I'm not a fortune teller.

Chapter 6 Hidden Benefits.
"Hey, sir, would you like to take a look at what I have here? This fish is really fresh."

The night market was huge and filled with a dazzling array of goods. There were people shouting along the way. Zhang Rui was not in a hurry. He just stopped at a place with a very strong fishy smell. The stall owner seemed to be selling river fish. There were fish, shrimps and shellfish in the simple buckets, and they looked extremely fresh.

When the boss saw Zhang Rui stopping, he immediately called out to him enthusiastically. Zhang Rui went forward to take a look. When the people passing by saw Zhang Rui staying there, some shook their heads and sighed secretly, while others laughed in glee at his misfortune.

Almost all of them had the same thought: another unlucky newcomer.

In fact, if you observe carefully, you will find that although the night market is lively, there are very few fresh goods for sale. Most of the food, except rice and noodles, is pickled. There is not even a store selling fresh pork. Yet, there is unexpectedly a store selling fresh fish. If you are a more cautious person, you should be hesitant, because you can tell at a glance that this newcomer is not very smart.

"Sir, our fish is very fresh. Look at its vitality, freshness, and the wild big flower shrimp. The quality is amazing."

Zhang Rui smiled and nodded: "Let me take a look."

Well, it's a new kid.

The boss suddenly laughed so hard that he couldn't stop.

Zhang Rui looked carefully at the jumping shrimps, trying hard to recall some of his previous settings.

The concept of [Hua Shi] originated from a fantasy novel of mine called Xian Wei Dynasty. However, there were too many novels about weird cultivation of immortals at that time, and it was eliminated within a few weeks of uploading it. This pretty good setting was left in that scrap forever, but I don’t know why it appeared here.

His memory of the [Painting Market] was quite old and he could not remember many details clearly, but he still had an impression of the general settings.

The Painting Market is a collection of countless painted skins. Because of the ability to trade essence and blood, it is extremely valuable. In the beginning, all the living people who were involved tried desperately to get out, but once they became familiar with the rules, most people would try their best to get in.

The reason is very simple. The essence and blood here can be directly traded and absorbed. Human aging is mainly caused by the decline of Qi and blood. As long as the Qi and blood are sufficient, theoretically one can live with a young body. How many people in the world can withstand such temptation?

And if used properly, the role here will be greater than you think. I remember that in my novel, there was a poor boy who was born in a farming family. With the help of this painting market, he raised a powerful army, and eventually rose up in the troubled times, and defeated other heroes to establish a dynasty of his own.

What was that kid's name? I forgot it myself.
"Young sir, I see you are very conflicted. Would you like me to pick one for you?" The fishmonger laughed, revealing his yellow teeth.

Zhang Rui came back to his senses and said with a smile: "Your fish look quite fat, how much are they for?"

"Of course not. These are all fresh wild fish, rare goods, and there are other wild goods. Look at how plump they are. Wow, sir, you look like a rich man from your attire. So, if you are willing to buy them all, I will sell them to you at a discount of two taels."

"Two taels?" Zhang Rui narrowed his eyes and smiled, "That's quite cheap. Are you sure?"

"Oh, how dare people like us try to fool you, sir? As long as you agree, these two buckets of river fish will be yours."

Seeing that the other party didn't say anything, the boss hurriedly said, "Hey, it's really a fate with the young master. I'm in a hurry to go back, otherwise how could it be this price? Even if it's sold in a restaurant, these start at at least three taels, don't you think?"

Zhang Rui didn't respond but pointed at the surroundings and said, "Boss, why are there only pickled meats and vegetables around? Not only is there no fresh meat, but there are not even any fresh fruits and vegetables to be seen."

As soon as these words were spoken, the boss's face froze, and the people passing by also laughed, thinking that this guy was really a fool, so many of them stopped and looked over here, as if they were interested in the excitement.

Seeing more and more people around, the boss was afraid that his business would be ruined, so he hurriedly said: "It is rare to find fresh goods here, and it is even rarer to sell them at such a low price like ours. If you want to buy, hurry up and buy. If you don't want to buy, don't block my business."

Seeing the other party's anxious look, Zhang Rui suddenly realized that his guess was correct, the people here really didn't know that information!
According to his original setting, the painted ghosts in the Painting City can go without food, but it is different for living people. They will also be hungry here. Therefore, although food is not as valuable as blood and essence here, it is also a big hard currency.

No matter what means outsiders use to get in here, they will not be able to leave in the short term. No one with a problem in their brains will bring in fresh goods. Pickled goods with a longer shelf life are naturally more suitable. There are generally only two situations when fresh fish and meat appear. The first is: there are butchers or fishermen who were swept in and were dragged into the painting market before they could sell the fresh goods in the real world. However, in such situations, they generally would not be so calm to set up stalls here.

The second is the living creature in this painting!

The world in this painting is rich and colorful. There are not only painted-skin ghosts that look like humans, but also those in the form of birds and animals.

But of course, such things cannot be eaten.

"Sir, are you going to buy it or not?" The fishmonger was obviously a little impatient.

His business can only be used to deceive newcomers. People who know a little about this place won't even look at him. But he has no choice. He has run out of energy here. He is old and weak, so he can't defeat the Painted Skin Ghost, can't be a ghost hunter, and has no way to earn blood and energy in other ways. He can only try his luck by catching some fish and shrimp in the river during the day. In case some fools fall into his trap, he can survive a little longer.

Zhang Rui looked at the other person's impatient expression and immediately laughed: "Two taels of blood essence is not expensive, but old man, do you think I can afford two taels of blood essence?"

Everyone was stunned when this was said. This kid knew about this? Then why?
"Are you kidding me, an old man?" The old man's face suddenly turned black.

"No, no." Zhang Rui waved his hands quickly: "I really want to buy your things, but I can't afford the price at the moment. I have a suggestion. How do you think about it, old man?"

"What suggestion?" The old man frowned. He knew, of course, that there were not many drops of blood and essence that could be squeezed out of this skinny scholar, but he just wanted to squeeze out as much as he could.

"Well, I don't have that much money now, so how about we sign a time-delay contract?" "Time-delay contract?" The old man was even more confused, and the people around who were watching the fun were also confused, not knowing what this kid was trying to do.

"It's still some time before the lights in this night market go out. Before the lights go out, I will pay you two ounces of blood. What do you think?"

The old man was stunned. He had been here for so long, but this was the first time he had encountered such a request. He subconsciously felt that there was a pitfall, but he couldn't think of where it was for a moment.

If you say that he is greedy for these fish and shrimps, these ghost things are of no value at all. Moreover, once the contract is formed with the other party's delay, it should be enforced. As long as the other party cannot hand in enough blood and energy before the market closes, he will be drained dry.

What is he planning?

"If it doesn't work, forget it." Zhang Rui didn't give the other party time to think, he just stood up and left.

"Hey hey hey" How could the old man let the other party go with such an opportunity? He quickly stood up and said: "Okay, okay, I'll do as you say!"

Zhang Rui smiled when he heard this: "Then I'll take these two barrels with me, boy?"

The old man was puzzled, wondering if these two wooden barrels were some kind of precious treasures?

That shouldn’t be the case. These two things are just ordinary wooden barrels.

But he still said cautiously: "Young Master, how about I give you something else to wear?"

"That's fine." Zhang Rui smiled and said, "But the premise is that there must be no water leakage. I don't want the fish to die and stink before I get it home."

The old man hesitated for a while, and finally gave the other man another wooden barrel. Seeing the other man happily taking those things, he felt more and more that something was wrong: "Young man, can you tell me what you want these things for?"

"What do you think?" Zhang Rui looked at the other person with amusement.

"I've said too much." The old man smiled awkwardly. No matter what the other party coveted, as long as the transaction was established, he had to admit it. This was also the rule of the painting market. If you cheat others, others can also cheat you. It just depends on your respective means. But he really couldn't think of where the other party could make money.

The others were also curious and wanted to follow Zhang Rui to see what he wanted to do. However, they didn't expect that he would carry the wooden barrel and walk towards the dark alley not far away. They were stunned and didn't follow him.

Everyone has a life-saving lamp in their hands. It doesn’t mean that we can’t go into dark places, but it will still waste some lamp oil, right?
Lamp oil is precious, and lighting a lamp and following in just to watch the excitement would be a huge waste of money.

In the end, no one was curious enough and those who had originally come to watch the fun dispersed and went about their own business. Time at the night market was precious and everyone had to hurry to earn lamp oil.
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Zhang Rui carried the wooden barrel and walked deep into the dark alley. Countless pairs of green eyes were staring at him. There were crawling sounds everywhere in the darkness, which made Zhang Rui get goose bumps all over his body. But he had no choice, only this kind of place could hide from others!

When he reached the depths, he looked back and made sure that no one had followed him in. He then placed the life-saving lamp on the ground, took out the fish knife given in the wooden barrel and stabbed it into the fish and shrimp inside.

The fish that originally looked extremely normal suddenly let out a human-like roar. The shrill scream made the surrounding group of green eyes retreat one after another. Zhang Rui himself was so frightened that his legs went weak and he fell to the ground.

But he knew he couldn't stop. He could only close his eyes and keep stabbing the knife into the barrel, one stab, two stabs. The screams began to weaken as he stabbed again and again, and finally there was no sound. But Zhang Rui still kept stabbing, obviously out of control due to some fear.

But this is normal. This is the first time he has experienced such a thing, whether in his previous life or this life. As a southerner who is afraid of cockroaches, it is rare for him to muster up the courage he has now. Many people think that the people in horror movies are mentally retarded, but in fact, if you were in those movies, you would sometimes become even more mentally retarded.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhang Rui was almost out of strength. He slowly calmed down and looked into the barrel breathlessly.

Perhaps it was because Zhang Rui's actions just now were too crazy, the greedy green eyes that were originally surrounding him actually retreated a considerable distance.

At this time, the wooden barrel was extremely smelly. After the fish were stabbed to death, a liquid like ink flowed out. It was strange and smelly, but it was obviously not blood.

Many people have learned that the birds and animals in the world of the painting are inedible. The blood flowing in these things is not normal blood, but the same smelly ink as those of the Painted Skin Ghosts. The key is that this ink is poisonous. Once consumed, people will be assimilated into the Painted Skin Ghosts.

Therefore, many people think that whether it is the beasts in the mountains or the fish and shrimps in the river, they are useless except for deceiving newcomers.

Zhang Rui looked at the half-full bucket of ink, and finally a smile appeared on his pale face.

After observing the night market, he wondered why no one was selling fresh goods, and the only old man selling fresh fish and shrimp was selling them at such a low price. He then realized that no one here had this information!
They didn't even know the value of this ink.

Indeed, the birds and beasts here are all painted skin ghosts, and their flesh and blood are inedible, but inedible does not mean useless. On the contrary, the blood of painted skin ghosts is very useful!
Zhang Rui slowly stood up, cut his palm with a knife, and let his blood drip into the wooden barrel.

The ink in the bucket began to boil when it came into contact with Zhang Rui's blood.

Zhang Rui's eyes were filled with a hint of excitement. The world in this painting was made of mysterious ink. The harmful painted-skin ghosts were made of it, as were the mountains, rivers and lakes. In other words, this ink could become anything in this world!!!

(End of this chapter)