"Slurp, slurp~"
Old Ox lowered his head and ate his noodles.
Li Ping'an sat beneath a tree, holding a bowl of noodles.
Run Tu gnawed on fruit that had fallen from the tree.
A gentle breeze stirred as the man, the ox, and the chah quietly ate their simple lunch.
They were not alone; many people had gathered nearby.
They clustered in twos and threes, some playing cards out of boredom, some chatting, and others dozing.
Before long, someone came out through the door.
A young boy with his hair tied in buns and braids announced loudly, "An elder of White Horse Peak needs help transporting spirit wood. Ten people needed, twenty Spirit Stones a day."
"Me!!"
"Me!!"
"..."
The people nearby immediately crowded around him.
Twenty Spirit Stones? Do you take me for a pack mule?
Li Ping'an raised his eyebrows slightly. "Old Ox, come on. Let's take a look."
"Moo~"
A day later.
With the transport work finished, everyone trudged back with heavy steps.
They cursed nonstop.
"Goddammit, that little elder really is a piece of work."
"Only twenty Spirit Stones, and he made us carry all that wood!"
"Bastard!!"
"..."
Li Ping'an and Old Ox followed behind everyone.
He clutched forty Spirit Stones in his hand; Old Ox alone had done the work of two people.
And Li Ping'an had worked hard too.
The little elder had really been too embarrassed to dock their pay.
"Money's hard to earn, and shit's hard to swallow~"
Someone sighed.
Li Ping'an wholeheartedly agreed with that remark.
Without money, you can't move an inch~
Refining pills and preparing spirit medicines both required a large amount of starting capital, and recouping the money was rather slow.
The other option was treating patients.
Still, he would earn whatever he could for now. The