Chapter 4: Setting Up Shop in the Ghost Market

The solitary moon hung high, casting a silvery glow across the sky.

The Clear River flowed gently, its surface illuminated, resembling a silver jade belt, moving serenely downstream. Midway, it was obstructed by a tall mountain. Reluctantly veering to the side, it formed a crescent around the peak before stubbornly continuing its westward journey.

The mountain's summit was perpetually shrouded in mist, with faint lights visible within. A Foundation Establishment cultivator or someone with the ability to see through illusions could see through the fog and glimpse the full view of Qinghe Market.

Qinghe Market was open twenty-four hours a day, and now, in the latter half of the night, the crowd had thinned considerably compared to the daytime.

A man and a woman, both Qi Refining cultivators, strolled from afar. They wore matching blue Daoist robes, which were not new but spotless.

The man appeared to be around thirty, tall but with a square face, thick eyebrows, and thin lips that gave him an awkward look.

In her early twenties, the woman was average-looking but carried herself with a spirited and capable demeanor. Her Daoist robe was cinched with a yellow silk ribbon at the waist, subtly accentuating her mature curves. She gently held the man's arm, leaning slightly against him, indicating their relationship.

"Senior brother, we gained a lot from this adventure, but Old Sun seemed unhappy. Should we give him some more spirit stones?"

"Old Sun isn't a bad person, just a bit stingy. This time's haul was hard to divide; I'm sure he understands. It's normal for someone to get more or less. Giving him spirit stones directly would hurt his pride. Let's buy something at the Ghost Market and give it to him later."

"Alright."

The two continued their light conversation, strolling into Qinghe Market. They didn't head directly to the Ghost Market but leisurely browsed through a few large shops without buying anything. The woman often smiled lightly and shook her head imperceptibly as they left each store. The man noticed, his eyes reflecting pain and guilt.

He pressed her hand on his arm, and they both seemed to understand, exchanging a smile filled with affection.

"Let's go to the Ghost Market. We can come back here later."

The man emphasized the word "later."

"Alright!"

The woman replied firmly, understanding his meaning. They then slowly made their way to the Ghost Market, leaning on each other closely.

The Ghost Market's lights were dimmer than the large shops, with a large domed pavilion in the center illuminated by a single glowing fluorite, providing all the light for the market.

Late at night, the market was quieter, with vendors and customers huddled inside the pavilion, creating a cozy atmosphere. The stall owners and customers spoke in hushed tones, with transactions occurring frequently.

During the latter half of the night, deals were often more genuine, as most buyers and sellers were sincere. Rumors even suggested that stolen goods occasionally appeared from anxious vendors and were sold quickly at low prices.

The woman coughed lightly, nudging the man's waist and directing his attention to a stall.

"Hmm?" The man looked confused, glancing at the stall. He saw a sign that read, "80% new first-grade low-grade flying artifacts [Spirit Bamboo Kites], price negotiable," and understood the woman's hint.

They had long wanted a pair of flying artifacts. They walked over slowly, noticing the vendor engaged in a low argument with a young, pale-faced cultivator.

"You're so stubborn! What's the difference between one hundred first-grade and one second-grade spirit stone? Why not accept my first-grade spirit stones!?" Though the young cultivator tried to keep his voice down, his frustration was evident.

"Don't try to fool me. In Qinghe Market, one second-grade spirit stone can be exchanged for many first-grade spirit stones. I won't sell this talisman for less than one second-grade spirit stone!" The vendor was equally adamant.

"If it were another element, I'd buy it without hesitation. But water element? Its defense isn't comparable!" the young cultivator argued.

"Water Element Defense Talisman may have the lowest defense among elemental talismans, but it has greater utility in specific conditions. Try using a Wood Element Defense Talisman in a fire! And I've sold many of these talismans; none are cheaper than one second-grade spirit stone!" The vendor was frustrated, his face red.

"Fine, fine. I'll buy it at the market rate of one hundred and five first-grade spirit stones. I don't have any second-grade spirit stones. Deal?"

Not wanting to argue further, especially in front of a woman, the young cultivator counted out the spirit stones and handed them over. In return, he received a yellow talisman, which he carefully put away before leaving, not forgetting to wink at the woman.

"Pfft." The woman stifled a laugh. "You two are quite amusing," she said to the vendor, who was putting away the spirit stones.

The vendor, now calmer, replied, "Forgive the spectacle, fellow Daoist. I urgently need spirit stones, or I wouldn't have argued so long. What do you two need?"

The woman stated their intention, and the vendor quickly produced the kites. The man scrutinized them.

The woman, having nothing else to do, studied the vendor. He was around thirty, small and thin, with bright eyes, a clean-shaven face, and decent looks. However, he seemed anxious and twitchy, constantly glancing around nervously as if someone might steal his money.

"He looks like a miser, not easy to deal with," the woman thought.

The man finished his inspection, subtly signaling his approval to the woman.

The woman understood, knowing it was her turn to negotiate...

Half an hour later, Qi Xiu lay on his bed, utterly exhausted.

"She drives a hard bargain..."

He lamented, having sold the two [Spirit Bamboo Kites] and a Water Element Defense Talisman for only ten second-grade spirit stones. The woman had even forced him to throw in a few healing and replenishment pills.

Counting the remaining items and earned spirit stones, Qi Xiu realized that if the auctioned [Golden Light Cymbals] fetched seventy second-grade spirit stones, minus the auction house's commission, he'd have enough for the Foundation Establishment Pill. If not, he'd have to sell his storage bag, which would barely cover the cost.

"I was too inexperienced. In my first few days here, I let several deals slip by, trying to get higher prices. After ten days, I got anxious, and the sales were worse than the offers I initially refused..."

Qi Xiu berated himself until he couldn't resist the exhaustion and fell asleep.

After a short nap, he returned to the Ghost Market, not wasting a moment. By now, many resident traders in Qinghe Market knew him.

Setting up a stall was hard work. In the Ghost Market, late-stage Qi Refining cultivators typically occupied prime spots, leaving lower-level cultivators like Qi Xiu to find a corner.

Stalls could be rented continuously as long as you paid the spirit stones. Absent vendors could leave product information on their signs, and interested buyers would seek them out.

The market, while part of a righteous domain, was not without its risks, with occasional rumors of robbery and murder.

Qi Xiu disguised his high-value transactions, pretending deals fell through and making a bitter face. He displayed single items at a time, assessing buyers before revealing larger quantities.

As soon as Qi Xiu sat at his stall, a middle-aged cultivator in white robes approached, asking, "Do you still have the Earth Element Defense Talisman?" with his head held high, almost looking down his nose.

"Yes!"

Qi Xiu quickly replied. The cultivator asked about the quantity and price. "The last one, two second-grade spirit stones," Qi Xiu answered promptly.

The cultivator didn't haggle, tossing two shiny second-grade spirit stones on the stall, taking the talisman, and leaving in a hurry.

"Finally, a generous customer."

Qi Xiu pocketed the stones. In the Ghost Market, he kept his storage bag a secret. The kites sold to the couple the previous day were hidden in the bag, but he pretended to fetch them from his lodging.

Luck was on Qi Xiu's side. By noon, he had sold all his remaining items at reasonable prices.

Now, his storage bag contained only spirit stones. Even his usual utility talismans were gone.

Thanks to the last day's unexpected success, if the [Golden Light Cymbals] sold for sixty-eight second-grade spirit stones, he could complete his master's task without selling the storage bag, essential for discreet transport between the market and the sect.

Returning to his room early, Qi Xiu felt almost childlike joy. He stopped just before bouncing excitedly, reminding himself he was nearly thirty.

"Heh, I guess the relief brought back my childish side?"

Qi Xiu thought, sensing a slight shift in his stagnant spiritual energy. Seizing the moment, he sat and began meditating.