Purple-Spotted Bamboo Brush

Chapter 37: Purple-Spotted Bamboo Brush (please bookmark)

The shop assistant had thought Wang Yan simply did not have enough Spirit Stones.

"Ah! If you think it's expensive, fellow Daoist, we can discuss the price!" the assistant said with a smile. Seeing Wang Yan remain silent, something clicked in his mind. How old is this kid, anyway? His cultivation can't be very high. How could he have so many Spirit Stones? At that thought, his expression cooled somewhat, and he hurriedly added, "If you can't afford it, young fellow Daoist, we also have the Hundred-Spirit Jade Brush. Its effects aren't as good as the Blue Jadeite Purple Tiger Brush's, but it's still a fine item! Only twenty-five Spirit Stones...!"

The assistant went on with his sales pitch, oblivious.

"That Blue Jadeite Purple Tiger Brush is all looks. It's really just an ordinary array-drawing brush!" Card Fairy warned Wang Yan in his mind. "It's not even as good as the Hundred-Spirit Jade Brush. Listen to him, and you'll get swindled!"

Tsk! This damned place really has traps everywhere! Wang Yan cursed inwardly at her words. He looked at the assistant with displeasure, itching to slap him dead. But he knew this was no place for him to run wild, and he did need an array-drawing brush. Feigning hesitation, he said, "Well! Do you have anything else? Help me pick something out!"

"Huh?" The assistant's expression grew even more unfriendly. His earlier enthusiasm was long gone. He glanced at Wang Yan and cursed inwardly, So he really is a little pauper! Immediately, he said irritably, "Looks like secondhand goods are all you can afford!" With that, he bent down and began rummaging through the counter...

Although Wang Yan's words had seemed directed at the assistant, they had really been meant for Card Fairy, asking her to choose for him. He knew nothing about these array-drawing brushes, after all. Hearing the assistant's response displeased him as well. Telling him to choose secondhand goods was plainly looking down on him... He was just about to speak...

Clatter! The assistant hauled a large tray out from the counter and set it directly before him. An assortment of array-drawing brushes lay scattered haphazardly across it. "These old array-drawing brushes were either used or no longer wanted by cultivators," he said coldly. "Ten Spirit Stones for any one brush. If you still won't buy one, there's nothing cheaper!"

"You!" Wang Yan choked at those words, nearly bursting into curses. Even if the man looked down on him, did he have to act like this? He was about to speak.

"Oh?" Card Fairy suddenly exclaimed in surprise. "Have a look through those. There seems to be something good in there!"

What? Wang Yan froze at her words. Still, he trusted Card Fairy and reached out to rummage through the brushes. None of these array-drawing brushes looked particularly impressive. Some even resembled ordinary mortal writing brushes, and some had badly splayed bristles. They looked like trash among trash...

"Take your time!" Seeing this, the assistant stopped paying Wang Yan any attention. He spoke coldly, plopped down into his seat, and could not even be bothered to stand while serving him.

"Look over to the left!" As Wang Yan rummaged through the array-drawing brushes, Card Fairy guided him in his mind. Hearing that, he naturally shifted his search to the left.

"Not that one!"

"The one with the purple bamboo handle!" As Wang Yan grew impatient, Card Fairy finally clarified.

"This one?!" Wang Yan spotted it at her words and picked it up, sounding doubtful. Its handle was a segment of purple bamboo, mottled with marks and looking very old. The bristles were dingy black and splayed out in a mess like a broom. No matter how he looked at it, it hardly seemed like anything good. Doubt stirred in his heart as he asked, seemingly casually, "Really, this one?"

"There's no mistake! This is good stuff! You little brat, you really are lucky!" Card Fairy exclaimed with exaggerated delight. "That handle is Purple-Spotted Bamboo, an extraordinary material! It's used to refine wood-type magical treasures! If it's ten-thousand-year-old Purple-Spotted Bamboo, hehe... that would be something else!"

"But this tip...!" Wang Yan murmured, touching the messy bristles.

"Don't worry! There's no mistake. I haven't figured out what those bristles are, but with a handle made of Purple-Spotted Bamboo, they can't be anything poor. Naturally, I have a way to fix the splaying!" Card Fairy said insistently, practically itching for Wang Yan to buy the Purple-Spotted Bamboo Brush at once...

"All right! I'll take this one!" After hearing that, Wang Yan spoke in an offhand tone and casually waved the Purple-Spotted Bamboo Brush at the assistant. Without waiting for the man to get a clear look, he put it straight into his Storage Bag. Then he patted the bag, took out ten Spirit Stones, and said in a low voice, "Here are ten Spirit Stones!" He placed them directly on the table.

"All right! Take care!" The assistant suspected nothing. There could hardly be anything good among the array-drawing brushes on that tray; an Artifact Refiner had inspected them all. Any good brushes, or ones with an attractive appearance, acquired from cultivators had been taken away for refurbishing, made to look new, and displayed in the counter for sale. He casually called to Wang Yan, "Come again!" Then he grabbed the ten Spirit Stones, a gleam of greed flashing through his eyes, and muttered, "Hehe, you'd pay ten Spirit Stones for that? Two are mine!" Two Spirit Stones vanished, while the rest went into the drawer beneath the counter... Then he began tidying up the array-drawing brushes on the table...

Little did he know that Wang Yan had just picked up an incredible bargain...

After Wang Yan left the Miscellaneous Goods Shop, the crowd made it a poor place to talk, so he had no time to speak with Card Fairy. He headed straight into the Pill Shop.

The Pill Shop was extraordinarily crowded. Customers actually had to queue to buy pills. Still, there was essentially no bargaining. Everything had a clearly marked price, the same regardless of quantity, and cultivators left once they had made their purchases, so there was little fuss. Wang Yan naturally joined the end of the queue.

But!

"Hm?" Wang Yan spotted a familiar face.

The Black Youth who had stood up for the Fair-Skinned Girl was also in the marketplace, and he was already near the front of the queue.

So that big dark fool came to buy pills! Wang Yan thought at the sight.

Before long, it was the Black Youth's turn. He exchanged a few words with the assistant at the counter, took out what looked like a dozen or so Spirit Stones, received a bottle of pills, and left. Judging by his cautious manner, he had probably spent everything he owned on those pills.

All the Black Youth's attention was on the pills. He passed Wang Yan without noticing him and went straight out the door.

Wang Yan naturally had no interest in striking up a conversation with the Black Youth. But he had not forgotten the tail following him. When some cultivators entered and joined the queue behind him, he pretended to glance back casually...

"!" A figure swiftly ducked back behind a corner...

"Hmph!" Wang Yan's heart stirred, and he snorted coldly. Now he had a good idea of what was going on.

However.

Tsk! That big dark fool is probably in trouble! In the instant he turned his head, Wang Yan also saw three figures quietly following the Black Youth's receding back. They appeared to be the troublemaking Lü Household cultivator and his two lackeys. The sight stirred a thought in his mind.

But... what can I do? Who told you to stick your neck out? I'm no match for those three! Wang Yan thought coldly. He did not consider himself a bad person, but neither was he some great hero who would leap to the defense of anyone suffering injustice. Besides, those three Lü Household cultivators were no ordinary cultivators at minor completion of the Cultivation Realm. The middle-aged cultivator had reached major completion of the Cultivation Realm, and his two lackeys were not weak either. Moreover, this area lay within the Lü Household's sphere of influence.

Wang Yan knew he had only reached minor completion of the Cultivation Realm, and he had a little tail of his own following him. He could barely protect himself, much less spare time to meddle in someone else's business.

Still, letting that tail keep following him was no solution. He had to find a way to shake the fellow off. If that failed, he would find an opportunity to kill him. Although he had not seen clearly who the figure was, the man was plainly wearing the clothes of a Lü Household cultivator. Since coming to the Lü Family Marketplace, the only person he had offended was Lü Zijun. Naturally, he had a good idea who had sent that tail.

Just as Wang Yan was considering how to shake off or kill his pursuer.

"Hey! Have you heard? The Firecloud Sect is going to recruit disciples publicly!" The two cultivators who had arrived after him began talking quietly.

"Of course I know!" the other cultivator replied. After a pause, he continued, "But I heard they're only taking cultivators at full completion of the Cultivation Realm or above. That's troublesome!"

"Exactly! Why else would I be rushing here to buy pills?" the first cultivator replied.

"Mm! Looks like you're also hoping to reach full completion of the Cultivation Realm within the next year or two, brother!"

"Mm! The Firecloud Sect is a major sect. If I can get in, I'll have hope of advancing along the Great Dao in this lifetime! I have to give it everything!"

"Exactly!"

"...!"

The Firecloud Sect is recruiting disciples? Hearing this news stirred Wang Yan's heart. I've heard the Firecloud Sect is one of the Cloud Nation's five great sects. The Wang Household, Lü Household, and Ma Family don't amount to even one of its little fingers. It's just a shame they only accept disciples at full completion of the Cultivation Realm. What a pity!

However.

As the two behind him talked, more people arrived, and they stopped their conversation. Wang Yan did not get to hear any more useful information...

Still, Wang Yan did not mind. Although he had considered joining a sect, he remained somewhat undecided. After all, joining one with such low cultivation would mean being subject to many restrictions...

After waiting in line for a while, Wang Yan was finally nearing his turn. Only two or three cultivators remained ahead of him.

Suddenly!

"What? A bottle of Spirit Fortune Pills costs fifteen Spirit Stones? Why has it gotten so expensive?" the young cultivator at the very front exclaimed from the counter, his voice rising a little.

"Tsk! Take it if you want it. If not, forget it! Too many cultivators have been buying spirit medicines lately. Even our Lü Household is struggling to meet demand!" the assistant at the counter said in a low voice, looking impatient.

"Fellow Daoist! Just buy it! Spirit medicines have gone up in price everywhere!" a cultivator behind him urged.