The man in the smiling mask went on and on without pause.
Chen Mu could only maintain an awkward but polite smile, even though the other party couldn’t see his face.
“Does the customer have any difficulty?” Sensing Chen Mu’s discomfort, the man in the smiling mask asked eagerly.
“The item is good,” Chen Mu first nodded affirmatively.
After all, it was my own drawing.
“It’s just a bit expensive,” Chen Mu pretended to be regretful, “How about you knock off some of the price?”
The man in the smiling mask was overjoyed.
Finally encountered a big sucker!
He couldn’t help but excitedly ask, “Can you accept one hundred eighty taels?”
Chen Mu shook his head, “How about eight taels?”
The man in the smiling mask: “…”
Is this the freaking way to knock off zeros?!
From the front end?!
Chen Mu forced a laugh.
I just couldn’t think of a good reason to refuse.
“Eighty-eight taels then,” the man in the smiling mask replied.
Now it was Chen Mu’s turn to be stunned.
Is this a Shape Cultivation Technique? Is it so cheap?
I’ve only sold seven copies of the Shape Cultivation Technique, can the market be that bad?
…
An hour later, Chen Mu walked out of the dilapidated house feeling gloomy.
He had replicated a total of seven Shape Cultivation Technique scrolls.
But someone had replicated seventy!
“Old Man Jie, you’re really ruthless!”
Aside from that greedy old man, he couldn’t think of anyone else who would do this.
It was only him who had the opportunity, the means, the ideas, and freaking action.
But what made Chen Mu most gloomy was that he didn’t pay royalties!
Go to Jie Jia to ask for it?
Thinking of the coffins in Tianyi Studio, Chen Mu immediately shook his head.
Forget it, isn’t it good to be alive?
That old man was a high-profile top-notch killer.
Shaking his head to disperse his gloomy mood, and touching the books in his bosom, Chen Mu finally felt satisfied.
With his goals achieved on this trip to the Ghost Market, he had successfully purchased a suitable Sword Manual.
After finishing his business, Chen Mu didn’t rush to leave but started strolling through the Ghost Market.
With more people around, the Ghost Market became lively and lost its usual mysterious and frightening atmosphere.
Chen Mu then dared to wander around.
Upon closer inspection, the items sold in the Ghost Market were still very diverse.
There were even people selling grain here.
Chen Mu curiously went up to ask, and a bag of white wheat actually cost one tael of silver.
Over a hundred pounds in one bag, it didn’t cost three hundred copper coins in the early days.
After consecutive price increases, it only cost five hundred copper coins.
Now it had jumped up to one tael of silver?!
“Should I take some of the white wheat out of the cellar to sell?” Chen Mu was very tempted.
“Forget it, times are chaotic, where is silver as important as grain?” Chen Mu immediately dismissed the idea.
After another round and casually picking up several secret medical texts, he was ready to leave.
Near the transfer carriage area, Chen Mu also saw someone setting up a stall selling Talismans.
“Selling Talismans in the Ghost Market? Interesting huh…”
Yellow talisman paper, bright red, blood-like runes.
A sign stood next to it, inscribed with “Gentle Breeze Evil-warding Talisman.”
Qingfeng Observatory?
The very place where he copied Scriptures back then?
At that time, he even thought about joining the observatory to learn martial arts.
However, he was outright rejected by Priest Cheng Yi.
Chen Mu couldn’t help but give the stall owner a second glance.
The person was wrapped up tightly; it was unclear if they were a priest from Qingfeng Observatory.
Immediately shaking his head, he got on the carriage and left.
Even if they were, it had nothing to do with him.
Isn’t it good to go home and sincerely practice for proficiency?
…
Afterward, apart from occasionally visiting the Ba Fang Building for news,
Chen Mu spent his days at home.
Practicing the Flying Locust Stone Shape Cultivation Technique in the morning, the Flying Locust Stone in the afternoon, and studying medical texts during rest times.
He led a life even more regulated and busy than a 996 office worker in his previous life.
But Chen Mu didn’t find it dull at all.
Moderate exercise itself can stimulate the body to secrete endorphins, making one feel joyful.
With proficiency visibly improving.
Chen Mu only felt a sense of accomplishment bursting at the seams.
In the evenings, he treated himself with his ever-improving culinary skills, living each day in bliss.
…
At dusk, in the easternmost residence number one.
Chen Mu used this place as a kitchen. He only ate here.
A square table was set in the courtyard, bathing in the sunset.
He picked up a piece of golden, succulent honey-glazed pork, the salty-sweet taste providing a full stimulation to the taste buds.
Chen Mu nodded with satisfaction, enjoying: “I truly am remarkable! My cooking skills are unquestionable!”
In his previous life, he had always wanted to be a gourmet who could both cook and eat well.
Now, the proficiency gains had granted him this opportunity.
Chen Mu accessed his proficiency panel.
Writing: 1495/10000/Second Rank;
Drawing: 1365/10000/Second Rank;
Throwing: 2503/10000/Third Rank;
Red Falcon Shape Cultivation Technique: 6134/10000/Second Rank;
Cooking: 4516/10000/First Rank;
Pharmaceutical Technique: 6042/10000/First Rank;
Sleeve Sword Technique: 359/10000/First Rank;
His calligraphy and painting business had been disrupted for almost four or five months, and Chen Mu had not invested much effort into it, so his proficiency in writing and drawing had barely changed.
He had been continuously training Throwing, but upon reaching Third Rank and using the Flying Locust Stone, the progress slowed down.
It would be best combined with various unique hidden weapons.
Chen Mu didn’t have the conditions for that.
Since the Flying Locust Stone still increased proficiency, he didn’t plan to create any unusual hidden weapons.
Chen Mu was very invested in the Red Falcon Shape Cultivation Technique because it could transform his body.
Now that his proficiency had surpassed the halfway mark, it would take another two to three months to break through to Third Rank and complete his Bone Transformation.
The progress in Pharmaceutical Technique was surprisingly fast.
He had only read a few more medical books, and his proficiency quietly passed 6000.
First Rank was basic, while Second Rank would bring a qualitative change.
He was quite looking forward to Second Rank Pharmaceutical Technique, wondering what special changes would occur.
The Sleeve Sword Technique was something he had picked up from the Ghost Market last time.
It wasn’t complex, in fact, it was simple.
The overall concept was: a sword hidden in the sleeve, suddenly drawn for a lethal strike.
The manual detailed how to conceal the sword, how to concentrate power for the strike, and from which angles to secretly draw the sword.
Chen Mu had practiced for several days just to get started.
After that, with the help of increased proficiency, he practiced every day and made rapid progress.
As proficiency improved and the environment of Qingshan County remained relatively calm, Chen Mu was quite satisfied with his life.
There was just one thing that gave him a bit of a headache.
He was running out of stored meat.
Zheng Tu’s shop had been closed for a long time.
Chen Mu had specifically gone to ask.
Zheng Tu said that even he couldn’t get meat and had lost weight in his cheeks.
He even wanted to buy some cured ham back from Chen Mu.
Of course, Chen Mu shook his head and refused.
With his high-intensity daily training, he needed a substantial intake of protein.
If it weren’t for the five hens providing eggs.
The little meat he had stored would have been gone long ago.
Moreover, meats weren’t easy to store, and he hadn’t bought much in the first place.
Now, his stockpile had reached a critical red line.
…
May 21, Anle Square Bafang Building.
“Doesn’t this make Li County Magistrate almost the same as the County Lord now?” one patron whispered, spitting out a melon seed shell.
“The County Lord is gone. All the Government Officials obey Li County Magistrate’s orders. And the Commander-in-chief of the defense troops is from his Li Family. Now, he’s just missing the County Lord’s title.” Another person explained.
“Did the other two major families agree?” the first person asked, puzzled.
“What’s there not to agree about? Just look up the hierarchy. Not to mention the three families, including the Wang, Zhou, and Zheng families that have been exterminated. All six families could claim relations.” Another person scoffed.
“You’re right.”
“The times are truly unstable, centuries-old families disappeared just like that. Alas…” another companion chimed in.
“Exactly. If it weren’t for the Zuo family’s eldest unleashing his power, who knows, the Zuo family might have vanished too.”
In a corner, Chen Mu quietly listened to the news spreading all around.
“It seems Qingshan County is temporarily stable.”
“But outside Qingshan County, it’s still not peaceful.”
Before coming here, he had made his way to Zheng Tu’s, only to find there was still no meat.
He could only try his luck later at the East Market street vendors.
Sometimes hunters from the villages below would come to sell game.