Chapter 12: The Dollar Store of the Cultivation World

There were more than twenty of them. Zhang Chuan shot four dead, killed another three or five in the blink of an eye, and was then swarmed by the rest.

Six or seven of them bypassed Zhang Chuan and headed straight for this spot.

Lu Yue shouted, "Xiao Zhou, don't be afraid! I'll keep you safe..."

Luo Zhou let out a roar and charged forward.

He swung his solid copper staff, aiming straight for the head of one of them.

The man sneered and cursed, "A half-grown brat, seeking your own death..."

He raised his shield to defend while swinging his blade to strike.

But the staff came down, hitting the shield with a *crack*, shattering the wooden shield into pieces.

The solid copper staff met no resistance, continuing its descent until the melon-shaped head struck the man’s chest, snapping all his ribs and killing him in a single blow.

The men nearby were shocked and shouted, "Watch out, he’s a powerhouse!"

"Avoid him, circle around him, don't fight him head-on..."

"Powerhouses can't sustain a long fight..."

Luo Zhou didn't care about them. A mist of water rose from his body, forming a vortex defense, and then he swung his solid copper staff, raining down a frantic, violent beating upon them.

He had never practiced martial arts; the five great body-refining techniques were just for tempering the body, not for combat.

But his strength was enough—ten thousand catties of force, a courage that could not be withstood.

With the infinite stamina of the Nine Oxen and the ability to dash and pounce in succession, his speed was not slow. He would catch up to one, and with a single strike of his staff, he would send their swords and blades flying, shattering their skulls and splattering brains everywhere.

Someone pulled out a throwing dart and nailed it into Luo Zhou’s body.

"Hit him..."

The vortex water mist collapsed, transforming into a water blade that instantly severed the man's left hand, causing him to let out a shrill, agonizing scream.

Luo Zhou walked over and ended the scream with a single strike of his staff, killing him instantly.

With a series of strikes, Luo Zhou killed four of the masked men one by one.

However, the masked men had also figured out Luo Zhou’s strength. They circled around him, moving with whistles and shouts.

They were battle-hardened veterans who quickly grasped Luo Zhou’s weakness.

No matter how great the strength, if you can't hit the target, it's useless.

Over there, Zhang Chuan was roaring loudly, but his voice lacked its former resonance, carrying a hoarse, wounded tone.

Lu Yue and Cheng Yunbo were already engaged in combat.

Cheng Yunbo had taken a blade to the face; one of his eyeballs had popped out and was hanging on his cheek, looking extremely gruesome, yet he still fought desperately, not retreating in the slightest.

In the distant forest, a sudden boom erupted like a thunderclap.

Flames soared into the sky!

Someone had used a talisman!

Cheng Wanli’s voice came through: "Cheng Wanli of the Dragon Tooth Group, one sorcerer killed!"

The remaining masked men immediately scattered and fled.

Zhang Chuan roared in anger. He picked up his bow and arrows, picking them off one by one from behind, leaving none alive.

Luo Zhou also gave chase, dashing continuously to catch up to one and knocking him down with a strike of his staff.

Cheng Wanli walked out slowly, looking somewhat aged. Using a talisman consumed one's lifespan, and killing a sorcerer was not an easy task.

He laughed heartily and said, "Dreaming of killing us? Keep dreaming!"

*Thump.* Zhang Chuan collapsed, covered in blood—some the enemy's, some his own.

Luo Zhou was also panting heavily, slumping to the ground, unable to even lift his solid copper staff.

Only Lu Yue was completely uninjured. He hurried over to bandage the wounds of Zhang Chuan and Cheng Yunbo.

Cheng Wanli recovered, drew his blade, and cut off all the enemies' heads.

The crocodile-dragon’s camouflage was also completely stripped away. Since the secret was out, there was no need to pretend anymore!

The heads were arranged on the crocodile-dragon.

The headless corpses were piled together, and Cheng Wanli sprinkled a type of powder over them. The blood turned yellow, and all the corpses slowly dissolved.

"Let's go, boys, we're heading back!"

Cheng Yunbo had already cut off his dangling eyeball. Blind in one eye, he gritted his teeth through the bandaging and found he could still ride a horse.

Zhang Chuan could no longer move and lay on the trailer among the heads, with Cheng Wanli driving.

Twenty miles, and nothing else happened!

Along the way, they encountered other merchants and travelers, all of whom were shocked.

Many people gathered behind the trailer, looking at the heads and whispering.

The terrifying crocodile-dragon left them even more stunned.

When they arrived at the trading grounds outside the city, the merchant guilds were also shocked.

During this trade, the other party didn't even haggle, and the deal was completed immediately.

Cheng Wanli called for friends to come and take Zhang Chuan and Cheng Yunbo into the city for medical treatment.

Then, he piled the heads up and had someone report it to the authorities.

Soon, a head constable arrived in person to register the case and take statements.

The authorities generally didn't care about fights and killings outside the city; they only checked to see if any of the heads belonged to wanted outlaws.

The Dragon Tooth Group’s fame from this battle resounded throughout Ningze County.

There was no money split or celebration today. After returning to the outskirts of the city, Cheng Wanli had already quietly let Luo Zhou leave.

Back home, it was only then that Luo Zhou felt the fear.

It took a long time for him to recover.

He practiced slowly, and the more shocked he felt, the less he could relax. He had to cultivate bitterly and seize every moment.

The next day, the ninth of the sixth month, early in the morning, he went to find Cheng Wanli.

When he arrived at the Cheng residence, everyone was there except for Zhang Chuan.

Cheng Yunbo’s face was wrapped tightly, and he was blind in his left eye.

Cheng Wanli said slowly

"Zhang Chuan is finished after this battle.

Although he didn't die, he won't be able to fight like he used to once he recovers, so he has to retire from the group.

According to our agreement, he gets fifty percent of this income as a pension.

Yunbo is also disabled, so he gets twenty percent.

The remaining thirty percent will be split among the three of us.

Is that okay, Xiao Zhou?"

When the group was formed, there was an agreement.

Luo Zhou nodded and said, "Fine!"

This time, he received seven hundred and thirty-five broken spirit stones.

"The ones who attacked us this time were the Three Rivers Gang.

This matter cannot end here. Jianghu matters are settled in the Jianghu!

If we don't wipe them out, we won't be able to hunt dragons.

I will ask an old friend to step in; within ten days, the Three Rivers Gang will be destroyed!"

Lu Yue said, "I have uses for my money, so I can't contribute.

When the time comes, I have one life, and I will offer it!"

Luo Zhou thought for a moment and said, "I will contribute three thousand broken spirit stones, and I will also offer my life!"

Cheng Wanli shook his head and said, "Xiao Zhou, there's no need for the spirit stones.

I am the leader, and they came for my Dragon Tooth Group, so I will pay for all of this!

However, the Three Rivers Gang has five great leaders. We killed one during yesterday's attack.

Among them, the leader Zhang Meng is at the Great Perfection of Body Tempering, with the talent of a 'Copper Head and Iron Skin.' He practices the hard-body technique of the Golden Bell Shield and Iron Shirt, which is very difficult to break. I need you to curse him to death."

Luo Zhou said, "Fine, but no one can watch when I perform the curse, or it won't take effect."

"That's no problem, leave the arrangements to me!"

After the money was divided, everyone left.

Luo Zhou went to Zhang Chuan’s house to visit the patient.

Zhang Chuan was bandaged all over and lying in bed, but his spirit was vigorous, as if nothing had happened.

Luo Zhou chatted with him for a while, and when he left, he quietly left behind one thousand broken spirit stones.

If they spent this money sparingly, it should be enough for the Zhang family to live on for ten years.

Then, Luo Zhou found Cheng Wanli and, under his guidance, headed toward a building.

The Cloud Pavilion in the city.

It was a restaurant, but the food was extremely unpalatable, the prices were ridiculously high, and the waiters were rude to customers, so business was very poor.

"Xiao Zhou, this is our Cui Ling City's Spirit Workshop."

Entering the lobby, a waiter asked indifferently

"Eating?"

Cheng Wanli smiled and said, "The Zhurong Department releases its brilliance, bathing in the sun and moon, a hundred treasures are born!"

The waiter glanced at him, and Cheng Wanli made a strange gesture.

"An old customer, please, please, go to the Green Pine Room."

The Green Pine Room was a private chamber, and Cheng Wanli led Luo Zhou inside.

Inside the room, a secret door slowly opened.

The two entered the secret door, and a tunnel leading downward appeared before them.

After descending about ten zhang, a large shop appeared in front of them.

It looked to be several dozen zhang in circumference, filled with all kinds of goods.

Magic tools, talismans, pills, spirit incense, secret manuals—everything was there...

But no matter how one looked at it, it looked like a junk shop.

A Qi-refining cultivator sat at the entrance. Seeing them arrive, he said

"The Spirit Workshop welcomes you both, please enter.

All goods inside are one spirit stone each, no bargaining.

Once bought, no returns or exchanges."

Luo Zhou was speechless. It really was a junk shop, and the kind of "dollar store" from his previous life at that.

Cheng Wanli said, "We don't have a proper market here, only this one Spirit Workshop.

Only in the county capital, Fengtian City, are there proper markets."

Luo Zhou nodded, pretending he had just learned this.

In fact, with the memories of the Five Great Demon Insects, he knew this place like the back of his hand, but he had to have someone lead the way, so he pretended to be here for the first time.

"Small shops like this don't even welcome us Body Tempering realm cultivators.

They say only the Qi-refining stage are true cultivators.

Luckily, I have some connections, otherwise they wouldn't let us in!"

The two entered, and Luo Zhou could sense the circulation of spiritual energy; there were cultivators using spells to monitor them.

"Xiao Zhou, the magic tools have descriptions on them, you choose for yourself. I'm also going to pick out a few tools to use in a few days!"

After saying that, Cheng Wanli went to pick out goods, leaving Luo Zhou alone to browse.