Chapter 25: The Counterattack of the Earthfire Sect
“This is Drifting Cloud Market, huh? Doesn’t look as lively as the rumors said,” Song Changsheng muttered as he looked at the cluster of buildings not far away, dusty from his journey.
“First time here, Fellow Daoist?”
Song Changsheng turned toward the voice. Not far off, a chubby, fair-skinned man was approaching him. The man wore golden brocade robes, had a round face, small eyes, and looked rather simple and honest.
“I can’t see through this person’s cultivation at all,” Song Changsheng squinted, immediately on alert.
The man appeared about the same age as him, but his aura was somehow obscured, completely unreadable.
“What brings you here, Fellow Daoist?” Song Changsheng greeted calmly with a slight bow.
“I’m Zhu Yiqun. I have no malicious intent, I just noticed your extraordinary bearing and unique aura, and wanted to make friends.” Zhu Yiqun smiled sincerely.
“Zhu Yiqun¹? Seriously, who names themselves that?” Song Changsheng’s face twisted slightly, but he replied smoothly, “I’m Shen Changsong. Glad to meet you, but my elder is waiting inside the market. Excuse me.”
With that, he turned and walked toward the market.
Though the fat man didn’t look threatening, Song Changsheng didn’t want to make friends with him. It was like some old guy suddenly grabbing you on the street saying you’re gifted and wants to take you as a disciple, pure nonsense.
If it weren’t for the obscured cultivation level, Song Changsheng wouldn’t have even bothered to talk to him.
Watching Song Changsheng leave, Zhu Yiqun rubbed his rounded chin and muttered, “Young and already at the eighth layer of Qi Refinement, with exceptionally strong spiritual energy, clearly not a loose cultivator. But I’ve never heard of a talented youth named Shen Changsong around here. Interesting, I hope to make friends with you the next time I see you again.”
He then waddled toward the market.
Drifting Cloud Market was fairly large, roughly circular, with wide, straight stone-paved streets leading to entrances on the east, south, west, and north.
Shops and inns lined the streets, but the place was very quiet, far less bustling than the rumors suggested.
Only a handful of people wandered about, making Song Changsheng lose interest in sightseeing and head straight toward the family’s shop, recalling the map in his mind.
The family once owned over 20% of the shops in the market, but due to various reasons, they had sold most off, leaving only twelve remaining.
These shops, however, were in prime locations, generating nearly ten thousand spirit stones annually, a major economic pillar for the family.
“Seeking Treasure Pavilion, this is it,” Song Changsheng said, confirming the name on the signboard before entering.
The shop covered a large area with three floors. The first floor had a central redwood counter for checkout, surrounded by waist-high glass display cases, reminiscent of a jewelry store on Blue Star.
Inside were various goods: finished magical tools, refined metal ingots, ores on the left; materials from demon beasts on the right, all processed and ready for forging magical tools.
These goods were aimed at Qi Refinement level cultivators; items for Foundation Establishment stage cultivators were mostly upstairs. But in Ling Province, cultivation of that stage was rare, they might not see one for months.
Compared to the rest of the quiet market, here were about a dozen cultivators in various robes browsing and buying.
Three cultivators with clan clothes were busy introducing products, so no one noticed Song Changsheng right away.
He took his time examining the display cases.
The shop’s products were very diverse, subdivided into over a dozen categories based on attack, defense, support, and other characteristics.
Many of the magical tools had strange shapes, ones Song Changsheng had never seen before, giving him plenty of inspiration.
However, the quality was generally low, mostly first-rank low and medium grades, many without even inscribed formations.
This usually meant either the shop’s artifact refiners weren’t skilled enough or that it was geared towards low-budget loose cultivators.
After all, only penniless loose cultivators would settle for such low-quality magical tools.
Just as he was engrossed, several young cultivators in black robes entered. The leader, a dark-skinned youth, loudly called out, “Shopkeeper! Where’s the shopkeeper?”
A woman in her twenties immediately approached, her tone cold: “Members of the Qiu family, please keep your voices down to avoid disturbing customers.”
Song Changsheng’s brow furrowed at the name “Qiu.”
In Ling Province, there were six major factions: Song, Earthfire Sect, Qiu, Wang, Li, and Yu.
Qiu and Yu aligned with Earthfire Sect and were always at odds with the Song family, usually barely exchanging words. Now that they were in a Song family shop, it was clearly not a friendly visit.
“Alright, alright, I get it,” the dark youth replied but didn’t lower his voice.
“The steward is not here today. If you’re not here to buy, please leave,” the woman’s tone turned sharp.
“Eh, Fellow Daoist Song, you’re mistaken. We’re placing an order to forge magical tools. You planning to kick us out of Seeking Treasure Pavilion?” the dark youth said exaggeratedly.
Song Changsheng watched quietly.
The woman forced down her anger and said, “We welcome business. What kind of magical tool do you want forged?”
The dark youth grinned playfully. “I’ve heard Seeking Treasure Pavilion’s forging skills are excellent. I want a first-rank superior-grade treasure pearl with attack, defense, and healing properties all in one.
As long as you are able to complete it according to my requirements, I’ll pay 500 low-grade spirit stones.”
“Having three different characteristics at the same time, Qiu Wenxiu, are you joking?” the woman said coldly.
“Joking? You’re the ones who can’t do it! The famous Seeking Treasure Pavilion isn’t all that after all,” Qiu Wenxiu sneered loudly.
Other customers smirked, ready for the drama.
“Hmph, besides Eight Directions Pavilion, there are only five superior first-rank artifact refiners in the entire in Drifting Cloud Market. I’ve never heard of anyone capable of pulling that off,” another male cultivator from the Song Clan said indignantly.
The crowd silently nodded, though they weren't artifact refiners, they knew most magical tools could only have one property, adding just one more would cause the difficulty to skyrocket tenfold.
To have three properties at once, usually a second-rank artifact refiner was needed.
“Is that so? Then you guys take a look at what this is!” Qiu Wenxiu casually pulled out a jade-green pearl. Activating its spiritual energy, three distinct formation layers appeared.
“It really has three abilities,” the crowd gasped.
“This was forged by a young master artifact refiner from Earthfire Sect’s Hundred Treasures Pavilion. You say it’s impossible? Then what is this?
Looks to me like Song family’s reputation is just empty words. And yet you dare boast that your artifact refinement skills are unmatched in Ling Province. Shameless, absolutely shameless!” Qiu Wenxiu mocked loudly.
Seeing Song Changqian’s shocked face, Qiu Wenxiu felt a surge of satisfaction. He had done his homework, among all the artifact refiners in the Seeking Treasure Pavilion, not a single one was capable of achieving such a feat.
He intended to utterly disgrace the Song family, the strongest counterstrike was against Song’s trade strengths!
(Chapter End)
¹ Zhu Yiqun means 'a group of pigs' lol