Goods Sold, No Returns

"Since that's the case, then it's happily decided." Xian He grinned widely, and he helped the old woman back to the slave trader, pointing at a batch of female slaves. "Take another good look and pick the two best ones for me."

Although the old woman wasn't good at manual labor, her discernment and insight were unique, and her social experience was very rich. She could be hired to manage the household and servants.

More importantly, he didn't know how to deliver babies, so he had to find a midwife for Yun Ling.

Without a midwife, if Yun Ling had a miscarriage or a difficult labor, he wouldn't know how to handle it, and the child would very likely die.

Yun Ling would be fine because she had the Symbiotic Mark.

Only when the Goddess Control Art was cultivated to the tenth level would every child be born safely, and he wouldn't need a midwife.

If he hired a young and nimble midwife from the tribe, it would cost at most a hundred Copper Coins each time. A thousand Copper Coins would be enough for ten times, but there would be the risk of leaking the Mountain River Society Diagram and bringing about his own demise.

If he bought the grandmother and granddaughter, the old woman might not live for ten years. However, if the little girl knew how to deliver babies, he would profit. If she didn't, then he would lose.

The child was so young, the probability of her knowing how to deliver babies was slim. His refusal of the old woman's request just now was precisely due to this consideration.

He had originally thought the slave trader would buy the grandmother and granddaughter at a normal price to help them through their difficulties. He hadn't expected the slave trader to be a scumbag who took advantage of the situation, only offering fifty Copper Coins.

The grandmother and granddaughter came to sell themselves, which must mean they were at their wit's end.

If he couldn't help them, and the slave trader wouldn't help, then the old woman's kidnapped son would surely die.

He had been hesitating whether to help, but seeing that the old woman could read fortunes and help him pick good servants, having value beyond childbirth, he made up his mind to help the grandmother and granddaughter.

He wasn't a saint who would help others without hesitation; before helping others, he would consider if the target had any value in being helped.

"Alright, I will do my best."

Under the old woman's careful selection, two female slaves were chosen: one named Ziyan, and the other Muyang.

Although their looks were nothing special, they were very obedient.

"Alright, they are yours now. Take them away." After counting the money, the slave trader untied the two ropes from the stakes one by one and handed them to Xian He.

Seeing that Xian He was inexperienced, the slave trader warned him after he took the ropes: "If the slaves run away, die, or anything else happens, don't come back to me! 'Goods sold are non-refundable' is the rule in our circle."

Even if he came looking, the trader wouldn't admit that the two female slaves were bought from him.

"Got it!" Xian He gripped the ropes tightly, afraid that his two precious treasures would escape.

Before leaving, Xian He also reminded the slave trader, "Make sure to keep those two ten-thousand-dollar beauties for me. I'll come to redeem them in a few days!"

"Then you'd better hurry. The Leader of the Greedy Wolf Organization, Xiao Lang, has also taken a liking to them, and word is he's almost gathered the money. If you're slow, and he buys them, don't blame me," the slave trader warned. The sooner they were bought, the better, so as not to waste his food.

"I'll be as fast as I can!" Xian He looked at the iron cage covered with a tarp, his gaze unwavering.

Speaking of which, he really couldn't understand why, every time he fancied a woman, someone else would come to snatch her away.

It was exasperating!

Leaving the slave market, Xian He found a secluded spot, put all four of them into the Mountain River Society Diagram, and then entered it himself.

"Muyang, where is this?"

"I don't know, Ziyan. My vision blurred, and then we ended up here. By the way, the air here is so sweet and smells so good!"

"Grandma, I'm scared!"

"I'm scared too. I've lived my whole life and never encountered anything like this."

The four of them huddled together back-to-back, filled with fear and unease, warily scanning their surroundings.

A beautiful and mysterious mansion sat not far away, making them both curious and afraid.

"Swish!"

Xian He appeared out of thin air.

"No need to be nervous. It was me who brought you all from the Tianyun Plateau to this place," Xian He explained. He raised his hand and pointed to the courtyard with blue bricks and green tiles on the other side of the river, introducing proudly, "See that? That will be your new home from now on."

He hadn't seen Yun Ling for several hours and really missed her.

"Sister Yun Ling--your husband is back--" Xian He cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted excitedly towards the other side of the river.

Two hours in the Real World would be a month in the Inner World.

He didn't know how Yun Ling had managed these past few months; she must have had a very hard time.

Xian He shouted several times before Yun Ling, with her big, round belly, slowly walked out from the gate.

Upon closer inspection, not only had she not lost weight in his absence, but she had even gained quite a bit.

Her face was plump, like two little steamed buns.

Xian He hopped and skipped excitedly towards her, embracing Yun Ling.