Chapter 28: A Small Siheyuan, Hiding Tigers and Dragons

For some reason, Luo Chen felt that Wang Yuan was even colder than before.

He still didn't talk much, but when he did, it was a bit unsettling.

Luo Chen naturally didn't know about Wang Yuan's recent glorious battle achievements, or how he had earned the reputation of a mad blade.

Killing and plundering had nothing to do with him.

Even if it did, it was all forced.

He, Luo Chen, was devoted to the Dao!

After flipping through a pile of books, Luo Chen finally found his target.

"Wang Brother, I'm your little brother now, right?"

"Hmm, barely."

"Then, do little brothers get any benefits, like—"

"This book won't do. It's from a Qi Condensation Ninth Layer cultivator who asked me to sell it. If you want to read it, you'll have to buy it."

The book in Luo Chen's hand was the one Wang Yuan had been trying to sell for a long time, "Five Essential Spells for Qi Condensation."

But Luo Chen remembered that Wang Yuan had said he had stolen this book before.

What about the promise that wandering cultivators don't deceive each other?

Luo Chen grumbled as he took out two hundred low-grade spirit stones and carefully placed the book in his storage bag.

Wang Yuan looked at him and suddenly chuckled.

"Chen Xiao was really unlucky. He worked hard for half a year, only to end up making a wedding dress for you."

What do you mean by making a wedding dress for me?

I'm a guy.

"Was the unlucky guy you killed earlier named Chen Xiao?"

"Yes, he discovered a senior's cave and spent half a year breaking through the array, gaining a lot. But it all became yours."

Luo Chen touched his storage bag, suddenly understanding.

No wonder a mere Qi Condensation Fifth Layer wandering cultivator had a storage bag and a high-grade magic weapon, the Soul-Piercing Nail. It turns out he had a great encounter!

"They gained a lot, so they had the courage to ambush me, but they didn't know how to use their treasures."

"What do you mean?"

"For example, the Soul-Piercing Nail. It easily broke through my defenses but only inflicted a minor injury. It was less of a threat to me than his Thunderbolt Bomb."

Wang Yuan seemed to have the intention of guiding Luo Chen and spoke casually.

"But if he had coated the Soul-Piercing Nail with poison, I would have been in danger."

Luo Chen was taken aback, then gave a thumbs up.

"You're really devious, Brother!"

"Oh no, it's because you have rich combat experience!"

Seeing Wang Yuan's expression change, Luo Chen quickly corrected himself.

Wang Yuan shook his head. "Whether it's a cultivator or a mortal martial artist, the logic of combat is the same: to kill the opponent. Many wandering cultivators in the Great River Market are too rigid, only knowing how to clash with magic weapons."

"Of course, it's also possible he couldn't get poison that would work on cultivators."

Luo Chen nodded heavily.

Cultivators absorb spirit energy, and even without deliberate body cultivation, their physical condition gradually evolves.

Otherwise, high-level cultivators wouldn't be able to withstand the massive consumption of spirit energy with their frail bodies.

A jade bottle was handed to Luo Chen.

"This is the Chaotic Spirit Powder I seized. If you coat the Soul-Piercing Nail with it, once it touches the enemy's flesh, their spirit energy will become chaotic and they won't be able to control it."

Is this the benefit of being a little brother?

Luo Chen happily took it, planning to apply it as soon as he got home.

He also wanted to become someone with rich combat experience!

"Remember, the effect of Chaotic Spirit Powder is very short. Someone with enough spirit energy can easily suppress it. So, once you use the Soul-Piercing Nail, you must be prepared for a quick battle."

Wang Yuan warned him earnestly.

He still had a few bottles left for his own use, but there was no need to tell Luo Chen that.

He wasn't the type to talk much, and he had already said a lot today.

Seeing this, Luo Chen left a bag of snacks to pass the time and tactfully took his leave.

Before leaving the market, he looked back and noticed that Wang Yuan seemed to be practicing.

"Using the time at the stall to tap into the inner city's first-grade spirit vein?"

This discovery made Luo Chen momentarily excited.

But he quickly dismissed the idea of imitating it.

The market was bustling and noisy, not a good place for quiet cultivation.

If someone disturbed him, he might go into a mental breakdown.

Wang Yuan must have some other reason to do this.

If he tried to imitate it, he would be courting death.

"You really are an alchemist!"

Cai Yi woke up in the afternoon, freshened up, and then visited the back room.

She saw Luo Chen holding a stone pestle, grinding a mineral she didn't recognize.

The spacious back room was filled with medicinal herbs.

The mixed smells were a bit overwhelming.

But Luo Chen was enjoying it, having long gotten used to these scents.

Seeing Cai Yi leaning in the doorway, Luo Chen chuckled and poured the gold powder into a wooden bucket.

Another herb was already soaking inside, and the gold powder caused an immediate strange reaction.

Bubbles kept forming, making a gurgling sound.

After washing his hands, Luo Chen walked to the door and stretched.

"Want some hawthorns? I got them as a bonus when buying herbs today. They don't have much spirit energy, but they're sweet and sour."

Cai Yi took a handful of hawthorns from Luo Chen, her eyes on his storage bag.

"You alchemists are indeed wealthy, having a storage bag at the Qi Condensation Intermediate stage."

Her tone was filled with envy.

Envy, woman?

It was earned with his life!

Luo Chen naturally wouldn't show off his wealth, avoiding the sensitive topic and asking Cai Yi about the neighbors.

It's good to know the people around you when you move to a new place.

Otherwise, any conflicts could affect his work.

But this inquiry made him a bit stiff.

"One main house, two side rooms, two ear rooms, and the largest back room, making a total of six families."

"The east side room is occupied by Fu Xiuxiu, Qi Condensation Ninth Layer, who works at the Divine Talisman Pavilion and has been promoted to manager."

"The west side room is occupied by the Qin family, a family of three. Qin Liangchen and his wife are both Qi Condensation Ninth Layer. You won't see them for a while because they personally escorted their son to the Luo Yun Sect for the entrance trial."

"The two ear rooms are occupied by Bai Meiling and Feng Xia, both Qi Condensation Seventh Layer female cultivators, who work at the Hundred Herbs Hall."

Hearing this introduction to the neighbors, Luo Chen was surprised.

Hiding tigers and dragons!

In this small siheyuan, there were three Qi Condensation Ninth Layer and two Qi Condensation Seventh Layer cultivators.

Only Luo Chen was at the Qi Condensation Fourth Layer, pitiful and in need of a hug.

Cai Yi naturally wouldn't hug him, but she puffed out her chest and smiled, "I'm Gu Caiyi, Qi Condensation Eighth Layer, and I dance at the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion."

"How's the income?"

"It's okay, haven't you seen me living in the main house?"

Sighing and shaking his head.

He thought that reaching the Qi Condensation Intermediate stage would make him a great cultivator, but he never expected that in this small siheyuan, everyone could surpass him in cultivation.

Actually, Luo Chen was surprised but not shocked.

The Great River Market had tens of thousands of wandering cultivators, with hundreds at the Qi Condensation Later stage.

While these hundreds were rare in the outer city, they were common in the inner city.

Or rather, low-level cultivators couldn't afford to live in the inner city. Only those at the Later stage with a special skill could settle there.

Like Old Daoist Chen, at Qi Condensation Sixth Layer, who was skilled in talisman making and tanning talisman skin, had the confidence to say, "If the outer city gets too chaotic, I'll move to the inner city."

This gave a glimpse of the situation.

If Luo Chen weren't in hiding and hadn't licked the blood off the blade twice, he wouldn't have the capital to rent a place in the inner city.

"Speaking of which, it's a bit strange."

"What's strange?"

Luo Chen asked curiously, "In our courtyard, excluding me, are all five of you female cultivators? And on the way home, most of the residents in the alleys also seemed to be women."

"You're really dense!"

Gu Caiyi laughed, "The world has yin and yang, and spirit energy is no different. The north side of the city suppresses a ghost king, so the spirit energy here is biased towards yin. Men are yang, women are yin, so naturally, most of the tenants here are female cultivators!"

Luo Chen suddenly understood, then worried, "Will staying here for a long time affect my cultivation?"

"It shouldn't, right?" The tall Gu Caiyi hugged her chest, uncertain, "We female cultivators do benefit from yin energy, but for male cultivators, it might not provide any benefit, but it shouldn't be harmful either."

"Is that so?"

"Qin Daoist has lived here for many years and hasn't mentioned it."

Gu Caiyi thought for a moment, "How about this, if I have time tonight, I'll ask Yu Xiang at the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion. She knows more about these things."

"Okay, thanks."

"By the way, I haven't asked you, what kind of pills are you refining?"

Gu Caiyi looked around the dim room, most of the herbs she didn't recognize.

If Luo Chen's pills were suitable for her, that would be great.

As neighbors, a friendly price would be fine.

After waiting for a while, she didn't hear Luo Chen's answer.

Was it inconvenient to say?

Gu Caiyi glanced at Luo Chen and noticed a slight blush on his face.

"Abstinence Pill."

"Yes, Abstinence Pill!"

Luo Chen repeated, his tone firm.

Gu Caiyi, on her way to work in the evening, was still thinking about their afternoon conversation.

At the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion, most of the girls were waking up and preparing to eat.

The spirit food provided by the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion once a day was a good thing, and Gu Caiyi wouldn't miss it.

While enjoying the delicious and spirit-filled meal, Gu Caiyi saw Yu Xiang eating delicately.

"Xiang Xiang, you know about alchemy. I have a question."

"Okay."

"Do Qi Condensation Intermediate cultivators make a lot of money refining Abstinence Pills?"

Yu Xiang blinked, then smiled.

(End of Chapter)