Chapter 51: Selling It So Expensively Is Reasonable, Right?

"How could that be!" the female maid's eyes remained fixed on the Lettuce before her, "Medicinal plants are all dry and coarse, their scent bitter and unpleasant; how could anyone want to eat them…"

As a maid of the Witch Maiden Hall, she lacked a Pheromone Value and thus could not learn to craft elixirs, but she had studied, recognized, and seen countless medicinal plants, and she did not recognize the kind of medicinal plant the woman before her had produced.

It must be fake!

The maid's face was full of disbelief, yet her eyes perched over the water tank stared intently, and she kept swallowing saliva.

Lin Manzhi, seeing this, thought that when selling unfamiliar food, the best promotion was a tasting.

She picked up a Lettuce, snapped off a leaf, and handed it over: "You can try it first; then go find your steward and ask if she wants this new medicinal plant. I don't have many of my own; if you don't accept them here, I'll look elsewhere."

The maid took it, carefully tore off half and immediately ate it, then, clutching the remainder, hurried to her feet: "Please wait a moment; I'll go fetch our steward right away!"

After a while, the maid escorted them to a more luxurious room, which had tables and chairs, and served fruit and honey water.

Lin Manzhi pulled Mo Lie to sit and slowly sipped the honey water.

Eight minutes later, a rapid footfall sounded from the archway; a red-haired woman lifted the hanging linen and stepped inside.

The red-haired woman first inspected the three large vats in the room; she ate the green leaf the maid had handed over, and its flavor surpassed any green leaf she had ever tasted.

It was icy, crisp, tender, with a hint of sweetness.

She had never before eaten such a delicious green leaf.

Even if this weren't a medicinal plant, she would still buy it to eat as a meal.

"I am the steward Su Li here." Su Li walked to the edge of the large vat, her gaze briefly passing the two tall figures in the room before turning to Lin Manzhi, "What is this medicinal plant called? Do you have any more?"

She did not ask the price.

Lin Manzhi, upon hearing this, understood and smiled, saying, "My surname is Mu; the plant I brought is called Lettuce. I have none left now, but whether I bring more later will depend on the price you set, Steward Su."

Su Li looked at Lin Manzhi, a flash of surprise crossing her eyes.

She hadn't expected that this poorly dressed female, whose lack of Pheromone Value was obvious, would remain so composed when meeting her.

She, however, was a female with a Pheromone Value of three, a senior Shamaness of the Mountain Classic Beast Temple; every pharmacy in Kuangsha City was under her charge, and all male beasts, even females, would eagerly flatter her.

A female with such a casual attitude as the one before her would be thrown out of a pharmacy by her guards.

However, seeing that the other had brought the Lettuce she desired, Su Li pardoned the woman; when it came to price, she lifted her chin and said, "State your price."

"If you put it that way, I won't be polite."

"I know your judgment is always precise and never mistaken. My Lettuce medicinal plant is exceptional; you won't find it elsewhere."

Lin Manzhi, seeing she was not short of money, replied briskly, "Steward Su, five hundred Beast Coins."

Su Li: "..."

"W-what?!!"

She lowered her raised chin, her mouth twitched, and she stammered, "Your price is outrageous; the most expensive medicinal plants in the Witch Maiden Hall are only two hundred Beast Coins. This isn't a plant that costs over a dozen more—why so pricey!"

Lin Manzhi assumed a business posture and said earnestly, "But I am the only one who has this Lettuce."

Su Li stared at the half-human-height large vat, her brows knitting tightly.

"You may pick it up and test whether the Lettuce contains medicinal properties," Lin Manzhi said. "Once you confirm it is a medicinal plant, we can discuss the price."

Behind them, Hua Zheng, serving as a guard, licked his parched lips.

He quietly glanced at Mo Lie, who was seated beside him.

Mo Lie, seated beside her, lifted his hand and placed the cup of honey water in front of Lin Manzhi, revealing his long, clearly jointed fingers.

The room was well lit, and he seemed to radiate the casual confidence that only a powerful male beast possesses, indifferent to everything around him, as if he had returned to being the proud and formidable Young Master of Ansen City.

With him there, any danger would be easily dealt with.

Occasionally, Mo Lie's gaze drifted to the side, revealing that his only concern was the woman beside him.

Hua Zheng let out a low growl in his mind.

Rarely, he kept watch during this interval and realized that the spotted female before him was truly formidable.

The three-water large vat he was holding turned out to be such an expensive medicinal plant??

His attention also fell on the Lettuce; regarding the Shamaness, as the first warrior beside the Young Master of Ansen City he had seen many, he was no longer so awestruck.

Standing, Su Li almost forgot to verify that first; she was preoccupied with the Lettuce's deliciousness, while the woman kept insisting it was a medicinal plant...

She decided to examine it thoroughly; perhaps the Lettuce's medicinal value was low, and she could then bargain hard.

Su Li extended a hand adorned with two gemstone bracelets, lifted a Lettuce, and without shielding it from others, pale pink pheromone threads surged from her fingertips, adhering to the leaf like spider silk.

This Lettuce contained an abundance of water, explaining its excellent texture; she also discovered that it was especially suitable for females, as regular consumption could make the skin supple and hydrated.

"...!"

Su Li's pupils dilated, her expression turning serious as she brought the Lettuce closer to her eyes.

She discovered that this Lettuce contained a component identical to the primary ingredient Sun Sand Grass used in crafting the calming spirit elixir, and its active element level was more than ten times higher than that of Sun Sand Grass.

"What does this mean?"

As a Shamaness, she understood perfectly: with this Lettuce, the efficacy of the calming spirit elixir could be amplified by more than tenfold.

The calming spirit elixir exerted a mild sedative effect on male beasts, while also alleviating Spirit Core fatigue and promoting regeneration of Spirit Core energy.

Su Li's hands began to tremble.

If the Lettuce were available, the primary herb's vitality element would boost the elixir's efficacy by more than tenfold, signifying a major breakthrough for the calming spirit elixir.

She had been assigned to Kuangsha City for a long time; the male beasts there were brutish and feeble, possessing only well‑developed limbs and water‑logged minds, with no top‑tier male beasts.

Su Li longed to achieve a great breakthrough to catch the Great Witch's attention and return to the Mountain Classic Beast Temple, where she dealt with the continent's powerful male beasts. At over forty, she was weary of the young, handsome Beast Husbands and sought a more formidable Beast Husband.

This new medicinal plant before her might be her opportunity!

"Steward Su?" Lin Manzhi observed Su Li's flushed face, seeming to approve of her Lettuce, and asked, "Do you consider my Lettuce a medicinal plant?"

Hearing the voice of the poorly dressed woman, Su Li snapped back to attention.