Hua Yunfei [Requesting Monthly Tickets, Investment]

Nannan sat atop Jiang Ming's broad shoulders, her arched brows delicate, her eyes clear and brimming with spiritual energy as she curiously surveyed everything around her.

Jiang Ming first took Nannan to buy a beautiful set of clothes. Flame City was home to many Rogue Cultivators, and Rogue Cultivators had children too. There was a full assortment of children's clothing, every piece exquisite and lovely.

For low-level cultivators, they might possess spiritual herbs over a hundred years old, but they did not have any "Source." It seemed that the "Source" of this world was more precious than even the magical artifacts refined by some low-level cultivators.

Or perhaps, the moment they obtained "Source," they would hide away and refine it to raise their cultivation.

Other than the Pure Source the size of a brick that the system had rewarded him for killing several Divine Bridge cultivators, Jiang Ming had gained nothing else.

Jiang Ming welcomed the system's habit of treating him like some nouveau riche.

But he still did things the way he ought to.

If he encountered someone courting death, he did not mind earning some system rewards, but he would never take the initiative to hunt cultivators.

Even though he really was poor!

Then, he looked at the cultivators setting up stalls nearby and the shops lining both sides of the street.

Jiang Ming finally understood what he needed to do.

First, he would dispose of the pile of scrap-metal magical artifacts on him. Those things were utterly useless to him.

As for his Life-Bound Sword, after devouring a basin-sized chunk of Purple Copper and a bowl-sized piece of Light Stone, it stopped devouring anything further.

It had already reached the very peak of Supreme Spirit Artifacts. What it devoured was the essence of swords, and for now, it was full.

Gathered Worthies Tower!

The name sounded good. This would do.

Jiang Ming entered the shop with Nannan. It was a three-story pavilion, and the moment they entered, they saw many Rogue Cultivators like themselves coming and going, all searching for what they wanted.

Arriving before a counter, he said, "Amitabha. Sorry for the disturbance. Do you purchase magical artifacts here?"

The woman behind the counter was quite pretty, a Sea of Bitterness cultivator in her twenties. She immediately took out a communication jade talisman, activated it, and spoke a few words. Soon, a woman in a red dress approached, swaying gracefully, like a passionate, blooming rose.

A monk accompanied by a little girl as delicate as carved jade was quite an unusual combination.

If the monk Jiang Ming had transformed into, Sanzang, had not looked tall and brawny despite his young age, some might even have found it strange that they were father and daughter, assuming he was a lecherous monk.

"Master, please follow me. This way."

The woman called out to him, then turned and led the way ahead, her slender waist swaying with every graceful step.

She knew about Jiang Ming. From the moment he entered the city, every move he made had been reported here.

Gathered Worthies Tower was one of Taixuan Sect's businesses.

It was one of the largest shops in the city. No matter what good things Rogue Cultivators acquired, they could trade them here. Gathered Worthies Tower had an excellent reputation, fair prices, and never deceived young or old.

For valuable transactions, it even guaranteed that customers would not be harmed within the city, granting them a temporary Taixuan Sect identity jade token.

After arriving at a private tea room, where tea had already been prepared, the woman knelt down. Her posture outlined the mature curves of a ripe peach as she elegantly poured tea for Jiang Ming and Nannan.

This kneeling etiquette had existed since the pre-Qin era. This world itself seemed like an ascension ground for ancient pre-Qin Qi Refiners. Jiang Ming had long noticed that many cultural traits resembled those of ancient Earth from his life before last.

Jiang Ming had no interest in chatting slowly. He glanced around the spacious room, which contained Formation Patterns. Mist curled behind them, while birds sang amid fragrant blossoms. It looked like a courtyard, covering an area as large as a football field.

Then, with a lift of his hand, more than thirty weapons, each the size of a soybean, appeared in his palm, contained within his Buddhland in the Palm.

A soft, brilliant golden Buddhist realm flowed across his palm. It was authentic Buddhist power, impossible to fake. After all, the monk he had transformed into had been born with the potential of a Buddhist Child, possessed two types of primordial Dao Patterns, and had even attended the Immortal King of Purple Bamboo Grove's lectures during Immortal Antiquity.

Jiang Ming remembered that in the original plot, Shi Hao dreamed himself back to Immortal Antiquity and made several friends. It was probably around that time.

However, by then, the Zhu Yan from whom Jiang Ming had received his inheritance—the Red-Buttock Divine Ape—had already reached Supreme cultivation.

The final scene of heaven and earth collapsing, with the sun, moon, and stars falling, remained vividly etched in his memory.

With a wave of Jiang Ming's hand, the weapons drifted lightly onto the ground: a Star-Pattern Iron Bagua Mirror, a small Obsidian Gold shield, a Green Wood Sword, a Purple Cloud Stone Seal, and more.

They were all weapons used by Rogue Cultivators. Their materials were not particularly good; adding a little Star Iron Sand or Purple Copper Sand now and then already made them minor treasures.

The red-skirted female cultivator possessed Life Spring cultivation, yet she could no longer remain calm. Her small mouth parted slightly. She had spotted more than twenty magical artifacts refined by Life Spring cultivators.

Jiang Ming felt that ever since he had become so poor that he could only trade Purple Copper beans he had cut off for spiritual herbs, things had become rather dull. The main force trying to rob him consisted of Life Spring cultivators.

There were Divine Bridge cultivators as well, but not many.

As for the occasional Sea of Bitterness cultivators mixed in, there were indeed a few. Sigh, wealth stirred people's hearts. How terrifying was it to have no brains? Sea of Bitterness cultivators already dared to come out and rob people?

Cultivators these days were truly insane.

Fortunately, the red-skirted female cultivator still possessed professional integrity.

She had mainly been stunned by Jiang Ming's Buddhland in the Palm. It was a Buddhist divine ability that existed only in legends. The Western Desert was far from here, and monks rarely came this way—especially monks as young, handsome, and remarkable as Jiang Ming.

Could this little girl be exceptionally gifted and fated with the monks of the Western Desert? Was she going to be abducted to the Western Desert to become a nun?

"Master, may I ask how I should address you? Do you wish to exchange these for Source, or something else?"

The woman in red hurriedly asked in earnest.

"This poor monk's Dharma name is Sanzang.

"I want these three kinds of spiritual herbs. See whether you have them here."

Jiang Ming had long prepared for this. He took three scrolls from his palm, each bearing a painting of a spiritual herb he needed. That was right, he had painted them himself.

There was no sense of time in cultivation, and life in the mountains was far too dreary. In his previous life, Jiang Ming had also painted during his cultivation breaks, cultivating his temperament and tempering his Daoheart.

The red-skirted female cultivator carefully accepted one of the scrolls and gave a slight curtsy. "This little woman is Red-Clad, the first-floor steward of Gathered Worthies Tower."

She unfolded the scroll and examined it carefully before smiling sweetly. "Master Sanzang, we happen to have one Purple Jade Orchid here. It can be traded."

She continued looking, opening the second and third scrolls.

"Master Sanzang, we also have this Daoheart Mushroom and can trade it.

"However, this Blood Pill Ginseng is a precious herb capable of tempering the physique of Dao Palace Realm cultivators. It is also tremendously beneficial for Dao Palace Realm cultivators seeking to open the Liver Divine Treasure.

"You arrived one step too late. This morning, the shop still had five Blood Pill Ginseng plants, but because an important figure within the sect required them, they were all transferred away.

"Even all the Blood Pill Mushrooms in Flame City have now been bought by that important figure."

A trace of regret appeared on Red-Clad's flower-like face as she spoke.

Jiang Ming could not help sighing. Good things truly took time. He had not expected such a situation.

"Actually—"

Red-Clad hesitated.

"Please speak freely."

Jiang Ming said decisively.

"That important figure has an excellent reputation and enjoys making friends. If you visit him at Taixuan Sect, perhaps he will directly gift you a Blood Pill Ginseng."

Red-Clad finally said this.

She felt that the monk Sanzang before her was extraordinary, one of the outstanding figures of the younger generation. That was why she offered the extra suggestion.

"Hua Yunfei."

Red radiance flowed between Jiang Ming's brows as inspiration struck, and he spoke the name.