A Mortal's Journey to Immortality

"Young friend, are you interested in this Hundred Herbs Notes?"

A Taoist-dressed cultivator, seeing Zhou Ping curiously examining his stall, became intrigued.

Seeing this, Zhou Ping scratched his head sheepishly and replied with an embarrassed expression.

"Senior, I'm just browsing. Your stall has so many books and picture albums; it's truly an eye-opener."

"Of course! Putting aside everything else, in this Guiyuan Pavilion, no one has a more complete collection of books than this Daoist."

The Taoist priest looked smug, and his gaze towards Zhou Ping became more pleasing.

"I can tell you're not exactly wealthy, but if you like this Herbal Inscription, I'll sell it to you for three spirit stones. Normally, I sell it for five."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Ping was startled, as he already had some understanding of the preciousness of spirit stones.

But to ask for three spirit stones for just this copied book is really frightening. This old Taoist priest looks kind and benevolent, but I never expected him to be so ruthless.

"I'm short of money, I just came out with my master to broaden my horizons. I can't afford it, I can't afford it."

Zhou Ping waved his hand with a simple smile, looking completely harmless.

"Oh? Your master is here too?"

The old Taoist priest's expression tightened, as if he was somewhat surprised and uncertain. This kid clearly entered Guiyuan Pavilion alone, he was not mistaken, so how come a master suddenly appeared?

He had intended to take advantage of the situation to kill the kid, but if he were exposed, he would lose face.

"Young friend, who is your master? Perhaps I am acquainted with your master."

The old Taoist's smile deepened as he asked curiously.

"When you're out and about, you must not reveal your sect's origins. I dare not violate the sect rules, and I hope the Daoist Master will forgive me."

Zhou Ping, with a mysterious and enigmatic expression, actually joined in, acting as if he were someone else's swagger.

Even before entering Guiyuan Pavilion, Zhou Ping had already made up his mind. Anyway, he didn't know anyone here. As a novice cultivator with no background or connections, he might be plotted against by someone with connections.

For his own safety, he could create some false background for himself; since he wouldn't say it outright, the other party wouldn't be able to verify it.

As long as it makes the other party feel some fear, at least it will make them think twice before harboring ill intentions towards you.

"Hmm, I understand. When I saw you come alone, I thought you were a rogue cultivator like me."

The old Taoist priest smiled broadly, but inwardly he grew increasingly cautious. If the Taoist priest was indeed a cultivator from a reputable sect, he was not someone a rogue cultivator like himself could afford to offend.

Better safe than sorry, especially for independent cultivators like them. Their journey has been far from easy, and they have taken their cautious approach to the extreme.

It's better to believe it exists than to believe it doesn't. Any gain or loss is insignificant compared to one's own life and fortune.

"That old man sent me here alone, ostensibly to broaden my horizons, but he secretly went to West Phoenix Mountain to meet someone. He's truly disrespectful to his elders!"

With an angry expression, Zhou Ping blurted out all the words he had prepared beforehand.

"Hehe, your master is truly a remarkable person, making this old Taoist quite envious."

The old Taoist priest stroked his beard with one hand, a smile on his face.

"Senior, your business is really good. These books are all handwritten copies, and you can easily sell them for five spirit stones. This is truly a highly profitable business."

Zhou Ping stopped arguing with him about the same issue and immediately changed the subject.

"Oh, young friend, you jest. This business is simply a matter of mutual consent. These books are the result of countless hours of hard work by this old Daoist, who has compiled and organized all sorts of strange tales, basic rules, and so on from the cultivation world."

"Don't underestimate the value of these books. If a novice who has just entered the world of cultivation sees them, let alone five spirit stones, if he has enough money, he can sell them for seven or eight spirit stones."

"Old Dao's business is all about fate. If you need it, it's worth the price; if you understand everything, it's worthless."

The old Taoist priest spoke eloquently, seemingly quite proud of his deal.

"What a pity... He was confined to the mountain gate all day, only knowing how to cultivate, and was used to a life of poverty. He never expected to see so many novel things after coming out."

Zhou Ping looked on with envy, his eyes lingering on the books on the stall, and said in a low voice.

His current demeanor was genuine; the books on the stall, just as the old Taoist had said, were exactly what a novice cultivator like him desperately needed, enabling him to quickly understand and integrate into the cultivation world.

The book on immortal cultivation techniques from the Bronze Sheep Temple in Zhou Ping's hand, while mentioning various observations and experiences in the cultivation world, was ultimately a general and rough note, far from being comparable to these categorized books.

Seeing this, the old Taoist priest's eyes darted around, and his smile became even more amiable. He tentatively asked,

"Young friend, which book has caught your eye? Point it out, and I'll see if I can reluctantly part with it and give you the lowest possible price!"

After listening, Zhou Ping didn't stand on ceremony and pointed back and forth on the stall.

"This one, this one, and this one—the kid is quite interested in all three of them."

After Zhou Ping finished pointing, the old Taoist priest's gaze followed his fingertip and swept over the three books. Upon closer inspection, they were "Annotations on Herbs", "Records of Rare and Exotic Beasts", and "Five Thousand Years of Cultivation in the Great Liang Dynasty".

Is this kid trying to trick me?

This was the old Taoist's first reaction. These books were the favorites of those greenhorns who were new to the world of cultivation. Anyone with a lineage or inheritance would never choose these books.

Disciples from prestigious sects typically choose stories like "Secrets of Immortal Cultivation," "The Romantic History of a Nascent Soul Ancestor," or "Hidden Treasure Lands in the Immortal Cultivation World of the Great Liang Dynasty"—strange tales, rumors, and gossip.

"Young friend, if I may be so blunt, your sect is utterly unreliable. Haven't they taught you these basic skills?"

The old Taoist priest frowned and asked, half-jokingly, as if he felt sorry for Zhou Ping.

Zhou Ping, feigning empathy, glanced around warily before muttering a complaint in a low voice.

"To tell you the truth, ever since that old man took me as his disciple, he hasn't taken me back to the sect to acknowledge my ancestors. He just keeps me diligently cultivating in the deep mountains and forests. I'm practically living like a wild man!"

"Look at me, dressed like this, I don't look like a cultivator at all!"

Zhou Ping seemed to get angrier the more he talked, but he couldn't help but smile to himself.

It was unexpected that he, who was always taciturn, would have such a talent; it was truly a mystery to him.

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Seeing all those ridiculous comments makes me not want to type a single word anymore. It's so frustrating. Those big-name authors might not even update once a month, and we're all begging them to update. I'm just a nobody, working hard every day without fail, and you come here picking and choosing? Is that fair?

I don't earn a single penny. I write my own novels. You can read them if you want, or leave if you don't. But spewing filth shows a lack of upbringing, right?

I'll try to finish Chapter Two before midnight; I don't want to write a single word right now, it's disgusting.