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Inside a general store in Linghe Market, the one-eyed shopkeeper sat alone behind the counter. A cup of fragrant tea, steaming gently, sat on the table. He squinted at the door, as if waiting for someone.

He has always been eccentric, and in his early years he hired several monk servants, but none of them could serve him well.

The one who was bullied the most even threatened that he would rather die in the market's temporary housing than come to work.

He later did indeed die in Rongju House.

After that, he hired some ordinary people as helpers. But he was even more dissatisfied. After killing several of them in a fit of temper, no one came anymore.

However, business at the grocery store was never good, so he gave up the idea of hiring someone; it was better for the store to be quieter.

It didn't matter whether the items on the shelf sold or not; he had his own way of earning Spirit Stone.

At this moment, a scantily clad, strikingly beautiful female cultivator finally came into his view.

She smiled, her eyes crinkling, and her small mouth slightly parted. "Shopkeeper, you miss me so much, haven't you been waiting for me for so long?"

"Don't joke, Lady Chong. If your good brother from Zi Maple Valley heard this, he'd probably unleash the Black-Fanged Viper to cause trouble for me."

The one-eyed shopkeeper did not get up. Seeing that the Lady Chong had entered, he made a hand seal, closed the magic array, and cut off the communication inside.

"They just came in, and you're already closing the door? Brother, you're too impatient."

As the Lady Chong's shoulder strap slipped off her smooth, alabaster-skinned shoulder, and she smiled sweetly and beckoned with her hand, her voice barely audible, the one-eyed shopkeeper felt a tingling sensation run through him.

The latter knew that the former had some skill in charm and was not dealing with him for the first time, so he had made preparations in advance.

But a slight heat inevitably rose in his lower abdomen, so he quickly said seriously, "Let's get down to business first."

"Why are you so concerned about Kang Dabao? He's just a small-time merchant who holds the title of sect leader, yet you're so worried about him."

The Lady Chong approached, leaned her alluring body against the counter, took the one-eyed shopkeeper's teacup, and began to sip her tea.

The spiritual tea was still very hot when she tasted it, causing her to stick out her tongue in pain. This added a layer of innocence and cuteness to her already voluptuous and alluring appearance.

The fragrant breeze from the Lady Chong's mouth blew towards the one-eyed shopkeeper, startling him so much that he quickly shut his senses.

After drinking tea for a while, seeing that the one-eyed shopkeeper didn't answer her, Lady Chong chuckled and said, "Alright, alright, I know you're anxious. I'll give you the information you need."

"My old man said that since Zhao Gu was killed by the Chongming Sect, let the Shi Household settle accounts if they want; our Grass Witch Cult won't interfere. However, the amount of Spirit Stone Zhao Gu contributed each year must not be reduced; whoever wins must continue to pay."

"That old madman Chen Ye really only cares about Spirit Stone; he doesn't even care about his senior brother's family affairs anymore." The one-eyed shopkeeper looked surprised.

"What you're saying is ridiculous. Back then, Master Shi went home in a huff because he didn't become the sect leader. My old man hasn't taken advantage of his old age and weakness to kill his whole family and use them as materials for refining. That's already showing our deep brotherhood. What could the Shi Household possibly complain about?"

After finishing her tea, the Lady Chong licked the rim of the cup with her little tongue, then pushed it back to the one-eyed shopkeeper and spoke again:

"Good brother, are you really unwilling to return to the Grass Witch Cult with me? The old man said that your skill in spirit divination is no less than that of Jiang Xue, the chief elder whom the Fellow Cultivators Association cultivators invited from the Jiang Household Trading Company. How can you be so patient and stay here making a few fragments of spirit energy?"

Upon hearing the words "Jiang Household Trading Company," the one-eyed shopkeeper recalled a bloody afterimage, his heart filled with sorrow, and he remained silent.

Seeing that the one-eyed shopkeeper did not move, the Lady Chong went back inside the counter.

Even sitting on a low stool, the one-eyed shopkeeper's enormous body was still a head taller than the Lady Chong.

The Lady Chong smiled sweetly, pressed her soft body against him, and wrapped her small hands around the one-eyed shopkeeper's waist.

"The old man told me that as long as you are willing to come, he is willing to give up a position as the chief retainer. If you are willing to become his disciple, after a few years, when your cultivation level is higher, you will be able to serve as an elder or protector."

"Don't underestimate my humble abode. It's far better than you going to some grand sect that's a Foundation Establishment stage, where you'd be a miserable inner or outer disciple, constantly being ordered around by the sect leader, elders, and their powerful relatives and disciples. Isn't that much better?"

As the Lady Chong continued speaking, she eventually slowly moved her entire body into the one-eyed shopkeeper's arms.

The latter looked distressed, but still asked, "Does Kang Dabao know about this news?"

"Hehe, he said it to the disciple in charge of Hemu Dao whom his family asked for help, how could the news not reach his ears? What, you also want to take advantage of the Shi Household opening the Chongming Sect to make a fortune?" Lady Chong said out her suspicions.

Unexpectedly, the one-eyed shopkeeper said, "The Ming Household and He Household, these in-laws, are not just for show; the Shi Household may not necessarily win."

"Master Kang Dabao has been dead for many years. When he was alive, we were naturally related by marriage, but that's not necessarily true after he's dead." Lady Chong smiled again.

"I don't believe you haven't had that thought. I wonder what level of Cultivation Method Jiang Qing practices. A mere Sixth Layer of Qi Refining kid can make such a name for himself in the neighborhood; he must be extraordinary. I've been eyeing him for a long time. How could you, a villain like you, resist?"

"Then why didn't your family rob them sooner? Since the Ming Household, the He Household, Hemu Dao all act without restraint, and your family is used to doing evil deeds, what could you possibly have to worry about?"

The one-eyed shopkeeper finally voiced his doubts.

"His family has been down on their luck for so many years. Do you really think they were the great sect that once Foundation Establishment? They've been down on their luck for generations, and they've been wiped out long ago! The little they had left was mostly taken apart after the family divided up. How much of it could possibly be of value?"

Besides, it's not worth upsetting those three families. For some reason, the old man also forbade the Grass Witch Cult members from touching them. Not to mention, Kang Dabao became the sect leader back in the day at the Third Layer of Qi Refinement —it's laughable! Who would even give him a second glance?

"No," the Lady Chong paused her laughter, her beautiful eyes fixed on the one-eyed shopkeeper's dull gray eye.

"Brother, you've been keeping an eye on him all this time, so you must know something I don't, right?"

"Have your Spirit Stone ordered. The shop is closing soon, no need to see me out." The one-eyed shopkeeper ignored him, tossed the Lady Chong in his arms aside, and was about to get up and shoo the customer away.

"Sigh, all men are like this; they use someone and then discard them. There's not a single good one among them."

Knowing that she had touched on a point that concerned the one-eyed shopkeeper, the Lady Chong got off him. She spoke weakly, her voice trembling with tears, then pretended to wipe them away; she didn't want to leave yet.

The one-eyed shopkeeper ignored her; at that moment, his heart was filled with turmoil, and he frowned in deep thought.

Seeing his expression, the Lady Chong felt bored and knew that she would have to return empty-handed again today.

"Alright, there's no rush."

The Lady Chong extended a snow-white, scallion-like finger and tapped each of the Spirit Stone in the cloth bag to make sure there were no mistakes.

He walked to the entrance of the general store and waited for the one-eyed shopkeeper to lift the spell so he could go out.

Just then, a pure white hawk flew to the doorway, and the Law Artifact around its neck glowed for a moment.

The restriction was lifted, and the hawk entered, greeted its master with a cheerful chirp, and then landed steadily on the one-eyed shopkeeper's shoulder.

When Lady Chong saw the messenger hawk, a genuine smile appeared on her face, and she stopped to take a look.

But then the one-eyed shopkeeper patted the hawk's head with his large hand for a while, as a gesture of reward.

He then took out the secret inscription swallowed by the hawk, read it, and his expression changed slightly. With a wave of his hand, he closed the magic array.

Before the somewhat surprised Lady Chong could ask a question, he said, "Lady Chong, you can't take these Spirit Stones with you."

"You murderous bastard, where did you get the nerve to harm me!" Lady Chong was terrified; she had heard of this fellow's reputation before.

Having dealt with them for so many years, and having connections with both the Grass Witch Cult and Zi Maple Valley, he never imagined he would be in this predicament before coming here.

The one-eyed shopkeeper finally smiled, feeling that he had finally won a round in his dealings with the Lady Chong.

Then even the one eye's gaze softened, and it spoke gently, "My lady, don't be afraid. I have some information; you should buy it with Spirit Stone."

Thank you to Liu Qiuping20230530 and Feifei1 for the 100 coins reward.

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