The Demon Slayer Martial Saint Begins with Insect Refining

Chapter 4: Shanjifang Market
After everything was packed up, Su Yan woke up the next day and cooked the bamboo jade teeth with rabbit meat to make a big pot of broth.

He first absorbed a wisp of the Yinshui centipede's insect essence, and then ate all the broth of the Bamboo Jade Tooth.

My body suddenly became hot, and heat was running around in my body, as if I was in a furnace.

Su Yan started exercising immediately, with much greater intensity and speed than yesterday.

With constant training, the medicinal power began to nourish every part of his body in an orderly manner, just like forging a piece of pig iron.

After three full hours, when he was sweating all over, Su Yan felt that the medicinal power in his body had almost been consumed.

After standing up, he took off his wet linen clothes, clenched his fists, and could still feel the strength.

"This bamboo jade tooth and insect essence working together can actually have such an effect, worthy of being a treasure plant. I can't feel the loss at all, and it feels like the strength has increased by dozens of pounds."

There was a look of joy in Su Yan's eyes. Although his current strength was not as good as that of a beginner martial artist, it was still not comparable to that of an ordinary strong man.

He was planning to practice archery, and the stronger his physical fitness, the better it would be.

After cleaning off the sweaty mess, he changed into a set of linen clothes. Looking at the sky, he saw that the sun was already high in the sky and it was getting late.

'We must get to the market as soon as possible.'

He put the things into the backpack, covered it tightly, and then left the village.

The full name of Shanji should be Shanjifangshi, but the mountain people simply call it Shanji.

This mountain market was specially set up by the Lin family between various mountain villages to supply mountain products and sell firewood, rice, oil, salt and other things to the people in the mountains.

The big boss is naturally the Lin family. Many hilltops are contracted by the Lin family. Therefore, the mountain people need to pay a mountain fee to the Lin family when they go into the mountains, cut wood, or hunt.

However, apart from the Lin family, it is impossible for the other families in the city to allow the Lin family to dominate alone. For more than a hundred years, all parties have been involved in the disputes. The Wang family, the Li family, the Xiaoshan Society, the Chai Gang, and the Sanhu Gang all have shops or strongholds here.

As time went by, the current market structure was formed.

Su Yan hurried along the path towards Shanji. When he was about three or five miles away, he saw the huge wooden village from afar.

The village is surrounded by a wooden wall made of hardwood logs that are so thick that one person can hug them, tied together side by side. One-third of the roots are embedded in the ground, and the remaining two-thirds are about four meters high.

There are towers on the left and right of the main entrance facing the main road, about six or seven meters high, with guards in dark blue cloth clothes standing on them.

There was another team of guards at the door, manning the barricades. They did not stop anyone for questioning, but only maintained order.

These are the Lin family’s market guards, and it is not an exaggeration to call them thugs.

Shanji is a market town for mountain dwellers. No entrance fee is charged for entering and exiting the town, but if you trade inside, and not with individual shops, a cut will inevitably be charged.

When Su Yan arrived at the gate of the village, he met many people from the village.

Although they knew each other, they didn't say much and lined up to enter the market.

Although Shanji Market is just a market, it covers a large area, about three or five villages.

Two streets, one horizontal and one vertical, run through the entire Shanjifang Market, dividing the market into four areas.

On the east side are various shops, and on the west side are shops that collect mountain products, and the warehouse is also here.

The south and north sides are trading places, where mountain people set up stalls to trade, and are also where some guards live.

Perhaps it was because the summer tax was approaching and the time for collecting mountain money was approaching, the mountain people in each village were anxious to take out their mountain products in exchange for money in order to get through the difficult times.

At a glance, one could see a variety of mountain folk. Some carried backpacks with the tips of green fern leaves peeking out from them, some had small animals like gray rabbits and musk deer hanging from their waists or backs, and some carried sacks, most likely filled with brown rice or wheat.
This was not the first time Su Yan came to the Shanjifang Market. He walked through the crowd and headed towards the west street.

After walking about two or three hundred meters, the crowd gradually thinned out, and shop signs on both sides began to appear one after another.

The door was open, and there was a rough wooden platform. Some of the signs had names written on cloth strips, while others were simply covered with animal skins. There were always waiters at the door to serve.

Su Yan caught a glimpse of the sign of Pan's Restaurant among the many shops and strode over.

The Pan Family Restaurant has a small storefront. There is a manager and three or four waiters. The manager is wearing a blue gown and sitting in the main hall. Two waiters are checking the goods at the door, and two waiters are sorting and packing the newly received items.

Pan's Restaurant does not engage in reselling business, and all the things it buys are delicacies from land and sea.

Their restaurant's culinary skills, which are the best in Yuncang Town, can make them a fortune.

According to legend, the big boss is not only a chef but also a food nutritious food that helps with martial arts. He is also a guest of honor for many family forces in Yuncang Town.

"Big brother, are you still harvesting mushrooms today?"

"I'll take as much as you can, but it depends on your quality."

Su Yan stepped forward to ask questions. The man was in his twenties, wearing a light gray cloth hat and a black coarse cloth shirt. He rolled up his sleeves and placed a basket of freshly harvested mountain products inside.

"Take out your mountain products."

He also didn't think Su Yan was too young. Life in the mountains was miserable and every child had to work.

However, when Su Yan poured out the contents of the backpack, the table was almost full.

The fellow tsk-tsk-tsked and then showed a look of surprise.

"Your harvest is even more impressive than those adults'."

The guy nearby came over to help, sorting the things and then weighing them.

"White Liver Mushrooms: 10.2 jin (2.5 jin), Chicken Mushrooms: 4.7 jin (2.5 jin), Black Ant Mushrooms: 1.2 jin (2.5 jin). After the rain, there are so many mushrooms and mountain products, the prices are 3 or 5 wen lower than usual. However, yours are good, so I'll waive the discount. The total is 1,125 wen. I'll give you 1 liang (1.5 jin) of silver, and 25 wen left."

The guy was typing on the abacus very quickly, his slender fingers looked like two shadows.

"make a deal."

Su Yan nodded and took the money, but thought to himself: "There are many goods in the mountains. After the rain, there are mushrooms everywhere. Even the Pan family restaurant is lowering the price. No wonder ordinary people can't survive. But if we go into the city, it might be better."

Having said that, if you really go to the market in the city, the price will naturally be a little higher.

However, the cost of traveling and the tax to sell in the city are also not low, so it is not worth it to go back and forth.

After receiving the money and carrying the backpack, Su Yan headed straight for the Baicaotang shop without looking back. That was where his main attraction was. The sign of Baicaotang was a piece of beige coarse cloth with only the two words "Baicao" on it, surrounded by vine patterns, making it very easy to recognize.

Before getting close, I could already smell the faint scent of herbs.

This shop is quieter than Pan's Restaurant. There are only two waiters busy and few mountain people selling things.

In the main hall of the shop, an old man with a white beard and a black robe was drinking tea. There was a small incense burner next to the tea, but no one knew what kind of incense he was burning.

"What kind of herbs are you selling?"

After entering the shop, the clerk Baishan raised his eyes slightly and opened his eyes to ask.

Su Yan did not hide it: "Astragalus, Panax notoginseng, Gastrodia elata."

"Take it out and let us take a look. Don't worry, if it's in good condition, we at Baicaotang will never lower the price."

Medicinal herbs have different sizes and seasons, but unlike mushrooms, they don’t force prices, so many people come to buy them.

However, Su Yan interrupted his servant Bai Shan and asked, "How much is the Yin Chigen worth now?"

"You have Yin Chigen?!"

Bai Shan's voice rose an octave. "I haven't seen Bao Zhi for a while. How could this young man dig it up? And it's a poisonous creature."

Su Yan just nodded and opened the backpack. A hint of crimson color could be seen from under the fern leaves, allowing Xiao Er Baishan to see it clearly.

"It really is."

Bai Shan widened his eyes and was about to pick it up to see its quality, but suddenly remembered that the Yin Chi root was poisonous and it was not a good idea to pick it up directly.

"Let me take a look."

The old man in the hall had stood up and walked to the front without knowing when.

Su Yan saw the old man's appearance clearly. Although he had a long white beard, he looked to be about sixty years old. His steps were powerful, which made him feel a sense of pressure.

"Manager Song."

Bai Shan quickly stepped aside and gave his position to Song Qi.

Song Qi reached out and picked up the Yin Chi Gen directly. A faint light flowed across his skin, barely noticeable.

Su Yan's expression flashed with surprise, and he thought to himself: "This manager is probably a warrior."

"Yes, the roots are almost intact, weighing six taels. I haven't seen it for a while. Not many mountain hunters have the ability to dig out a poisonous precious plant."

Song Qi looked Su Yan up and down. He was a thin boy with good spirits, but he didn't seem to have any martial arts skills.

"My Baicaotang is currently short of ingredients for a medicinal herb. Your precious plant is of good quality. How about I give you 12 taels per catty?"

"Thank you, Manager Song."

Manager Song nodded and put the Yin Chi root aside. "If you find another precious plant in the future, feel free to bring it to me. I can't say anything about other treasures, but for this precious plant, Baicaotang will offer the highest price."

Other families took the treasure and used it anyway. Something that cost ten taels of silver could not be spent at the price of twenty or thirty taels.

But they at Baicaotang can do it, and that is their confidence.

"Baishan, get the money."

"Yes, Manager Song."

Bai Shan was about to take out some silver and use it together with the other herbs in the basket as payment.

"Manager Song, I have a humble request. I'd like to ask if Baicaotang has any herbal brochures for sale. I only want a basic herbal catalogue."

Su Yan asked politely without being humble.

What he wanted was not a secret, and the bookstores in town might have it.

But it’s a bit far to the town.

Song Qi laughed out loud and looked at Su Yan again: "Can you read?"

"My father taught me a thing or two."

"This is the first time I've seen a mountain herbalist come to my pharmacy to buy books instead of selling medicine properly."

He stared into Su Yan's eyes, as if wanting to see how he would answer.

Su Yan also tried, but he was not panicked: "There are many treasures in Yunling Mountain. My experience in mountaineering is limited. I was lucky enough to recognize the Yin Red Root, but if it is another precious plant, I may not be able to get it, so I asked this question."

"You dare to think so"

Ordinary people may not encounter a precious plant in their lifetime when hiking in the mountains, but without some luck and three to five years of hard work, they will never encounter one.

"Baishan, get him a copy of the Hundred Herbs Atlas."

Song Qi said, "The Hundred Herb Map is sold in the city. Some old mountain herders have actually thought about adding some things to make it easier for their descendants to hike the mountain. Consider it a gift from me, and let's see how long it takes for you to send me another precious plant."

This made Su Yan look surprised. He bowed slightly and said, "Su Yan, thank you, Manager Song."

Bai Shan handed Su Yan a booklet and 9 taels of silver.

Su Yan thanked him, put the Hundred Herbs Map into his backpack, and then walked out of the Hundred Herbs Hall.

Seeing Su Yan walking away, Bai Shan mustered up his courage and said, "Manager Song, why did this kid give him the Hundred Herbs Map? He just got lucky."

"Humph"

Before Bai Shan could finish his words, Song Qi snorted coldly, scaring him so much that his face turned pale.

No one dared to say more, only Song Qi's eyes flickered, thinking in his heart: "The roots are generally intact, but the subtle details do not seem to be the marks of artifacts. I am afraid there are other means. Let's see your ability, if you can find the blood tendon flower..."

(End of this chapter)