Record of Mortals Slaying Heaven

Chapter 26: The Market

When Shen Moqi stepped out of the courtyard of the Scripture Pavilion, the sun was already setting, but there was still some time before nightfall. He quickened his pace and headed towards the sect's mountain gate.

At the entrance to the Luo Xiao Sect stood a tall stone archway, with a small hut on each side, serving as the duty rooms for the gatekeeper disciples. As Shen Moqi approached, two young men dressed in inner sect disciple robes were chatting idly at the entrance of the duty room. Upon seeing someone approach, one of them stood up and lazily stretched out his hand.

"Token".

Shen Moqi took off his outer disciple identity token from his waist and handed it over. The disciple took it, looked it over, and then glanced at him a few times. His gaze lingered on Shen Moqi's face for a moment, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he just nodded and returned the token.

"Go. Be back before dark."

Shen Moqi accepted the token, thanked him, and quickly walked out of the mountain gate.

After taking a few steps, he vaguely felt that something was not quite right—the way the gatekeeper was looking at him seemed a little... strange? But he couldn't quite put his finger on what was strange about it.

"That's probably just the sect's rule," he thought to himself, not paying much attention, and continued on his way.

The most important thing right now is the meridian system; everything else has to wait.

---

From the Luo Xiao Sect's mountain gate to the market town, it was about ten miles. Shen Moqi walked down the mountain path for about half an hour, and then a valley came into view in the distance.

The valley is not large, surrounded by mountains on all sides, with a stream flowing through it. At the entrance of the valley stands a stone tablet with the four large characters "Qingyun Market" engraved on it.

Shen Moqi walked into the valley entrance, and the scene before him made him slightly stunned.

The market was much more bustling than he had imagined.

A main street stretched from the valley entrance into the depths of the valley, lined with all sorts of stalls. Some stall owners displayed a few spiritual herbs, some a few pieces of ore, some a few bottles of pills, and others some strange objects whose purpose was unclear. Some stall owners were calling out their wares, some were haggling with customers, and some were simply sitting cross-legged behind their stalls with their eyes closed, seemingly indifferent to whether they would buy or not.

The streets were bustling with people, dressed in a wide variety of attire: some wrapped in animal skins, some in Taoist robes, some resembling scholars… and so on. Shen Moqi glanced at them briefly; most were at the lower levels of the Qi Refining stage. Of course, there were a few whose cultivation levels he couldn't discern, but they were few in number.

Shen Moqi didn't rush to find the elixir, but instead strolled slowly along the main street, looking around as she went.

He needs to figure out the local market and rules first.

After walking for a while, he discovered a few things:

First, the prices of the items at the stalls varied greatly. For the same type of spiritual herb, some vendors sold it for ten spirit stones, while others sold it for only five. However, the cheaper items were noticeably of lower quality, some even showing signs of insect damage. Shen Moqi made a mental note of this—you get what you pay for, and the same applied here.

Secondly, shops and stalls in the market are two different things. The shops on both sides of the main street are permanent; although the storefronts are not large, they look much neater, and the goods sold are rarely fake, but the prices are higher. Stalls, on the other hand, are temporary; anyone can set up a stall, and the goods sold depend on the customer's own judgment, but the prices are cheaper.

Third, and this is the thing that makes Shen Moqi most uncomfortable—the people in the market are looking at him strangely.

From the moment he stepped into the valley, people kept looking at him. Those gazes held envy, jealousy, and even a hint of…greed.

Shen Moqi initially thought he was overthinking things, but after walking for a while, he realized it wasn't an illusion. A cultivator selling spirit herbs lingered on the token at his waist for several moments as he passed by, then looked him up and down before looking away.

Shen Moqi continued walking forward without showing any emotion, but secretly became wary.

He wandered around for about an hour, looking at all the stalls and shops on the main street. The things sold at the stalls were indeed cheap, but what he needed were spiritual medicines that could repair his meridians, which he couldn't find at all—most of them were common healing herbs, mostly animal hides and beast cores, and some ores.

Looks like I'll have to try my luck at the store.

---

In the middle of the main street, there is a shop with an ebony plaque hanging above the door, bearing the three large gilded characters "Bai Cao Tang" (Hundred Herbs Hall). Although the storefront is not large, it looks clean and tidy, and several pots of medicinal herbs are placed on the steps at the entrance as decoration, giving it a more elegant feel than the surrounding shops.

Shen Moqi pushed open the door and entered, a faint medicinal fragrance wafted towards her.

The shop wasn't large; three walls were lined with medicine cabinets, each labeled with the names of various medicinal herbs. In the center was a long counter, behind which sat a middle-aged man, looking down and flipping through an account book.

Hearing the door open, the man looked up.

He looked to be around fifty years old, with a thin face and some graying temples, but he was still quite energetic.

"Young man, what would you like to order?" The man stood up, a friendly smile on his face. When he saw Shen Moqi's outer disciple robes, his smile became even more cordial. "Oh, a junior brother from the Luo Xiao Sect? Please come in, please come in."

Shen Moqi was slightly taken aback: "Does the shopkeeper know me?"

"I don't know you, I don't know you." The man waved his hand with a smile, "But I used to be a disciple of the Luo Xiao Sect, so I feel a sense of familiarity when I see these clothes. Come, come, sit down and let's talk."

He brought out a chair and poured Shen Moqi a cup of tea.

Shen Moqi thanked him, sat down, looked around the shop's furnishings, and asked, "What's your name, shopkeeper?"

"My surname is Meng, and my given name is Yang." Shopkeeper Meng sat down opposite him. "The Meng family is a branch of the Meng family, the one that specializes in cultivating spiritual herbs. Junior Brother, you should have heard of them, right?"

Shen Moqi nodded. The Luo Xiao Sect has several affiliated families that specialize in cultivating spiritual herbs and mining minerals, and the Meng family is one of them. This is not a secret within the sect.

"I used to be an outer disciple, but I couldn't break through to the fifth level of Qi Refining, so I gave up on cultivation and returned to the family to manage the business three years ago." Manager Meng said, with a hint of self-deprecation in his tone. "This Hundred Herbs Hall is a family business, so I guess I'm just doing my part for the family."

Seeing his friendly attitude, Shen Moqi relaxed her guard a little, but she didn't forget her business.

"Manager Meng, I'd like to ask you a few questions."

"you say."

Shen Moqi voiced her question from the market: "I learned in the sect that spiritual root aptitude is rare, so why are there so many cultivators in this market?"

Manager Meng smiled, as if he had expected him to ask this question.

"Is this your first time leaving the sect, Junior Brother?"

Shen Moqi nodded.

"No wonder." Manager Meng picked up his teacup and took a sip. "You don't know this, but not all cultivators in this world come from sects. Some have such poor spiritual roots that sects won't accept them, so they have to explore on their own; some accidentally obtain some fortuitous opportunity and luckily embark on the path of cultivation, but sects, seeing that they already have cultivation, are afraid they'll become spies for rival sects and dare not accept them casually; there are also those like me who have no hope of breaking through and voluntarily leave the sect, but this is a special treatment only for affiliated families of sects, so in reality, they still belong to the sect; and then there are those whose sects or families are destroyed, forcing them to become rogue cultivators..."

He paused, then lowered his voice: "These people have complicated feelings towards sect disciples. Some are envious, some are jealous, some want to get something out of you—all sorts of things. So, junior brother, after you leave the sect, it's best not to wear this outfit. People will immediately know you're a newcomer who hasn't left the sect, which can easily cause trouble."

Shen Moqi listened and secretly made a mental note. No wonder those rogue cultivators looked at him so strangely earlier—so that's why. The disciples guarding the mountain gate also looked at him with the same strange gaze; could it be for the same reason? Then why didn't they warn him?

"Thank you for the reminder, Manager Meng." He cupped his hands in a gesture of respect.

"You're welcome, you're welcome." Manager Meng waved his hand. "We're from the same school, this is nothing. By the way, did you come to the market today to buy or sell something?"

Shen Moqi thought about it and decided that it was better to tell the truth.

"I'm looking for some herbs that can nourish or strengthen the meridians."

After listening, Manager Meng pondered for a moment: "Nourishing the meridians... that's quite rare. I do have two purple-leaf golden thread lotus plants here, which I picked from the mountain last month. They're both about five years old and of pretty good quality."

Shen Moqi was overjoyed and quickly asked, "How many spirit stones?"

"Fifteen spirit stones per plant," Manager Meng quoted, adding, "These are hard to find, so this price is already fair."

Shen Moqi did some mental calculations.

How many spirit stones does he have? The Imperial Preceptor gave him one, he received five when he joined the sect, he got six from his three-month monthly stipend, and Ji Yao borrowed fifteen. He used two for cultivation during this period, so he now has a total of—

Twenty-five spirit stones.

Buying one plant is more than enough, but buying two plants would cost five yuan less.

He was worried that buying just one plant wouldn't be enough. There were three cracks in the veins; how much could one plant of *Anoectochilus roxburghii* have? If the medicine wasn't effective enough and the cracks didn't heal, it would be a real problem.

He hesitated for a moment, then decided to tell the truth: "Shopkeeper Meng, I only have twenty-five spirit stones on me, and I'm five short of buying two plants. Could you perhaps—"

He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was already clear.

Shopkeeper Meng looked troubled. "Logically speaking, I also come from the Luo Xiao Sect, so I should give you some discounts. But this shop is a family business, and the prices are fixed. I can't make the decision." He thought for a moment, "How about you buy one first? And buy another one later when you have enough spirit stones?"

Shen Moqi shook his head. He couldn't wait; the longer the meridian rupture remained, the more troublesome it would become.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small porcelain bottle.

These were the two Qi Gathering Pills that Ji Yao had given him. He had used one, and there was one left. He had originally intended to save it for future cultivation, but now that his meridians were in trouble, he couldn't use it anymore.

"Manager Meng, how many spirit stones do you think this Qi Gathering Pill is worth?"

Manager Meng took the porcelain bottle, uncorked it, brought it close to his nose to smell it, then poured some out to examine it. His eyes lit up slightly: "This is produced by the Alchemy Hall?"

"Yes." Shen Moqi nodded.

"The quality is good, much purer than those made by random cultivators outside." Manager Meng thought for a moment and said, "At market price, this quality Qi Gathering Pill would probably sell for eight to ten spirit stones. I'll give you eight, is that alright?"

Shen Moqi wandered around the market for over an hour, gaining a general understanding of the prices. Eight spirit stones for a Qi Gathering Pill was indeed not cheap; Manager Meng's shop could only make a maximum profit of two spirit stones per sale, so he wasn't being ripped off.

"Okay." Shen Moqi nodded. "Twenty-two spirit stones plus this Qi Gathering Pill, in exchange for two Purple Leaf Golden Thread Lotus plants."

Shopkeeper Meng readily agreed, turned around and took out a wooden box from the medicine cabinet. He opened it and found two dried spiritual herbs inside.

The leaves were purple with golden, thread-like veins, exactly like the ones Shen Moqi had seen in the book. He leaned closer to smell them; they had a faint, pleasant fragrance.

"Both of these are five years old, so their medicinal effects are sufficient," Shopkeeper Meng said, pointing to one of them. "This one has a thicker rootstock, making it even more effective. After you get home, cut off a small piece each day and hold it under your tongue to allow the medicinal power to penetrate naturally. Remember, do not use spiritual energy to refine it, otherwise the medicinal effect will dissipate."

Shen Moqi nodded. He had seen this usage in a book, and it was consistent with what Manager Meng had said.

He handed the spirit stones and Qi-gathering pills to Manager Meng, took the wooden box, and carefully put it away.

"Thank you, Manager Meng."

"You're welcome." Manager Meng waved his hand with a smile. "If you need any medicinal herbs in the future, just come to me."

Shen Moqi cupped her hands in farewell to Meng Yang and then turned and walked towards the door.

"Wait!" Manager Meng called out.

Shen Moqi turned around, frowned, and looked at Meng Yang: "I wonder if there's anything else, Manager Meng?"

Manager Meng asked, "Junior Brother, are you planning to return to the sect now?"

Shen Moqi: "Of course I'll return to the sect."

Manager Meng hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice and said, "Junior Brother, there's something I'm not sure if I should say."

"Please speak."

"This market is full of all sorts of people. You're just an outer disciple, wearing the sect's robes and carrying some newly bought spiritual herbs. Walking back at night..." He shook his head. "It's not safe."

Shen Moqi's heart skipped a beat: "Is it that serious?"

"It's more serious than you think," Manager Meng said solemnly. "A couple of years ago, a disciple from a sect bought some things at the market and was heading back after dark. He was ambushed on the way, his goods were stolen, and he was killed. Later, it was found that it was done by a few rogue cultivators, but they had already fled and couldn't be found. There are even more other rogue cultivators killing each other, and many cultivators who frequently come to the market have suddenly disappeared."

He added, "There are even more ruthless ones. Some rogue cultivators specifically target sect disciples, looking for an opportunity to strike. Your clothes are too conspicuous; you look like a newcomer who has never left the sect, making you the easiest target for those who covet your talents."

Shen Moqi remained silent for a while.

He knew that Manager Meng was telling the truth. He remembered clearly the way those rogue cultivators looked at him during his walk around the market today.

"So you mean...?"

"Stay in the market for one night and go back early tomorrow morning," said Manager Meng. "There are inns in the market, which are a bit expensive, but they are safe. And—" He paused, "there are Golden Core elders from the Luo Xiao Sect on duty in the market, so even if those rogue cultivators are bold, they won't dare to cause trouble here."

Shen Moqi thought about it and felt that Manager Meng made sense. Although spirit stones were scarce, safety was more important.

"Where is that inn located?"

"Turn right after leaving Baicaotang, and you'll arrive in a few steps. It's called 'Fengqi Inn'," Manager Meng said with a smile.

Shen Moqi thanked him and got up to take her leave.

As I stepped out of Baicaotang, it was already dark. The market was lit up, and most of the stalls on the main street had already closed, leaving only a few shops with their lights still on.

Following the direction pointed out by Manager Meng, Shen Moqi found the Phoenix Perch Inn.

The inn was small, a two-story building, with two lanterns hanging at the entrance. Shen Moqi pushed open the door and went in. Behind the counter sat a plump middle-aged woman, eating melon seeds.

"Looking for a room?" The woman looked him up and down.

"Yes." Shen Moqi nodded. "How many spirit stones per night?"

"One spirit stone for a regular room, three for a superior room," the woman said.

Shen Moqi thought for a moment, then took out a spirit stone and placed it on the counter: "A regular room will do."

The woman accepted the spirit stones and took out a jade pendant from the counter to give to him: "The innermost room on the second floor. After entering the room, use the jade pendant to activate the formation so that no one else can enter."

Shen Moqi took the jade pendant, went upstairs to the second floor, and entered her room. She then infused a little spiritual power into the jade pendant, which emitted a ring of light that enveloped the entire room.

"This is much safer. No wonder it costs one spirit stone for one night," Shen Moqi murmured.

The room was small, with a bed, a table, and an oil lamp—simple but clean. He closed the door, took the wooden box from his pocket, placed it on the table, and opened it to look at it again.

Two purple-leaved golden thread orchids, with intact rhizomes and in good condition.

"At least the trip wasn't in vain," he muttered to himself.

Then he carefully used the Frost Sword to cut the roots of the two purple-leafed golden thread orchids into seven pieces—four pieces for the thicker root and three pieces for the other.

After placing six rhizomes into the wooden box, he put the remaining rhizome in his mouth and held it under his tongue before closing his eyes and sitting in meditation.

The market outside the window gradually quieted down, with only the occasional bark of a dog coming from afar.