Chapter 38: Truly Turning Into a Wholesaler

Deer City’s Bird Market, despite its name, sells far more than just birds. Standing at the entrance, one is immediately greeted by the quintessential atmosphere of an antique district. Shops are lined with shelves displaying porcelain, seals, clay figurines, and wood carvings. Along the roadside, vendors sit on burlap mats, waiting for passersby to inquire about their scattered artifacts. Only a few shops keep flowers, birds, fish, or insects, adding a touch of vitality to this street filled with relics of the past.

Feng Xue kept his "Over-the-Shoulder Vision" active, scanning the tops of the shopkeepers' heads. Amidst varying lifespans, he was searching for individuals blessed with longevity. This world operates on a system of "Virtuous Deeds and Evil Karma"; regardless of how it manifests, the principle that good and evil bring their own rewards remains absolute. In such a context, a long lifespan suggests either mastery of cultivation or a life of accumulated virtue. In a place like an antique street, it is far easier to procure genuine items from such people.

Lost in thought, Feng Xue reflected on his journey to collect secret manuals. Whether due to proximity or a shared lineage, the spells he received from Aunt Liu were very similar to those from Ninth Aunt, though they lacked the "Pot Heaven" and "Nightmare Incantation" techniques, while adding a protective spell known as "Golden Body." He had visited other rice shops as well, but they either only accepted disciples or offered the same limited repertoire. This led Feng Xue to realize that, at least in this region, this was the extent of what the shamanic tradition could provide.

"Still, I managed to find one new technique. I can ask around elsewhere later; who knows what I might find?"

As he thought optimistically, his gaze flickered. Though it was only a fleeting glance, he keenly perceived a lifespan that exceeded the norm by one digit. Six figures—even if the first digit was only a one, that still meant three or four hundred years of remaining life!

Without hesitation, he turned back and spotted a grandmaster chair placed in front of a shop. An old man with the hair of a crane but the face of a youth reclined comfortably, holding a small red-clay teapot in one hand. An antique gramophone played nearby, emitting the warbling sounds of traditional opera. The old man tapped his foot to the rhythm, exuding the aura of a recluse hiding in the bustling city.

*This is the one,* Feng Xue thought. He strode over, but before he could speak, the old man, without lifting his head, remarked, "The prices are marked. Take what you fancy, no haggling!"

Feng Xue glanced at the price tags on the shelves and his brows twitched. Tianhuang stone, Hetian jade—each item was casually priced at over a dozen strings of cash. If the quality was superior, some pieces were even more expensive than the spirit ghost he carried in his pocket. Such staggering prices for items left on open-air shelves that let in the wind—it was no wonder passersby gave the stall a wide berth. If there were any traps on those shelves, one wrong move could bankrupt a person, regardless of whether the goods were authentic or not.

Dismissing the impolite thought, Feng Xue decided to get straight to the point. "Senior, I wish to purchase some jade seals for cultivation. The quality doesn't need to be high, but I need a large quantity. Could you tell me where I might acquire them?"

Hearing the question, the old man—whose face remained wrinkle-free despite his white hair—slightly raised his eyes. His gaze lingered for a moment on Feng Xue's waist and fingers before he replied, "You don't look like you're short on money. Are you planning to make jade talismans or study 'Jade Consumption'? Your cultivation is too shallow; practicing that would do more harm than good."

Feng Xue had encountered the term "Jade Consumption" in the "Ingestion" techniques. It was said to be a practice for those who had already achieved the Dao, capable of forging jade bones and extending one's lifespan. It was on his list of essential techniques. However, it was too early to discuss that now. He simply shook his head and said, "I am only making some items for self-protection."

"Don't be so flowery with your words, youngster. A jade talisman is just a jade talisman. I’ve seen it all. Your cultivation doesn't require anything high-end. Go to Nanshan Residence next door and pick up a hundred pounds of scrap material to carve for fun. Don't forget to have them include a copy of 'Jade Unlocking' for you."

The old man spoke with a hint of impatience. Feng Xue bowed respectfully and reached for a banknote to pay a consultation fee as was customary. The old man waved him off. "No need. I can see you’re a person with vision. Who knows? Maybe in a hundred years or so, you’ll come to me to do business."

"Then I shall take your word for it," Feng Xue replied, knowing he had likely encountered a master. He turned and headed toward the shop bearing the sign "Nanshan Residence."

The shopkeeper, a plump man who had clearly been watching the interaction, didn't even wait for his clerks to speak. He hurried over with a smile. Feng Xue glanced at the man's lifespan—a solid hundred years. The owner noticed the shift in Feng Xue’s demeanor and, sensing he was someone the old master was willing to acknowledge, dropped his own air of seniority. "Little brother, what can I help you with?"

"I need some scraps suitable for carving jade seals and talismans. And also..." Feng Xue hesitated, unsure how to ask for the book without sounding like he was flaunting his connection to the old man.

The shopkeeper, having seen this scene many times before, immediately pulled a small booklet from his robe. "I understand, I understand. This one, right? The scraps aren't worth much. They're sold by the pound—ten coins per pound. The more you buy, the more I'll throw in!"

*Good heavens, he’s really treating this like wholesale!* Feng Xue thought, though he struggled to judge whether the price was high or low, given how the world's economy had scrambled his modern sense of value. If ten flatbreads cost a pound, then this was undoubtedly cheap. But considering one could rent a villa for a month for three hundred coins, it was relatively standard, provided the jade wasn't all dust, impurities, or discolored waste.

Even setting aside the old man's offer of a favorable connection, the shopkeeper's status as a local player made the expense worth it—he would treat it as protection money. Besides, he wasn't short on cash.

Deciding on that, Feng Xue produced three strings of cash. "Give me three hundred pounds!"

"Right away! You there, go to the backyard and bring out three bags of scraps!"

At the shopkeeper's command, the clerks hurried to the back. Moments later, they returned with three sacks. The owner opened them one by one to show the contents to Feng Xue. "Three hundred pounds, and not a bit less. Do you need me to have them delivered to your residence?"

"No need, just leave them on the floor." Seeing the quality of the jade, Feng Xue realized the shopkeeper had undercharged him. He wouldn't quibble over a few pounds. With a wave of his hand, he stowed the three bags into his Pot Heaven bag.

The shopkeeper was startled but kept his composure. He reached to a shelf and retrieved a small green jade sword, two fingers wide and a palm long, and handed it to Feng Xue by the hilt. "I promised that buying more means getting more. You saved me the delivery fee, so think of this as a little extra. The material is average, but it’s useful for quite a few rituals."