SWDnovel Chapter 8 Market
Chapter 8 Market
Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.
Shen Gui stood at the village entrance with his hands behind his back, his fingertips gently stroking the refined iron longsword he had captured at his waist, while the three spiritual wheels within his body slowly circulated.
Today is the day that Tingfeng Pavilion is holding the Lintianya Market.
Shen Gui sighed inwardly.
He is currently only at the third level of the Fetal Breathing stage, far from the fifth level of the Fetal Breathing stage, which allows him to condense spiritual consciousness and activate his storage bag. All his supplies and offerings can only be transported by carriage, which is ultimately due to his insufficient cultivation level and many inconveniences.
The open space at the village entrance was already bustling with activity.
Xie Sanhui directed two able-bodied villagers to load bags of selected rice onto a donkey cart.
The sack was packed tightly and full, with each grain of rice glistening and round, weighing a full fifty pounds.
"Immortal Master! Everything's packed. Fifty catties of spirit rice, not a single ounce less, all top-quality stuff!" Xie San patted the sack and grinned.
Xiao He tugged at Shen Gui's sleeve, her small body standing on tiptoe, gazing longingly at the spirit rice on the donkey cart. Her beautiful brows furrowed slightly as she muttered softly, "Master, so much spirit rice, it would be so much better if we kept it to grind into spirit rice for everyone to cultivate... It's such a waste to just hand it over to Tingfeng Pavilion like this."
The young girl is now a true first-level embryonic cultivator and understands the benefits of spiritual rice for cultivation. Seeing the heavy spiritual rice about to be sent away as an offering, her heart aches with heartache.
Before Shen Gui could speak, Su Wanniang lifted her skirt and slowly stepped forward.
She was dressed in a plain cloth dress, her gentle eyes showing a hint of helplessness. She reached out her jade-like hand and touched Ahe's head, gently comforting her, "Little He, don't make trouble, don't cause trouble for the immortal. The old ancestor of Tingfeng Pavilion rides the wind and displays his power, his might is boundless. Our Daling Village is newly established and has no one to rely on. Only by paying tribute according to the rules can we exchange it for a chance to establish a stable foothold. There's nothing we can do about it."
Shen Gui looked down at his reluctant little disciple, then at Su Wanniang who looked helpless, and said, "Spirit rice is good, but it is only a temporary asset and cannot be exchanged for the foundation for the sect's long-term survival. Today I am going to Lintianya Market not only to keep my appointment with Tingfeng Pavilion, but also to exchange for a treasure for our Daling Village that can nourish the spirit fields, stabilize cultivation, and ensure long-term development."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over Xie San and Su Wan Niang, and solemnly instructed, "After I leave, Xie San will be fully responsible for the village's defenses, keeping watch day and night against demonic beasts and evil cultivators. Wan Niang will take care of the farming matters and guard the spirit fields. A He, you stay in the village and focus on cultivating the 'Nourish the Primordial Qi and Nourish the Wheel Technique,' and do not slack off."
His last sentence was delivered in a slightly somber tone, carrying the authority of a master.
"No matter what news you hear in the village, guard Daling Village well. No one is allowed to leave the village. Remember that."
"Rest assured, Immortal Master!" Xie San suddenly clasped his hands and bowed.
Su Wanniang also curtsied, "Wanniang will remember the immortal's instructions and will take good care of Xiaohe and manage all the affairs in the village. She will never dare to be negligent in the slightest."
Ahe suppressed her reluctance and nodded vigorously, her little face full of seriousness: "Master, don't worry, Ahe will definitely cultivate hard and won't hold you back!"
Shen Gui nodded slightly, said no more, turned over and sat on the donkey cart, gently flicking the reins in his hand.
The donkey trotted along with steady steps, its wheels rolling over the country dirt road, heading towards the edge of the world.
Xie San had gone to Lintianya with his great-grandfather when he was a child, and had already told him the route, the markers along the way, and the precautions. Shen Gui only needed to follow the road and he would not go wrong.
At first, Shen Gui was on high alert, his right hand always resting on the hilt of his sword, his internal energy circulating silently, constantly vigilant about the dangers of the chaotic world in the Northern Frontier.
He was all alone, with only the third level of the Nascent Soul cultivation. In the Northern Frontier, where strength was paramount, he was nothing special. If he encountered villains, a fierce battle was inevitable.
After walking for about an hour, the scenery along the way made him raise an eyebrow slightly.
Along the path, one could occasionally encounter groups of two or three monks.
There were members of small families and sects who drove horse-drawn carriages.
There were also independent cultivators from various clans who carried their own bundles and traveled alone.
These cultivators were wary and kept their distance from each other, but they did not engage in fighting or plundering. They all headed in the same direction, occasionally exchanging a few words in hushed tones as they passed each other.
"I heard there's a little fairy doctor at the market who can also provide medical consultations."
"I hope to exchange for a few low-level talismans; there are more and more monsters in the mountains lately."
"The Listening Wind Pavilion has received even more offerings this time; they're truly ruthless and heartless..."
Shen Gui understood.
The northern frontier was in chaos, with major sects ruling their own territories and wantonly oppressing lower-level cultivators and ordinary villages. To survive, independent cultivators, small clans, and isolated villages could only rely on the irregular markets held by forces like Tingfeng Pavilion to exchange goods, resources, and information.
Without such markets, relying solely on isolated villages, without the intervention of evil cultivators or demonic beasts, would be extremely inconvenient due to the scarcity of resources and the lack of pathways for cultivation.
Along the way, they actually did not encounter a single battle or robbery; instead, they experienced a rare period of peace.
Shen Gui's tense nerves relaxed slightly. He reached out and touched the dozen or so blank booklets he had personally compiled in his arms, a faint smile appearing on his lips.
He had already figured out a way to make money.
After traveling for another half hour, the scenery in front of them suddenly changed.
A cliff that pierces the clouds stands between heaven and earth, its walls steep as if cleaved by an axe, surrounded by clouds and mist, resembling a sacred celestial land.
As soon as they approached the cliff, a spiritual energy ten times richer than that of Daling Village rushed towards them. Upon inhaling it, their magical power circulated more smoothly.
This place is Lintianya.
The location of Tingfeng Pavilion's mountain gate is also the only market town in the vicinity.
At the foot of the cliff, a flat open space has long been cleared by human hands, forming a bustling little market.
The area was bustling with people, and the sounds of hawking and bargaining filled the air, creating a vibrant and lively atmosphere.
At the entrance to the market stood two cultivators from the Listening Wind Pavilion, dressed in light blue standard robes.
The fabric was exquisite, with light blue wind patterns embroidered on the cuffs, forming a stark contrast with the simple clothes and dusty bodies of the scattered and clan cultivators around him. He was checking the identities of the cultivators one by one and collecting "tickets" as offerings.
Shen Gui reined in the donkey cart, tied the donkey to a wooden post outside the hamlet, straightened his clothes, and slowly stepped forward, his expression calm and composed.
"Newcomer? Which faction are you from?" The leading cultivator from Tingfeng Pavilion glanced over arrogantly. "First time visiting Tianya Market, do you know the rules?"
"Daling Village, Shen Gui." Shen Gui cupped his hands slightly, his posture humble and low-key. Without making a sound, he quietly stuffed a bundle of high-quality spiritual rice that he had prepared in advance into the other party's arms. "This is my first time visiting Tingfeng Pavilion Market. I am not familiar with the rules. I hope you will give me some guidance and be lenient with me."
The tall, thin cultivator touched the spiritual rice in his sleeve, his expression softened slightly, and he nodded lightly: "So it's Daling Village. The Pavilion Master mentioned it before, knowing that you are a newly established village."
He cleared his throat and spoke in a pretentious manner, praising the merits of Tingfeng Pavilion in his words: "Tingfeng Pavilion spends resources and manpower to set up the market, not to covet your offerings, but purely to allow nearby low-level cultivators to exchange goods and services without having to travel far to Zhao Family County City, thus saving them from many dangers."
He uttered a lot of high-sounding words, but in reality, he portrayed the act of forcibly collecting offerings and oppressing lower-level cultivators as something incredibly righteous.
Shen Gui sneered inwardly, but remained respectful and humble on the surface, bowing and saying, "I have long admired the reputation of Tingfeng Pavilion. The Pavilion Master is kind and virtuous, and he has sought a way to survive for us lowly cultivators. I have long admired him. This time, Daling Village is offering fifty catties of spirit rice in accordance with the rules. All of it is of the highest quality. Please inspect it, fellow Daoist."
"Hmm, he knows the rules, he's a sensible person." The cultivator from Tingfeng Pavilion nodded in satisfaction and waved his hand. Two servants dressed in blue immediately stepped forward, unloaded the spirit rice from the donkey cart, and piled it into the already piled-up grain heap to the side.
Shen Gui glanced at it and saw that the grain pile contained hundreds of catties of spirit rice. Tingfeng Pavilion made a fortune from just one market.
"Remember this well: the market will last for three days, closing precisely at noon on the third day." The Listening Wind Pavilion cultivator's face hardened as he explained the rules. "Private duels and looting are prohibited within the market. Violators will be punished ranging from having their cultivation crippled and being expelled from the market to being executed without mercy. The Listening Wind Pavilion shows no leniency!"
Having said that, he ignored Shen Gui and turned to scold the next cultivator.
Shen Gui nodded his thanks and turned to walk into the market.
The so-called market was actually an open square at the foot of the cliff, where vendors would simply lay out a piece of hemp cloth or animal skin to set up a stall.
The stalls were filled with items that cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage could use: herbs, magical artifacts, talismans, and weapons. Most of them were of low quality, but they were exactly what lower-level cultivators needed most.
The shouts and calls rose and fell, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.
"Spirit Shield Talisman, three for one spirit stone, a life-saving treasure!"
"Centennial ginseng, nourishing the meridians, and transformed by spiritual rice!"
"The Heaven-Slaying, Earth-Destroying Asura Blade is incomparably sharp; it can take you away with just one spirit stone!"
Shen Gui strolled around slowly, observing the goods on the stalls without making a sound. He quickly identified two spiritual items that could nourish the spiritual field and be used in conjunction with the "Nourishing Field and Enriching Spiritual Energy Method" for the Fetal Breathing Realm.
In front of a herb stall on the left, there was a clump of green grass with glistening leaves that emitted a faint glow. The stall owner, an elderly man with white hair, immediately called out when he saw Shen Gui looking over: "Young friend, this is Spirit Dew Grass, a spiritual treasure for fetal cultivation. One spirit stone per plant, no bargaining!"
Shen Gui nodded slightly, then turned his gaze to a type of moss on the right. The old man spoke again, "Nourishing Vein Moss, it has an excellent effect on warming and nourishing the meridians. One spirit stone per portion, or you can barter it with spirit rice or herbs!"
Shen Gui silently noted down the prices and stall locations, having already made up his mind.
His goal in coming here was to acquire these two spiritual items, so that he could transform the mortal fields into spiritual fields as soon as possible and lay a solid foundation for the sect.
After strolling around, Shen Gui didn't linger any longer. He found a quiet spot near the center of the market with the highest foot traffic and stopped.
He bent down and laid out the plain linen cloth he carried with him, neatly placing a stack of books he had copied in advance on the stall. Then he took out a wolf-hair brush, dipped it in ink, and with a flick of his wrist, wrote four powerful and eye-catching characters in the center of the cloth.
Wheel maintenance secrets.