「dicine Capital」
Less than three hundred kiloters from Cangyun City, the Qingyuan River ran through it, carving out a large, fertile plain. Since the 1950s and 60s, it had beco the largest dicinal herb cultivation base in the country, producing over ninety percent of the nation's supply. The streets and alleys were lined with wholesale herb shops and various auction houses, but the largest of them all was the Qingyuan Wholesale Market.
"Is the air filled with the scent of herbs?" Yang Hu asked in amazent, taking a whiff just after stepping out of his vehicle outside the Qingyuan Wholesale Market.
"Many herbs need to be processed before they can be used as dicine." Holding his tobacco pipe, the Pill Dragon King puffed out rings of smoke. "Take He Shou Wu, for instance. It needs to be stead and sun-dried nine tis, otherwise, it's extrely poisonous."
"This stuff is truly magical."
Yang Hu nodded as if he understood, but he still covered his nose. The lingering aroma in the air was indeed a bit overwhelming.
"Let's go," Chen Yang said, glancing at the vast market before them.
The group had just taken their first steps when a voice called out.
"You sirs must be from out of town, right?" a middle-aged man in a blue tunic and a black hat said cheerfully as he trotted up to them, bowing deeply. He was about fifty, with a slight fra and a reddish tint to his cheeks, exuding an air of simple honesty.
"Yes, we are, uncle," Yang Hu replied with a friendly smile, feeling an imdiate sense of warmth from the man.
"Each of you has such an extraordinary presence; you're clearly not ordinary folk, tsk tsk…" The middle-aged man lavished them with praise and a thumbs-up before getting to the point. "My na is Li Chunsheng, and I earn a modest living as a guide here. After all, the market is huge. Having soone familiar to show you around will make things much easier."
"The fee isn't much, just this amount," Li Chunsheng said, holding up two fingers.
"Two thousand?" Yang Hu asked.
Li Chunsheng was stunned for a mont. They really are rich, he thought, before shaking his head with a chuckle. "Just two hundred yuan."
"Fine. Lead the way," the Pill Dragon King urged.
Li Chunsheng rubbed his hands together happily. "So, what is it you all need? I can take you straight to the right place."
"A Golden Thread Lotus over five hundred years old, and Mandrake flowers over three hundred years old," the Pill Dragon King stated.
"Ah…" Li Chunsheng was instantly dumbfounded. "Those… those are not easy to find!"
"You can't find them?" The Pill Dragon King's small eyes widened as he snatched the two hundred yuan back from Li Chunsheng's hand. "If you can't find them, then we have no use for you."
"Who says I can't find them?" Li Chunsheng blurted out anxiously. He scurried forward, grabbed the money back, and hastily stuffed it into his pocket. Cranking his neck, he retorted, "There's no herb in this market I can't find! It's just a Golden Thread Lotus, right? I'll take you there now."
"Get going!" the Pill Dragon King urged, adding a threat. "If you dare deceive , this pipe of mine will co down on your head."
Li Chunsheng shrank back and led the way.
Chen Yang smiled silently and followed at a leisurely pace.
Along the way, Li Chunsheng gave them a detailed introduction to the local customs of dicine Capital. He specifically pointed out that the market was a mixed bag of good and bad, and first-ti visitors without a local connection were easily cheated.
A small smile played on Chen Yang's lips, but he remained noncommittal.
About ten minutes later, Li Chunsheng stopped at a stall and waved to the owner. "Mr. Zhu, I heard you had a Golden Thread Lotus. Do you still have it, and how old is it?"
"Golden Thread Lotus?" The stall owner was a bare-chested, middle-aged man in his forties with a fleshy, fierce face. He fanned himself with a palm-leaf fan and chewed on a piece of licorice. "Even a fifty-year-old Golden Thread Lotus costs six figures."
"Just tell us if you have it or not," Li Chunsheng pressed.
"I do!" the stall owner declared, slowly rising to his feet. He spoke in a low, ominous tone, "But mine is a five-hundred-year-old Golden Thread Lotus. I won't sell it for less than eight million."
"Oh?" Chen Yang chuckled and murmured, "What a coincidence."
"Bring it out for us to see. Money is no issue," Yang Hu said.
The stall owner shook his head with a smirk. "Such big words, huh?"
"Mr. Zhu, stop dawdling! If you have it, bring it out," Li Chunsheng snapped, his eyes wide with irritation.
PTUI!
The stall owner spat out a wad of licorice dregs and turned to enter his shop.
"Gentlen, please don't mind him. That's just Mr. Zhu's personality," Li Chunsheng explained with an apologetic smile while the owner was gone.
Chen Yang waved his hand to show it didn't bother him.
"By the way," Li Chunsheng continued, "eight million… that's not a small sum. Are you guys…"
"That's not your concern," Yang Hu said, clapping him on the shoulder. As long as I can save the Great Elder, forget eight million—I wouldn't hesitate to give up my entire fortune. A life is on the line, so what is re money?
"Hehe, I was just asking. After all, an item like this is a shop's crowning treasure. The owner might get offended if you look at it and don't buy," Li Chunsheng said with a laugh.
This was true. With ordinary goods, it wouldn't matter. But for a treasured item, especially the best in the shop, anyone would treat it with reverence and wouldn't show it off lightly.
"It's only because I'm on good terms with Mr. Zhu that he's even willing to consider it. He'd never bring it out so easily otherwise," Li Chunsheng added.
Soon, the stall owner returned, holding a wooden box. "Co in," he beckoned to Chen Yang's group.
"There are too many prying eyes out here. Let's look inside," Li Chunsheng said, leading the way and lowering his voice to a whisper. "You might not know this since you just arrived in dicine Capital, but murder and robbery are common occurrences here."
Yang Hu grinned, baring his teeth, but said nothing.
Inside the shop, the owner opened the wooden box. A thick, dicinal fragrance imdiately wafted out, and even Chen Yang couldn't help but take a deep sniff.
So fragrant!
In contrast, the Pill Dragon King's eyebrows twitched slightly.
"A five-hundred-year-old Golden Thread Lotus," the stall owner said with a hint of pride, placing the box on the table. "Though dicine Capital is large, you won't find another one like it in any other shop. Eight million, non-negotiable."
Staring at the dried herb, less than thirty centiters long, Chen Yang and Yang Hu instinctively turned to look at the Pill Dragon King. They didn't know the first thing about the Golden Thread Lotus, let alone how to determine its age. This was precisely why the Pill Dragon King had co along.
The stall owner's gaze also shifted to the Pill Dragon King. "This senior must have an impressive wealth of experience," he said smoothly. "Why don't you have a closer look?"
What seed like a simple invitation was a subtle way of flattering him.
"No need!" The Pill Dragon King squinted at the herb for a mont, then waved his hand dismissively. "It's not worth that price."
"As I said, the price is firm."
SNAP.
The stall owner shut the wooden box, his expression darkening slightly. "Senior should know how rare this item is. Finding this one is already a blessing from the heavens."
"Right, right! This is your only chance," Li Chunsheng chid in. Seeing that the Pill Dragon King looked ready to leave, he quickly added, "How about this? Why don't you na a price? Maybe there's room to negotiate."
The Pill Dragon King smiled at Li Chunsheng, then raised a single finger.
"One million?" Li Chunsheng asked, astonished. "You… you're being a bit… I want to help you bargain, but I can't possibly start there!"
"No. One yuan."
Li Chunsheng: "..."
Everyone: "..."
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