Chapter 34: At the Fair, the Second Cultivator

“Is this the Great Market?”

Lu Qing looked at the bustling scene of people coming and going ahead of him, feeling somewhat surprised.

This market was even more lively than what he remembered.

The stalls on both sides were well-ordered, looking exactly like the marketplaces he had seen in small towns in his previous life.

“That’s right, this is the Great Market.” Wang Da'an nodded, pointing ahead. “See those stalls? Those are for long-term rentals. Only those who make a dedicated living will rent those spots.”

Lu Qing looked and saw that the stalls Wang Da'an was pointing to were mostly selling meat, cloth, or grain.

Wang Da'an continued, “A bit further back, there’s an open space. You don't have to rent there, but if you want to sell things, you have to pay a one-wen stall fee.”

“If you want to sell fish, Ah Qing, you don't need to rent a stall; you can just go straight to the open area.”

“Who do I pay the money to?” Lu Qing asked.

“Master Ma.” Wang Da'an pointed to a spot. “See that man in the green cloth clothes? That’s Master Ma. He’s in charge of collecting the temporary stall fees here.”

Lu Qing followed his gaze and saw a middle-aged man in green clothing, somewhat thin in build, walking through the market with a smile on his face.

He also noticed several other men dressed in similar cloth clothing patrolling to maintain order.

As if sensing the gaze of Lu Qing and Wang Da'an, Master Ma suddenly turned his head, his eyes turning sharp.

Seeing that they were just two rural youths in ragged clothes, his expression softened, and he nonchalantly shifted his gaze away to continue his stroll.

Lu Qing’s heart tightened.

To be able to sense his and Wang Da'an's gaze from such a distance, this Master Ma was likely no ordinary person.

He no longer dared to stare so directly, only keeping an eye on him through his peripheral vision.

Soon, he saw a dense white light emerge from Master Ma's body.

【Ma Gu: Deep-thinking, fair in conduct, and possesses a sharp eye; highly respected and feared by the people in the Great Market.】

【Cultivation: Strong and robust, newly entered the Post-Natal Bone-Strengthening Realm.】

Receiving the information provided by his ability, Lu Qing's expression remained unchanged, but waves of emotion surged in his heart.

A cultivator—this Master Ma was a cultivator!

No wonder his perception was so keen; it turned out he was a cultivator unlike ordinary people.

This was the second cultivator Lu Qing had encountered since transmigrating to this world.

The first was, naturally, Old Doctor Chen.

However, even though both were cultivators, Lu Qing noticed a difference.

First was the light emitted by the ability: Ma Gu's was still white, whereas Old Doctor Chen's was red.

Clearly, in the path of cultivation, Old Doctor Chen was likely more profound than Ma Gu.

Was it a difference in realm?

Lu Qing noted that the ability's evaluation stated Ma Gu's cultivation was "newly entered the Post-Natal Bone-Strengthening Realm."

Whereas Old Doctor Chen's had been the "Post-Natal Internal Organ Realm."

Does this mean the Internal Organ Realm is stronger than the Bone-Strengthening Realm?

And are there other realms between these two?

Lu Qing's mind raced as he slowly calculated.

“So, how is it, Ah Qing? You've seen the market. Didn't you say you wanted to buy something? What are you buying?”

At that moment, Wang Da'an interrupted Lu Qing's thoughts.

Lu Qing tucked his thoughts away and smiled. “I have quite a lot to buy. I think I'll need your help, Brother Da'an.”

“You're buying a lot? Ah Qing, did you strike it rich?” Wang Da'an's eyes widened.

Lu Qing smiled but did not answer.

Wang Da'an realized it wasn't appropriate to discuss this here.

He stopped questioning and patted his chest. “Don't worry, no matter how much you buy, I can help you carry it back!”

“Then thank you in advance, Brother Da'an.”

Lu Qing walked toward the stalls ahead.

The first place he went was the meat stall.

The stall sold pork, and the quality of the meat naturally didn't look as good as the carefully raised pork from his previous life.

But in Lu Qing's eyes, it was still incredibly tempting.

He hadn't eaten meat in a long time!

After picking out two large pieces of fatty meat and several pieces of semi-lean meat, Lu Qing prepared to pay.

However, the stall owner looked at the piece of broken silver he produced with a troubled expression.

“Young master, you must be joking with me. How am I supposed to find change for this silver?”

“You can't make change?” Lu Qing was stunned.

“I can't. I only just opened my stall today and haven't had much business yet. This silver of yours must weigh nearly half a tael; I don't have that many copper coins to give you change,” the owner said honestly.

Wang Da'an was also startled by the silver Lu Qing produced. He hurriedly covered Lu Qing's hand and pulled him aside.

“Ah Qing, where did you get silver?”

“Grandpa Chen gave it to me.”

Lu Qing used the old doctor as a shield.

After all, when they went down the mountain yesterday, the old doctor had instructed him that if anyone asked about the origin of the silver, he should say it was from him.

“Old Doctor Chen is truly good to you.”

Wang Da'an's face immediately showed envy. Why couldn't he become the old doctor's apprentice?

But he quickly realized something.

“Wait, even if the silver was given by the old doctor, you shouldn't have taken it out directly! Who comes to the Great Market to buy things with silver!”

“But I don't have any copper coins on me, only this silver.”

Lu Qing knew silver was precious, but his family was running out of food, and he had many things to buy this time.

Forget not having copper coins; even if they did, carrying them around was equally inconvenient.

“...”

That seemed to make sense.

Knowing the situation of Lu Qing's family, Wang Da'an scratched his head, unsure of what to say.

“Young master, do you still want this meat?”

On the other side, the meat stall owner called out.

It was rare to have such a large order, and he didn't want to miss it.

“I do want it, but didn't you say you couldn't make change for the silver?” Lu Qing said helplessly.

The meat stall owner froze.

Now, both sides were in a dilemma.

“Is something happening?”

At that moment, a gentle voice sounded.

Lu Qing turned around to see the middle-aged man Wang Da'an called Master Ma standing behind them.

“Master Ma!”

The meat stall owner and Wang Da'an both hurriedly bowed in greeting.

“Mhm. I heard some commotion here just now. Has something happened?” Master Ma asked.

“It's like this, Master Ma,” the meat stall owner spoke first. “This young master brought a piece of silver to buy meat, but I can't make change, and everyone is at a loss.”

“Oh?”

Master Ma immediately looked at Lu Qing.

Even he rarely encountered someone who would use silver to buy things at the Great Market.

When he saw Lu Qing's clothing clearly, a hint of surprise appeared in Master Ma's eyes.

Lu Qing did not look like someone who possessed silver.

“Young man, may I ask where your silver came from?” Master Ma asked.

“Why? Is one required to explain the origin of their money when buying things at the market?” Lu Qing asked calmly.

“That is not it. I was being impolite.” Master Ma bowed slightly as an apology, a smile on his face. “I was merely surprised. A young man like you doesn't seem like someone who could produce silver.”

Although Master Ma was smiling, the meat stall owner and Wang Da'an inexplicably felt a sense of pressure, and sweat began to bead on their foreheads.

Lu Qing also seemed pressured by this aura.

A nervous expression appeared on his face.

He hesitated for a moment before finally saying, “This silver was given to me by my master.”

“Oh? And may I know who your master is?” The smile on Master Ma's face remained unchanged.

“I do not know my master's name, but everyone calls him Old Doctor Chen.”

“What? That old doctor?”

Master Ma's expression changed instantly.