Misty Rain of the Old Times

Wang Le didn't leave. He was still waiting for his family to send more Fire Copper to exchange for the Carefree Pill. However, Chen Xuan no longer needed Fire Copper at this time. He hoped that his family could send Ice Silkworm Silk instead, and it would be even better if they could get some White Cloud Wood.

For aristocratic families, there is never a shortage of good things. Rather than letting them gather dust in the warehouse, it is better to exchange them for practical benefits.

He had considered exchanging other valuable items, such as the Netherfrost Stone, but Chen Xuan primarily needed Ice Silkworm Silk and White Cloud Wood before considering anything else. Since he had already exchanged most of his Free and Easy Pills, he temporarily abandoned any further ideas.

Doesn't he understand the difference between a one-off deal and a steady, long-term commitment? If possible, he would naturally want to bring 'Chen Xuan' into the family. However, the size and structure of a powerful family mean they won't act as blatantly as ordinary people. They value a fair and aboveboard approach, at least on the surface.

To achieve a certain goal, different processes can lead to completely opposite results.

Turning his gaze away from the direction Wu Jinxun and the others had left, Wang Le looked at Chen Xuan with a thoughtful expression and smiled, "Just as you said, sir, 'no discord, no concord.' Would you mind if I invited you to my home? I apologize for my previous offenses, but it would be necessary to make amends, otherwise I would feel uneasy."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xuan smiled and politely declined, saying, "Thank you for your kindness, Third Young Master, but I haven't received the necessary items yet, and I'm currently unavailable. I won't bother you any longer."

"It was I who was presumptuous," Wang Le said regretfully.

He was indeed sincerely inviting him, but he also had his own selfish motives. If Chen Xuan accepted the invitation, there would be an opportunity for in-depth exchanges and cooperation. Would he still lack the Xiaoyao Pill in the future? Moreover, if he could refine the Xiaoyao Pill, he must have even better things. There would be many benefits.

Intelligent people don't need to spell things out when communicating. Chen Xuan refused, so there was no need to force him. He wasn't worth a powerful family's effort to win him over at any cost.

Driven by personal motives, Wang Le also realized that Wu Jinxun wouldn't let the matter rest. Inviting Chen Xuan was also a way to lend a hand and fend off any potential retaliation from the Wu family. This way, Chen Xuan would owe Wu a favor, making further in-depth exchanges and cooperation a natural progression.

If Chen Xuan politely declined, then these things would be impossible to discuss, which would be no different from offering a warm welcome only to be met with a cold shoulder, especially since it would also risk clashing with the Wu family.

Chen Xuan was well aware of all this; there was no such thing as goodwill without a reason, and everyone had an ulterior motive, but there was no need to be so blunt.

No matter how large or influential the Wu family is, he doesn't care. Because he has the power, he doesn't play any games. If someone doesn't know what's good for them, he won't hesitate to slap them. He enjoys life and doesn't cause trouble, but that doesn't mean he has no temper.

In short, in the small pond of Jing Kingdom, he could overcome any trouble with force, so there was no need for him to owe anyone favors to repay.

Reaching out to catch a leaf drifting in the night wind, Chen Xuan scanned his surroundings. The air seemed to be filled with a chilling atmosphere, and many of the onlookers cast malicious glances at him!

Xiaoyao Pill, do you really think people will remain indifferent? They just haven't acted yet; it's just a matter of seeing who can't hold back and jump out first.

This thing is not just a health product to boost morale; beneath its exaggerated hype lies wealth and a rare resource. Many things that gold and silver treasures cannot accomplish can be achieved by using this thing as a stepping stone.

It doesn't matter. Chen Xuan is too lazy to care if no one jumps out. Everyone has two sides, and who doesn't have some dark thoughts? We should judge by actions, not intentions. If someone really shows malice, it's not too late to slap them.

After politely declining Wang Le's offer, he looked around and smiled, "Everyone, we don't have many Xiaoyao Pills left. Does anyone need any? I only trade, I don't sell. You can exchange them for Ice Silkworm Silk and White Cloud Wood. I'll also give you Xiaoyao Pills as a reward for providing clues about White Cloud Wood."

Since he had nothing better to do, he didn't forget to advertise himself. Even if the people around him probably couldn't provide what he needed, by spreading the word, maybe someone would bring it to him on their own. Even the best wine needs advertising.

Wang Le remained, and had his subordinates bring him a chair to sit on the side while they waited for his family to arrive. With him there, no reckless person dared to cause trouble. Those who knew him knew he was someone not to be trifled with, and those who didn't know him couldn't even afford to mess with Chen Xuan, the drug dealer himself, so they could only watch the show.

Chen Xuan glanced at Wang Le out of the corner of his eye, feeling both amused and exasperated. Was this guy doing it on purpose? With him around, who would dare to step forward if they weren't strong enough?
This guy is essentially telling everyone silently that until I get the Xiaoyao Pill to my satisfaction, anyone who isn't qualified should step aside.

This was essentially blocking Chen Xuan's deal, but the other person just sat there without saying a word. It's not like this place belongs to Chen Xuan; you can't just kick them out. Ugh, these clever people are so annoying playing mind games…

About half an hour later, someone else arrived, and Wang Le got up to greet them.

Chen Xuan's eyes lit up. He exchanged a few words with the visitor, took a brocade box, and walked over with a smile, saying, "Sir, here is some ice silkworm silk, not much, only three taels and four mace. This item is really rare, and my family can't get more in a short time. May we make a deal?"

"Of course, no problem. Let me take a look first, you don't mind, do you?" Chen Xuan nodded, thinking to himself that it really has to be the capital city, where the wealthy gather. I've laid out the bait, and in such a short time, two of the three materials I need have already been delivered to my door.

Wang Le put the brocade box down and gestured for him to proceed.

Chen Xuan opened the box, inside were balls of thread about the size of a thumb, emitting a cool scent. He picked one up and examined it. The thread was icy cold, ten times thinner than a strand of hair. He pulled out the end and tugged at it. It was extremely resilient. To put it simply, most acquired martial artists would probably not be able to break it even if they put all their strength into it, and might even cut themselves.

It's undoubtedly ice silkworm silk. No wonder they say that clothes woven from it are practically impervious to swords, spears, water, and fire. While that's an exaggeration, it's not entirely untrue. It's clearly silk spun by a living being, yet it's fireproof; it just goes to show how many extraordinary items this world truly possesses.

At that moment, a strange thought suddenly popped into Chen Xuan's head: what if this stuff was made into stockings, and then decorated with different colors and patterns, and worn on the little princess's long legs...?

He gasped inwardly, the thought of the scene making his nose bleed.

The key is that it's completely feasible. This thing is incredibly versatile. If you make it into stockings, it will feel cool to wear and won't make your feet smell. Why not just forget about flags and make stockings instead?

Quickly suppressing his improper thoughts, Chen Xuan checked the silk and confirmed that it was correct and the weight was right. He looked at Wang Le and smiled, "It is indeed ice silkworm silk. I said that one tael of ice silkworm silk is worth ten Xiaoyao pills, so I should pay you thirty-four pills. Hmm, to round it up, I'll give you one extra. Shall we exchange?"

Wang Le nodded with a broad smile. He was just trying to exchange this for the Xiaoyao Pill, otherwise why bother? It was a pity that there was so little Ice Silkworm Silk, but even a mosquito's leg is still meat.

When Chen Xuan paid him enough Xiaoyao Pills, he couldn't help but say, "You already have several thousand, isn't that enough?"

"Haha, well, I have a lot of family members, oh no, I mean a lot of friends, so there are always people who need it. Besides, this is a consumable item, so how can I complain about having too much?" Wang Le actually hesitated a little, as it was somewhat inappropriate to discuss this kind of thing openly.

He misunderstood, thinking Chen Xuan was joking that there were many empty people in his family.

What Chen Xuan actually meant was that you already have so much, so give others a chance.

"That's true, everyone has a bunch of friends. Keep them safe, and it'll be a pleasure working with you," Chen Xuan said with a smile.

After putting away the Xiaoyao Pill, Chen Xuan no longer needed the Fire Copper, and he couldn't produce any more Ice Silkworm Silk for the time being. As for White Cloud Wood, it was nowhere to be found. Wang Le also planned to go back, secretly plotting something. He had to secretly hide a course of treatment on the way, otherwise, how could he get a share when he returned?

Chen Xuan politely declined his offer of friendship, so there was no need for her to stay any longer. She stood up and said, "In that case, I won't bother you any longer, sir. If you can obtain ice silkworm silk and white cloud wood later, I wonder if we can still trade?"

"Of course, there's too little ice silkworm silk. It'll probably be gone after making a few pairs of stockings. If possible, I'd like to get another ten or eight pounds, the more the better," Chen Xuan said with a smile.

He wouldn't normally need many of these things. Even for making a set of flags for a large fog array, a pound or two would be more than enough. Plus, there's the cost of experimentation, since it's not like making clothes. But just now, that indecent thought popped into his head, and he wanted to get more. To make stockings, no, to make a few sets of clothes would be quite respectable.

Wang Le's lips twitched. "Ten or eight jin? Do you think this is cabbage? Even if you emptied the Cold Mountain Sword Sect, you probably wouldn't be able to gather ten or eight jin. Do you want to use this thing to make a quilt?"
Besides, do you have that many Xiaoyao Pills? There aren't many left in the box. Speaking of which, since he made the Xiaoyao Pills, who knows how many he can produce.

Thinking to himself, Wang Le asked in a daze, "Stockings? What stockings?"

"Looks like you're a seasoned lecher too, you know how to get to the point," Chen Xuan said with a smile. "As the name suggests, stockings made of silk thread."

"Sir, you know how to enjoy life. I'll take my leave now," Wang Le said as he departed. He didn't find it extravagant to use ice silkworm silk to make socks. In fact, the extravagance of aristocratic families was beyond the imagination of ordinary people.

'Ice silkworm silk? We only managed to get a few ounces before the others realized what was happening. Where can we get more? White cloud wood? Never heard of it. No, I have to go back and inquire. Anything that exists will leave a trace…'

Watching Wang Le and the others leave, Chen Xuan thought to himself that he probably wouldn't be robbed halfway there. He was carrying so many Xiaoyao Pills, so there shouldn't be any major problems. That old Qin was no pushover.

It's none of my business. The money and goods were settled, so if something goes wrong, it's not my fault.

Instead of worrying about others, think about yourself.

Taking a deep breath, Chen Xuan could smell the growing malice in the air as Wang Le left. He wondered who would be the first to jump out.
Wu Jinxun will definitely not let him off the hook, but he won't do it in front of everyone.

It was still early, and Chen Xuan had no intention of closing up shop. He hadn't gotten enough ice silkworm silk yet. Putting everything else aside, he estimated he would have to keep his stall open for a few days. If he really couldn't get enough ice silkworm silk and white cloud wood, he would probably have to go to the Cold Mountain Sword Sect in person. Back then, he killed Liu Zhenwei in one fell swoop, which was considered revenge for Guo Jinglong. The Cold Mountain Sword Sect still owed Yang Guo a favor. Yang Guo is me, so they should give me face, right?
Is it possible that after so many years, I'm going to keep switching identities?

Although many people are eager to try, Chen Xuan himself is not simple. Those below the Innate Realm should not seek their own death. Even Innate Realm experts have to consider the consequences.

Another half hour passed in this utterly boring manner, and with no one coming to trade, Chen Xuan decided to pack up and leave, planning to continue tomorrow… (End of Chapter)