Hearing Manager Ding's introduction, Ming Zhengxuan's fingers twitched with temptation.
This ability could save others on the battlefield, save oneself, and even repel enemies. It was a highly versatile skill.
"Any ability deliberately sealed within a Plain Ring is truly extraordinary."
Upon hearing Li Ban's words, the tempted Ming Zhengxuan instantly realized the other man was also interested. He sighed with inward regret.
"How much silver?"
"I wouldn't dare hide it from you, Master Li. When we acquired this treasure, it cost us five hundred liang of silver. But if you want it, you can have it for five hundred—at cost!"
An ordinary Fine-grade element only cost about two hundred liang. This was equivalent to spending a hundred liang of silver for a single use of the ability.
However, if this 'Banishment Spell' was used well, it could save a life.
A hundred liang of silver for a life—looking at it that way, it was well worth the price.
After purchasing the Plain Ring, their trip to the Eternal Trading Association came to an end.
Although Manager Ding hadn't managed to sell any of his most expensive elements, he still cheerfully escorted Li Ban and Ming Zhengxuan off the third floor.
However, on their way out, they encountered a minor incident.
"How could they all suddenly be sold out? When I checked half a shichen ago, there were still seven or eight plant elements!"
Heading down the stairs, Li Ban slowed his steps and glanced to his left.
Unlike the fully enclosed third floor, the second floor featured an open, connecting atrium balcony.
The man who had just been arguing stood by the balcony, shoving back and forth with a servant of the Eternal Trading Association.
Li Ban merely took a single look and had no intention of prying, but the moment the second-floor customer spotted him, the man shoved the servant aside and tried to rush over.
Manager Ding immediately stepped forward, blocking the man's path to Li Ban.
The other servants and stewards of the association were just as attentive. They intercepted the man, preventing him from getting within a zhang of Li Ban.
Seeing Li Ban escorted by such a formidable detail, the customer's heated head cooled considerably.
His expression and tone shifted as he pleaded, "My Lord, did you buy all the plant elements? Could you leave just one for us common folk?"
Manager Ding instantly recognized this as an attempt to stir up trouble.
He immediately furrowed his brows and snapped, "This is a trading association, and everyone who comes here is a customer. We do business through fair exchange of money and goods. People see what they want and pay for it. Why should we owe it to you to keep a share in reserve?"
The agitated mood of the onlookers eased somewhat.
Manager Ding continued, "Besides, this customer of ours is merely coming down from the third floor. Do you even know whether he bought anything, or what he might have bought? You open your mouth and demand others leave things for you. Most people rob with a knife—do you prefer to rob with your mouth?"
A few stifled laughs rippled through the crowd.
Manager Ding shot a sweeping glare to his left and right, signaling his men to quickly drag the man back into a second-floor private room so he couldn't cause any more of a scene in the hall.
While the man was being hauled away, unable to speak, Manager Ding announced loudly, "You lot, make sure to thoroughly ask about this customer's reasonable requests. If the element he wants is gone, see if there's an alternative. If there truly isn't, take down his address and notify him the moment we restock."
Though they were merchants, they belonged to the Myriad Ancient Pagoda above all else. Making requests was fine, but starting trouble was out of the question.
With the troublemaker dragged off, the minor conflict that had nearly erupted dissolved into nothing.
The onlookers also dispersed. After all, it had nothing to do with them, and few cared enough to get to the bottom of who was right or wrong.
Having finished his piece, Manager Ding quickly turned back to Li Ban with an apologetic smile.
"My apologies, Master Li. This matter had nothing to do with you to begin with. I don't know what got into that customer's head."
Li Ban glanced in the direction the man had been dragged and chuckled. "It's fine. You can tell him I didn't buy any elements at all. It's not exactly a secret."
Li Ban's voice wasn't loud, but it carried enough for those nearby to hear clearly.
Under Li Ban's gaze, the smile on Manager Ding's face faltered slightly. "Yes, yes. I didn't think it through."
Leaving the Eternal Trading Association, Li Ban boarded his carriage.
Ming Zhengxuan followed him up and asked softly, "Master Li, should I investigate?"
Li Ban sat in the carriage, watching the bustling street outside.
"We leave tomorrow. Do you have a way to find out clearly before then?"
He hadn't intended to meddle in this.
After all, while Manager Ding's explanation had been ambiguous, he might have just been speaking from a position of protecting client privacy.
Moreover, their procession was setting out the next day. Whatever was happening here had nothing to do with Li Ban.
But since Ming Zhengxuan was willing to check, he didn't mind waiting for a ready-made answer.
Ming Zhengxuan smiled. "I have some connections here. One night is enough to find the truth. If that Manager Ding really was trying to use you as a shield, you won't even need to lift a finger—I'll find someone to deal with him."
Li Ban nodded. "Alright. Go look into it once we return to the City Lord's Estate."
Afterward, Li Ban went for a stroll through the fish market.
The fish market in Zhongbei City was somewhat similar to the Black Market in Qingcheng County, just not quite as shady.
It functioned more like a massive secondhand trading hub, only the origins of its goods were rather questionable.
Given Li Ban's current status and broadened horizons, the items sold here truly no longer met his needs. After a quick walk around, he lost interest and prepared to head back and continue cultivating.
Before leaving, however, he paused and looked at a man wearing a black pouch strapped across his body.
When they entered, Ming Zhengxuan had told him that people dressed like this were usually private element peddlers.
Li Ban had asked a few earlier, but none possessed any elements at the Fine grade or higher, so he had stopped asking.
Now that he was about to leave, a thought suddenly crossed his mind, and he stepped forward.
Catching Li Ban's gaze, the man immediately hurried over with warm enthusiasm. "Is there anything you are interested in, My Lord?"
"Do you have any elements at the Fine grade or higher?"
The smile on the man's face stiffened for a moment. "Aiyo, My Lord, I'm just running a small business here. If I carried Fine-grade elements on me, I'd get robbed the second I walked out my door."
Unsurprised, Li Ban posed his second question. "Then do you have any plant-related elements?"
This time, the man's expression turned slightly regretful. "Aiyo, I actually had two, but I sold them off together just a shichen ago. If I had known I would run into you, I would have kept one for you no matter what!"
A shichen ago was exactly when they had arrived at the Myriad Ancient Pagoda.
Someone really was going around collecting plant-type elements during this time.
Li Ban glanced back at Ming Zhengxuan, who gave a nod.
"If you don't have any, then never mind."
Li Ban left the fish market and returned to the City Lord's Estate.
Upon arriving, Ming Zhengxuan took his leave to gather information.
The matter wasn't major, but he was quite happy to continue working for Lord Priest Li Ban.
Who could say? Perhaps he could use this as a stepping stone to transfer out of the military and work directly under Li Ban in the future.
Ming Zhengxuan did not return that night.
It wasn't until the next morning, right as the procession was preparing to set out, that he ran over to report to Li Ban, his eyes completely bloodshot.
In the main hall of Li Ban's temporary residence, Ming Zhengxuan, looking as if he hadn't slept a wink, cupped his hands in greeting.
"Lord Priest, I have investigated thoroughly. The one buying up plant-type elements in bulk is actually the branch president of the Eternal Trading Association's Zhongbei City branch."
Standing off to the side to watch the fun, Shi Ming asked in confusion, "Doesn't he sell elements? Why is he buying them?"
Cat Girl's eyes darted in thought, guessing a piece of the puzzle. "Could it be because of the fire at the Hundred Flowers Pavilion?"
Unaware of the exact relationship between Cat Girl and Li Ban, Ming Zhengxuan addressed her with a vague title. "Senior is correct."
"The fire at the Hundred Flowers Pavilion damaged many of the plant-type elements that were meant to be supplied to the Eternal Trading Association for sale. Furthermore, no new plant-type elements will appear for a short time. Therefore, the branch president decided to sit on all their plant-type elements to hoard them and drive up the price."
The growth cycle for many plants was incredibly long.
The Hundred Flowers Pavilion had been able to provide a steady stream of new elements before simply because they planned well. They regularly cultivated seedlings, ensuring that new elements entered the market with every cycle.
However, the massive fire, combined with the treant rebellion, had inflicted enormous losses on the pavilion. It would likely be several years before any new plants matured.
According to the old pavilion master's thinking, exchanging a few years for the recovery of Hundred Flowers City was a worthwhile trade.
It was just that he was destined never to enjoy the fruits of his schemes.
As for the other merchants who traded with the Hundred Flowers Pavilion, with their upstream supplier damaged, they naturally faced a massive shortage of goods.
Listening to Ming Zhengxuan's explanation, Li Ban nodded and asked, "How did you find this out?"
Ming Zhengxuan chuckled. "A friend of a friend works in the branch, and he happens to be at odds with Manager Ding."
Sometimes, the person who understood you best was your enemy.
Ming Zhengxuan took out a small box. "This is an apology gift Manager Ding sent over. Eight hundred liang of silver in total."
Li Ban did not take it. "For me?"
Ming Zhengxuan quickly added, "Rest assured, Lord. I never mentioned your name while investigating this matter."
Li Ban waved a hand, pushing it back. "Keep it for yourself."
Ming Zhengxuan stood completely stunned.
This was eight hundred liang of silver!
Even for him, without any extra side income, it would take several years to save up that much money.
Could it be that the Lord Priest looked down on a sum as large as eight hundred liang?
He hadn't kept a single coin for himself.
At that moment, a soldier called out from outside the door.
"Lord Priest, the carriages and horses are ready. We can depart."
Li Ban stood up and told Cat Girl, "You all get in the carriage first. I'm going to find Priest Yao."
In front of outsiders, Cat Girl continued to act the part of a little handmaid, nodding obediently.
Seeing that Li Ban truly wasn't going to take the silver, Ming Zhengxuan had no choice but to put it away himself.
However, he didn't dare pocket it immediately, deciding instead to wait and see how things played out first.
As the others boarded their carriage, Li Ban stepped onto Priest Zhu Yao's carriage.
Priest Zhu Yao never had any attendants serving her inside her carriage.
Seeing Li Ban standing outside the door, she waved him in.
Looking faintly exhausted, she leaned back against a waist cushion. "Is there something you need?"
"The Eternal Trading Association here in Zhongbei City is secretly collecting plant-type elements."
Priest Zhu Yao gave a slight nod.
She had no interest in mundane worldly affairs, but she trusted that Li Ban wouldn't seek her out for something so trivial, so she waited patiently for him to continue.
Li Ban weighed his words for a moment. "Perhaps I'm overthinking it. Do you remember when I told you I saw the black-robed priest who took Yan Jiu away in the Hundred Flowers Garden?"
Priest Zhu Yao lifted her eyes. "You think the black-robed priest has ties to the Hundred Flowers Pavilion, and thus these disappearing plant elements are also related to him?"
"It is just a guess. The old pavilion master of the Hundred Flowers Pavilion was supposed to have a Premium-grade element, the Dragon Scale Vine, but later on, it seemed to turn into a different element."
Zhu Yao narrowed her eyes. "Mutated Elements... That sounds very much like Xiao Suo's handiwork."