Tan Zhong was feeling somewhat troubled. He couldn’t determine whether those demon birds were dead or alive, good or bad—how was he to set a price?
Having managed his family’s assets before, he understood that among the Ten Great Sects of Xuanmen, some disciples would often force merchants like him to purchase worthless Magic Artifacts under duress. This update is available on NoveI-Fire.ɴet
If the shop did not have a significant background, they would choose to suffer the losses rather than offend such figures. In his heart, he believed Zhang Yan was no different.
Not to mention the fact that the other party was a disciple of the Mingcang Sect—merely the identity of a Hua Dan Cultivator made him someone Tan Zhong could never afford to offend. Gritting his teeth, he said, "If we were speaking of a single demon bird, it would be worth around twenty Spiritual Shells. For seven hundred or so demon birds, let’s make it a neat figure—ten thousand five Spirit Shells. Immortal Lord, what do you think of this price?"
However, after quoting this price, his heart was bleeding, hoping the other party wouldn’t ask for more.
It was well-known that the longer demon birds cultivated, the higher the value of their Hidden Marrow Refining qualities. However, such demon birds were also extraordinarily difficult to capture. In his view, these seven hundred demon birds were unlikely to be of good quality.
Zhang Yan merely smiled and nodded, saying, "Let it be at this price."
Tan Zhong immediately breathed a great sigh of relief, secretly smiling bitterly to himself: "Luckily, this one is not overly greedy. Otherwise, if my clan held me accountable, they’d only find fault with me."
Steadying himself, he cupped his hands and asked, "May I know where Immortal Lord has placed those demon birds? Shall I send people to retrieve them?"
Zhang Yan chuckled, clapped his hands, and a plume of smoke surged forth. Tan Zhong suddenly found his vision filled with dense white mist, rendering him unable to see anything. As the thick fog cleared, he involuntarily froze in shock.
The hall was now stacked floor to ceiling, overflowing with hundreds of unconscious demon birds. He stared blankly for a moment before blurting out, "Heavenly Cranes? Honghu?"
The species of demon birds before him turned out to be among the rarest and most difficult to capture. Tan Zhong instantly realized he had scored an incredible bargain this time.
Meanwhile, in a Flying Tower within the Immortal Market, Sima Daoist sat cross-legged on a cushion, his brows tightly furrowed, seemingly grappling with a difficult matter.
After Zhang Yan passed through the gate, Sima Daoist had discerned through the Mirror that this man was indeed the target Hou Boxu and Mrs. Xu had been seeking. According to their prior arrangement, he should have immediately sent someone to inform them, but now he found himself hesitating.
At first, he hadn’t known who exactly Hou Boxu and Mrs. Xu were looking for. Their offer of generous compensation had come at a time when he was desperately in need of Spirit Shells. Moreover, he owed the Hou Family a favor from years prior, so he couldn’t refuse and had agreed to help.
But after the fact, unease had crept in. Who could inspire such effort from both Hou and Xu? Surely not an ordinary individual.
He had secretly sent people to investigate Zhang Yan’s identity, and the reports that came back had shocked him to the core, making him feel as though he had unwittingly stepped into a trap.
"A True Disciple of the Mingcang Sect," he murmured.
Sima Daoist’s furrowed brow deepened. Furthermore, the Mirror revealed that Zhang Yan had recently succeeded in refining elixirs and was now a Hua Dan Cultivator. He was well aware of the weight such an identity carried. While he was inclined to assist Hou Boxu, he didn’t want to entangle himself.
After deliberating for a long moment, he finally made his decision and called out in a solemn voice, "Someone come!"
A sharp, bright-eyed young cultivator immediately entered and cupped his hands in greeting. "Master Sima, what are your orders?"
Sima Daoist began by whispering a brief directive to the young cultivator, then added, "After you meet him, tell him someone may seek trouble with him, so he should be on his guard."
The young cultivator dared not ask too many questions, bowed deeply, and quickly departed to carry out the order.
Not long after, Hou Boxu and Mrs. Xu, having received the news, rushed over eagerly. Mrs. Xu couldn’t restrain herself from shouting, "Daoist Sima, has that thief appeared?"
Mrs. Xu’s piercingly sharp voice made Sima Daoist’s brows twitch. He coughed lightly before replying, "Half an hour ago, I discovered him entering this place. Upon closer inspection, he appears to be the one you two have been searching for."
Hou Boxu’s expression immediately lit up with excitement, while Mrs. Xu’s almond-shaped eyes widened as she clenched the floating ribbon tightly in her hands, her nails seeming ready to embed themselves into her flesh.
The pair had lingered for years on Shendu Peak, waiting fruitlessly for Zhang Yan’s arrival. In the process, they’d alienated many people, and internal conflicts had even arisen between them. Had Hou Boxu not stubbornly persisted and made various promises, Mrs. Xu might have long since departed. Hearing the news now, she couldn’t help but feel overjoyed, believing her long-awaited revenge to be at hand.
But Hou Boxu was far more cautious. After his initial exhilaration waned, doubt crept in as he asked, "Daoist, are you certain?"
Sima Daoist’s expression remained calm as he said lightly, "If his appearance matches the description provided by you two, then it cannot be mistaken."
"Excellent!" Hou Boxu cupped his hands toward Sima Daoist and spoke solemnly, "Regardless of whether we can eliminate this thief, I must thank Brother Daoist for your generosity."
Sima Daoist waved his hand lightly and replied, "No need for such courtesy. I have received plenty of benefits from the two of you. However, I do have one piece of advice."
"Please, Brother Daoist," Hou Boxu said.
Sima Daoist cupped his hands toward them and said, "This place is the Flying Boat Immortal Market. If you wish to seek your revenge, I ask that you give me some face and wait until he has left the Immortal Market before making your move. What do you say?"
Hou Boxu glanced at Mrs. Xu, noting that she showed no objections, and nodded, "Fine. Daoist Sima has assisted us greatly over the years. Once the thief exits the Immortal Market, we shall take action without delay!"
Mrs. Xu gritted her silver teeth and said bitterly, "Today is the day that thief meets his end. I shall personally sever his head to avenge my child’s unjust death!"
Hou Boxu laughed heartily and said, "Rest assured, Madame. With the two of us in action, no matter how capable he may be, he is merely a Xuan Guang Practitioner. Success in this venture is all but guaranteed. However, as per our earlier agreement, his head must belong to me."
Sima Daoist observed coldly from the sidelines, whether forgetting or deliberately withholding—he did not inform the pair that Zhang Yan had already advanced to Hua Dan Cultivator.
...(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you are welcome to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation votes and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)