Chapter - 3

In the casual cultivator area, three male cultivators in tight robes gathered around the stall, bending down to inspect the items displayed on the blue stone slab.

— "Hey, a Qi-Concealing Talisman! What a useful thing! How much for one?"

Chen Laodao grinned, tapping lightly on the stack of talismans.

— "Five spirit stones each. A must-have for traveling and hunting in the mountains! At a critical moment, activating this talisman will make you invisible to the keen nose of a Thorn Wolf!"

— "Five spirit stones?! Why don't you just rob us instead?"

— "Just say if you want it or not!" Chen Laodao replied nonchalantly.

The three cultivators exchanged glances before trying to haggle.

— "How about a discount? We're heading into the mountains and need to buy several types of talismans. We could get a whole stack from you."

The old cultivator scoffed.

— "Do you even know who you're dealing with? My name, Chen Laodao, is well-known in Dahefang City. My talisman-making skills are unmatched! Besides, think about it—will the monster bite you any less just because you paid less for a talisman?"

— "Three spirit stones, including one Qi-Concealing Talisman, three Earth Spike Talismans, and six Fireball Talismans."

— "Four! No less! This Qi-Concealing Talisman is my masterpiece—I only make one per month!"

After some deliberation, the three monks finally agreed and completed the transaction. With their business settled, their eyes landed on the jade bottles in the corner.

— "Bigu Pills?"

Gu Shengtian immediately perked up.

— "One pill fills you up, ten pills will keep you from starving for three days and three nights. How many bottles do you need?"

— "How much are they?"

Gu Shengtian leaned forward and gestured toward the bottles dramatically.

— "Let me tell you, my Bigu Pills are made from top-grade first-class yellow beef, combined with ginseng and angelica, and refined with Hundred-Flower Honey, a specialty of the Medicine King Sect. High quality, low price!"

— "Is it really that good?"

— "Come, smell this aroma! Doesn't it smell rich? Look at the color—pure, with no added flour or fake ingredients. I dare say no one in this area makes better ones than me!"

One of the cultivators sniffed the air and nodded.

— "Big Brother, this does smell better than the Bigu Pills we bought before."

— "Exactly! You were probably scammed before, eating something that was mostly flour. Are you sure those other Bigu Pills even used real beef?"

— "How much?"

— "Four bottles for just one spirit stone!"

— "Why don't you just rob us?!"

— "Just say if you want it or not! After this stall, you won't find such quality goods again. I have a lot of repeat customers. Soon, these will be gone, and I'll head home."

— "Cheaper?"

— "Look, since you three seem like sincere buyers, I'll make an exception. One spirit stone, five bottles! Deal? If we become friends, I'll give you a discount on new pills in the future."

— "Alright, give us ten bottles. We still have some stock left from before, but we'll try yours this time."

With the transaction complete, Gu Shengtian and Chen Laodao clasped their hands and bid them farewell.

— "Safe travels in the mountains, may your hunt be bountiful!"

As soon as the customers left, the two cultivators exchanged knowing smiles.

Chen Laodao, wasting no time, slyly placed another Qi-Concealing Talisman on the stall.

— "Only one per month, huh?" Gu Shengtian smirked.

As the sun rose higher, the casual cultivator area in the southwest corner of the city became increasingly lively.

There were stalls selling elixirs, martial arts techniques, and even monster meat. The marketplace buzzed with cultivators browsing and bargaining, and occasionally, one or two disciples from the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect could be spotted wearing their signature robes.

The presence of sect disciples only made the market more energetic, with vendors immediately raising their prices by ten percent.

— "Sect cultivators are fat sheep ready for slaughter!" one vendor whispered to another.

But that had nothing to do with Gu Shengtian.

Bigu Pills were common in every sect, and his were the most basic kind—not even real pills, but compressed Bigu Powder shaped into pellets.

Even if they were the best quality around, they had no real competitiveness in the sect market.

By noon, Gu Shengtian had sold almost all his stock.

Twenty bottles were not much—it was merely what he had saved up over the past six or seven days.

This was the miserable life of a low-level alchemist!

If not for sect resources supporting them, even sect-affiliated low-level alchemists would struggle to survive.

Not having to pack up much, Gu Shengtian tossed a few pieces of dried beef made from leftover scraps to Chen Laodao and prepared to leave.

As he turned away, Chen Laodao called out while chewing his beef jerky.

— "Are you planning to experiment with a new pill? Don't tell me you're still obsessed with that incomplete recipe you found last year!"

The old man's tone became serious.

— "Boy, don't be too ambitious. I've seen many casual alchemists waste everything they had chasing new pill formulas—ending up bankrupt and ruined."

He clicked his tongue.

— "It wasn't easy for you to save up those spirit stones. Why not head to the Spirit Medicine Pavilion and buy a couple of Qi-Nourishing Pills instead? Improve your cultivation first!"

For someone as stingy as Chen Laodao, these were rare words of concern.

Gu Shengtian could hear the sincerity in his voice.

The original owner of this body had indeed paid a heavy price for chasing that incomplete pill recipe.

But Gu Shengtian had different plans. He wasn't reckless enough to pursue something without a solid foundation.

Instead of answering, he smirked and quipped:

— "Old man, at your age, you should watch your teeth. My dried beef might break them."

Chen Laodao tore off a big chunk of beef jerky and chewed it forcefully, ignoring the pieces that got stuck between his teeth. Though it was clearly uncomfortable, he swallowed it whole and glared at Gu Shengtian.

— "Get lost!"

Gu Shengtian chuckled and disappeared into the bustling crowd.

He made his way back to the casual cultivator area, but this time, he headed for the herbal market.

Having spent years buying and selling in this district, he was familiar with every stall and vendor.

— "Sister Wang, is this fresh from the mountains? Feels like it hasn't dried properly. Those who know quality won't like it."

— "Fine, I'll be nice today and take ten pounds."

— "This piece of Polygonum multiflorum isn't even ten years old! Forget it, I'm leaving."

— "Jade Yam? Good, I'll take fifty pounds. But last time, it was one spirit stone per twenty pounds—now it's double? Shouldn't I get a discount?"

— "Fine, I won't bargain anymore. But throw in a good Redwood Fruit for me."

By late afternoon, Gu Shengtian had gathered all the medicinal herbs he needed.

After haggling until his throat was dry, he had everything on his list.

Now, he had one more stop to make—the heart of the inner city.

His destination: Baicao Hall, one of the top herbal shops in Dahefang City.

Located right next to the prestigious Spirit Medicine Pavilion, Baicao Hall was said to be affiliated with the Medicine King Sect, though the reason it operated separately was unknown.

As he approached, a rich herbal aroma filled the air.

Gu Shengtian took a deep breath, adjusted the large sack on his back, and stepped inside.