Chapter twenty-four: Setting Up a Stall

"Old Deng, I hit the jackpot!"

Fang Xing excitedly ran toward the corpse, his hands covered in nano gloves, eagerly searching the old man's body.

Just as he was focused, a drone suddenly warned, "Nearby cultivators detected!"

Fang Xing's heart tightened; he didn't dare linger and quickly grabbed the loot, fleeing in the opposite direction.

...

In the makeshift camp, Fang Xing emptied the old man's money pouch, his eyes lighting up at the sight of five low-grade spirit stones and eight spirit sands. "This looting is way faster than my hard-earned herbal sales!"

Though the old man had little loot, each piece was exquisite! Besides the money pouch, there was a heavy smoking pipe made of an unknown metal, capable of firing poison needles—an ancient craftsmanship of exceptional skill.

Most striking, however, was an ancient book.

"Green Wood Skill?" Fang Xing read the title on the cover and couldn't help but gasp. "It's a cultivation technique!"

Flipping through a few pages, he found detailed instructions on calming the mind, sensing the spiritual energy of the universe, and absorbing it to refine into personal power.

The marks on the ancient text showed it had been read countless times. According to the descriptions, this technique was divided into nine levels: the first three for initial Qi training, levels four to six for mid-stage, and levels seven to nine for late-stage Qi training. Reaching the "Peak of Nine Levels" would prepare one for the higher realm of Foundation Establishment.

"This 'Green Wood Skill' is a wood attribute technique, enough to reach the ninth level of Qi training…" he muttered, feeling a twinge of disappointment. "Too bad it's useless for someone without spiritual roots."

At the last page, he noticed an angry note: "No spiritual roots, unable to cultivate, hate hate hate hate hate hate hate!"

The writing was forceful, clearly reflecting the writer's deep frustration. Fang Xing felt a pang of sympathy. "Without spiritual roots, it's indeed a hard truth."

Sighing, he tucked the "Green Wood Skill" away and affixed a 'spiritual root test talisman' to himself. Moments later, the talisman turned to ashes, with no miracle occurring.

"Sure enough, I have no spiritual roots and cannot cultivate…" he shook his head. "But I can still practice martial arts! Besides, in the Federation, achieving high levels in martial arts can also lead to longevity!"

...

Days later, Fang Xing sat cross-legged in the cave, meditating. He had maintained this posture for over three hours, his form upright and still.

Before him, the "Green Wood Skill" lay open, the first level "Guiding Qi into the Body" text caught his eye.

"Still not working…" After a long while, he opened his eyes, expressionless.

This cultivation technique intrigued him, and he understood its principles perfectly, but unfortunately… he couldn't sense a single wisp of spiritual energy.

"Without spiritual roots, I truly cannot cultivate…" he sighed. "I can't even become a mark on the attribute panel."

Rising, Fang Xing brushed off the dust from his clothes and headed to another cave. There was a small rice cooker there, warming the rice he had cooked.

The base's power came from a 'nuclear fusion' battery, enough to supply the entire camp for a thousand years.

"The lotus-scented spirit rice really smells amazing…" After cooking, a faint aroma wafted through the air, and Fang Xing's stomach protested, saliva pooling.

He opened the rice cooker, steam billowing up, intensifying the aroma tenfold. Inside was a pot brimming with glowing rice, each grain plump and emitting an incredible fragrance.

"Spirit rice melts in your mouth, with a stronger aroma than blood tooth rice." Fang Xing devoured a large bowl, feeling utterly satisfied.

"Spirit rice is indeed a great thing…" he mused, rubbing his belly with a contented expression. "If I eat this long-term, it could subtly improve my physique."

Thinking of Ding Hongxiu, he couldn't help but frown. Although the girl seemed naive, her grandfather was knowledgeable and worth befriending.

After a night of contemplation, Fang Xing's understanding of spirit rice deepened. While its effects were not as quick as pills, its lasting benefits were evident. He began to consider if the price was worth it.

"With my current appetite, I need at least three pounds of spirit rice a day; ten pounds would barely last three days, costing a spirit stone…" he sighed. "This isn't something an ordinary person can afford."

Yet he knew that the benefits of spirit rice outweighed the cost, making it a worthy investment.

"With spirit rice, I can quickly temper my muscles and bones, breaking through to the raw jade realm!" He resolved to set off, taking some wildflowers, fruits, and herbs to sell at Qinglin Square Market.

At the market, selling would bring higher prices and allow him to gather information. He had heard that setting up a stall in Qinglin Square was free, with fees only for fixed stalls or shops.

...

Qinglin Square Market was still bustling with voices as Fang Xing navigated through the stalls, overhearing various discussions.

"The Luo brothers are in trouble…" someone whispered.

"I heard a few beast spirits came nearby, and some cultivators unfortunately perished… sigh, they shouldn't have expanded."

Fang Xing paid little mind to the rumors, having avoided several dangerous areas. After browsing around, he approached a stall, smiling. "Hongxiu, good to see you again."

Ding Hongxiu was sitting behind the stall, surrounded by baskets full of spirit rice. Upon seeing Fang Xing, a hint of blush crept onto her cheeks, her heart racing.

"It's you…" she spoke softly, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"My surname is Fang; I'm here to set up a stall today," he replied with a smile, organizing his goods.

Ding Hongxiu was taken aback, surprised. "Fang Daoyou, are you in the herbal business?"

"Exactly! Your lotus-scented spirit rice is excellent. If you lower the price a bit, I'd buy a few more pounds…" Fang Xing teased, making her smile shyly, her bashfulness evident.

Fang Xing enjoyed himself at the stall, occasionally chatting with customers while pondering, "The martial arts environment in this world is not very fertile; innate realm martial artists are mostly suppressed by cultivators."

"I also need to learn more about martial arts traditions." He decided to interact more with Ding Hongxiu to gather more information.

"Celestial Gang Qi Skill, is this a martial arts secret?" Ding Hongxiu curiously stared at the book in his hand.

"Yes, there's a stall around the corner selling it for just one spirit sand a book," Fang Xing sighed. "Surviving in the market for martial artists is truly challenging."

He bought a few martial arts manuals, though he didn't need them, hoping to gain more knowledge from them.

"In this world, the path of martial artists is not easy." Fang Xing pondered, determined to make a mark in Qinglin Square Market and create more opportunities for himself.