In the Magic Artifact Shop located in the east of the gathering city, Chen Dengming exchanged a Spiritual Grain for his pawned Luo Family token, before returning all the leased fishing equipment to the merchant, Boss Hu.
Boss Hu disliked being addressed as Immortal Master, but rather preferred the nickname Boss Hu, carrying an air of a brash and bold spirit of the Jianghu. Among all cultivators Chen Dengming has met, he was the only approachable one. This, however, may be due to the fact that Chen Dengming revealed the Luo Family's waist plaque, and Boss Hu might not be as amicable to ordinary Innates.
He has Magic Artifact Shops in both the east and the south of the city. Rumor has it that he is part of the Iron Alliance, a medium power among the dozens of influential forces in the region, mostly composed of merchants and maintaining a neutral stance.
"Chen, not selling fish anymore?"
Inside the shop, Boss Hu handed Chen Dengming the Luo Family waist plaque with one hand while casually accepting the Spiritual Grain with the other. Holding a pipe in his mouth and puffing smoke, he asked with a hint of humor.
Chen Dengming sighed and shook his head, "Boss Hu, with the commotion of Demonic Beasts outside the gathering city, who dares to go fishing anymore? Besides, catching Spiritual Fish is no easy feat, it's better to give it up."
Boss Hu slightly nodded. Suddenly, he glanced at the broken sword behind Chen Dengming and chuckled, "Your sword broke? Did you get into a fight? Why not pick a Magic Artifact from my shop for self-defense?"
Chen Dengming's heart skipped a beat, but he immediately laughed and waved his hand, "I'm a little strapped for cash at the moment! When I become a cultivator in the future, I will definitely come to you, Boss Hu, to custom order a Magic Artifact."
After exchanging pleasantries, he left the store, looked at the Luo Family waist plaque in his hand and wiped it, before properly hiding it.
After this incident, he was determined not to pawn this waist plaque again.
If he had carried the waist plaque when he was at the lake and showed it, the elderly cultivator from Gold Word Workshop might not have given him trouble, and he would not have had to risk his life fighting against him.
However, things had turned out the way they had, and he did not regret it. He was secretly satisfied and had a clearer understanding of his own combat abilities.
By using Gu poison and Blood Centipede Gu to attack his enemies secretly, he should be able to defeat most Qi Cultivation level one cultivators.
But if he had to face them directly, and the cultivator was on guard, then the fight would be more evenly matched, roughly a 60-40 split in his favor.
The cultivator elder he had killed that day likely had more than Qi Cultivation level one, otherwise, he would not have used the Magic Artifact so proficiently. According to Boss Hu, ordinary Qi Cultivation level one cultivators simply didn't have enough Spiritual Energy to manipulate Magic Artifacts, so their demand for such artifacts was not high.
Against someone of that old cultivator's strength, once they were on guard against his Gu worms, it would be very difficult for Chen Dengming to kill them. If he was not careful, he may be killed himself and wouldn't even be able to escape. The speed of Qinggong was definitely not as fast as a Magic Artifact.
Quite simply, the Spiritual Energy controlled by cultivators was too powerful. It was like the difference between a wooden hammer and an iron hammer, the iron hammer could easily smash the wooden one.
During the fight that day, if it weren't for the Blood Centipede Gu's ability to devour Spiritual Energy and bite through the opponent's Golden Bell Barrier, just his own Qingqiu Mad Dragon skill would not have been enough to break through the defense, and he would have most likely been killed in the end.
Also, in the end, if the Blood Centipede Gu hadn't helped him devour the Spiritual Energy in his body, even if he survived, his meridians would be ruined, rendering him completely crippled.
Therefore, it was no wonder that the cultivators were always looking down on the mortals and Innates, and completely despised them.
There was a substantial difference in the quintessential strength that the two controlled.
"From now on, I need to lie low, concentrate on my cultivation, and strive to become a cultivator as soon as possible."
Calculating in his mind, Chen Dengming quickly arrived at the Gold Word Workshop area near the Zanhua Building in the city center.
The Gold Word Workshop and Hutong Street had control over most of the living spaces within the gathering city.
To rent a house, one needed to deal with the Gold Word Workshop.
Chen Dengming didn't plan to avoid the Gold Word Workshop either; he understood better than anyone that there was a blind spot even under the brightest light.
He killed a cultivator from the Gold Word Workshop, so now he's trying to get as close to the Gold Word Workshop as possible.
Even if the Gold Word Workshop started to investigate the old cultivator's death, they would first examine their enemies and suspicious individuals. Who would notice a mere mortal with innate abilities living in their territory?
The demand for rental properties is vast and crucial in every world.
When Chen Dengming arrived, many innates and mortals were already lining up to pay for their rentals.
There were cultivators lining up for rentals too, but they were in a separate area, where mortals were serving them tea and pouring water as if they were in a VIP section.
The cultivator in charge of the rentals was the same one who had given Chen Dengming his fishing job. He looked at Chen Dengming and smiled slightly.
"The fisherman? Have you caught enough spiritual fish to afford your rent so quickly? Have you honestly handed in half of them?"
Chen Dengming politely saluted with a fist and a smile, "Immortal Master, there has been a misunderstanding. I haven't caught any spiritual fish. It's very dangerous outside the settlement now, and I don't wish to take risks. I have borrowed some Spiritual Grains and plan to rent a house first."
As he spoke, he extended his hand from his sleeve, and a tiny grain-sized Spiritual Grain shimmered brilliantly in his hand.
Such a small amount of Spiritual Grains could be exchanged for a month's inhabitancy in the cheapest shack within the Loose Cultivator area.
In some corners not far away, many eyes were staring at the Spiritual Grain in Chen Dengming's hand, their eyes flickering, with whispers like 'the fish salesman from the Old Shack Street'... 'Suddenly wealthy? '...'Is there such easy fortune?'
The cultivator handling affairs squinted his eyes and said with a sarcastic smile, "Such good-quality Spiritual Grains, not bad. Haven't you been here for long? Do you have such good relationships that people lend you Spiritual Grains?"
Chen Dengming was ready and took out the token that Fairy Luo had given him, saying, "The Immortal Master has a good eye. In fact, I came here on someone else's recommendation. With such hard times recently, I had to seek help from some friends. I hope for the Immortal Master's guidance."
"Hm?"
The cultivator's gaze sharpened, his inscrutable expression faded instantly, and his smile became a bit forced. "So, you do have important connections. No wonder."
Almost at the same time, the speculative gazes in the distance vanished, and even the expressions of the people around Chen Dengming became friendlier.
"It seems that the Luo Family's token still works..."
Chen Dengming noticed the subtle changes and relaxed a bit, thinking to himself.
Despite having the token, he still had to pay the Spiritual Grains without error, no discounts or privileges given.
But clearly, those with ill intentions or ulterior motives will now have to weigh their options.
Chen Dengming was smart. He only mentioned that he had been directed to this place by someone from the Luo Family and later borrowed some Spiritual Grains from friends.
This is the art of language. Once people heard his words, they naturally linked the two, mistakenly thinking that he had friends in the Luo Family who were willing to lend him Spiritual Grains. Apparently, the relationship is quite good.
After all, whether it's here or elsewhere, a person who refuses to lend money isn't necessarily a good friend, but someone who's willing to lend money definitely regards you as a good friend.
Thus, no one dared to inquire about the Luo family about Chen Dengming's sudden emergence of Spiritual Grains and unclear source of wealth.
Even if they inquired, the person who initially guided him was Miss Luo. Which Loose Cultivator, who has such prestige and courage, would ask Miss Luo about a mere Spiritual Grain matter?
However, if someone managed to trace the connection to Miss Luo, it would be what Chen Dengming wanted. It would indicate his manipulation might have worked, and those intending to make things difficult might back off....