Procurement Perks

Yuan Guang County's streets.

Zou Feng was not unfamiliar with the area around the Yang Estate.

Though he was a servant of the Yang Estate, he was not forbidden from leaving the estate during his free time.

Yuan Guang County was quite prosperous. Except on rainy days, the streets were bustling with people almost every day, filled with the ceaseless cries of hawkers.

It presented a flourishing scene straight out of ancient times.

But Zou Feng knew perfectly well that this was merely a surface appearance.

After asking for directions, Zou Feng headed straight to an herbal shop that did business with the Yang Estate.

After he produced his token, the shopkeeper personally came out to receive him.

"Could you be Master Luo's newly accepted apprentice?" The shopkeeper's surname was Sun, and his smile was remarkably affable.

Zou Feng cupped his hands in greeting. "Greetings, Shopkeeper Sun. The estate is short on quite a few medicinal herbs, so I'll have to trouble you to prepare and deliver them as soon as possible."

As he spoke, Zou Feng handed Shopkeeper Sun the list Luo Yong had given him.

"Of course, of course!"

Shopkeeper Sun took the list, glanced it over, then immediately called out for the shop assistants to prepare the goods.

In less than a quarter of an hour, a large pile of weighed medicinal herbs had been placed before Zou Feng.

Once Zou Feng verified that everything was correct, the assistants would pack them on the spot and deliver them to the Yang Estate.

And the inspection was the main event of Zou Feng's trip...

He inspected everything carefully, picking up every herb to smell it and even taste it.

Seeing this, Shopkeeper Sun could not help but laugh. "Young Brother Zou, you worry too much. We've worked with the Yang Estate for many years. We would never pass off inferior goods as quality wares, nor short you on weight!"

Zou Feng did not answer. Instead, he picked up a root-like medicinal herb first. "Shopkeeper Sun, this Cinnamon-Scented Root seems a little faint in scent. Could it be that it has not grown long enough?"

The Herbal Compendium recorded that Cinnamon-Scented Root needed at least one full year of growth before it could be used as medicine.

If it was underaged, its fragrance would lack that nose-stinging sharpness, and its efficacy would be greatly reduced.

Shopkeeper Sun frowned slightly at that and hurried over.

"That shouldn't be the case, Young Brother Zou. Take another careful sniff!"

At the same time, a small cloth pouch was quietly placed in Zou Feng's hand.

Zou Feng coughed lightly and slipped the pouch into his pocket without changing expression.

Then he smelled the Cinnamon-Scented Root again.

"Mhm, mhm, that's the scent. I caught a bit of a cold recently, so my nose hasn't been working too well. Please forgive the laugh, Shopkeeper Sun."

Seeing that Zou Feng understood the arrangement, Shopkeeper Sun secretly breathed a sigh of relief and smiled even more brightly. "No matter, no matter. As long as there's no problem!"

This was one of the perks of procurement.

But he definitely could not keep it all for himself. He would have to honestly hand it over to Luo Yong first.

Zou Feng was certain that Luo Yong's failure to explain this beforehand had been a test for him.

After leaving the herbal shop, Zou Feng was about to head to the next procurement point when he noticed several rough-looking hoodlums at the mouth of a nearby alley sizing him up.

That was perfectly normal. He was an unfamiliar face and looked thin and weak.

But there was no need to panic. Even if those local thugs really latched onto him, all he had to do was reveal that he was a servant of the Yang Estate, and they would not dare act recklessly.

Still, Zou Feng happened to want to ask these local hoodlums about some information he needed.

So in the next moment, Zou Feng took the initiative and walked into the secluded alley, deliberately giving the hoodlums an opportunity.

His Five Poisons Palm had already reached the stage of "some small success." If he could not even intimidate a few hoodlums, he might as well find a block of tofu and bash his head into it.

Yet unexpectedly, after hesitating for a moment, the hoodlums did not follow him in.

Zou Feng turned back to look at their expressions. Every one of them looked suspicious and jumpy, as though they suspected a trap.

These gangsters should have been brainless, so why were they being exceptionally cautious?

Left with no choice, Zou Feng returned to the alley entrance and struck up a conversation. "Brothers, could I ask about something?"

"Easy enough. If it's something we know, young sir, ask away."

The leading thug had a scarred face and looked fierce as a demon, yet he was extremely friendly at the moment.

"I left Yuan Guang County for some time before this. I wonder whether the night market still has those rare goods these days?"

Zou Feng had asked indirectly, but he was certain these hoodlums would understand.

What he truly meant was obviously not an ordinary night market, but the Ghost Market.

The Ghost Market was a place established by local gangs specifically for trading contraband.

It did not remain in one fixed location and changed places frequently.

It generally opened in the dead of night, and most visitors came in disguise. All manner of fish and dragons mingled there.

Most of the goods bought and sold within were things that could not see the light of day, which was how the Ghost Market got its name.

When the older servants of the Yang Estate chatted idly, they often mentioned this Ghost Market.

Zou Feng was asking about the Ghost Market now because he wanted to prepare in advance. If necessary in the future, he could try his luck there and see whether he could buy another manual of an evil art.

After all, the Five Poisons Palm was powerful in ambushes and sneak attacks, but it ultimately lacked the ability to fight head-on. Knowing only this one martial art had always left Zou Feng uneasy.

Moreover, the Five Poisons Palm itself was merely a low-grade evil art.

According to the notes in that manual, it might not even be capable of cultivating inner qi and allowing one to enter the ranks of martial arts...

Almost everyone in the Great Yan Dynasty practiced martial arts, but the widely circulated and easily obtained techniques could only strengthen the body.

Put plainly, they did not even qualify as proper martial arts. Trying to enter the martial ranks with such techniques was no different from dreaming in broad daylight.

Evil arts took crooked shortcuts, and most of them damaged one's virtue and morality, so they were naturally contraband.

At least in Yuan Guang County, the Ghost Market was the only way Zou Feng knew of to obtain them.

As for where the money to buy evil arts would come from?

He would not have dared to dream of it before, but now that he had landed this cushy procurement post, the future was naturally promising.

Hearing this, the scar-faced man's smile did not change. "Yes, yes. Especially at the night market over by East River Mouth. Quite a few vendors sell excellent, lively merchandise there."

"Many thanks!"

Zou Feng cupped his fists and left directly without hesitation.

The Ghost Market was currently located at East River Mouth?

Of course, he would not believe it completely. He would only treat it as a lead for now.

He still needed some time to save enough money anyway. He could slowly find opportunities to verify it.

"Boss, that kid smells all fragrant. Could he be one of those rabbit boys?"

Behind the scar-faced man, one of his underlings could not help stepping forward and saying so.

"Keep your voice down!"

The scar-faced man lowered his voice and snapped, "Do you know why I stopped you earlier and didn't let you go borrow money from him?"

"It's because when that man first passed by, I caught a faint fragrance on him. Something wasn't right!"

"Just remember this: if you see that man again in the future, stay far away from him!"

Though he could not be sure what that scent truly meant, in times like these, anyone who could become the leader of street thugs and still had not been beaten to death naturally possessed an extraordinary sixth sense...

Though Zou Feng had already left and did not hear this exchange, he too was wondering why those thugs had been wary of him.

Could someone have caught the scent on his hands and become suspicious?

In truth, ever since his Five Poisons Palm had reached some small success, the smell had already faded considerably.

But there would always be people with exceptionally sharp noses.

He still had to keep practicing. Once he reached the next stage, there should be no scent as long as he did not circulate his technique!