Old Fox Shopkeeper

"You went to Yellow Sand Canyon?" Ji Ya was startled. "You haven't been testing Jade Purity Pills in your pill room these past few days?"

"Senior Sister, I told you, I'm not interested in all those bottles and jars. Just tending a fire takes several hours—it's unbearably boring. Besides, you said that once I reached the fourth level of the Sea of Consciousness Realm, I could go out and hunt demonic beasts." Han Weiwei's fair face flushed slightly. A white luminous pearl hung from the ceiling of Ji Ya's pill room, casting a gentle glow. Under that soft white light, Han Weiwei's face became indescribably alluring. Some beautiful women did not have particularly lovely individual features, yet when those features came together, they gave an impression of beauty. But even viewed separately, Han Weiwei's eyes, nose, lips, and everything else were exquisitely delicate. Put together, they revealed a bewitching charm amid their spiritual grace. No wonder when Wei Suo had seen her in Yellow Sand Canyon, he had lamented that these days, women's beauty and wisdom always stood in inverse proportion.

Hearing Han Weiwei's words, Ji Ya smiled bitterly. Though she was now the owner of Treasure Pavilion, it had actually been passed down to her by her master, Han Fengzi. Han Weiwei was Han Fengzi's only beloved daughter. Ever since Han Fengzi had died in an accident while refining pills, Ji Ya had indulged Han Weiwei in almost everything. What left her helpless was that Han Weiwei truly seemed not to have inherited even a trace of her father's talent for pill refinement. Gently stroking Han Weiwei's smooth hair, Ji Ya said, "They were only two Stone-tailed Wall Lizards. You didn't even tell me and secretly ran off. If something had happened to you, what would I have done?"

"Nothing will happen. Senior Sister, I'll listen to you. Before I reach at least the Circulation Realm Fifth Level, I definitely won't go beyond the Heavenly Dome. At most, I'll just wander around near Lingyue City." Han Weiwei stuck out her tongue.

"Fine. Starting tomorrow, I'll allow you to go outside and train by hunting demonic beasts." Ji Ya looked at Han Weiwei tenderly. As if she had made some decision in her heart, she nodded. "But you have to tell me before you go out every time."

"Ah, I knew Senior Sister treated me the best!" Han Weiwei excitedly planted several kisses on Ji Ya's face, smooth as congealed cream. "Hmph, I'm definitely going to teach that guy a proper lesson."

Ji Ya smiled. "Silly Wei Wei, Stone-tailed Wall Lizards aren't worth much."

"That's different! This was the first second-rank demonic beast I ever killed. And that coward's cultivation was so low that he couldn't possibly have snatched my Stone-tailed Wall Lizard by force." Han Weiwei snorted, but her fair face reddened again. "And that guy actually pretended he had eaten something bad, pretending he needed to relieve himself, and wanted to take off his pants right in front of me."

"There's actually someone like that?" A faint smile appeared at the corner of Ji Ya's lips again.

"Exactly." Han Weiwei nodded vigorously and stood up. "Senior Sister, I won't disturb you anymore. I'm going back to cultivate too. Tomorrow morning, I'll first take a look around the Free Market outside the city. Maybe I'll run into that guy."

"Go on." Ji Ya watched Han Weiwei leave the pill room. Since Han Weiwei truly did not like refining pills, Ji Ya would not force her. As long as Han Weiwei was happy, that was enough. But once Han Weiwei had walked out of Ji Ya's sight, Ji Ya's expression returned to its usual icy coldness. "Dugu Yuyun." At her call, a man shrouded in a black robe, his features impossible to make out, appeared at the entrance to her pill room.

"Help me find some people from Tie Ce and have them protect Miss," Ji Ya said calmly.

"Alright." The black-robed man nodded. Without another word, he respectfully turned and left.

There were three places near Lingyue City where cultivators traded: the Free Market outside Lingyue City's east gate, the market north of Lingyue City, and the high-end trading market south of Lingyue City.

The Free Market outside the east gate was a place for passing cultivators to trade freely, beyond anyone's jurisdiction. No fees had to be paid to Tianyi Sect for trading there, and the goods on sale came in every shape and form. One might unearth some treasures, but one might also buy fakes. The northern market consisted of several dozen shops, none of them particularly large. They carried only the most basic raw materials for refining talismans and pills, as well as low-tier talismans and magical artifacts. Their goods were guaranteed, and counterfeits were almost nonexistent. As for the most powerful shops in Lingyue City, such as Treasure Pavilion, they were all concentrated in the south of the city. Aside from selling their own distinctive wares, these shops also periodically accepted commissions to auction off treasures so fine that low-tier cultivators could only swallow their drool.

Early in the morning, Wei Suo hurried toward the northern market.

The Ghost Nurturing Jar containing the Green Robe Old Man was currently stuffed beneath Wei Suo's bed. There were two reasons for this. First, the jar itself was a yin-attributed magical treasure used to raise little ghosts, and the Green Robe Old Man could not manifest during the day, so carrying it around was useless. Second, Wei Suo could afford to have other things stolen, but if this item were taken, he would truly suffer a crushing loss. For safety's sake, Wei Suo had wrapped the Ghost Nurturing Jar in a thick layer of tree resin, making it difficult to smash even with force. He had also smeared black ash over its surface, making it no different from an ordinary black clay jar. Even if some petty thief were low enough to sneak into the dilapidated shack of a Rogue Cultivator as poor as Wei Suo, they certainly would not pay attention to a broken black clay jar casually stuffed beneath the bed.

"Azure Water Residence is purchasing Seven-Star Fish Bones, three Low-grade Spirit Stones each... The Dharma Candle Shop has Water Arrow Talismans in large quantities..."

Stone notice boards could be seen everywhere in the northern market, plastered with all sorts of information. Some of these trade notices were extremely useful to low-tier Rogue Cultivators like Wei Suo. But today, Wei Suo did not look at the notices at all. He walked straight into a small shop named Carefree Workshop.

No matter what information it was, the speed at which it could earn Spirit Stones definitely could not compare to Wei Suo hunting Fire Scorpions and refining Fireball Talismans himself. Wei Suo sometimes lacked patience, but he had managed to keep living in Lingyue City these past few years without any backing. Apart from being fairly quick-witted, the most important reason was that he feared death... Thus, he was generally extremely careful in whatever he did. Whenever he went out to kill demonic beasts, he made ample preparations. Naturally, this trip to hunt Fire Scorpions was no exception.

"Wei Suo, you're here." The moment he entered, the owner of Carefree Workshop noticed him and came over with a cheerful smile.

Old fox. The moment Wei Suo saw the shop owner smiling as he approached, he cursed inwardly in frustration. The owner was an old man in his fifties named Hu, who wore an earthy yellow robe year-round. His face was so broad that it seemed an old fox could occupy more than half of it. He looked warmly friendly toward every customer, but when it came to business, he showed no mercy even to acquaintances. Wei Suo had known him for several years. Even the Azure Water Blade Wei Suo currently knew had been bought from him. Yet after all these years, Wei Suo had not gained the slightest advantage from him. That was why Wei Suo had always called him Old Fox.