by Fang Xiang
“How come?” Zuo Mo asked back.
“The prices of commodities have risen greatly! Cloud Sea Jie is different than other places, the jie river is hard to travel through so we rely on transportation formations. But if supplies are transported through transportation formations, the consumption of jingshi used on them is significant. If I hadn’t accumulated some wealth in the past and bought a fragmented cloud island, I won’t even have a place to live with how high the prices are now.” Shang Wei Ming shook his head and sighed.
“So it’s like that.” Zuo Mo was thoughtful.
They flew closer to Dong Sheng Cloud Island. Soon, they landed on the big island.
A xiuzhe whose clothes had a bright script of “Xu Ling” flew over and swept his gaze over the Black Turtle behind Zuo Mo. “Area Four, number one hundred and thirty. Docking costs three pieces of third-grade jingshi a day. Prepayment is twenty pieces of third-grade jingshi, and the deposit ten pieces of third-grade jingshi.”
At the side, Shang Wei Ming explained. “The ships cannot enter the city and must stay at the docks ahead. Area Four is used to store small ships. There are special storage areas on the docks. Boss, remember to arrange for people to guard it.”
Zuo Mo finally felt the pain of the high prices here. However, when he heard Shang Wei Ming’s last sentence, he instantly became wary. “It’s not safe?”
Shang Wei Ming had a grimace. “It was alright before but ,currently, it is not too good. There were several people whose merchandise had been stolen.”
“Oh.” Zuo Mo nodded. He then asked, “If we encounter people stealing, is it alright to kill them?”
Shang Wei Ming’s heart suddenly jumped. In this instant, the other had seemed to suddenly become a whole other person and exuded a dangerous presence. When Shang Wei Ming looked closely, he only saw a smiling Big Boss. He was suspicious that his eyesight had gone bad. He forced a smile and said, “If they are truly thieves, it is alright to kill them. However, it is best not to kill if possible. Harmonious business is best.”
“Harmonious business, very reasonable!” Zuo Mo nodded.
Under the guidance of the Xu Ling Sect disciple, the Black Turtle was put away at Area Four, bay one hundred and thirty, and they paid the fees. Gongsun Cha, Xie Shan, Zong Ru flew out of the ship, the others stayed inside. Zuo Mo did not want to attract too much attention. With Eldest Shixiong, Xie Shan, Zong Ru, and himself, as long as they did not meet a yuanying xiuzhe, there was little worry for their safety.
As for xiuzhe that were in the stage of yuanying, Zuo Mo had never seen one before, not even in Bloody Sky Metropolis Jie.
As they left the harbor, a straight blue stone road about five zhang wide appeared in front of everyone. The both sides were lined with a row of stone lamps. The stone lamps were not constructed from high quality materials but Zuo Mo noticed that the pillars of each stone lamp were engraved with complex formation scripts.
A large scale formation!
Zuo Mo’s heart shook slightly. These regularly arranged stone lamps were a part of a large scale formation! He cloud clearly feel the fine ling power vibrations that were unique to formations.
“Xu Ling City is one of the large cities in this area since Xu Ling Sect, a seal formation cultivation sect, is very strong. They put great emphasis on trading of materials. If Boss has merchandise of this kind, you may want to sell them directly to Xu Ling Sect. The prices they give are very fair. If the amount of the transaction is large, they will also give small concessions,” Shang Wei Ming said.
Zuo Mo now understood. So Xu Ling Sect was a formation sect. No wonder!
“There are many disciples in Xu Ling Sect so the amount of materials used each day is astounding. The talismans and seal soldiers they forge are very good and easy to sell. They are from Tian Huan Realm, and have great power. They managed to establish themselves quickly after arriving in Cloud Sea Jie. After developing for such a long time, their reputation in this area is very good,” Shang Wei Ming said.
Zuo Mo thought of a question. “The materials which aren’t easy to transport, can’t you plant them?”
“People do,” Shang Wei Ming said, “but ling farming requires ling fields, animal raising requires ling lakes and springs, and xiuzhe who are professionals, and also time. Unless they plan to stay here in the future, their efforts will only go to benefit other people. Right now, everyone wants to stay here for the safety, but when the war ends, how many people are willing to remain here?”
Zuo Mo nodded. “That’s true.”
No matter if it was growing ling plants or animals, they were not quick endeavors. They needed constant care. If one did not plan on establishing a home here, then no one was willing to spend so much effort and not gain anything.
Shang Wei Ming explained in great detail and Zuo Mo also listened carefully.
Zuo Mo’s procession did not attract any attention. They didn’t wear any talismans, and their clothing looked normal. Their expressions were normal and did not have the pride of experts. Gongsun Cha had a shy and bashful smile hanging on his face looking like the boy next door. The female xiu that passed by looked with interest at Gongsun Cha for a while. When they saw the shy blush on Gongsun Cha’s face increased due to their interest, they giggled.
Zuo Mo saw this and laughed. Who could think that the fearsome Lil’ Miss, that wouldn’t even blink an eye when killing thousands, was embarrassed by a few girls.
Shang Wei Ming couldn’t help but also laugh. “This young brother is very handsome!”
Zuo Mo roared with laughter. Wei Sheng laughed lightly. Xie Shan and Zong Ru did not dare, and could only force themselves to repress laughter. Their expressions look very strange.
Shang Wei Ming was confused. He didn’t know what was humorous about what he said.
The tendons in Gongsun Cha’s forehead pulsed but in the eyes of other people, it was filled with the innocent adorableness of youth. It caused the female xiu on the road to laugh again.
A daring female xiu ran over. “Hey, what are you called?”
Gongsun Cha’s face suddenly became as red as an apple.
Zuo Mo couldn’t resist any longer. He squatted on the ground and slammed his fist as he laughed. Xie Shan and Zong Ru’s expressions almost twisted, looking like fish that were suffocating.
“You are so shy!” The female xiu was not afraid of strangers, her black eyes filled with liveliness. She reached out a snowy white hand. “I am A Mu Lian!”
Staring at the snowy white hand in front of him, Gongsun Cha stilled.
“Let’s be friends!”
Gongsun Cha felt his face was burning. He didn’t know what to do with his hands, his heart filled with unprecedented panic, as he unconsciously made a sound!
The laughter of A Mu Lian’s fellows came from the distance. Gongsun Cha was even more distraught.
“Haha, you’re so cute!” A Mu Lian was very happy.
One of the older female xiu in the group urged her to leave with a smile.
“Ah! I have to go!” The female xiu jumped up and turned to leave. After a distance, she waved her white hand at Gongsun Cha, and then formed it into a funnel to shout, “Don’t forget my name, I’m A Mu Liang!”
A Mu Lian’s group quickly disappeared.
Zuo Mo fell backwards as he laughed. He had never seen Gongsun Shidi so panicked and clueless before. He used this matter to tease Gongsun Cha along the way but Gongsun Cha kept his head down and did not respond to Zuo Mo’s teasing.
Seeing Gongsun Shidi’s burning face and soulless expression, Zuo Mo suddenly felt very good.
This little detour raised everyone’s spirits as they walked towards the city gates.
———
The city gate of Xu Ling City was not large. Many Xu Ling Sect disciples were guarding the gate. Behind them were many large and tall seal soldiers. They did not question the people passing by and only came up to inspect any disturbances, like when there were fights.
It was po
ssible to see all kinds of flying talismans in the sky, but the most common were paper cranes. This made Zuo Mo feel a sense of kinship.
Entering the city doors, a wave of sound crashed into them.
“Third-grade Yellow Armor Strength Warrior, with endless strength, suitable for all kinds of manual labor, long-lasting and durable! Essential for building and digging in mountains!”
“Third-grade Grass Puppet, making tea, pouring water, washing clothing and sheets, for all purposes, your best servant!”
“Sprint Lightning Seal! Sprint Lightning Seal! Xu Ling Sect’s Sprint Lightning Seal! Only one hundred pieces of third-grade jingshi! Do not pass this opportunity by!”
The familiar yet unfamiliar scene caused Zuo Mo’s mind to blur. After so much killing and danger, the hawking of wares on the street caused Zuo Mo to be so moved he wanted to cry in this moment.
He pushed down the soreness in his nose and grinned.
This feeling was really good!
* * *
Translator Ramblings: After a hundred chapters, they finally reach safety. Also, this is sort of the end of the arc. Don’t want cliffhangers? Come back in about one hundred chapters … …
Chapter 441: Rules?
Xu Ling City did not have the sense of dread and nervousness pervading it like the front lines but seemed chaotic due to the influx of outside xiuzhe. However, this caused the market to seem even busier and more prosperous.
“This is the Cloud Pavilion, the biggest treasure shop in Xu Ling City.” Shang Wei Ming took Zuo Mo and the others to the doorway of a very grand shop. The walls of this shop were completely made from crystal bricks and hanging under the curved eaves were crystal palace lamps. These clear crystal lamps slowly spun and released lights of all colors. Reflecting on the crystal walls, the images were of rainbows and they changed in all ways.
Looking at this grand Cloud Pavilion, Zuo Mo and the others gaped, their expressions amazed.
The formation scripts on each crystal light was faintly discernible and each crystal palace lamp would contain twenty eight of them. The entire shop was under the protection of formations. Where had Zuo Mo seen such a grandiose shop before? To say of nothing else, just these glowing crystal bricks would be worth large amounts of jingshi.
A complex look flashed through Shang Wei Ming’s eyes but they quickly returned to normal. “Cloud Pavilion has shop fronts on almost all major cities on Dong Sheng Cloud Island. The owner of the Cloud Pavilion rarely show themselves but in terms of previous treasures and high level materials, it is much better than other shops.”
A moment later, Zuo Mo refocused. Shocked, he couldn’t help but feel anticipation. To say of nothing else, just this grandly-decorated shopfront was enough to prove that this shop possessed a powerful background.
Entering the Cloud Pavilion with Shang Wei Ming, he found that the inside was multiple times more luxurious than the outside. The ground was lined with black third-grade gold starshine rock. Each piece was sanded until it was as smooth as glass. The dots of gold in the rock were like stars in the night sky. Each shelf only held one treasure. Around it, the mirage illusions constantly changed presenting a detailed explanation of each treasure.
A shop-keeper came over, his attitude enthusiastic yet courteous. “Welcome to the Cloud Pavilion, it is my honor to provide you service. Please browse freely, you may inspect and touch any item.”
The shop-keeper glanced at Shang Wei Ming at the side, and a thread of disdain flashed through his eyes.
Any rare and precious treasure of high grade would release light. This was a treasure light. Looking over, the entire store was illuminated with treasure light!
Filling their fields of vision with talismans and high grade materials, even someone like Zuo Mo that was used to seeing such good things couldn’t help but show slight shock. This Cloud Pavilion really lived up to rumors. None of the talismans and materials on display were below fourth-grade. Other than Zuo Mo, Wei Sheng, and Gongsun Cha, the other people were amazed by the room filled with treasure light.
Wei Sheng’s heart was for the sword and was unaffected by outside objects. Gongsun Cha’s mind was also not attuned to such things.
Shang Wei Ming’s expression was complex. In the depths of his eyes, they showed slight pain.
Zuo Mo did not detect Shang Wei Ming’s change. He asked the shopkeeper, “Does your store have Water Cloud Embryo?”
“Water Cloud Embryo?” the shopkeeper shook his head and said, “My sincere apologies, our store’s Water Cloud Embryos have all been sold. A person has bought all the Water Cloud Embryo in our store three months ago.”
Seeing Zuo Mo’s disappointment, the shopkeeper explained, “While Water Cloud Embryo is not a high-grade item, it is only produced in the deepest part of the Cloud Sea. There is still half a year until the cloud tide recedes. Unless the cloud tide recedes, we cannot enter the cloud sea. Sir probably will have to wait for a half year. If Sir needs it, you may want to leave behind an address. If there is merchandise, our store will inform you as soon as possible.”
Zuo Mo couldn’t help but show disappointment. His brow furrowed, “Cloud tide?”
Shang Wei Ming did not forget his duties as a guide and hurriedly explained, “The Cloud Sea will have a cloud tide every two years. During the cloud tide, the cloud sea will become extremely unstable. It is very dangerous to enter the cloud sea in this time so there usually aren’t any that enter the cloud sea.”
“Let’s go to some place else to search,” Zuo Mo was disappointed but did not show it on his face and said faintly.
The shopkeeper smiled and said with slight pride. “Customer, please do not waste your efforts. This one will say something which is not a boast, if you cannot buy it at this store, you definitely cannot buy it at any other store in Cloud Sea Jie. You may ask Mister Shang about this, he should know it well.”
A painful look flashed through Shang Wei Ming’s eyes. He suppressed it and gritted, “Yes!”
The shopkeeper smiled and did not speak any further.
Zuo Mo noticed Shang Wei Ming’s abnormal change but he could also see that Shang Wei Ming did not lie. He was disappointed. However, he quickly sorted out his emotions. It seemed they would have to stay awhile in Cloud Sea Jie. They could look around. If that didn’t work, they might have to make a trip into the cloud sea.
But his original plan had been to settle down in Cloud Sea Jie. This place was poor and remote, hard to travel to, and was far from the front lines. Kun Lun’s attention would not be focused on this place. He also found that sword xiu were not at an advantage in Cloud Sea Jie. It was clear that this did not belong to Kun Lun’s influence.
Cloud Sea Jie was a pretty good place to rest.
At this time, he suddenly heard a female voice behind him. “Hey, isn’t this Shang Wei Ming? Tsk tsk, coming here again to sell something? Wait, this miss remembers that you sold all your assets. Did you dig out something good from your home? Let this miss take a look. If this miss likes it, this miss will bestow you some food!”
The cruel and harsh words caused Shang Wei Ming’s face to flush instantly with blood, his hands unconsciously balling together.
Zuo Mo turned around. A startling beautiful female entered his view. She had high brows, thin lips and a high nose. Her face was filled with disdain as she looked down at Shang Wei Ming with a faintly discernable smile on her mouth.
The female raised her head high as she strode light. The rings and pendants she wore chimed gently. When those shopkeepers saw her, their attitudes were respectful as they bowed. “Miss Ren!”
Miss Ren did not seem to hear them. Her attitude did not change at all. Walking in front of Shang Wei Ming, she examined him and said with a slight smile, “This Miss has just been wondering why you couldn’t be found. So you found a job as a guide. Tsk tsk, The Old Shang Family that was so high-flying in the past has fallen so. Really causes this Miss to feel heartsore. Seeing you today, how can this Miss not do anything?”<
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“Ren Qing, do not go overboard!” Shang Wei Ming’s face was entirely red as his knuckles cracked.
“Go overboard? Haha! These two words are so appropriate! I like to go overboard” She turned to face Zuo Mo. “Please, sir, be generous and let him go. Sir can pick any fourth-grade talisman.”
She then turned to face the shopkeeper, “Put it on this Miss’ tab.”
“Yes!” the shopkeeper said respectfully.
Zuo Mo raised his hand and said coldly, “Wait!”
“Is sir not even going to give some face to Ren Qing?” Ren Qing’s face as frosty.
Zuo Mo’s expression did not waver. “I have hired Brother Shang, he is not a slave. This one does not have the right to trade him.”
Ren Qing’s expression lessened slightly. “Then what does Sir mean?”
Zuo Mo faintly said, “This has to be Brother Shang’s own wishes. If Brother Shang nods his head, this one has nothing to say. There’s no need for the fourth-grade talisman, just return my guide fee to me.”
Ren Qing smiled brightly. “So that’s how it is, easy.”
Finishing, she turned and walked in front of Shang Wei Ming, smiling like a flower, “Shang Wei Ming, make a sound.”
Shang Wei Ming felt the anger burning inside his chest as he gritted. “Ren, don’t even think about it!”
Slap!
A loud slap landed on his face!
Shang Wei Ming’s mind blanked. In this instant, unprecedented humiliation washed over him. His eyes instantly turned around, tendons bulging on his fists as he prepared to fight for his life!
Ren Qing still had a smile that was full of disdain. “Your son is much more talented than you, almost at ningmai. This miss heard that he is at the Clear Mountain Sword Sect. Do you want to ruin his future? Do you need me to go make a visit?”
Shang Wei Ming forcibly stopped his motion. He felt as though he was in a glacier, his eyes shooting out anger and hatred. He seemed to squeeze through his teeth, “What do you really want to do?”