Chapter 864

Chapter 864: Flourishing Business

Wang Chen was willing to be the generous one, so the inn attendant had nothing to say and immediately sent a pot of Hundred Flowers Drunk to the old cultivator outside.

"Thank you, Higher Steward! Thank you so much, Higher Steward!"

The old cultivator held the wine flask with both hands and bowed deeply toward Wang Chen, his gratitude clearly evident.

After expressing his thanks, he cautiously glanced around and then dashed into a nearby alley.

He probably feared being robbed and wanted a safe place to enjoy the wine slowly.

Wang Chen saw this and couldn’t help but chuckle, calling the attendant over again: "How much Hundred Flowers Drunk do you have left? I want it all."

The taste of this spiritual wine was exceptional, filled with the fragrance of flowers, and savoring it offered endless delight, making it perfect for solitary enjoyment.

Wang Chen also wanted to take some back to share with Su Ziling, believing she would enjoy it as well.

"Um…"

The inn attendant looked a bit troubled: "Please wait a moment, I’ll ask the manager."

After a moment, the innkeeper personally came over with an apology: "Esteemed guest, I’m truly sorry, but we don’t have much Hundred Flowers Drunk left. I can only spare you three jars at most. How does that sound?"

Each jar contained ten servings, so three jars meant thirty servings.

"That’s fine."

Wang Chen didn’t haggle and immediately pulled out three hundred Intermediate Spirits and placed them on the table.

Though he had recently spent most of his spirit stones on the underwater cave, this amount was still within his means.

However, the three hundred Intermediate Spirits shimmering brightly together drew the attention of other guests in the inn.

The market exchange rate for one Intermediate Spirit was one hundred twenty spirit fragments, so three hundred Intermediate Spirits equated to thirty-six thousand spirit fragments.

Ordinary Purple Palace cultivators might not be able to gather such an amount at once!

Several patrons’ eyes flickered as they exchanged glances.

"Thank you, esteemed guest!"

The innkeeper swiftly gathered the Intermediate Spirits into his storage bag and placed three jars of Hundred Flowers Drunk on the table.

At the same time, he scanned the surroundings with a sharp gaze.

Being able to produce such expensive spiritual wine, the innkeeper was not an ordinary person; he was warning those with ulterior motives not to harbor ill thoughts about his valuable guest.

Of course, this warning only applied within the inn, and once Wang Chen left, he could no longer control what happened.

The innkeeper also took the opportunity to remind Wang Chen as he prepared to leave: "Be careful on your way."

There were many loose cultivators in Ling You City, and gangs were everywhere. Frequent conflicts and fights made it much less safe compared to Qianxing Immortal City.

Outsiders, unaware of the situation, often fell victim to ambushes, and their demise was not uncommon.

"Mm."

Wang Chen paid no heed, strolling out of the inn.

He walked down the main street.

Soon, a few "tails" appeared behind him.

Despite the other’s stealthy movements and expertise in tracking, attempting to elude Wang Chen’s divine sense was nothing short of folly.

Wang Chen chose not to reveal their presence and instead meandered leisurely through Ling You City.

He stuck to the main thoroughfares, avoiding the shadowy alleys, which kept his pursuers from acting overtly.

Thus, Wang Chen led them on a merry chase, treating them like fish darting about.

Eventually, he slipped into a bustling marketplace.

Situated at the heart of Ling You City, this marketplace was expansive, lined with numerous shops and featuring a dedicated area for loose cultivators to set up stalls. It was a hive of activity, teeming with life and energy.

Cultivators of all kinds streamed in and out, most at the Qi Training and Purple Palace levels, with not a single Golden Core in sight.

Yet, Wang Chen detected a faint trace of Golden Core energy, a clear sign that a true master was overseeing the area.

This was hardly surprising, as setting up a stall here came with a hefty fee, and the items on sale were both varied and valuable.

Without the presence of powerful cultivators maintaining order, chaos would have erupted long ago.

Interestingly, the stalls were priced in tiers, ranging from ten spirit fragments a day for the cheapest to two hundred for the most expensive, with the latter being nearly sold out.

Wang Chen arrived late, so the only stalls available were the high-priced ones.

Undeterred, he rented one from the managing cultivator, unfazed by the potential disadvantage.

The high price was justified: the stall was in a prime location, larger than average, and, most importantly, equipped with a small protective formation.

This formation was linked to the city’s protective formation, offering excellent security for both the stallholder and their wares. Wang Chen had seen such setups in Qianxing Immortal City and was surprised to find one in the "Yellow" level Ling You City.

However, it also hinted at the less-than-ideal safety conditions in the area.

After securing the stall, Wang Chen spent a considerable amount of time rummaging through his two Xumi Rings before unearthing a trove of hidden treasures.

He had a penchant for hoarding, and his storage rings were packed with supplies, daily necessities, and spoils from past hunts and conquests.

Having once attempted to declutter, Wang Chen had kept only those items he was unwilling to sell cheaply or couldn’t easily part with, resulting in a significant accumulation.

Elixirs, materials, talismans…

Among them was a batch of spirit tools crafted by Wang Chen himself!

In no time, the stall was brimming with goods.

Wang Chen then priced each item and set up a sign that read, “No Bargaining.”

He had brought this sign from the talisman shop in Qianxing Immortal City.

His stall now bore the mark of a “Willing to Bite” approach!

Thanks to its prime location and the high quality of the items, Wang Chen’s stall quickly drew a crowd.

“Hmm? This flying sword looks intriguing.”

“Esteemed guest, could you lower the price on this item?”

“Is the Yuan Cultivating Pill genuine?”

“Esteemed guest, would you trade my green-faced tiger claws for your turtle shield?”

“This talisman…”

The onlookers chattered away, some critiquing, others bargaining, some proposing trades, and even a few attempting to forge connections!

Wang Chen remained unmoved, steadfastly pointing to the “No Bargaining” sign.

Some, realizing they couldn’t strike a favorable deal, left grumbling, while others emptied their storage bags or borrowed from friends to gather enough spirit stones for their desired items.

Though the strict no-bargaining policy and the insistence on spirit stones alone were irksome, the quality and fair pricing of Wang Chen’s wares led discerning buyers to make wise choices.

As items began to sell, those who had hesitated grew anxious and started making purchases.

If they waited too long, they might miss out!

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Wang Chen had sold nearly half of his goods, amassing several hundred thousand spirit stones!

The booming business left neighboring stallholders green with envy.

Truth be told, Wang Chen himself hadn’t anticipated such brisk sales; the purchasing power of Ling You City’s cultivators was impressively robust.

He promptly replenished his stall with more items from his Xumi Ring.

After all, the more spirit stones, the better.

For a while, the marketplace was a whirlwind of activity, and time seemed to fly by in a blur!