10: Chapter 10 "Storage Bag"

"Hello, Fellow Daoist. What do you need to buy?"

As soon as he entered, a shop assistant came to attend to Li Qing.

Seeing that it wasn't the clerk who had accepted his spirit dew last time, Li Qing let out a sigh of relief.

If he had run into that clerk this time, Li Qing would absolutely not have taken out his spirit rice.

Having just sold spirit dew and now coming to sell spirit rice, even a fool would know something was off about him.

"You are too polite, Fellow Daoist. I am not here to purchase supplies today, but rather to sell a hundred catties of spirit rice. I wonder what Feiyun Hall's purchase price is?"

As he spoke, he patted the "Storage Pouch" hanging by his side.

Li Qing's one mu of farmland had yielded a full twelve hundred catties of spirit rice, but he had only brought a hundred catties this time to check the purchase price.

The clerk's gaze fell upon the "Storage Pouch," and a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes.

Although spirit rice was a common ration for low-level Cultivators, unless they were Loose Cultivators with decent family backgrounds or Cultivators with their own spiritual fields, few would have such a large quantity of spirit rice to sell.

The clerk slowly said,

"Spirit rice is a basic supply, and Feiyun Hall purchases it year-round. Depending on the quality of the spirit rice, it ranges from five to ten catties per Spirit Stone."

"Quality?"

Hearing this, Li Qing brushed his hand over his "Storage Pouch," and a translucent, plump grain of spirit rice appeared in his palm.

"Please take a look, Fellow Daoist."

The clerk took the spirit rice.

"Perfectly round and plump, crystal clear, and with a rich rice aroma. This is High Grade spirit rice—five catties per Spirit Stone."

After checking it, the clerk gave the purchase price.

"Awesome!"

Li Qing silently praised his farmland in his heart. The seeds he had harvested were not High Grade spirit rice seeds, but he hadn't expected the farmland to be so amazing!

Li Qing calmly raised his hand again and brushed it over the "Storage Pouch" hanging at his waist.

In the next second, a large, bulging sack of spirit rice appeared in his hands out of thin air. The sack was stuffed full, and a faint aroma of spirit rice drifted out.

A few nearby Cultivators glanced over but didn't pay much attention. After all, there were plenty of Loose Cultivators selling spirit rice at Feiyun Hall.

Yet, no one knew that this Storage Pouch at Li Qing's waist, which looked almost identical to the real thing, was actually a fake he had made with his own hands.

With a similarity of ninety-nine percent, its appearance, feel, and even the way it was worn were no different from a real Storage Pouch. The only difference was—this thing couldn't hold anything at all; it was purely for show.

The reason he went to so much trouble to make such a fake item was entirely to deceive others.

However, in the eyes of others, a Loose Cultivator who could consistently produce a hundred catties of spirit rice without even having the most basic Storage Pouch would seem exceptionally strange and easily targeted.

So, necessary concealment was absolutely indispensable.

The clerk took the spirit rice and weighed it on the Spirit Stone scale nearby. The needle stopped steadily at the hundred-catty mark, accurate to the last ounce.

"One hundred catties, twenty Low-Grade Spirit Stones."

Having said that, the clerk pulled a small bag of glittering Low-Grade Spirit Stones from under the counter and handed it to Li Qing.

The Spirit Stones clinked against each other, making a crisp and pleasant sound that made Li Qing feel much more comfortable.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist."

Li Qing took the bag of Spirit Stones with both hands, opened it to take a look, and after confirming the amount was correct, leisurely stuffed the twenty Spirit Stones into the "Storage Pouch" at his waist right in front of the Utility Disciple.

His movements were natural and smooth, without showing the slightest flaw.

The Utility Disciple nodded and, following the rules of Feiyun Hall, casually asked, "Does Fellow Daoist need any other items? Medicinal Pills? Talismans? Magical Artifacts?"

As soon as this question was asked, Li Qing's eyes lit up instantly.

Yes! Of course he wanted them!

What he lacked most right now were these things!

Medicinal Pills could accelerate his cultivation speed, Talismans could save his life at critical moments, and even the lowest-grade Magical Artifact could double his combat strength.

But he lowered his head and did a quick calculation in his head—adding these twenty Spirit Stones to his remaining ones, he had a total of forty-one Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

Over these three months, food, drink, rent, plus those chickens and fish had already cost him twenty of his remaining forty-one Spirit Stones!

Forty-one Low-Grade Spirit Stones. Forget about buying Medicinal Pills or Magical Artifacts; even the cheapest low-grade Fireball Talisman cost ten Spirit Stones. Buying just one would make his heart ache for a long time.

After hesitating for a moment, Li Qing abandoned his desire to buy. For now, prioritizing the improvement of his strength was the most important.

Once he stepped into Qi Refining Stage 4, he would be at the Middle Stage of Qi Refining. Throughout the entire Anping Market, he would no longer be a low-level lackey whom anyone could bully. Whether setting up a stall in the market or taking on missions, no one would look down on him.

This was also why Li Qing had not set up a stall to sell the spirit rice himself this time; a cultivation level of Qi Refining Stage 3 could still cause unnecessary trouble.

Li Qing forced his gaze away from the glittering Medicinal Pills and Talismans in the counter. Though his heart was itching, he could only politely shake his head.

"Perhaps next time. I don't need any for now."

After speaking, he cupped his hands to the clerk again, turned around, and walked toward the entrance of Feiyun Hall.

His steps were not fast, but he was already impatient in his heart, wanting nothing more than to rush back to his hidden, dilapidated little courtyard to enter closed-door cultivation and break through to Qi Refining Stage 4.

Every move Li Qing made in Feiyun Hall was clearly seen by Zhao San, who was pretending to buy things nearby.

He hadn't expected Li Qing to come to sell spirit rice this time, and even sell it for twenty Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

Especially when he saw the "Storage Pouch" at Li Qing's waist, only he knew the shock in his heart.

"A Storage Pouch!"

Zhao San's heart skipped a beat, his heart rate instantly multiplying. His eyes were glued to the dusty grey Storage Pouch at Li Qing's waist, and his entire body grew excited.

He definitely remembered correctly!

Three months ago, this guy named Li Qing didn't have a Storage Pouch on him at all!

But now, a proper Storage Pouch was actually hanging from his waist!

Having hung around Anping Market for so many years, Zhao San knew very well that even the lowest-grade, smallest-capacity Storage Pouch would cost at least one hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones on the market!

One hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones!

That was a huge sum of money that an ordinary Loose Cultivator might not even be able to save up after working hard for over half a year!

This Li Qing couldn't even afford his rent before, and now he was suddenly using a Storage Pouch?

Where did he get so many Spirit Stones? And so much spirit rice?

Zhao San knew exactly what he had been doing over these past three months.

The more Zhao San thought about it, the more alarmed he became, and the more he felt something was wrong. His heart was pounding wildly, almost leaping out of his throat.

He was almost certain that this Loose Cultivator named Li Qing was hiding a massive secret!

Either he had accidentally picked up the inheritance of a deceased Cultivator, or he had found some hidden Treasure Trove, or perhaps even...

No matter which one it was, it meant—huge benefits!

No wonder Boss Scar had me monitor him at all times!

Zhao San stared intently at Li Qing's retreating figure. He subconsciously quickened his pace, keeping a moderate distance behind him. This time, he didn't dare follow too closely for fear of being discovered, his eyes filled with uncontrollable greed and excitement.

Right now, he had only one thought in his mind:

He had to keep a close eye on this person. If he could obtain this guy's secret, Boss Scar would definitely not be stingy with rewards!

No, why should he tell Boss Scar? Every man for himself, and the devil take the hindmost!

He is only at Qi Refining Stage 2, so why can't I take his place?

The more Zhao San thought about it, the more burning his heart became!

"Just let yourself become the stepping stone for my, Zhao San's, rise in Anping Market!"