Chapter 108: Frost Blade

Zheng Fa followed Sister Yuan around the market district, mainly wanting to familiarize himself with the duties of the market manager.

Sister Yuan introduced as she walked:

"The market district we speak of is, more accurately, divided into three parts—the plaza where the large shops are located, the market district where the small shops are located, and the market formed by those small stalls."

"Our most important task is to maintain order in these three places. First, we must ensure that no bullying or monopolizing of the market occurs. Second, we must also prevent some rascals or cultivators with high cultivation from bullying those shopkeepers."

Sister Yuan spoke of these matters as if she knew them by heart.

"Those large shops actually don't need managing; they are all opened by major sects of the Baixian Alliance, and almost no one dares to cause trouble," Sister Yuan said. "Hmm, even if the things they sell are too expensive, we can't do anything about it."

Zheng Fa fell silent.

These large shops not only had backgrounds, but also possessed rare spiritual materials.

For the Jiushan Sect, they also contributed the most rent.

A wealthy patron with a powerful fist, no one dares to provoke, nor wants to.

"But this market district and the market require our attention."

"The shops in the market district are generally quite honest; most of them are also opened by immortal families, and only they have the capital. These people may not necessarily be kind, but they are certainly afraid of Sister Zhang causing trouble."

"But those stalls are hard to say; it's a mix of good and bad, with all kinds of people, and this is the hardest to manage, with the most disputes."

"Most of the disciples under my command patrol in this market," Sister Yuan said. "By the way, when will you meet them?"

Zheng Fa thought for a moment and said, "Let's wait a few more days."

Meeting the disciples on duty in the market district was something he should do, but he could also sense that this matter was not so simple.

Not only was his cultivation low, but his experience was shallow; he had only entered the sect two months ago.

Even with Sister Zhang's backing, wanting to command such a large market district would not be smooth sailing.

Not to mention others, just speak of Sister Zhang.

Was her talent not good?

She was the fastest to reach Foundation Establishment in the Baixian Alliance, and the publicly recognized number one in talisman arts before Zheng Fa.

Was her background not strong?

Her master is a Nascent Soul True Person.

But from Sister Zhang's narration, Zheng Fa could also understand that she had experienced no small amount of disputes and doubts along the way.

Background and talent do not solve everything in the immortal sect.

"Very well! Let's set it for half a month later!" Sister Yuan seemed to see through something and patted his arm: "It's fine, Sister will help you!"

Zheng Fa clasped his hands in gratitude toward Sister Yuan.

After introducing Zheng Fa to various things, Sister Yuan took his arm and dashed around the market filled with stalls.

"Come, come!"

"Sister?"

"Don't look at how many shops there are; the ones with truly good things are just a few!"

Zheng Fa couldn't help but feel a bit of expectation in his heart; after being in the Jiushan Sect for so long, he had almost never spent money here—he was afraid of making a mistake and stepping into a trap.

Sister Yuan clearly knew her way around inside; perhaps she could really introduce some reliable shops to him, making it convenient for him to buy magical treasures and spiritual materials in the future.

"This shop's meat pies are a family secret technique!" Sister Yuan pointed at a stall and said, "The seasoning is secret, and there's plenty of meat and oil!"

"... Is this the good thing you were talking about, Sister?"

"Of course. Walk forward a hundred steps, then turn right at the third stall; there is a pastry stall that is extremely delicious... I'll tell you secretly, Sister Zhang loves their osmanthus cakes the most!"

"..."

"By the way, there is a stall selling meat skewers at the market entrance that has been operating for over ten years and has a very good reputation!" Sister Yuan said while looking proudly at Zheng Fa: "I've told you all the treasure shops I've investigated over so many years!"

"... Thank you, Sister," Zheng Fa said with difficulty.

"It's fine; I did promise Sister Zhang to teach you well!" Sister Yuan patted her chest, then quietly leaned close to Zheng Fa's ear and whispered, "There is a grain shop in the market district; the spiritual grains inside are especially delicious! No one else knows this; only I buy them!"

She wore an earnest expression as if she wouldn't tell anyone else.

"Sister... is it possible that others don't buy them because the average person's taste is not quite the same as yours?"

Remembering Sister Yuan's true form, Zheng Fa fell silent for a while before asking.

Thirteen days later.

Zheng Fa's small courtyard.

He sat cross-legged on a cushion, holding a green jade bottle in his right hand.

He aimed the bottle's mouth at the palm of his left hand, and a condensed Yuan Dan rolled onto his hand.

This was what he had spent his entire fortune to buy today—including the wages Sister Yuan gave him and the income from selling talismans over these days.

If he hadn't advanced to the second layer of Qi Refining, allowing him to draw two more talismans each day, he might not have saved up twenty spirit stones.

This was also the reason he asked Sister Yuan to wait a few more days before introducing him to the market district disciples—he wanted to condense a second Yuan Fu first.

For the first Yuan Fu, he chose the Upright Shadowless Talisman, mainly to ensure his safety in the modern world.

But the Upright Shadowless Talisman is not very useful in the Xuanwei Realm.

This time, Zheng Fa's target for condensation was very clear—find one with great power, preferably with a cool effect.

Sister Zhang said he was a mystic-grade Talisman Master, equivalent to the Foundation Establishment stage, but in Zheng Fa's view, this was not so.

Mainly because anyone can buy talismans; does holding a mystic-grade talisman mean one is in the Foundation Establishment stage?

I'm afraid the market district disciples wouldn't quite accept it—pay-to-win warriors are envied by all, but on the other hand, some inevitably look down on them.

But the "Talisman Arts Foundation Establishment Method" is different; it can allow Zheng Fa to turn talismans into spells.

Being able to instantly cast Foundation Establishment spells, saying one is half a Foundation Establishment stage is not a problem.

According to Sister Zhang's classification, the Upright Shadowless Talisman belongs to the Yin category and the Earth attribute.

Earth generates Metal, so the talisman diagram Zheng Fa must choose needs to be Yin and Metal.

Actually, there aren't many options.

Zhang Shijie only tested a small portion of talisman diagrams, and what Zheng Fa can condense is only a Yuan Fu—according to Zhang Shijie, if the talisman diagram is too complex, one Yuan Yuan Dan is not enough.

Among these selectable Yuan Fu, the best choice he could find was the Frost Blade Talisman.

This talisman not only possesses great power and formidable lethality.

But it can also freeze an enemy's body, slowing their movements.

It is also very popular among talisman masters.

Zheng Fa tilted his head, swallowed the Yuan Yuan Dan into his throat, and with practiced ease, mobilized the spiritual power within his body to condense the Frost Blade Talisman's Yuan Fu pattern in his dantian.

With the strength of his divine soul, plus this not being his first time condensing a Yuan Fu, this matter was no longer difficult for him.

But while condensing the Frost Blade Talisman, he also discovered that the medicinal power of this Yuan Yuan Dan seemed a bit weaker than last time, by one or two percent.

This was probably the drug tolerance mentioned by Zhang Shijie in the "Foundation Establishment Method of the Talisman Dao".

After the Frost Blade Talisman was condensed, it fell directly beside the Upright Shadowless Talisman; the two seemed like a perfect match, joining together to form a somewhat complex pattern.

Zheng Fa tested it; after condensing the Frost Blade Talisman, the speed at which he absorbed spiritual qi during cultivation became even faster.

Market.

Six disciples wearing green robes patrolled the aisle left by the stalls.

The other five surrounded an senior brother who looked somewhat older, seemingly taking this person as their leader.

The vendors on both sides looked at these few with a gaze of awe; as they passed, even the sound of their hawking grew a little quieter.

This showed how powerful these few usually were in the market.

But this time, these few had no mind to show off; as they walked, they quietly moved their lips, whispering to each other.

"Have you heard? That Zheng Fa."

"It spread long ago; our market must be handed over to him to manage."

"Cultivation at the second layer of Qi Refinement, entered the sect for only two months; Zhang Shijie truly spoils him..."

The three were discussing the matter of Zheng Fa taking over the market.

Zhang Shijie did not intend to hide this matter; let alone these well-informed market disciples, even among the shopkeepers in the market, some had heard of this matter.

"... If I were to say, his talent in the Talisman Dao is good, but such a promotion is a bit excessive," a short, burly disciple said gloomily.

"This is Zhang Shijie's appointment."

"Is everything Zhang Shijie does right?" that disciple said resentfully: "Putting aside other things, who can be convinced by a second-layer Qi Refinement cultivator?"

"If there is chaos in the market, can he control the situation?"

"If he is a Talisman Dao genius, he should just draw talismans well, but the market cannot be governed by drawing a few talismans; he entered the sect only two months ago, hasn't even figured out Jiushan Sect yet, can he manage the market well?"

"..." The others exchanged glances, all feeling that this person spoke with reason.

"According to you, who is best to manage? Do you want to manage it?"

That short, burly disciple looked at the senior brother among them who had remained silent and said: "If Senior Sister Yuan had always managed it, it would be one thing; if not Senior Sister Yuan, I think Yang Shixiong is the best."

The others were stunned, all looking at that Yang Shixiong.

"Yang Shixiong is at the late Foundation Establishment realm, not to mention he has decades of connections in Jiushan Sect and has worked in the market for many years. Isn't he much better than that Zheng Fa?"

The others were also moved.

On one hand, they naturally felt this person spoke with some reason.

But on the other hand, they had a good relationship with Yang Shixiong; if Yang Shixiong had a future, they could naturally benefit a little.

However, Yang Shixiong waved his hand: "I have no desire for power. Moreover, Zhang Shijie has spoken, and we can only obey."

"Yang Shixiong, the spiritual stones passing through the hands of the market manager every month are more than we have seen in a lifetime," the short, burly disciple urged.

Yang Shixiong was silent for a while, looked at him, and said: "What you say makes a lot of sense. How about this? In a couple of days, when you see Zheng Fa, just say this to him—don't even mention my name; I support you becoming this market manager!"

"... How dare I oppose Zhang Shijie?"

"I dare?" Yang Shixiong let out a cold sneer.

The others didn't know what to say.

Among the market disciples, there were quite a few who had objections to Zheng Fa controlling the market, or rather, the vast majority.

The reasons for this were complex.

Being an old disciple suppressed by a new disciple at the second layer of Qi Refinement was naturally resentful.

On the other hand, it was also a lack of trust in Zheng Fa's abilities.

But more importantly, it was actually about interests; they all wanted to replace him—this position represented too many spiritual stones.

It's just that no one dared to openly oppose Zhang Shijie; they all hoped someone would step forward.

"Anyway, I am not convinced, and Zheng Fa is too young," that short, burly disciple said through gritted teeth.

The others were silent; Zheng Fa's youth meant a fact very unfavorable to them—he could sit in the market manager position for a long time, leaving no opportunity for others; if it were someone like Senior Sister Yuan at the Jin Dan realm, they naturally wouldn't dare to have objections, but Zheng Fa's cultivation was so low.

"Why not go find Senior Sister Yuan and let Senior Sister Yuan step forward!" Seeing everyone silent, the short, burly disciple gritted his teeth and said.

"Hmm?" Yang Shixiong raised his head and looked at this person.

"Senior Sister Yuan cares most about this market manager position," this disciple analyzed: "Now that Zhang Shijie wants this junior brother Zheng to control this market, isn't Senior Sister Yuan the angriest?"

"I heard Senior Sister Yuan and Zheng Fa have a good relationship?"

"Do you believe that?" that short, burly disciple refuted: "With such huge profits, even husband and wife can turn against each other!"

"Moreover, if they really had a good relationship, why not directly give the position to Zheng Fa?" The more he spoke, the more he felt he was right: "Is Zheng Fa stupid? Does he want another senior sister above his head?"

"What do you mean?"

"Senior Sister Yuan is reluctant to give up this position and cling to it; Zhang Shijie cannot favor Zheng Fa too much, so she can only compromise this way. In the future, these two will surely fight; only when they fight will we have a chance."

The short, stocky junior brother lifted his chin, wearing an expression of absolute certainty, as if he were just one fan away from fanning himself across his chest.