Three monks, clad in tight-fitting mage robes, gathered around, bending over to examine the items laid out on the blue stone slabs.
"Oh, a Concealing Qi Talisman. Good stuff! How much for one?"
"Five Spirit Stones each. Essential for home and travel, hunting in the mountains. In a critical moment, activate this talisman and even a Thorny Wolf won't be able to sniff you out!"
"That expensive? You're basically robbing us blind."
"Just say whether you want it or not!"
"Could you lower the price? We're about to go into the mountains and still need to purchase many other talismans. We could even buy a whole stack from you."
"You didn't inquire about my reputation in The Great River District's market, or the craftsmanship of my talismans? If I cut the price of my talisman, can it stop a demon beast from biting you?"
"Three Spirit Stones for this Concealing Qi Talisman, plus three Earth Thorn Talismans and six Fireball Talismans."
"Four! I can't go any lower. This Concealing Qi Talisman is exclusive to my business, and I only produce one a month!"
After some deliberation, the three monks decided to purchase the Concealing Qi Talisman.
Once they had settled the bill, they turned their attention to the jade vases in the corner.
"The Fasting Elixir?"
Luo Chen brightened up, "One pill can keep you full, ten for three days and three nights without hunger. How many bottles do you want?"
"What's the price?"
"Let me tell you, I prepare this Fasting Elixir mainly using superior first-order beef combined with ginseng and dong quai... And finally, it's refined with the Medicine King Sect's signature Hundred Flowers Honey. Excellent stuff at low prices!"
"Is it really that good?"
"Here, take a whiff of this aroma, doesn't it smell delicious? And look at that color, absolutely no flour. The color can't be better in this area, I assure you!"
"Big brother, it does seem more fragrant than the Fasting Elixir we bought before."
"Exactly. This friend clearly has discerning tastes. You've been scammed before, weren't you? Does the Fasting Elixir you bought taste like flour? That's definitely fake meat."
"What's the price?"
"Four bottles for just one Spirit Stone!"
"You might as well just rob us."
"Just say whether you want it or not! If you pass this stall, you won't find such good stuff. I'm telling you, I have many regular customers. In a bit, I'll be sold out and going home."
"Can you go a little lower?"
"Seeing that you three friends are sincerely interested, how about one Spirit Stone for five bottles? Deal? Consider it a friendship token and when I make new elixirs, I'll give you discounts!"
"Alright, we'll take ten bottles. We still have some stock left from before, so we'll give your stuff a try."
Upon settling the transaction, Luo Chen and Elder Chen wished them, "Safe journey into the mountains and may your harvest be abundant."
After the men left, the two exchanged amused glances.
Elder Chen silently placed another Concealing Qi Talisman on the booth.
What happened to only producing one a month?
As the sun rose, the southwest corner where the rogue cultivators gathered became more lively.
Selling elixirs, selling cultivation techniques, selling demon beast meat, you name it.
Buyers and treasure hunters were in a constant stream, even occasionally spotting one or two disciples dressed in Yu Ding Sword Sect standard robes.
For the latter's appearance, the rogue cultivators became more spirited, and the prices they shouted out involuntarily rose a few notches.
Members of sects were all big fat sheep!
But this had nothing to do with Luo Chen.
His Fasting Elixir was the most common of common goods, every sect has them.
The ones he refines are at the lowest order, not even worthy of being called elixirs, they're just Fasting Pills shaped into elixir pills.
No matter how well he refined such a thing, there's no competitive edge.
By noon, Luo Chen had nearly sold out.
There were only twenty bottles to begin with, not a lot at all, and it took Luo Chen six to seven days to accumulate this stock.
You can only say that the life of the lower-order pill refiner is just too harsh!
If one weren't sponsored by a Sect Family, the life of a low-level rogue pill refiner would be unimaginably harsh!
Without bothering with any packing, Luo Chen gave Elder Chen some beef jerky made from spare cuts of meat, ready to leave.
Before leaving, Elder Chen munched on the beef jerky with some clear water and called out to him.
"You're going to make a new elixir? It wouldn't be from the incomplete pill formula you found last year, would it?"
"Kid, don't set unrealistic goals. I've seen many rogue pill refiners trying to experiment with new pill formulas, ending up bankrupt."
"It wasn't easy for you to save those Spirit Stones. Why not go to the Spirit Medicine Hall and buy a couple of bottles of Qi Nurturing Pills, to improve your cultivation level a bit."
This was rare, sincere advice from the old man known for being stingy and loving a good bargain.
Luo Chen could tell that he was sincere.
Actually, what the original owner paid for the incomplete pill formula was much more than what Elder Chen described.
But Luo Chen had other plans, naturally he wouldn't do such high-risk activities.
"You should be careful with your teeth, old man. This beef jerky could crack them."
Elder Chen bit off a chunk of the beef jerky with a fierce look. The meat got stuck between his teeth, and it was somewhat uncomfortable, but he still forced it down.
He glared at Luo Chen.
"Scram!"
Luo Chen gave a mischievous grin, quickly melding into the crowd and vanished.
....
He was still in the southwestern corner of the rogue cultivator's area, but now he was in the area where herbal medicines were gathered and sold.
Having spent years here, he knew the ins and outs of trading all sorts of goods.
"Sister Wang, are these freshly picked from your husband's trip to the mountains? They don't seem properly dried yet, the discerning ones won't appreciate these."
"Today, I want to do a good deed. I'm willing to reluctantly take ten pounds!"
"This piece of ho shou wu, I suspect that it isn't even ten years old! Make it cheap, and I'll take it."
"Jade Mountain Medicine, yes, give me fifty pounds. I used to purchase at twenty pounds per Spirit Stone, and now it's all doubled, you should give me a discount!"
"I give up bargaining. Just throw in a Redwood Fruit, this one—the one that's big enough."
...
Luo Chen spent the afternoon traveling around the herb area, making large-scale purchases of the herbs he needed.
As these were small stalls set up by rogue cultivators, the quality of the goods relied on his eyes, and the prices relied on his bargaining skills.
His lips were dry from all the haggling, and Luo Chen managed to gather most of what he needed.
Next, he needed to make a trip to the city center in the Inner City.
The Spirit Medicine Hall, one of the six top stores in The Great River market, was situated at the most eye-catching location in the city center.
With its five floors, flying eaves and painted walls, carved rails and jade masonry, it was truly pleasing to the eye.
However, this place only dealt in refined elixirs, which were currently out of Luo Chen's price range.
His destination was the Hundred Herbs Pavilion, located next to the Spirit Medicine Hall.
It was said that both the Spirit Medicine Hall and the Hundred Herbs Pavilion were run by the Medicine King Sect. It was unknown why they split into two storefronts.
Compared to the grandeur of the Spirit Medicine Hall, the Hundred Herbs Pavilion looked considerably more mundane.
A single row of flat-roofed houses extended into the back, looking rather nondescript.
However, as soon as one got close, they would be hit with a strong aroma of herbs.
Luo Chen felt invigorated, carefully placing his large bag at the door.
The Fat Shopkeeper eyed the large bag, his eyes slightly narrowed and his nose twitched, then he shook his head.
Luo Chen didn't mind and approached the counter.
"Senior, do you still have Dendrobium and Fire Dog Tail here?"
Hearing these two names of medicinal ingredients, the Fat Shopkeeper gave Luo Chen an amused look.