Chapter 26 - 19 Neighbors i
Chapter 26: Chapter 19 Neighbors i
Translator: 549690339
“Friend Lan, long time no see!”
Xu Mu stopped in his tracks and smiled, giving a cupped-fist salute.
The beauty in the teal robe before him was Lan Shijin, a former neighbour.
Truth be told, Xu Mu and her were not close; from her robe alone, one could see that they were on completely different levels.
The reason he knew her was mainly due to the good relationship between his wife Ye Yingying and her.
When Ye Yingying was newly pregnant, Lan Shijin, having heard the news from somewhere, kindly took the initiative to teach her pregnancy care techniques.
Maybe it was also because there were too few people raising children in this marketplace!
Regardless of the reason, interactions added up over time and Xu Mu was able to chat up with Lan Shijin.
“You look like you’re doing fine in the slums, you even look much younger!” Lan Shijin looked him up and down, there was a suitable smile at the corner of her mouth, she continued, “How’s Ying Ying doing?”
“My cultivation breakthrough was just a fluke, you flatter me, Friend Lan! As for Ying Ying, she’s doing quite well, she’s even put on some weight recently!” Xu Mu laughed.
“That’s good! How’s the child?” Lan Shijin asked further.
“Already born, a girl!”
“A girl, huh…”
Lan Shijin’s voice stretched out a bit, disappointment flashed in her beautiful eyes, but she quickly put on a full smile and said, “A girl is lovely! Congratulations! It’s a pity 1 did not have the time to visit!”
There was a slight hint of regret in Lan Shijin’s tone.
“There will always be time, you’re welcome here any time you want to visit, Friend Lan!”
“Very well! I’ll definitely visit if 1 get the chance! 1 have other matters now so I must be on my way!”
“Friend Lan, please feel free to go!”
“I’ll be going now!”
Lan Shijin, like a young elegant lady from a prominent family, gave a slight bow, then turned around and departed.
Xu Mu stepped into the medicine store.
What he didn’t know was that after Lan Shijin had walked a certain distance away, it was as if she remembered something, and abruptly turned around to return.
Inside the medicine store.
“Welcome welcome, it’s been a while… Master Xu? I thought you…”
Shopkeeper Tu, who was humming a tune while cleaning the counter, upon hearing the footsteps, thought a customer had arrived. When he looked up, he saw Xu Mu whom he had not seen for a long time.
“My life is pretty tough; it won’t be that easy for me to die!” Xu Mu laughed.
He took out a bottle of the pill from his storage bag and put it on the counter, smiling said, “Could you check how much this pill is worth?”
“What? Did you get lucky and pick up someone else’s pill?”
Shopkeeper Tu asked while removing the bottle’s seal and peeking inside.
“It’s a Qi Gathering Pill! You’re quite lucky, they’re all top quality!” Shopkeeper Tu took out one pill, looked at it carefully, and chuckled.
“Will you take it?”
“Of course I will! However many you have, I’ll take them all!” Shopkeeper Tu snorted.
He had his own shop after all. Could he not afford a few bottles of Qi Gathering Pills?
Moreover, knowing Xu Mu, having two bottles would be good enough.
The only thing he was curious about was where Xu Mu had gotten them from.
As for Xu Mu himself refining the pills, he wouldn’t believe it.
If Xu Mu were that capable, he wouldn’t have been sent to the slums.
“And the price?”
“Price? Just for two bottles of pills and you’re talking about the price. I’ll give you market rate, twenty-four Lower-grade Spirit Stones a bottle, how does that sound?” Shopkeeper Tu generously declared.
He knew Xu Mu’s situation and didn’t want to profit from him over those two Lower-grade Spirit Stones.
“You said it! No backing out now!”
“If I go back on my word, I’m a loser!”
Shopkeeper Tu swore with a chest thump.
Xu Mu grinned and started taking out bottles of pills.
First bottle, second bottle, all fine – but by the third bottle, Shopkeeper Tu could hardly keep his composure. Not because he couldn’t afford the Spirit Stones, but because he was shocked at where Xu Mu got so many Qi Gathering Pills from.
He opened each one to confirm and make sure that Xu Mu wasn’t tricking him with empty bottles.
By the time Xu Mu reached the tenth bottle, Shopkeeper Tu started to panic.
“Don’t tell me you robbed that pharmacy?! I’m telling you, there have been many Foundation Establishment Families settling in our marketplace recently, don’t mess around!”
Shopkeeper Tu was worried that Xu Mu would do something impulsive and turn his attention towards these Foundation Establishment Families.
Regardless of whether it was stealing, robbing, or cheating, messing with them was not going to end well.
“Don’t worry! These are all pills I’ve crafted myself!” Xu Mu took out all twenty bottles and said with a smile.
During this time, he had crafted more than thirty bottles of pills, of which he and Ye Yingying had consumed over ten, leaving these twenty to be traded for Spirit Stones.
“You made these?”
Shopkeeper Tu was taken aback and snickered, “Stop joking, with your pill crafting skills, you can barely make a top-grade Fasting Pill!”
Shopkeeper Tu was a hundred percent skeptical.
The last time they met was only half a year ago. With Xu Mu’s talent, even if he had crafted Qi Gathering Pills nonstop since then, he couldn’t have reached this point.
More importantly, Xu Mu couldn’t afford to experiment many times given his situation.
“And the price?”
“Price? It’s just two bottles of pills and you’re talking about the price. I’ll give you market rate, twenty-four Lower-grade Spirit Stones a bottle, how does that sound?” Shopkeeper Tu generously offered.
He knew Xu Mu’s situation, and didn’t want to profit from his two Lower-grade Spirit Stones.
“That’s what you said! No take-backs!”
“Backing out makes me a loser!”
Shopkeeper Tu thumped his chest in guarantee.
Xu Mu grinned and began to take out pills bottle after bottle.
First bottle, second bottle, all good – but by the third bottle, Shopkeeper Tu could hardly keep his composure. Not because he couldn’t afford the Spirit Stones, but because he was shocked at where Xu Mu got so many Qi Gathering Pills from.
He opened each one to confirm and make sure that Xu Mu wasn’t fooling him with empty bottles.
By the time Xu Mu reached the tenth bottle, he started to panic.
“Don’t tell me you robbed that pharmacy?! I’m telling you, there have been many Foundation Establishment Families settling in our marketplace recently, don’t mess up!”
Shopkeeper Tu was worried Xu Mu would do something rash, and set his sights on those Foundation Establishment Families. Whether it was stealing, robbing, or scamming, anyone messing with them was sure to end up in a bad state.
“Rest assured! These are all pills I’ve personally crafted!” Xu Mu took out all twenty bottles and said with a laugh.
He had crafted over thirty bottles during this time, of which more than ten bottles had been consumed by him and Ye Yingying, leaving these twenty bottles to be exchanged for Spirit Stones.
“You crafted these?”
Shopkeeper Tu was stunned for a moment and then chuckled, “Stop kidding, with your pill crafting skills, crafting top-grade Fasting Pills would already be pushing it!”
Shopkeeper Tu did not believe it at all.
The last time the two met was just over half a year ago. Even if Xu Mu had been crafting Qi Gathering Pills non-stop since then given his talent, it wouldn’t have reached this level.
Furthermore, given Xu Mu’s resources, he would also not be able to tinker around often.
“So, do you believe me now or not? I’ve placed the pills here, are you taking them or not?”
Xu Mu shrugged.
“Are these really crafted by you?”
Shopkeeper Tu still found it hard to believe.
The gap was indeed too huge.
“Do I really need to lie to you? Besides, with my strength, where would I even go to steal so many pills!” Xu Mu said helplessly.
He knew that this would happen.
“Well, that’s true!”
Shopkeeper Tu finally started to believe him a little.
Only then did he size up Xu Mu and noticed that he seemed to be much younger than before.
“Did you break through in your cultivation?”
“Hmm!”
“Now it makes sense!”
Shopkeeper Tu suddenly understood, or at least, he could now comprehend a little.
“Hurry up and calculate the price!”