CHAPTER 148: CHAPTER 106: UNWELCOME GUESTS, FORCIBLY BORROWING SPIRIT STONES_2

Jiang Fan spoke ambiguously.

If he revealed his cultivation at the third-layer Qi cultivation, he might be underestimated.

So he simply stated that he was at mid-stage Qi cultivation.

"For someone at mid-stage Qi cultivation, the most suitable elixir to enhance cultivation is naturally the middle-grade Spirit Gathering Pill."

"Taking one can increase cultivation for at least three months."

"Its medicinal power is several times stronger than that of the low-grade Spirit Gathering Pill."

"Each bottle contains three pills and costs fifty spirit stones."

"If you find the medicinal power lacking, you could try the White Ginseng Pill, made with century-old spirit ginseng as the main ingredient, which can enhance cultivation for at least a year after consumption."

"Each bottle of White Ginseng Pill costs one hundred spirit stones."

"And if you’re looking to break a bottleneck, you might consider the middle-grade Acupoint Breaking Pill, each costing two hundred spirit stones."

"I’m not sure which type of elixir the guest wishes for?"

The shopkeeper, Kong Chang, introduced with a smile.

What?!

Upon hearing this, Jiang Fan was secretly astounded. Though he knew the elixir prices were expensive, he hadn’t realized they were this exorbitant. Compared to these prices, talismans seemed quite cheap indeed.

No wonder alchemists are held in such high regard.

A top alchemist is practically a spirit stone ore vein, continuously earning spirit stones.

Compared to them, talisman masters fall short.

Of course, the cost of refining elixirs is also very high.

If they fail, it could ruin an alchemist, which is even more difficult than for talisman masters.

So the number of alchemists who truly achieve growth is quite rare.

They can be described as countable on one’s fingers.

After much contemplation, Jiang Fan still chose to buy the White Ginseng Pill.

Though the price of White Ginseng Pill is indeed exorbitant, with one hundred spirit stones per bottle containing three pills, it’s undoubtedly the most effective.

His greatest desire now is to quickly enhance his cultivation.

Thus, he wasn’t stingy with spirit stones.

After all, as long as his cultivation improves, no matter how many spirit stones, he can earn them back.

"Thank you for your patronage, Fellow Daoist."

Seeing Jiang Fan purchase a bottle of White Ginseng Pill, the shopkeeper, Kong Chang, felt quite satisfied.

Customers as generous as this are naturally welcome in greater numbers.

"Damn alchemists, they make too much money."

Jiang Fan gritted his teeth.

He could easily imagine the profit margin of a bottle of elixir.

If it only doubles the profit, it’s underestimating us.

At least triple, even five times the profit would barely break even.

Yet cultivators have no choice but to buy.

After all, relying solely on painstaking cultivation, who knows how long it would take to enhance one’s cultivation.

On the path to immortality, saving some time equates to extending lifespan.

Whoosh!

Stashing away the White Ginseng Pill, Jiang Fan left the Hundred Pills Workshop, planning to return to the slums.

But soon, he saw a large group of loose cultivators gathered together on the main road.

There were two or three corpses lying on the ground, covered in blood.

Their eyes wide open like they died with grievances.

"How could anyone dare make a move inside the Cyan Forest Market?"

Jiang Fan was suddenly surprised.

He had heard before that Cyan Forest Market was extremely safe and didn’t permit any violence.

Otherwise, it would violate Cyan Forest Market’s rules and lead to execution by the Great Sun Sword Sect.

Over time, loose cultivators remembered this rule and never dared to act within the market.

Who could have violated such ironclad rules?

He promptly asked the nearby loose cultivator.

Someone whispered, "Sigh, who else could it be? The one who took action was Han Duan from the Great Sun Sword Sect. Just now, three loose cultivators walking on the road accidentally bumped into Han Duan, leading to their death by his sword, and no one dared intervene."

He sighed deeply, feeling helpless.

"What? Cyan Forest Market isn’t supposed to allow anyone to act inside the market. Violators will face severe punishment, even disciples of the Great Sun Sword Sect shouldn’t break the rules here."

"Heh, that’s what they say, but such rules only apply to us loose cultivators. They don’t affect disciples of the Great Sun Sword Sect, meaning they can act while we can’t; otherwise, it’s a dead end."

"It’s outrageous, sect disciples think they’re superior and can act violently on the street, completely unreasonable."

"Shut up, be quiet. Not only is Han Duan a disciple of the Great Sun Sword Sect, but he’s also the grandson of Foundation Establishment Elder Han Zhiguang. At just twenty-eight, he’s already at the seventh-layer Qi cultivation with a high-grade spirit root talent and a Foundation Establishment seed of the Great Sun Sword Sect. How could they possibly punish someone like him?"

"No way, it seems those three loose cultivators died in vain."

"Be cautious during this period; many disciples from the Great Sun Sword Sect are arriving, each arrogant and domineering. If they become displeased with us and want to act, we might be powerless to resist."

The loose cultivators discussed with a heavy sense of helplessness.

Faced with the arrogance and domineering behavior of the Great Sun Sword Sect’s disciples, they were powerless to resist.

The only thing they could do was hide to avoid drawing attention and avoid a fatal encounter.

"These disciples of the Great Sun Sword Sect are practically the Celestial Dragon People of the Cyan Forest Market."

"Once provoked, it might lead to great trouble."

Jiang Fan took a deep breath, feeling a bit of concern.

Truthfully, in terms of strength, against these disciples, loose cultivators are formidable, and may not be overly worried.

But behind them is the Golden Core Sect.

Killing the juniors would provoke the seniors.

Unless loose cultivators wanted to die, dragging a few disciples from the Great Sun Sword Sect down with them.

Otherwise, they had no choice but to swallow their grievances.

"Disperse, disperse immediately, nothing to see here."

"Peng Feng and the others attempted to assassinate Han Duan from the Great Sun Sword Sect."

"In return, they were killed by Han Duan Senior Brother, it’s justice for their transgressions."

"Let this serve as a warning to all cultivators entering the market."

"Do not act within the market and break the rules."

A group of patrol guards from the Cyan Forest Market arrived at that moment.

After understanding the situation, they defined the event quickly with a few words.

Peng Feng and the others deserved their deaths.

Insolent enough to attempt an assault on an inner sect disciple of the Great Sun Sword Sect, they must have been tired of living.

Luckily, Han Duan Senior Brother had some capability; otherwise, he might have fallen prey to these three villains.

In summary, Han Duan Senior Brother was blameless, the fault lied with the three foolish loose cultivators.

"Indeed, it’s a twisting of truth."

"Best not have any dealings with cultivators from the Great Sun Sword Sect."

Jiang Fan clenched his fist, aware of the sinister nature of the Great Sun Sword Sect.

Clearly, they only protect their own; outsiders wouldn’t be defended.

Once you offend a cultivator from the Great Sun Sword Sect, you might not even know how you ended up dead.

Hearing these words, the loose cultivators were speechless, even indifferent.

After all, they’re well familiar with the methods of the Great Sun Sword Sect.

Relying on them to uphold justice might as well be hoping for Foundation Establishment Pills to fall from the sky.

Whoosh!

With that thought, Jiang Fan stopped worrying about these affairs and quickly left the Cyan Forest Market.

He decided not to return here until he advances to the fourth-layer Qi cultivation.

Without strength, it’s dangerous even in the Cyan Forest Market.

At any moment, he might meet his demise.

"Hmm?!"

Having just returned to his home in the slums, Jiang Fan noticed someone lurking around his house.

Among them, he seemed to recognize someone - it was Yu Minghui, a well-known street rogue from the slum.

A cultivator of the third-layer Qi cultivation.

Accompanying him were two more cultivators of the third-layer Qi cultivation, totaling three.

They also spotted Jiang Fan returning and immediately surrounded him.

"Fellow Daoist Jiang, what a coincidence, meeting you here,"

Yu Minghui greeted Jiang Fan with a smile.

Though smiling, Jiang Fan could sense the malicious intent from the three.

No doubt, they came with ill intentions.

However, Jiang Fan’s strength now was vastly different from before; even facing hostility, he was unafraid: "Oh, so it’s Fellow Daoist Yu, is there something on your mind?"

"It’s nothing serious."

"Actually, you know that recently the Great Sun Sword Sect increased the rent for the slum cultivators."

"Thirty spirit stones annually, which is beyond what we loose cultivators can afford."

"But we don’t want to join this reclaiming operation."

"I heard that you’re quite well-off; could you lend the three of us some spirit stones for emergency relief?"

"Of course, once we have the funds, we’ll definitely repay you double."

Yu Minghui looked at Jiang Fan with a smile, casually asking to borrow spirit stones without any reservation.