Volume 1, Chapter 60: Blood Ginseng

Hearing that Lu Chen also wanted to go down the mountain with him, Zhou Xiao felt somewhat helpless, but ultimately agreed anyway.

Anyway, his purpose in going down the mountain was to do good deeds, not bad ones, so letting Lu Chen tag along didn't hurt. Besides, Lu Chen had decent strength, and having him around would actually provide some protection.

"Wait for me, I'm going to change my clothes."

With that, Lu Chen ran back to his cave dwelling, took off his practice robes, and put on his regular attire.

Once Lu Chen was changed, the two directly left Red Sun Peak, planning to stroll through the city at the foot of the mountain.

Lin Hongye watched the two leave without stopping them, merely muttering to herself:

"Little Lu's strength is quite good now, so going down the mountain shouldn't be a problem, right? Oh well, whatever, let them be."

...

When the two arrived at the city below and looked at the bustling streets, Lu Chen, whose heart had been growing bored, finally felt a trace of relaxation.

"Ah, I really need to go down the mountain to wander around more often. Staying cooped up on the mountain practicing the sword all day makes a person feel like a wooden block. Don't you think so, Junior Brother?"

Seeing that Zhou Xiao didn't reply, Lu Chen turned his head to look at him, only to find Zhou Xiao gazing around curiously, as if searching for something.

"Junior Brother?" Lu Chen called out again, and this time Zhou Xiao finally snapped back to his senses.

Looking at Zhou Xiao with a puzzled expression, Lu Chen asked, "Junior Brother, what were you looking at just now?"

Zhou Xiao scratched his head sheepishly and explained:

"It's nothing. I haven't seen the sights down the mountain for too long, so I was just feeling a bit curious for a moment."

In truth, Zhou Xiao was actually searching the surroundings for any injustices so that he could step in to help and thereby accumulate goodwill to elevate his cultivation realm.

However, after observing for quite a while, he hadn't spotted any wrongdoings, which inevitably left him feeling somewhat disappointed.

Hearing this explanation, Lu Chen suddenly remembered that Zhou Xiao had started out as a beggar and probably had never witnessed such a lively marketplace, which naturally made him curious.

Lu Chen smiled knowingly, then threw an arm around Zhou Xiao's shoulder and said generously:

"Go ahead and look around to your heart's content. Today's expenses are all covered by your Senior Brother!"

This was no idle boast on Lu Chen's part. Having stayed in the Great Wilderness Immortal Sect for quite some time now, he had accumulated a considerable amount of stipend. Combined with the fifty superior-grade spirit stones recently distributed by Zhang Xianfeng, he definitely had more than enough to fund a wild spending spree for the two of them.

Zhou Xiao gave a modest smile and nodded.

Compared to other things, he was much more eager for someone to start trouble right now so he could act righteously and reap the goodwill.

...

The two strolled leisurely through the market. The stalls contained not only items needed by mortals, but also goods required by immortal cultivators.

After all, this was a city right at the foot of the Great Wilderness Immortal Sect. While mortals made up the majority of the population, cultivators were certainly present as well.

Along the way, the two bought plenty of snacks, though they didn't purchase any pills or magical artifacts meant for cultivation. It wasn't that they couldn't afford them, but rather that since they were currently based on Red Sun Peak, they lacked nothing of the sort; buying them outside was far inferior to using what the sect provided.

This aimless wandering also allowed Zhou Xiao to witness just how prosperous a city protected by a righteous sect could be.

In the cities controlled by the Bloodthirsty Demonic Sect, the common people could not exactly be said to be starving, but their lives were certainly miserable. Living under the demonic sect, no one ever knew whether tomorrow or a disaster would arrive first.

*So... this is what a righteous sect's city is like?* Zhou Xiao thought to himself. Previously, he had always assumed that the cities of righteous sects were much the same as those of demonic sects.

But seeing it now, the difference was like heaven and earth, completely shattering his previous perceptions.

At that moment, Lu Chen seemed to spot something and immediately said with a smile to Zhou Xiao beside him:

"Junior Brother, they seem to be selling some herbs over there. Let's go take a look."

Without waiting for Zhou Xiao's consent, he pulled him along directly.

Lu Chen crouched down in front of a stall and began to carefully inspect the goods, while Zhou Xiao, lacking any interest in herbs, crouched down to the side and began lost in his thoughts.

Just then, a commotion broke out from a stall not far away. Curious, Lu Chen turned his head to look and muttered:

"Why is it so noisy over there? What's happening?"

Zhou Xiao's eyes lit up, and he immediately said excitedly to Lu Chen: "Let's go, Senior Brother! Let's go check it out!"

Without another word, he grabbed the still-crouching Lu Chen by the arm and hurried toward the gathering crowd not far away.

After squeezing into the crowd, Lu Chen gritted his teeth and scolded the excited Zhou Xiao:

"You kid, you weren't showing this kind of energy just a moment ago, and now you're suddenly all spirited? Do you love watching drama that much?"

Zhou Xiao didn't reply, simply pushing his way deeper into the crowd.

After a short while, relying on their slender frames, the two finally managed to squeeze through to the front of the crowd.

Zhou Xiao let out a sigh of relief, then looked ahead, finally seeing what was going on.

In a small stall space, an elderly man was gripping a long wooden box tightly with a stubborn expression on his face.

Standing right in front of him was a young cultivator who clicked his tongue in displeasure and snapped:

"Old man, I'm willing to offer one inferior-grade spirit stone to buy your blood ginseng. That's already a very generous price, so don't be ungrateful!"

Startled by the young cultivator's suddenly raised voice, the old man still stubbornly gripped the blood ginseng and explained:

"This blood ginseng was handed down by my ancestors. It has been aging for at least several hundred years."

"If my little grandson weren't seriously ill, I would never take it out to sell. How could it possibly be worth only this much?"

The young cultivator sneered dismissively. "Your blood ginseng's medicinal energy has all drained away precisely because it's been stored for too long! It's been worthless for ages."

"If I weren't kind-hearted enough to offer one inferior-grade spirit stone for it, let alone a spirit stone, it wouldn't even be worth a single copper coin."

The old man shook his head stubbornly. "I don't believe you. You're just trying to cheat me."

"You don't believe me? If you don't believe me, I'll ask around for you."

With that, he glanced around the surroundings and spoke up, "Hey everyone, is anyone here willing to pay a higher price for this old fellow's ginseng?"

"If there is, step right up. Highest bidder wins!"

However, the onlookers were all ordinary mortals. Who would dare to challenge an immortal cultivator just for the sake of an old man? Everyone simply shook their heads in response.

Seeing the surrounding people shake their heads, the young cultivator's lips curled into a smug smile.

He then looked back down at the old man and said arrogantly:

"Well? No one is willing to buy it, right? Hurry up and sell the ginseng to me."

Unable to believe it, the old man opened the wooden box, pulled out a blood ginseng about the thickness of half a palm, and questioned unconvinced:

"Take a look at the quality of my blood ginseng's color, everyone! How could this possibly be worth only a single inferior-grade spirit stone?"

Both Lu Chen and Zhou Xiao looked over, seeing that the blood ginseng indeed possessed exceptionally fine coloration and a maturation period of at least a century, if not more.