Immortality begins with meditation puppets

Chapter 38 We are a team!
"This humble one, Liang Haishun, greets young friend Su."

Having just seen off the youthful and radiant Guo Qiaolian, another old and unrecognizable man, Liang Haishun, has arrived.

This person looked old and frail, but he manipulated the wind technique, causing his golden robes to flutter in the wind, giving him an air of otherworldly elegance.

Su Qing dared not be negligent towards this renowned first-tier array master, and quickly returned the greeting with a cupped-hand salute, exchanging pleasantries with him.

This was Liang Haishun's first time dealing with Su Qing, as there were no outstanding puppeteers in Baiyunfang City before.

Since Manager Liu put Su Qing with them, he must have some skill in puppetry.

As a veteran of the market, Liang Haishun doesn't mind getting to know these up-and-coming talents and building good relationships with them.

Su Qing didn't mind befriending a formation master. Unlike Zhang Hai, who was only a mediocre practitioner, this man's formation skills had once earned him a place in the Yunshan Sect.

Both of them were keen to get to know each other, and after a few words, their relationship became quite warm.

Liang Haishun was delighted by Su Qing's words: "In Baiyun Market, none other than you can be the one to carry the flag of the formation." He stroked his beard and squinted, in a great mood.

His gaze swept over the puppets surrounding Su Qing, and he smiled again:
"I've seen cautious people before, but I've never seen anyone as cautious as Fellow Daoist Su. Releasing so many puppets must have taken a lot of energy."

Actually, fellow Daoist, there's no need for such concern. The warriors sent by the Hundred Treasures Pavilion for escort are all elites. As long as it's not a Foundation Establishment cultivator or a second-tier demonic beast in front of you, the journey will proceed peacefully."

Among the group of professionals hired by Baibaoge, Su Qing knew he had been too nervous. Didn't he see that the weapon refiner Helian Xian was almost asleep on the magic weapon?

Hey! That weapon refiner really knows how to make money. What he's sitting on isn't some high-grade first-tier magic artifact, the Light Chasing Carpet; it's a bunch of spirit crystals carrying him around!
Although I know my behavior is somewhat out of place.

However, Su Qing had no intention of taking the puppet back. If he didn't want to learn more about this team, he would have even planned to hide in Xiong Er's hiding place.

This team is indeed composed of elites. Even these professionals are all talented individuals. If it comes to a real battle, their role may not be any less significant than that of the warrior cultivators.

But the larger the team, the more timid he became.

Manager Liu then said he would send someone to escort him to the hunting area to train his legs.

But does leg training really require such a large-scale operation?

With just this one team, even the so-called four major forces in the hunting area combined wouldn't stand a chance.

In Su Qing's view, although these warrior cultivators were said to be there to protect and serve them, based on the team's composition, he felt more that these professionals were there to serve the warrior cultivators.

There are weapon refiners who can repair magical artifacts.

A spiritual healer who is always ready to save and heal people.

A formation master who sets up a formation.

A flute player who can play music and add various effects.

·····
These professionals, along with the warriors, supposedly went to the hunting grounds to do business, but in reality, they were more like a fully equipped battle team!

At least in Su Qing's opinion, the little bit of spirit crystals they earned from rogue cultivators in the hunting area might not even be enough to cover the escort fee for these combat cultivators to travel back and forth once.

Only by forming a team to hunt more valuable prey can we explain why this team is of such a size!

What kind of monsters will this team be facing?
First-tier Limit Demon King?
Even second-tier monsters?

Regardless of what it is, Su Qing felt that it was still necessary to take things one step at a time.

He could see it, and how could an old fox like Liang Haishun not see it?

Seeing that he only shook his head and didn't speak, Liang Haishun immediately nodded knowingly and said:
"Fellow Daoist, did you realize that Liu Sanquan had ill intentions?"

That cunning fellow was afraid we wouldn't dare come if we found out what was going on. In reality, apart from you, young friend, and a few other newly emerging Daoists like Guo, the old man and Helian Xian and the other elders already knew what he was up to.

It's one thing for Ma Tuan to lead the team, but he even released Qing He! He's probably preparing for the auction three months from now, hoping to hunt a second-tier demon beast and get its demon core to bolster the Hundred Treasures Pavilion's image!

Liang Haishun seemed to have an excellent grasp of Manager Liu's intentions, his words brimming with confidence. Su Qing, however, was taken aback: "An auction? The Baiyun Auction, organized by the Yunshan Sect, where major merchants in the market showcase their strength?"

"Hmph, it's just a trick by the Yunshan Sect to exploit the merchants. They hold a small event every three years and a big one every ten years. The merchants lose money but gain publicity, and we rogue cultivators don't gain much either."

The Yunshan Sect, on the other hand, takes a cut and makes a fortune in spirit crystals.

Liang Haishun snorted coldly, extremely dissatisfied with the Yunshan Sect's behavior.

In addition to imposing numerous taxes and fees on the markets controlled by this regime, they also continuously exploited merchants and independent repairmen through activities such as organizing auctions.

Su Qing shook his head with a wry smile. When he first came to Baiyun Market, he had also witnessed an auction. At that time, he was not qualified to go inside to watch. He just set up a stall outside and made a few more spirit crystals than usual by taking advantage of the large crowd.

These past few years have been busy for him, but he never expected that several years would pass in the blink of an eye, and that this auction would be held soon.

This time, it's a once-in-a-decade auction, and its scale is estimated to be even larger than the last one.

According to the rules, the merchants in the central area must bring out items of sufficient quality to satisfy the Yunshan Sect, which will then determine the location of their respective shops in the central area and the taxes they will have to pay for the next ten years.

"If that's the case, it's no wonder that Manager Liu is eyeing second-tier demonic beasts. For body cultivators, the significance of a second-tier beast core is almost the same as that of a Foundation Establishment Pill."

"Obtaining a second-tier beast core should be enough to maintain the Hundred Treasures Pavilion's current position in the central area."

Su Qing nodded and said that it was good to know the team's goal. Although the goal was not easy to deal with, at least she had a clear idea of ​​what was going on, which made her feel more at ease than when she was overthinking things.

"One is not enough. At that auction ten years ago, Baibaoge only managed to get away with it by offering two Foundation Establishment Pills and a few second-tier magic artifact puppets!"

This time, the Yunshan Sect is engaged in continuous battles, and its exploitation of the various markets is even heavier. The Hundred Treasures Pavilion will need to offer at least more items than last time!

Liang Haishun stroked his beard and pointed to Helian Xian, who was feigning sleep with his eyes lowered:
"Therefore, people like us can just set up a stall when we have nothing to do. But never set up a shop in the central area. You may think that you can make more money by opening a shop, but most of it will actually go to the Yunshan Sect."

Look at this old man Helian. His shop is so small, he can't even afford a shop assistant. This time at the auction, he'll have to offer at least one high-grade first-tier magic weapon. He'll probably only get a third of the spirit crystals he sells to others!

Liang Haishun had a smug look on his face. He was so clever. He could set up a stall when he wanted to, and he wouldn't do business with people who came to him when he didn't want to. He was free and easy. He was a wandering cultivator. Wasn't that what he wanted?

Su Qing had no intention of opening a shop. He was always ready to run away at any time, so why would he want to open a shop?

But sometimes when I go to the city center and see the endless stream of customers in each shop, I actually feel a little envious.

But now, after learning that even multinational stores like Baibaoge have to lower their heads and be ripped off when they come to Baiyunfang to do business, they have lost even more interest in opening a store.

The two chatted for a while longer, during which Guo Qiaolian, who had fed the white-tusked elephant, and Ding Ping, a flute player with a handsome face and good looks, also joined the conversation.

After a brief discussion, everyone felt that with their current resources, hunting a second-tier monster was not too risky.

Since everyone is here, let's make the most of this time. Once we get to the hunting area, we'll use these combat cultivators to our advantage and make a killing off the spirit crystals of the rogue cultivators.

Because they shared the same stance and were all capable, they had a very pleasant conversation and gained a deeper understanding of each other, thus establishing a preliminary friendship.

Su Qing kept calling everyone "senior" and "fellow Daoist" until his throat was dry. Fortunately, he had made some progress; at least he had managed to infiltrate the upper echelons of the rogue cultivators in Baiyun Market.

By this time, it was getting dark, and the group had arrived at the Lingtian area within the market.

Outside the Spirit Field District, an elderly cultivator who had long been in contact with the Hundred Treasures Pavilion led the way, taking everyone to temporarily stay in a village.

Haojia Village.

It's not far from Gejia Village, only about five or six miles away.

Their group would stay in the village for one night, and then completely leave the protected area of ​​the market town, entering the private fields cultivated by the spiritual planters outside the market town, and then the desolate hunting grounds.

Since the team wouldn't be passing through Gejia Village, Su Qing planned to make a separate trip to Gejia Village early the next morning before setting off to settle the goods and payment.

(End of this chapter)