.. At that moment, the Heavenly Fox Egg nestled in Chu Yun's arms was quietly radiating warmth. It was an exceptional Demon Beast egg. Exceptional eggs, however, often had their spiritual essence deeply concealed, their radiance drawn in tight. To ordinary eyes, they looked much like mid-grade eggs; some even looked worse than low-grade ones.
Thus, a new branch of the Spirit Beast Masters had emerged: Egg Appraisers. It was an industry of outrageous profits—three years without a sale, then enough to live on for the next three.
Chu Yun was no Egg Appraiser, but in his previous life, this very Heavenly Fox Egg had been the foundation of his rise. He had gone on to become a renowned Relic Explorer, specializing in seeking out immortal abodes, treasure vaults, pirate hoards, emperors' tombs, and the collections of peerless experts hidden across the world.
He knew this Demon Beast egg, knew the Heavenly Fox, as well as he knew himself. To him, this egg was no longer merely the cornerstone of his rise. It was family. It was a comrade in arms. In his previous life, the Heavenly Fox that hatched from it had accompanied him through countless trials and tribulations, until it died protecting him on an expedition.
Chu Yun carried too many regrets about that Heavenly Fox.
When he'd first incubated the egg, he had been young and inexperienced. Then Lady Shu had sabotaged him, leaving the Heavenly Fox weak from birth and severely limiting its future achievements.
Chu Yun had bitterly regretted it more than once.
In this life, I won't waste time regretting things. In this life, I'll make up for every last regret! A cry rang out in his heart. Chu Yun quietly clenched his fists and followed the beach into Salty Salt Fishing Village.
Salty Salt Fishing Village lay on the eastern shore of Shu Family Island. To the north of the village stretched a vast, flat expanse of salt flats. A fine deepwater harbor lay to the east, while a large, natural Copper Bell Coconut Forest grew to the south.
Its prime location, abundant resources, and convenient transport had made Salty Salt Fishing Village the largest gathering and distribution center for raw materials on Shu Family Island. It was the island's most prosperous area after Shu Family City.
After leaving Shu Family City, Chu Yun had settled here. Thanks to his keen eye and the memories and experience he'd brought back from his rebirth, he'd seized several opportunities to buy and sell goods. He couldn't say he'd made a killing, but he had at least found his footing. Unlike those pampered young masters, he could support himself without any trouble.
The closer he came to Salty Salt Fishing Village, the clearer the noisy din grew. Just as he'd expected, today was the monthly market day.
The bustling crowds, shops with their doors thrown wide, and all manner of roadside stalls displayed hundreds of different raw materials, enough to dazzle the eyes.
Near the village entrance, Chu Yun stopped to tuck the egg more securely into his arms. The people of Shu Family Island were rugged yet honest; pickpockets and thieves were almost unheard of. And Chu Yun had the memories and experience of his past life to rely on. Still, he was mature beyond his thirteen years, and believed it was better to be safe than sorry. A little caution never hurt.
He entered the village, and his slender, handsome figure was quickly swallowed by the crowd.
"Tianbao Shop?" After walking for a while, Chu Yun came to a shop. A thought struck him, and he slowed to a stop. After a moment's consideration, he stepped inside.
The shop was spacious, one of the largest in the fishing village, and bustling with customers. A long row of counters lined the right side, their reddish-brown lacquer and tung oil giving them a refined look. On the left stood a large square table, where one shop assistant was bent over a brush, recording figures, while two others hurried to receive goods.
A crowd of villagers had gathered nearby, men and women alike, almost all clutching sacks of various sizes. They clamored loudly, plainly hoping to sell their raw materials for a good price.
After overhearing a few words, Chu Yun could tell these villagers were no match for the shop assistants. They were loud, but their knowledge was limited. Keeping his expression neutral, he walked to the counter on the right.
A shop assistant immediately trotted over. He wore a white vest with his arms bare, and looked at Chu Yun with a broad smile. "What can I get for you, young master? I won't make the wild claim that we have everything, but we do have the widest selection for a hundred miles around. Our prices are fair, and we treat young and old alike."
Chu Yun glanced at him and asked casually, "Do you have any Fire Copper Wood? Let me take a look."
"So you're looking to hatch a Demon Beast egg, young master!" The assistant was sharp-eyed and shrewd. Seeing Chu Yun's bulging arms, he had guessed his purpose almost exactly. His enthusiasm shot up at once; anything involving Demon Beast materials was bound to fetch a fine price.
He quickly rummaged through the display cabinet behind him and pulled out a box of Fire Copper Wood, setting it in front of Chu Yun. His hands flew as he praised it to the skies, claiming it was one of a kind in all the world. Anyone who didn't recognize its worth, he implied, was the biggest fool alive.
Chu Yun reached out with his fair fingers and picked up a piece, examining it casually. Drawing on his past-life experience, he immediately saw that the wood was only of middling-to-poor quality. It also seemed to have been stored for a long time and had absorbed dampness; most of its fire energy had already dissipated.
He didn't call it out. He simply set the Fire Copper Wood down and asked the prices of Fire Crystal, Bitter Fragrant Tea Oil, and a few other things. All of them were used in hatching Demon Beast eggs. The assistant grew so delighted that his eyebrows danced, convinced he had landed a major sale. He had no idea that Chu Yun was so short of money he couldn't even afford half a pound of Fire Copper Wood.
"Shop assistant, how much are those Mountain Chopping Blades on the wall?" Chu Yun suddenly changed the subject.
"Oh, those blades? Cheap! Eight Earth-Fiend Stone Coins apiece." The assistant answered casually, not suspecting a thing.
"And how much for this Fragrant Locust Wood Stick?"
"Five Earth-Fiend Stone Coins." The assistant held up a hand, spreading all five fingers wide.
"What about Iron Vine Hemp Rope?"
"One Earth-Fiend Stone Coin per zhang."
Chu Yun frowned and muttered, "That's expensive. I'll need five zhang of Iron Vine Hemp Rope..." It was true; these items cost a little more than they did elsewhere. But he could also tell they were premium goods, and he was tempted. They would help with his plans, too.
"Young master, you don't understand. These are top-quality goods. Look how bright the blade is, and how sturdy this rope is..." The assistant flicked the blade with a finger, then grabbed a length of rope and yanked it hard. He prattled on without stopping, spittle flying, while watching Chu Yun's every move and expression. When he noticed Chu Yun's impatience, his heart tightened.
Then he lowered his voice. "All right, young master, I feel we've hit it off. You can have the lot for fifteen Earth-Fiend Stone Coins!"
"One coin. The extra bit is a nuisance."
The assistant's eyes widened. His face turned plaintive, but his reply was decisive. "Th-this is a small business. We barely make a few coins as it is. Young master, that offer is far too harsh."
Chu Yun said nothing and turned to leave.
"Y-young master..." The assistant hurriedly called after him, but Chu Yun didn't look back as he walked straight out of Tianbao Shop.
When the assistant chased him outside, he caught a glimpse of Chu Yun's back disappearing into the crowd.
"Ah, I'm such a thickheaded fool! What a mistake!" The assistant gritted his teeth and smacked himself hard on the forehead. Then he stood at the entrance, looking around for a long while. Only after he was sure Chu Yun had no intention of coming back did he turn around, crestfallen.
Walking through the crowd, Chu Yun wore a bitter smile.
Being a Spirit Beast Master required both talent and a vast fortune. He had three Earth-Fiend Stone Coins in his arms, enough to support an ordinary family for over a month. But if he spent them on materials related to Spirit Beast Mastery, they wouldn't even buy half a pound of ordinary Fire Copper Wood.
Chu Yun was poor. Very poor. Desperately poor.
If he relied solely on his own finances, he couldn't even take the first step toward hatching a Demon Beast egg.
Hatching a Demon Beast egg was a complicated, tedious, and exceptionally important undertaking. It required buying many materials and preparing all sorts of things.
"If Grandpa Red Spear and the others hadn't helped me in my previous life, I wouldn't even have managed to hatch the Heavenly Fox. I hate feeling this helpless. Sigh..." Chu Yun let out a deep breath and clenched his fists without realizing it.
"Chu Yun! Chu Yun!" Amid the clamor of the crowd, a booming voice suddenly rang in Chu Yun's ears.
Chu Yun turned toward the voice and saw a tall, thin old man, still spry and sharp-eyed, standing at the entrance of a salt shop across the crowd. He was waving Chu Yun over.
A warm smile appeared on Chu Yun's face. He threaded his way through the people and strode up to greet the old man. "Hello, Grandpa Red Spear."
Old Red Spear laughed heartily and patted his shoulder. A hint of delight crossed his face as he asked in a rush, "You've picked out an egg, then, kiddo? What is it? Take it out and let this old man have a look."
Chu Yun was touched. He knew the old man's concern was sincere, just as it had been in his previous life, so he took the Heavenly Fox Egg from his arms.
Disappointment flashed in Old Red Spear's eyes, but vanished almost at once. "A Fire Fox egg. That's a very fine Demon Beast egg. Hmm, do you know how to hatch a Demon Beast egg, kiddo?"
A smile spread across Chu Yun's lips. With quiet confidence, he described every detail of how to prepare for hatching a Demon Beast egg, what to watch for during the process, and the work to be done afterward. At the end, a thought struck him, and he added something he hadn't said in his previous life. "Don't worry, Grandpa Red Spear. I know what I'm doing."
Old Red Spear was moved. He had been waiting outside the shop for a long time, hoping to catch Chu Yun. When he'd seen the boy hang his head and sigh, his heart had softened, and he'd hurried to call him over. Now, after their exchange, the boy hadn't mentioned his own predicament at all. Instead, he'd comforted the old man and told him not to worry.
That bearing, that maturity...
As he reflected, Old Red Spear chided him. "You're not being honest, kiddo, and you're still telling me not to worry. Tell me, have you prepared the hatching materials? Don't you dare lie and say you have, or I'll search you myself!"
Seeing Old Red Spear staring at him just as he had in his previous life, his gaze bearing down on him, Chu Yun could only scratch his head and offer a bitter smile. "I haven't prepared everything yet, but I'm sure I can manage."
"You little rascal, you're just as stubborn as your old man." Old Red Spear wasn't angry. Instead, he burst out laughing. He was a retired soldier from Shu Family Island and had once fought on the battlefield alongside Chu Yun's adoptive father. Deep down, he held Chu Yun's adoptive father in the highest regard.
"Come with me." Just as he had in his previous life, Old Red Spear led Chu Yun to the back door of the shop. He took a pouch from his arms and handed it to Chu Yun. "Hold on to this. The street's crowded."
Chu Yun's heart warmed. Though he knew what was inside, he still asked, "Grandpa Red Spear, what's in here?"
Unlike in his previous life, Old Red Spear didn't try to keep it a secret. Instead, he smiled and said, "Open it and take a look. If you recognize it right away, I'll give you another pouch of Earth-Fiend Stone Coins."
Chu Yun opened the pouch and glanced inside. He immediately exclaimed, "Snow Sand!"