Lin Mo had heard of Hundred-Mile Talismans.
These talismans were also high-grade yellow tier. They required only a little spiritual power to activate and could carry someone over a hundred li in the time it took an incense stick to burn. Their speed was astonishing.
Of course, they had their drawbacks.
Using a Hundred-Mile Talisman left the user weakened for a time afterward. The lower the user's cultivation, the longer this period lasted, and vice versa.
For an Outer Sect Disciple like Lin Mo, who was midway through the first level of qi refining, the weakness would last about three days.
For elite disciples at the seventh level of qi refining or above, who could use Sword-Riding Flight, Hundred-Mile Talismans were of little use, and the resulting weakness was negligible. Their own speed was already nearly as fast as the talisman's.
Wound-Repair Pills were quite effective as well.
For those below the seventh level of qi refining, unless they had suffered a fatal injury to the head or internal organs, taking a high-grade yellow-tier Wound-Repair Pill would let them recover rapidly within half an incense stick's burning time.
Even Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators could temporarily stabilize their injuries after taking the pill, provided their foundations had not been damaged, then find some other means of healing afterward.
All in all, the two items the black-robed man had produced were fine lifesaving tools. They would cost around a hundred and sixty contribution points at the Sect Affairs Hall.
Trading two Mutated Fire Spirit Fruits for these two lifesaving items had effectively saved Lin Mo forty contribution points. No wonder the black-robed man had said he had come out ahead.
"Thank you."
Having made a small profit, Lin Mo was clearly in a good mood. He put the pill and talisman into his Storage Bag, cupped his hands in thanks to the black-robed man, and prepared to leave.
Unexpectedly, the black-robed man suddenly called him back in a low voice. "Wait. You've made a profit off me, so you must answer one question. Fair enough, isn't it?"
Lin Mo stopped and turned toward the black-robed man, his expression beneath the mask growing exceptionally guarded.
"It's a simple question."
The black-robed man chuckled softly. "How much of this Mutated Fire Spirit Fruit can you produce? Would you be willing to trade its cultivation method?"
"I'm rather interested in it. As long as you're willing to trade, I guarantee you won't lose out on the price."
So that was what he wanted...
Lin Mo had long since prepared a response to questions like these. He made a show of hesitating for a moment, then sighed. "I'd like to trade it, but unfortunately, I wasn't the one who grew these fruits. It was... my master."
"Actually, even he only succeeded through a stroke of chance. That's why there are so few fruits."
"My master has spent nearly all his savings cultivating various spirit plants. Otherwise, I wouldn't be this poor. Even after he finally managed to grow these fruits, I, his own disciple, don't have the good fortune to enjoy them... sigh!"
The black-robed man said nothing, staring closely into Lin Mo's eyes for a while. Seeing the regret in his gaze, along with a faint hint of resentment, he slowly broke into a smile.
This boy wasn't lying.
Spirit plant mutations were exceedingly rare to begin with. There wasn't a single spirit plant expert of such unfathomable ability in the entire cultivation world!
Who knew what sort of dogshit luck his master had stumbled into, managing to turn the most common Fire Spirit Fruit into a mutated spirit plant.
Unfortunately, Fire Spirit Fruits were far too low-grade, merely middle-to-upper ninth grade, the lowest rank. Even after mutation, their fruits were only a shade better than ordinary mystic-tier spirit fruits. Their value was nothing special.
"If you get any more of these fruits, keep them for me. I'll buy them all at the same price."
The black-robed man gave the matter no further thought. His previously sharp gaze returned to normal, and he waved Lin Mo away.
Lin Mo sighed again, a trace of frustration showing in his eyes, then left the Black Market in a disgruntled mood.
Perhaps because he had taken over on short notice, or perhaps for some other reason, the black-robed man had not activated a concealing formation for this transaction as the previous stallholder had.
As a result, quite a few people waiting in line had witnessed the entire exchange.
They had even heard every word of the conversation between the two.
Not long after Lin Mo left the Black Market-
"Junior Brother, please wait!"
On the way back to Spirit Plant Peak, a Cloaked Youth wearing a gray mask hurried up behind Lin Mo. "Forgive my presumption, but may I ask which elder you study under, Junior Brother?"
"I'm fairly familiar with the Outer Elders of the Spirit Plant Courtyard. Which elder is so capable that he can even cultivate mutated spirit plants? What a blessing for the sect!"
Lin Mo's face was full of wariness.
Ever since leaving the Black Market, he had quickened his pace as much as possible and, as usual, deliberately taken several detours.
This Cloaked Youth had clearly been following him for some time. Had he not taken precautions, even the location of his own courtyard might have been exposed by now!
"Don't get me started. I keep telling my master he's unreliable, but he refuses to admit it."
Lin Mo waved his hands repeatedly, his tone indignant. "All the Spirit Stones I scrimped and saved went into his spirit plants. He never gives his own direct disciple a second thought. I must have had rotten luck for eight lifetimes."
"Ah, Senior Brother, which peak and hall are you from? Which elder is your master? Fate brought us together, so we ought to visit each other more often."
Having learned nothing useful, the Cloaked Youth let his gaze linger on Lin Mo for a moment, then casually offered a few smiling pleasantries before cupping his hands in farewell and leaving.
Lin Mo watched him walk away, but his vigilance did not ease in the slightest. He silently circulated the Turtle Breath Art to conceal his aura while continuing to take detours.
Only when the sky began to pale to the white of a fish's belly did the unsettling sensation of being watched from the shadows finally disappear completely.
Lin Mo's taut nerves relaxed a little at last, and he quickened his steps back to his courtyard.
Qin Sang Sang was already up.
To Lin Mo's surprise, the little girl had not only risen early but also swept and cleaned the entire courtyard. Everything was neatly arranged, and the house was spotless inside and out.
"Senior Brother Lin, I... I did something wrong."
As soon as she saw Lin Mo enter, Qin Sang Sang's eyes reddened, and her voice took on a tearful quaver. "I didn't mean to. While I was sweeping, I kept going and ended up near the back courtyard."
"You told me I wasn't allowed over there, but I... I didn't know exactly where the boundary was..."
"I think it was when I reached the outside wall of the house that I triggered the formation you set up. Everything blurred before my eyes, and I nearly fell... please punish me, Senior Brother. I'll never do it again!"
Lin Mo was startled at first, then understood.
It was the Formation Disc at work.
The High-Grade Yellow-Tier Spirit Qi Formation Disc he had purchased earlier came with a concealing formation that could hide what was inside the back courtyard.
It might not be very effective against Outer Sect Disciples who had entered qi refining, but Qin Sang Sang had only just joined the sect and possessed almost no spiritual qi. She could not even enter the back courtyard.
"Let this be a lesson."
Lin Mo was not particularly angry, but he deliberately put on a stern expression. "Remember from now on: the back courtyard begins at the house's outside wall. There mustn't be a next time!"
Qin Sang Sang had thought Lin Mo would fly into a rage and might even throw her out outright.
Now that she finally knew she could stay by Lin Mo's side, her heart brimmed with joy. Yet her tears refused to obey her, spilling down without warning.
She hurriedly raised her hands to wipe them away, but the more she wiped, the more they flowed, leaving Lin Mo speechless.
"Save the tears for later. I have something important to tell you."
Lin Mo glanced toward the back courtyard, then grew serious and said quietly, "Unless something unexpected happens, I'll be heading down the mountain after breakfast."
Before you continue