain a Hundred Herbs, Rare Materials Hold a Thousand Treasures," exuding depth.

Stepping inside, the interior was spacious and tastefully arranged, with a faint blend of medicinal herbs and sandalwood in the air.

Counters and shelves were crafted from warm-toned spiritual wood, displaying a wide variety of herbs, ores, Demonic Beast materials, and even finished pills and artifacts—all neatly organized without a hint of clutter.

The shop assistants wore uniform green attire and carried themselves with poise. A young assistant approached. "Sir, what do you need?"

Chen Yuan lowered his voice. "I have some Demonic Beast materials to sell. Does your establishment handle that?"

The assistant's expression remained unchanged. "We do. Please step into the side hall and wait a moment. I'll fetch the shopkeeper."

He led Chen Yuan to a private alcove partitioned by a screen and served him tea.

Soon, light footsteps accompanied by a faint, elegant fragrance, and a woman entered the side hall.

She appeared to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight—the prime of a woman's beauty.

She wore a lake-green embroidered long dress, its hem stitched with matching dark patterns that shimmered like rippling waves as she moved.

The dress outlined her graceful, curvaceous figure—shoulders carved like jade, waist as slender as a ribbon, her curves flowing in perfect measure, neither too full nor too lean, embodying the charm of a mature woman.

Her face was exquisite, skin as delicate as jade, brows like distant mountains tinged with ink, eyes like autumn waters rippling—the only flaw being a faint trace of anxiety between her brows.

"This Concubine is Shen Yuexin, the humble shopkeeper of Green Wutong Tower. I hear you have materials to sell?" Her voice was gentle and soft, but carried a hint of barely perceptible weariness.

Chen Yuan rose and cupped his hands. "This one is Chen Yuan. Greetings, Shopkeeper Shen. I do indeed have some materials to sell."

He removed the pack from his back and took out the carefully wrapped python skin, the jade box containing the snake gall, and the venom fangs and sac.

Shen Yuexin gave a slight nod, her gaze falling on the items Chen Yuan had produced.

When the roll of pitch-black scales gleaming with a metallic sheen was unfurled, especially when the dark red snake gall, brimming with surging blood energy, appeared, the formulaic smile on her face finally gave way to a hint of genuine surprise.

She stepped forward a few paces, and a faint, subtle fragrance wafted over.

Extending her slender, jade-like fingers, she meticulously examined the integrity of the python skin, feeling the astonishing toughness and elasticity of the scales.

Then she gently opened the jade box, and a pure, vigorous surge of blood energy spread through the air. She took a deep breath, a flicker of brilliance passing through her bright eyes.

Next, she took out a specially made silver needle and carefully tested the toxicity of the sharp fangs. The needle instantly turned pitch black.

"This is a Black Water Profound Python, on the verge of shedding its skin... The blood energy in this snake gall is exceptionally abundant and rare." She raised her eyes to Chen Yuan, her melancholy seemingly lightened by a fraction, a hint of curiosity now in her gaze.

"Young Master Chen has impressive skills. Even a cultivator at the Tendon Changing Realm would find this beast no easy prey."

"You flatter me, Shopkeeper Shen. I was merely fortunate."

Chen Yuan replied modestly.

Shen Yuexin pondered for a moment, a decisive glint flashing in her eyes. "You're a straightforward man, sir, so I won't mince words. This complete python skin is worth three hundred sixty taels, the top-grade snake gall is worth eight hundred twenty taels, and the venom fangs and sac are worth two hundred taels. That totals one thousand three hundred eighty taels of silver. What do you think, sir?"

This price far exceeded Chen Yuan's expectations and was extremely generous.

Chen Yuan understood in his heart that it wasn't just the quality of the goods; there was likely also an intention to build a connection. He cupped his hands and said, "Shopkeeper Shen is fair. I have no objections."

Shen Yuexin nodded and said to the attendant waiting nearby, "Fetch one thousand three hundred taels in silver notes and eighty taels in silver coins for Young Master Chen. Make sure it's full-weight official silver."

The attendant acknowledged and left.

While they waited, Shen Yuexin asked casually, "Young Master Chen looks unfamiliar. Is this your first time in the prefectural city?"

"Indeed. I came here with my sect elders to gain experience."

Chen Yuan answered cautiously.

"I see. For someone so young to have such gains, you're surely destined for greatness."

Shen Yuexin offered a word of encouragement, her tone carrying a faint trace of envy—or perhaps a hint of uncertainty about her own family's future.

Soon, the attendant returned with a tray of gleaming silver coins, all of excellent quality official silver.

After carefully counting them, Chen Yuan took out a cloth pouch he had prepared earlier and stowed the silver inside. The satisfying weight brought him a sense of reassurance.

Having put away the silver, Chen Yuan did not immediately take his leave. Instead, he added, "Shopkeeper Shen, does your establishment carry any inner armor or robes made of tougher materials?"

Shen Yuexin directly instructed the attendant, "Take Young Master Chen to the robe section and bring out the newly arrived 'Flowing Spring Robe' for him to see. Settle the price with him at... a ten percent discount."

The attendant led Chen Yuan to a nearby shelf and took out a set of deep blue form-fitting attire that felt cool, smooth, and tough to the touch, with a faint, watery sheen. "Esteemed guest, this is the 'Flowing Spring Robe,' woven from 'Azure Water Spider Silk' mixed with 'Ice Silkworm Silk.' It comes with the minor runes of 'Cleansing,' 'Minor Defense,' and 'Extended Underwater Breathing.' Though it's not graded, it's very practical, especially for activities in water. The original price is three hundred taels."

At a ten percent discount, that would be two hundred seventy taels. After a careful inspection, Chen Yuan felt it suited his needs and nodded. "I'll take this set."

He also noticed a display of women's hair ornaments nearby and, thinking of his younger sister Xiao Li, picked out a pair of hairpins carved from pink Warm Jade into lifelike little fish shapes. They cost forty taels.

"Let's make it three hundred taels for both items," Shen Yuexin said softly.

With the transaction complete, Chen Yuan cupped his hands respectfully to Shen Yuexin. "Thank you, Shopkeeper Shen. I'll take my leave."

"Take care, Young Master Chen." Shen Yuexin bent slightly in return.

Leaving Green Wutong Tower, he wandered through the market for a while longer, taking in many curious items but making no further purchases. Judging the time was about right, he headed toward the stone tower at the market entrance.

After the three of them regrouped, Wang Meng led them to a restaurant. It wasn't until the sun had set and the sky had darkened that they finally left, their minds full of new experiences and their bodies slightly weary, yet still reluctant to call it a day. They returned to the dock encampment.

Back on the boat, Chen Yuan entered his cabin and immediately bound the Flowing Spring Robe to himself, putting it on. It felt comfortable and well-fitted, and his whole body seemed much fresher.

He toyed with the pair of hairpins, imagining Xiao Li's happy smile. Gazing out the window at the dazzling lights of the prefectural city and the faint, distant clamor of the market, he felt his heart surge with excitement, unable to calm down.