My Fairy Growth System

After a while, the hunchbacked elder looked up and said, "The total price comes to six thousand five hundred Spirit Stones, how about it?"

This was about ten percent less than Yu Qingtan’s own estimate, but considering it was the black market, she nodded in agreement.

Then, using a hoarse male voice, she asked, "Do you have Spirit Dew or Wasteland Crystals for sale?"

The hunchbacked elder glanced at Yu Qingtan, then shook his head, "No."

The hunchbacked elder handed Yu Qingtan a second-grade, mid-quality Storage Talisman.

Unlike the blind boxes of low-quality first-grade Storage Talismans that Qing Tan had bought before, this mid-quality first-grade Storage Talisman allowed one to check the contents without damaging the talisman.

After confirming the number of Spirit Stones was correct, the three of them, including Yu Qingtan, left the shop.

What Yu Qingtan didn’t know was that soon after they left, the hunchbacked elder triggered a Communication Talisman.

"The one who destroyed the Misty Rain Tower branch has appeared, I’ve already..."

Outside, not far from the shop, a commotion was taking place at a street stall.

"If you’re not buying, then get lost. What’s there to shout about when buying an Orichi as a mount for a thousand Spirit Stones?"

Yu Qingtan approached to have a look, and saw that the speaker was a fierce-faced, tall stall owner who didn’t bother to wear a mask to conceal his identity.

His stall had a variety of items for sale, but mainly mounts contained in various Spirit Beast Pouches.

These included the Bicorn Horses, which were the most common in Suichuan Immortal City, as well as Gale Pigs, Stubborn Donkeys, Lion-Headed Geese, Orichis, and so on.

The Orichi mentioned by the stall owner was a large, blue-bodied snake with eight red-eyed split tails, looking extremely ferocious but actually very docile once tamed.

Being a rather rare and precious Spiritual Beast, Orichis weren’t known for much attack power, which is why they were generally used as mounts.

The person the stall owner was addressing was an elderly cultivator with hair starting to turn white and wearing a mask.

Hearing the stall owner’s words, the elderly cultivator released a wave of Qi Cultivation at the eighth stage and shouted, "What kind of attitude is that? I’m just short of Spirit Stones today and was asking if you could give me a discount, weren’t I?"

"Old man, this is my attitude. So, you want to fight, is it? You should ask around about the name of the Beast King, Tian Changfeng!"

The stall owner also released a wave of spiritual power, surprisingly at the ninth stage of Qi Cultivation, and scoffed disdainfully.

"You...you...hmph!"

Sensing Tian Changfeng’s strength, the elderly cultivator ultimately left with an indignant huff, turning away.

"Pah, you’re like a dog. If it weren’t for the fact that I still have to run my stall today, I would’ve gladly loosened up those old bones of yours," Tian Changfeng spat after the retreating figure of the elderly cultivator.

The elderly cultivator didn’t go far and hesitated upon hearing this, but then continued on even more quickly.

After the elderly cultivator left, other cultivators approached Tian Changfeng’s stall.

Because Tian Changfeng’s mounts were indeed cheaper than those sold by the large families.

Even under the somewhat surprised gazes of You Xiwang and the other person, Yu Qingtan made her way to Tian Changfeng’s stall.

"How much for this token?" Yu Qingtan asked in a hoarse male voice.

She was inquiring about an inconspicuous black Uninscribed Token on the stall.

This token was nearly identical to the one without any inscriptions she had in her System Space, which she had obtained from the Misty Rain Tower assassin, Poison Needle.

"Three thousand Spirit Stones," Tian Changfeng said, his eyes shifting as he quoted a price.

Upon hearing this, Yu Qingtan turned to leave.

Tian Changfeng hurriedly stepped forward, grabbing the edge of the sleeve of Yu Qingtan’s black robe.

"This token was something I risked my life to find in a cave of a second-stage Demonic Beast. If you’re really interested, how about 2,800 Spirit Stones?"

Yu Qingtan brushed off his hand with displeasure, stepped back a few paces, and then said, "No need, I don’t have that many Spirit Stones."

She just wanted to know what the token was for, but Tian Changfeng didn’t bother to explain and just quoted a price outright.

Unlike the earlier mocking of the elderly cultivator, Tian Changfeng didn’t say anything to Yu Qingtan but returned to his stall looking somewhat annoyed.

However, he was already laughing coldly in his heart.

Yu Qingtan continued strolling around but didn’t find anything she wanted to buy.

However, You Xiwang bought Yu Qingtan an exquisite necklace.

Although it was just a lower-grade first-stage magic artifact, its beauty was key.

Yu Qingtan didn’t refuse since You Xiwang knew she was a core disciple of Tianxiang Pavilion and couldn’t possibly marry anyone until she redeemed herself.

At the final shop they visited, there was still no signboard.

"What are you looking to buy, dried goods or fresh goods?" a young clerk with a shifty look approached and asked.

Yu Qingtan was puzzled.

You Xiwang leaned close to Yu Qingtan’s ear and said, "Dried goods mean boys, fresh goods mean girls."

Yu Qingtan realized then what this place was, a den of human traffickers.

Disgust immediately rose in her heart.

Yu Qingtan asked, "Do you have fresh goods with a True Spiritual Root?"

The clerk replied, "Of course, we have them."

"Show us the merchandise!"

"Well, our shop has a rule, you must pay a deposit of 500 Spirit Stones before you can see the goods!"

Yu Qingtan fell silent upon hearing this.

You Xiwang also changed his tone and said, "Forget it, we won’t buy today!"

The three of them then left that shop.

"Let’s head back," Yu Qingtan suggested.

"All right!"

The trio retraced their steps along the path they had come.

"Brother You, this black market even traffics people, doesn’t the authority above care?" Yu Qingtan pointed upwards and asked.

"Heh, there are some above who would like to manage it, but these people also have their own backing. Since it’s not done openly, they don’t intervene, and others simply prefer not to care," You Xiwang replied.

"What kind of backing?"

"The closest great sect of demon cultivators to us, the Extreme Path Demon Sect."

A jolt went through Yu Qingtan’s heart, it was the Extreme Path Demon Sect again.

After leaving the passage, the three headed straight back to the You residence.

"Thank you, Uncle You, Brother You, I’ll take my leave," Yu Qingtan said.

After bidding farewell to the father and son of the You family, Yu Qingtan prepared to pay a visit to Ouyang Wuqing.

It was best to give a heads-up to the City Lord’s Mansion about the talent show.

While passing through a small alley, a nearly transparent screen suddenly appeared, enveloping the entire alley.

Yu Qingtan’s pretty face beneath her veil changed slightly, but she didn’t panic.

At that moment, a tall male cultivator emerged from the ground ahead, none other than Tian Changfeng, a stall owner they had seen in the black market.

"Turns out it’s a girl, heh heh, you are now trapped in this Isolation Formation. Hand over your Storage Bag, and I can spare your life."

"It’s you, how did you find me? What do you want to do?" Yu Qingtan pretended to panic and stepped back a few paces, saying.

"The little girl’s voice is quite nice, but you ask too many questions. I’ll count to three, hand over the Storage Bag, otherwise, heh heh."

"I understand now, you must have done something to me when you touched my sleeve," Yu Qingtan guessed.

"Three!" Tian Changfeng did not refute.

"Don’t come any closer, do you know who I am? If you dare to hurt a single hair on my head, my father will definitely not let you off," Yu Qingtan threatened weakly.

"Two!" A python as thick as an arm appeared in Tian Changfeng’s hand, with the python hissing at Yu Qingtan.

"I’ll give it, I’ll give it!" Yu Qingtan shouted.

Yu Qingtan took out a Storage Bag and threw it towards Tian Changfeng.