Bamboo Mound

However, even so, his storage space might not be enough.

After all, of his three spatial bags, two were filled with green bamboo leaves, and the square one contained more than ten green bamboo stalks, a small pile of bamboo seeds, two pieces of jade, a pile of spirit stones, and twenty pill bottles.

The remaining space is less than half a square meter!

To be honest, he didn't know the name of the bamboo yet, so he temporarily called it Green Spirit Bamboo based on its color, and would change the name after reading the literature later.

Just as I was worrying, I took a few steps and saw a cloth plaque hanging on the wall in front of me that read "Peaceful Pawnshop".

The two large yellow wooden doors were wide open inwards, but no one was seen going in or out.

"A pawnshop, it should be able to exchange money, right?"

Thinking this, I took a few steps inside.

Upon entering, one sees an elderly man with white hair and a brown coat standing behind the counter, using an abacus in one hand and a brush in the other to write and draw on a book. On the counter are two small piles of miscellaneous items, mostly jewelry and utensils.

Hearing Ning Chang's footsteps as he entered, he asked without looking up, "What would you like to do, guest?"

Ning Chang did not answer, and first looked around the store's decor after entering.

This was his first time entering a pawnshop. Although there were pawnshops in Changge City before, most of them were closed. Occasionally they were open, but there was no one sitting inside.

Just two steps from the entrance is a black wooden counter, behind which is an open space for people to stand, and one step further back is a wall that serves as a screen.

There is a door on each side of the wall, and both doors are closed at the moment.

There is a chair against the wall behind each of the two doors, with the chairs facing each other, and a small table on each side.

The entire storefront is about three to five steps wide, and there is nothing else there.

Seeing that the visitor remained silent, the old man looked up in confusion. "Guest, would you like to ask for some..."

But when he saw Ning Chang's clothes, he panicked and quickly put down his brush and abacus, walked out from the side of the counter, and knelt down in front of Ning Chang.

"I was blind and ignorant, and I have neglected the Immortal. I beg the Immortal to forgive me!"

Faced with this sudden situation, Ning Chang was also startled, half-raising his hand and opening his mouth.

He then put it down, shook his head slightly, and fell silent.

He knew that this was a tragedy of the times, a tragedy of the world.

Without absolutely reliable legal constraints, the strong can arbitrarily and hastily decide the survival of the weak; and the weak can only humbly beg for the forgiveness of the strong!

Everything depends on the mood of the strong, and the strong will also beg for forgiveness from the even stronger...

This is the underlying logic of the cultivation world. As long as spiritual energy exists in the world, this logic will continue to operate, and even the Heavenly Dao cannot change it!

After all, spiritual energy cannot distinguish between good and bad people.

Although he was confident he could change the rules of one side, allowing the moral order to operate according to his original world, coupled with his own idealism...

But that was of no use. The world is too big. The part he could change was just a drop in the ocean of stars. In this unit, everything was meaningless!

Because regardless of whether they are strong or weak, they have already locked onto this underlying logic, and it will continue to restart in places he cannot notice!

Looking at the pawnshop owner kneeling and trembling on the ground, Ning Chang had no intention of changing his mind; that would only harm him.

After all, no one knows whether the cultivator he encounters next will treat mortal lives as worthless.

If Ning Chang's instruction to be unafraid of cultivators led to his failure to fulfill his proper etiquette next time, then the old man's death would become his consequence.

"Get up," he said calmly.

Upon hearing this, the boss felt as if he had been granted a pardon and got up from the ground, but he still hunched over and dared not look Ning Chang in the eye.

"I'm here to exchange some money and ask you some questions."

The old man quickly replied, "If the immortal needs money, just take it; there's no need to exchange it for goods!"

"As for the question, I will answer it to the best of my knowledge!"

How much silver can you come up with right now?

"Reporting to the Immortal, my shop currently only has... 173 taels of silver."

Ning Chang nodded. "Okay, then give me fifty taels first."

“This…” The old man looked up and met Ning Chang’s expressionless face, cold sweat pouring down his back.

"Yes...yes." He replied, then turned and pushed open the door, walking behind the wall.

While the old man went to get the money, Ning Chang went to the counter, took out fifteen spirit stones, and placed them under the ledger.

After all, he didn't know how much silver a spirit stone could be exchanged for, so he simply sold them for three or four taels each.

A short while later, the old man came out carrying a cloth bag. "Here is fifty taels of silver. Please count it, Immortal..."

He took the cloth bag, and after a brief examination, he sensed the fifty silver grains inside. He then put them directly into his spatial bag.

The old man watched as Ning Chang casually put away the cloth bag, and sighed inwardly, cursing a few times in his heart, but he didn't show it.

After putting away the silver, Ning Chang began to think about how to ask a question.

"What country is this? What city is this?"

Upon hearing this, the old man immediately replied, "Reporting to the Immortal, this is Stone City of Chu, the most remote city in Chu."

"Are there very few people living in this stone city? There are hardly any people on the streets."

"The immortal must be from out of town, so I am unaware of this."

Actually, Stone City didn't have so few entrances before; it's just that a few days ago, the country forcibly conscripted soldiers from within the city, and almost all the able-bodied men were taken away.

The women in the city mostly stayed indoors, which is why Stone City was so deserted.

As he spoke, the old man's eyes dimmed.

"Xiaomin's son was also conscripted at that time, which is why Xiaomin was allowed to continue running the shop."

Upon hearing this, Ning Chang couldn't help but connect the two matters: "Conscription and sacrifice..."

Why is the State of Chu conscripting soldiers? Is it because they are at war with the State of Han?

The old man was taken aback. "This... according to what they say, it is indeed true."

He frowned unconsciously. "Which direction?"

Although he was convinced that Chu's conscription was for that sacrifice, he still asked, "Maybe?"

"If you go straight ahead after leaving the West Gate, you will reach South Korea."

"West... point out the direction." Being new to the place, without any clear landmarks, he hadn't yet figured out which way was north, south, east, or west.

The old man pondered for a moment, then pointed to the back of the shop with one hand.

"Over there... we can't stay here any longer." Thinking this, Ning Chang asked again:

"Which direction is Pingguo in? How far away is it?"

"This humble one has never heard of the existence of Ping Kingdom. Please forgive me, Immortal."

"Huh? I've never heard of this. How far was I sent?" He frowned again, puzzled.

Just as he was pondering, the old man said again, "Immortal, walk along this street outside the gate. There is a tavern not far away, and next to it is a general store. The owner there is a gossip. He should know about the Ping Kingdom that you mentioned."

Hearing this, Ning Chang nodded, "I understand."

After saying that, he took two steps and went out the door.