Chapter 348 A Nun and Her Coal

It was a boisterous sight at the flea market for pract.i.tioners. There were pract.i.tioners selling broken magic tools, as well as demons selling spiritual materials. There were even paintings and calligraphy by eminent pract.i.tioners of the past. A motley a.s.sortment of wares was on sale here, dazzling the eyes.

Liu s.h.i.+ba said, “Mr. Ning, you can take out your elixir. See if you could trade it for what you like.”

Ning Tao smiled blandly. “Let me observe first. You don't need to keep me company, Old Master Liu.”

“Okay, let's talk later.” Liu s.h.i.+ba turned and left with Reverend Qingsong and Hai Dongfang.

Qing Zhui glanced at the three men depart and drew near to Ning Tao's ear. Her cherry lips were almost kissing it. “Brother Ning, that old creature must be getting someone to barter for your elixir.”

Ning Tao nodded. He, too, could read Liu s.h.i.+ba's mind.

Ning Tao brought Qing Zhui around this flea market for pract.i.tioners. Soon, they stopped at a stall run by a swarthy-faced man. This swarthy-faced man quite resembled Bao Zheng. He had thick eyebrows and a rectangular face, appearing quite impartial and righteous.

Spread on the mat at his stall were many paintings and calligraphy. One bore the character “Cultivation,” its calligraphic strokes vigorous and bold, almost as if the character would soar out of the paper into the sky. Ning Tao quite liked it, so he asked casually, “Friend, how much does this calligraphy cost?”

The swarthy-faced man with a righteous air said without smiling, “If you like it, you can have it for 10 million.”

Ning Tao was shocked. “It's too expensive!”

The swarthy-faced man said, “You find 10 million too expensive? Those calligraphies at auctions go for tens of millions. My price is quite reasonable.”

Ning Tao said, “Those calligraphies were by famous calligraphers. Who wrote yours?”

The swarthy-faced man pointed at the left-hand corner of the fancied calligraphy. A blurry seal mark was imprinted there. He said, “This is my seal. I sealed it in the third year of Ming Emperor Yongle's reign.”

Ning Tao carefully examined that seal and found that it bore the characters “Old Demon of Black Mountains” in ancient Chinese script. He realized something and summoned the states of looking and smelling in his eyes and nose. He discovered this swarthy-faced man was a black bear demon!

To be honest, this was a calligraphy written during the third year of Emperor Yongle's reign and beautifully executed. It was indeed not too expensive at 10 million. But the characters “Old Demon of Black Mountains” ruined it all. If it weren't for that seal, it could easily fetch tens of millions at auctions.

“Do you want it?” the swarthy-faced man asked.

Ning Tao shook his head and took Qing Zhui away. He was actually not keen to buy that calligraphy. He was no cultured connoisseur and had only asked to test the waters of the market, to know its prices. He found goods in this flea market to be exorbitantly expensive. Their prices were so inflated, there must be serious price bubbles. If a calligraphy could go for 10 million, how much would a spiritual material cost?

Soon, Ning Tao stopped before an old woman's stall. She was selling broken shards. He looked closely and realized that they were broken fragments of a flying sword. He instantly became excited and asked, “Old madam, how much do you want for these broken shards?”

The old woman held up a finger.

Ning Tao asked tentatively, “One million?”

The old woman glared at Ning Tao. “100 million!”

Ning Tao was so astounded that his mouth gaped. Broken shards of a flying sword, selling for 100 million? It was enough to buy a helicopter. Who would travel nowadays on a flying sword? If there were sudden weather fluctuations or if it were raining, he would end up completely drenched!

The old woman gave a light snort. She said scornfully, “You don't look rich enough to buy this. Get moving.”

“What did you say?” Qing Zhui was enraged.

Ning Tao pulled Qing Zhui back and asked tentatively, “If I repair your flying sword, how much would you pay me?”

The old woman remarked coldly, “Are you looking for trouble?”

Ning Tao scrutinized the shards again and found them to be incomplete. A few shards were missing and the sword could not be restored to its former condition. Even the rotten broken tripod could not repair it. So he left with Qing Zhui.

They circled the flea market once. Ning Tao had discovered a few spiritual materials and wanted to buy them, but was put off by their prices.

Actually, it was not because the prices in this flea market were inflated, but because he was poor. The pract.i.tioners and demons here were all centuries old. Take that demon from Ming Dynasty for example. If he took out his rice bowl and sold it, he would earn a hefty profit. Besides, had these pract.i.tioners and demons purchased properties, they would have pocketed a sizeable amount after a few centuries. In a word, the pract.i.tioners and demons in this flea market were all hidden moneybags. A cultivating doctor like him who earned fees by treating patients or by breast augmentation could not compare with them.

Suddenly, the whiff of a strange scent wafted into Ning Tao's nostrils. His heart started to race, and he followed its trail. Soon, he found a young nun displaying a lump of black coal at her stall.

It was indeed a lump of coal, but no ordinary coal at all. This was called “Rock Essence” in the Compendium of Spiritual Materials. It was spiritual material carbonized in spiritual soil, which had taken billions of years to fossilize.

Although this “Rock Essence” was not an ingredient for the Ancestor-seeking Elixir, it might be one in Zhu Hongyu's next skull fragment. Moreover, it was very useful in elixir refining.

Qing Zhui had also found something she liked. She pointed at a spiritual material sold by the man next to the nun. She said excitedly, “This is a Rainbow Snake Berry. It is said to make our skin slough off more easily. It can help our cultivation too.”

A Rainbow Snake Berry was one of the required ingredients for refining an Ancestor-seeking Elixir. Ning Tao had been so enticed by the Rock Essence that he neglected its existence. He had noticed it only thanks to Qing Zhui's reminder.

The Rainbow Snake Berry plant resembled a strawberry, with colorful, spherical berries. Its roots were still deep in soil and the plant was still alive. It seemed to have only been recently uprooted for this flea market.

Before Ning Tao could ask its price, he heard a voice from behind him.

“Amitabha.” It was Master Fakong's voice.

Hearing him chant Buddha's name, Ning Tao felt a dull throb in his head. But he still wore a faint smile on his lips as he turned around. “So it's Master Fakong. How are you, Reverend?”

Master Fakong said in a deep voice, “I'm fine, but you are not, Patron Ning.”

Ning Tao asked, “What do you mean?”

Master Fakong said, “I have been observing your complexion, Patron Ning. Your forehead is dull and greenish, and you are a.s.sailed by demon aura. You're too engrossed to know it yourself. Do you know you will face a calamity if this goes on? Heed my advice. Break off from this demoness at once. There is still time!”Read more chapter on vi pnovel

“What are you saying, monk?” A ferocious light gleamed in Qing Zhui's eyes. She was about to strike.

Ning Tao pulled her to behind him. “Reverend, I know how to handle my own affairs. You needn't worry on my behalf. I have an advice for you too. We are in a new age. Your teachings are no longer applicable in this era. I will ignore what you said today, but I don't wish to hear the same thing again the next time. If you insist on meddling in my affairs, we will no longer be friends.”

“Amitabha.” Master Fakong chanted Buddha's name again, shook his head, and sighed.

Ning Tao did not wait for him to say more. He pulled Qing Zhui to the stall of that pract.i.tioner selling the Rainbow Snake Berry.

The pract.i.tioner selling the Rainbow Snake Berry had a scrawny face like a monkey's. At one glance, he looked like a conman.

“Senior, how much you do want for your Rainbow Snake Berry?” Ning Tao went straight to the point.

“12 million.” The pract.i.tioner selling the Rainbow Snake Berry was very direct.

Ning Tao said, “I only have 5 million. Would you sell it?”

The pract.i.tioner selling the Rainbow Snake Berry remarked disdainfully, “You think I'm a seller at a night market? You're only giving me half of what I want. I saw you walking around and asking prices without buying. Don't hold up my business. Go and play somewhere else.”

Ning Tao ignored him and opened his small medicine chest. He took out the porcelain vial with the Fine Primary Elixirs and poured out two, proffering them to the pract.i.tioner. “These elixirs are refined by me. I used many spiritual materials and they can prolong life and cleanse the body. I won't say how much they will benefit your cultivation, but they can help consolidate your fundamentals. Can I trade two of these for your Rainbow Snake Berry?”

“Let me see it.” The pract.i.tioner selling the Rainbow Snake Berry took a Fine Primary Elixir from Ning Tao's hand and sniffed and scrutinized it. Soon, he had a.s.sessed its value. The expression in his eye was now quite different.

Ning Tao was secretly delighted, but he did not give himself away on his face. “I'm trading two elixirs for one plant. You won't lose out.”

The pract.i.tioner selling the Rainbow Snake Berry nodded.

At this moment, a voice suddenly rang out. “I will give you 20 million for this spiritual material.”

Ning Tao turned around and found Tang Huaiyu walking over at a glance.

The pract.i.tioner selling the Rainbow Snake Berry hesitated a little. Then he returned Ning Tao the two Fine Elixirs. “I'm sorry. Your elixirs are good, but I need money more.”

Tang Huaiyu came over, speaking in an arrogant and bullying voice. “Give me your account number. I will pay you 20 million for this spiritual material.”

Qing Zhui was about to react, but Ning Tao grabbed her hand.

Tang Huaiyu stared at Ning Tao and sneered. “As long as I can make you suffer, I will pay the price whatever the cost.”

Ning Tao did not answer.

Tang Huaiyu continued to speak. “If there's something you want, I will make sure you can't get it. Spending 20 million to make you miserable is worth it.”

Ning Tao smiled. “Are you that wealthy? Can you buy whatever I want? Then get your purse ready.”

Then, he walked towards that nun selling the Rock Essence.

Tang Huaiyu wanted to follow him, but the pract.i.tioner selling the Rainbow Snake Berry cried out, “Hey! You haven't paid yet!”

“Give me your account number.” Tang Huaiyu did not care for the 20 million.

But while the pract.i.tioner was giving Tang Huaiyu his account number, Tang Zixian walked over. “Once is enough. Don't do it a second time.”

Tang Huaiyu was furious. “He killed my son and also our old ancestor. Yet you're not avenging them but stopping me. Are you a member of the Tang Family?”

“Outrageous!” Tang Zixian reprimanded her. “Who gave you the audacity to speak to me like that?”

Tang Huaiyu immediately froze. She no longer dared to be impudent.

“Pay the seller. I'm taking it.” Tang Zixian reached out and grabbed the Rainbow Snake Berry. She turned and left.

A tinge of hatred flashed across Tang Huaiyu's eyes, but she still transferred the money.