Chapter 82: Buying Slaves

Ning Fengzhi's gaze was deep as they looked at Li Xuan; they also wanted to discern the secret Li Xuan hides in his heart, but Ning Fengzhi failed, they really couldn't see through Li Xuan.

"You really are an interesting little fellow, I can grant your request, just don't cheat me. This is my Token; as long as you find any Seven Treasures Glazed Sect shop on the main road, you can contact me, if you can really help us solve it." Ning Fengzhi tossed a Token, then turned and left.

Li Xuan steadily caught the Token Ning Fengzhi tossed, and grinned at Ning Fengzhi's back.

"For the Bing Huo Liang Yi Yan, I have to take risks; I hope the Bing Huo Liang Yi Yan won't disappoint me when the time comes," Li Xuan sighed helplessly.

Li Xuan was simply too weak to shake Dugu Bo at all, so Li Xuan could only be clever by tracking Dugu Bo's movements; that way, Li Xuan could strike while Dugu Bo was absent and then empty the Bing Huo Liang Yi Yan!

In fact, Li Xuan had already discovered Ning Fengzhi's identity when auctioning the Soul Guide Device; based on the ability of the Brahma Sound Glazed Flower, Li Xuan devised this "Luring the Tiger from the Mountain" scheme against Dugu Bo.

From leaking the Brahma Sound Glazed Flower's information to the final transaction, everything was within Li Xuan's calculations.

Of course, Li Xuan would not fully trust Ning Fengzhi; that fellow resembled a fox, and with a slight misstep one could easily fall into his scheming.

Li Xuan's actions were not much different from conspiring with a tiger, but for the sake of the Bing Huo Liang Yi Yan he still decided to proceed, after all the Bing Huo Liang Yi Yan contains a Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower, a top‑grade Fire‑attribute Immortal Grade spirit plant that can become Li Xuan's Third Soul Ring! Moreover, the Bing Huo Liang Yi Yan also holds more Immortal Grade spirit plants and Heavenly Material Earth Treasure.

Among them, the most valuable is the Bing Huo Liang Yi Yan!

But right now Li Xuan has no mood to think about those Heavenly Material Earth Treasure.

Li Xuan is thinking about where to run after obtaining the Bing Huo Liang Yi Yan; he has too many secrets in his hands to endure scrutiny.

As for a place to flee, the City of Slaughter is a decent choice.

"Forget it, I won't tally these now; I'll first buy some slaves to send back to Chunqiu Jiuzhuang, life must go on. Once the Treasure‑seeking Compass can be used, I can start moving on the Bing Huo Liang Yi Yan," Li Xuan rubbed his bare chin, then headed straight for the Slave Market.

The Slave Market of Tian Dou City lies in the southeast corner of the city, near the slums, so sometimes what you buy isn't necessarily a slave but could be a pauper seized to fill the numbers.

Standing at the entrance of the Slave Market and looking inside, the market resembles a long street; the road isn't wide, but both sides are lined with cages holding slaves.

The street is filled with excrement, rotting odor, and the smell of human decay, mingling into an unbearable stench.

Li Xuan frowned inwardly, but he wasn't pretentious; he took a flower from the Void Pearl, rubbed it under his nose, and then headed toward the Slave Market.

"Come on, young man, we just got a few pretty girls here, come have a look."

"A batch of broad‑shouldered, stout guards just arrived at the shop, young man, come have a look..."

……

The owners of several shops at the street entrance saw Li Xuan and hurriedly extended a warm invitation to him.

Li Xuan ignored their greetings and walked on toward the interior of the Slave Market on his own.

Li Xuan didn't just pick any shop; he wandered the Slave Market for a long time and found a relatively tidy one.

"Welcome, young master, what kind of slave would you like to buy?" The shop owner, checking the ledger, looked up at Li Xuan when he heard the voice and smiled in welcome. The owner was a bit plump, about forty‑something, with a kindly face that wasn't off‑putting.

"Hello, boss, I'd like to buy a batch of slaves skilled at farming; I've purchased a manor with several thousand mu of land and want to grow crops," Li Xuan smiled and said.

"Growing crops, huh? We have plenty of such slaves. For several thousand mu you'd need at least five hundred to a thousand people, young master, how many do you want?" The plump boss thought for a moment, then said to Li Xuan.

"One thousand five hundred, please; the more, the finer the planting. Oh, and boss, I also need some slaves who can brew wine, preferably with prior brewing experience," Li Xuan said again to the plump boss.

"Brewers? That's indeed rare. I'll need to ask nearby shops. What other kinds of slaves do you need?" The plump boss continued asking Li Xuan.

"I also need some overseers skilled at managing farms," Li Xuan said after thinking.

Chunqiu Jiuzhuang isn't built yet, so this time Li Xuan's purchase of slaves is mainly for clearing wasteland and planting Dragon Tooth Rice.

"I see. I have slaves who can act as overseers. Please wait a moment; I'll check nearby shops for slaves skilled at brewing." The plump boss smiled at Li Xuan, offered a glass of fruit juice, then turned back to his shop.

Li Xuan took the fruit juice, sat on the sofa, and began drinking.

After absorbing Burning Heart Golden Chrysanthemum and Filthy Flame Yin Lotus, Li Xuan may not be completely immune to all poisons, but he can definitely resist ninety percent of toxins on the market; with two more Immortal Grade spirit plants, his body would become fully poison‑proof, so he isn't afraid at all.

A short while later, the plump boss entered with a delighted expression.

"Young master, there's actually a small brewing family in a nearby shop, about thirty people, all very skilled at brewing. We can pack them up and take them away for ten Gold Soul Coins; does that work for you?" The plump boss asked Li Xuan cautiously.

"Ten Gold Soul Coins? That's pricey—are they really that good at brewing?" Li Xuan asked, frowning.

"Their family's martial soul is the Wine Jar; they've always made a living brewing, and it's said the craft has been passed down for two or three hundred years, the skill is still quite good," the plump boss explained to Li Xuan, a bit awkwardly.

Li Xuan's eyes lit up at the plump boss's words; the brewing family's martial soul is the Wine Jar, so their ancestors were probably also a Soul Master Family, though now they have declined.

He considered it a treasure he'd found; he isn't good at brewing—though medicinal wine works well, its taste is lacking. This Soul Master Family can make up for that, making Li Xuan's wine more palatable.

"Alright, that works; ten Gold Soul Coins are ten Gold Soul Coins. By the way, boss, I need one thousand five hundred field‑working slaves and one hundred servants; how much will that cost?" Li Xuan nodded and asked the plump boss.

"Regular slaves are five Copper Soul Coins each, servants ten Copper Soul Coins each, and eighty‑five Silver Soul Coins total," the plump boss calculated briefly and quoted his price.

Li Xuan was stunned for a moment; one thousand six hundred people weren't even a tenth the price of that brewing family—what a wicked world.

"Fine, that'll do," Li Xuan said, nodding with satisfaction, then took eleven Gold Soul Coins from the Void Pearl and handed them to the plump boss.

"For the remaining fifteen Silver Soul Coins, you can decide what to get for me," Li Xuan said with a smile.

"Sure thing, young master, we just received a batch of children whose martial souls haven't awakened yet; a child costs one hundred Copper Soul Coins. Do you want any?" the plump boss suddenly smiled at Li Xuan.

(End of Chapter)