Chapter 53, Rogue Cultivator Father-Daughter Duo and Red Crystal Mushroom

Translator: Raznick

 

Left alone in the shop, Zhou Chun’s joyful life began.

 

Due to the clan’s limited manpower, Zhou Daoyi had not restocked the shop much during this visit to the market. As a result, many items inside were still only available in small quantities.

 

The prior discount promotion had also led many cultivators to purchase stock for backup, so there was no urgent need to buy similar goods from the Spirit Beast Pavilion in the short term.

 

Thus, even though Zhou Chun was alone, the number of tasks within the store decreased significantly. Hardly a single customer would visit the shop throughout the day.

 

During his free time after cultivating daily, Zhou Chun had ample opportunity to train mystical arts and read books. He had even removed the notice suspending the acquisition of spirit items and began using his own spirit coins to purchase some herbs for personal use.

 

Currently, Zhou Chun was making profits through buying low and selling high, accumulating three or four hundred spirit coins, which could be considered a substantial amount.

 

If it were not for needing these spirit coins as capital, he might even consider going to the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion to purchase a superior first-grade artifact.

 

The only downside for Zhou Chun at present was that he had almost lost all contact with the clan. He had to  rely on inquiring at other clans’ shops or obtaining information from rogue cultivators.

 

One particular day, Zhou Chun was browsing through books in the store when footsteps approached the shop door.

 

He looked up and saw a man and woman walking briskly into the store. The man was a middle-aged fellow with several shallow scars on his right cheek, seemingly from scratches by some wild beast. His cultivation level was surprisingly high, at the Eleventh Layer of Qi Refining Stage. The woman, on the other hand, was a young girl dressed in a green silk gown. Her face was partially covered by a green veil, leaving only her large, clear eyes and fair forehead exposed. Her cultivation stood at the Fifth Layer of Qi Refining Stage.

 

Zhou Chun instantly judged that the two must be a father-daughter pair of rogue cultivators upon seeing them. Rogue cultivators in the cultivation world came from extremely diverse backgrounds. Some began as common people who stumbled upon a cultivation method and happened to possess a spirit root, embarking on the path of cultivation. These were the worst kind of rogue cultivators, with little prospects at all.

 

For one thing, they had no one to teach them, not even aware of the Savage Qi’s dangers. Even if they learned from their cultivation methods that Savage Qi was harmful, before cultivating spiritual power, they could do nothing but endure it. This meant that even if they had exceptional willpower and incredibly good luck to cultivate up to the second or third layer of Qi Refining in the wilds, heading to a market or a cultivating clan’s estate afterward would leave them with accumulated Savage Qi within their bodies, making it practically impossible for them to reach Foundation Establishment.

 

Then there were rogue cultivators who had master-disciple inheritance, with one rogue cultivator mentor teaching them from a young age.

 

If the master had some clan background and good heart, he the disciple would cultivate in the shelter of Purification Array from the beginning and lay a good foundation, which will give them a very good future.

 

Similarly, there were rogue cultivators whose parents spent all their wealth to educate their children since childhood, so that their children could grow just like young clan members.

 

This type of rogue cultivator was often a major source of disciples for each sect. As long as their qualifications were not too bad, they had the chance to join some sects.

 

Then there was those who came from various sects and clans and forced to become a rogue cultivator because of their own mistakes or the destruction of their sect or clan.

 

Although Zhou Chun guessed that the two people in front of him were father and daughter, he was not stupid enough to say it out loud.

 

Otherwise, it would be very embarrassing if he guessed wrong!

 

So he quickly put on a smile, put down the book, clasped his fists towards the two of them and said, “Welcome to our store. Are you here to buy or sell?”

 

“Greetings, Fellow Daoist. I am Liu Qingshan, and this is my daughter Liu Shiyun. We came to the Spirit Beast Pavilion because a friend introduced me to sell a spiritual item. I hope that Fellow Daoist can give me a fair price so that my father and I will not make this trip in vain!”

 

The middle-aged man returned the greeting, introduced himself calmly, and stated the purpose of his visit.

 

Zhou Chun was delighted.

 

When he spoke, his tone was respectful: “Please rest assured, Fellow Daoist Liu. Our shop’s business is honesty and reputation first. Since you were introduced by one of our other customers, we will certainly offer you the fairest price at the market!”

 

“Let’s hope so.” He then slapped his storage bag that was strapped to his waist and took out a jade box.

 

Zhou Chun recalled that rogue cultivators usually stored their items in wooden boxes. Using a jade box for storage meant the item inside must be of considerable value.

 

When Zhou Chun saw that Liu Qingshan had taken out a jade box, he couldn’t help but feel expectant.

 

“Please wait a moment, valued customer,” Zhou Chun said respectfully.

 

He took the jade box from Liu Qingshan and placed it on the counter before opening it. Inside was a crimson-red mushroom that was still attached to its root, which in turn was connected to a piece of wood.

 

“This is…this must be a Red Crystal Mushroom!”

 

At first glance, Zhou Chun thought it might just be a common red mushroom, but upon closer inspection, he realized it was something extraordinary.

 

When he took out the red mushroom, the warmth transmitted through his touch startled him. He quickly put it down and exclaimed in surprise.

 

“Fellow Daoist was right; this is no ordinary red mushroom, but the finest one—the Red Crystal Mushroom!”

 

“My friend an I payed a heavy price to obtain this two hundred-years-old Red Crystal Mushroom. We had to slay a powerful superior first-grade demon beast known as the Crimson Flame Python. My friend was poisoned by its fire venom and is still in a coma, waiting for me to purchase an antidote to save him.

 

“So please, Fellow Daoist, give it a fair price. Let my friend’s efforts not be in vain!”

 

Liu Qingshan looked gravely at Zhou Chun and slowly explained the origins of the herb, his tone as serious as his gaze.

 

Of course, whether he was telling the truth or lying was anyone’s guess.

 

But Zhou Chun wasn’t concerned about how he obtained the Red Crystal Mushroom. He merely said with a solemn expression, “Please rest assured, Fellow Daoist Liu. If the herb is genuine, I will surely give you a fair price.”

 

He then carefully picked up the Red Crystal Mushroom by its stem and root, removing it once more from the jade box for another inspection.

 

Compared to other types of herbs, mushrooms and ginseng were much easier to determine their age and authenticity. Their genuine nature was also simpler to verify.

 

But since this item was so valuable, Zhou Chun carefully examined it several times before feeling confident enough to put it back in the jade box.

 

After a brief moment of contemplation, Zhou Chun turned to Liu Qingshan and said, “There’s no doubt about it; this is indeed a red mushroomm variant with over two hundred years of growth. Its condition is also remarkably intact. It’s clear that you, Fellow Daoist, are someone who understands herbs.

 

“I won’t beat around the bush, Fellow Daoist, I will offer you one hundred and twenty spirit coins for this precious herb!”

 

Zhou Chun had previously purchased a two-century-old red mushroom at the flea market for sixty spirit coins.

 

As an excellent variant of red mushrooms, it was only natural that the price of a Red Crystal Mushroom would double.

 

Upon hearing Liu Qingshan’s quote, Zhou Chun nodded in agreement. “The price of one hundred and twenty spirit coins is fair enough.”

 

However, he quickly frowned slightly and added, “But I can get this price at other stores as well. Would you consider adding a bit more, Fellow Daoist?”

 

After Zhou Chun heard this, he fell into a moment of silence, evidently weighing the pros and cons.

 

After a brief while, he looked at Liu Qingshan and nodded. “Given that you are referred by one of our regulars, I can approve an additional ten spirit coins!”

 

Upon hearing this, Liu Qingshan spoke up again. “Fifteen. If you add fifteen more spirit coins, then in the future, whenever I have such items, I will prioritize selling them here and recommend your shop to my friends.”

 

“Alright,” Zhou Chun hesitated before agreeing, “but you must keep your word, Fellow Daoist. Do take care of our business!”

 

Zhou Chun hesitated slightly before finally nodding in agreement.

 

Upon seeing this, Liu Qingshan broke into a smile and said, “Fellow Daoist, rest assured. I always keep my word, and your shop’s good reputation speaks for itself—it is trustworthy.”

 

Zhou Chun seemed to be comforted by his words and couldn’t help but join in the smile.

 

Thereupon, Zhou Chun took out 135 spirit coins and handed them to him. He then placed the jade box containing the herb into his storage bag.

 

“Thank you, Fellow Daoist, take care on your way,” Zhou Chun said as he saw Liu Qingshan off at the shop’s entrance. He watched as the Liu father and daughter walked away before finally letting a big smile trace his face.

 

He struck gold!

 

This time, he was definitely going to make a fortune!

 

Zhou Chun looked down at his storage bag and burst into laughter.

 

Ironically, Liu Qingshan had no idea that even if Zhou Chun had demanded an additional fifty spirit coins—making it 150 in total—Zhou Chun would likely have agreed without hesitation.

 

Zhou Chun knew that once Liu Qingshan took the mushroom to the Alchemy Li Clan pharmacy in the market, it would undoubtedly be snatched away by the Li Clan at a higher price.

 

Originally, most disciples of the Three Absolute Sect were aware that the Alchemy Li Clan possessed an ancestral recipe Red Crystal Pill. This recipe required the pure Red Crystal Mushroom from the red mushroom variant as the main ingredient for its creation.

 

The Red Crystal Pill was a superb pill used by Foundation Establishment cultivators to breakthrough at a vital stage, both highly effective and extremely precious.

 

While the Three Absolute Sect still existed, any disciple who presented an Red Crystal Mushroom of two hundred years or older could directly obtain five hundred merits, equivalent to five hundred spirit coins!

 

Therefore, even if it cost two or three hundred spirit coins to purchase it, Zhou Chun would still make a substantial profit.

 

That afternoon, as the sun was about to set, Zhou Chun closed his shop early and proceeded straight to the Alchemy Li Clan pharmacy within the market.