Chapter 452: Buying Medicine at a Low Price (Part 1)

However, he immediately shook his head.

Zhang Xuan had long known about the calming grass; its effect was to calm the mind, making it easier to enter a state of心如止水 (mind like still water) and doubling the efficiency of cultivation. It did not have the so-called effect of awakening a sleeping soul.

Otherwise, with his mastery of pharmacology, he would have known long ago and found a way to seek this thing.

"Awaken the soul? That's impossible!"

Zhao Feiwu frowned.

She had read many books on medicinal herbs and knew the effects of this drug; it wasn't as exaggerated as imagined.

"Ordinary calming grass indeed doesn't have this effect, but this one is different. It is an imperial calming grass, which grows by devouring the spiritual energy from spirit stones. It has great effects even on Mortal Transcendence experts."

Speaking of this grass, the attendant's eyes lit up.

"Devouring spirit stones? Does it need to be fed with spirit stones?"

"Yes, from the seedling stage, a special formation is set up to draw the purest spiritual energy from spirit stones to provide the energy needed for its growth... To be honest, this calming grass has consumed no less than a hundred spirit stones to grow this big, not to mention the manpower and resources involved!" the attendant continued.

Zhang Xuan was stunned: "Raising a plant costs a hundred spirit stones?"

From the start of his cultivation until now, he hadn't consumed that many spirit stones. He didn't expect a plant to be treated far better than he was.

Truly, a person is worse off than a plant.

"Yes, so this calming grass is completely different from naturally grown ones. It has changed its properties and has a strong effect on the soul!" the attendant said.

Though shocked, Zhang Xuan did not take his word for it. Instead, patterns flowed in his eyes as he looked over.

Whether it could be useful for a sleeping soul, just listening to his wild talk was certainly not accurate; he needed to see for himself.

Soon, his eyes grew brighter and brighter.

Although this medicinal herb was precious, it was not beyond his ability to see through. According to the feedback from his Eye of Insight... it was indeed useful for a sleeping soul.

However, it was not the awakening he spoke of, but rather stabilizing the sleeping soul and preventing it from dissipating.

A sleeping soul, to put it nicely, is asleep, but in reality, it is too weak to wake up.

It's like a severely ill person who is too weak to get up.

Lu Chong's body had been impacted, and his soul was dissipating. Although Zhang Xuan had rescued him quickly, he had still suffered great damage. The surviving part was less than one percent of the original, unable to support the body's functions, which was why he remained unconscious.

Although this calming grass did not have the ability to wake him, it could at least prevent the soul from dissipating further and even slowly strengthen it.

"I must have it!"

He hadn't found a way to restore Lu Chong's consciousness, but he absolutely could not let his soul grow weaker.

Since he had encountered this calming grass, he naturally couldn't let it go; he had to obtain it.

"Um... how much is it?"

After hesitating for a moment, he turned and asked.

"This calming grass is one of the most precious treasures in our Yipin Pavilion, and the most expensive. It costs 500 spirit stones!"

the attendant said.

"500?" Zhang Xuan's body swayed.

He couldn't even produce five spirit stones now, let alone five hundred...

What a joke!

He could produce five hundred gold coins, though.

Jianbao Pavilion... might as well be called Robbery Pavilion. Everything was so expensive; how could anyone buy anything?

Not many could afford it, right...

Just as he was thinking of asking for a lower price to see if he could bargain it down to 500 gold coins again, he heard a steady voice from ahead: "Alright, I'll take this calming grass. Also, pack up the emerald bamboo, sedimentary grass, yin-yang umbrella... and all the other items I looked at earlier!"

Looking up, he saw the old man who had been standing with Appraiser Liu Chang waving his hand and speaking.

In his eyes, 500 spirit stones seemed as insignificant as 500 gold coins.

"Right away!"

Hearing his words, an attendant in front quickly brought over these items, full of excitement.

The more customers bought, the higher the commission for the salespeople.

"It's already been sold... Young master, why don't you look at other things?"

The attendant in front of Zhang Xuan, seeing that the calming grass had been bought, shook his head in disappointment.

"No need to look; I'll take this one..."

Zhang Xuan hadn't taken a liking to anything else. He stepped forward and, before reaching them, directly called out: "Hold on!"

"You're not thinking of buying it, are you?"

Seeing this guy rush up and shout "Hold on," the attendant was startled.

The other party had already said they wanted it; rushing over now meant competing with them... And did he even know who they were?

Not knowing who they were and just charging over like that was too reckless!

Zhang Xuan's voice was loud, immediately drawing the attention of the old man and the others. Appraiser Liu Chang saw him coming and glared.

Had he snatched the item this guy wanted earlier, and now he was holding a grudge and coming to snatch theirs?

"What are you doing?"

He stepped forward, blocking the way.

"I intend to take this calming grass." Ignoring him, Zhang Xuan said.

"We've already bought this item. You'd better buy something else!" Appraiser Liu Chang waved his hand.

"You may have seen it first, but you haven't paid yet, have you? In buying, the highest bidder wins. If I offer a higher price than you, can I take it directly?" Zhang Xuan said calmly.

"You..." Appraiser Liu Chang's chest heaved, nearly exploding with rage.

These words were very familiar; they were exactly what he had said to the other party earlier.

It seemed this guy was deliberately causing trouble.

Otherwise, how could he repeat the words without a single difference?

Zhao Feiwu and Jin Conghai exchanged glances and couldn't help but smile bitterly.

He really was someone who wouldn't take a loss.

However, that old man clearly wasn't short of money. Trying to buy something from him probably wouldn't be easy!

"Then what price can you offer? We paid 500 spirit stones for this calming grass!" Appraiser Liu Chang snorted, suppressing his anger.

This guy had hesitated over fifteen spirit stones earlier; he definitely didn't have much money. How could he possibly buy this herb from them at a higher price?

"Can you make the decision to give me this calming grass?" Zhang Xuan glanced at him.

Although this Appraiser Liu Chang was high in status and very proud, he obediently followed behind the old man like a servant, indicating that this man had an even higher status.

The calming grass was bought at the old man's call; he probably didn't have the authority to decide.

Since he didn't, why was he butting in?

"I..."

Appraiser Liu Chang's face flushed bright red.

"He is my student, and he does have the authority to decide whether to sell or not. However, I have use for this calming grass and do not wish to part with it. Even if you offer a higher price, it's useless!"

Watching the two argue, the old man stood with his hands behind his back and looked over indifferently.

"Student?"

Teacher-student lineage; Liu Chang was a two-star appraiser, so his teacher must be at least three-star, or even four-star.

No wonder he could spend 500 spirit stones on a herb without batting an eye.

"A higher price? Not necessarily!" Zhang Xuan said.

"Oh? Then why don't you tell me, what price can you offer?"

The old man looked over with interest.

The attendants were also curious.

The young man might not know who this old man was, but they knew very well—a wealthy patron who was not short of money, almost the richest in all of Honghai City.

Buying something he had his eye on from such a person, even if successful, would likely come at a sky-high price.

Zhao Feiwu and the others were also full of doubt and anticipation.

Earlier, this guy had used medical skills to solve things without revealing his wealth, so they didn't know how much savings he had. Now that he insisted on buying this calming grass, he should be bringing out his money.

After all, without real gold and silver, how could the Jianbao Pavilion sell a treasure worth 500 spirit stones?

Even if he talked until the cows came home, these attendants didn't have the authority to make that decision.

So much money; they couldn't earn it in a lifetime.

Just as everyone was puzzled and wanted to hear what he was relying on, the young man's confident voice rang out.

"I can offer five hundred gold coins!"

"Pfft!"

Appraiser Liu Chang nearly spat blood and fainted on the spot.

Again?

Are you kidding me?

Earlier, when I offered fifty spirit stones for that strange item, you came back with fifty gold coins. Now, for such a precious calming grass, you pull the same trick...

Can we even have a pleasant conversation?

The attendants watching also twitched their lips.

With such a big talk, they thought he would bring out a lot of money, but then he said this... Are you deliberately causing trouble?

The attendant who had been following Zhang Xuan was so embarrassed he wanted to find a hole to crawl into.

He thought he would actually offer a high price that others couldn't match, but who knew he would come up with this...

Ahem, even if you don't have money and can't offer a much higher price, you shouldn't offer an amount that can't even buy a clod of mud...

As the others were about to faint, Zhao Feiwu slapped his forehead: "Elder Jin, prepare to act. I'm afraid if we don't protect him, he'll be... beaten to death!"

"Yes!" Jin Conghai nodded, secretly mobilizing his inner energy, ready to strike at any moment.

He shared the same view as the "young master."

This old man was clearly of high status. To provoke even someone like him, so ignorant of the world, it was a miracle he had survived this long.

"Five hundred gold coins to buy this calming grass?"

Sure enough, the old man's face darkened, and his aura surged like stormy waves. Though Zhang Xuan didn't know exactly how strong he was, he seemed no weaker than Jin Conghai.

He had probably reached at least the Mortal Transcendence Third Layer.

"That's right." Zhang Xuan nodded.

Seeing him admit it so readily without any embarrassment, the old man snorted: "Do you think the Yipin Pavilion would refuse 500 spirit stones and instead accept 500 gold coins to sell you such a precious item? Who do you think you are? The lord of Honghai City or the alliance leader of the Ten Thousand Kingdoms Alliance?"

"I am neither. I'm just an ordinary person who wants to buy the calming grass."

Zhang Xuan shook his head, his expression calm: "And I'm not buying from the Yipin Pavilion, but from you! I believe you will sell it to me for 500 gold coins without any trouble!"

"Buy from me? Sell it to you without trouble?"

The old man was exasperated, his facial muscles twitching.

How can you be so sure that I would be so cheap... buying at 500 spirit stones and selling to you for 500 gold coins?

Are you dreaming?