Courtyard House: The Cultivation System Takes Me Flying

The high-grade spirit grains were thriving in the spirit fields, and with the system's acceleration buff, they would be ready for harvest in seven days. Qin Lindong timed it perfectly, and on his day off, he changed into clean clothes and headed to the black market in the capital to search for century-old ginseng, lingzhi, and he shou wu.

In this era, resources were strictly controlled. Medicines, food, cloth and other supplies had to be purchased with ration coupons. Century-old medicinal herbs existed only in legends. Only the black market offered a glimmer of hope.

Hidden deep within the alleyways of Beijing, the black market is secretive, chaotic, and a melting pot of all sorts of people. Only the bold dare to trade here. Relying on his perception realm, Qin Lindong easily evaded the patrol officers and followed the flow of people into the black market. As soon as he stepped inside, he was greeted by a cacophony of hawking and haggling.

"Cornmeal, 50 cents a pound, no coupons required!"

"Coarse cloth, two dollars a zhang (length), first come, first served!"

"Eggs, fresh eggs, 15 cents each!"

The black market mostly sold daily necessities, with very few medicinal herbs. Qin Lindong walked forward, his gaze sweeping over each stall, his perception fully activated, searching for medicinal herbs containing spiritual energy. Centuries-old herbs naturally contained spiritual energy, which, under his perception, was like a beacon in the darkness, impossible to hide.

After walking around most of the area, he only saw a few ordinary herbs, and even ten-year-old ones were rare, let alone a hundred-year-old one. Just as he was about to move on to another area, a faint but pure spiritual energy entered his sea of ​​consciousness from an inconspicuous corner. It was the aura of a hundred-year-old medicinal herb.

Qin Lin walked over slowly without making a sound. In the corner sat an old man with white hair, in front of him was a tattered cloth bag containing a few dried medicinal herbs, which looked inconspicuous.

"Grandpa, how much are these medicinal herbs?" Qin Lindong asked in a low voice.

The old man looked him up and down. Seeing that he was well-dressed and had a calm demeanor, and didn't seem like someone looking for trouble, he said in a low voice, "Ordinary herbs are one yuan each, but that old ginseng is one hundred yuan. Not a penny less."

Deep inside the cloth bag, a withered yet plump ginseng lay quietly. It was a hundred-year-old wild ginseng, its spiritual energy weak, but it was genuine.

One hundred yuan in those days was equivalent to three months' wages for an ordinary worker, an astronomical price. Several onlookers shook their heads and left when they heard the price, as they simply couldn't afford it.

Without hesitation, Qin Lindong took out a hundred yuan from his pocket and handed it over: "I'll take it."

The old man was stunned. He thought no one could afford it, but he didn't expect the young man in front of him to be so decisive. He quickly took the money, wrapped up the ginseng and handed it to him, his hands trembling.

[Ding! Host has obtained 1-year-old ginseng, Foundation Establishment quest progress +30%!]

After putting away the ginseng, Qin Lindong continued his search. Half an hour later, he bought a century-old Ganoderma lucidum from a traveling vendor for eighty yuan. Its spiritual energy was even more concentrated than that of the ginseng.

Only a century-old He Shou Wu remained. Qin Lindong searched the black market but couldn't find it. Just as he was about to leave, a thin man approached him and whispered, "Comrade, I have a century-old He Shou Wu. Do you want it?"

"Lead the way," Qin Lindong said calmly.

The thin man led him into a secluded alley. After confirming that no one was around, he took out a cloth bag from his pocket. Inside was a century-old He Shou Wu (Polygonum multiflorum), of excellent quality and full of spiritual energy.

"This he shou wu (Polygonum multiflorum) is 150 yuan, not a penny less," the man said through gritted teeth.

Qin Lindong didn't haggle, paid directly and took the goods. He got the century-old He Shou Wu, and all three century-old medicinal herbs needed for the Foundation Establishment mission were now complete!

[Ding! Host has obtained a century-old Ganoderma lucidum and a century-old Polygonum multiflorum. The medicinal materials for the Foundation Establishment quest have been collected!]

Foundation Building Quest Progress +60%! Total Progress 95%!

With his mission nearing completion, Qin Lindong felt at ease and turned to leave the black market, returning to his courtyard house. Unbeknownst to him, his extravagant spending of money on medicinal herbs on the black market had been observed by several observant individuals, and a small storm was quietly brewing.