Chapter 52 Arriving at Shuiyun Town
The heavy rain continued. The pitch-black carriage strolled along the streets of Qinglei City, emitting crisp clattering sounds. Compared to the urgency that seemed like it wanted to crush the rain curtain when entering the city, it now appeared very calm, even somewhat desolate.
The youth in dark cyan martial attire sitting in the carriage's front compartment leaned back against the door frame, one hand holding a purple-blue Storage Bag, his thoughts drifting to who knows where.
He didn't know whether to feel fortunate or sad.
Because of the other party's kindness, he had escaped a disaster. Perhaps he should feel fortunate.
But he couldn't be happy no matter what.
Perhaps... he wasn't truly a heartless person after all.
Lu Li thought he had been ruthless enough. Only now did he realize that deep down, he had always been kind-hearted. It was just that when dealing with enemies, he suppressed that kindness deeply.
The carriage exited the city and continued southeast.
The Lightning Fire Mountain Range was located in the southeast of Liang Province. The highest point of the mountain range was a full thousand zhang, stretching east-west for thousands of li. The north-south branch ranges crisscrossed like a giant centipede lying on its belly. Passing through from north to south led to the Eastern Prefecture of the Great Qian Empire.
The Lightning Fire Mountain Range could be considered a wonder of Liang Province. Regardless of whether it was mountain rocks or forests, all the branch ranges were a fiery red, while the main range was a deep blue. The name of the mountain range also came from this.
This place abounded with various spirit medicines, among which the Lightning Fire Orchid was the most famous. People coming here to explore for treasures and gather herbs were also an endless stream.
As more and more people gathered, many small towns were built at the foot of numerous branch ranges, and various forces naturally arose.
On this day.
At the entrance of Shuiyun Town, located at the foot of the westernmost branch range of the Lightning Fire Mountain Range, a black carriage came driving towards them.
The youth driving the carriage looked at the crowds of people shuttling through the streets, quietly released his Divine Sense to sense them, and couldn't help but reveal a trace of confusion: Why are there so many cultivators?
He thought for a moment, got off the carriage, untied the harness, and gave the horse's hindquarters a firm slap, "Go, you're free."
The mutated steed seemed somewhat spiritual. It looked back at Lu Li, let out a long whinny, then galloped away with all its might.
Only then did Lu Li stroke the purple jade at his waist and slowly walked in.
The purple jade was called God-Concealing Jade. It was obtained from Liu Xinyu's Storage Bag. When activated, it could block any Divine Sense detection from cultivators within the same major realm.
For Lu Li, this undoubtedly gave him another life-saving card.
Along the way, Lu Li discovered that this seemingly unremarkable small town actually had five or six out of every ten people who were cultivators. Although most weren't of particularly high cultivation, there were also some people whose cultivation he couldn't see through.
To avoid offending anyone, Lu Li didn't deliberately probe anyone's specific cultivation level.
As he walked and looked around, he found there were also many shops selling items for cultivators. Out of curiosity, he walked to the entrance of a sundries shop and observed from a distance. He was very curious: how do cultivators trade among themselves? Do they also use gold and silver?
This was clearly unrealistic.
After watching several people conduct transactions, Lu Li finally understood: the currency they used was actually True Essence Pills.
After thinking about it, as True Essence Pills were a necessity for Qi Refining stage cultivators, it made sense they could serve as a universal currency.
However, right now he didn't even have a single True Essence Pill on him. Calculated this way, he was truly poor as a church mouse. After just looking around, Lu Li prepared to leave. But at that moment, the plump shopkeeper suddenly walked over toward him.
First, he showed a suspicious expression, then respectfully bowed and said, "Senior, do you have any needs?"
Senior?
Lu Li frowned. Both the other party and himself were at the third level of Qi Refining. Why would he call him Senior? But it wasn't appropriate to ask directly, so after some quick thinking, he asked, "Does your shop purchase Storage Bags?"
The plump shopkeeper's eyes lit up, "We do, we do! Things like Storage Bags might not be rare for a Senior of your stature, but for us secular Rogue Cultivators, they're truly scarce goods."
Lu Li nodded and casually tossed out a Storage Bag, "This one, see how you'd appraise it."
The plump shopkeeper took it and probed it with his Divine Sense, immediately saying, "According to the normal market price, we buy this kind of primary Storage Bag for twelve Low Grade True Essence Pills. But considering Senior's face, I'll offer you fifteen. How about it?"
"Considering my face?"
"Ahem, yes." The plump shopkeeper said while glancing toward Lu Li's chest, seemingly trying to get a clearer look.
Seeing this, Lu Li also looked down at his own chest. With one look, he immediately understood: the other party hadn't seen through his cultivation level. Rather, it was this Qingyang Sect badge on his chest that made the other party apprehensive.
It seemed the Qingyang Sect's influence in Liang Province really wasn't small.
But that was fine too. This way he could also sell a few more True Essence Pills. So he took out all the Storage Bags he had on him-nine in total, "Sell them all!"
"This, this many!" The plump shopkeeper was startled.
"What, don't want them?"
"Want them, want them, want them!" The plump shopkeeper nodded repeatedly, "I'll fetch the True Essence Pills for you right now."
A moment later, the plump shopkeeper took out a large jade bottle and five small jade bottles and handed them to Lu Li, "Senior, one hundred and fifty pills total. Please count them."
Lu Li scanned them with his Divine Sense and, finding no issues, nodded, "No problems."
Then he turned and left. While walking, Lu Li thought for a moment and still took off the badge. When traveling outside, one must always keep some caution. People from immortal sects like the Qingyang Sect probably mostly look down on secular Rogue Cultivators and have offended quite a few people.
If someone held a grudge against Qingyang Sect disciples, wouldn't he suffer undeserved disaster?
What Lu Li didn't know was that the moment he left, the plump shopkeeper closed his shop, hurried into a side alley, and stopped at an entrance with the name "Shuiyun Stronghold."
After straightening his clothes, he entered inside.
The two guards at the entrance hurriedly bowed respectfully, "Greetings, Dharma Protector Wang!"
The plump man ignored them and walked directly into the main hall. Facing a burly man in the hall who was lying back snoring loudly, he respectfully called out, "Wang Fu pays respects to Great Chieftain Xu."
"What is it." Xu Shan remained leaning back on the tiger-skin chair, still looking upward.
"Great Chieftain, another Qingyang Sect bastard has arrived."
"Qingyang Sect?" Xu Shan slowly sat up, squinting his eyes as he looked at Wang Fu, "Looked carefully?"
"Absolutely no mistake. I looked three times."
"What cultivation level?"
"Third level, mid stage."
"Fine. Take a few brothers and go deal with him. Remember to do it cleanly. Don't leave me any loose ends, otherwise... you know the consequences."
"Yes, Great Chieftain!"
The town wasn't very long, just two or three li from east to west. Lu Li didn't walk long before reaching the end. Half a li outside the town gate, a fiery red forest stretched from low to high, with the distant end appearing a deep blue.
This was one of the branch ranges leading to the main range-the Shuiyun Branch Range.
"I wonder where the Lightning Fire Orchid grows."
Looking at the endless expanse of crimson forest before him, Lu Li realized he had thought of the Lightning Fire Mountain Range too simply, imagining it like a herb garden waiting for him to pick.
"Forget it, I'll search slowly." After a brief moment of hesitation, Lu Li walked directly toward the outside of the town.
At that moment, there were two women and one man outside the town quietly discussing something.
Seeing Lu Li emerge from the town, one of the petite, pink-clad girls' eyes lit up as she walked toward Lu Li.