The moment he entered the inner room, a young attendant was already waiting inside.
Zhou Xun knew this person as well. His name was Lan Song.
The instant Zhou Xun entered, Lan Song recognized him. However, he was much smarter; seeing that Zhou Xun said nothing, he merely kept studying him with his eyes, as though trying to discern something.
Zhou Xun gave a slight nod in greeting, then sat down under Shopkeeper Liu's guidance.
No sooner had he settled in than Shopkeeper Liu came straight to the point.
"Since you two are here to sell Goldspirit Rat materials, why not take them out for me to inspect?"
"Certainly."
Dan Xiong Hai then took four porcelain bottles, a wooden box, and a bundle of Goldspirit Rat hides from the pack he carried with him.
"It seems the two of you have raided a Goldspirit Rat nest," Shopkeeper Liu said with a smile. He then picked up one of the porcelain bottles and began examining it.
"Mm, not bad. Adult Goldspirit Rat blood, and it was properly handled. It is indeed top-grade." He then picked up the remaining three bottles and appraised them one by one.
"These two are of poorer quality. They should have come from juvenile Goldspirit Rats. Am I right?"
"Shopkeeper Liu has keen eyes!" Dan Xiong Hai said in surprise.
"Hahaha, I have seen plenty of them!" Shopkeeper Liu laughed heartily and began inspecting the Goldspirit Rat whiskers and hides.
Once he had finished appraising them, Dan Xiong Hai impatiently asked,
"How is it? How much Spirit Essence might they be worth?"
Shopkeeper Liu pondered for a moment before naming his price.
"The four bottles of beast blood: the two top-grade bottles can be bought for 21 Spirit Essence each, while the two poorer ones will be 13 Spirit Essence each. That box of rat whiskers can fetch 66 Spirit Essence in total."
"As for the hides, adult ones can be priced at 26 Spirit Essence each, while juvenile ones are only worth 11."
"All together, that comes to 208. Let us round it up—210 Spirit Essence in total. What do you two think?"
Dan Xiong Hai turned to look at Zhou Xun.
Zhou Xun gave a slight nod.
"The price is quite fair. We will sell."
Shopkeeper Liu nodded and instructed Lan Song behind him,
"Take these materials and put them into the storeroom."
He then counted out 210 Spirit Essence and placed them on the table before Zhou Xun.
Lan Song looked at the small mountain of Spirit Essence, then at Zhou Xun, his eyes brimming with envy.
"The Zhou Xun who had originally been dismissed had returned as a customer and earned over two hundred Spirit Essence!"
Seeing that Zhou Xun and Dan Xiong Hai were about to put away the Spirit Essence, Shopkeeper Liu asked with a chuckle,
"Our Mystic Talisman Pavilion has quite a few fine treasures. Would you two care to purchase one or two? Daoist Zhou is an old acquaintance of ours, so I can give you a discount."
Zhou Xun waved his hand at those words.
"Thank you for your kindness, Shopkeeper Liu. If I need anything in the future, I will surely trouble you then. Farewell."
With that, he pulled Dan Xiong Hai away.
After Qian Xun was berated and driven away by Shopkeeper Liu, resentment filled his heart.
Ever since Wei Shangren's elder brother had broken through to become a first-rank talisman master, he had eagerly tried to attach himself to Wei Shangren, yet he had never found the right way.
Seeing Zhou Xun again today was not the perfect chance to show his loyalty?
"Qian Xun? What do you want with me?" Wei Shangren asked coldly.
He did not think much of this man, who had once been close to Zhou Xun but was now eagerly currying favor with him.
"A petty man who fawned on the powerful and trampled the weak!" This was Wei Shangren's assessment of him.
"Talisman Master Wei, can you guess whom I ran into today?" Qian Xun bent slightly at the waist, his face full of a fawning smile.
"Who?" Wei Shangren asked, his face full of impatience.
"Zhou Xun!"
At those two words, Wei Shangren's gaze narrowed and his expression changed.
"What was he doing at Mystic Talisman Pavilion? Could it be that he wants to come back?"
"I thought so too at first, but who knows where he killed a nest of Goldspirit Rats? He came to sell demonic beast materials!" Qian Xun gritted his teeth, wearing a resentful expression.
"Goldspirit Rat materials? He is only at the second level of Qi Refinement. Where could he get such treasures?"
Wei Shangren frowned. Although Goldspirit Rats were not high-rank demonic beasts, selling one or two spirit stones' worth of materials was naturally no problem.
Then even if the rent rises, will he still be able to remain in the square for another year or two?
"How would I dare deceive you? I saw Shopkeeper Liu welcome him into the inner room with great courtesy. It did not seem fake!" Qian Xun patted his chest and repeatedly assured him.
"Then do you know how much Spirit Essence he received from the sale?"
"Lan Song was on duty in the inner room today. Summon him, and you will know."
"Go quickly!" Wei Shangren waved his hand.
Before long, Lan Song arrived.
"Greetings, Apprentice Wei." Lan Song offered a salute, neither humble nor overbearing.
"You were on duty in the inner room today, so you must know about Zhou Xun selling Goldspirit Rat materials. Tell me: how much Spirit Essence did he receive in total, when did he leave, and where did he hunt them?"
Wei Shangren fixed Lan Song with an intense gaze, his tone allowing no doubt.
Lan Song shook his head at this.
"I do not know when he left or where he got them, but he received 210 Spirit Essence in total."
After hearing this, a trace of disappointment flashed across Wei Shangren's face. He then waved Lan Song away.
Once Lan Song had left, he hurried to find his elder brother.
In a courtyard somewhere in Mystic Talisman Pavilion's western compound.
"Big Brother, who knows what luck that Zhou Xun stumbled upon? He actually found a nest of Goldspirit Rats and sold them for over two hundred Spirit Essence!"
The moment he entered, Wei Shangren shouted, viciousness gleaming in his eyes.
"Did you not arrange for rogue cultivators to deal with him? Why is he still alive?" A handsome young man in a green robe held a Talisman Brush and was drawing something.
This man was Wei Shangren's elder brother, the talented talisman master currently enjoying great renown at Mystic Talisman Pavilion—Wei Shangli.
"You drove him out of Mystic Talisman Pavilion. That is the enmity of blocking one's path. If you do not kill a snake, you will surely suffer from its bite. Have you forgotten the lesson I taught you?" Wei Shangli frowned slightly.
This younger brother of his truly caused him endless worry. Previously, borrowing his name, Wei Shangren had bullied his colleagues at Mystic Talisman Pavilion. Now, using his name again, he had driven out a menial valued by a steward.
Had that steward not run into trouble himself, this matter would not have been so easy to handle.
Wei Shangli was smooth and polished in his dealings, making friends everywhere. If not for this younger brother of his, he would have tried to win over all those menials.
From top to bottom in Mystic Talisman Pavilion, who would not praise Wei Shangli?
Though he did not lightly offend others, if he was forced to offend someone, then he would certainly exhaust every possible means to destroy them.
"Big Brother, you do not know. The steward of Green Willow Alley relies on being a member of the Lin Family and simply gives us no face. Zhou Xun is still living comfortably in that house!"
"If only our Luo Family still—"
"Second Brother, watch your words!" Wei Shangli's expression changed the moment he heard the words Luo Family, and he hurriedly interrupted Wei Shangren.
This was the Wei Brothers' greatest secret. Their original surname had been Luo, and they were direct descendants of the Spirit Talisman Luo Family. After the Luo Family was destroyed, they had ended up wandering here.
The Spirit Talisman Luo Family had once been a cultivation Lineage no weaker than Red Leaf Square's Wu Family. Their Lineage had even produced a quasi-third-rank talisman master.
"Big Brother, I..." Wei Shangren was frightened out of his wits and began to stammer.
"Never mention those two words again!" Wei Shangli rebuked him in a low voice, his expression grave.
"Zhou Xun is merely a nobody. Now that he has left Hundred Talisman Pavilion, he poses no threat to either of us. There is no need to pay him excessive attention. Right now, Third Brother's matter is more important!"
"Once Third Brother becomes a Pill Refinement Apprentice under Grandmaster Yun Ku, we can deal with him whenever we wish!"
When Wei Shangli spoke Zhou Xun's name, it was as though he were speaking of a dead man.
"Thank you, Big Brother!" Wei Shangren hesitated for a moment before finally saying this.
Green Willow Alley, Zhou Xun's home.
After returning, Zhou Xun and Dan Xiong Hai divided the 210 Spirit Essence according to their agreed shares.
Zhou Xun received seventy Spirit Essence.
Looking at the pile of Spirit Essence before him, Zhou Xun could not help but sigh.
"The profits from hunting demonic beasts truly are high! But the risks are just as great!"
That day in the cave, he had nearly fallen victim to a juvenile Goldspirit Rat's sneak attack.
"I am still better suited to cultivating steadily and safely!"
"But with this Spirit Essence, I can buy a Qi Induction Pill and attempt to break through to the third level of Qi Refinement!"
There were still half a month until registration closed. He had to hurry.
Before you continue