Yuan Guang County city streets.
Zou Feng was not unfamiliar with the environment near Yang Manor.
After all, although he was a servant of Yang Manor, he was allowed to leave the manor during his free time.
Yuan Guang County city was quite prosperous, with people coming and going almost every day, except when it rained, and vendors constantly hawking their wares.
It was a scene of ancient prosperity.
But Zou Feng knew very well that this was just a facade.
After asking for directions, Zou Feng went straight to a herb shop that had a partnership with Yang Manor.
Upon presenting the token, the shopkeeper personally came out to greet him.
“Is this young man the new apprentice Master Luo recently took in?” The shopkeeper, surnamed Sun, had a very friendly smile.
Zou Feng bowed and said, “Greetings, Shopkeeper Sun. The manor is short of many medicinal ingredients, so I’ll have to trouble you to prepare and send them over as soon as possible.”
As he spoke, Zou Feng handed the list Luo Yong had given him to Shopkeeper Sun.
“No problem, no problem!”
Shopkeeper Sun took the list, glanced at it, and immediately shouted for the shop assistants to prepare the goods.
In less than a quarter of an hour, a large pile of weighed medicinal ingredients was laid out before Zou Feng.
As soon as Zou Feng verified them, the assistants would pack them on the spot and send them to Yang Manor.
And the verification process was the highlight of Zou Feng’s trip…
He checked very carefully, picking up every herb to smell it, and even tasting it.
Seeing this, Shopkeeper Sun couldn't help but chuckle, “Young Master Zou, you’re being too cautious. We’ve been cooperating with Yang Manor for a long time; we would never pass off inferior goods or shortchange you!”
Zou Feng didn’t reply. Instead, he picked up a root-like herb and said, “Shopkeeper Sun, why does this Osmanthus Root smell a bit faint? Is it not old enough?”
The compendium of materia medica records that Osmanthus Root, when used as medicine, must have at least one year of growth.
If it’s not old enough, the scent won’t be pungent, and its medicinal efficacy will be significantly reduced.
Hearing this, Shopkeeper Sun frowned slightly and quickly leaned closer.
“That shouldn’t be. Young Master Zou, smell it again carefully!”
At the same time, a small cloth bag was quietly placed in Zou Feng’s hand.
Zou Feng coughed lightly and, without a change in expression, tucked the small cloth bag into his pocket.
Then he sniffed the Osmanthus Root again.
“Mmm, yes, that’s the smell. I’ve caught a bit of a cold recently, and my nose isn’t working too well. You must be laughing at me, Shopkeeper Sun.”
Seeing that Zou Feng was sensible, Shopkeeper Sun secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said with an even brighter smile, “No worries, no worries! It’s good as long as there’s no problem!”
This was the benefit of being a procurement agent.
But he certainly couldn’t keep it all; he still had to honestly hand it over to Luo Yong first.
Zou Feng was sure that Luo Yong not explaining it beforehand was a test for him.
Leaving the herb shop, Zou Feng was about to head to the next procurement point when he noticed a few unkempt ruffians with unpleasant expressions sizing him up at the alley entrance not far away.
This was normal; he was a new face and looked thin and weak.
But there was no need to panic; even if he were truly accosted by these hooligans, they wouldn’t dare to cause trouble if he revealed his identity as a servant of Yang Manor.
However, Zou Feng actually wanted to find these local ruffians to inquire about some information he desired.
So, the next moment, Zou Feng deliberately walked into the secluded alley, intentionally creating an opportunity for the ruffians.
He had now cultivated the Five Poison Palm to a “Minor Achievement”; if he couldn’t even intimidate a few ruffians, he might as well find a block of tofu and bash his head in.
However, what he didn’t expect was that after a moment of hesitation, those ruffians didn’t follow him.
Zou Feng looked back at their expressions; they all looked suspicious and as if they suspected a trap.
These hooligans should be mindless, yet they were exceptionally cautious?
Helpless, Zou Feng had no choice but to return to the alley entrance and initiate a conversation, “Brothers, can I ask you something!”
“No problem, young man, just ask whatever you want, as long as we know it.”
The leading hooligan, though his face was scarred and looked fierce, was very amiable at this moment.
“I left Yuan Guang County for a while before, and I wonder if I can still buy those rare goods in the night market now?”
Zou Feng’s question was obscure, but he was sure these ruffians would understand.
What he truly wanted to ask about was clearly not a normal night market, but rather the “Ghost Market.”
The Ghost Market was a place set up by local Gangs, specifically for trading contraband.
It didn’t stay in one fixed location and often changed its spot.
The market usually opened late at night, and most visitors would be disguised, making it a mixed bag of people.
Most of the goods sold and traded there were illicit, hence the name Ghost Market.
The older servants of Yang Manor often mentioned this Ghost Market during their chats.
Zou Feng was inquiring about the Ghost Market now, naturally to prepare in advance, so that in the future, when necessary, he could try his luck at the Ghost Market to see if he could buy another evil Secret Manual.
After all, the Five Poison Palm was strong in sneak attacks and assassinations, but it ultimately lacked the ability to confront opponents head-on. Only knowing this one Cultivation Technique made Zou Feng feel uneasy.
What’s more, the Five Poison Palm itself was only a low-grade evil Cultivation Technique.
According to the notes in that Secret Manual, it might not even be possible to Cultivate inner Qi or enter the Martial Dao ranks…
In the Great Yan Dynasty, almost everyone practiced martial arts, but widely circulated and easily obtainable Cultivation Techniques only served to strengthen the body.
In short, they were low-grade; wanting to enter the Martial Dao ranks with such Cultivation Techniques was like dreaming in broad daylight.
Evil Cultivation Techniques, on the other hand, took unorthodox shortcuts and mostly harmed one’s virtue, so they naturally fell under contraband.
At least in Yuan Guang County, the only way Zou Feng knew to acquire evil Cultivation Techniques was through the Ghost Market.
As for where the money to buy evil Cultivation Techniques would come from?
He certainly wouldn’t have dared to think about it before, but now that he had this lucrative procurement job, the future was certainly promising.
Hearing this, Scarface’s smile remained unchanged: “Yes, yes, especially the night market near East River Mouth. Many vendors there sell excellent, fierce goods.”
“Thank you!”
Zou Feng cupped his fists and left promptly.
The Ghost Market is now located at East River Mouth?
Of course, he wouldn’t fully believe it; he would just treat it as a clue for now.
Anyway, it would take some time to save enough money, so he would slowly find opportunities to verify it.
“Boss, this kid smells fragrant. Could he be a sissy?”
Behind Scarface, a younger brother couldn’t help but step forward and say.
“Quiet down!”
Scarface lowered his voice and scolded, “Do you know why I stopped you from borrowing money just now?”
“It’s because when this person first passed by, I smelled a faint fragrance, which wasn’t quite right!”
“In short, remember, if you see this person again, stay far away!”
Although he couldn’t be sure what the fragrance meant, in these times, being a Gang boss and not yet being beaten to death naturally meant he had an extraordinary sixth sense…
Zou Feng, who had already left the area, didn’t hear this conversation, but he was also pondering why those hooligans were wary of him.
Could it be that someone smelled the fragrance on his hands and became suspicious?
In fact, ever since the Five Poison Palm reached a Minor Achievement, the scent had significantly reduced.
But there would always be people with exceptionally sensitive noses.
He still had to keep Cultivating! Once he reached the next stage, there should be no smell as long as he wasn’t activating the Cultivation Technique!