“Dragon Scale Grass! Freshly picked Dragon Scale Grass, only one low-grade spirit stone...”
“Spirit Gathering Pills, Spirit Gathering Pills! Only eight spirit stones, eight spirit stones! That's two stones cheaper than the shops...”
“Flight Talismans...”
At this moment, the various cultivators setting up stalls on the outskirts of the Hengduan Mountains were enthusiastically promoting their wares, creating a bustling, lively atmosphere of the cultivation world.
Suddenly, a strange noise echoed from the distance.
“Clang... Clang... Clatter clatter clatter...”
Looking up, everyone saw something flying toward them at high speed, trailing sparks and flashes of lightning along the way.
“Holy crap...”
“What is going on?”
“What on earth is that?”
The crowd couldn't help but cry out in surprise.
With a loud thud, the spirit boat crashed onto the ground.
The onlookers' lips twitched. How can anyone fly a spirit boat like that? It's practically falling apart. Seriously, couldn't they get it repaired? Aren't they afraid of falling out of the sky...
“I have to say, this spirit boat is actually pretty sturdy...” Lu Ming couldn't help but praise.
During the flight, other than being extremely noisy, bumpy, and shaky, it could still fly. This allowed Lu Ming to thoroughly enjoy the thrill of piloting a plane...
As Lu Ming hopped down from the spirit boat, he noticed many cultivators staring at him. He sighed helplessly. As expected, a protagonist's halo was impossible to hide. He had only just made his grand entrance, yet he had already captured everyone's attention...
“Fellow Daoist, do you need your spirit boat repaired? I am from the Bailian Sect. Our sect has veteran masters with thousands of years of experience. Top-tier craftsmanship, fair prices...”
Staring at the enthusiastic, short man before him, Lu Ming was taken aback. He glanced at the spirit boat behind him. “How much?”
The man froze for a moment but quickly recovered. He sized up the spirit boat behind Lu Ming and estimated a rough price. “It would probably cost around five thousand low-grade spirit stones...”
“Five thousand low-grade spirit stones! That's not expensive.”
Beside him, Big Yellow looked thoroughly confused. Since when did the boss have so many spirit stones?
Hearing Lu Ming's words, the short man's face lit up with joy.
“But I don't plan on repairing it.”
With that, Lu Ming stored the spirit boat away. Even if he sold himself, he couldn't produce five thousand low-grade spirit stones!
Hearing that Lu Ming had no intention of repairing it, the man turned and left in disappointment.
Huang Tianbao hesitated for a moment but ultimately remained silent. On their way here, Lu Ming had already instructed him not to show off his wealth and to avoid pulling out spirit stones at the drop of a hat...
The reason Lu Ming had given him such instructions was because this guy had casually whipped out two spirit stones right off the bat back then. Lu Ming understood the principle of keeping one's wealth hidden... He was afraid that if this guy constantly flashed his money, it would attract unwanted attention and lead to unnecessary trouble...
“We'll let the Grand Elder and the others fix it when we get back...”
With that, Lu Ming led Big Yellow and Huang Tianbao further inside. Looking at the bustling scene around them, Lu Ming felt as though he were wandering through a lively country market.
Just then, a miserable, pitiful voice rang out:
“Young hero, please have mercy and take pity on me! I haven't raised my cultivation in over three years. Please spare a few spirit stones...”
Lu Ming blinked. Why did those words sound so familiar?
Then, he saw a disheveled, filthy cultivator standing in front of him. Holding a staff in one hand and a bowl in the other, the man was holding out the bowl to beg...
“Young hero, please pity me! I really haven't raised my cultivation in three years, and my son at home was beaten and injured. I don't have any spirit stones to buy a recovery pill...”
What was going on? Was there begging in the cultivation world too?
“Woof! Woof!”
Big Yellow barked fiercely at the beggar. Didn't you see? The boss is walking a dog! Are you treating me like I'm invisible?
It remembered that back in Peace Town, these beggars were terrified of it...
Sure enough, hearing Big Yellow's barks, the beggar instinctively took two steps back...
“Big Yellow...”
Lu Ming called the dog back and sighed. Since he was the protagonist, he had to exhibit some saintly traits. In a situation like this, choosing to help when he didn't strictly have to showed just how kind-hearted he was...
Seeing Lu Ming prepare to pull something out of his storage bag, the beggar, who was about to turn away, instantly brightened up. At the same time, flattering words poured from his mouth as if they cost nothing:
“Thank you, thank you! Good deeds will be rewarded. One look at you, young hero, and I can tell you have the makings of a great emperor...”
However, when the chanting beggar saw what Lu Ming actually pulled out, he was instantly left utterly speechless...
Clatter...
A charred meat pie was tossed into the bowl by Lu Ming, completely covering the few spirit stones already resting at the bottom.
“Fill your stomach with this so you'll have more energy to shout. No need to thank me...” Lu Ming waved his hand, speaking with great magnanimity.
The beggar: “...”
He stared at the pie in his bowl, then looked up at Lu Ming.
“Fellow Daoist, I don't need the pie. I eat Inedia Pills when I'm on the clock. If you ever find yourself struggling to survive, you should join our Xiaoyao Sect. As long as you're shameless enough, you're guaranteed to thrive...”
Lu Ming's eyes lit up. He didn't have much talent or any special skills, and his only virtue was being shameless. This gig was practically made for him! Then again, he remembered that he was already a disciple of the Qingshan Sect, so he could only reluctantly pass on the offer...
Just then, the beggar not only shoved the meat pie back into Lu Ming's hand but also fished out a spirit stone from his bowl and stuffed it into Lu Ming's palm as well.
Then, with a look that clearly said, you're never going to amount to anything in this life, he turned and walked away...
Lu Ming froze, staring at the pie and the spirit stone in his hand. What was the meaning of this?
“Fairy, please have mercy! I haven't raised my cultivation in five years, and my wife at home is terminally ill...”
By now, the beggar had already found a new target: a beautiful female cultivator.
Clink...
Pinching her nose, the female cultivator tossed a spirit stone directly into the beggar's bowl.
“Thank you, thank you! One look at you, Fairy, and I can tell you have the makings of a great emperor...”
Seeing this, Lu Ming took a bite of his meat pie and stuffed the spirit stone into his storage bag. As a grand protagonist, he was actually envious of a beggar! Where was the justice in that?
“My storage bag is gone!”
A moment later, a startled cry rang out.
Lu Ming turned his head to look. It was none other than the woman who had just given the beggar a spirit stone.
Seeing this, Huang Tianbao hurriedly clutched his own storage bag in fright. Fortunately, he had listened to the boss and hadn't taken out any spirit stones.
“Woof!”
Big Yellow couldn't help but look down at Lu Ming's crotch. It wanted the boss to help hang its storage bag around its crotch too, otherwise, it just didn't feel safe...
“Was it done by the Thousand Hands Sect?”
“Definitely. Only the Thousand Hands Sect has such peerless movement techniques and sleight of hand...”
Listening to the discussions of the surrounding cultivators, Lu Ming's lips twitched. So the cultivation world wasn't just about fighting and killing; it also had a colorful side to it.
“Entry tokens!”
Just as Lu Ming and his group reached the entrance of the mountain range, a Qi Refining stage disciple shouted.
Lu Ming thought about it and directly pulled out the token given by the Haoran Sect.
“Go on in!”
Once Lu Ming and the others entered, they saw banners fluttering throughout the Hengduan Mountains, with many sects already stationed there.
“Eldest Senior Brother, should we find a place to camp as well?” Huang Tianbao asked.
“Sure...”
Lu Ming then pulled out his tent and set it up on an open patch of ground.
“Eldest Senior Brother, I see they've all put up their sect banners. Should we put ours up too?”
“Put it up? Of course we should! If we don't, that Haoran Sect might not even know we've arrived.”
“But do we even have a sect banner?”
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