Staying Alive Cautiously in the Celestial Realm and Becoming the Strongest

Chapter 612: Chapter 612: Forced Buying and Selling
 

This ordinary dinner was enjoyed by everyone.

According to Zhang Mushan, the flower deer that Wang Chen had hunted was not a very precious Monster Beast, but it was rare within a thousand miles and was nearly hunted to extinction by Hunter Cultivators.

The taste of the deer meat was very good, similar to the texture of beef tenderloin. After being grilled and sprinkled with salt crystals and a mix of spices, it was delicious enough to make one want to swallow their own tongue.

The deer blood wine mixed with Spiritual Wine was nourishing and helped invigorate the body. Zhang Mushan was not one to indulge in drinking, and in the end, he even asked Wang Chen for a jar to take home and savor slowly.

Before leaving, he especially reminded Wang Chen not to hunt alone in places too far away.

He also warned to be very careful of the Slave Catching Teams from other Immortal Cities.

Slave Catching Teams are much more terrifying than Monster Beasts!

Wang Chen kept this in mind.@@novelbin@@

The next morning, after weeding in the Spirit Fields, he took out the chopped deer meat and bones, mixed them with a certain proportion of deer blood, and evenly scattered them across the field.

The Spiritual Rice, “smelling” the scent of blood, sent out countless roots from beneath the soil, entwining the broken meat and bones and dragging them underground.

“Eat meat, eat meat!”

They were joyful and grateful, expressing their thanks and contentment to Wang Chen.

Wang Chen: “…”

In the following days, Wang Chen continued to live a secluded life.

Heeding Zhang Mushan’s advice, he did not go far to hunt, only wandering within Dongli Mountain.

Although prey on Dongli Mountain was rare and hard to find, Wang Chen was always able to locate some hidden Monster Beasts with the aid of the Upper Clear Qiankun Mirror and his powerful Divine Sense.

He never returned empty-handed!

With these hunted animals, Wang Chen would consume the essence parts himself or exchange them for goods in the market.

The rest he would chop up to fertilize the Spirit Fields.

Besides caring for the Spirit Fields, Wang Chen spent most of his time cultivating.

He calmed his mind and diligently practiced the Innate Five Elements Skill and the Mystical Mirage Dragon Jue, nurtured his Dragon Abyss Sword day and night, and trained in new swordsmanship skills.

His days were incredibly fulfilling.

By the time Mid-Autumn Festival arrived, the dozens of mu of Spiritual Rice Wang Chen had planted were about to mature.

Since he had missed the spring planting, he could only cultivate one season of Green Jingmi this year; however, due to proper care and sufficient investment of meat as fertilizer, a bountiful harvest was in sight!

At this time, Wang Chen no longer went out, guarding his own Spirit Fields, waiting to harvest.

The inside and outside of Flying Catkins Valley were like two different worlds. If he went hunting at this time, someone might secretly harvest his Spiritual Rice, leaving not even a trace behind.

However, to Wang Chen’s surprise, the thief of the crops did not appear.

Instead, three Cultivators arrived.

The leader was a kindly-faced, green-robed elder who seemed harmless to humans and animals with his smiling demeanor.

Upon seeing Wang Chen guarding the Spirit Fields, he spoke up, “Fellow Daoist, I’ll take all of this Green Jingmi.”

Wang Chen was momentarily stunned.

He had seen people do business before, but had never encountered such a manner of negotiation—a tone that seemed to take for granted that he had already agreed!

Without showing his surprise, Wang Chen asked, “What price are you offering?”

The green-robed elder raised a finger: “Three jin of rice for one Low Spirit.”

Damn!

Wang Chen barely held back the urge to curse out loud.

He had specifically looked up the prices of different types of Spirit Rice when he was choosing seeds before.

Green Jingmi was easy to plant but hard to produce in abundance. Because of its good taste and strong nourishing effects, it was very popular in the market.

The going rate for a jin of rice with the husk still on was around one Low Spirit, and he had heard that selling it in Yongle Immortal City could fetch an even higher price.

Yet, the other party had the audacity to offer three jin of rice for one Low Spirit.

“That’s too low.”

Wang Chen shook his head, “At that price, I’d rather keep it for myself to eat.”

His cultivation of the Heavenly Dragon Vajra Method was very energy-consuming, and his usual food intake was significantly more than that of ordinary cultivators.

He definitely needed to keep a portion of the Green Jingmi he harvested.

“Low?”

The man in green robes looked at Wang Chen, an expression that was a mix of a smile and not a smile on his face, “Let this humble one inform Daoist friend, the unworthy Qian Wancheng, I am honored to be the shopkeeper for the Wine and Rice Shop in Flying Catkins Valley.”

As he spoke, he flaunted an identity plaque!

Wang Chen’s heart sank.

There was only one wine and rice shop in Flying Catkins Valley, which sold Spiritual Wine and Spirit Rice.

And everyone knew that all the shops in the valley belonged to the leader of Flying Catkins Camp—True Person Mu.

Wang Chen was not afraid of this man in green robes who was trying to strong-arm a sale, even if the other party was a high-tier Purple Mansion, he had the power to fight and defeat him.

The problem was the man behind him, a Golden Core True Person.

That situation was entirely different!

Wang Chen was very aware that a Golden Core True Person wouldn’t bother with such trivial matters, those who resorted to bully tactics like this were surely their subordinates—like the shopkeeper before him!

Moreover, the other party was brazen, not even afraid if Wang Chen exposed them.

With thoughts flashing through his mind like lightning, Wang Chen said solemnly, “This one has always admired True Person Mu and wishes to offer three thousand catties of Green Jingmi.”

“Ptui!”

The man in green robes flipped his face, spitting onto the ground with a vile expression, and bellowed, “Does True Person need your measly rice? Don’t overestimate your own worth and seek to connect yourself with greatness without merit, if you don’t state something acceptable today, I’ll make sure you regret it!”

Wang Chen suppressed his anger and said, “How about this, I’ll keep five thousand catties of rice myself, and sell the rest to you at this price, as a gesture of respect to True Person.”

A wise man does not suffer loss at his doorstep, since the other party dared to act in True Person’s name, they wouldn’t be afraid to escalate the situation.

If he seriously contended with this shopkeeper, stubbornly refusing to yield an inch, it was highly likely that Wang Chen himself would end up the worse for it.

“I’ll leave you at most one thousand catties.”

Qian Wancheng snorted through his nostrils, eyeing Wang Chen with a cold and scornful gaze, “Five thousand catties? What are you thinking? I am not afraid to tell you that I, Qian Wancheng, am taking these rice today!”

“Fine then.”

Wang Chen said, “I’ll just keep one thousand catties, and sell the rest to you.”

This was already his bottom line.

“Smart of you.”

Qian Wancheng smiled and said, “I’ll send someone over to harvest it tomorrow, so be ready for it!”

Having said that, he turned around and was about to lead his people away.

The two men Qian Wancheng brought with him had a fierce demeanor, clearly Battle Cultivators who had seen combat, with a strong hidden killing intent in their eyes.

“Wait!”

Wang Chen hurriedly said, “You haven’t paid the deposit yet.”

Qian Wancheng turned back, asking incredulously, “What deposit? You’re asking me for a deposit?”

He laughed heartily, then waved his hand and said, “You’ll get it, are you afraid I’m going to default? You’re overthinking this!”

Wang Chen remained silent.

Thinking that Wang Chen had truly yielded, Qian Wancheng bared his teeth and said, “I’ll come back tomorrow, I hope you’re prepared.”

After Qian Wancheng and his men left, Wang Chen pondered for a moment and then sent a Talisman Message to Zhang Mushan.

The latter hurried over only when dusk fell.

“I was out today.”

Zhang Mushan explained, “I only saw your Talisman Message when I got back. Has something happened?”

As it turned out, Wang Chen really had run into trouble!

———

The second update is here.