He indeed only sensed a wave of fear and anxiety, with no malice at all.
Since Bai Yichen was new to the cultivation realm and hadn't yet established a visible identity, he naturally needed to be cautious at all times.
After all, many masters had been beaten to death by those greenhorns in the martial world in the past.
In an instant, Bai Yichen withdrew his pressure, adopting a gentle demeanor and said, "Sorry, little brother, it was my fault. I actually need to sell some herbs; I wonder if you could help me find a suitable shop? If it's a good fit, I'll pay you one spirit stone."
The boy stared at Bai Yichen, who was now exuding a spring-like aura, completely unlike the pressure he had earlier displayed. After a moment of surprise, he joyfully replied, "Of course! Thank you, senior!"
Bai Yichen glanced at the sky and then asked, "By the way, little brother, do you know how to get to the Taiyuan Sect's main courtyard?"
"That's not difficult. Just go west after leaving this market… and you'll see the Cangze Dock, where there are cloud ships going to and from Taiyuan Sect and the other three cities. However, it's not currently open to outsiders…"
"How much is the fare for the ship?"
"I heard a regular ticket costs fifteen low-grade spirit stones."
Seeing Bai Yichen deep in thought, the boy didn't dare to ask more questions and simply led the way ahead.
It seemed that the servant at the teleportation array had not lied to him. Selling some herbs to exchange for spirit stones might allow him to cover the fare.
Bai Yichen's inquiry was precisely to cross-verify the situation regarding the cloud ships.
Selling herbs was a necessity since he had no spirit stones; otherwise, he wouldn't be able to buy a ticket.
There was actually another way, which was to control a magical tool and fly through the air like high-level cultivators such as Lingyun Shangren.
But he had tried this at the Peach Blossom Temple before, and with his initial stage in Qi Gathering, he could barely manage the Bewildering Gourd, flying at low altitude for a while before running out of true energy.
He was far from being able to fly a thousand miles on a sword, not to mention the dangers that could arise while traversing the vast marshes.
Thus, he had no choice but to use the official route.
Considering this, Bai Yichen urged the boy to take him there quickly; after all, if he was too late and missed the ship, he would have to stay overnight, leading to more expenses.
Indeed, no matter where one was, money remained very important, especially for a small cultivator like him.
"Just around the corner, and we'll arrive. The Four Seas Pavilion is the most comprehensive shop in Cangze City and the other three cities, known for its credibility. It is said to have a significant background and operates near many sects."
"I'll take you there first, and if it's not suitable, we can also go to Baicao Hall and Danxia Pavilion. Both of these shops are local establishments that specialize in pill herbs, and they have excellent reputations. Rumor has it…"
While leading Bai Yichen, the boy carefully introduced the shops along the way.
Bai Yichen nodded slightly, appreciating the boy's approach; he seemed quite methodical in his actions and adept at seizing opportunities.
He then asked, "By the way, I still don't know your name, little brother."
"My name is Hou Yi. You can call me Xiao Hou, senior," the boy replied promptly.
Just then, the two arrived in front of the grand plaque of the Four Seas Pavilion.
The attendant girl at the reception appeared quick-witted and immediately greeted them with a smile, leading them into the Four Seas Pavilion with a graceful demeanor.
"Dear guest, may I ask if you are looking for pills, magical tools, or perhaps martial arts techniques and talismans? All the items in our hall are crafted by specialized artisans, alchemists, and talisman makers. The martial arts techniques have also been verified multiple times by appraisal experts, and each one is a top-quality item among its kind!"
Bai Yichen first scanned the hall, which was roughly divided into five areas, each displaying different items. The Four Seas Pavilion indeed boasted a complete collection of categories.
In each area, there were women in uniform introducing the items to the guests.
Seeing this, Hou Yi spoke up, "Senior, if you need to sell herbs, may I request that the responsible appraiser comes to the quiet room to discuss?"
The attendant glanced at Bai Yichen and, seeing his approval, bowed politely before going to fetch someone.
Suddenly, there was a commotion outside the Four Seas Pavilion. Four individuals dressed in matching outfits entered, appearing to belong to the same faction.
Among them were two men, both tall and dignified in appearance, one exuding arrogance while the other was more reserved.
The two women behind them were striking; the one on the left had bright eyes like autumn water, slender fingers like spring onions, and a beautiful face adorned with a cloud-like hairstyle, while the one on the right had her hair styled in twin spirals, a rosy complexion radiating brightness, and a cheerful smile.
Just as they entered the Four Seas Pavilion, an elderly man dressed in luxurious robes and exuding a profound aura immediately approached them, leading them up to the second floor.
Bai Yichen turned to Hou Yi after their figures vanished from sight.
"Back to you, senior. Those four seem to be descendants of noble families within the Taiyuan Sect, which is why the manager of the Four Seas Pavilion personally led them to the second floor. Generally, only those who are at the Foundation Establishment stage or above can access it."
Hou Yi spoke softly beside Bai Yichen.
As soon as he finished speaking, a plump middle-aged man approached them, led by the earlier attendant. After some polite exchanges, the rotund attendant took them to the innermost area to a quiet room, where he brewed two cups of tea.
Bai Yichen merely thanked him and set the cup down, then got straight to the point. He reached into his sleeve and produced the two red reishi mushrooms, which he had actually taken from the gourd.
"May I ask what the price is for these two red reishi mushrooms?" Bai Yichen inquired.
The plump attendant picked them up and, after inspecting them, replied, "What a pity! If these were to grow for another ten years and reach the century mark, they would be far more valuable. As they are, they can only be used to refine some ordinary body-refining and restorative pills."
After pondering for a moment, he continued, "Considering this is your first visit to our Four Seas Pavilion, I'll offer a discount. The two mushrooms will total five low-grade spirit stones. What do you think?"
Bai Yichen's heart stirred, and he asked, "What if it were a century-old herb?"
"A century-old herb can be used in pill refining, so it would cost quite a bit more—at least ten low-grade spirit stones. Of course, the exact price depends on its quality."
After speaking, the plump attendant smiled at Bai Yichen, seemingly waiting for his response.
Bai Yichen displayed a look of helplessness, as if he were reluctantly taking out the century-old white ginseng from his other sleeve.
"This is something I struggled to find; I hope the attendant can give me a good price so I can return in the future."
"Ha ha, of course!"
The plump attendant picked it up and examined it carefully before saying, "Although this white ginseng seems to lack some vital energy, considering what you've said, I can give you a maximum of twelve low-grade spirit stones!"
Bai Yichen furrowed his brows and remained silent.
Meanwhile, Hou Yi, who had been sipping tea, put down his cup and started a verbal spar with the attendant over the prices of the spirit sands.
In the end, the three herbs totaled eighteen spirit stones and fifty spirit sands.
Bai Yichen chuckled inwardly, feeling satisfied as the total met his minimum expectations, so he didn't bother to haggle further.
Thus, he completed the transaction.