Common Sense

Wei Yuan scaled the high slope before him and finally reached the summit. Ahead lay a natural canyon. Propped against one side of the rocky cliff was an immense canopy. This great canopy stretched a full hundred zhang across, casting a distinct shadow that shielded the core area of the market. The market’s scale far exceeded his expectations. The grand canopy covered only a fraction of it, leaving most of the structures outside. Looking down from high above, one could see sheets of cloth of various sizes unfurled to shade the dwellings below. Most of the shacks along the outermost perimeter had no awnings at all, merely following the rock wall and sprawling outward in both directions. By human standards, a settlement of this size could easily house tens of thousands of residents. But the Shamans lived differently; every Power Shaman possessed a colossal, bizarre physique, and their living quarters were correspondingly vast. For instance, at the edge of the market stood a particularly eye-catching, slender earthen house a full ten zhang long. One look told Wei Yuan that it likely belonged to some Power Shaman who had cultivated a serpentine body and preferred to sleep stretched out fully at night. "When we enter the market shortly, should I keep a low profile?" Wei Yuan asked. Zhengang let out an alarmed cry. "Don't!" "Whatever you do, don't!" Hunter Thirty-One added with earnest gravity. "Then what if we cross paths with someone looking for trouble?" Both Shamans replied in unison, "If the master is insulted, the servant dies!" Wei Yuan fell silent for a moment before saying, "You two should speak human tongue less often." Thirty-One and Zhengang looked at each other in confusion, unable to fathom what they had said wrong. Although they had only recently learned the human language, each considered himself exceptionally gifted and the other a fool. Yet this once again confirmed the suspicion in Wei Yuan's heart: in the world of Power Shamans, you talked as big as your strength allowed and took up as much space as your bulk could claim. Humility and caution would only lead others to think you were weak. *It seems the wisdom handed down by our human ancestors really doesn't work in the world of Power Shamans...* Wei Yuan felt a deep headache coming on, wondering if all his reading of history books had been in vain. Wei Yuan did not bother saying anything more. Besides, each of them was presently holding an umbrella crafted from a stone slab, with several more slabs dangling from their waists. In this market, fragments of desolate stone served as the most fundamental currency, akin to human copper coins. Though equivalent to copper coins, carrying these slabs meant the three of them were effectively hauling sacks of copper coins on their backs and several more tied to their waists. Such an appearance gave off an unmistakable, primitive impression of blatant wealth. Consequently, the moment they stepped into the market, countless eyes turned toward the three Shamans. Most were scrutinizing gazes, assessing the strength of Hunter Thirty-One and Zhengang; as for Wei Yuan, who was skinny, diminutive, and visibly underdeveloped, he was completely disregarded. Hunter Thirty-One and Zhengang wore unmistakable hunter gear, but it was incomplete—each had only half a set, giving them an exceptionally disheveled look. Because of this, the eyes of many Shamans turned far less friendly. A Shaman Hunter's equipment was valuable. It was quite common for weaker, lower-ranked Shaman Hunters to be robbed of their gear by peers, stripped clean of everything. There were also hunters pushed to desperation who pawned their equipment for coin. In the Great Desolate Domain of Severance, however, equipment was combat power, and combat power was life itself. To sink to the point of selling off one's gear meant death was not far away. Yet Hunter Thirty-One carried an imposing aura, and Zhengang exuded an overwhelming scent of blood. The fact that the two traveled together prompted many Power Shamans to reconsider after sizing them up, silently retreating to their spots. Shaman Hunters had rankings of their own. Across the entire Domain of Severance, there were roughly several hundred Shaman Hunters and anywhere from hundreds to thousands of criminals. For Hunter Thirty-One to rank thirty-first on the Shaman Hunter Ranking placed him quite near the top. The Shaman Hunter Ranking was also known as the Bounty Board, ranked according to the total bounties collected. Hunter Thirty-One had a natural talent for concealment and excelled at long-range hunting; he was a born hunter with a formidable track record. Even with a rank of thirty-one, however, Hunter Thirty-One still could not afford a home in this market. Whenever he scraped together enough coin, he would find that housing prices had surged again. And when prices dropped, it was inevitably during long dry spells when he had gone without a catch and lacked even a basic income. It had been this way for decades, without exception. Entering the market, the three walked toward the central awning. The moment they stepped beneath it, two thick-waisted, heavily armored guards barred their way. The two guards eyed their patchwork gear with blatant disdain. But before they could speak, Hunter Thirty-One slapped the stone slabs at his waist and boomed, "We've got coin! We're here to spend!" The two guards immediately stepped aside. Stepping into the sheltered area beneath the canopy, Wei Yuan felt an immediate wave of cool relief, as refreshing as a cool breeze on a sweltering summer day. The sunlight here was weakened by at least sixty percent. Living in the core district was naturally far more comfortable than living outside, but such comfort did not come free. To enter the core district, one first needed wealth. No admission fee was charged, but one had to prove they possessed means. It was said this process had been instituted by the market master under the name of asset verification. Hauling stone slabs as Wei Yuan's group did was merely the lowest tier of passing verification. According to plan, Hunter Thirty-One led the way to the residential quarter. Residences in this core district commanded steep prices. Quite a few properties were up for sale, overseen by a stout, muscular Power Shaman responsible for transactions. After inspecting several homes, Wei Yuan took a liking to a residence with a small courtyard, perfectly suited to his needs. "How much?" Wei Yuan asked. The stout Shaman replied, "Fifty jin of desolate iron." Desolate iron was a tier above desolate stone in currency, traded at a rough ratio of one to ten. Wei Yuan opened his waist pouch, revealing a full bag of desolate iron ingots. Though each bar was only the size of a finger, every piece weighed a standard five jin. Wei Yuan took out ten bars of desolate iron and placed them in the fat Shaman's palm. But after pocketing the iron, the fat Shaman did not hand over the deed. Instead, he stared greedily at Wei Yuan's pouch and said, "I've changed my mind. Now I want that bag too!" A cold glint flickered in Wei Yuan's eyes. He produced two gleaming arrowheads and set them into the fat Shaman's hand. "Not enough!" "Is that so?" Wei Yuan sneered, suddenly clamping his hand over the fat Shaman's. "Trying to match strength with me...?" The fat Shaman bared his teeth in a savage grin, seizing Wei Yuan's hand and squeezing down with all his might! Standing nine chi tall, this Shaman was massive enough to fit seven or eight Wei Yuans inside him. He had expected to crush Wei Yuan's hand with ease, but to his shock, Wei Yuan's hand abruptly expanded several times over. Then, a terrifying surge of monstrous strength tore through, causing the bones of his hand to groan and crack. The two arrowheads were driven deep into his flesh, pinned firmly against his hand bones and boring inward relentlessly. The agony made the fat Shaman shudder from head to toe, sweat pouring like rain. He gritted his teeth and forced himself not to cry out, but a pleading look had crept into his eyes. Only then did Wei Yuan loosen his grip, asking, "Are these two arrowheads enough of a price increase?" "Enough! More than enough!" Drenched in cold sweat, the fat Shaman handed Wei Yuan the iron plate etched with the land deed, then cradled his swollen hand and vanished on the spot. In this land, earning only what you were capable of earning was common sense; any Shaman who ignored common sense was already dead. Trying to bully an unfamiliar, powerful Shaman was near the very top of the list of suicidal acts. After all, there were no laws here. A Shaman Hunter could kill someone and vanish for decades. *** Inside the Smoke and Fire of the Mortal World, Fuyao pondered the questions posed by Jun Weizhi and Han Li. She did not know how to answer Han Li's question for the moment, but Jun Weizhi's was simple enough. "Both of you were born upholding the Great Dao, geniuses fostered by this world, far beyond what any so-called child of karmic destiny could compare to. Naturally, I cannot bear to watch you perish alongside this world, which is why I wish to take you away." Jun Weizhi said, "And if you take us away, the value of this world will be halved?" "Pretty much." Jun Weizhi gave a self-deprecating laugh. "Are we really that valuable? Should I be thanking you?" Fuyao frowned, turning toward Han Li. "What about you?" Han Li watched her expression and said, "Then let me ask a different question. Can you take a few more people out?" "You still have friends?" Fuyao looked somewhat puzzled. Han Li pointed downward. "Aren't you planning to take Dugu Cangqiong along?" Fuyao replied, "Why bring him? He isn't of any use." Han Li said, "He is very useful. Looking at him reminds us that we are still quite clever." To his surprise, Fuyao thought it over and actually agreed. "If you insist, he can be added. If there are no other questions, let us depart." But Han Li spoke up again. "Not just Dugu Cangqiong." "Then how many do you want to bring? My power is limited." Han Li pondered for a moment, then said, "Just another one thousand seven hundred and ninety-two will do." Fuyao's face chilled. "Are you joking with me? Why that many!?" Han Li sighed. "You don't even know what that number means? That is the current headcount of our Battle Saint Hall! I cannot abandon them to flee on my own. Since you have a way, then take them all along." Fuyao gritted her teeth and snapped coldly, "Impossible! Then stay and wait for death with them!" Watching Long Wushuang and Fuyao vanish, Jun Weizhi said, "I did not expect Brother Han to possess such a heart for saving the world." Han Li smiled bitterly. "What heart for saving the world? I can't look after all the smoke and fire of the mortal world; I can only care for the few people right before my eyes. If she had been willing to take them, I would have packed up and left without a second word." Jun Weizhi remarked mildly, "A pity she isn't willing to squander her power on ordinary people." Han Li nodded, then smiled at Jun Weizhi. "Staying behind doesn't necessarily mean death, does it?" "Why ask me that?" "If not you, who else?" Jun Weizhi sighed. "How would I know? All I can say is... let us do our best."