Chapter 18: Pingwu County Town

Upon seeing Lu Xiaotian emerge, the black-robed elder's primordial spirit spoke with immense joy, "Good disciple, you have finally come out! I beg you, let me out. Even if I have to serve you as an ox or a horse, I will agree to any condition."

For these past few months, Lu Xiaotian had been unable to cultivate and had no one to speak to; there was only the vast expanse of white mist and the gravel on the ground. He could endure such a tedious existence, but in his current primordial spirit state, his lifespan was also being consumed. This endless waiting was enough to drive anyone mad. Over these months, Lu Xiaotian had tried many times; as long as he moved his intent, wisps of mist would wrap around and protect him. With no more worries about his surroundings, he could face the black-robed elder with composure.

"Serve you as an ox or a horse? I don't have the luck to enjoy such a thing. You even killed those people who entered the canyon to adventure with you; with my meager skills, I wouldn't dare take such a risk," Lu Xiaotian said.

"In the cultivation world, it has been the law of the jungle since ancient times. It is nothing unusual for cultivators to clash and kill one another for treasures. If I hadn't killed them, they wouldn't have let me go," the black-robed elder sneered.

Lu Xiaotian cried out in shock, "So you really did kill them all!"

The black-robed elder's expression flickered. Being as cunning as he was, he quickly realized that Lu Xiaotian was trying to bait him into speaking. To possess such schemes at such a young age—if not for his mediocre aptitude, he would likely have made a name for himself sooner or later. It seemed that pleading with him would no longer be effective, and this boy would most likely not fall for his tricks; he would have to continue searching for a way to escape this cage on his own.

Lu Xiaotian asked several more questions, but after realizing he was being tricked, the black-robed elder remained silent or responded with sarcastic retorts to bait him. Lu Xiaotian couldn't help but feel a bit frustrated. He had been momentarily speechless from the shock of hearing that the old man had killed the other three, and he hadn't expected the old fellow to react so quickly. However, from the elder's fragmented words, he could roughly judge the perils of the cultivation world. It seemed he would have to be doubly cautious in the future; otherwise, if he accidentally fell into someone's trap, it would be too late for regrets.

With this thought, Lu Xiaotian opened his eyes. The dense forest came back into view. Riding on the back of the leopard, he hurried outward while cultivating, simultaneously studying the methods of controlling the Little Green Ants according to the Insect Control chapter of the *Beast Taming Technique*.

Half a month later, they arrived at a bustling county town. Both sides of the streets were lined with vendors selling bamboo weaves, candied haws, and wild animal skins. Carrying a large, full backpack, Lu Xiaotian wove through crowds of gentry, merchants, and commoners. Occasionally, one could see martial artists in tight-fitting attire carrying swords and sabers.

"I didn't expect Pingwu County to be like this; it looks even more lively than Qingzhu County."

Lu Xiaotian observed the pedestrians and the shops along the streets with great interest. He had spent over half a year in the canyon and several months wandering the deep mountains without seeing a single soul; returning to such a lively marketplace filled him with a certain level of excitement. According to his knowledge, Pingwu County bordered Qingzhu County; he had only ended up here by mistake because he didn't know his way in the deep mountains.

However, his excitement soon settled. He stood before a pharmacy with an ancient-looking plaque that read "Miaozhi Hall." This was the fourth pharmacy he had seen on his journey, and it was the most grand in scale; it should be able to offer a good price for his herbs.

Inside the shop were three clerks in their early twenties, an elderly physician in residence, and a plump, ruddy-faced manager. Lu Xiaotian walked in, glanced at them, and asked one of the taller clerks, "Does this shop buy herbs?"

"Our Miaozhi Hall is the largest pharmacy in Pingwu County. We don't care for common herbs. What is a little brat like you doing here?"

There were several customers in the shop, and the clerk, who was busy attending to them, waved him away impatiently. Most high-quality herbs were found deep within the old forests, places rarely visited by humans where fierce beasts and venomous snakes lurked; even martial artists did not dare to enter easily. As for the common herbs on the outskirts, Miaozhi Hall had its own sources and looked down upon small-scale individual sellers.

Lu Xiaotian frowned and took a rather large Solomon's Seal from his backpack, which possessed dozens of fine segments.

"A forty-year-old Solomon's Seal!" The elderly physician in residence was most sensitive to the age of herbs and recognized its extraordinary nature at a glance. Although it wasn't a top-tier specimen, it was already a high-quality herb.

"How much will you pay for this Solomon's Seal?" Lu Xiaotian asked.

"Little brother, you are truly not simple. Solomon's Seal of this age is not commonly seen. I can offer you thirty taels of silver. What do you think?" The plump manager had now changed his expression, speaking with a beaming smile.

Lu Xiaotian did not reply. He simply put the Solomon's Seal away and turned to leave.

"Wait! If you feel the price is too low, we can still negotiate," the plump manager called out hurriedly, seeing him walk toward the door.

"Your offer is several tenths below the market price, and most herbs of several decades' age are in short supply. You certainly do good business, Manager," Lu Xiaotian said, looking back at the manager indifferently. He had just visited several pharmacies; he wouldn't be easily fooled.

"You are a shrewd one. Please forgive my poor judgment; my apologies. How about this: a fixed price of fifty taels," the manager said, hurriedly cupping his hands in a apologetic smile.

This was nearly a few taels higher than expected, and Lu Xiaotian was relatively satisfied. When he worked as a laborer, it took several months to save just two silver beans; a single Solomon's Seal could now sell for such a price, which was enough to ensure his family's livelihood for decades.

Just as Lu Xiaotian was about to agree, he suddenly felt a faint trace of spiritual energy emanating from the backyard of Miaozhi Hall. Its aura was exactly the same as that of a Qi Gathering Pill. His heart skipped a beat. That was it—it must be the spiritual herbs used to refine Qi Gathering Pills.

"I am not selling this Solomon's Seal."

"Not selling? Then what did you come to Miaozhi Hall for? Are you here to mock me?" the manager said, a hint of displeasure appearing on his face.

"I heard that Miaozhi Hall has a complete variety of herbs. I need some rather rare medicinal herbs, so I wanted to exchange them with you. Since this Solomon's Seal is valued at fifty taels, we can trade for other herbs and settle the difference in price."

Lu Xiaotian had wandered through the desolate mountains for months without finding any more spiritual herbs; having stumbled upon them unexpectedly, how could he miss this chance?

The manager's expression brightened slightly. "So that's it. That's fine. Which kind of herb are you looking for?"

Lu Xiaotian said, "This herb has a very unique scent. I have caught its aroma. I hope you don't mind if I enter the backyard of Miaozhi Hall."

"No problem," the manager nodded.

The backyard of Miaozhi Hall was quite spacious, with many herbs being dried, ground, or roasted. Dozens of people were busy working. There was also a carriage, with two strong men unloading herbs from it.