Eternal Immortal Dynasty: Starting as a Petty Official

Chapter 104 A Trip to the Market (Seeking First Subscriptions!)

After leaving the county town, Zhao Xian rode his horse for more than half an hour and arrived at the foot of Daqingshan Mountain.

The market town was built against the mountain, and the main gate of the market town was at the foot of the mountain. Several guards stood on the left and right of the gate. Judging from their aura, they were above the late stage of Qi Refining and were very capable.

Outside the market gate, there were stalls along the road, all belonging to itinerant merchants and peddlers who couldn't afford the stall fees.

The market wouldn't bother with these peddlers, since their presence only attracted some customers.

Zhao Xian dismounted and led his horse toward the market.

Upon first entering the market, one must pay one low-grade spirit stone to purchase an entry and exit token.

It was actually just a palm-sized, bronze plaque with the words "Rongtai" engraved on it, without any runes or restrictions.

After handing over a low-grade spirit stone, the guard casually picked up a token from the table and handed it to Zhao Xian.

After sizing up Zhao Xian a few times, seeing that Zhao Xian was carrying a strong bow and a sharp blade and had an extraordinary demeanor, the guard immediately smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist, once you enter the market, you can first go to the Xiankelai Inn to store your horse. The storage fee is ten talisman coins."

"Thank you for informing me, fellow Daoist! Chen Junyuan also gave me the same instruction before I came!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xian pondered the words "fellow Daoist" for a moment, then responded with a smile.

"Ah, fellow Daoist, do you know Brother Twelfth?"

Upon hearing Chen Yuancheng's name, the guard immediately smiled. Seeing Zhao Xian's puzzled expression, he quickly explained, "He is Chen Yuancheng, the village head of Wohu Township."

"Of course I know! I just didn't know that Mr. Chen is the twelfth in the Chen family!"

"Haha, since you know Brother Twelfth, I'll gladly present this token to you!"

After saying that, the young guard handed over the spirit stones in his hand.

Zhao Xian naturally refused, declined with a smile, cupped his hands in greeting, and led his horse into the market.

The young guard watched Zhao Xian enter the market, a hint of curiosity in his eyes.

He could naturally tell that Zhao Xiannian was only twenty years old, yet his cultivation had already reached the fifth level of Qi Refining. At such a young age, such cultivation was considered quite good even within the Chen family.

"Judging from this young man's attire, he must be working in Wohu Township. When he has some free time, he could go and visit my twelfth brother!"

"Last time, when Brother Twelfth surrounded and killed a tiger demon at the peak of Qi Refining in Crouching Tiger Mountain, we were all truly envious!"

Upon entering the market, Zhao Xian headed towards the Xiankelai Inn, as directed by the young guard.

The market town is built against the mountain, and the roads in the town are all paved with bluestone slabs, making it very clean and tidy.

Most of the cultivators coming and going were like Zhao Xian, each leading their own mount alone. Their cultivation levels were mostly at the mid-stage of Qi Refining or the first-class level of martial arts, and their auras were also quite fierce.

Compared to the martial artists or minor cultivators Zhao Xian encountered in his hometown, the cultivators coming and going here all carried a certain amount of murderous aura, clearly indicating that they were veterans of many battles.

Although this world is inhabited by both immortals and mortals, there is actually an invisible constraint.

The Taoists who make a living in the countryside can never compare to these cultivators who venture out into the world.

After a moment of reflection, Zhao Xian spotted the banner of the Celebrated Guest House and immediately led his horse forward.

After leaving his horse at the Xiankelai Inn, Zhao Xian strolled around the market.

The market town isn't very big, but it's not small either, with four streets running in all directions and over a hundred shops.

After strolling around for a while, Zhao Xian went straight into a shop called Yunlan Pavilion.

As the name suggests, this is a shop opened by the Yunlan Sect in various markets and towns.

With its carved beams and painted rafters, flying eaves and intricate corners, it is extremely luxurious and grand.

As Zhao Xian entered, a young servant stepped forward to greet him and bowed.

"Welcome to Yunlan Pavilion, fellow Daoist. May I ask whether you are here to buy or sell?"

"Can I exchange talisman coins for spirit stones?"

Zhao Xian nodded slightly, looked the servant over, and then asked with a smile.

"Fellow Daoist, our pavilion is currently unable to exchange spirit stones for talisman coins. Only the Enforcement Hall in the market can exchange spirit stones."

"One hundred and twenty talisman coins can be exchanged for one low-grade spirit stone."

Upon hearing this, the servant immediately replied respectfully, without showing any unusual expression.

This exchange rate is fair and reasonable.

As Zhao Xian pondered, he prepared to head towards the door, but then heard the servant laugh and say, "Our establishment charges a fee based on talismans. According to the rules of the Yunlan Sect, one hundred talismans are equivalent to one low-grade spirit stone!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xian immediately stopped, looked at the servant, a smile on his face, took out a small string of talisman coins from his sleeve, and tossed them over.

The servant took the talisman money, casually stuffed it into his sleeve, and his smile deepened.

"I'll buy some elixirs that I can use in the mid-stage of Qi Refining, but I'll skip the Essence Pills."

Zhao Xian looked around the pavilion and then smiled faintly.

"Fellow Daoist, please!"

Upon hearing this, the servant immediately led Zhao Xian into the pavilion.

Before long, the two arrived at a private room. The waiter invited Zhao Xian to sit down, then served him hot tea and bowed as he left.

A moment later, the door opened again, and the servant carried a wooden tray covered with red silk.

"Fellow Daoist, these are all the mid-stage Qi Refining Elixirs sold in this pavilion."

After saying that, the servant removed the red silk, and seven white porcelain bottles appeared in front of Zhao Xian.

"My spiritual root is a fire attribute spiritual root!"

Zhao Xian glanced at it, then smiled calmly.

"Then there are only these three kinds of elixirs: Fire Jade Elixir, Jade Flower Elixir, and Azure Origin Elixir."

The servant began to introduce Zhao Xian as he spoke.

Fire Jade Pill is suitable for cultivators with fire-attribute spiritual roots, while Jade Flower Pill and Azure Origin Pill are suitable for all spiritual roots.

The Fire Jade Pill is the most expensive, costing eighty low-grade spirit stones for a bottle of ten pills. The Jade Flower Pill and the Azure Origin Pill both cost sixty-five low-grade spirit stones.

Zhao Xian's entire fortune amounted to only one hundred low-grade spirit stones and four thousand talisman coins.

"Fellow Daoist, what is the value of these claws?"

After a few moments of contemplation, Zhao Xian took out a pair of palm-sized claws from his pack. The claws were dark and exuded a faint demonic aura.

"The claws of the demonic bird in the late stage of Qi Refining are slightly broken, indicating that it was injured by a sharp weapon."

The servant picked up the claw, examined it carefully, and then looked at Zhao Xian, respectfully replying, "A late-stage Qi Refining demonic bird claw is worth twenty low-grade spirit stones. If it is slightly damaged, two low-grade spirit stones will be deducted."

"Yes, it's sold!"

The price was about the same as Chen Yuancheng's estimate, so Zhao Xian naturally agreed to sell it.

The demonic bird that was killed that day had all its feathers plucked by Zhao Xian and made into arrow fletching.

As for the flesh, it was naturally cooked and eaten by Zhao Xian, leaving only the pair of sharp claws and the bird's beak.

"I want the Fire Jade Pill and the Jade Flower Pill!"

Upon hearing this, the servant immediately left the room again to retrieve the elixir.

Taking advantage of this break, Zhao Xian took out four thousand talisman coins from his package and counted eighty-seven low-grade spirit stones, placing them on the table.

Before long, the servant brought two bottles of elixirs. When he saw the mountain of talisman coins and the small pile of spirit stones on the table, he showed no unusual expression.

Zhao Xian took the elixir, examined it carefully, and then carefully placed it close to his body.

"Are there any talismanic arrows in the pavilion?"

Suddenly, Zhao Xian asked again.

"We certainly have talisman arrows. Low-grade talisman arrows cost three spirit stones each, mid-grade talisman arrows cost six spirit stones each, and high-grade talisman arrows cost twelve spirit stones each."

Upon hearing Zhao Xian's question, the servant immediately stopped his counting work and respectfully replied.

"In that case, give me one each of the Explosive Arrow, Swift Arrow, and Freezing Arrow!"

Zhao Xianfu then produced nine more low-grade spirit stones.

The servant left the private room again.

A moment later, Zhao Xian stepped out of Yunlan Pavilion, escorted by the servant.

As dusk fell, Zhao Xian glanced at the sky and headed towards the Xiankelai Inn.

After paying ten tokens and showing the token, Zhao Xian led his mount out of the market.

After leaving the market, Zhao Xian greeted the young guard, then leaped onto his horse and galloped towards the county town.

Before long, several more people left the market and headed towards the county town.

Seeing this, the young guard shook his head and muttered to himself, "Young man."

He immediately got up, went back to the market, got a tall horse, and chased after them.

Although the road from Daqingshan Market to the county seat is not an official road, it is still quite flat and wide.

As they sped along the forest road, Zhao Xian stroked the white porcelain bottle in his arms, clearly quite excited.

Suddenly, a sense of alarm struck him, and Zhao Xian abruptly pulled on the reins. His steed barely managed to stop, raising its head and neighing loudly!

"Whoosh!"

As darkness fell, several arrows shot through the air from the mountains and forests!

In the blink of an eye, Zhao Xian remained calm and showed no fear on his face.

He ducked to avoid it, and then suddenly grabbed with both hands!

"Slap! Slap!"

With two soft sounds, Zhao Xian grabbed the two arrows in his hands!

With a swift somersault, Zhao Xian dismounted, grabbed the iron bow and quiver from the horse's back, and rolled into the forest.

"Hiss!" In the mountains, a burly cultivator holding a powerful bow gasped upon seeing this scene. "Fellow Daoist Wu, this kid is actually quite formidable!"

"Whoosh!"

Before he could finish speaking, an arrow had already pierced through the air and arrived!

"Be careful!"

A furious shout came from the mountains and forests, and in an instant, the burly cultivator leaped to the side!

"Bang!"

The arrow grazed the burly monk's hair and pierced the tree trunk behind him, its fletching trembling violently as it went more than a foot deep into the wood.

Before the burly cultivator could even feel relieved, several arrows were already whistling towards him!

"Pfft! Pfft!"

In the blink of an eye, the burly cultivator had been pierced through the body by several arrows and pinned to the ground!

"Sharpshooter!"

The two remaining people in the forest gasped in surprise upon witnessing this scene.

"Whoosh!"

The sudden whooshing sound broke their reverie. They exchanged a glance and then took off running into the mountains and forests!

Both were late-stage Qi Refining cultivators, and their magical power far surpassed Zhao Xian's. However, neither of them had any intention of courting death by competing with a sharpshooter hiding in the shadows in the mountains.

In the past, the three of them had done this kind of risk-free business many times and never failed. As for young cultivators like Zhao Xian, who had just left home and were just starting out, they had lost countless lives under arrows.

Unfortunately, I often walk at night, and today I finally ran into a vengeful ghost!

In the opposite forest, Zhao Xian had already drawn an arrow from his quiver, a finely crafted arrow with pale blue feathers.

A flash of crimson light appeared in his eyes, and the arrow vanished into the forest.

"Pfft!"

A hundred paces away, a figure fleeing in panic suddenly collapsed to the ground!

At the same time, another figure disappeared into the forest and vanished completely.

"What a pity!"

Zhao Xian thought to himself, then drew his bow and nocked an arrow, heading towards the opposite mountain forest.

A moment later, Zhao Xianfu emerged from the forest again, about to leap onto his horse, when he saw a lone rider approaching from afar, the sound of his hooves thundering.

Zhao Xian gripped his ring-blade tightly, staring at the approaching knight.