Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

Upon re-entering the market, Shen Mo could clearly sense that the gazes directed at him were more complex and unfathomable than the day before. The reverence remained, but now carried a hint of inquiry and scrutiny.

Clearly, his purchasing activities at Baibaoge yesterday, as well as his nonchalant attitude towards the Black Wind Stronghold troops, have already spread through various channels.

In the eyes of the public, he is no longer the fallen sect leader who can be manipulated at will, but a "person" with secrets and unfathomable depths.

Shen Mo ignored this and calmly arrived at the relatively remote southern district of the market, where independent cultivators gathered.

The stalls here are chaotic, the place is bustling with noise, and you can find all sorts of strange and unusual things at relatively cheap prices. It's a gathering place for all kinds of people in the market.

He found an inconspicuous corner, spread out a clean coarse cloth, and solemnly placed the antique sandalwood box on it. He then sat cross-legged behind it, closed his eyes to rest, and did not shout loudly like other stall owners.

This unusual low profile only draws more attention.

Soon, people curiously gathered around to take a look. But seeing that there were no other goods next to the wooden box, and that the stall owner looked mysterious, most people muttered a few words about "playing tricks" and walked away.

Some people tentatively asked what he was selling, but Shen Mo only opened his eyes and glanced at them, saying lightly, "Ancient elixirs, those with the right fate will obtain them," and then said no more, leaving them speechless.

Time passed slowly, but while many people asked questions, very few were truly interested. After all, the name "Ancient Elixir" was too grand, making it more of a joke in this gathering place of independent cultivators.

Shen Mo was not in a hurry. This stuff couldn't be sold like cabbage; it needed to be targeted precisely to find the "destined person" (actually, a sucker who could afford to pay).

He appeared to be resting with his eyes closed, but in reality, his divine sense was subtly moving, quietly observing the passersby. He was searching for cultivators whose aura was unstable, who had been stuck at a bottleneck for a long time, and whose eyes held anxiety and longing.

Such people are most likely to seek treatment in desperation and are most easily swayed by rhetoric such as "ancient methods" and "serendipity."

Persistence pays off. Around noon, a figure caught Shen Mo's attention.

He was a man in his early thirties, wearing a faded gray robe. His face was haggard, his brows were furrowed, and his eyes held a deep-seated melancholy and urgency.

His cultivation level was around the third level of Qi Refining, but his aura was unstable and restless, indicating that he had been stuck at this stage for a long time. Moreover, he seemed to have suffered some minor internal injuries, which caused his spiritual energy to circulate poorly.

He lingered in front of various stalls selling pills, picking up bottles of the cheapest low-grade Qi Gathering Pills to examine them, only to shake his head and put them down because of the price, his expression growing increasingly anxious.

"It's him." Shen Mo's heart skipped a beat.

The man circled around, seemingly without finding anything. He sighed, glanced at Shen Mo's stall, saw the lonely wooden box, and instinctively felt it was unreliable. He was about to walk straight past it.

Just then, Shen Mo opened his eyes at the perfect moment, looking at him calmly. His voice was not loud, but it carried a peculiar penetrating power as he greeted him: "Fellow Daoist, you seem to be in a hurry, your brows furrowed. Have you encountered a hurdle in your cultivation?"

The man paused, looked at Shen Mo, and seeing his extraordinary bearing (which he seemed to be putting on), and recalling the recent rumors in the market, his heart stirred slightly. He clasped his hands and asked, "Fellow Daoist... are you Sect Leader Shen of the Qingyun Sect?"

"It is indeed me, Shen." Shen Mo nodded slightly.

A hint of hesitation crossed the man's face, but he finally sighed and confessed, "To be honest, Sect Leader Shen, my name is Wang Yuan, a rogue cultivator. Indeed... I have been stuck at the third level of Qi Refining for five years. Recently, I forced myself to break through, but I injured my Qi and damaged my meridians. Now... alas, I'm afraid my path to enlightenment will be difficult."

His tone was clearly filled with bitterness and helplessness.

Shen Mo was secretly delighted (your troubles are my opportunities), but on the surface he showed understanding and sympathy and comforted her:

"The path of cultivation is fraught with difficulties, and I, Shen, have been through it myself. Judging from your aura, fellow Daoist, you are not only struggling with a bottleneck, but also suffering from old injuries. Ordinary elixirs may not be effective, and may even worsen your injuries."

Wang Yuan was startled, as if his thoughts had been exposed. His gaze towards Shen Mo suddenly held more trust and expectation: "Sect Leader Shen has keen insight! You...you have a good plan?"

He grasped at straws (desperate people will try anything, especially since it wasn't even a doctor).

Shen Mo did not answer directly, but carefully opened the sandalwood box, revealing three "Ancient Qi Gathering Pills" lined with silk.

Instantly, a strange fragrance, a blend of bamboo scent, medicinal aroma, and the scent of time, filled the air.

Wang Yuan's gaze was instantly drawn to it. The color of the pill, the faintly visible patterns, and the unique fragrance were all completely different from the pills he had ever seen before!

In particular, that calm and restrained feeling actually calmed his restless spiritual energy a bit!

"This is...?" Wang Yuan's voice trembled slightly.

Shen Mo, with a solemn expression (pretending to be serious), slowly said, "This is the 'Ancient Qi Gathering Pill' refined by my Qingyun Sect's founder in his early years."

"Because its refining method is very different from modern methods, its medicinal power is contained within, and it needs to be slowly dissolved with one's own spiritual power. It is especially good at nourishing the meridians, moistening things silently, and may have miraculous effects on resolving stagnation and assisting in breaking through realms (it is entirely targeted at the target)."

"It's a pity that, due to their age, my sect only has these three left. I originally did not intend to sell them, but kept them as a memento (If you didn't intend to sell them, why are you setting up a stall?). Today, seeing that you, fellow Daoist, have a firm heart for seeking the Dao, and since we have come together at this opportune moment, perhaps we can form a good connection."

His words were half true and half false, packaging the elixir's "disadvantage" (weak medicinal power) as its "feature" (warming and nourishing the meridians), precisely hitting Wang Yuan's sore spot!

Wang Yuan's breathing had already quickened, his eyes fixed on the three pills, as if he saw a glimmer of hope for a breakthrough!

An ancient elixir refined by the patriarch! It nourishes and warms the meridians! This...this is practically tailor-made for him!

As for the medicinal properties within the body? He actually thought that was more reliable! His current body simply couldn't handle those potent pills!

"Sect Leader Shen... how much is this pill worth?" Wang Yuan's voice was dry, tinged with nervousness. He was short of money and feared the price would be prohibitively high.

Shen Mo pondered for a moment, then held up three fingers and said, "Thirty low-grade spirit stones."

This price is six times more expensive than a regular low-grade Qi Gathering Pill (five spirit stones) in the market, but far lower than those mid-grade pills with special effects (which often cost hundreds of spirit stones). It is in a delicate range that makes people feel the pinch, yet seems within reach.

Wang Yuan's expression shifted between light and dark. Thirty spirit stones were almost all his wealth! He hesitated.

Shen Mo didn't urge him, but calmly closed the lid of the wooden box, pretending to withdraw (playing hard to get): "This pill depends on fate, and it's useless to force it. If you feel uncomfortable, just pretend I never mentioned it."

"Wait!" Wang Yuan panicked when he saw Shen Mo about to put the box away. He gritted his teeth, pulled out a shrunken spirit stone bag from his robes, counted out thirty spirit stones, and handed them to Shen Mo with trembling hands: "Sect Leader Shen! I'll buy it! I hope this pill... can truly help me!"

Shen Mo breathed a sigh of relief, but his expression remained calm. He took the spirit stones, handed over the wooden box, and solemnly instructed:

"I hope you take care, fellow Daoist. Please remember that when you are transforming the elixir, you must calm your mind and focus your spirit, guiding the medicinal power slowly and carefully, and you must not be too hasty."

"Thank you for your guidance, Master Shen!" Wang Yuan was overjoyed, clutching the wooden box tightly to his chest before hurrying away, his departing figure appearing lighter and more carefree.

We're open for business! And at prices far exceeding cost!

Shen Mo was secretly pleased, but his face remained impassive as he carefully put away the spirit stones. This was only the first step; the spread of word-of-mouth would require time to build up.