Chapter 158 - 100: Yan Xiaohu, Long Time No See! (6k)

Inside the Black Market!

[Failed Alchemy Pill: This is a Spirit Flame Body Tempering Pill that cannot be salvaged. The alchemist added a large amount of Black Treasure Grass, causing the medicinal effects to clash, rendering it completely useless.]

Reading the feedback, Zhou Qing scratched his head and turned away.

"Fourth, none of these work? No worries, I see another stall over there."

"None of them work. I think my nose is acting up today. Let’s talk about it tomorrow."

"You should’ve said so earlier, let’s get you back to rest. Your nose is our God of Wealth, our ancestor, nothing should happen to it. Be careful, there’s a step here, take it slow."

"Third Brother, it’s just my nose that’s the problem, not my legs or eyes. I’m not pregnant, don’t hold me up."

"I’m just worried you might stumble and get hurt. How about I carry you?"

"Get lost!"

...

The next half-month was a mix of ups and downs. Most of the pills they appraised were trash, though a few could be salvaged, allowing them to make a small profit.

Yan Xiaohu also managed to buy two ingredients for the Nascent Soul Formation Pill, but they still needed nineteen more.

"I thought half a year would be enough time, but it looks like we’ll have to stay longer," Yan Xiaohu sighed, holding an old hen.

Zhou Qing leaned on the wooden railing, watching the bustling crowd below, and felt a pang of homesickness.

Ever since he joined the Taiqing Sect, he had never been away for so long.

He wondered how his master was doing.

"We didn’t even get a clue about our Senior Brother and Second Senior Sister on the way here. They haven’t replied to our messages, so they must be far away," Zhou Qing said.

Yan Xiaohu nodded. Knowing Second Senior Sister’s reclusive nature, she would definitely have money and be willing to spend on the two of them.

"Third Brother, this isn’t going to work in the long term. I always feel that someone in the Black Market is quietly observing us. Even though the things we buy are cheap failed pills, they get sold as good pills afterward. Won’t they think we have some treasure or something, and if..."

Zhou Qing trailed off.

Yan Xiaohu pondered. He had the same feeling recently.

After all, the Black Market was full of outlaws engaged in murderous and thieving activities.

"So what do you suggest?" Yan Xiaohu asked, a bit irritated.

Zhou Qing thought for a moment. "When we left, Master gave us the address of a shop run by our Taiqing Sect. We can see if they have any materials or ready-made Nascent Soul Formation Pills and figure it out from there."

Yan Xiaohu’s eyes lit up.

He almost forgot about that.

He quickly pulled out a slip of paper with the address and the two hurried off to find it.

Lingyun Mansion was enormous, and it was evening by the time they found a place called Jade Pavilion on Spirit Wind Street.

The shop wasn’t very large, dealing in jade and jewelry.

"Apologies, sirs, but we’re closed," the shop assistant said as the two tried to enter.

Zhou Qing glanced at the old shopkeeper inside, who was doing the accounts, and immediately took out his identity token.

The shop assistant’s expression changed at once, and Yan Xiaohu noticed something and quickly stepped inside.

"It’s you!" Yan Xiaohu exclaimed in surprise.

The old shopkeeper looked up, squinting, and was also surprised. "Isn’t this Yan Xiaohu from Little Spirit Peak, the one who spied on the Supreme Elder taking a bath? It really is you two! When did you come to Lingyun Mansion?"

The old shopkeeper put down his abacus and ran out excitedly.

Seeing fellow sect members in a foreign place, Qian Dafu couldn’t contain his joy.

Yan Xiaohu’s face fell when he heard that.

A few years ago, Qian Dafu returned to the sect to report on business. Shortly after his return, he heard about Yan Xiaohu and his naive junior brother sneaking to watch several Supreme Elders bathe, only to run away in a hurry.

At that time, Qian Dafu was eating snacks with other shopkeepers, sharing business insights. Hearing the news, he choked unexpectedly.

As a Golden Core Realm cultivator, he almost choked on a snack.

It became a running joke, and Yan Xiaohu was even more furious.

Creating trouble from nothing, this incident had become a lifelong source of embarrassment and trauma. Then Qian Dafu added fuel to the fire.

The day Qian Dafu was supposed to return to Lingyun Mansion, he ran into an enraged Yan Xiaohu as soon as he stepped outside the sect.

They had a cat-and-mouse chase.

So, you could say they’re familiar, but not quite.

Not familiar, but actually quite familiar.

Faced with Qian Dafu’s enthusiasm, Yan Xiaohu opened his mouth, unsure what to say. They still needed his help anyway.

"It’s us, we were just young and foolish," Yan Xiaohu laughed it off.

"Look at you, it wasn’t that many years ago," Qian Dafu said joyfully.

"Shopkeeper Qian, your shop doesn’t seem to be doing well. Maybe it’s because of your mouth," Yan Xiaohu said sarcastically.

Qian Dafu smiled, "It’s true, business isn’t great. The sect placed me here mainly to gather information."

Yan Xiaohu’s eye twitched, feeling like he just punched cotton.