Old Ginseng

[Library Points: 1242]

Jiang Ding glanced at his phone.

After adding animal specimens as an option, specimen collection had accelerated again. Every day, he received hundreds or even thousands of specimens, with unknown plants and animals accounting for roughly one or two out of every ten.

At this rate, I'll have ten thousand points saved up in two or three months. Jiang Ding felt a faint surge of joy.

Ten thousand Library Points could allow the Central Array-Spirit Computer to tailor a cultivation method specifically for him, greatly increasing a cultivator's compatibility with a particular method and improving cultivation speed.

Of course, ten thousand points only covered cultivation methods at the Foundation Establishment realm and below, and there were also restrictions on the method's grade.

At most three months. Should I deduce the Fledgling Eagle Takes Flight Sword Art, or the Great Sun Seed-Sword Tempering Art? Jiang Ding hesitated.

The Fledgling Eagle Takes Flight Sword Art had already reached minor mastery and improved every day. Spending ten thousand points on it seemed rather wasteful.

But while the Great Sun Seed-Sword Tempering Art was certainly good, its required materials were far too precious. Whether the Heavenly Sound Stone seized by the Golden Saber Sect was truly the legendary Grand Pure Divine Iron was still uncertain.

"We'll see when the time comes."

Jiang Ding sighed and rested a hand on his sword hilt.

"Greetings, boss!"

"Boss!"

In the front courtyard, which he had not visited in quite some time, the busy clerks and shopkeepers rose to greet him. Jiang Ding waved them off and casually found a corner seat.

The shop had been open for more than half a month, and its reputation had gradually spread. Many people nearby knew that an eccentric owner had arrived on Rotten Plank Street, buying flowers, grasses, birds, insects, and more—but only one of each kind, never duplicates.

Including Huang Deyou and Han Lin, there were four people in the shop in total, receiving passing herb gatherers, mountain folk, and children and women from the city who had heard of the place by chance.

"You wanted vine snakes and toadwort yesterday, so why won't you take them now? Was all my hard work for nothing?! Huh?!"

A weather-beaten herb gatherer slammed the counter and roared in fury.

The young clerk Han Lin shrank back.

"Old Li, our shop established this rule long ago. First come, first served." Huang Deyou hurried over. With a faintly haughty manner, he soothed and pressured the herb gatherer in equal measure until the man's anger faded and he left with an apologetic smile.

Soon, another mountain villager was rejected because an insect the size of a finger had a tiny leg broken off. The man began making a scene, and Huang Deyou went over to deal with him as well.

Jiang Ding watched carefully and discovered that Huang Deyou did not always carry himself so arrogantly.

When faced with relatives of a suspected minor leader of the Wild Wolf Gang, or some constable's distant relative, his attitude became much gentler. Even if their goods failed inspection, he would give them a few coins for tea from the "special expenses" account, speaking kindly all the while.

No matter who he encountered, he could always guide them into following his lead and ensure the business continued as normal.

"Impressive..."

Jiang Ding secretly marveled.

"If Huang Deyou and I were placed in a world without spiritual energy, he would probably live better than I would—far better."

Four Seas Chamber of Commerce.

A maid led Jiang Ding into a private room on the second floor. Tea steamed gently, its fragrance filling the air, only to be filtered through a thin membrane of true qi before his nose.

It was not some cultivation method or martial skill. Compared with other mortal internal arts, the Fledgling Eagle Takes Flight Sword Art inherently granted extraordinarily fine control, as though it were instinct—making him, in a sense, immune to all poisons.

"Young Master Jiang's presence brings great honor to this humble place." Long San hurried over with a smile from far away.

"Manager Long is too polite."

Jiang Ding gave a slight bow.

After the customary exchange of pleasantries, Jiang Ding did not waste words. He took out a box containing seven artificial luminous pearls, each the size of a thumb, whose glow could last for more than a century.

In a technologically backward world, they possessed immense value as luxury goods.

"Manager Long, how much are they worth?"

Long San was startled.

Pearls again?

Had this lord raided the nest of some river-clam spirit? Otherwise, where could he have obtained so many glowing pearls?

"This..."

Long San looked hesitant.

"What, does the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce not accept them?" Jiang Ding asked with a smile.

"Of course we do. Young Master's goods are simply too precious, and I was momentarily distracted." Long San steadied himself. "Young Master and I have been through hardship together, so I'll ask directly."

"Will you be selling more of these in the future? Perhaps you do not know, but if there are too many, the price will fall somewhat."

That did not sound much like something a merchant would say. It was too honest.

Yet Long San was confident that the man before him would not deceive him, at least not over a bit of silver.

After considering it for a moment, Jiang Ding answered.

"Yes."

As an effective medium of exchange, he could not be bothered to change it. Still, he would not flood a single place with them and diminish their value too greatly.

"Then how about seven hundred taels per pearl?"

Long San considered it before speaking.

"Fine. Exchange as much as possible for old ginseng."

After leaving the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce, Jiang Ding weighed the bundle of ginseng boxes tied together in his hand and wrapped in black cloth.

There was one ninety-year-old ginseng root, three seventy-year-old roots, seven fifty-year-old roots, and twelve more that were twenty or thirty years old. They cost a total of two thousand two hundred taels of silver, while the remaining two thousand seven hundred taels in banknotes rested in his clothes.

He had practically bought out the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce's stock of old ginseng. They would be unable to restock for at least half a year.

"This should at least sustain a month of high-intensity training..."

Jiang Ding thought silently as he walked back toward Rotten Plank Street, ignoring the occasional martial-arts marriage contest, monkey show, acrobatics, temple fair, and the like.

He already felt that his current life was very good.

Over the past month, he had only gone out twice. He never left without cause, never got involved in any trouble, and cultivated in peace.

It was not as though he had no way to obtain better aged herbs. He even had methods to acquire hundred-year-old ginseng, which normally circulated only among major powers.

He could simply gather it in Eastspirit Mountain. Even if fierce beasts guarded it, and even with drones monitoring the surrounding area and searching in every direction, it was not impossible for him to obtain some.

It was just too dangerous. He did not want to go.

Jiang Ding halted, his brows furrowing.

"No wonder the books say order is generally chaotic in worlds beyond the realm."

"This is a city governed by capable officials who hold military authority. It's broad daylight—what are they trying to do?"

From the drone's perspective,

three people in different disguises—a beggar, a merchant, and a peddler—had followed him all the way. They begged and hawked wares normally along the street, yet kept glancing in his direction from the corners of their eyes. They were extremely professional.

If not for the drone, he would never have noticed them.

"So this is what they call jianghu experience."

Jiang Ding's expression turned slightly cold. He silently memorized the movements those three had made, intending to review the recordings later and study them carefully.

Drones were not omnipotent either. If he encountered a Foundation Establishment cultivator or a Qi Refinement cultivator who cultivated ocular arts, they would be able to see a drone hovering a thousand meters overhead.

If he could not obtain more advanced drones in the future, he would have to rely entirely on himself.

With a cold smile, Jiang Ding walked into Rotten Plank Street as usual and returned to his shop on his own.

The three men did not stop him. After repeatedly confirming the address, they exchanged glances, wound through several streets, and entered the rear courtyard of a magnificent estate in the eastern part of the city.