You Got a Bargain!

What was with that look in Senior Brother Liu's eyes?

He seemed to have misunderstood!

Lin Mo was about to clear things up on the spot, but on second thought, this misunderstanding seemed to offer only benefits and no harm. He immediately gave a "bashful" smile and offered no further explanation.

Qin Sang Sang, on the other hand, seemed to have vaguely guessed something.

Her cheeks flushed red, and her little hands nervously twisted the hem of her clothes. Now and then, she stole a glance up at Lin Mo before hurriedly lowering her head again, terrified that he would notice.

"Go with Junior Brother Lin. I'll find that Servant Disciple to take over the remaining work."

Liu Xianzong waved Qin Sang Sang off with great understanding, then leaned close to Lin Mo's ear and whispered mischievously, "That girl is still young, and so are you. Make sure you take it easy. Indulgence harms the body-a grave taboo in cultivation."

The misunderstanding had only deepened...

Even though Lin Mo had no such intentions, Liu Xianzong still managed to make his face redden.

With something weighing on his mind, he wasted no more time at Liu Xianzong's place and soon brought Qin Sang Sang back to his own courtyard.

As a Servant Disciple, Qin Sang Sang had a little room of her own. She had only recently joined the sect and had never seen an Outer Sect Disciple's residence.

In her eyes, Lin Mo's courtyard was nothing short of a mansion. With two bedrooms, a main hall, and a courtyard spanning half a mu, its conditions were countless times better than those of the Servant Disciples' Courtyard.

"Don't read too much into this. I don't mean anything else by it."

Lin Mo led Qin Sang Sang into the main hall and casually pointed at the bedroom on the left. "I live in this room. Your bedroom is across from it. I'll let Steward Wang know later. He probably won't object."

Then something suddenly occurred to him, and he couldn't help laughing. "Senior Brother Liu will probably tell him for me. He's quick to spread the word, so that'll save me another trip."

Qin Sang Sang hadn't dared lift her head once since entering. She gave a soft "Mm."

For some reason, when Lin Mo told her not to read too much into it, she felt noticeably relieved, yet also vaguely disappointed.

"You don't need to sweep the courtyard. Just tidy up the rooms a little. You don't need to work in the spirit field either. Just stay here and watch the place."

When he turned to the matter at hand, Lin Mo's expression grew much more serious. "I've accepted a sect mission and need to go out. The round trip will probably take several days."

"If anyone comes while I'm away, you must stop them. If you can't, find Senior Brother Liu and Steward Wang."

"If even they can't stop them, there's nothing to be done. Don't worry. I won't blame you."

Qin Sang Sang clearly realized how serious the matter was and nodded repeatedly.

As though swearing a solemn oath, she raised two fingers, her little face utterly earnest. "While you're away, Senior Brother Lin, anyone who dares barge in will have to step over my corpse! Otherwise, they won't set half a foot through the door!"

I'd really found the right person to watch the place...

Lin Mo's expression relaxed considerably, and he carefully added, "Don't wander around yourself either, especially in the backyard. I've set up a formation there. One careless moment could get you hurt, and not even an immortal could save you then."

Qin Sang Sang jumped in fright and hastily said, "I won't go anywhere! I'll stay right here in the courtyard and stand guard. You can put your mind completely at ease, Senior Brother Lin!"

This girl was actually so timid. She couldn't take even a little scare. Could she really be trusted to watch the place...?

Lin Mo felt both pleased and worried. At this point, changing his choice would be awkward, and he really couldn't find anyone more suitable than her anyway.

After some thought, he explained a few more details to Qin Sang Sang before returning to his bedroom to continue practicing the Evergreen Art and the Turtle Breath Art.

He kept at it until late that night.

The soft sound of Qin Sang Sang sleeping soundly was already coming from the bedroom next door. The girl really was carefree, managing to sleep so peacefully on her very first night here.

Lin Mo quietly changed into his night clothes without waking Qin Sang Sang, then carefully opened the door and stepped outside.

In fact, ever since he had begun practicing the Turtle Breath Art, his aura had undergone subtle changes without his noticing.

Even when he wasn't deliberately suppressing his aura, Outer Sect Disciples below the third level of Qi Refining found it difficult to detect his presence.

Lin Mo had wanted to make himself less noticeable in the first place. He had to admit that the Turtle Breath Art truly had its own unique strengths in that regard.

He made his way to the Black Market along the now-familiar route. It was just as bustling as before.

This time, rather than waiting in line as he had on his previous visits, Lin Mo walked straight up to the black-robed man under dozens of intensely envious gazes.

"Hmm?"

What Lin Mo never expected was that the black-robed man's voice would be completely different this time.

The man clearly knew nothing of the privilege the previous black-robed man had granted Lin Mo. He asked in a low voice, "Why are you cutting in line? Don't you know the rules here?"

Someone else had taken over?!

Lin Mo's heart jolted, and his expression beneath the mask turned rather unpleasant. After a brief hesitation, he explained, "I'm a regular at this stall. The previous stallholder told me I could come over whenever I liked, without waiting in line."

So that was it...

The black-robed man's tone immediately softened considerably, and he casually explained, "Senior Brother Du has something to attend to these next couple of days. I'm temporarily watching the stall for him. What do you want to trade? You can tell me now."

Lin Mo hesitated.

He wasn't certain whether this black-robed man had the same discerning eye as the Senior Brother Du he had mentioned.

After all, what he had brought to trade this time were his only two remaining mutated fire spirit fruits!

When he had exchanged for cultivation methods and minor techniques last time, he had been wary of letting his wealth show. Thus, he had only taken out one mutated fire spirit fruit for that Senior Brother Du to appraise, keeping the other two until now.

What if this man couldn't recognize their value...?

"What, you doubt my eye?"

The black-robed man seemed to have guessed something and sneered. "My cultivation may not match Senior Brother Du's, but we studied under the same master, after all. My eye isn't much worse than his."

"Whatever he can do, I can do too!"

With the man having said that, Lin Mo hesitated no longer. He took two mutated fire spirit fruits out of his Storage Bag and slowly held them out before the black-robed man.

The eyes visible outside the black-robed man's mask distinctly lit up.

He took the fruits and examined them carefully for a moment, murmuring under his breath, "These are the mutated spirit fruits Du Zhong brought back last time. Their quality really is quite good..."

As he spoke, he raised his head and looked straight at Lin Mo, his tone betraying no emotion. "These fruits are better than ordinary low-grade mystic tier spirit fruits, but not by much. I'll value them at a hundred and twenty contribution points altogether. That's no small sum."

Lin Mo inwardly nodded.

The previous stallholder had said the same thing. It seemed this black-robed man hadn't been boasting after all. He really did have a good eye.

"I'd like to exchange them for a few treasures to protect myself."

Having long since worked out what he wanted, Lin Mo said directly, "Preferably life-saving pills or minor techniques. I can consider other things that might save my life too."

"Exchange all hundred and twenty contribution points. Don't leave a single one."

The black-robed man froze for a moment, then let out a low chuckle.

With scarcely any hesitation, he pulled a small jade bottle and a dark yellow talisman covered in intricate inscriptions from inside his robes and casually tossed them to Lin Mo.

"One high-grade yellow tier Wound-Repair Pill and one Hundred-Mile Talisman. You got a bargain!"