Chapter 409: The Merry King

The security here is actually quite good, but the expenses are certainly not cheap—these oases exist solely for the traffic of business, essentially gold‑selling caves. Casinos and brothels, especially the casino, can clean you up in a single night. Though this is a desert, Bai Lang can still eat the so‑called "southern delicacies," and they taste quite authentic, though the price is even more authentic.

"At this rate, the money in my pouch won't last three days." Bai Lang thought after learning the money‑talk, and from the chatter of the inn's waiter and the talkative folk in the theater he knew the de facto ruler here calls himself the Merry King, and that ordinary people really can't enter the gold‑selling caves—only those with fortunes worth ten thousand strings or formidable martial skill are invited by the Merry King to the lakeside pavilions for leisure. Rumor has it those places have the prettiest women, the finest food and wine, and the best performances…

"Could this Merry King perhaps have the surname Chai?" Bai Lang mused. He wasn't thinking of displaying his own martial prowess to become the Merry King's honored guest; he only wanted to rest a few days here before continuing his journey—since he has already left Great Yan, he doesn't mind traveling the world and covering thousands of miles, which is also the proper path of cultivation. The world is vast, and there are countless wondrous skills and arts he wishes to witness one by one.

The master of the shop? Bai Lang had never cared about becoming the oasis lord. He entered the grocery store and slapped the fish‑skin he was carrying onto the counter. "Shopkeeper, is this thing worth anything?" a middle‑aged attendant asked, eyeing the fish‑skin. "This sandworm skin isn't common; you've got a good skill, strongman. Even a powerful crossbow might not pierce this skin, and it resists fire and water, making it a treasure of the desert. Are you looking to sell it to us?"

"You're straightforward, laying out the value point by point. Fine, I'll buy it; name your price." Bai Lang felt the merchant's business sense was crystal clear, so he decided that if the price was right, he'd sell it outright. The attendant smiled, "Just by looking at the skin I can tell it was stripped off only a few days ago. Who wouldn't be a hero for obtaining something like this? I'm an old man, frail, and can't endure a hero's wrath."

Bai Lang laughed heartily, and the attendant seized the chance to ask, "Do you know if any heroes have ever taken a bead of this size from a sandworm's body? Something half‑hard, half‑soft." He held up a bead about the size of a human head. "What's this?" Bai Lang asked curiously. The attendant, seeing his reaction, knew he hadn't taken one, but still explained, "This is the most valuable substance inside a sandworm, commonly called a Blood Qi Pill. As the name suggests, combined with other herbs it can be refined into a Blood Qi elixir that greatly replenishes vital energy and boosts cultivation."

"Got it. If I kill more next time, I'll definitely take one. But is this thing easy to preserve?" Bai Lang asked. The attendant pondered, "Without proper techniques or storage treasures, it will spoil in at most three days; once dried it's useless." Bai Lang nodded. The attendant finally quoted a price of a little over a hundred taels of silver for the skin—if it were a whole piece it might fetch a thousand taels, but the skin can at most be made into armor, so the price isn't low.

This material differs from ordinary cowhide; improper processing leads to rapid rot, which is why the purchase price is set as it is.

Bai Lang handed over the skin without hesitation, took the silver, and returned to the inn. "Use this money to get a few new outfits…" he thought, then lifted his head and sighed, "Mr. Bai, are you there? We, on behalf of the Merry King, request your presence at the banquet."

The words spoken by those outside no longer surprised Bai Lang. He had already sensed their martial skill when they entered the inn, and their opening remark confirmed his judgment was spot on. "Indeed, if we can't identify the Innate Expert who set foot on our turf within a day, the oasis lord need not continue." Bai Lang thought, raised his palm, and the door opened with a burst of true qi. "Alright, lead the way."

Outside stood several deferential youths, each brimming with divine vigor, though none were Innate Experts. Bai Lang followed them downstairs; the shopkeeper and waiter had been watching him from a corner, bewildered by this guest—perhaps they hadn't expected him to be the Merry King's distinguished guest. Outside was a gilded, silver‑inlaid carriage drawn by two black horses. After the youths helped him onto the carriage, they themselves mounted and escorted him into a resplendent golden‑and‑jade hall.

Bai Lang stepped off the carriage and first glanced at the three‑story high pavilion sheathed in gold leaf. "Yiqi Pavilion?" he said casually, then walked straight inside. Attendants lined both sides, all quite beautiful, and within the pavilion lay a vast space that seemed to rise to the top floor; the three stories merely formed a U‑shaped enclosure around the central hall. In the hall stood a raised platform about half a person's height, upon which sat a man.

The man's appearance was ancient and dignified, with large earlobes and a pair of hands that were strikingly attractive—though the hands were large, they were as graceful and gentle as a woman's, each finger bearing a massive ruby ring. His clothing's material was unknown, but merely looking at it suggested it was exceedingly expensive. When Bai Lang reached the platform, the man instantly rose, spreading his arms as if to embrace him. "This is the renowned Innate Expert of Great Yan, Brother White Yuzhu. The towering White Yuzhu! Truly a paragon!"

Bai Lang was indeed a paragon! He now stood like a jade tree in the wind, taller than the possible Merry King by half a head, his physique even more perfect—such is the result of training external techniques from the inside out. Moreover, the man's visage was ancient, while Bai Lang's thick brows, large eyes, and dignified looks made him think he too deserved a compliment. "And you are?" Bai Lang asked.

"I am Chai Chunmen, friends on the road have given me the nickname Merry King." The man warmly invited Bai Lang to sit; as soon as Bai Lang seated himself, four more people—men, women, old and young—rose onto the platform from all sides, all of them Innate Experts without exception. They gathered around Chai Chunmen and Bai Lang, forming a semicircle—Merry King in the center, Bai Lang in the secondary seat. Then the attendants, like a flowing stream, served low tables with assorted fruits, pastries, and prepared backrests for each guest.

Chai Chunmen also removed his original chair, sitting on the floor like Bai Lang, and announced, "These are my friends, everyone, and this is Brother White Yuzhu from Great Yan." He introduced Bai Lang.