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Chapter 34: The Second Cultivator at Big Market
“Is this really Big Market?” Lu Qing stared at the bustling crowd ahead, a hint of surprise in his voice.
This Big Market was even more lively than he’d imagined.
The stalls on either side were neatly arranged—exactly like the village markets he’d seen in his past life.
“Correct. This is Big Market,” Wang Da An nodded, pointing forward. “You see those stalls? They’re all long-term rentals. Only people who make a living here rent them—like butchers, cloth sellers, or grain merchants.”
Lu Qing glanced at the stalls Wang Da An indicated. Most were indeed selling meat, fabric, or grain.
“Further back,” Wang Da An continued, “there’s an open patch of land. No rent required there. But if you want to sell something, you pay a single coin for a temporary stall.”
“Ah Qing,” he added with a grin, “if you’re selling fish, you don’t need to rent a stall—just head over to that open area.”
“Who do I pay the fee to?” Lu Qing asked.
“Ma Ye,” Wang Da An replied, gesturing toward a spot. “See that man in the blue tunic? He’s Ma Ye—the one who collects fees for temporary stalls.”
Lu Qing followed the direction. There stood a lean, middle-aged man in a faded blue robe, strolling through the market with a calm, smiling expression.
He also noticed several other men in similar robes patrolling the area, maintaining order.
Sensing their gaze, Ma Ye suddenly turned his head. His eyes flickered with sudden sharpness.
Upon seeing two ragged farm boys, his expression relaxed. He gave a casual glance, then resumed his stroll as if nothing had happened.
Lu Qing’s heart skipped a beat.
To sense their gaze from so far away—this Ma Ye wasn’t ordinary.
He no longer dared stare directly. Instead, he kept him in his peripheral vision.
Then, he saw it—Ma Ye’s body briefly shimmered with a thick, radiant white light.
【Ma Gu: Deep-minded, fair-minded, sharp-eyed, deeply respected by those in Big Market.】
【Cultivation Level: Strong-bodied, at the early stage of Post-Natal Sinew and Bone.】
The information from Abilities flashed in Lu Qing’s mind. His face remained calm, but his thoughts surged like a storm.
Another cultivator!
This Ma Ye was a cultivator!
No wonder his senses were so sharp. He was truly extraordinary.
This was the second cultivator Lu Qing had encountered since arriving in this world.
The first, of course, was Chen Laodaifu.
But even among cultivators, Lu Qing sensed a difference.
The light emanating from Ma Gu was white—just like the one from the previous cultivator, Chen Laodaifu, had been red.
Clearly, Chen Laodaifu’s cultivation was more advanced.
Was it a difference in realm?
Lu Qing noted that Ma Gu’s cultivation level was “early Post-Natal Sinew and Bone Stage.”
Chen Laodaifu, by contrast, had been at the “Post-Natal Internal Organs Stage.”
So… the Internal Organs Stage was stronger than the Sinew and Bone Stage?
Were there other stages between them?
His mind raced, carefully calculating.
“Alright, Ah Qing,” Wang Da An broke in, “you’ve seen the market. You said you wanted to buy something—what is it?”
Lu Qing shook off his thoughts with a smile. “I’ll need to buy quite a bit. I’ll probably need your help carrying it, Da An Ge.”
“Buying a lot?” Wang Da An widened his eyes. “Did you strike gold, Ah Qing?”
Lu Qing chuckled but said nothing.
Wang Da An quickly realized it wasn’t the right moment to press.
He slapped his chest. “Don’t worry! No matter how much you buy, I’ll carry it all back!”
“Thanks, Da An Ge,” Lu Qing said, stepping toward the stalls.
His first stop was the meat stand.
The pork looked rough—nothing like the tender, well-fed cuts from his past life.
But to Lu Qing, it was still mouthwatering.
He hadn’t had real meat in ages.
He grabbed two thick slabs of fatty pork and several cuts of half-fat, half-lean.
Then he stepped forward to pay.
But the vendor, upon seeing the silver coin, looked flustered.
“Young master,” he said, “you’re teasing me. I can’t possibly break this coin.”
“Can’t break it?” Lu Qing blinked.
“No,” the vendor admitted. “I just opened today. No business yet. This coin’s nearly half a tael—how can I give you change?”
Wang Da An, too, was stunned by the silver coin. He quickly grabbed Lu Qing’s wrist and pulled him aside.
“Ah Qing, where did you get this silver?” he whispered.
“Chen Ye Ye gave it to me,” Lu Qing said, instantly invoking the old doctor as a shield.
After all, Chen Laodaifu had told him to say that if anyone asked about the coin’s origin.
“Chen Laodaifu really treats you well,” Wang Da An sighed, envy in his voice. Why can’t I be his disciple?
But then he snapped back.
“Wait—Even if the silver came from him, you shouldn’t just hand it over like that! No one buys in Big Market with silver!”
“I don’t have copper coins,” Lu Qing said plainly. “This is all I have.”
He knew silver was valuable—but with the family nearly out of food, and so many things to buy, there was no alternative.
Even if they had copper coins, carrying them would be cumbersome.
Wang Da An scratched his head.
…Well, he supposed that made sense.
Knowing Lu Qing’s family situation, he was at a loss for words.
“Hey, young master,” the meat vendor called out, “you still want the meat?”
A rare, large order—this was too good to lose.
“I’d love to,” Lu Qing said, “but you said you can’t break the coin.”
The vendor hesitated.
Now both sides were stuck.
“What’s going on here?” a calm, gentle voice spoke.
Lu Qing turned.
There stood the man Wang Da An had called Ma Ye, standing calmly behind them.
“Ma Ye!” The vendor and Wang Da An both bowed quickly.
“Hm,” Ma Ye nodded. “I heard some commotion. What’s the matter?”
The vendor stepped forward. “This young master brought a silver coin to buy meat. I can’t break it—everyone’s stuck.”
“Oh?” Ma Ye’s gaze shifted to Lu Qing.
He rarely saw someone bring silver into Big Market.
But upon seeing Lu Qing’s ragged clothes, his eyes flickered with surprise.
This boy didn’t look like someone who carried silver.
“Young man,” Ma Ye asked, voice soft but probing, “where did you get this silver?”
“Do I have to explain where my money comes from just to buy meat in Big Market?” Lu Qing asked, keeping his tone neutral.
“No, no,” Ma Ye smiled slightly, bowing slightly. “My apologies. It’s just… you don’t look like the kind of youth who’d have silver.”
Though his smile remained, the vendor and Wang Da An suddenly felt a weight press on their shoulders. Cold sweat trickled down their foreheads.
Even Lu Qing felt the pressure, his face tightening with tension.
After a pause, he finally spoke.
“The silver… was given to me by my master.”
“Oh?” Ma Ye’s smile didn’t waver. “And your master’s name?”
“I don’t know his real name,” Lu Qing said. “But everyone calls him Chen Laodaifu.”
“Chen Laodaifu?” Ma Ye’s expression changed instantly.
(End of Chapter)
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