https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-116-Inner-Domain-Here-I-Come-Xu-Yan-/12532916/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-118-Slaying-a-Grand-Master-with-a-Single-Palm-Strike/12532921/
Chapter 117: Xu Yan: I'm Too Poor
Chapter 117: Xu Yan: I'm Too Poor
The Tianbao Pavilion stood tall, ten zhang high and divided into five floors. Its splendor, with golden roofs and glittering tiles, made the county government office in the distance look shabby in comparison, like a slum.
The open doors were flanked by two graceful maids on each side, smilingly welcoming every guest. What shocked Xu Yan even more was that all four maids were seventh-rank warriors.
"This is just the Tianbao Pavilion of a small county. I wonder how magnificent the one in the county city must be."
Xu Yan couldn't help but marvel.
He took a step towards the Tianbao Pavilion.
"Welcome, young master," the maid smiled and gestured for him to enter.
As he entered the pavilion, Xu Yan looked around. A maid approached him with a smile and asked, "Young master, what are you looking for? May I assist you?"
As an experienced hostess at Tianbao Pavilion, she could tell that Xu Yan was a newcomer, stepping into the pavilion for the first time.
"What do you have here?" Xu Yan asked.
He didn't try to hide his inexperience.
"This way, young master," the maid said, leading him to a counter. "Here is a list of items available on the first floor of our Tianbao Pavilion."
Xu Yan browsed through the catalog, which included various medicines, spiritual herbs, weapons, and martial arts techniques—everything a warrior could desire.
However, he didn't find what he was looking for—a storage bag—even on the last page.
Closing the catalog, he asked, "Do you have storage bags?"
The maid stared at him, dumbfounded, as if she were looking at a monster. It took her a while to recover.
The warriors browsing nearby all turned to look at him, their faces reflecting their astonishment.
A storage bag?
This young man wants to buy a storage bag? Even major powers and grandmasters can't afford them!
How naive of this young man!
Xu Yan completely ignored their gazes, unembarrassed. He knew that when traveling, one might be penniless, but one must always be thick-skinned! If he hadn't had the guts to ask, he wouldn't have succeeded in finding a master.
"We... we don't have storage bags here, young master," the maid finally replied, her face reddening with embarrassment.
The questioner was unperturbed, but the answerer was flustered.
"You don't?" Xu Yan feigned disappointment.
Although he knew he couldn't afford it, he had wanted to at least take a look, and now he was sorely disappointed.
"Is there anything else I can help you with, young master?" The maid forced a smile.
Xu Yan took out five spirit crystals—his entire fortune, given to him by Xie Lingfeng.
"I want to buy spiritual herbs," he said after a moment's thought, naming a sixth-rank spiritual herb from Su Lingxiu's list.
The maid's face darkened. "We don't have sixth-rank spiritual herbs here, young master."
How could a mere branch in Tieshan County have sixth-rank spiritual herbs? she thought.
No one in the entire county could afford them.
And how dare you take out five spirit crystals to buy a sixth-rank spiritual herb?
"What about seventh-rank spiritual herbs?" Xu Yan asked, taking a step back in disappointment.
"No," the maid replied, her face growing darker.
The surrounding warriors exchanged strange looks. This young man was not only naive but also remarkably thick-skinned!
"Surely you have ninth-rank spiritual herbs?" Xu Yan said, his face full of dismay.
Tieshan County truly was a barren place. The local Tianbao Pavilion branch didn't even have seventh-rank spiritual herbs.
"We do have ninth-rank spiritual herbs," the maid said, her expression softening a little. "May I ask which type of spiritual herb you're looking for, young master?"
Xu Yan thought for a moment. Among the more precious ninth-rank spiritual herbs was one used as the main ingredient for making the Beauty Retention Pill. "Qingyuan Fruit," he said.
The maid glanced at the five spirit crystals on the counter and smiled. "Young master, Qingyuan Fruit costs one hundred spirit crystals."
"So expensive?" Xu Yan exclaimed, his eyes widening. "Are you sure you're not cheating me?"
Su Lingxiu had told him a lot, but she hadn't mentioned the value of various spiritual herbs.
"We at Tianbao Pavilion have an impeccable reputation for honesty," the maid said indignantly. "We treat all customers fairly, young master. Please don't make such accusations."
Xu Yan scratched his head, realizing for the first time how poor he was. In the borderlands, he had felt wealthy, but now that he was in the inner realm, he realized he was practically penniless—he couldn't even afford a single Qingyuan Fruit!
"Then, with these five spirit crystals, what spiritual herbs can I buy?" he asked glumly.
The maid flipped through the catalog and pointed to a page. "Young master, with five spirit crystals, you can buy one Water Spirit Grass or one Bone Strengthening Flower. Water Spirit Grass is three spirit crystals each, and Bone Strengthening Flower is five spirit crystals each."
Xu Yan was stunned. With five spirit crystals, he could only afford these two low-grade spiritual herbs?
"That's it? Just these two?" he asked, unwilling to accept it.
"Of course, there are other ninth-grade low-grade spiritual herbs, but our Tieshan County branch only has these two types. Would you like to purchase them, young master?" the maid asked with a smile.
"No, thank you," Xu Yan said, retrieving the spirit crystals from the counter. He felt dejected. "I'm too poor. I must find a way to earn some spirit crystals; otherwise, how can I buy spiritual herbs to take back home? Without spiritual herbs, how can my junior disciple refine pills? How can my parents cultivate and improve their strength?"
As for searching for spiritual herbs in remote areas, that wasn't why he had come to the inner realm.
After much thought, he concluded that the most convenient and quick solution was to earn spirit crystals and buy the herbs directly.
Just then, a burly man at the neighboring counter scoffed, "Look at this young punk, fresh off the boat and clueless. He thinks he's rich with his five spirit crystals."
Xu Yan glared at the man, a fifth-rank warrior, and retorted, "You're so old and only a fifth-rank. What a waste!"
He wasn't one to take insults lying down.
"What did you say?" The burly man flew into a rage, his aura surging as he glared at Xu Yan with cold, murderous intent.
"Guest, please remember that this is the Tianbao Pavilion," the maid beside Xu Yan gently reminded him.
The burly man's body shook, and he quickly suppressed his aura, shooting a vicious glance at Xu Yan. "Kid, you'd better not leave the Tianbao Pavilion, or else..." He turned and strode out.
It was clear that he wouldn't let the matter rest.
"Young master, it seems you've made an enemy," the maid in front of Xu Yan said with a smile.
"Oh? What will happen if I've made an enemy?" Xu Yan asked thoughtfully. Had he just stumbled upon a convenient way to earn spirit crystals?
"People might end up dead, even though the county nominally prohibits warriors from fighting within its borders," the maid explained with a smile.
"Can I kill people?" Xu Yan asked, looking up.
The maid was taken aback, staring at the young man before her in surprise. Did he intend to kill the burly man? He was a fifth-rank warrior, considered a strong expert in Tieshan County.
The man was also known for his viciousness in the county, having killed more than one person in the city, especially outsiders with no background, whom he would secretly assassinate and rob.
Xu Yan turned to see a sword-wielding young woman hurrying toward him. "Are you calling me?" he asked, perplexed.
"Yes, young master. My mistress wishes to propose a business deal with you." The maid, Cui Er, paused in her steps and sized up Xu Yan, her gaze assessing.
Though her martial arts cultivation was indiscernible, she surmised that he was likely more powerful than herself.
"Oh? And who is your mistress, and what business does she propose?" Xu Yan's eyebrows furrowed, his guard instinctively rising.
Being new to the area, he knew he must remain vigilant against potential schemes.
"I'm afraid I don't know the details, young master. If you would accompany me to meet my mistress, all will be explained." Cui Er shook her head, her expression inscrutable.
"Very well." Xu Yan nodded, his thoughts racing. "If her intentions are less than honorable, I'll earn a nice sum of spirit crystals. And if it's a legitimate transaction, I'll still make a profit. This maid is a fifth-rank warrior, so her mistress must be someone of significance. I hope she has ill intentions; that would be a windfall of spirit crystals!"
With the prospect of a lucrative deal, Xu Yan's spirits lifted, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.
Along the way, they encountered the departing convoy. Cui Er approached and reported, "Mistress, I've brought the young man."
Xu Yan's gaze shifted to the convoy. The two second-rank warriors riding alongside the first carriage, the four third-rank warriors flanking the second, and the coachman, a first-rank warrior—all indicated substantial power and wealth.
Yet, this was merely the surface. The true powerhouse was within the second carriage: a Master Warrior! Though injured, their aura still exuded an overwhelming sense of might.
The young mistress inside the carriage was also formidable, a third-rank warrior herself. In the inner realm, such cultivation at her age placed her among the elite.
"They're not here because of my healing pills; that's impossible. I've never shown them to anyone, and even if I did, they wouldn't know they were pills. So, if not for the pills, why approach me?" Xu Yan's mind raced with questions.
"Young master, may I ask your name?" The young mistress's voice, crisp and pleasant, drifted from within the carriage.
"Names are insignificant," Xu Yan replied calmly. "If you have a proposal, let's hear it."
(End of Chapter)
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