Chapter 72:Ginger Ointment

Two days passed,

"Yes Lord, do you need something?" Jun Seo¹ asked. He was standing at the side of the table. His head and back were lowered in front of a kid. 

This kid was sitting at a table, on a chair. He did not look at the manager. It was a boy with short hair and dark black pupils. He took a sip of the tea¹ from his bowl. He then placed the bowl on the table and looked at Jun Seo. The boy was none other than Yang Zhai.

"How is it going?" Yang Zhai asked. 

"Fine, Lord, thanks for asking. I am truly unworthy." Jun Seo tried to flatter Yang Zhai. He knew that his fate was in Yang Zhai's hands; so, he thought that it was better to improve his relationship with Yang Zhai.

"Forget it, I need something from you. And I need this thing within a week."

"What is it, lord?" 

"Ginger ointment, at least, a rank 2. I need you to buy this within a week. And remember, I don't want anyone to know that I need this ointment. Do you understand?" Yang Zhai said calmly, whilst looking at Jun Seo. He wanted to see Jun Seo's expression, even though he already knew what Jun Seo's expression would be.

In the middle of Yang Zhai's sentence, Jun Seo's expression began to change. His expression kept on changing from shock to disbelief and vice versa³.

"Lord, are you… serious?" Jun Seo said with disbelief.

"Yeah, I am sure. Why?"

"But, but… it is so…" Jun Seo was so shocked that he was stuttering.

"Expensive, it should be around 1100 essence stones. What is so shocking about it?" Before Jun Seo could finish his sentence, Yang Zhai interrupted him.

"But… my lord. How can I buy such an expensive ointment? Please, reconsider and have mercy on me." Jun Seo tried to convince Yang Zhai and began to beg Yang Zhai to have mercy on him.

"Huh, so, it's expensive? Don't even think for a second that I would believe that you don't have this much amount. You are the manager of this inn. Not just that, you also have been in the business of showing heaven to the Rank 1 cultivators. Do you think that I can believe that you don't even have this much amount? This amount should be nothing to you." Yang Zhai looked at the manager seriously and said.

"But, my lord."

"No but, I need it by next week." Yang Zhai's tone was firm and there was no chance for refusal.

Yang Zhai was no child or idiot. He had managed his own businesses in his previous life. He knew how much money an inn could earn in this world. 

Yang Zhai knew that 1100 essence stones were nothing to Jun Seo; however, Jun Seo thought that Yang Zhai was still a child and would not know about his wealth. Thus, he wanted Yang Zhai to change his mind to buy Ginger Ointment. But, he did not expect Yang Zhai to be an expert in the business field. Especially, when Yang Zhai was from the earth, a place that was filled with commercial strategies and economic knowledge.

And then, Jun Seo was also involved in the killings of the Rank 1 cultivators. How could a mortal be so bold as to kill a clan's cultivator(member), especially, when there was no benefit? It was no different from jumping into a fire for no reason. If even a single higher-up of the clan discovered it, then the manager was surely done for. So, why would he take such a grave risk? Was it just because of hatred for cultivators? No, Yang Zhai did not believe it.

After all, he was obeying Yang Zhai for his family's sake and his life. If this was not the case, then, there were benefits involved, for sure. And for a mortal, who could not awaken his aperture, essence stones were the most beneficial.

"Ok, my Lord, I will buy it. But, if I may be so bold as to ask, ``Why do you need this Ginger Ointment?" Jun Seo knew that there was no fooling Yang Zhai, so he gave up. And asked the reason for the ointment.

"Oh, nothing. I just want to look at it. Ok, bye. And remember, I need it by next week. Therefore, get it done by next week." Yang Zhai finished his tea and stood up. He left a final sentence and left.

Once he finished this matter, he left for the Study hall. 

After reaching the Study hall, he saw that its door was open. As everyone was allowed to pick any technique from the study hall, the gate of the hall was open for a week. Any kid from this academy was allowed to enter it. And after finishing learning one technique, a person could pick more techniques.

Yang Zhai crossed the gate and entered the Study hall. After entering, he saw a man standing inside the hall. This man was the same man Yang Zhai had met when he came to this hall previously to pick three techniques.

Yang Zhai looked at the man and did not go to him. 

But when the man saw Yang Zhai, he came to Yang Zhai's side to keep a watch on him, as it was his duty to look after the study hall and keep others away from stealing anything from it. Thus, he would follow all the kids, who came to the study hall.

Yang Zhai began to take a stroll in the garden and entered deep into the garden. Yang Zhai saw that he had already entered deep enough, so he stopped. 

He looked around and saw nothing except for the man, who was following him.

"Hello, I wanted to ask whether I could also obtain information about the clan leader and the elders." Yang Zhai looked at the man and said with a slight smile. The man did not say anything and stayed there like he did not hear Yang Zhai. But after a few seconds, he said, 

"What do you mean by that?"

"What do I mean, huh? I wonder if I came to the right man, or could it be that you have already forgotten everything?" Yang Zhai pretended to wonder. Well, I guess I did not provide enough information, my bad." Yang Zhai acted innocently as if he was a child.



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1-Jun Seo: Manager of the Moon Bull Inn.

2- Tea: According to legend, tea has been known in China since about 2700 BCE. For millennia, it was a medicinal beverage obtained by boiling fresh leaves in water, but around the 3rd century CE it became a daily drink, and tea cultivation and processing began. So, it is not a modern invention.

3-Vice Versa: used to say that what you have just said is also true in the opposite order.