Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

Seeing the three men regain their fighting spirit, Shen Mo nodded in satisfaction.

"Alright! Let's get started. Junior Brother Tie, you're strong, so you'll be in charge of moving these things to the courtyard, and also help me polish the handles of these talisman brushes."

"Junior Sister Xiao, how's your handwriting? Could you imitate a... more classical style?"

Su Xiao blushed and said timidly, "I...I'm not very good at handwriting."

"It's alright." Shen Mo waved his hand. "Then I'll write it down. Yuan, continue to clean the inside and outside of the box, especially the 'Mo' character mark, make sure it's clearly visible."

With a clear division of labor, the four of them immediately got to work in the dilapidated courtyard. Under the sunlight, the ruined Qingyun Sect even seemed to have a touch of vitality.

Shen Mo then began to conceive his "story script".

The history of the Flowing Cloud Sword Sect? Hmm, we can make it a bit vague. Let's say their swordsmanship was like flowing clouds, elusive and unpredictable, and later disappeared for some reason...

The calming effect of green bamboo wood should be emphasized... Most importantly, the combination of the wooden box and the talisman should create a sense of profound "legacy of the ancestral master".

He even had the system search for information on the "Flowing Cloud Sword Sect." Sure enough, the system reported: "[No exact match found in the database. Fragments of information related to seventeen extinct minor sects or sword-cultivation families whose names contain 'Flowing Cloud' exist. These can be integrated and utilized.]"

That's enough! These fragments are sufficient!

A smile played on Shen Mo's lips. Gathering information and weaving stories was his forte, his specialty!

As the sun set, the pile of junk had been transformed... well, it looked much better.

The rusty sword was polished to a shine, the talisman pen handle was worn smooth, the talisman paper was neatly arranged, and most importantly, the wooden box had become antique.

Shen Mo also found a relatively clean piece of cloth, tore it into small pieces, and used a charred wooden stick as a pen to write and draw on it to make "product labels".

He wrote on one piece of cloth: "Suspected Flowing Cloud Ancient Sword - Fragment", on another: "Green Bamboo Pure Heart Brush (Old Item)", and finally, on the stack of talisman papers, he solemnly wrote a line of slightly larger characters: "Ancient Talisman Paper for Qingyun Ancestor", and then carefully put it into the wooden box and closed the lid.

After doing all this, he looked at the "packaged" products in front of him. Although they were still shabby, at least they looked like "products".

"We'll head to Qingtai Market first thing tomorrow morning!" Shen Mo announced, his voice filled with anticipation and determination.

I must get my first pot of gold!

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking.

Shen Mo then took Shi Tie and Su Xiao and set off for Qingtai Market.

A-Yuan was young and had low cultivation, so she was left on the mountain to guard the house. Although the little girl was a little disappointed, she still obediently agreed.

Shen Mo wrapped the "suspected Flowing Cloud Ancient Sword" with a strip of cloth and carried it on his back. Although it looked more like he was fleeing, it at least gave him a bit of the air of a "cultivator".

Shi Tie carried the largest sack containing talisman pens and miscellaneous items, while Su Xiao carefully held the wooden box containing the "Ancestor's Ancient Paper".

Fifty miles of mountain road is nothing to cultivators with cultivation, but it was quite arduous for Shen Mo, who was at the first level of Qi Refining (weak), and Shi Tie, who had not yet entered the Body Refining stage.

Su Xiao, on the other hand, had the highest cultivation level (perfected first level of Qi Refining) and seemed to be more relaxed.

Throughout the journey, Shen Mo constantly mentally rehearsed the possible scenarios he might encounter and how to deal with them. His first appearance was crucial; he couldn't afford to show any weakness.

Around noon, the three finally arrived at their destination.

The so-called "Moss Market" is not the ethereal pavilions and towers one might imagine, but a simple market located on a flat area in a valley.

It was surrounded by a rough wooden fence, and at the entrance there was a crooked archway with the four large characters "Qingtai Fangshi" written on it, the characters of which were somewhat blurred.

It is quite similar to the markets in remote towns and streets of my previous life.

The market was bustling with activity. Simple stalls lined both sides of the road; some were simply laid out with a cloth, while others had set up small sheds.

The sounds of hawking and bargaining filled the air.

The cultivators coming and going were of all kinds: some were well-dressed family scions, some were rogue cultivators with a fierce aura, and some were low-level cultivators like them, dressed in shabby clothes.

The air was filled with various smells: the fragrance of herbs, the stench of monster blood, and the earthy smell of sweat and dust.

"Sect Leader, there are so many people here." Shi Tie looked around nervously. He rarely went down the mountain, and this scene made him feel a little lost.

Su Xiao was also more vigilant than usual, subconsciously moving closer to Shen Mo. Here, their Qingyun Sect's reputation wasn't very effective.

Shen Mo tried to appear calm and composed: "Let's find an empty spot first, then we'll set up our stall."

They found a relatively secluded corner on the edge of the market, spread out the old cloth they had brought, and laid out their "goods" one by one. There was the rusty sword, the three "Green Bamboo Mind-Clearing Brushes," and the most precious item, the "Ancestor's Ancient Paper," which was placed in a wooden box.

Then, it's just a matter of waiting.

Time passed slowly, and people came and went, but few stopped at their stall. Even those who glanced at it and saw the rusty sword and broken pen immediately showed disdain and quickly walked away.

Shi Tie was getting impatient and said in a low voice, "Sect Leader, it seems... no one is watching."

Su Xiao also looked worried.

Shen Mo was also anxious, but he didn't show it on his face and comforted her, "Don't rush, stay calm. Selling things, especially things like ours that 'have a story,' is all about fate."

He realized that simply waiting wouldn't work. He had to actively create a "focus".

He thought for a moment, then whispered a few words to Su Xiao. Su Xiao was taken aback at first, then nodded and quietly left the stall.

After a while, Su Xiao returned, carrying a few of the cheapest wild fruits that had almost no spiritual energy. This was what Shen Mo had instructed her to do; to make the act complete.

Shen Mo picked up a fruit and then a "Green Bamboo Heart-Clearing Brush." ​​He sat cross-legged, closed his eyes slightly, placed the brush horizontally on his knees, and gently stroked the brush handle with his fingers, appearing as if he were immersed in the Daoist philosophy.

At the same time, he secretly circulated his meager spiritual power, trying to activate the slight calming effect of the green bamboo wood. Although the effect was almost zero, he still had to make a show of it.

Shi Tie stared in disbelief, and Su Xiao couldn't help but chuckle. But she quickly recovered and followed Shen Mo's example, standing quietly to the side with her gaze fixed on the wooden box, as if she were guarding some precious treasure.

Their strange behavior finally attracted some attention.

"Huh? What are those people doing?"

"If you're going to set up a stall, just set up a stall. Don't try to act all mysterious."

"What's that guy doing fiddling with that broken pen?"

Discussing arose, but at least someone was paying attention.

At this moment, a middle-aged cultivator wearing a faded Taoist robe and looking worried passed by the stall. He seemed to be attracted by Shen Mo's "immersive" state, stopped and looked curiously at the talisman pen on his lap.

"Fellow Daoist, this pen..." the middle-aged cultivator hesitated before speaking.

Shen Mo slowly opened his eyes, his gaze calm and profound (he tried hard to appear so) as he looked at the other person: "What advice do you have for me, fellow Daoist?"

The middle-aged cultivator was taken aback by Shen Mo's gaze and subconsciously said, "No...nothing, it's just that you seem to cherish this item quite a bit, is there something special about it?"

Shen Mo's heart skipped a beat; the fish had taken the bait!