White Ape Essence Blood and Gui Xiang's Calculations

"Junior Brother Jin, here are two bottles of the Essence Blood from the root of First-Tier Superior-Grade Black-Pupiled White Ape. This is twenty-two Spirit Stone; please count them." Zhou Xinran handed a plain cloth bag containing spirit Spirit Stone to Jin Shilun.

The latter casually accepted it without a second thought, and said softly, "Senior Sister, there's no need to mention 'a little.' Doing things for the sect without receiving payment is only natural."

Zhou Xinran and he had known each other for many years and had worked together at the Chongming Small Pavilion for several years. Their relationship was naturally much better than that of their other fellow disciples. Upon hearing this, she simply chuckled and teased, "Chongming Small Pavilion has no master overseeing it these days, so junior brother, you don't need to say such nice things to me."

Jin Shilun simply shook his head and sighed, "What you said, Senior Sister, I..."

Zhou Xinran didn't let him continue, but instead spoke up, her tone somewhat reproachful. "And you, you finally made the trip, and you chose to come when Mo'er isn't here."

The handsome swordsman opposite him showed a hint of helplessness on his face and sighed, "The timing was just unfortunate. Who could have imagined that Mo'er would find the opportunity to break through to the Early Qi Refining Stage during this time, use her Merit Points to exchange for Seclusion Chamber and return to the sect? As her husband, I couldn't possibly stop her, could I?"

"You've said all the right things. Now that you have no teachers to look after you and you hold a high position, remember not to get involved in any disgraceful behavior." Zhou Xinran truly a worrier, adding another word of advice.

Jin Shilun knew she was referring to the romantic escapades Niu Kuang had left behind when he was the garrison commander of Chongming City.

But he just smiled and didn't explain.

"Chongming City is only a few steps away from the mountain gate. The commanders can see it clearly from the top of the mountain. Who would dare to have any wicked thoughts?"

After exchanging a bag of Spirit Stone, still warm from being stored away, for two suitable pills, Jin Shilun bowed and clasped his hands in a fist salute. "Then, junior brother, I'll take my leave now. There's a shortage of people to use in Chongming City, so it's not good to be away for too long."

Zhou Xinran wanted to stay, waving her hand and saying, "There's no rush, so rest for a couple more days. Junior Brother Yuan and Uncle Sun have accepted the assignment from Senior Brother Duan, and they should be moving into the Chongming Small Pavilion to work in the next couple of days. You should wait a couple more days before leaving, so it'll be lively then."

"Junior Brother Yuan is also going down the mountain?" Jin Shilun asked, a hint of surprise in his voice.

After all, he knew how much the sect's elders valued Yuan Jin's only bloodline— Yuan Changsheng —after Yuan Ruyi was murdered by that villain from the Wu Household.

They should be properly placed within the sect to focus on cultivation; how could we bear to send them to such a cumbersome and restless place as Double Brightness Trade Market?

Zhou Xinran clearly understood why Jin Shilun was surprised and suspicious. Without explaining further, she simply said softly, "This is Master's intention."

Equally confused, Jin Shilun didn't ask any further questions after hearing this, only nodding repeatedly. "Junior Brother Yuan is dedicated to the Dao of Alchemy; it's good that he's come to this market to make great strides."

As the two were chatting, a beautiful female cultivator in military uniform stepped in. Zhou Xinran exchanged a glance with Jin Shilun, stepped out from behind the counter, and with a smile on her face, quickly went over to greet her, "Sister Shao has arrived. It's been a long time."

Jin Shilun looked closely and saw that the woman before him possessed a heroic and charming demeanor, a blend of strength and gentleness—who else could it be but Shao Meng?

"Senior Sister Zhou, why are you being so polite?"

Jin Shilun couldn't understand it, but all the pretty young girls standing in the hall started to move.

Nowadays, many of the young women working at the Chongming Small Pavilion are Rogue Cultivator, and they have all been trained by Zhou Xinran to have good judgment.

No sooner had she spoken than a dazzling array of fragrant tea, snacks, dried fruits, and candied fruits were laid out on the table for entertaining distinguished guests.

The various snacks, each with its own unique appeal, certainly whetted the appetites of the visitors.

Shao Meng extended her slender, white fingers and picked up a piece of candied melon, a faint smile appearing on her face. She said softly, "Manager Zhou is too kind. No wonder everyone says you're the one who holds the purse strings for your sect leader."

Zhou Xinran laughed along, but her tone was one of denial. "Sister Shao, what are you saying? My sect leader is such a person, what virtue or ability do I have to shoulder such a great responsibility? I can't accept your praise."

"Ha, that's true. He's a big business now. Ordinary business is nothing to him. Let's not talk about that for now." Shao Meng gently rubbed her fair fingers, then said with a smile, "Manager Zhou, I'm here this time to help you get a good deal from your shop."

"Oh? How much Black-Pupiled White Ape Essence Blood did Sister Shao bring? Our Chongming Small Pavilion welcomes all, as long as the goods are genuine, we will definitely not let you suffer any loss." Zhou Xinran chuckled, her tone full of intimacy.

"You're quite shrewd." Shao Meng wasn't surprised that he didn't keep her in suspense any longer. He lightly raised his sleeve, and streams of light appeared, placing nearly thirty vermilion jade bottles on the counter.

Zhou Xinran moved over, quickly tapped the button, and then a hint of surprise flashed in her beautiful eyes.

After a while, she came out from behind the counter carrying a bulging animal skin bag, walked up to Shao Meng, and said in a crisp voice:

"There are four bottles of First-Tier Lower-Grade Essence Blood, sixteen bottles of mid-grade Essence Blood, and nine bottles of high-grade Essence Blood. According to the price offered by our Chongming Small Pavilion today, this is one hundred and ninety Spirit Stone. Please count them, Sister Shao."

Like Jin Shilun, Shao Meng casually accepted it, laughing as she said:

"Manager Zhou is always very efficient in business. Other shops would rather round down the price, but your shop always makes sure to round it up to a whole number. No wonder my colleagues from the Thief-Catching Office always check with your shop before going out to buy things, making sure you don't have it before going to other shops."

Zhou Xinran smiled without saying a word, while Shao Meng bowed and took her leave.

After the latter left, Jin Shilun, who had remained silent until now, asked in a suspicious tone, "Senior Sister, Shao Meng was appointed as the Bad Commander by Senior Deng Baichuan a while ago, right? Even so, isn't Senior Sister being a little too polite?"

Jin Shilun's question was not without reason. Even though the Thief-Catching Office in Double Brightness Trade Market had been organized and trained to be quite strong by Yue Feng and Deng Baichuan, it was still a formidable force.

However, most of them were elite Qi Refinement cultivators, while Shao Meng was a Foundation Establishment with no future.

Therefore, the Thief-Catching Office is not much of a threat to the Chongming Sect these days, and it is not worth the attention of Zhou Xinran, inner disciple and chief wealthy disciple of the Chongming Sect.

"Junior Brother Jin, why don't you think about why Senior Deng Baichuan would choose Shao Meng as the head of the Bad Guys?" Zhou Xinran said, noticing the puzzled look on Jin Shilun's face, and then brought up a seemingly unrelated matter:

"The Yue Household's senior, Yue Feng, previously wanted to take Shao Meng as a concubine, but she politely declined. She is one of the most outstanding descendants of the Han City Yue Household after Yue Lan's death."

"What does Senior Sister mean?" Jin Shilun's tone was filled with even more doubt.

"If she were truly a rootless Qi Refining Qi Refinement, how could she have the audacity to refuse a True Cultivator Foundation Establishment from everyone's great cause?!" Zhou Xinran's words at this point were quite clear.

But then she spoke up again, saying, "Whatever our sect needs, regardless of its difficulty or value, Shao Meng will do her utmost to find some and come to us. Do you really think she's a Spirit Stone collector?"

If Jin Shilun still doesn't understand, he would be letting down his master's painstaking teachings. As the saying goes, "A son should not speak ill of his father." The same applies to master and disciple.

Even if Jin Shilun had thought of it, he dared not say it. He had spent quite a while in Double Brightness Trade Market and had heard plenty of these rumors.

He had never taken it to heart back then, but whenever he thought about the two reclusive junior mistresses who had suddenly appeared in the sect, Jin Shilun seemed to have a different opinion about the rumors that his master was "good at bullying women".

Jin Shilun ultimately did not linger. Before leaving, a Martial Ancestor discovered traces of what appeared to be an advanced-level Demon Beast on the outskirts of Chongming City. Although the few Rogue Cultivator remaining in Chongming City had impeccable backgrounds, their strength was weak, which made Jin Shilun somewhat worried.

Zhou Xinran, Jin Shilun was immediately confronted by the energetic Gui Xiang.

The latter is now a son-in-law of the Yue Household and is riding high. In the small Double Brightness Trade Market, he can be considered a very important figure.

Although he knew that Sect Leader Kang Da had some disagreements with this guy back then, they had reconciled on the surface. So, for the sake of the Yue Household, Jin Shilun, as a junior, couldn't just ignore it.

"Junior Jin Shilun pays his respects to Senior Gui."

Gui Xiang smiled warmly, gently helping Jin Shilun to his feet, and then said, "Young friend Jin is a highly accomplished disciple of Sect Leader Kang, there's no need for such a grand gesture. I've come to visit because I heard your family needs the Essence Blood of the Black-Pupiled White Ape."

"Thank you so much for your trouble, senior," Jin Shilun said, half-truthfully. He hadn't really expected Gui Xiang to be so concerned about the Chongming Sect's affairs.

The latter simply laughed heartily for a while, then said gently, "You are still young and don't know that there is some affection between your master and me."

He thought he had done a flawless job of killing Han Yundao, and he also knew that Kang Dabao was a straightforward man who spoke his mind, so he really thought that he could live in peace with the Chongming Sect from then on.

Even on ordinary days, Gui Xiang is willing to show some kindness. For example, helping to collect the items that Chongming Small Pavilion urgently needs today is not the first time he has done so.

He still thought of Sect Leader Kang Da as the same loyal and righteous "Brother Kang" from back then, believing that if he kept at it patiently, there would eventually be a day when they could reconcile.

"I think I've heard my master mention it before." Having spent so many years mingling in the marketplace, Jin Shilun's ability to lie was quite impressive.

Hearing Jin Shilun's understanding, Gui Xiang was quite pleased. He took out a perfectly round iron ball and handed it to Jin Shilun, saying, "It's been a long time since I've seen you, my dear nephew. I have a Heavenly Thunder Seed here, which I used for self-defense before I reached the Foundation Establishment. It's a pity that it's sitting idle now, so I'll give it to you, my dear nephew."

Before Jin Shilun could refuse, he saw Gui Xiang leave happily, so he had no choice but to accept it.

"This whole mess has left me owing him a favor." Despite acquiring such a rare and precious Law Artifact, Jin Shilun didn't feel much joy.

After carefully examining the Heavenly Thunder Seed in his hand, he cautiously put it into an empty Storage Bag.

Chongming City and Double Brightness Trade Market were not too far apart, so Jin Shilun did not bring any spirit beasts with him on this trip. The speed of Qi Refinement cultivator was comparable to that of a galloping horse even without talismans, and after half a day, Jin Shilun saw the outline of Chongming City.

After entering the city, his biggest concern was still the traces of the Demon Beast that the Martial Ancestor had discovered earlier. After inquiring with several Rogue Cultivators who remained in the city, he learned that nothing had happened during the day he was gone, and only then did he feel relieved.

Upon returning to the City Lord's Mansion, Jin Shilun did not exchange pleasantries with Kang Dabao's jewel-encrusted grandchildren, but instead headed straight for a secluded courtyard within the mansion.

After being admitted to the hospital, Jin Shilun first collected and replaced the Spirit Stone that had been mostly depleted in the mid-grade Spirit Gathering Formation. Once the Spirit Gathering Formation was running, Jin Shilun frowned. "The power of this Spirit Gathering Formation seems to have decreased quite a bit lately. It looks like I need to send a message to Senior Brother Wei Gu and ask him to take a look at where the problem is."

Jin Shilun tried cultivating for a while, but felt that the spiritual energy gathered by the array flags was somewhat mixed, so he temporarily stopped cultivating, filled in the letter talisman with a few strokes, folded the paper into a swallow, and sent it to the Chongming Sect.

Unexpectedly, in the afternoon, when Jin Shilun went to patrol the surrounding area, he discovered the rank-1 Demon Beast that had been showing its tracks nearby.

"First-Tier Middle-Grade Green-Skinned Rhinoceros. Its horn is quite valuable, but the meat doesn't taste good, so I can't offer it to my master!" Jin Shilun's filial piety was greatly aroused. The blade of his long sword gleamed with spiritual light, and the sword energy, carrying a cold wind, shot out swiftly.

This Green-Skinned Rhinoceros used to bullying others in the neighborhood and was not afraid of Jin Shilun's exquisite swordsmanship at all. Its pair of small, beady eyes suddenly widened, and its single horn on its head slashed sharply.

Unexpectedly, this caused them great losses.

Jin Shilun used his sword energy to instantly shatter the spiritual light of the Green-Skinned Rhinoceros. Before the rhinoceros could react, it saw countless sword lights like snowflakes pouring down like a torrential downpour.

The solid flesh and bones were easily sliced open by the blade as if they were tofu. Just as the Green-Skinned Rhinoceros was about to be decapitated, one could still feel the endless pain emanating from its massive body.

"This Green-Skinned Rhinoceros is quite formidable; it will take more effort than I anticipated." Jin Shilun sighed, then hooked his foot, sending the Green-Skinned Rhinoceros's head flying to his waist. Jin Shilun grabbed the horn, pulled it to his front, and with a few swift strokes, removed the horn.

Only then did Jin Shilun feel a surge of joy. He thought to himself, "This Green-Skinned Rhinoceros is quite something. It's probably close to being First-Tier Superior-Grade rhinoceros. This rhinoceros horn is probably worth one or two hundred Spirit Stone."

Speaking of which, I don't think I've given Yi -Brother Yi a decent gift since he successfully Drawing Spirit into the Body. Junior Brother Zongneiye seems to have been a low-grade weapon master for quite some time now, but I wonder if he's confident in crafting a mid-grade magic Law Artifact.

If possible, please ask him to use this rhinoceros horn to custom-make a mid-grade magic Law Artifact for Brother Yi.

As he was thinking this, he suddenly saw a late-stage cultivator carrying a longbow and covered in blood approaching from ahead. The cultivator's injuries were obviously quite severe, and it was unknown how long he had been on the run before he had stumbled and staggered his way to the vicinity of Chongming City, a place with people in control.

Two more late-stage cultivators were pursuing them, and their situation was hardly better than that of the Longbow cultivator.

This also shows that the longbow-wielding cultivator was no ordinary person. The pursuers behind him were also covered in blood, but they dared not get close to the longbow-wielding cultivator. They only dared to follow far behind him, like two hungry wolves with big eyes and small bellies, ready to give the sick tiger in front of them a fatal blow at any time.

"Are you a cultivator from the Chongming Sect ahead?!" Upon seeing Jin Shilun's handsome face, the longbow-wielding cultivator seemed to grasp at straws and asked loudly.

The incident was sudden, and Jin Shilun was unaware of the details, so he had no intention of answering. The longbow-wielding cultivator then mustered his strength and shouted, "Are you a cultivator from the Chongming Sect ahead?!"

Jin Shilun remained silent. Seeing the pursuers closing in, the longbow-wielding cultivator felt a chill run down his spine, gritted his teeth, and shouted, "Hey, do you Chongming Sect really not want to know who killed Han Yundao?"

As soon as the longbow-wielding cultivator finished speaking, he felt a sharp glint flash in Jin Shilun's eyes, and his spirits lifted.

The latter strode forward using the Cloud Crane Steps technique, while Jin Shilun, wielding a white light, charged to meet him. Along the way, he shouted a warning, "You with the bow, if you dare to bluff me, I'll show you the power of the Chongming Sect!"

Only then did the two late-stage cultivators who had been pursuing them get a clear look at Jin Shilun's handsome face, and then they saw the exquisite sword technique that he had mastered to perfection in the "Selection of Spirit Saber Techniques".

"Die!"