Farmer Girl Reborn: I Play the Pig and Eat the Tiger in the World of Immortal Cultivation

The market was bustling with activity, the cries of hawkers and bargaining echoing like a lively symphony. Yan Yue placed the sable cub in a specially crafted spirit beast bag, leaving only its tiny head exposed, its dark eyes curiously surveying its surroundings. Occasionally, the cub uttered a tiny chirp, as if responding to the clamor of the world.

Yan Yue gently stroked the spirit beast pouch, following the vague clues in her memory as she navigated the bustling crowd. In a past life, she had overheard a reclusive master mention a mysterious merchant hidden deep within the market, possessing countless rare treasures. Now, she needed to find special spiritual herbs for her sable cubs, and perhaps this mysterious merchant was her only hope.

The market's layout seemed chaotic, but it actually held a hidden meaning. Drawing on fragments of memories from his past life and his understanding of the hidden laws of the world of immortal cultivation, Yan Yue avoided the bustling main street and turned into a quiet alley. The alley was dark and damp, with dilapidated shops on both sides, a stark contrast to the bustling scene outside. Most people wouldn't notice it.

Deep in the alley, an unassuming shop stood quietly. The signboard was mottled and peeling, with only the words "Qizhen Pavilion" faintly visible. A faint medicinal aroma wafted from the shop, mixed with a hint of dust. Yan Yue was delighted; this was exactly the description she remembered!

The corners of her lips curled up slightly. She hadn't expected to find it so easily. It seemed that after her rebirth, God had begun to favor her. Pushing open the creaking wooden door, a strong medicinal aroma hit her face, and Yan Yue couldn't help but squint slightly. The shop was dimly lit, and the shelves were filled with all kinds of rare treasures, emitting a variety of colors.

A short, fat man with a goatee was dozing off behind the counter. When he heard the door open, he lazily raised his head and looked at Yan Yue with cloudy eyes.

"Fairy, what do you need?" The man's voice was hoarse, with a hint of commercial shrewdness.

Yan Yue calmly looked around, confirming that this was the mysterious merchant—Mr. Chen. She gently stroked the spirit beast's pouch, and the sable cub, seemingly sensing its owner's emotions, poked its head out and looked at Mr. Chen curiously.

"I need a special spiritual herb to maintain my spiritual pet." Yan Yue said lightly, his tone calm, but with a hidden sharpness.

Merchant Chen narrowed his eyes, his gaze fixed on the spirit beast bag in Yan Yue's arms. A flicker of greed crossed his face. He rubbed his hands together, his tone becoming more attentive. "Oh? I wonder what kind of spirit pet the fairy has? What kind of spirit herbs does she need? My Rare Treasure Pavilion has everything you could need."

Yan Yue smiled slightly and didn't answer directly. Instead, she took the sable cub out of the spirit beast bag and placed it on the counter. "It's still young and needs..."

Before she could finish her words, Chen Shangren suddenly stood up, staring at the sable cub with burning eyes, and his tone was filled with a hint of excitement that was hard to conceal: "Sable! It's actually a sable cub! This is..."

Merchant Chen stood up suddenly, staring at the sable cub with burning eyes, his tone carrying a hint of excitement that was hard to conceal: "Sable! It's actually a sable cub! This is a rare thing! The fairy is so lucky!" He rubbed his hands, his eyes rolling around, his shrewd and calculating look not concealed at all.

Yan Yue calmly took back the sable and said calmly, "Precisely because it's so rare, it needs even more careful care. I need purple heart grass and condensed dew flowers. Does Boss Chen have any?"

Merchant Chen stroked his beard, pretending to ponder for a moment before slowly saying, "Yes, I do, but both of these spiritual herbs are extremely precious, especially those suitable for sable cubs, which are even rarer. Well, since the fairy has such a good connection with me, I'll reluctantly give them up and give you a special price—five thousand high-grade spirit stones."

Yan Yue sneered inwardly. This price was ten times higher than the market price! She remained expressionless, gently stroking the spirit beast bag and saying softly, "Boss Chen, isn't this price a bit..."

"Fairy, this is a one-of-a-kind spiritual herb!" Merchant Chen interrupted her, his tone exaggerated. "It's specially cultivated for sable cubs. It contains pure spiritual energy, which can help them grow quickly and improve the purity of their bloodline! Five thousand high-grade spirit stones, it's absolutely worth it!"

At this moment, a warm hand gently rested on Yan Yue's shoulder. A powerful aura instantly enveloped her, bringing an inexplicable sense of security. Yan Yue tilted her head slightly and saw Nong Jin standing beside her. The sunlight shone on his face, outlining his sharp features. His deep eyes looked at her quietly, as if silently conveying strength and support.

With Nong Jin by her side, Yan Yue felt more confident. She smiled faintly and looked back at Chen Shangren, her tone calm and firm, "Boss Chen, I understand what you're saying. However, I've noticed that the edges of the purple heart grass' leaves are slightly withered and yellowed, and its quality isn't top-notch. And the dew-condensing flower seems to have been tainted with some impurities, and its spiritual energy has been slightly lost. Five thousand high-grade spirit stones are simply too high to be considered a reasonable price for such quality."

Upon hearing this, Chen Shangren's eyes flashed with surprise. He hadn't expected this seemingly delicate woman to be so sharp-eyed, spotting the flaw in the spiritual herb at a glance. He coughed dryly, his eyes rolling again, clearly forming a new narrative.

"Well..." Chen Shangren hesitated, "Fairy, you don't know, these purple heart grass and condensed dew flowers grow in extremely cold places, so it's normal for the leaves to be slightly withered and yellow. As for the impurities on the condensed dew flowers, they are even more insignificant and can be removed with a little processing. This does not affect their medicinal effects..."

Yan Yue raised the corners of her lips slightly, and was about to speak, but Nong Jin took the lead, with a hint of amusement in his tone: "Boss Chen, are you bullying my wife because she doesn't understand the market?"

Chen Shangren's gaze fell on Nong Jin, and he felt a chill in his heart as he sensed the powerful pressure emanating from him. He forced a smile and said, "No, no, this gentleman is joking..."

Nong Jin's eyes turned cold, and his tone suddenly became sharp: "In that case, please show your true sincerity, Boss Chen. Otherwise..." He paused, his eyes sweeping across Chen the businessman's face like a knife, "You will bear the consequences at your own risk."

Chen Shangren's face changed, and beads of sweat oozed from his forehead. He opened his mouth, about to speak, but Yan Yue suddenly spoke, his tone gentle but with a hint of unquestionable firmness: "One thousand high-grade spirit stones, this is my bottom line."

Chen Shangren's face paled and shone, his eyes flickering between Yan Yue and Nong Jin. He took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and said, "Deal!"

Merchant Chen's eyes darted around, as if he were pondering something. He chuckled dryly and said, "Fairy, you have a keen eye, able to spot these subtle flaws. However, these purple heart grass and condensed dew flowers are rare after all, so even with some minor flaws, their value cannot be underestimated. How about this, four thousand high-grade spirit stones?"

Yan Yue smiled slightly and shook his head. "Boss Chen, are you trying to fool me? These flaws don't affect the efficacy of the medicine, but they do affect its quality. 1,500 high-grade spirit stones. This is my final offer."

Merchant Chen's face darkened, and his tone became tough. "Fairy, your price is too low! I risked my life to get these spiritual herbs. What should I do if you bargain like this?"

At this moment, the sable cub, which had been quietly lying in Yan Yue's arms, suddenly raised its head and let out a deep roar at Chen Shangren. Although the roar was not loud, it carried a hint of intimidation, as if warning Chen Shangren not to push his luck any further.

Chen Shangren was startled by the sudden roar and subconsciously took a step back, a flash of fear in his eyes. Only then did he notice that this seemingly weak sable cub actually had a pair of sharp eyes that seemed to see through people's hearts.

"This...this..." Chen Shangren stuttered. He didn't expect that this sable cub was so smart and seemed extremely loyal to Yan Yue.

Yan Yue gently stroked the sable cub's fur and said softly, "Don't be afraid, little one. I'm here." She raised her head and looked at the businessman Chen calmly. "Boss Chen, do you still want to stick to your price?"

Chen Shangren's face turned pale and blue. He weighed the pros and cons in his mind and finally decided to compromise. He gritted his teeth and said, "Three thousand high-grade spirit stones, no less!"

Yan Yue still shook his head: "Two thousand."

Chen Shangren's breathing quickened, and he clenched his fists tightly, as if trying to suppress his anger. He glared at Yan Yue fiercely, then finally sighed helplessly, "Deal!"

Yan Yue took out two thousand high-grade spirit stones from his storage bag and handed them to Chen Shangren. Chen Shangren took the spirit stones and, with a gloomy expression, handed the purple heart grass and condensed dew flower to Yan Yue.

The transaction was completed, and Yan Yue turned around to leave. At this moment, Chen Shangren suddenly said, "Fairy, please stay."

Yan Yue stopped and looked at Chen Shangren in confusion.

Merchant Chen took a deep breath, forced a smile on his face, and said, "Fairy, I have something to ask of you."

Yan Yue frowned slightly, a sense of vigilance rising in her heart. She asked calmly, "What's the matter?"

Merchant Chen rubbed his hands, his eyes flickering, and he slowly said: "I wonder if the fairy is willing to give up this sable cub and transfer it to me?" His voice was low, with a hint of imperceptible greed.

Nong Jin stepped forward, protecting Yan Yue behind him. He stared at Chen Shangren with icy eyes, and a powerful pressure instantly enveloped the entire stall. His tone was cold, and he spoke word by word, "You, say it again?"