Hunyuan Immortal Sect

Chapter 49 Arriving as promised
"Fellow Daoists, there's no need to rush into making a decision. The market officially opens at noon tomorrow. Anyone who wants to open a shop in the market can go to the management office and find a disciple of our sect, or come directly to me. The price is the same as I just mentioned. Now, I'll take you around the market so you can see for yourself. If you have any questions, feel free to ask."

Everyone followed the Qingyuan Sect disciples around the market for more than an hour and looked around the entire market. Hu Yingquan then asked everyone to stay here for a night and attend the market opening ceremony tomorrow.

At night, Song Xian and the other two checked into the Fangshi Inn. This was a Fangshi property pre-determined by the Qingyuan Sect. A low-class room cost three spirit stones. Of course, today it was free.

"The market is divided into three tiers. The highest tier is the shops outside the east and west streets, which cost 2,000 spirit stones a year. The middle tier is the shops at the corners of the east and west streets, which cost 1,500 spirit stones a year. The lowest tier is the shops in the alleys, which cost 1,000 spirit stones a year." Song Xian briefly explained the prices and approximate locations of the shops.

"I've been browsing the market today and have my eye on a shop. It's located in the first alley on the third lane of East Street. Due to the building's orientation, it's semi-arc, so half of it is at the corner of the alley. It's in a very good location among the lowest-end shops."

Zhong Wenyuan pondered and said, "One thousand spirit stones a year is not expensive. If the location is really good, we can give it a try."

"The market just opened, so they don't know how business is going, and they don't dare to ask for high prices. The main purpose is to attract various forces to open shops here. From what Hu Yingquan said, if the market business is booming, they will gradually increase the rent."

"Master, have you really decided to open a shop in this market? But what should we sell?"

At first, Zhang Ningyuan didn't know why he came here. Song Xian just said that he was attending the opening ceremony of the market town and asked him to come with him so that it would be convenient for him to buy supplies in the future.

Seeing that the two of them had decided to open a shop, he felt a little excited. He hated having nothing to do at the mountain gate every day and doing all kinds of boring and tedious work.

If a shop is set up in the market town, the task will definitely fall on him, because he has always been in charge of the sect's business affairs. Apart from him, there seems to be no one else in the sect who can be sent.

This would allow him to show his talents, so he was eager to try it.

"First, take out the sect's magical instruments, talismans, and elixirs, and then decide based on the situation. Senior Brother Ning Yuan, are you willing to be in charge of the business of this shop?"

"Since the master trusts me, I am willing to take over the business." Zhang Ningyuan's eyes lit up and he responded quickly. But as soon as he said that, he felt that he was too enthusiastic and felt a little embarrassed.

"Of course, if the sect has a better candidate, they can let him come."

"Brother Ning Yuan, since you are in charge of the sect's material procurement, there is no other person who can handle this matter except you. That is why I asked you to come with me. I hope you can shoulder this responsibility, as it concerns the sect's future."

Zhang Ningyuan felt a sense of heaviness when he saw his solemn expression, and the joy in his heart faded. He replied solemnly, "I will do my best, but I have no experience in this area, so I don't know where to start."

Song Xian said, "The trade in monster flesh and blood in Bianxi City is very active. This market will definitely attract caravans traveling to and from the Muhe Grassland. You should first understand the market situation and try to contact the caravans. After all, business is a gradual process."

"If the shop's business is good, we can sell the goods we import from Muhe Grassland directly in the shop in the future. The profit will definitely be much higher than selling them in bulk to those big shops."

"In a few days, we'll go to Bianxi City again. The cost of opening the shop won't be paid from your existing spirit stones. You can sell that top-grade magic weapon. Also, stay in the Bianxi City market for a few more days to see what the prices of our sect's inventory are. This way, you'll have a better idea of ​​the price after the shop opens."

"Senior Brother Zhong and I will visit Senior Yang of the Beast Taming Sect again, hoping to successfully obtain a pass to the Muhe Grassland."

.........

The next day, the market opening ceremony was in full swing. It was extremely lively and there were flowers everywhere. The Luoyun Sect in Bianxi City, the Kong Family and even the Beast Taming Sect all sent people to participate.

With the sound of a cannon, fireworks burst into life in the sky above the market town, like clouds and rosy clouds, dazzling and brilliant. There were also cranes flying and monkeys offering fruits.

After the celebration, Song Xian found Hu Yingquan and proposed to rent the shop he liked, hoping to reserve a location first and have the spirit stones delivered later.

Although Hu Yingquan looked down on him and the Hunyuan Sect in his heart, he still gave them some face since he came to them personally to raise the matter. No matter how small the Hunyuan Sect was, it was still a sect, and the monk could run away but the temple could not. The Qingyuan Sect was not worried that he would default on his debt, so the two parties signed the treaty very smoothly and rented the land for one year at a price of one thousand spirit stones.

It was late at night when the three of them returned to Solitary Peak. Song Xian gathered everyone together and informed them about renting a shop in the market town, and asked Lu Yuan to take out a thousand spirit stones.

After the meeting was over and everyone had left, Song Xian returned to his room and was about to go to sleep. As he tossed and turned, there was another knock on the door.

"Master, the cultivator named Qi Xiaobai you mentioned has arrived and is waiting outside." Zhang Yi said while standing outside the house.

Song Xian was overjoyed when he heard this. As the time spent back at Guzi Mountain grew longer and longer, he had actually been worried that Qi Xiaobai would not fulfill his promise, but he just didn't say it.

If Qi Xiaobai really took the 1,000 spirit stones and ran away, disappearing without a trace, he would not only lose a talented alchemist, but also become a laughing stock, and it would be a major blow to his prestige. For the current Hunyuan Sect, 1,000 spirit stones is no small sum! Even if the disciples didn't mention it, they would still feel resentful. Most importantly, it would leave him with the impression that he was a poor judge of character.

Now that Qi Xiaobai has fulfilled his promise as scheduled, not only has Hunyuan Sect gained a valuable talent, but it has also demonstrated his ability to judge people.

Song Xian hurried to the main hall and saw Qi Xiaobai already seated.

Beside him was a gorgeous woman, in her early twenties, also at the fourth level of Qi Refining. She was extremely beautiful, with a tall and slender figure, skin as white as snow, a dove-shaped face, deep-set eyes, a high nose bridge, and thick, slightly curly hair. Her appearance was significantly different from that of the Qin woman.

Although Song Xian had never seen anyone from the Muhe grassland, he had heard of their general appearance. When he saw this woman, he immediately realized that she must be a woman from the grassland.

"Master Song, I'm here." Qi Xiaobai stood up and saluted him. His expression was frank and showed a certain calmness and confidence. The temperament he exuded was very different from the anxious and helpless look he showed in the market that day.

"Fellow Daoist Qi is indeed a man who values ​​his word and keeps it."

"I am grateful for the help from Master Song. How dare I break my promise?"

"Okay, okay, okay." Song Xian was overjoyed and said "Okay" three times in a row. He turned to look at the beautiful and exotic woman and asked, "Who is this?"

Qi Xiaobai's face was filled with pride. "She is the person I mentioned the other day whose eyes were accidentally injured by the venom of the blood-flaming snake. Her name is Carissa, and she is now Qi's wife."

No wonder he was late. It turned out that he was on his honeymoon. Looking at his expression that day, he was obviously in love with the woman and was deeply in love with her. He probably had not yet made his feelings clear to her, so he cried in public because he could not raise the spirit stones.

Presumably, after buying the Tianshan Snow Lotus and saving the girl's eyes, the two of them broke through the window screen and became a harmonious couple.

"Master Song, thank you for your help that day." Carissa was a little shy. When she heard this, her face turned slightly red. She crossed her hands in front of her chest and bowed to Song Xianying. Her pronunciation was not very standard and sounded a bit weird, but at least she could understand it.

Obviously, this woman was not a Qin person, but had lived in the Muhe grassland area for a long time. The grassland people had their own language and customs, which were significantly different from the seven countries that split from the original Zhou Dynasty.

Just like her gesture of greeting just now, it was not the custom of the Great Zhou.

"You're welcome. Are you from Muhe Grassland?"

"Yes, I was born in the Muhe Grassland and came to Qin a few years ago."

"No wonder, congratulations to you two on your marriage."

Qi Xiaobai said, "Master Qi, according to our previous agreement, I want to join your sect. Now that I'm here, I have a request."

"Fellow Daoist Qi, please speak."

"If your sect is willing to accept me, you must also accept my wife. We will never be separated. If Sect Leader Song agrees, from now on, my wife and I will join your sect and obey your orders. If you cannot agree, then the one thousand spirit stones will be considered a loan from Qi, and I will repay you double in the future."

"I am delighted that you and your wife are willing to join our sect. How can I refuse?"

Song Xian did not hesitate. He certainly would not let Qi Xiaobai leave. Adding one more person's salary was no big deal. Besides, he had decided to go to Muhe Grassland to do business. It would be more convenient to have Kalisa, a native of the grassland. Originally, he wanted to find a caravan to go with him, but now that he had Kalisa, it saved him a lot of trouble.

"Brother Zhang Yi, please go and wake everyone up."

"Okay." Zhang Yi responded and left. Today was his day to keep watch, and everyone else had gone to sleep.

"Fellow Daoist Qi, let me first introduce the situation of our sect. There are not many people in our sect, only ten. We are a sect that originally migrated from Pingyuan County, but due to the middle of the journey..." Song Xian briefly explained to him the general situation of the establishment of the sect.

"Our sect has only been here for a month or two, so the conditions are rather simple. As everything is in need of reconstruction, please bear with me and stay here together. Your respective residences are already under construction and will be completed soon. You can then move in."

After hearing this, Qi Xiaobai just nodded without saying anything more. He came to Guzi Peak with the intention of repaying his gratitude, and he didn't care whether the sect was big or small.

(End of this chapter)