Chapter 34
Shopkeeper Zhou soon returned, dragging an elderly man with a white beard into the Trade House. As they hurried over, the white-bearded man was still complaining about his sore bones.
“Xiaozhou, take it easy! What’s so urgent that we can’t wait to discuss this until tomorrow? You’re gonna break these old bones of mine.”
Shopkeeper Zhou did not answer him. Instead, he pulled the older man into the store and pushed him toward the counter, albeit with a little too much agitation. “Sir, please, appraise these pills. What grade are they?”
The old man was about to blow his cool. He had bumped his lower back, and it was hurting. However, the moment he laid his eyes on the pile of Spirit Boosting Pills—round and shiny with intermittent whiffs of faint fragrance—his eyes instantly widened in utter disbelief. He forgot about his anger, the pain in his lower back, and even to breathe. All he could do was stare intently at the pills.
“Spirit Boosting Pills! An entire lot of a few dozen. Even if we have to give up our fortune, we have to buy them all! This concerns the potential rise of the Ruyi Trade House.”
Shopkeeper Zhou was beyond thrilled, but the old man was unable to spare any attention for him. He stared intently at the pills, pearly white and roundish, and said, “Fifteen Ultimate Grade Spirit Boosting Pills with an 85% fusion rate, 5 Supreme Grade pills with a 90% fusion rate, and 20 pills with fusion rates between 60% and 70%.”
The old man almost felt his breath halt the moment he finished counting the pills. Every pill was genuine. Even the Tianhai Trade House could not sell this many Spirit Boosting Pills in a single year.
“We’re buying. We are definitely buying. Let alone breaking the bank…we have to buy all of them, even if it means breaking our bones!” The old man slapped his thigh in wild enthusiasm. By hook or by crook, they must acquire them all.
Feng Tianlan raised her eyebrow at the duo’s incomprehensible excitement. She thought: It’s just a handful of Spirit Boosting Pills. They’re exaggerating.
“About that…” the old man looked up and was taken aback by Feng Tianlan’s peculiar outfit. However, he quickly snapped out of it and asked respectfully, “Little Mister, do you intend to sell all of these?”
Feng Tianlan lightly nodded, “Yes.”
They mistook him for a man. It was probably better that way.
“Let me be honest, Little Mister. Your pills are of the Ultimate Grade, and the Ruyi Trade House is currently unable to pay for all of them. However, we do have some treasures. If you don’t mind, we are more than willing to trade them for your pills.”
The old man stared wistfully at the pills. They were too costly for the Trade House to acquire them all in a short period. However, he was genuinely reluctant to let go of this chance that may never come again.
Seeing his sincerity, Feng Tianlan replied, “I need medicinal herbs for pill refinement. If the Trade House can provide them, I will take them as partial payment. As for the treasures, you must let me see them first. I’ll accept them if they are of use.”
It seems like the Tianhai Trade House had almost forced the Ruyi Trade House out of business. However, all Feng Tianlan required was an affirmative attitude. She believed that, with these Spirit Boosting Pills, the Ruyi Trade House could hold an auction and quickly rise again.
The old man hurriedly instructed Shopkeeper Zhou to retrieve their treasure as well as all the cash that they had on hand. He then humbly turned to Feng Tianlan and said, “Please wait for a moment, Young Master.”
Feng Tianlan nodded, signaling her agreement. “Okay.”
The old man scanned Feng Tianlan, wanting to ask about her bizarre outfit. However, since the young man had made an effort to dress like that, the old man figured that he must want to hide his identity. Therefore, he gave up asking questions, even about how the young man had come by these pills. All he wanted was to purchase the Spirit Boosting Pills.
Soon enough, Shopkeeper Zhou came running out with a silver ring in hand. He put it on the table and said, “Everything’s in here.”
The old man took out treasures that the Ruyi Trade House had curated for decades and laid them out, one by one, on the table. Carefully, he asked, “Little Mister, is anything to your liking?”