Chapter 136 - 135: Premium of 100%, Meeting Ji Qing

"In fields that simply require varying degrees of toxicity, the properties of the venom basically make no difference, they’re versatile. As for other aspects, that’s a separate matter," Xu Jiayi explained.

"Every kind of venom has a unique effect, with a multitude of uses. If you’re making poison pills or specific elixirs, you need to preserve the peculiar characteristics of the venom, which limits your choices. In normal elixirs, the harmful substances in them are processed during the refining process, so what type of poison is used doesn’t really matter."

After sharing all that knowledge, she looked over somewhat suggestively.

"Emotional Poison is a rare and sensitive type of venom. There are restrictions on buying and selling it, so you need to specifically register it in a licensed store. Some thrill-seeking rich people often buy it, so it has high market value. You aren’t planning on keeping this, are you?"

Li Jing nodded after hearing what Xu Jiayi had said, and replied,

"I originally planned on leaving the whole monster to you. I don’t have any use for it."

"Okay, I’ll take it."

Xu Jiayi smiled and said,

"Master Mo is very eager and the quoted price is much higher than last time. This time I won’t make any profits from it, I’ll help you sell it with a markup of 100%."

"100%?"

Li Jing looked surprised and asked,

"With such a high offer, would someone actually buy it?"

"Last time there was already a 60% profit, let alone this time!"

Xu Jiayi shrugged her shoulders, looking at the shop assistant for an answer,

"What do you think the deformed part of the aberrant individual would be worth?"

"About 30 million."

The shop assistant replied,

"But the location is quite awkward, so we have to deduct a bit from the price."

"Awkward location?"

Xu Jiayi blinked in confusion.

"Well..."

The shop assistant hesitated, quickly glanced at Li Jing, then whispered,

"The monster Mr. Li brought in is a female monster... with a ’handle’."

"Handle?"

Xu Jiayi was confused at first, then her cheeks reddened when she understood. Turning her head, she snorted,

"How do you always end up with the weirdest things?"

"It was just born that way, how can you blame me?"

Li Jing shrugged helplessly.

"I didn’t say I blame you."

Xu Jiayi snapped back and cleared her throat,

"As you heard from our staff, the item’s location is quite awkward, so we have to deduct some of the price. Let’s remove 3 million and settle it at 54 million – what do you think?"

"No problem, same as before, exchange it with spiritual materials for nurturing spirit weapons."

Li Jing agreed readily.

This was simply an unexpected windfall.

The Baboon Pig Demon Girl, which wasn’t expected to be worth much initially, turned out more valuable than the previous two Scorpion Poison Pancakes combined, even just with one deformed part.

Deducting from price? Go ahead.

If he were to try to sell it anywhere else, there’s no way he’d get a price as good as Xu Jiayi’s.

Plus, that part was genuinely a bit awkward.

Using it for other purposes was fine, but turning it into an elixir and devouring it felt rather strange.

Hearing that Li Jing still wanted spiritual materials for nurturing spirit weapons, Xu Jiayi didn’t hesitate and said,

"Fine, I’ll have a high-quality Yin energy crystal sent up."

Saying so, she looked at the shop assistant.

"Go sever ’that’ part and I’ll contact Master Mo to come and pick it up."

"Understood."

The shop assistant responded, turning to return to the appraisal room.

Li Jing watched the clerk leave and asked out of curiosity.

"It’s been many days, haven’t you dealt with all your Yin Qi crystals?"

"These are all new products just received."

Xu Jiayi responded, and then gave a secretive smile.

"The Secret Realm’s output has recently flowed into the market, causing a significant impact on the prices of Yin Qi crystals, Soul Devouring crystals, and products related to Parasite Insects. Many Hua Country merchants who had stockpiled goods suffered heavy losses. Thanks to your early information, my family was able to stop the loss in time and also take the opportunity to press the Management Bureau for a batch of high-quality goods at a lower price."

Upon hearing this, Li Jing frowned in surprise.

"You dared to lower the price of the Management Bureau’s goods?"

"No trick, no business. What’s there to be afraid of?"

Xu Jiayi replied nonchalantly.

"You have to understand, the entire Hua Country market was affected. All the merchants are practically blaming the Management Bureau. Apart from my family and a few others who didn’t suffer, who would be willing to accept these goods? Other outputs are fine, but the demand for Yin Qi crystals and Soul Devouring Crystals is relatively smaller. It will take at least two or three years for market prices to recover. The Management Bureau also needs money to operate, they won’t go against their own interests."

As she spoke, she took out her phone.

"You sit here alone for a while, I have to contact the people upstairs and then call Master Mo back. He just left a little while ago, he should still be at other merchants trying to inquire about sourcing goods."

"Alright, you go ahead."

Li Jing nodded.

...

Xu Jiayi went to make a phone call and soon hurried back to the appraisal room.

She had just entered the appraisal room when Mo Qi, like the wind, walked in from outside the shop.

Seeing Li Jing sitting, he stopped his steps, his face flushed with excitement as he came over.

"Li patroller! I heard about what happened. This time, I really have to thank you greatly! My elixirs were stolen and I didn’t know how I would answer to the financier. Thank God for your assistance!"

As he spoke, he took out a square box on the spot.

"Recently, I’ve been focusing all of my energy on refining Barrier-Breaking Pills, and haven’t been making other elixirs. The theft affected me quite a bit, and I don’t have much of good things to give. Here are four Spirit Gathering Pills, please accept them."

Before Li Jing could even get up, Mo Qi had already forcibly thrust the square box into his hands, then turned around in great strides and headed for the appraisal room.

Watching this scene, Li Jing was amused.

Mo Qi is undoubtedly rich.

He purchased the demon parts Li JR brought in at a high price not just once, but twice. He gave him elixirs last time, and he is doing so again. How could Li Jing take it?

Especially right after a burglary that incurred heavy losses...

However, Mo Qi didn’t give him the opportunity to refuse at all. Once he had given the gift, he immediately left.

Returning the item wasn’t an option for Li Jing.

Since the gift has already been given, forcefully returning it would be ungrateful.

Moreover, Mo Qi clearly wanted to take the items back as soon as possible to refine elixirs. If Li Jing were to follow him now, he would only be obstructive.

Lowering his head to look at the box in his hand, Li Jing opened it.

Inside, there were four milky-white elixirs.

At the same time, the small obstruction in his pocket vibrated once.

Without looking, Li Jing already knew that it was a small obstruction out of kindness helping him inquire about what Spirit Gathering Pills do.

He took the small obstruction out of his pocket and lit up the screen. Sure enough, there was an introduction to the function of Spirit Gathering Pills on the screen.

Spirit Gathering Pills:

An auxiliary elixir used during daily cultivation. It can accelerate the cohesion of Origin energy and consolidate the foundation. It lasts for seven days with a market price of one million.

Perfect!

Another medicinal pill for cultivation!

Feeling disappointed, Li Jing put away the small obstruction and the elixir.

Just then, Mo Qi, who had entered the appraisal room, strode out quickly, nodded in acknowledgement from afar, and left the shop without any delay.

Xu Jiayi followed out of the appraisal room and wanted to see him off, but her steps were not as large and she couldn’t keep up.

Watching Mo Qi leave the shop in the blink of an eye, she had no choice but to give up and came to Li Jing.

"The appraisal of your monster is not finished yet, but I am afraid the remaining parts won’t fetch a lot of money. The monster species is the Hairy Baboon Pig, and its sharp spikes are the essence of its cultivation. But its body is completely bald and what’s left is just a pile of meat. Unfortunately, it is also a mutated individual, and all the essence of its body is condensed in its mutated organs. The rest of the organs are basically useless."

Upon hearing Xu Jiayi’s words, Li Jing was not surprised.

After winning such a "jackpot" like a mutated organ, he did not expect any more surprises.

After a brief consideration, Li Jing spoke.

"Wait for the appraisal result, decompose the flesh and bones for me. Look at what is left and see if it has any commercial value. Collect it for me if it does and dispose of it if it doesn’t."

"Got it."

Xu Jiayi nodded.

...

A store clerk from Xu Jiayi’s upstairs shop soon delivered a demonic qi crystal to Li Jing.

This Demonic Qi crystal was of higher quality than the one he received before, causing the Linglong Tower, which had been cooped up for a long time, to become restless.

About five minutes later, Li Jing received the complete appraisal report.

The appraisal results were staggeringly bad, even Xu Jiayi found it hard to believe.

The rest of the Baboon Pig Demon Girl organs were of such low quality that it was no better than a One Realm Monster. Only its flesh and bones barely maintained a Three Realm standard, valued at about 600,000.

For this reason, Xu Jiayi, who usually didn’t care about the origin of the goods, asked Li Jing about the source of the Monster and what it had done. She eventually concluded that the Baboon Pig Demon Girl, who had inherently distorted features, had indulged excessively, leading to a severe bodily deficit.

Even if Li Jing hadn’t killed her, the Baboon Pig Demon Girl would probably not have survived for many more years.

Unless she made further breakthroughs in her realm to make up for the severely depleted origin energy.

Regarding this, Li Jing didn’t know what to think.

This was the first time he knew that a Monster could also excessively indulge to the point of physical deficit, and even risk its life.

After taking the decomposed flesh and bones, Li Jing bid farewell to Xu Jiayi.

Upon leaving the market, Li Jing didn’t rush home but chose to ride the wind to Ji Qing’s hot pot restaurant.

He didn’t have any use for the meat of a Three Realm Monster.

Only the flesh of a Monster, non-transformed and non-Demonic Qi-infected, could be used as an ingredient.

The reason Li Jing kept it was all because Ji Qing had mentioned it before.

...

Soon, Li Jing arrived at the hot pot restaurant.

There wasn’t much business in the morning, but the shop was already open and a few clerks were cleaning inside.

As soon as Li Jing landed, Ji Qing, who was playing games at the counter, took notice.

She was very sensitive to Li Jing’s scent.

Upon seeing it was indeed him outside, Ji Qing was slightly surprised and got up from the counter to meet him at the front of the shop.

"What brought you here?"

"Checking the water meter."

Li Jing responded while presenting his Patrol Certificate.

Upon seeing this, Ji Qing smirked, crossed her arms and turned her body to the side.

"The meter is underneath the sink in the kitchen. If you want to have a look, go in yourself."

During their chat, she laughed slightly.

"You made it quite quick to become a legitimate patrol officer. I had to leave before anything happened, didn’t I?"

"It’s okay, not too fast."

Li Jing responded with a smile, glimpsed inside the restaurant, and said,

"I brought you some Monster flesh and bones, there is quite a lot for you to eat for a while, but the quality isn’t great."

Upon hearing this, Ji Qing’s eyes brightened and she responded appreciatively.

"You actually remembered me!"

As she spoke, she gestured towards the kitchen.

"It’s inconvenient to speak outside. Let’s go to the back kitchen."

"Okay."

Li Jing agreed and entered the restaurant, incidentally peeking at Ji Qing’s health bar.

When he left last time, her health bar was 4018, but now it had grown to 4117.

The growth rate was quite fast, no doubt!

It’s no wonder that Monsters within the food chain would often hunt and devour each other, as it was much quicker than proper cultivation.

Arriving in the back kitchen with Ji Qing, Li Jing, noticing that no one else was around, casually took out the flesh and bones of the Baboon Pig Demon Girl.

Upon seeing the pile of flesh and bones, Ji Qing wrinkled her little nose to sniff it.

"This batch of flesh and bones is indeed not very good. It’s much worse than the snake you brought me last time, but it makes up for it in quantity."

After evaluating for a while, she glanced over.

"How much for all this?"

"Think of it as a gift from me, it’s free."

Li Jing responded with a smile.

"We haven’t seen each other in a while, consider it a gift from me."

Upon hearing this, Ji Qing raised an eyebrow and said,

"It’s rare for you to be so generous, I won’t refuse then!"

As she spoke, she collected all the flesh and bones and then thought for a moment to say.

"I got some news here that you might be interested in."

?

Li Jing slowly typed out a question mark.

"I heard from one of my Monster friends, who’s a cat demon, that recently a gang of thieving Rat Demons has come to North City. They are too arrogant and have provoked many humanoid Monsters hiding in North City."

Ji Qing whispered.

"The burglary case reported on the news this morning was probably their doing."

"The burglary case broadcast on the news?"

Li Jing was taken aback and responded in confusion.

"Are you referring to the theft case where the high-grade Alchemists of the Alchemy Association collectively fell prey?"

"Right."

Ji Qing nodded.

Confirming her words, Li Jing raised an eyebrow.

He honestly didn’t give much thought to the case where high-level Alchemists of the Alchemy Association were collectively victimized.

Although he’s part of the Security Department, he is not a patrol officer.

When he goes to work later, he will just hear some news about it. There’s no way he can be involved.

Furthermore, such burglary cases with no clue from the crime scene often become unprovable cold cases unless the culprit makes another mistake.

Hearing what Ji Qing had to say, Li Jing was suddenly interested.

A gang of Rat Demons?

In groups?

The numbers were certainly not small.

This matter was worth delving into!

Just as he was about to ask questions, Ji Qing shook her head.

"The only thing I can tell you is that my Monster friend is also a cat demon. I can’t say any more. If you go after her, I won’t be able to keep my own face."

"Er... "

Li Jing was embarrassed.

He didn’t have a choice but to express understanding for Ji Qing’s words.

No humanoid Monster would want their Monster identity to be known by patrol officers, much less have them knock on their doors.

If Ji Qing was to explicitly tell him where the news came from, it’d be an end of their friendship once he goes after the Monster.

After a moment’s thought, Li Jing spoke.

"You can help me to ask your friend again, to see if there are more accurate news. In principle, there are rewards for citizens who provide leads. If she can provide reliable information, I can apply for a reward for her from my superiors. You can pass on the reward to her."

He added another sentence.

"I only heard about the Alchemy Association theft case when I went to the Spiritual Object market. The case involves a huge amount of money that the Bureau takes very seriously. If she can provide valuable clues, the reward will be sizable."

Seeing his clear interest in the group of thieving Rat Demons, Ji Qing nodded.

"I’ll ask her in person tonight, and I’ll contact you if I get any news. But I can’t guarantee any results as it will take some talking. The reward money seems rather insignificant compared to getting involved with a patroller. I’ll have to try my best to persuade her."