A Loose Cultivator's Path to Longevity

They took their seats, and tea was served.

After a few pleasantries, Zhang Miao got straight to the point, his expression turning serious. ”I’ve heard that Lintao Pavilion was threatened by Chief Steward Lin Fangyun. Is there any truth to this?”

”We did indeed receive a notice the day before yesterday,” Lü Zhong said truthfully. A sense of understanding dawned on him as he guessed the man’s intentions.

’He’s probably just here to find some dirt on his opponent.’

As expected, Zhang Miao immediately slammed his hand on the table, roaring in fury, ”How outrageous! To think that while my father is away, a black sheep like this could appear in the Commerce Association!”

Then, he turned to Lü Zhong, his expression full of apology. ”Fellow Daoist Lü, please rest assured. I guarantee that justice will be done in this matter.”

”In that case, I thank you,” Lü Zhong said, playing along.

After seeing Zhang Miao off, Lü Zhong went to the backyard, grabbed a bag, and prepared to head out.

Regarding the Chengde Commerce Association, he had already made up his mind to switch suppliers. Thus, he planned to sell off some of the Spiritual Objects he had accumulated.

He boarded a Beast Vehicle and soon arrived in the South District of Port City.

The South District was similar to the Central District, with an equally bustling commercial atmosphere. However, the business conducted here wasn’t out in the open; it was all shady dealings that couldn’t see the light of day, earning it the name ”Black Market.”

Officially, of course, it was called the ”South Market.”

Some set up stalls, while others opened shops.

The South Market was quite crowded, but nearly everyone kept their faces hidden to prevent their identities from being discovered. They maintained a cautious distance from one another, each person on high alert.

Lü Zhong, for his part, had changed into a black robe and put on a conical hat.

The conical hat was veiled with a layer of black gauze woven from ”Spirit-Blocking Threads.” It was the cheapest fabric for blocking Divine Sense, capable of effectively thwarting various Spiritual Eye Skills and providing some resistance against Divine Sense probes.

A conical hat like this, combined with a profound Breath Concealing Skill, signaled that its wearer was not to be trifled with.

As a result, people gave him a wide berth wherever he went.

Lü Zhong observed his surroundings as he walked. This was his first time in the South Market.

There was no shortage of goods in the South Market, but the quality was inconsistent, and most items came from questionable sources. Although rumors occasionally spread of someone finding an incredible bargain, it was far more common for people to be swindled by fakes. If a problem arose, the seller was usually long gone, leaving no one to seek compensation from. Therefore, shopping here was a true test of one’s judgment; otherwise, you just had to swallow your losses.

He passed a shop filled with exquisitely crafted cages of all sizes.

Peering inside the cages, he saw figures half-veiled in light gauze. They were of all different ages and statures—old, young, wives, and daughters—able to satisfy any customer’s particular needs. Many of them even had some level of cultivation, but without exception, each wore a special collar, marking them as condemned prisoners.

Slaves like these weren’t just randomly captured.

They were typically cultivators or their family members, sold off by Changchun Valley after they or their relatives had committed a crime. Each one had a clear identity and origin, and Changchun Valley had already taken care of all loose ends. A buyer could take them as a concubine for ”plucking,” or even use them as a Furnace Cauldron, without any fear of future trouble.

Lü Zhong glanced at them only briefly before looking away.

He was no pervert who enjoyed tormenting the weak, and he still held onto a basic human decency. Using a person as a Furnace Cauldron was something he could never bring himself to do.

Continuing on, he came to a small ”flea market area.”

A nostalgic look appeared in his eyes as he walked over.

Unsurprisingly, most of the items for sale were fakes, and even many of the genuine articles were low-quality goods passed off as superior ones. There were, however, a few honest vendors who offered relatively fair prices, but every one of them looked fierce and menacing, as if they were not to be crossed.

His gaze fell upon a ”Thousand-year-old Yellow Essence,” and Lü Zhong couldn’t help but smile.

This so-called Thousand-year-old Yellow Essence was neither Yellow Essence nor a Thousand-year-old Pill. It was merely a model carved from a tuberous root that had been soaked in Spirit Liquid for some time to give it the feeling of being rich in Spiritual Qi.

’A fake, plain and simple.’

But the stall owner’s scheme didn’t end there.

Looking closer, one could see that the ”Thousand-year-old Yellow Essence” was actually a different Spirit Medicine called ”Yellow Return Exhausted,” which was what the tuberous root truly was. This was also a type of Spirit Medicine, but of relatively low value. The stall owner’s true goal was likely to sell this piece of low-grade Yellow Return Exhausted.

’Another classic scam,’ he thought.

Lü Zhong watched for a moment and saw a greenhorn ”discover the bargain” and buy it.

’That piece of Yellow Return Exhausted is worth about Ten Spirit Stones on the market, but that guy spent a full eighty-seven. What a massive loss!’

Having witnessed the little drama, he continued toward his destination.

Along the way, he crippled a petty thief who dared to try and pick his pocket.

He soon reached the deeper parts of the South Market, where the number of cultivators on the street began to dwindle. From street corners and alleyways, furtive glances were often cast in his direction, lingering on the bulging sack in his hand. But when these observers found they couldn’t see through his level of cultivation, their expressions would change, and they would quickly look away.

He stopped in front of a shop. It was an acquisition company.

There weren’t many acquisition companies in the South Market, and all of them were concentrated in its depths, which was why Lü Zhong had walked so far.

After glancing at the hanging plaque that read ”Blood Cup Acquisition Company,” Lü Zhong stepped inside.

The acquisition company’s interior was quaint and elegant. The air was filled with the scent of incense, which at first smelled rich and cloying, but after a few more breaths, became wonderfully fragrant. It was clearly no ordinary spice.

Before him was a large counter, on which lay various tools like small hammers and steelyard scales.

To the left of the counter was a tea lounge, and to the right, a staircase led to the second floor.

Just then, a group of people started coming down the stairs. Leading them was an elderly man who looked like a Steward. Beside him was a Female Cultivator wearing a light gauze mask, her figure obscured by a loose Dharma Robe. She was followed by two other cultivators, a man and a woman, both at the Early-stage of Foundation Establishment.