Big City

Soul Hunting Town's trading market.

It was midday. Vendors busily put up colorful awnings, and cries of hawking rose and fell one after another.

Zhou Qiubai headed toward the materials shop he frequented.

When the old man saw Zhou Qiubai, he pushed up his glasses and asked with a chuckle, "Oh? What good goods have you brought this time?"

Zhou Qiubai placed the items in his hands on the counter one by one.

The old man picked up a piece of Ice Feather Swan hide, carefully felt it, then held it close to the light for a thorough inspection. "Mm, the hide is intact, and the lingering ice attribute is strong. Good quality. Eighty Gold Soul Coins for this hide."

"One hundred," Zhou Qiubai quoted.

"Eighty-five." The old man haggled without hesitation.

"Ninety-five."

"Ninety. I can't go any higher." The old man shook his head, his tone helpless. "The hide is good, but the ice attribute is too strong. It's troublesome to process, so I'll have to hire someone specifically for it."

After thinking for a moment, Zhou Qiubai nodded slightly. "Fine, then we have a deal."

The old man carefully inspected the Spirit Beast bones as well and offered thirty Gold Soul Coins. Finally, he picked up a bottle of Bamboo King Sap, pulled out the stopper, and gave it a light sniff.

"This is..." The old man's gaze abruptly changed, his face filling with astonishment. "The essence fluid of a plant-type Spirit Beast? Its age isn't low."

"Millennium Bamboo King," Zhou Qiubai said, a trace of pride on his face.

The old man's hand trembled, and he nearly dropped the bottle.

Over the years, the things Zhou Qiubai brought him had mostly been from hundred-year Spirit Beasts. Sometimes there were also hides from thousand-year Spirit Beasts, but those hides themselves were not worth much.

But this item was a little too hot to handle!

He immediately set the bottle back on the counter with the utmost care and reevaluated Zhou Qiubai, a trace of disbelief in his eyes. "You killed it?"

"Found it," Zhou Qiubai answered blandly.

"..." The old man clearly did not believe him, but he did not press the matter. He merely sighed. "This thing... I can't buy it."

"Why?" Zhou Qiubai was somewhat puzzled.

"I can't afford it." The old man shook his head helplessly. "The essence fluid of a thousand-year Spirit Beast—even if my little shop bought it, I couldn't sell it. Those who can afford it wouldn't think much of a place like mine, while those who would shop here can't afford it."

Zhou Qiubai frowned. "Then where should I sell it?"

"Go to a big city," the old man advised. "Suotuo City, or Heaven Dou City. They have dedicated auction houses there. Once this goes onto the auction block, it can fetch at least eight hundred Gold Soul Coins."

Eight hundred...

Zhou Qiubai calculated quickly in his heart.

Including the money from selling the materials just now, he had a total of one hundred and twenty Gold Soul Coins.

Then there were the travel expenses to Suotuo City, lodging, and the costs of future medicinal baths...

Not enough.

Still, eight hundred was eight hundred.

Eight hundred had accomplished plenty throughout history. Adding him to the list would not make much difference.

After thinking it over, he took another small bottle from his pocket.

He had actually diluted the previous bottle with water.

"What about this one?" he asked.

The old man opened the stopper and sniffed it. His face instantly went pale, and he hurriedly sealed it again. "My ancestor, put this thing away! That aura... If you expose it here, your little life won't be safe!"

Zhou Qiubai was a regular here. The old man's son and daughter-in-law had both died on the road while helping others hunt Spirit Beasts, leaving behind no descendants. Over the years, the old man had come to regard Zhou Qiubai as half a son.

Zhou Qiubai put the bottle away. "Then how much is this worth?"

"How much?" The old man lowered his voice, as though he had been frightened. "This can extend one's lifespan and temper the body! To those Soul Ancestors or Soul Kings stuck at a bottleneck, this is hope for a breakthrough! How much do you think it's worth?"

"There has to be a figure," Zhou Qiubai insisted.

The old man fell silent for a moment, then held up three fingers. "Three thousand. At least three thousand Gold Soul Coins. But I suggest you don't sell it. Keep it for yourself, or sell it later when you urgently need money."

Zhou Qiubai nodded and put away the diluted Bamboo King Sap as well.

It seemed this stuff could not be turned into money for the time being.

He put away the money from selling the materials and was about to leave when the old man suddenly called out to him. "Little Zhou."

"Mm?" Zhou Qiubai turned back.

"Planning to head into the city?" The old man was half concerned and half curious.

Zhou Qiubai raised a brow. "How did you know?"

"I could tell from your expression." The old man pushed up his glasses. "Young people like you can't stay in small places. There's a Great Soul Arena in the city, a good place to make a name for yourself, but..."

He paused, and his tone turned serious. "The waters in the city run deep. Spirit Hall, sects, nobles—their forces are intertwined. If you go alone, be careful."

A smile tugged at Zhou Qiubai's lips. "Thanks."

With that, he turned and left.

The old man watched his departing figure, shook his head, and muttered to himself, "Young people these days are bolder than the last. But that's fine. This world would be boring if it were too peaceful."

After leaving the materials shop, Zhou Qiubai stopped by a pharmacy and bought some supplementary ingredients for preparing medicinal baths.

After spending thirty Gold Soul Coins, he had ninety left.

It was not much, but it was enough.

Carrying the herbs back, he passed a weapons shop and could not help slowing to a stop.

In the shop window, a row of scabbards was displayed neatly, varying in color and material.

Zhou Qiubai looked them over carefully before his gaze finally settled on a plain black scabbard.

It was made from some sort of beast hide, with no ornate decorations whatsoever. Only a circle of dark silver metal lined the mouth of the scabbard, and its craftsmanship was sturdy.

There was no need to think about it. It had to be Spirit Beast hide.

In Soul Hunting Town, there was no shortage of things related to Spirit Beasts.

Zhou Qiubai entered the shop and pointed to the scabbard. "How much for this?"

The shopkeeper was a burly man, intently polishing a blade without even lifting his head. "Twenty Gold Soul Coins."

"Ten."

"Fifteen."

"Twelve."

"Deal."

Damn, he started too high.

Zhou Qiubai could only pay and take the scabbard away.

It was light in his hand, the hide soft yet exceptionally tough. He tried drawing the White Clothes Sword and easily slid it into the scabbard—

"Clang."

The blade slid in, fitting perfectly.

The lining inside the scabbard seemed to be some sort of velvet cloth, effectively preventing wear on the blade.

Zhou Qiubai nodded in satisfaction and fastened the scabbard to his waist. The White Clothes Sword naturally rested within it, its hilt facing right and its blade hanging diagonally downward.

This way, when drawing his sword, all he needed was a light flick of his wrist, and the blade would follow the motion out, saving him the trouble of unfastening the scabbard.

Faster, and more discreet.

He left the weapons shop with satisfaction, planning his next steps.

First, he would go to Suotuo City, exchange this for some money, and take a look at the Great Soul Arena...

The corners of Zhou Qiubai's mouth lifted slightly as a trace of anticipation welled up within him.

He truly wanted to know just how much power those martial arts once hailed as legendary could exert in this world where Soul Power reigned supreme.

Of course, before that, he had to bring himself into peak condition.

Medicinal baths, sword practice, adapting to his new soul skill.

And...

Familiarizing himself with the White Clothes Sword.

Then, clad in white, he would step into the martial world!