Chapter 121 - 117: Dog Nose Technique?

Qian Duoyu mulled it over for a moment, not agreeing right away.

Wang Lizhou shot Li Tianyou a look, and they each passed a Qiankun Bag over from under the table. Qian Duoyu took them with a practiced hand, and a smile soon appeared on his face. "These are all things the city urgently needs. You two have truly solved a pressing problem for me.

"Spirit Medicine, Spirit Rice, Five Elements Essence Qi, and the other supplies on this list—no matter how much you two can provide, we’ll buy it all."

As he spoke, Qian Duoyu presented a list of goods with both hands. It detailed hundreds of different items, primarily falling into the major categories of Spirit Medicine, ores, and Talismans.

Song Changsheng also managed to get a look and immediately felt something was off. Having previously handled the clan’s affairs in place of the Grand Elder, he had a firm grasp of the prices for basic goods.

But on this list, the acquisition price for some of the goods was significantly higher than the market rate, and the demanded quantity was enormous.

For suppliers like them, this was naturally a good thing. After all, the higher the acquisition price, the more they would earn from a single trip.

But Song Changsheng sensed something unusual in all this.

From his understanding in his past life, the goods on the list with markedly inflated prices all shared a common name: "strategic materials."

’The signs of a great war... Could the Demon Beasts of the Hundred Thousand Mountains be about to march north again?’ Song Changsheng worried.

He had heard that the Demon Beasts of the Hundred Thousand Mountains would, from time to time, assault Luoxia City under the command of those few Demon Kings, but such things had always felt distant to Song Changsheng. It wasn’t his problem, so he paid it no mind.

But now things were different. He had to stay in Luoxia City for at least another year. Once war broke out, he would surely be unable to stay out of it.

’Sigh, I can only hope this war comes a little later...’ Song Changsheng lamented inwardly.

Just as he was lost in thought, Qian Duoyu’s voice rang out by his ear again. "This must be Young Clan Leader Song. Truly an impressive figure. Although I am far away in Luoxia City, I have heard of your deeds."

Song Changsheng was jolted from his thoughts. Turning his head, he found Qian Duoyu staring at him, his small eyes sizing him up with a look of admiration.

He quickly stood up and said humbly, "Steward Qian, you flatter me. I was merely lucky."

Qian Duoyu simply smiled at his words and said no more, turning instead to chat with Song Luhuai and the others.

The meeting didn’t conclude until sunset. Every party had achieved its goals, making it a joyous outcome for all—except for Song Changsheng. He couldn’t shake the feeling that the way Steward Qian looked at him was strange, as if... it was more than simple admiration.

"Twelfth Uncle, after we unload the goods in the next few days, are you planning on heading back?" Song Changsheng asked on the way back to their shop.

Song Luhuai nodded. "That’s right. There’s about to be a rotation at Liuyun Marketplace, so I must hurry back."

"A rotation?" Song Changsheng’s brow furrowed. ’How could I have been so careless?’ he thought. ’I completely forgot about that.’

He had originally planned to take Song Qingxing and his sister to visit the Celestial Sword Sect in Xuu Province after Song Luhuai returned to the clan, but that was no longer possible.

After all, the journey from Ling Province to Xuu Province was already long. Including the time needed to comprehend the Sword Stele, the trip would take at least a year and a half. Song Luhuai had to oversee Liuyun Marketplace for ten years and simply couldn’t get away.

"What is it?" Song Luhuai noticed the change in Song Changsheng’s mood.

With a wry smile, Song Changsheng explained the situation. After hearing him out, Song Luhuai’s brows knitted together as well. He sighed, "This is truly unfortunate timing. If Ninth Sister hadn’t had that accident, she would have been an excellent person for the job."

At the mention of Song Luyao, a flicker of sadness crossed Song Changsheng’s eyes, and his heart filled with regret.

After a long moment, he said softly, "Then I’ll have to trouble you, Twelfth Uncle, to explain things to Qingxing and his sister when you get back. I’ll take them myself once I return from Luoxia City."

"Sigh. I suppose that’s the only way."

’We still don’t have enough people,’ Song Changsheng sighed to himself. Sending someone of Song Luhuai’s standing to oversee Liuyun Marketplace was a gross misallocation of talent.

Involuntarily, his resentment toward the main branch of the family deepened. So many years had passed, and the promised [Foundation Establishment Pill] had yet to materialize. He was beginning to suspect they intended to go back on their word.

’[Dragon Blood Ginseng]... I have to find a viable [Dragon Blood Ginseng] as soon as possible,’ Song Changsheng mused. ’Once our branch of the family is self-sufficient, we won’t have to keep deferring to the main branch anymore.’

Upon returning to the [Moon Viewing Pavilion], Song Changsheng immediately spotted the chief Tributor. He was sitting at the counter, carefully examining a rather worn Bronze Artifact.

At times like this, Song Xiantu and the shop’s clerks would become completely silent. Even their footsteps grew much lighter, as if they were afraid of disturbing him.

After a long while, Sunx Chuanming set down the Bronze Artifact and said to the person before him, "This Bronze Artifact of yours, while originally Tier Two Low Grade, has lost all its Spiritual Attribute. It also has twelve points of damage. It’s no longer of much use, I’m afraid. It can only be melted down into Artifact Refining Material."

Hearing this, the customer’s expression soured. "But I spent over five hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones on it! If it’s melted down into Artifact Refining Material, how much can I get back?"

Sunx Chuanming held up three fingers. "Three hundred Spirit Stones at most, and possibly less. After all, its Spiritual Attribute is completely gone."

"Sigh... what a loss. Thank you for your trouble, Master Sunx." With a long face, the customer took out a few Spirit Stones to pay for the appraisal and then walked out, dejected.