Chapter 6: Market Encounter

After work.

Walking home from Lingfu Pavilion, Xiao Zhangqing's steps were light and his mood became cheerful.

In another month, his route home will change.

He will no longer go to the most remote, least Qi‑rich Peng Hu Qu.

His regularization has been officially finalized, and Shopkeeper Hong has already announced Xiao Zhangqing's regularization to all Lingfu Pavilion staff.

To this, the more than ten Exclusive Lingfu Pavilion Symbol Masters had no particular feeling and just listened casually.

After all, they are lofty.

But for the vast majority of temporary laborers, their eyes toward Xiao Zhangqing were full of envy and jealousy.

This kid, only at the second level of Qi cultivation, how did he get regularized? It should be known that among Lingfu Pavilion's temporary workers there are cultivators at the fourth or fifth level of Qi refinement! Surely Shopkeeper Hong gave this kid a backdoor.

Could there be some undisclosed close relationship between the two? Could Xiao Zhangqing be Shopkeeper Hong's illegitimate child left in the Mortal World? Various ill‑meaning speculations rose in the many temporary workers' minds.

But when Shopkeeper Hong announced that Xiao Zhangqing has Symbol Master Talent and can draw several Basic Symbol Talismans with a very high success rate, all doubts and guesses vanished.

Regarding such talent, besides envy, jealousy and hatred, what else is there to say? The matter is settled.

Tomorrow at work, within Lingfu Pavilion Xiao Zhangqing will have a small personal studio.

Whatever tools or materials he needs, if he says in advance, Lingfu Pavilion will prepare them for him.

The salary will definitely be paid next month; in the Cultivation World there are no bosses who pay before work.

The housing subsidy, however, can be issued immediately, as long as Xiao Zhangqing moves.

But Xiao Zhangqing currently has no money, and cannot move.

He can only consider leaving Peng Hu Qu after next month's salary is paid.

As for borrowing some Spirit Stones from Shopkeeper Hong?

Xiao Zhangqing would not be so lacking in sense of distance and propriety.

Shopkeeper Hong gave him the Talisman Master's Handbook for two months, which changed Xiao Zhangqing's fate; he is his benefactor.

That does not mean the two have a close personal relationship.

Today making Xiao Zhangqing regularized is also the result of his own "effort".

If he could not draw talismans, Shopkeeper Hong would not have regularized him.

So Xiao Zhangqing endures a month and will not borrow Spirit Stones.

One must not take others' kindness for granted, otherwise it becomes a grudge over a grain of rice.

Xiao Zhangqing himself hates such indiscreet people the most, and naturally he will not become such a person.

Moreover, drawing talismans to sell for Spirit Stones?

That path is also not feasible now.

Having signed a contract to become a formal employee of Lingfu Pavilion, the "contract" stipulates that during his working hours at Lingfu Pavilion, all Talisman Scripts Xiao Zhangqing draws belong to Lingfu Pavilion.

Lingfu Pavilion will give a certain remuneration, equivalent to a share.

But if he sells them privately, that would breach the contract.

Guess how Lingfu Pavilion would treat you?

Xiao Zhangqing accepted the contract, so he will naturally obey the rules.

If he sells Talisman Scripts alone, each would earn more Spirit Stones, but Lingfu Pavilion will also provide materials, even allow him to incur some loss within limits, and give various benefits.

There is no free lunch in the world; nothing can be obtained without giving.

Moreover, for Xiao Zhangqing now, Lingfu Pavilion provides the backing he most needs! He has a golden finger, an inventory, and a promising future. Yet now he is far too weak.

These days he lives cautiously, daring not to do anything out of line, not daring to wander, let alone seek revenge.

His current strength is like the weakest ant in the Cultivation World, with no sense of security at all.

Having become a formal employee of Lingfu Pavilion, with the Token in hand, he finally has some security.

For example, if he meets Zhou Yun'e's lover Hu Youquan again, even if Xiao Zhangqing offends him, he would not dare to beat him like before.

"I don't know what that woman Zhou Yun'e would think, knowing I've been regularized at Lingfu Pavilion, receiving at least 20 low‑grade Spirit Stones per month, about to move out of Peng Hu Qu. Would she regret?" Xiao Zhangqing thought to himself.

Nothing is a better revenge than having an ex see you soaring, living ten or a hundred times better, making her look up in envy.

Of course, Xiao Zhangqing does not yet meet that condition.

Hu Youquan is a local cultivator, holding the wealth accumulated over two generations, already owning a small house in a Ding-level Cave Dwelling with fixed property rights. He also has two shopfronts that can be rented out.

Although this person lacks outstanding ability or prospects and is despised by many local cultivators, it must be said that he was born at the pinnacle that countless Scattered Cultivators strive for.

Even now that Xiao Zhangqing has been regularized at Lingfu Pavilion and become a "civil servant", his prospects appear far greater and more promising than Hu Youquan's.

But if that is all, and he cannot advance further, then decades later his savings will still fall far short of Hu Youquan's.

Unless, in the future Xiao Zhangqing's Symbol Technique reaches the advanced stage and he becomes an Exclusive Lingfu Pavilion Symbol Master.

Then Hu Youquan would be completely outclassed in both status and income.

"No rush, that day won't be far off."

For others, moving from Basic Symbol Talismans to Advanced Symbol Talismans seems a small step, but the gap is huge.

Even with considerable talent, it takes several to many years of diligent practice, day and night grinding in the studio drawing talismans, to raise experience and proficiency.

But for Xiao Zhangqing, it may be just a matter of equipment!

Today he obtained Shopkeeper Hong's Zhibi, and the inventory reacted, giving Xiao Zhangqing a rough hypothesis about the conditions for inventory equipment.

Expensive Magic Treasures or spirit items are not necessarily equipable in the inventory.

The inventory values the item's "content" and "depth" more. For example, Nanshan Fang's most famous, reputedly premium Magic Treasure shop Baibao Lou, also Zhou Yun'e's coveted "luxury store", sells high‑quality, powerful Magic Treasures, yet they may not be stored in the inventory.

Because Baibao Lou's products are all brand‑new, first‑hand goods.

Conversely, some cheap, second‑hand stall goods, having changed hands countless times, are more useful to Xiao Zhangqing.

"How about we browse the street market and see if we can snag any treasure?"

Nanshan Fang is not a large immortal city, but its occupied area is also not small.

For example, from the Lingfu Pavilion located in the prime district of the market town, to Peng Hu Qu at the outskirts where Xiao Zhangqing currently resides, even if one rushes with lightness skill, it takes more than half an hour.

Therefore, such a cultivator gathering place, besides Baibao Lou and Lingfu Pavilion, which are high-end 'large malls', also has many mixed-quality 'wholesale markets' that rely entirely on luck and discernment.

He patted his pocket; only thirty-nine grains of Spirit Sand remained. After calculating, he felt it was still worth trying his luck.

The market differs from shops; unit prices are at least measured in Spirit Stones. Thirty-nine grains of Spirit Sand can also buy quite a few things.

After about the time to burn an incense stick, Xiao Zhangqing arrived at the market nearest to his residence in Peng Hu Qu.

From afar, he felt the bustling crowds, with endless cries of vendors.

On both sides of the street, besides small vendors setting up stalls to sell various oddities, there were also many pushing carts selling all kinds of food!

Most of these foods are not Spirit Food, but special snacks from various countries of the Mortal World.

Although eating these foods provides no spiritual energy or increases cultivation, their taste is quite good, and just smelling them whets the appetite.

Moreover, the prices are relatively cheap; three or two grains of Spirit Sand are enough to eat and drink one's fill—'This cultivator market feels like a rural market.'

Xiao Zhangqing looked at the various food vendors, his eyes dazzled, suppressing the urge to taste the delicacies; attending to business came first.

Even a single grain of Spirit Sand is now very important to him.

However, before he could rush into the market to browse, the crowd ahead suddenly stirred.

Xiao Zhangqing instinctively followed the commotion and saw a flying sword hovering steadily above the market; from it descended a graceful Guiqi Nan Xiushi, who did not belong to the market, and a beautiful oval-faced intelligent female cultivator.

"What a coincidence, running into you here?"

Xiao Zhangqing stared blankly.

The man and woman who came down from the flying sword were none other than the neighboring female cultivator Lin Ziyu, and, from the previous encounter Xiao Zhangqing had with her, likely her suitor, Guiqi Nan Xiushi.

(Thanks to 'likes wsy' book friend for the reward! Happy!)

(End of chapter)