Chapter 14: Will You Sell It for 100 Spirit Stones?
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
After he found the nine Cave Foxes, Lu Qing took a look at the system interface. He noticed that the conquest tab had not sprung out like it did when he finished scouting the Water Ghost Lake.
This posed a problem. He lacked a lot of information without the interface.
He guessed that he had to find every single Cave Fox for the information on the tab to appear. Only then could he fully understand the situation regarding the enemies.
There would definitely be a reward for the conquest after he defeated the Cave Foxes. However, with the lack of information, it was easy for accidents to occur.
For example, what would happen if there was a more powerful Fox Demon King in the holes?
The probability of that happening was not high, but he had to keep his guard up just in case.
Even though he was already feeling too fatigued, he had to examine the area closely to prevent any future threats.
The clan should try to avoid another crisis. After all, they had already been through too much.
He found another six foxes while he examined the area. However, the information still had not sprung up on the system. He was already at his limits.
Lu Qing had no other choice. He spent two Karma and dispelled all of his fatigue. He recovered back to normal.
He did not have much time. He continued to search the area.
He gave himself a deadline. He would continue searching the area for three hours. He would not have time left to head back if he overstayed. He would either have to spend double the Karma to replenish his energy again or return home without accomplishing anything.
However, Lu Qing’s strength was displayed at this moment. He could move around without regard for the terrain. He dug into the ground as he wished. He did not have to care about anything as he would not be spotted.
After two hours, Lu Qing finally found the tracks of the final few Cave Foxes.
It was a nest of young foxes. There were around seven of them.
Lu Qing felt confident when he saw these young foxes.
Cave Foxes were not powerful, especially in the eyes of a cultivator. However, they had a wide radius of activity and were crafty and agile. They were not easy to capture and kill.
However, these demonic beasts had a weakness. While they looked like they moved around alone or in small groups, the Cave Foxes in this entire area were a tribe. They would place their cubs in the same spot and protect them together. The Cave Foxes would appear and fight for their young cubs if the cubs were threatened.
Under normal circumstances, it was extremely difficult to catch the Cave Foxes with such a method. Cave Foxes treat their cubs with utmost importance and would naturally hide their offspring well. A person who could not even capture a mature Cave Fox would have no chance of finding the cave where the young cubs were hidden.
Unfortunately, this group of Cave Foxes encountered Lu Qing.
[Pack of Cave Foxes, Conquest Level: Level One]
[Enemy Type: Demonic Beast type, Pack of Cave Foxes]
[Quantity: 22 (7 Cubs)]
[Power Level: Average of Level One low-grade]
[Power Level of the Leader: Level One mid-grade]
[Conquest Reward: 95 Karma, one exchange item with a deadline]
Now that the information panel appeared, Lu Qing no longer needed to continue wasting time. He started to fly back to Yuyan Mountain.
******
Pingyao County.
While Ancestor Lu was searching for the pack of Cave Foxes, Lu Mingsi, who had come from Yuyan Mountain, had already stayed at the Cultivator’s Lane of Pingyao County for half a day. He had brought along the Water-Spirit Horse King, who was unable to run or use its spiritual strength due to its restraints.
The Beast Tamer of the clan, Lu Xueting, was unable to tame the Horse King. They could only sell it off. The mission landed in the hands of Lu Mingsi.
He had just finished his duty of guarding the back side of the mountain two days ago and had not had ample rest. Yet, he had to bring the horse down the mountain and into Pingyao County.
Pingyao County was a human city, but cultivators naturally managed it. At the same time, there was a specially designated area within the city where transactions are held. That area was the so-called Cultivator’s Lane.
In this world, other than cultivation families and sects, there were also a large number of unaffiliated cultivators.
The strength of the unaffiliated cultivators was mostly average. However, there might be someone powerful among them. After all, Lu Qing had also started as an unaffiliated cultivator. However, under normal circumstances, it was not easy for someone without the support of factions like a clan or a sect to survive in this cultivation world.
These unaffiliated cultivators naturally had to have a place to do their transactions. A human city was a great place for that. There were even several cultivators who chose to stay in these cities.
Pingyao County also had a Level Two spirit vein. However, this spirit vein was man-made. The unaffiliated cultivators could also enjoy the benefits of the spirit vein had on their cultivation if they rented a place in the Cultivator’s Lane. At the same time, they could interact and transact in the area.
Pingyao County was under the control of the Lu Clan and Zhao Clan. The conflict between the two clans had reduced drastically in recent years, and the county had become more peaceful. As a result, there were now more and more unaffiliated cultivators in the area.
Of course, these unaffiliated cultivators had to be managed by the two clans and could not cause trouble. They also provided the two clans with income. The unaffiliated cultivators provided Pingyao County with an income of Spirit Stones by renting abodes and engaging in other economic activities. These profits naturally belonged to the two clans.
At the same time, the two clans also opened businesses in the area that were targeted at cultivators.
This situation was not unique to Pingyao County. Almost all other cities operated this way.
The Lu Clan had seven cultivators permanently stationed in Pingyao County. After greeting them and resting for a night, Lu Mingsi dragged the horse to the public market for sale the next morning.
The Water-Spirit Horse attracted much attention. Many people had approached Lu Mingsi for the price since he started selling it in the morning.
An ordinary unaffiliated cultivator would find it hard to produce 200 to 300 Spirit Stones. Most people could only shake their heads and sigh after they found out the price. They could only walk away longingly.
However, some of them displayed apparent interest. They might be able to gather the money to purchase the horse.
By noontime, an unaffiliated cultivator walked over and said that he wanted to buy the horse for 100 Spirit Stones. Lu Mingsi declined his offer. Even though this Water-Spirit Horse King had not been tamed, it was still worth at least 200 Spirit Stones. Now that several people had expressed interest in the horse, how could he sell it for half the price? That was impossible.
The person left after he said that he would come to ask again later.
Lu Mingsi disregarded that person at first. However, after that incident, no one approached him to ask for a price during the entire afternoon.
He closely observed the situation. He noticed that two to three cultivators would block off the area whenever someone wanted to approach and ask about the horse. They would chase the interested buyer away after saying a few words.
Lu Mingsi’s expression turned grim.
Even though he had no evidence, his instincts told him that members of the Zhao Clan were sabotaging him.
No matter how down and out the Lu Clan was, they were still a clan with Foundation Building cultivators and had some say in Pingyao County. An average unaffiliated cultivator would not have the gall to offend them.
...
The entire county had about 300 to 500 unaffiliated cultivators, but none of them were at the Foundation Building Stage.
Those cultivators must know that Lu Mingsi was a member of the Lu Clan.
Only a ghost would believe that the Zhao Clan did not have a hand in this matter.
Now that he thought about it, the person who approached him at noon and offered to buy the Water-Spirit Horse for “100 Spirit Stones” might have been instructed by the Zhao Clan.
The two clans had not been embroiled in a major conflict for the past ten years, but there had frequently been small skirmishes.
If they were to interfere in matters like these, then it was extremely irritating.
The sun was setting. A familiar man walked over. It was the person who had approached him at noon.
“100 Spirit Stones. Are you selling that horse?”