"Senior Brother, how much is this thing?" Zhou Qing asked the stall owner.
The Golden Thunder Sect man immediately launched into an enthusiastic introduction. "Junior Brother, you have a good eye. I dug this item out of an ancient tomb. It should be a rather fine burial object, and it even contains a special spirituality. Unfortunately, I am not a Fated Person and cannot fathom its mysteries."
Zhou Qing examined it carefully. Wasn't this just an ordinary clay jar? It merely had a layer of intimidating spirit moth powder sprinkled over it with an exceptionally clever technique. Did he really take him for some ignorant ordinary disciple?
The Golden Thunder Sect man continued, "If Junior Brother likes it, take it for eighteen Low-Grade Spirit Stones. Consider it a lucky price for my opening sale today."
Yet Zhou Qing crouched down, casually picked up the rotten bone beside it, and rubbed it against the clay jar.
The Golden Thunder Sect man's expression could not help changing slightly.
The onlookers also curiously crowded closer, wanting to see what was going on, but Zhou Qing immediately blocked them.
Then he smiled at the stall owner. "Senior Brother, it is a good item, but it is still too expensive. Add this in, and how about ten spirit stones?"
Zhou Qing placed the bone into the clay jar as he negotiated.
As the saying went, one did not slap a smiling face. The Golden Thunder Sect man was certain that Zhou Qing had discovered the clay jar's secret, yet had not exposed him.
He probably wanted that bone. Could he really be planning to take it back and use it to scrub himself in the bath?
He had casually picked up that rotten bone on the road to the Taiqing Sect. There was nothing special about it, while the clay jar had cost less than one spirit stone.
This was already an enormous profit.
Very soon, the Golden Thunder Sect man gritted his teeth and said, "Fine. Since you sincerely want it, I will sincerely sell it. Let us count it as my opening sale."
"Many thanks, Senior Brother!" Zhou Qing readily took out ten spirit stones and handed them over.
The man smiled as well. "And thank you too!"
The two smiled at each other. Everything was understood without a word.
Heart Insight Points +3
The instant the transaction was completed, the system notification sounded.
Immediately afterward, the note above Second Uncle's head changed from Amusement Little Brat to Advice-Heeding Little Brat.
Zhou Qing chuckled.
When did I listen to your advice? This was what I wanted to buy in the first place.
Still, he could use this chance to ask about it.
As they walked, Zhou Qing asked curiously, "Third Senior Brother, with your vast knowledge and experience, is there anything special about this bone?"
Second Uncle beckoned, took the bone, and with a gentle exertion of force, snapped it in two.
"Throw away the rotten part. This section is still usable. If I am not mistaken, this should be a section of bone from a Great Completion Scarlet Flame Dragon Lion," Second Uncle said.
Zhou Qing's face was full of confusion.
Second Uncle explained, "A Great Completion Crimson Flame Dragon Lion has at least reached the Nascent Soul Realm. Its body contains a faint trace of dragon bloodline. Haven't you cultivated the Silver Dragon Hand? Circulate that technique while bathing, and it can greatly improve your cultivation progress."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Qing was instantly beside himself with joy.
He had not expected it to work like this.
"What, were you planning to cultivate that thing step by step? By the time you succeeded, it would be the year of the monkey and month of the horse. Use your brain a little and you will realize that all things beneath heaven complement one another. There are shortcuts everywhere," Second Uncle instructed.
Zhou Qing repeatedly nodded in agreement. He now had reason to suspect—no, reason to guess—that Second Uncle had cultivated the Silver Dragon Hand himself, and had already cultivated it to Great Completion.
"Junior Brother Zhou, you came so early!"
Before long, Senior Sister Shi Zhen turned around from a stall and spotted Zhou Qing at once. She smiled and came over to greet him.
"Greetings, Senior Sister Shi!"
Zhou Qing saluted. What he had not expected was that Second Uncle beside him also followed suit, making Zhou Qing admire him inwardly.
If you are putting on an act, you might as well see it through. You have really immersed yourself in this role.
Able to bend and stretch indeed!
"Third Senior Brother and I arrived early. Has Senior Sister gained anything?" Zhou Qing asked.
Shi Zhen shook her head slightly. "The truly good items generally appear in the final few days. Right now, it is all just small-time stuff. You cannot make a move carelessly, or you might easily misjudge something."
The two exchanged a few more simple words before Shi Zhen went elsewhere to watch the excitement.
At this moment, Second Uncle beside him could not help asking, "Actually, I am rather curious. You nearly peeped at her bathing, so why did she still treat you to a meal at the Jade Cuisine Hall afterward?"
Zhou Qing looked at him, his face immediately filled with righteous indignation. "I peeped at her bathing purely because I was set up by an ungrateful old rogue. Fortunately, Senior Sister Shi Zhen understands the bigger picture and knows that an innocent person like me would never do something so indecent."
"Afterward, she treated me to a meal to comfort my wounded heart, of course."
Second Uncle: "..."
"Third Senior Brother, isn't that old bastard utterly shameless?" Zhou Qing asked, staring straight at Second Uncle.
Second Uncle could not help coughing dryly. Then his face likewise filled with indignation. "I, Yan Xiaohu, despise people like that most in my life. But is there a possibility that he meant well and simply made a mess of things?"
Zhou Qing said solemnly, "I have never watched women bathe, nor am I interested in women. The preferences he inquired about were purely slander others made up about me."
"Even taking ten thousand steps back, even if I did have that fetish, if he wanted to repay me, he should not have damaged another girl's reputation, right? There are many ways to repay kindness. He could have given me more money, for example, or advanced cultivation techniques."
"Let us not talk about this anymore. Just mentioning that old man makes me angry. Are you even my Third Senior Brother?"
Second Uncle looked at Zhou Qing strangely, then immediately patted his chest and assured him, "Of course I am!"
"Since you are the Third Senior Brother who loves me most, and your junior brother is very angry right now, help me curse that dead old man and let me vent my anger," Zhou Qing said.
Second Uncle's face twitched at once.
He then looked around and said, "There are so many people here. Wouldn't cursing someone so casually make others laugh at the Taiqing Sect?"
"That is true. There is a secluded spot over there. Let us go there and give that old fossil a proper cursing."
Zhou Qing pointed toward an alley not far away.
Heart Insight Points +5
Looking at the somewhat hesitant Second Uncle and the petty-minded note that had appeared above his head, Zhou Qing felt more clear-headed than ever before.
"Come, come, come! Based on your junior brother's understanding of you, Senior Brother, you can definitely spew plenty of filthy curses. I love hearing you curse people most!"
Zhou Qing excitedly dragged Second Uncle toward the alley, but Second Uncle suddenly seemed to think of something.
"Fourth Child, I suddenly have something urgent to deal with, so I will be leaving first. Take your time looking around. Once we return, we can curse him slowly!"
After saying that, Second Uncle swiftly slipped into the crowd and vanished.
The anger on Zhou Qing's face was gradually replaced by a smile.
"Awesome!!!"
Taiqing Sect, Divine Peak!
Li Daoxuan and He Han, the second eldest, were looking around everywhere, as though searching for something.
"You two, come here. Have you seen your Senior Sister Lu?"
Li Daoxuan shouted toward the five servants sweeping in the distance.
The five hurriedly ran over with their brooms and saluted. "Greetings, Senior Brothers. We just saw Senior Sister Lu seeming to wait outside the Welcoming Guest Hall. We do not know whether she is still there now."
Upon hearing this, the two hurried toward the Welcoming Guest Hall.
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