Chapter 38: The One Making Waves in Dongjun is Jiang Sheng

A single market can bring in hundreds of thousands of spirit stones in profit every year!

A single county's great clans would divide it among themselves, naturally leaving little for anyone else, but what if one person swallowed it all?

Jiang Sheng couldn't help but wonder: once he opened his Purple Mansion, should he also establish a market at Mount Qingping?

Mount Qingping was located at the junction of three counties, meaning it could attract a significant number of rogue cultivators from all three.

If he didn't charge any entrance fees and only took an annual commission from the stalls, it wouldn't be a small sum!

This was a viable venture!

Jiang Sheng knew very well that while he could open his Purple Mansion without the Purple Cloud Obstacle-Breaking Pill or the Purple Sun Jade and Purple Heart Marrow, various great medicines were indispensable for the Core Formation stage.

If he wanted to refine a high-grade Golden Core, various great medicines would be required, and the expenses would inevitably be substantial.

Suppressing this thought for the moment, Jiang Sheng and Xu Xiao entered the market.

Aside from individual shops, the market was mostly filled with rogue cultivators setting up stalls.

These rogue cultivators could not afford shops and had to set up street stalls to attract passing cultivators.

Jiang Sheng walked and paused along the way, but he didn't see anything worthwhile, let alone find any bargains.

In the end, Jiang Sheng entered the Cha family's medicinal herb shop to purchase his supplies.

Seeing two Foundation Establishment cultivators arriving, the shop assistant hurried to notify the manager.

The manager was sixty years old with a seventh-level Qi Refinement cultivation. Because of his deep knowledge of medicinal herbs, he had been appointed manager by the family; he possessed a keen eye.

Having dealt with countless people over the years, he could discern a person's nature almost perfectly the moment they arrived.

Whether they were laypeople or experts, rogue cultivators or scions of great clans, and what level of hospitality they required—he knew it all.

As soon as Jiang Sheng and Xu Xiao entered, the manager knew these two Foundation Establishment seniors were of extraordinary background. Even among the scions of the great clans in East County, few possessed such an aura.

Moreover, the two had an ethereal temperament and a calm expression, clearly accustomed to seeing the world.

The manager understood immediately: these were not people to be swindled; they had to be received with utmost caution.

"Please, seniors, come in. What are you waiting for? Hurry and serve tea to the seniors!"

While scolding the assistant, the manager invited Jiang Sheng and Xu Xiao to sit, then stood to the side with a smile. "May I ask what medicinal herbs the two seniors require?"

Jiang Sheng pondered for a moment before saying, "A hundred-year-old Snake Saliva Fruit and Red Silk Flower; fifty-year-old or older Wind Bell Grass and Light Spirit Flower; two-hundred-year-old or older Black Spirit Lingzhi and Seven Star Grass; and I also need Hundred Herb Dew."

The manager grew increasingly surprised as he listened. These items were clearly the medicinal herbs required to refine Foundation Establishment stage pills. Could this Foundation Establishment senior be a Second-Rank Alchemist?!

The manager understood the prestige of an alchemist better than anyone.

If the Cha family had a Second-Rank alchemist capable of refining Foundation Establishment Pills, why would they hand over massive amounts of spirit stones to the three great sects?

The three great Golden Core sects of Qingzhou only released a batch of Foundation Establishment Pills every sixty years. For these pills, every great clan in the eight counties fought tooth and nail.

However, alchemists capable of refining Second-Rank pills were rare in Qingzhou. They were either kept as honored guests within the three great Golden Core sects or hidden away by Purple Mansion clans.

At the very least, the Cha family truly had not cultivated a Second-Rank alchemist.

Thinking that the Foundation Establishment senior before him might be a Second-Rank alchemist, the manager respectfully ordered his men to fetch the herbs immediately, while secretly sending someone to notify the family's Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Seeing the manager's subtle movements, Xu Xiao sent a divine sense transmission to Jiang Sheng: "Young Master Yuanchen, things are about to get lively."

Jiang Sheng smiled. "What's wrong with things being lively?"

Before long, as if having received news, the manager said respectfully to Jiang Sheng and Xu Xiao, "Seniors, Second-Rank medicinal herbs are worth a fortune. Please, follow me to the second floor."

Jiang Sheng did not refuse, and under the manager's guidance, he and Xu Xiao ascended to the second floor.

Upon reaching the second floor, Jiang Sheng saw a middle-aged Foundation Establishment cultivator.

This cultivator was a family elder of the Cha family named Cha Liangping. Although he was only at the early stage of Foundation Establishment, he held an extraordinary position in the family because he was the younger brother of the Cha family's Purple Mansion ancestor, Cha Liangcai.

While Cha Liangping's combat strength was not particularly high, he was exceptionally sharp-witted. Whether in business or assisting with family affairs, he performed brilliantly, earning him great respect from the family.

The moment Cha Liangping saw Jiang Sheng and Xu Xiao, he knew today would not be easy.

Not only were both Jiang Sheng and Xu Xiao at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, but he also recognized Xu Xiao.

The direct disciple of the Moon-Grasping Sect's Purple Mansion Elder Kong Lan, and the eldest young lady of the Xu family of Qing County—how could he, an elder of the Purple Mansion Cha family, not recognize such a status?

"I heard from the manager that two Foundation Establishment cultivators had arrived. The man is handsome and dashing, and the woman is as beautiful as a celestial being with an ethereal aura. I was wondering when such a pair of jade-like beauties had appeared in East County. I did not expect it to be Fairy Xu; I truly failed to welcome you properly." Cha Liangping smiled as he invited Jiang Sheng and Xu Xiao to take their seats.

Xu Xiao was accustomed to such scenes and replied with a gentle smile, "I was merely passing through. I did not expect that purchasing some medicinal herbs would disturb you; it is my fault."

Cha Liangping hurriedly said, "Fairy Xu, what are you saying? The Xu and Cha families have been long-standing allies. If our Cha family fails to host you properly when you arrive in East County, I would not be able to bear the blame if your father were to take offense."

After Xu Xiao exchanged more pleasantries with Cha Liangping, the topic was finally steered toward Jiang Sheng.

Cha Liangping looked at Jiang Sheng. "And this gentleman is..."

Jiang Sheng bowed slightly. "This humble practitioner is Jiang Sheng, a Qi Refiner from Mount Qingping."

Jiang Sheng!

That name was currently thunderous in the county city!

Who didn't know that a genius was living in seclusion on Mount Qingping, someone who could challenge a Purple Mansion cultivator with a single sword strike while only at the Foundation Establishment stage?

Cha Liangping hurriedly stood up to return the salute. "So it is Daoist Jiang! This old man was impolite, truly impolite."

"I thought to myself, with Fairy Xu's status, how could she be accompanied by an ordinary person? I did not expect that Daoist Jiang would not only possess extraordinary swordsmanship but also be proficient in alchemy."

"My alchemy is nothing special; I merely practice it to pass the time," Jiang Sheng said modestly.

But how could Cha Liangping underestimate Jiang Sheng?

In all of East County, the only one capable of fighting a Purple Mansion cultivator was his brother, the Purple Mansion cultivator Cha Liangcai.

And now, there was another person, Jiang Sheng. Moreover, Jiang Sheng had challenged a Purple Mansion cultivator from the Foundation Establishment stage. How could such a genius be underestimated?

Upon learning that Jiang Sheng intended to refine pills, Cha Liangping waved his hand grandly. "For a genius like Daoist Jiang to be willing to visit our Cha family's herb shop is an honor to us. Today, the Cha family will offer all the medicinal herbs Daoist Jiang requires at half price. I hope Daoist Jiang will not be too polite."

"In that case, I shall not decline."

Seeing that Jiang Sheng did not refuse, Cha Liangping was even more delighted. He ordered tea and pastries to be brought and chatted with Jiang Sheng about the interesting happenings in East County.

As they talked, Jiang Sheng said, "Speaking of which, I have some matters to attend to. It is fate to meet Fellow Daoist Cha here, and I believe it would be more appropriate for Fellow Daoist Cha to handle this matter."

Cha Liangping was somewhat surprised. "Oh? If Fellow Daoist Jiang has anything requiring my assistance, please do not hesitate to say."

Jiang Sheng took out a stack of green talismans. "These talismans were drawn by this humble practitioner, and I am unsure where to sell them."

Cha Liangping was truly shocked. He looked at the talismans; they were all high-grade Second-Rank talismans!

At this moment, Cha Liangping finally remembered the rumors regarding Jiang Sheng's origins. It was said that the cultivators of Penglai were all skilled in talisman making, and talismans produced in Penglai were over thirty percent superior to those made by ordinary talisman masters.

The value of this stack of Second-Rank talismans was absolutely not to be underestimated!

This was something that could serve as the foundation of a family's wealth. Not to mention, if a family disciple were to travel, having a Penglai-made talisman for protection would provide an extra layer of security.

Therefore, without hesitation, Cha Liangping bought the entire stack at a price thirty percent higher than the market rate, making it clear that he intended to build a relationship with Jiang Sheng.

Jiang Sheng was naturally happy to oblige. He used the spirit stones to purchase the medicinal herbs and also asked Cha Liangping to help him find a Second-Rank alchemy furnace.

Cha Liangping was very enthusiastic and personally brought a three-legged, double-eared alchemy furnace. "Fellow Daoist Jiang, this furnace is made of Kunling Gold, Nian Copper Essence, Red Fire Essence, and Forest Spirit Copper. It is considered upper-middle among Second-Rank furnaces. If you like it, please take it."

After inspecting it, Jiang Sheng accepted the furnace and purchased all the required herbs, yet he still had a significant amount of spirit stones left.

After some thought, Jiang Sheng added, "Could I trouble the manager to also bring me one hundred portions each of Heart-Calming Grass, Sky-Azure Flower, Silver Moon Flower, Flowing Heart Grass, and Earth Yellow Ginseng?"

The manager hurried to fetch these herbs, finally satisfying Jiang Sheng's requirements.

After completing the entire transaction, Cha Liangping wanted to invite Jiang Sheng to the Cha family residence, but Jiang Sheng politely declined, citing that his Taoist temple was left unattended.

Cha Liangping did not insist. After seeing Jiang Sheng and Xu Xiao off, he immediately rushed back to the family.

"Is my eldest brother in?"

"Second Elder, the Ancestor is in the backyard."

Rushing to the backyard and seeing Cha Liangcai fishing, Cha Liangping stepped forward immediately. "Brother, do you know whom I met today?"

"Who?" Cha Liangcai asked somewhat nonchalantly.

"Jiang Sheng and Xu Xiao of the Xu family," Cha Liangping said.

Cha Liangcai's hand holding the fishing rod paused, and he sat up straight. "What are they doing here?"

"Xu Xiao is returning to the Moon-Grasping Sect, and Jiang Sheng came to purchase a batch of medicinal herbs," Cha Liangping explained.

Cha Liangcai smiled. "As expected of a genius from Penglai; not only is his swordsmanship extraordinary, but he also understands the Dao of Alchemy."

"That's not all. Jiang Sheng is also proficient in talisman making. These are the talismans he refined—all of them are high-grade Second-Rank. I have bought them all, and I gave him half price on all the herbs he requested." As he spoke, Cha Liangping took out the stack of talismans and handed them to Cha Liangcai for inspection.

After sensing the talismans, Cha Liangcai nodded. "You did the right thing. Giving these talismans to the youngsters in the family will provide them with more protection when they are out. If Jiang Sheng comes to buy herbs again in the future, continue to sell them to him at half price."

Cha Liangping nodded, feeling a bit of regret. "If only we could make Jiang Sheng one of our own."

Cha Liangcai laughed. "What kind of wish is that? Jiang Sheng is a genius of Penglai. He challenged a Purple Mansion cultivator while only at the Foundation Establishment stage; he will surely achieve Golden Core in the future. How could such a person be confined to this small East County for long?"

"Such a person has no direct conflict of interest with us. We only need to maintain a good relationship; that alone leaves a legacy for the family."

Thinking of the mysterious River God in the Taiping River, and then thinking of himself, Cha Liangcai sighed deeply. "The Cha family has reached a bottleneck. Without external forces, it will be difficult to achieve great development. Perhaps in the future, we will need this genius from Penglai..."