Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

After this commotion, Shen Mo's stall became even more bustling. Many rogue cultivators looked at him with admiration and respect!

This Qingyun Sect leader not only might have some real skills, but he also has a sharp eye and is not someone to be trifled with!

Soon, the last "Ancient Qi Gathering Pill" was bought by a wealthy old rogue cultivator without even haggling over the price.

Shen Mo put away the empty wooden box and the spirit stones he had earned, and drifted away under the complex and awe-inspiring gazes of the crowd.

He did not leave the market immediately. With a "huge sum" of nearly a hundred low-grade spirit stones in his heart, he was thinking about how to spend every penny of this "start-up capital" wisely.

The sect's immediate crisis has been temporarily resolved, but for long-term development, careful planning and a step-by-step approach are necessary.

He did not go to the southern district where independent cultivators gathered, as it was a mixed bag, prices were inflated, and it was easy for trouble to arise there.

Instead, they headed straight for the northern part of the market, an area comprised of several reputable medium-sized shops and time-honored brands.

The environment here is relatively well-organized. While the prices may not be the lowest, the quality of the goods is more guaranteed, making it more suitable for establishing stable procurement channels.

The first shop he entered was a grain store called "Baiguyuan". The shop was small but clean and tidy, with various kinds of rice, millet and wheat flour neatly categorized, and a faint fragrance of grains filling the air.

The shopkeeper was a middle-aged, plump man with an honest face but shrewd eyes, who was fiddling with an abacus.

Upon seeing Shen Mo enter, the shopkeeper raised his eyelids and glanced at him. Shen Mo was now considered a "celebrity" in the market, and the shopkeeper clearly recognized him. He immediately put on a professional smile, but a hint of caution flashed deep in his eyes.

"Yo, Sect Leader Shen, welcome! What would you like to order? We've just received a new batch of 'Jade Pearl' spirit rice. The grains are plump and full of spiritual energy, perfect for cultivators to replenish their vital energy!" The shopkeeper greeted them warmly, but made no mention of yesterday's rumors.

Shen Mo remained calm as he walked to the rice bin, grabbed a handful of spirit rice, examined its quality carefully, and then smelled it.

His movements were practiced and natural, as if he were a seasoned pro. This demeanor made the shopkeeper, who had originally intended to recommend some inferior goods, feel uneasy.

"What is the price of jade pearls?" Shen Mo asked casually.

"Hehe, I'll give you a great deal, five catties for one low-grade spirit stone!" the shopkeeper laughed.

Shen Mo remained noncommittal, then pointed to a type of millet next to him that was slightly darker in color but equally firm in grain, and asked, "What about this 'Black Tooth Millet'?"

"This is cheap, ten catties for one spirit stone! But the spiritual energy is a bit lacking..." the shopkeeper quickly replied.

Shen Mo quickly calculated in his mind. What the sect currently lacked most was a stable food supply, not the nourishment of spiritual energy.

Shi Tie has a large appetite, while Su Xiao and A Yuan, although they eat less, also expend a lot of energy cultivating. Cost-effectiveness is the most important factor.

"One hundred and fifty catties of black chestnuts," Shen Mo said directly. "In addition, fifty catties of ordinary white flour, ten catties of salt, and thirty catties of the most durable salted meat."

The shopkeeper was taken aback. He hadn't expected Shen Mo to purchase such a large quantity, and to choose only practical and filling items, rather than pursuing anything flashy or impractical. He quickly started calculating on his abacus:

"Fifteen black millet spirit stones, five white flour spirit stones, one salt spirit stone, six salted meat spirit stones... a total of twenty-seven low-grade spirit stones!"

Shen Mo frowned slightly: "Shopkeeper, this is my first time purchasing from your store, and the quantity is not small. Could you please lower the price a bit? Especially this black tusk millet, which costs twelve catties for one spirit stone on the market."

The shopkeeper's smile remained unchanged, but inwardly he thought that this young sect leader seemed rather difficult to fool. He pondered for a moment, then replied:

"Sect Leader Shen is a straightforward man. Here's the deal: Black Fang Millet will cost you eleven catties for one spirit stone, and we'll round down the price of the salted meat, making it a total of... twenty-five spirit stones. How about that? That's already cost price!"

Shen Mo knew, of course, that this was far from cost price, but it was still within his acceptable range. He didn't press the matter further, but nodded in agreement, saying, "Okay. But you need to pack them separately in thick burlap sacks and deliver them to the east entrance of the market for me."

"Alright! No problem!" Seeing that the other party made the deal so readily, the shopkeeper's smile became even more genuine, and he immediately told the shop assistant to load the goods.

The transaction was complete, and the shopkeeper handed over a simple wooden receipt, smiling as he said, "If Master Shen needs rice or grain in the future, feel free to come to our shop; we'll definitely give you a discount!"

Shen Mo took the wooden plaque and nodded slightly. This marked the initial establishment of the first purchasing point. The goal at this stage was stability and affordability.

After leaving Baiguyuan, Shen Mo turned to "Shimuxuan," a shop specializing in basic building materials. The sect's main hall was too dilapidated and urgently needed repair, especially the roof. If it wasn't repaired soon, it would probably leak like a waterfall after the next heavy rain.

The owner of Shi Mu Xuan was a dark-skinned man with rough hands, clearly someone who frequently dealt with stone and wood. He didn't say much; when he saw Shen Mo enter, he simply nodded.

Shen Mo stated his purpose directly: "I need to repair the wooden beams and tiles on the roof, as well as reinforce the walls with oak stone. The quantity is not much, just something sturdy and durable."

The shopkeeper sized Shen Mo up and down, then quoted prices in a hoarse voice: "Qinggang stone, three spirit stones per square meter. Sturdy and durable ironwood beams, five spirit stones per beam. Green tiles are the cheapest, fifty pieces per spirit stone. How many do you want, sir?"

Shen Mo estimated the extent of the damage to the main hall and replied, "We need two cubic meters of oak stone, five ironwood beams, and three hundred blue tiles."

The shopkeeper took out a charcoal pencil and calculated on the wooden board: "Six stones, twenty-five wooden beams, six blue tiles, a total of thirty-seven spirit stones. Transportation is extra, and two more will be added when it reaches the east entrance."

The price was slightly higher than Shen Mo had expected, but he carefully examined the samples provided by the shopkeeper. The stone was hard, the wooden beams were heavy and sturdy, and the tiles were thick and uniform, indicating that they were indeed made of high-quality materials.

What he needs is quality, not just cheap prices; otherwise, a strong wind or rain could ruin everything.

"Okay," Shen Mo nodded in agreement, "but you must ensure that the stones are free of cracks, the wooden beams are free of insects, and the tiles are free of defects."

"Don't worry, my 'Shi Mu Zhang' products are all honest and reliable," the shopkeeper patted his chest and promised.

Having paid the deposit and received the receipt, Shen Mo felt somewhat relieved. The sect's most basic problem of "protection from the wind and rain" finally had a chance to be solved.

Next comes the most important and spirit stone-consuming stage—cultivation techniques and knowledge.

He walked toward the largest and most authoritative shop in the market—the "Wanjuanlou" branch.

This is a chain store with a powerful background. It is said to have connections with major sects in the Central Region. It specializes in selling various cultivation techniques, spellbooks, and miscellaneous books. The prices are relatively high, but the goods are genuine.

Upon entering Wanjuanlou, the environment immediately becomes tranquil. The air is filled with the fragrance of sandalwood, bookshelves stand in rows, and a few guests are quietly browsing.

A middle-aged steward dressed in a blue scholar's robe, with a calm demeanor, came forward. His gaze was peaceful, and he did not show any unusual expression because of Shen Mo's shabby clothes or the fact that his sect was unknown.

"Fellow Daoist, what do you need?" the steward asked gently.

Shen Mo said directly, "I want to see the jade slips containing detailed explanations of basic cultivation techniques and introductory pills suitable for disciples in the early stages of Qi Refining to build their foundation."

A hint of surprise flashed in the deacon's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure and led Shen Mo to a bookshelf on the side. The jade slips displayed there emitted a faint light, with brief descriptions and price tags next to them.

Upon seeing the prices, Shen Mo was immediately taken aback. Even the most ordinary jade slip of the "Qi Induction Technique" cost twenty low-grade spirit stones! The "Elementary Knowledge of Herbs" (Introduction to Pills) was priced at twenty-five!

This almost consumed most of the spirit stones he had just acquired!