Rotten Wood Cannot Be Carved, but Bone Plates Can

Bai Qiuran, accompanied by Li Jinyao and Tang Ruowei, went straight to the middle-aged man. He sat down on the stool opposite the man and said, "Shopkeeper, I'd like to buy something."

The middle-aged man was sitting in a recliner, holding a straw and teasing a cricket in a jar in front of him. The cricket had colorful spots on its body and looked quite extraordinary.

Upon hearing Bai Qiuran's words, the middle-aged man lazily raised his head and glanced at him, then said in a muffled voice, "Five coins a book. Just take it from the shelf yourself. Don't take more than that."

"Shopkeeper, I don't want to buy a book."

Bai Qiuran to the point.

"I want to buy something else, like intelligence."

"You want to buy intelligence?"

The middle-aged man looked up at Bai Qiuran, then put down the straw in his hand, closed the cricket jar with the lid, placed one hand on the table, crossed his legs, and said to Bai Qiuran with a flippant smile, "Everyone on these two streets knows that I never do information business with strangers."

Bai Qiuran understood, and then asked, "So... what do I need to do to become acquainted with you?"

"That's easy."

The middle-aged man smiled and pulled a wooden plaque from under the table, placing it in front of Bai Qiuran and the others.

Bai Qiuran looked up and saw that four levels were written from top to bottom:

A card for acquaintances, 150 coins.

Friend card, 200 coins.

Buddy card, 500 coins.

A bond of life and death, worth 1000 coins.

"We are honest and fair business people, regardless of age."

The middle-aged man wore a standard businessman's smile.

"Open your doors to business, set clear prices, and provide information tailored to your needs and preferences."

That awful membership system.

Bai Qiuran cursed under her breath.

"So, if I want to buy information about someone's whereabouts, what kind of relationship do I need with you?"

He asked.

"That depends on which person you're betting on."

The middle-aged man chuckled lazily, "For an unknown person, whose whereabouts are known to everyone in public, naturally it won't cost much; I'll give it to any acquaintance... But if someone is famous in a region, yet deliberately keeps a low profile and hides their whereabouts, and no one knows them, then only a sworn brother will let me reveal the information."

Bai Qiuran and asked, "How much information do we need about Qingmingzi's whereabouts, who Ascension from World One three thousand three hundred years ago?"

"Hmm? You're asking about Qingmingzi?"

The middle-aged man sat up abruptly and asked with interest, "What is your relationship with him?"

Well...

Bai Qiuran cupped his hands in greeting and said, "Please forgive me for not being able to disclose this information. I can only share this with my friends."

"Fine, then don't tell me."

The middle-aged man lay back down and waved his hand, saying, "Qingmingzi isn't very old, but he's quite famous. However, his whereabouts are basically known to everyone, and everyone is speculating when he will die. As for this news... as long as he's a friend, I can tell him for a little over three hundred."

Oh, so buying a Friends membership card and becoming a Friends member isn't enough; you still have to spend an extra 300.

Unscrupulous merchant.

Bai Qiuran thought to herself, then turned to ask, "Jinyao, how much money do we have Traveling Expenses?"

Upon hearing this, Li Jinyao opened the bag and took a look.

"There are about six hundred coins left..."

That's enough.

Bai Qiuran reached out his hand, Li Jinyao counted out five hundred Immortal Realm Coin and placed them in Bai Qiuran's palm. Then Bai Qiuran scattered these coins on the middle-aged man's table, piling them into a small heap, and said, "Brother, I see you have extraordinary bones and a full Heavenly Court. You look like a righteous person who won't bow down for money. Let's be friends."

"Of course, of course."

The middle-aged man quickly gathered the coins on the table, counted them, and then bowed solemnly to Bai Qiuran, saying, "Brother, I see you are a man of great integrity and loyalty. These days, there aren't many like you left in the Immortal Realm. From today onwards, you are my friend. We can exchange information whenever we have any news."

"Yeah, good buddy."

Bai Qiuran nodded emphatically, then asked, "I've heard that there's a Qingmingzi in the Seventh Heaven recently. He seems to have quite a reputation. I wonder if you've heard of him?"

"Of course I've heard of it."

The middle-aged man took over the conversation and immediately told Bai Qiuran about his master's information in the Immortal Realm.

"Speaking of Qingmingzi, Ascension from the World One. No one had Ascension before him for over ten thousand years. After Ascension the Eastern Immortal Realm, he immediately displayed remarkable talent. He joined the Yang Celestial Army under Yang Immortal Venerable, and within three thousand years, he had cultivated to the Vast Sea Realm. Later, he even stole the woman favored by the Eastern Azure Emperor, becoming famous overnight. Currently, he is an instructor in the Yang Celestial Army, living with his lover Liu Shi, in a residence True Yang City, the Yang Heaven Capital."

"Oh, and who is this Liu Shi?"

Bai Qiuran pressed for an answer.

The middle-aged man didn't speak, but spread his hands. Seeing this, Li Jinyao took out fifty coins and threw them into his hand.

The middle-aged man rubbed the coins between his fingers before continuing, "The daughter of the Liu Family in True Yang City, her father was the deputy commander of the Yang Celestial Army. He descended to the mortal realm with Yang Celestial Venerable to fight Yao Mo and has not returned since. Her fame spread far and wide in Yang Heaven, eventually reaching the ears of the Eastern Azure Emperor. Qingmingzi took a liking to her, pursued her unsuccessfully, and instead became Dao Companion with Azure Emperor."

"Understood."

Bai Qiuran cupped his hands and said, "As expected of a friend, you are True God. This conversation has left me deeply impressed. I plan to immediately travel to True Yang City to pay my respects to the incomparably beautiful Liu Shi. Until we meet again!"

He turned to leave with the two girls, but the middle-aged man hesitated for a moment and then raised his hand to stop him.

Wait a minute, friend.

He shouted to Bai Qiuran, "Now, things have changed drastically in Yang Heaven. The whereabouts of Yang Immortal Venerable are unknown, and he is being temporarily taken over by the newly appointed Celestial Venerable Lin. The Yang Celestial Army is also being disbanded step by step. If you want to go to True Yang City, you will need to Traveling Expenses more money than usual. I'm afraid it will cost at least two or three hundred coins for the three of you."

Seeing Bai Qiuran turn around in surprise, he added, "I've already said, when you're in business, you have to have clear prices and be honest with everyone, young and old. Consider this a gift for my friend."

Thank you.

Bai Qiuran his hands in greeting to him.

In fact, Bai Qiuran didn't really know how to choose the least likely intelligence dealer. He always worked alone, and his juniors took care of the intelligence work, so he, as the patriarch, didn't need to worry about it.

The reason he chose this intelligence merchant was that, after using his Spiritual Sense to investigate, he discovered that this merchant was the strongest on the two streets nearby.

In hindsight, it was just a lucky guess; he got it right.

The three left that street and walked on the bustling main street of the Immortal City, but Li Jinyao seemed to have something on her mind.

"What's wrong, Jinyao?"

Seeing her like this, Bai Qiuran asked with concern, "Do you have any ideas?"

"Senior."

Li Jinyao hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Are you really going to see that Liu Shi?"

"Really? What's wrong?"

Bai Qiuran confusion.

"No, it's nothing."

Li Jinyao shook her head and replied, "I'm just a little... unhappy."

Bai Qiuran puzzled.

"I'm going to see a woman who might be my teacher's wife, why are you unhappy?"

"You don't understand, Master."

Li Jinyao remained silent, but Tang Ruowei pointed and said, "You, when it comes to women, are utterly clueless, hopeless."

"Snort."

Bai Qiuran his hands behind his back, sneered arrogantly, "I don't know if I can carve it or not, but I do know that if your Breastbone isn't carved soon, there really won't be anything left to carve. Come here, let me carve it for you."