I'm Sorry for Calling You Paupers, I Spoke Too Soon

"Name?" "Lu Huaiben." "Where are you from?" "Qianshan, in the Yuanzhao State." *Oho, a fellow countryman!* Luo Chen munched on an immortal bean and raised an eyebrow. He was from the Yuanzhao State as well. He had not expected the man hanging from the rack opposite him to hail from his old homeland. Mi Shuhua glared at Luo Chen, then gestured for Sikong Shoujia to continue the interrogation. Suspended from the iron frame, Lu Huaiben had been tortured for an entire night. Subjected to every manner of sinister torment, he was currently clinging to life by a thread. Consequently, he answered almost every question without hesitation. Sikong Shoujia pressed on. "Which faction do you belong to?" "None. We are just rogue cultivators living in Snow Lotus Market." "What is your leader's name?" "Our eldest brother is called Shan Xiu. He's also a rogue cultivator. We usually make a living hunting monster beasts." "If you hunt monster beasts, why ambush and kill our hall master? Speak! Was someone instructing you?" "No, no! We only heard that alchemists are wealthy. Before leaving the area, we wanted to make one big score." "Still daring to lie? It seems you haven't suffered enough!" A vicious glint flashed across Sikong Shoujia's eyes. The three silver needles already embedded in Lu Huaiben's scalp sank a fraction deeper. "Aaaargh!" The nearly dead Lu Huaiben convulsed violently, looking exactly like a dying fish thrashing on dry land. Sikong Shoujia gave a slight flick of his fingers, and the silver needles floated back up slightly. Lu Huaiben gasped desperately for air, like a drowning man suddenly breaking the surface. "Stop sticking me! Stop, please, I beg you!" Tears, snot, and blood streamed down his face unchecked. Lu Huaiben wept and croaked, "We really just wanted to pull a heist while passing through! No one put us up to it!" "Nonsense! Danchenzi's whereabouts are erratic, and he hardly ever leaves the Pill Hall. How could you intercept him so neatly by chance? Someone must have tipped you off! Speak, who was it?!" "No, really, no one did! It was through a female cultivator named Yuan Xiaoyue. We learned Danchenzi delivers a batch of goods to her every month, so we deduced it had to be around these few days." *Yuan Xiaoyue?* Sikong Shoujia turned his head to look at Luo Chen. Luo Chen's brow furrowed as well. He sent a voice transmission to Sikong Shoujia: *"Keep asking. What is their connection to Yuan Xiaoyue, and why did she give them that information?"* Under Sikong Shoujia's harsh grilling, Lu Huaiben sobbed, "We bought out all her immortal beans and asked if she had any more. She told us it would take another two days." *Uh!* The onlookers froze, and Luo Chen's expression stiffened. *Damn it, with deductive skills that sharp, why didn't you go sit for the graduate entrance exams?!* "Fine. Another question for you," Sikong Shoujia said. "Your boss is named Shan Xiu, right? Where is his hideout in Dahe Market? And where does he live over in Snow Lotus Market? I warn you, speak the truth, or my Soul-Perishing Needles will give you two more rounds." A thick silver needle rested lovingly in Sikong Shoujia's cupped palms. Lu Huaiben shuddered from head to toe, his eyes wide with terror. He hastily spilled every single one of his leader's hideouts, even volunteering a few other possible locations. With the questioning taken this far, there was little else to ask. Mi Shuhua and Luo Chen rose and walked out. "Elder Sikong, interrogate him for another two days and see if there is any more intelligence." "This old man understands." Sikong Shoujia grinned savagely, pulling another handful of silver needles from his robes and eyeing Lu Huaiben like a wolf looking at a lamb. Even if cultivators did not specifically train their physical bodies, they were far sturdier than mortals. He would have plenty of time to play. Hearing the agonizing shrieks echoing out from the dungeon behind them, Luo Chen shuddered. The moment Sikong Shoujia had stepped up to handle the torture himself, Luo Chen had almost thought he was looking at Wet Nurse Rong. Wasn't this little old man usually rather gentle and affable? "Gang Leader, is this how we usually interrogate prisoners?" "Indeed. Originally, the Mountain Breaker Gang had a Punishment Hall. Later, I felt it was somewhat distasteful, so I abolished it. Before it was dissolved, Elder Sikong served as its hall master for a time. Well? Quite skilled, isn't he? The moment he stepped up, that fellow spilled his guts like beans pouring from a bamboo tube." Luo Chen shook his head quickly. "I don't mean that. Shouldn't you Foundation Establishment cultivators possess things like Soul Search Arts or Soul Bewitchment Arts?" The moment the words left his mouth, Luo Chen sensed the mood turn distinctly strange. Glancing sideways, he saw Mi Shuhua studying him in astonishment. "Where did you hear of such things?" Luo Chen replied cautiously, "Just hearing people brag at the rogue cultivator market." Mi Shuhua shook his head. "Whether it is Soul Search or Soul Bewitchment, both are demonic methods. In our Jade Cauldron Domain—and indeed across the Far East Six Domains—they are strictly forbidden arts." "Really? I don't believe it!" Luo Chen said with utter conviction. "I heard those vixens at Tianxiang Pavilion are very good at it!" "Heh, that is an entirely different sort of technique," Mi Shuhua chuckled faintly. The two walked together, finally emerging from the underground passage. A night had passed, and the daylight was already bright and clear. Mi Shuhua had returned in the middle of the night. After pursuing for a long time, he had ultimately failed to catch Shan Xiu, the cultivator at the ninth level of Qi Refinement. A Water Escape Talisman was no ordinary trinket; it was the genuine article among the Five Elements Escape Arts—Water Escape. Among the Five Elements Escape Arts, even the most fundamental techniques were Tier Two spells. Once cast, one could cover a hundred li in an instant. Furthermore, Shan Xiu hailed from Snow Lotus Market, where most people excelled at concealment methods. Mi Shuhua had searched for half the night without catching him. That man possessed sharp spiritual perception; the instant he sensed danger, he had activated the Water Escape Talisman without hesitation, not even shrinking from trading blows with Liu Qiang and taking a saber slash head-on. The two stood beneath the eaves, watching the snowflakes drift softly down. "This matter will definitely be handled to your satisfaction. But looking at things now, we can rule out instigation by the major factions. They were likely just pure rogue pillagers." *Pillagers can be associated with 'pure'?!* "Could it be Gao Tingyuan targeting me?" Luo Chen suddenly tossed out a name. Mi Shuhua pondered for a moment, then shook his head. "It shouldn't be him. After all, I already spoke to Wang Haichao last time. And to be frank with you, when the Jade Marrow Pills are sold to other markets in the future, we will also cooperate with the Great River Gang. He wouldn't be so foolish as to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs." Luo Chen scoffed. "That is how you Foundation Establishment cultivators think, but that has nothing to do with Gao Tingyuan." "What you say makes some sense!" Mi Shuhua said after some thought. "How about this: I'll speak to Wang Haichao again and tell him to keep an eye on Gao Tingyuan. Regardless of whether it's him, danger must always be nipped in the bud." "With those words from you, Senior, my mind is at ease." Luo Chen yawned and waved his hand to take his leave, though he seemed to recall something before parting. "Gang Leader, the weather has turned cold. The cultivators in the Pill Hall aren't having an easy time." With that, he departed in grand style. And accompanying him were four more cultivators. Every one of them was tall and burly, with impressive cultivation bases, the lowest being at the seventh level of Qi Refinement. Once Liu Qiang recovered from his injuries and returned, his bodyguard entourage would swell to five. Going out with five late-stage Qi Refinement bodyguards—who else in Dahe Market enjoyed such treatment! Mi Shuhua remained beneath the eaves, still turning things over in his mind. Footsteps approached from behind. Without looking back, he asked, "Ping'er, what is it?" Mi Junping said excitedly, "Sikong Shoujia delivered the Pill Hall's ledger from last month. I discovered they concocted over four thousand Jade Marrow Pills! Among them, middle-grade Jade Marrow Pills reached as many as twelve hundred!" Mi Shuhua paused, his face lighting up with wild joy. Over a thousand middle-grade Jade Marrow Pills! At ten pills per bottle and fifty spirit stones per bottle, that was more than five thousand spirit stones! Add in the low-grade Jade Marrow Pills... After deducting various material and personnel costs, he, Mi Shuhua, would net at least two thousand spirit stones in profit! And that was merely the earnings of a single month! If this kept up for a few years, he would even have the capital to purchase a defensive magic treasure. Even if he did not buy one, he would hardly need to worry about cultivation resources from the middle stage to the late stage of Foundation Establishment. Moreover, as Luo Chen grew more practiced at concocting the Jade Marrow Pill, the future yields would only increase. "Indeed, investing in Luo Chen at all costs was the wisest decision! From the moment I learned that middle-grade pill was concocted by him, I knew he would be a benefactor on my path of cultivation!" Listening to her father's near-delirious muttering, Mi Junping could not help asking, "Is Luo Chen truly that important?" "Ping'er, you must remember this: an alchemist is forever the most precious talent in the cultivation world! You must never offend one. Never let him harbor negative thoughts about you, and never let conflict arise. Even if a conflict does occur, you either resolve it on the spot, or you eliminate that alchemist immediately, no matter the cost." Mi Junping parted her lips, wanting to argue. But thinking of the immense profit the Pill Hall had generated last month, she was struck speechless. After the initial euphoria, Mi Shuhua gradually regained his composure. That mountain of earnings would not be easy to keep; he still needed to share a portion of the benefits with others. "Ping'er, deliver an invitation to the Jade Cauldron Sword Pavilion for me. Invite a distinguished guest to a banquet at Zhongding House tomorrow evening. In addition, contact the Nangong family. They recently relocated from Snow Lotus Market and know the area well; I need specific intelligence on a man named Shan Xiu. Shortly, I must make a trip to the Great River Gang. Have someone notify Wang Yuan of the Flood Dragon Hall to accompany me." After giving out that long string of instructions, he still seemed unsatisfied. Looking at his daughter, an inspiration struck him. Beneath Mi Junping's shocked gaze, he brought up a matter. "Your Dao companion has been gone for many years. Would you consider finding another good match?" *** Luo Chen had no idea that someone was scheming another marriage for him. Flanked by several bodyguards, he strutted back into the inner city. It was still early, so he stopped by the Yuan household first. When settling last month's proceeds, he found fifty more spirit stones than usual. "I met a generous customer who said the immortal beans were delicious and wanted to buy in bulk," Yuan Xiaoyue explained. "I told him I couldn't sell them all to him since I had regular customers. He refused to take no for an answer and insisted on paying extra to take the lot. These extra fifty spirit stones came from him." Luo Chen's expression turned complicated. *To pull off an ambush on me, they really were willing to invest capital!* After marveling inwardly, Luo Chen began splitting the accounts. The gross income was seven hundred spirit stones. Now that he had moved away from a fixed-wage model, in addition to Yuan Xiaoyue's base salary of thirty spirit stones, he had to deduct costs and calculate her profit share. As for the cost of immortal beans, popcorn, and such? At the very most, it didn't even exceed a hundred spirit stones. High profit margin, wasn't it! It was precisely because the margin was sky-high that so many copycats had emerged. It was only because the market was limited and difficult to scale up; otherwise, Luo Chen would have opened a processing factory outside the Pill Hall dedicated solely to producing these snacks. "Here, your thirty spirit stones in base pay, plus thirty spirit stones in dividends. Take them!" Yuan Xiaoyue took the spirit stones eagerly. She was no longer an ignorant novice. After spending so much time around White Stone Square and dealing with countless customers daily, she knew the typical earnings of rogue cultivators. Sixty spirit stones a month surpassed nearly all early Qi Refinement cultivators. Even mid Qi Refinement cultivators without a specialized trade could not earn this much. In fact, maidservants and handymen in sect shops only received a base stipend of fifty spirit stones. With these spirit stones, her future cultivation resources were secured, and reaching the fourth level of Qi Refinement was within sight! Seeing her excitement, Luo Chen shook his head and asked, "How did the milk tea I sent over in the middle of the month sell?" Hearing that, Yuan Xiaoyue's excitement waned. "It didn't sell very well. It's too expensive. Besides, when customers buy snacks, they prefer yellow pear wine over milk tea." Luo Chen was slightly puzzled. His proprietary milk tea formula used leaves from century-old tea trees discovered by the Medicine Hall in the mountains, milk sourced from several cows in the Beast Hall, and a pinch of medicinal herb trimmings filched from the Jade Marrow Pill ingredients. He had tasted it himself back then, and it was delicious! Selling it for five spirit stones, and people actually refused to buy it? *Damn it, cast pearls before swine—pigs from the mountains really can't appreciate fine grain.* Since they looked down on high-end boutique tea, he would slash the price later and turn it into a budget brand! In a flash, Luo Chen had another plan. From his storage bag, he retrieved the immortal beans, popcorn, and beef jerky that the Pill Hall cultivators had stir-fried separately for him. "These are next month's goods. Also, I might be very busy later and won't have time to deliver them personally. Memorize this old fellow's face. What is your name?" Luo Chen turned back, fixing his gaze on the new bodyguard. The man blushed. "My name is Dongfang Liang. Also, I only look old; I'm actually just in my fifties." Luo Chen raised an eyebrow and patted his shoulder. "Handsome Liang, you'll be responsible for delivering goods for me from now on. This is Yuan Xiaoyue. You probably know her—she is the daughter of Ravine-Leaping Tiger, the former head of your Medicine Hall. Now, she is my partner and the lady boss of Chenyue Snack Stall. Treating her with respect is the same as respecting me, understand?" The weathered Handsome Liang flushed crimson. Under Luo Chen's gaze, he lowered his head. "Understood." "Don't look so aggrieved. Following me won't do you any harm." Right, no harm indeed. Liu Qiang was still lying at home nursing his wounds, having nearly been beaten to death. The bodyguards wore helpless expressions, but the gang leader had issued a strict order that they had to protect Luo Chen at all costs. After Luo Chen and the others left, Yuan Xiaoyue prepared to head out and set up her stall. As she passed through the alley, a middle-aged woman pulled her aside. "Xiaoyue, you must be careful going in and out!" "Auntie, what's wrong?" "Just now, several male cultivators walked past, and someone asked that pretty boy leading them whether he had fallen for you." Yuan Xiaoyue froze, an involuntary blush creeping up her cheeks. "Auntie, don't talk nonsense. That's my boss." "That's your boss?" The woman paused, then waved her hand. "That doesn't matter. Either way, you must have your grandfather keep a sharp eye out. I think that lad looks handsome, but he might harbor a belly full of wicked ideas." *Big Brother Luo full of wicked ideas?* Yuan Xiaoyue could not help pursing her lips in a smile. *It actually seems kind of true.* *** "What do you mean, 'fallen for her'? Yuan Xiaoyue isn't even an adult yet. Don't talk nonsense." "But Hall Master, women are considered adults at fifteen!" "Did I give you permission to talk back?!" Luo Chen jumped up and smacked Dongfang Liang on the shoulder. Why was this fellow, despite looking so old, so tall? Just like Wang Yuan, over two meters tall! "She is my business partner. In business matters, how can one let feelings get mixed in?! Anyway, help look after her when you have free time. After all, her father is dead and her grandfather is crippled. She's quite pitiable." "Oh, all right," Dongfang Liang answered meekly. Why was Luo Chen bossing him around and picking on him? Because this fellow was the only seventh-level Qi Refinement cultivator among the bodyguards—the exact same realm as himself, and easy to bully! "All right, dropping me off here is enough. You can all head back!" The bodyguards dispersed, but Luo Chen looked suspiciously at Dongfang Liang, who remained standing there. "Why aren't you heading back?" Dongfang Liang said aggrievedly, "I live in this area, right in that communal courtyard up ahead." *Isn't this area mostly populated by female cultivators and dirt-poor cultivators?* Looking Dongfang Liang up and down, Luo Chen sighed. "Turns out you're not doing so well either, kid!" With that, Luo Chen clasped his hands behind his back and slipped into the alley ahead. Returning to the courtyard, it was mid-morning, and there was virtually no one around. However, there was a faint scent of decocted medicine in the air, causing Luo Chen to sniff. *Could it be that Sister-in-law learned I was ambushed yesterday and brewed medicine for me?* With such idle thoughts, Luo Chen closed his door tightly. Sleepiness did not come; instead, the urge to count his spoils took over. Storage bag, open! Not his own, but the one belonging to Lu Huaiben. *Clatter!* A large pile of items tumbled onto the floor. Luo Chen's jaw dropped. After a long time, he uttered a heartfelt remark: "My apologies for calling you paupers, I spoke too soon." Scattered across the floor was a mound of at least a thousand spirit stones; that pile genuinely made Luo Chen swallow hard. Aside from the spirit stones, there were five magical artifacts, mostly low-grade, though two were middle-grade artifacts: a half-meter-long white plank and a pair of bells. Rummaging through the heap, Luo Chen unexpectedly unearthed a set of formation flags. Because they were loose flags that did not form a complete grade on their own, he had not noticed them at first glance. Now, assembled together with the formation disk, he realized it was a Spirit Concealment Formation designed primarily for stealth. No wonder he had failed to detect Lu Huaiben and his gang of pillagers right away back then; only upon drawing close had Luo Chen barely sensed something amiss, relying on his superior divine soul foundation and the Spiritual Eye Art rooted in his eyes. For pillagers to possess a concealment formation was entirely reasonable! "Good stuff! Just what I need to conceal the spirit vein cavern." *Heheh, talk about being handed a pillow just as I felt sleepy!* Then, Luo Chen stared at the small mound and began to fret. Indeed, all the items mentioned above did not actually form that mound. What truly piled up like a hill was something Luo Chen was intimately familiar with: "Immortal beans!" The immortal beans they had bought hadn't even been finished! And now they were returned to Luo Chen himself. Luo Chen was deeply moved. *What kind of warm-hearted charity in the cultivation world was this?!* They spent spirit stones to buy immortal beans from his partner to scout information on him, and then came to his doorstep to deliver artifacts, robes, spirit stones—oh, and several bottles of unidentified pills—and even returned all the immortal beans they had purchased with their hard-earned money! What was he supposed to do now? Take them back out and sell them again! Only, this matter could never be leaked, or people might think his Chenyue Snack Stall was a crooked operation. After marveling at his fortune, Luo Chen sorted the items into categories. The bells were likely a sonic weapon; testing their actual power at home was not suitable. As for that white plank, he had no idea what it was—it looked somewhat like a flying artifact? But its speed probably wasn't fast; otherwise, Lu Huaiben would have used it when fleeing. The other three low-grade artifacts were two flying swords and a small pot. "They probably looted these from others. Late-stage cultivators wouldn't normally carry low-grade artifacts. When I have time, I'll sell them to the Merit Hall! And this little pot... looks a bit familiar!" Luo Chen's memory traveled back to the few times he had visited Wanbao Pavilion. He remembered that next to the Pale Smoke and Sparse Rain Pavilion, there seemed to be a pot like this on display. What was it called again? "The Wave-Swallowing Sea-Ingesting Pot?" Luo Chen remembered; it seemed to be that name. Its function was similar to a storage bag, but specialized: it could only hold liquids. And its capacity was an utter disgrace to its name. Wanbao Pavilion loved doing this—the lower the grade of the artifact, the fancier the name they gave it. Things like the Pale Smoke and Sparse Rain Pavilion were actually range hoods. Things like the Lotus Cloud Fragrance Plate were actually low-grade flying artifacts with speeds slow enough to make one cringe. This Wave-Swallowing Sea-Ingesting Pot, in reality, could hold at most a few hundred jin of liquid. It was mainly provided to cultivators specifically for storing liquids that were difficult to preserve. "For example, a cultivator's essence blood!" Inexplicably, Luo Chen thought of a primary ingredient on the Blood Fiend Pill formula. Vigorously shaking his head, Luo Chen banished that dangerous thought. "Actually, it can totally be used to advance my milk tea enterprise!" Luo Chen's heart was set on the righteous path; his business was entirely honest and upright! After stowing away the artifacts, Luo Chen inspected the bottles of pills. He was certain they were not in the Dahe Market style. They seemed to be specialty pills from Snow Lotus Market; without knowing their specifics, it was best not to consume them rashly. Next, Luo Chen rubbed his hands together, his face alight with excitement. "Now for the most thrilling part: counting spirit stones. Slaving away making pills for a whole month nets around a thousand or eight hundred spirit stones. How could that ever compare to getting rich overnight like this! One, two..."