Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 144 A Grand Trading Event, The Art of Sword Nurturing!
However, the little devil seemed to be very afraid of the campfire they lit and the evil aura on Chen Ye's body, so he just stayed far away and dared not get close.

Chen Ye didn't bother to pay attention.

As long as it doesn't bother you, just pretend you didn't see it.

"Hey." Just then, Su Yuan, whose face was slightly flushed from drinking, suddenly spoke up.

"Why do you want to become stronger?" Chen Ye paused in his chewing and looked up at her.

"To survive." His answer was straightforward and direct.

Because that's his truest thought.

Whether in the main world or here, human life is as worthless as grass, and the weak don't even have the strength to survive.

He didn't want to become someone else's prey, so he had to become stronger.

"Survive?" Su Yuan seemed somewhat surprised by this answer.

She tilted her head and thought for a moment, then said, "But you're already very strong."

“Not enough.” Chen Ye shook his head, his gaze fixed on the endless darkness outside the temple.

"This world is too big, what does my little strength amount to?"

As he spoke, Chen Ye thought of the Blood Lotus Sect in the main world, and the blood hand that fell from the sky, and his heart trembled.

Su Yuan looked into Chen Ye's deep eyes and fell silent.

She seemed to detect something completely different from what Chen Ye was saying.

She became stronger because it was fun, because of her interest.

Chen Ye became stronger because of fear, because of his awe of a certain being.

The two were on completely different paths from the very beginning.

"Perhaps you're right," Su Yuan said softly after a long silence.

That night, the two did not speak again.

Chen Ye kept watch for half the night, and Su Yuan took over for the second half.

The next morning, the two continued their journey.

Perhaps the conversation last night had an effect, because Su Yuan was noticeably less outgoing than she had been the previous two days and had become much quieter.

Chen Ye was happy to have some peace and quiet.

The next two days were uneventful.

They didn't encounter any more demons or monsters, only occasionally seeing some caravans on their way and lone monks.

Chen Ye also took this opportunity to observe many cultivators using the Eye of Asura.

He discovered that the aura emanating from these monks was incredibly diverse.

Some of them had an aura as sharp as a knife, clearly indicating they were sword cultivators.

Some people have a heavy, mountain-like aura; they must be martial artists who specialize in body tempering.

Some people were surrounded by a faint fragrance of medicinal pills and the aura of flames; they were probably alchemists.

By observing the energy flow patterns of these people, Chen Ye was able to roughly deduce their professions, demonstrating the formidable power of the Asura Eye.

On the evening of the ninth day, after they had crossed a mountain, a magnificent city finally appeared on the horizon.

This city is just too big.

The towering city walls, like a giant black dragon, lie prostrate on the earth, stretching endlessly.

Banners fluttered atop the city walls, and armored soldiers could be vaguely seen patrolling.

Even from this distance, Chen Ye could feel a powerful and imposing aura rushing towards him.

That was the power formed by the combined aura of countless living beings and the formations of the entire city.

Faced with this momentum, Yuhuo County, that small county town, was like a mound of earth at the feet of a giant.

"Wow……."

Su Yuan couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

"Is that Qingzhou Prefecture City? It's huge!"

Excitement shone in her eyes.

Chen Ye was also deeply shocked.

He knew that Qingzhou Prefecture City must be very large, but he didn't expect it to be this large.

This is just a prefecture; what must the capital of this land be like?

"Let's go, we should be able to get there before dark."

Chen Ye took a deep breath, suppressed the turmoil in his heart, and strode towards the giant city.

The closer one gets to Qingzhou Prefecture, the more pedestrians there are on the official road.

All sorts of carriages and caravans came and went, and you could even see some cultivators riding strange beasts, whizzing overhead.

Some of the strange beasts looked like lizards magnified ten times, while others had wings and resembled fierce tigers, each exuding a powerful aura.

Chen Ye and Su Yuan blended into the crowd and were inconspicuous.

Arriving at the city gate, Chen Ye once again felt the oppressive atmosphere of the city.

The city wall was dozens of feet high, and was made entirely of a kind of black boulder. It was covered with dense runes and emitted a faint spiritual light.

At the city gate, squads of soldiers clad in black armor and wielding long halberds were checking people coming in and out.

These soldiers were all full of vigor and had sharp eyes; even the weakest among them had the cultivation level of the Qi Nourishing Realm.

The captain in charge was a master of the Unimpeded Realm with a profound and dignified aura.

This force is several levels stronger than the Demon Slaying Division of Yuhuo County.

"Ten coins per person to enter the city," a soldier said expressionlessly when it was Chen Ye's turn.

Chen Ye readily took out twenty coins and handed them over.

The soldier took the money, glanced at them casually, and waved them through.

After all, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of ordinary-looking teenagers like them every day, so there's really nothing to investigate.

As you enter the city gate, a bustling and lively atmosphere immediately greets you.

The wide street was paved entirely with bluestone slabs, wide enough to accommodate more than ten carriages side by side.

The streets are lined with shops and restaurants, and the sounds of vendors hawking their wares are constant.

The streets were packed with pedestrians, many of whom were powerful cultivators carrying swords and knives.

Chen Ye even sensed several powerful experts at the Sea Condensation Realm who were no weaker than Cong Bo in just a short distance.

Ninghai Jing is powerful enough to dominate a region in Yuhuo County, but here he seems to be just a moderately skilled expert.

"Wow, it's so lively here!" Su Yuan's eyes were glued to the view, her little face beaming with excitement.

She was like a bird just released from its cage, running to this stall to look at the novel trinkets, and then being attracted by the aroma wafting from that shop.

Chen Ye followed behind her, feeling quite emotional.

This is a real big city! Compared to this, Yuhuo County is practically a poor, remote place.

"Let's find a place to stay first," Chen Ye said, stopping Su Yuan, who still wanted to browse the street stalls.

"It's almost dark. Once you're settled, you'll have plenty of time to explore."

"Oh, okay." Su Yuan nodded somewhat reluctantly.

The two wandered around the city for half a day before finally finding a fairly clean-looking inn in a relatively quiet alley.

The inn is called Yuelai Inn. Although the name is a bit common, it's cheap.

"Manager, two rooms," Chen Ye said to the fat manager who was dozing off at the counter.

"One hundred coins a day, payment in advance, then room and board," the fat innkeeper said weakly, raising his eyelids.

Chen Ye didn't waste any words and directly took out two taels of silver, "Stay for ten days first."

Upon seeing the silver, the portly innkeeper's attitude immediately became much warmer. "Alright, alright, please come upstairs, sir. Rooms number two and three are next to each other."

He quickly collected the money, then called upstairs, "Waiter, please bring these two guests upstairs!"

A quick-witted waiter immediately ran over, bowing and scraping as he led the way.

Chen Ye and Su Yuan followed the waiter upstairs.

The room wasn't big, but it was clean enough, with basic furniture like tables, chairs, and beds.

"Alright, you can rest now. I'm going out for a bit," Chen Ye said to Su Yuan after settling her in.

"Where are you going?" Su Yuan asked curiously.

"Just wandering around and getting familiar with the surroundings," Chen Ye said casually.

Actually, he wanted to find out some information about the trading event.

“I’ll go with you!” Su Yuan said immediately.

"No need, you've been traveling for days, you should rest well." Chen Ye refused without even thinking.

"I'm not tired!" Su Yuan shook her head vigorously.

"Alright, then be careful and don't cause trouble." Seeing her insistence, Chen Ye didn't bother to persuade her any further.

The two left the inn together.

The city of Qingzhou under the cover of night is even more bustling than during the day.

The shops lining both sides of the street hung bright red lanterns, illuminating the entire city as if it were daytime. The streets were still bustling with people, even more so than during the day.

Chen Ye and Su Yuan randomly picked a restaurant that looked crowded and went inside.

The restaurant was packed, and the storyteller was passionately reciting his tale on stage, drawing cheers from the audience.

The two found an empty seat in the corner, ordered a few side dishes and a pot of tea.

As Chen Ye sipped his tea, he listened intently to the conversations of the other drinkers around him.

These drinkers from all walks of life are the most well-informed group.

"Hey, have you heard? It seems that Tianjian Manor is going to auction off something really good at this trade fair," a burly man with a thick beard at the next table said mysteriously to his companion.

"What good stuff?" His companion immediately became interested.

"It looks like a Breakthrough Pill!" the bearded man said in a low voice.

"What? A Breakthrough Pill!?" His companion exclaimed in surprise, drawing the attention of people at several nearby tables.

He quickly covered his mouth, his face filled with shock.

"That's a treasure that can help cultivators in the Sea Condensation Realm break through to the Inner Realm! Heavenly Sword Manor is actually willing to sell it?"

“Who says otherwise?” the bearded man said smugly.

"It is said that this is to raise cultivation resources for their young master so that he can break through to a higher realm."

"Tsk tsk, this is quite a big deal. With this Breakthrough Pill out, I'm afraid all the Condensation Sea Realm experts in Qingzhou will go crazy fighting over it."

"That's right. I estimate the final price will start at least at 100,000 taels of silver. We small fry can only enjoy the show."

Upon hearing this, Chen Ye's heart stirred.

Breakthrough Pill!
A pill that can help people break through to the Inner Realm!

This is absolutely a strategic treasure.

It seems this trading event is indeed full of hidden talents.

He listened for a while longer and heard a lot of other news as well.

For example, the Black Tiger Gang in the south of the city recently fought a bloody battle with the Iron Palm Sect in the west of the city over territory.

For example, the eldest son of the city lord's mansion took a fancy to the top courtesan of the Hundred Flowers Pavilion and spent a fortune to keep her for a month.

Furthermore, a very powerful demonic beast has recently appeared outside Qingzhou Prefecture City, and several groups of cultivators have already perished at its hands.

These messages are varied, some true and some false.

But for Chen Ye, a newcomer, these were all excellent ways to get to know the city.

Just then, a disheveled old Taoist priest, reeking of alcohol, staggered into the restaurant.

He spotted Chen Ye and Su Yuan sitting in the corner at a glance.

When he saw Su Yuan's round face clearly, the old Taoist priest's face turned pale instantly.

Without saying a word, he turned around and tried to run away.

The old Taoist priest was none other than Yun Heqing, who had fled all the way from Yuhuo County.

He never imagined that after finally escaping to Qingzhou Prefecture with great difficulty, he would run into Su Yuan, this little devil, after only a few days of peace. Therefore, he immediately wanted to escape.

"Master Yun, we meet again." However, as soon as he turned around, Su Yuan's sickeningly sweet voice rang in his ear.

Yun Heqing's body stiffened abruptly, and he forced a smile that looked more like a grimace as he slowly turned back.

"Miss Su, what a...what a coincidence," he stammered, cold sweat trickling down his forehead.

"It's quite a coincidence," Su Yuan said with a smile.

"I thought you had already left Qingzhou."

"No...no, I just heard that Qingzhou Prefecture was lively, so I came to join in the fun." Yun Heqing said, while quietly backing away, ready to slip away at any moment.

Chen Ye sat beside him, watching this scene and couldn't help but chuckle.

It seems that Yun Heqing has truly been terrified by Su Yuan.

However, he didn't say anything, but just watched with great interest.

"Come sit down, why are you standing so far away?" Su Yuan waved to Yun Heqing.

"No...no, I have something to attend to, so I won't bother you two any longer." After saying that, Yun Heqing turned around and tried to run away.

But as soon as he took a step, he felt a tightness under his foot. Looking down, he saw a strange insect, completely black and resembling both a centipede and a scorpion, had somehow wrapped around his ankle.

The strange insect's stinger was flashing with an eerie dark light, aimed at his carotid artery.

Yun Heqing's face turned deathly pale instantly, and he didn't dare to move.

"Grandma, please don't do this, I'm scared!" he pleaded, his voice trembling with tears.

Su Yuan's smile remained bright, but her words sent a chill down Yun Heqing's spine: "Come here and sit down."

Yun Heqing dared not resist any longer. He could only grimace and slowly move over, obediently sitting down at the table.

"That's a good boy." Su Yuan nodded in satisfaction, then waved her hand, and the strange insect released Yun Heqing, turning into a black light and disappearing back into her sleeve.

Yun Heqing let out a long breath, feeling as if he had just escaped death; his back was soaked with cold sweat.

"Tell me, what were you doing following us so secretly?" Su Yuan picked up a piece of osmanthus cake, ate it, and asked casually.

"How could I dare!" Yun Heqing quickly waved his hand.

"I just... I just happened to be passing by, it really was just a coincidence."

"Really?" Su Yuan tilted her head, looking incredulous.

What followed was a one-sided interrogation by Su Yuan.

Yun Heqing answered every question without hesitation, recounting in detail how he escaped from Yuhuo County and how he made a living in Qingzhou Prefecture.

It turns out that after arriving in Qingzhou Prefecture, this guy continued his old ways, setting up a fortune-telling stall under the overpass to make a living by swindling a little money.

I had just finished my business today and was planning to come to this restaurant for a couple of drinks when I bumped into Chen Ye and his group.

After listening, Su Yuan didn't make things difficult for him anymore. She just warned him not to sneak around like that again and that she would come to him if he needed anything.

Yun Heqing dared not disobey, so he could only nod repeatedly in agreement, and then made an excuse and slunk away.

Looking at his disheveled figure, Chen Ye shook his head.

This guy is quite an oddball.

……

The trading event officially began on the second day.

The event was held in a huge square in the city center.

When Chen Ye and Su Yuan arrived, the place was already packed with people and bustling with activity.

The entire square was divided into hundreds of areas, each filled with all sorts of stalls.

The stalls were filled with a dazzling array of goods; they had everything imaginable.

There are rare herbs that exude a rich medicinal fragrance, mineral materials that shimmer with various colors of light, magical weapons with unique shapes, and the hides and bones of various monsters.

There were even some stalls selling live monsters and evil spirits imprisoned in cages.

Wow, so many great things!

Su Yuan's eyes lit up, like a little mouse that had entered a rice granary, and she pulled Chen Ye through the various stalls.

Chen Ye was also dazzled by what he saw.

He activated his Asura Eye, observing the items on the stalls.

In his vision, every object was surrounded by an energy aura of varying intensity.

Some of the halos were bright and pure, clearly indicating that they were genuine treasures.

Some have a dim glow, or even a blackish tinge, clearly indicating they are counterfeit goods made to pass off as high-quality products.

He even saw a stall displaying an ordinary-looking iron sword, but the energy flowing inside it was exceptionally smooth and condensed, clearly indicating that it was a magical artifact with hidden secrets.

Chen Ye felt a sudden urge to go up and snatch up the bargain.

But after touching the meager amount of silver in his pocket, he finally gave up.

Don't be fooled by the fact that he only earned fifty taels of gold before; he had already spent it all on cultivation. As a result, he was now penniless and didn't even have the confidence to ask the price.

"Forget it, I mainly came here to gather intelligence and cultivation techniques. I'll worry about these external things when I have more money later," Chen Ye comforted himself.

He pulled Su Yuan, who was still lingering in front of a stall selling poisonous insects, and continued walking deeper into the square.

The further you go in, the more precious the items on the stalls become, and the stronger the cultivators around you become.

Chen Ye even saw several stalls that specifically sold martial arts manuals.

He leaned closer to take a look.

Most of those martial arts manuals were just common, low-level stuff, like the Fiery Palm and the Frosty Ice Technique, which could only be cultivated to the Unobstructed Realm at most.

Moreover, the price is not cheap, often costing hundreds of taels of silver.

Chen Ye shook his head, somewhat disappointed.

It seems that truly good things aren't just displayed and sold on the street.

Just as he was about to leave, his gaze was drawn to a tattered booklet in the corner of the stall.

The booklet had yellowed pages, and three words were written in crooked handwriting on the cover.

The art of sword nurturing!
Chen Ye's heart skipped a beat, and he picked up the booklet as if possessed.

(End of this chapter)