Chapter 81 Soul Nourishing Fruit

On the second day, Long Chen learned the location of the Dawn Trading Alliance from Gan Lin and left Lingwu City through the city gates designated for the Turquoise family.

Gan Lin was a little puzzled that he wanted to leave after just arriving, but seeing as Long Chen insisted on leaving, he couldn’t stop him. “You’ll receive your first mission in four days, so it’s best you don’t stay out for too long.”

Long Chen nodded. “I’m going to look for something. It won’t take too long. I should be able to return within the day.”

The Dawn Trading Alliance was the largest trading platform in Yuanling City. Since he still didn’t have any contribution points in the Lingwu family, he couldn’t purchase anything in the family yet. It was common for cultivators to go there, so Gan Lin was not concerned. He only felt like Long Chen should’ve been focused solely on the upcoming mission.

“The Dawn Trading Alliance is huge! They have more than a hundred bases in Yuanling City alone. There’s one small base about a kilometer away from the Turquoise family’s gates, but even this small base is as big as the Turquoise Willow Residence.”

Since arriving at Yuanling City, Long Chen’s opponents had all been a huge level above what he usually faced. He only had three Dream Lingzhi Mushrooms left, which wasn’t enough for Ling Xi to help him even once. That was why Long Chen had decided to go searching for soul-nourishing herbs on his second day in the Lingwu family.

The silly girl surely wants to use her power every time I’m in danger. Since she won’t listen to me, it’s best I get her more herbs before she dies from this!

Long Chen was intelligent enough to quickly locate the Dawn Trading Alliance according to Gan Lin’s instructions despite not being familiar with Yuanling City at all.

It was a dark blue structure sitting on a bustling street.

It was his first time visiting such a gigantic marketplace. It was far superior to the Warrior’s Market in Baiyang Town. Crowds were going in and out of the place. Since Long Chen wasn’t considered an outstanding character, he was able to quickly make his way into the inner part of the marketplace.

“Woah, the things here aren’t bad at all ...” praised Ling Xi in the sword. Long Chen was also studying the plethora of goods on display. Although he wasn’t sure about their category levels, based on the color and price, he knew they were good stuff.

“Melastoma Root. Three Divine Jades.

“Huiling Grass. Two Divine Jades.

“Blizzard Lingzhi Mushroom. Thirty-five Divine Jades ...”

Long Chen’s gaze swept across the numerous displayed herbs. There were spiritual medicines as far as the eye could see, so he assumed he was in the spiritual medicine section of the market.

This Blizzard Lingzhi Mushroom is only an elementary Black-tier spiritual herb, and it already costs thirty-five divine jades! That’s so expensive. I only have eleven divine jades with me now.

Long Chen could only smile bitterly knowing he was too poor. “Have you sensed any soul-nourishing herbs here yet?”

“Be patient!” Because he’d interrupted her, Ling Xi scolded him with some anger and embarrassment. “There are so many herbs here and the scents are all mixed. I need time to distinguish between them!”

Long Chen shrugged. As he watched the passersby, he thought,

I haven’t seen more than a few weak people here. It looks like ever since coming to Yuanling City, I have become the literal bottom of the food chain. This cannot go on. If I die and go to hell, Father will castrate me ...

There were many customers in the marketplace, but there were many people in charge of maintaining order, as well as service-type staff. An arrogant teenage girl saw that Long Chen was looking around and walked up to him to ask, “Sir, may I ask if you need any help?”

This was just a customer service staff member, and she was at the Ninth Draconic Stage, meaning she was stronger than Long Chen. He admired her for that, but the admiration disappeared the instant he saw the contempt in her eyes. “I am looking for something, but I’m not sure if your shop has it.”

Long Chen was only at the Eighth Draconic Stage, yet he was behaving exactly like an aristocratic young master. This disgusted the girl, and the impatience on her face was very obvious. She looked at him, as if challenging him, and said, “What do you need? The things displayed in the Dawn Trading Alliance marketplace are all rare and precious goods! The average person won’t be able to afford them!”

Long Chen was here to help Ling Xi and was too lazy to dwell on the matter. “I need soul-nourishing herbs.”

The girl froze, then grinned. “Those are not cheap. Are you sure?”

She eyed Long Chen up and down. Everything she saw told her that Long Chen would not have much money. Divine jades were a trading currency commonly used by cultivators at the Hunan Core Realm, but Long Chen looked like the kind to only spend spirit jades. “Let me tell you this: our goods are priced by divine jades, not spirit jades!”

The girl was rude and seemed to be taking advantage of his silence. Long Chen privately cussed her out several times over. He huffed, “I know. Just lead the way.”

What a rude, insufferable woman! If it wasn’t for my darling Ling Xi, I would’ve dragged you out there and punished you in public!

Long Chen was secretly cursing her, but he maintained a calm, neutral expression.

The girl eyed him once more, but because of her job, she had to show him the way.

I don’t know which hole this country bumpkin crawled out from. Let’s see how embarrassed you’ll be when you can’t afford the goods later!

She had been in a bad mood all day, and it had soured even more after meeting this little village young master.

As she led the way, Ling Xi finally got excited and softly exclaimed, “Long Chen, I can sense it! It’s an elementary Black-tier Soul Nourishing Fruit!”

He also grew excited when he heard this. He’d been so worried about keeping her alive and now he could finally rest easy.

Very soon, the girl brought him to the Soul Nourishing Fruit display and looked at him mockingly. Long Chen leaned in and was left stunned—the price of the fruit was one hundred divine jades!

It was just an elementary Black-tier spiritual medicine, yet it cost a hundred divine jades. Long Chen only had eleven divine jades on him; how could he pay for this?

This was his first time feeling the frustration of having no money in front of a woman.

I used to spend my money so generously at the Jade Palace brothel, throwing money in their faces. I never thought there’d come a day when I would feel this poor!

When Ling Xi saw the price, her face fell too. She was incredibly excited about the Soul Nourishing Fruit, but it was unfortunate that Long Chen didn’t have much money ...

He had assumed that any elementary Black-tier herb would be something like the Huiling Grass. “It’s fine, Long Chen. We’ll come when you have more money. It’s not urgent ...”

Ling Xi had a huge pout on her face because she couldn’t get the thing she wanted. She stared at the Soul Nourishing Fruit with watery eyes.

When the girl saw Long Chen’s bitter expression, she looked smug. She had known all along it would end up like this and said mildly, “Like I said before, how could a small-town boy like you afford spiritual medicine? I assume you still remember the way to the exit? Apologies, I won’t be walking you out.”

She couldn’t be bothered to even take one more look at him. With her nose up in the air, she was about to leave when Long Chen yelled, “Wait!”

The girl turned and glared at him in annoyance. Long Chen asked before she could speak, “Am I allowed to trade other things for goods here?”

Long Chen had always been the type of person who would complete anything he put his mind to. He especially couldn’t give up when this was a promise he had made to Ling Xi.

Also, he couldn’t lose face in front of Ling Xi so he mustn’t back down ...

When she heard that Long Chen wanted to barter, the girl spat, “And what do you have that is worth as much as the Soul Nourishing Fruit? If you have something, show me now! Don’t waste my time. I need to serve other customers!”

Long Chen squinted. To be honest, he really wanted to kill her over her attitude and words, but now that he was in Yuanling City, he had to constantly remind himself to hold it in. A true man can be flexible. For Ling Xi’s sake, he swallowed his anger and took out a steel heart from his Universe Pouch.

Thinking he was about to use his Ascension Fruit to trade for the herb, Ling Xi panicked but heaved a sigh of relief when she saw the steel heart. She pursed her lips, staring at him in gratitude.

She knew that Long Chen was a prideful person, but now he had to stay humble just for her to keep living on.

Why is this idiot so good to me?

Ling Xi didn’t have an answer.

The girl glanced at the steel core and smirked as if she had expected this. “You think a stupid rock like this can be traded for a Soul Nourishing Fruit? You’re killing me! A country bumpkin will always be a country bumpkin! You’re so stupid!”

“Ao Xue! How could you talk like that?!”

A low voice interrupted them. Long Chen and Ao Xue turned to see an old man with white hair but a youthful-looking face quickly striding over. He looked fitter than most youths.

When she saw him, Ao Xue’s face changed and she greeted humbly, “Greetings, Supervisor.”

The old man she called Supervisor huffed at Ao Xue, then he looked towards Long Chen. He took the steel heart from Long Chen’s hand, studied it for a while, and then asked emotionally, “My name is Zhao Tianfang. Sir, may I ask if this is a steel heart belonging to a steel puppet of the Lingwu family?”

Finally, someone who recognized treasure when he saw it. This old man was far superior to Ao Xue in terms of cultivation and position, yet he was down-to-earth. When Long Chen saw that he was friendly, he nodded. “Yes.”

Zhao Tianfang then lowered his voice. “How many more do you have?”

Long Chen didn’t understand why the old man saw so much value in the steel heart, but since it was useless to him and he seriously needed money, he answered, “Many.”

When Zhao Tianfang heard his answer, he broke into a grin and patted his shoulder. “Young man, shall we step aside for a chat?”

Step aside for a chat? Maybe he had a chance.

Long Chen was naturally willing to do so. He gloated at Ao Xue, then turned to leave with Tianfang.

When Ao Xue saw her supervisor taking Long Chen so seriously and his gloating face, she reddened in anger. The veins in her pale cheeks almost burst and she felt like she had just been slapped.

That bastard! He’s looking for trouble! Don’t let me see you again!