Living steadily in the world of gods and mystery

Similarly, in the market district.

Yu Fan Zhen and Yu Wu Feng, accompanied by several clan members, were surveying a location for their magic artifact and talisman shop.

Over ten days ago, following the announcement that the Yu Family’s elder had recovered from illness and was emerging from seclusion, the previously low-profile and seclusive Yu Family, after moving to Green River District, had finally started to come alive.

This establishment of a magic artifact and talisman shop was one of their significant moves.

Unlike the elixir pharmacy.

In Green River District, it was entirely a monopoly, as no one but the Yu Family could concoct elixirs—so in a sense, it was a kindness that the Yu Family provided elixirs here.

However, a magic artifact and talisman shop was different.

Trading magic artifacts and talismans meant competing with the vested interests for profit, and without a powerful force and strength that others feared, it was fundamentally impossible to open such a shop.

The previous uncertainty over the Yu Family elder’s life and death meant they could only act cautiously, but now they finally had confidence.

The profit from a magic artifact and talisman shop was extremely lucrative, far surpassing that of elixirs.

Especially with trading magic artifacts.

Although the artifact refiners of the Yu Family had limited ability and could only craft low-quality magic artifacts—barely managing a few dozen a year with minimal profits—the main profit of this kind of shop wasn’t there at all.

It was in the buying, refurbishing, and reselling of second-hand magic artifacts.

Most of these artifacts were blood-stained, essentially stolen goods.

And since magic artifacts were valuable and hard to liquidate,

magic artifact shops could often buy them back for less than half the price, simply refurbish and repair them, and then place them on the shelves to easily earn one hundred percent profit.

"Let’s settle on this place, it’s on the main street, close to the market entrance, with a sizable flow of people, and it’s adjacent to the elixir pharmacy. We must make sure it’s impressive—at least it can’t be outdone by the surrounding buildings..." Yu Wu Feng spoke with an air of ambition, as he would be the one responsible for this magic artifact and talisman shop.

Though he would have to hand over the lion’s share of the profits, there was still a good amount to be had from annual dividends.

"If uncle has decided, then it’s settled, but we still must proceed with caution since this place is more chaotic than others," Yu Fan Zhen advised.

"You worry too much. In this backwater area where not even a single Foundation Establishment practitioner exists, who would dare to offend our Yu Family?" Yu Wu Feng dismissed the concern nonchalantly.

Yu Fan Zhen sighed inwardly, wanting to continue advising, when suddenly the distance erupted into an uproar.

"Get someone to go find out what’s happening!" Yu Wu Feng commanded one of the middle-aged clan members.

This middle-aged family member, dressed in a faded blue robe with a slightly hunched back and a humble demeanor that distinguished him little from a servant, bowed and quickly made his way into the crowd.

This was the way of a cultivator family.

After decades or even centuries of growth, families became vast in numbers.

All told, the various branches and close relatives in the Yu Family numbered over a hundred.

Though descended from the same ancestor and connected by kinship,

the closeness of bloodlines and affections varied.

Members from side branches with little cultivation talent were, in the family’s eyes, hardly different from servants.

It wasn’t long before the family member returned.

"There’s a butcher in the market who drew attention for selling meat and ended up killing eight people in the blink of an eye. Everyone’s talking about it," the middle-aged family member reported, breathless and with twitching eyelids.

"Which butcher?" inquired Yu Fan Zhen upon hearing the report.

"The one who looks the most fierce and ferocious, wielding a magic sword," the middle-aged family member replied promptly.

"Where is he now?"

"He just left, reportedly unscathed."

Yu Fan Zhen and Yu Wu Feng exchanged glances, apparent confusion on their faces, as they had already guessed who it might be.

"Go and find out more, and make sure to get the details!" Yu Wu Feng ordered tersely.

...

Chen Li and Zhao Lin were walking quickly down the street.

"Brother, you just used the ’Scolding Skill,’ and I didn’t even see it coming," Zhao Lin said.

Chen Li nodded.

"Brother, your mastery of the Dao and your swordsmanship are truly extraordinary. It’s laughable that those short-lived fools thought they could target you... They were truly seeking death, and more than deserved it. They even sullied your magic sword," Zhao Lin couldn’t calm his excitement and kept talking excitedly as they walked.

This brush with death had really been too thrilling for him.

To be honest, he had already been somewhat desperate at that moment.

Yet, in just a fleeting moment of distraction, by the time he came back to his senses, all eight were lying in pools of blood, the battle completely over.

This power was simply terrifying.

It must be one of the top in the entire Green River District, right?

Even...

"Oh right, big brother, I’ll give these things to you," Zhao Lin remembered, handing over a blood-stained cloth bag to Chen Li, the cloth had been cut from the robes of the corpses, hastily wrapped up.

Chen Li reached out and took it.

Without even glancing at it.

He asked, "Can you still sell magic artifacts in the future?"

"Of course, I can," Zhao Lin hurriedly replied. "This time, having made a name for myself alongside you, big brother, as long as you don’t mind me using your fame, I can attract a whole bunch of short-lived ghosts to help sell the goods."

Chen Li thought for a moment, this identity was, after all, just an alias.

It didn’t matter how it was used.

"Just don’t use my name to do evil deeds, that’s all."

"Big brother, you’re lending me a hundred guts, I wouldn’t dare," Zhao Lin quickly thumped his chest, assuring him.

"That’s fine then, work hard, and I won’t mistreat you in the future," Chen Li patted him on the shoulder and said.

Zhao Lin felt pounds lighter from the pat, "Yes, big brother, where to next?"

"Where else? Everyone goes home!"

...

Chen Li entered a grove of trees and opened the blood-stained cloth bag.

A smile couldn’t help but appear at the corner of his mouth.

Indeed, those who could act so recklessly in the market district would not lack money.

The harvest this time was much bigger than the last.

Five mid-grade Spirit Stones, numerous low-grade Spirit Stones—likely over a hundred by estimation.

Eight magic artifacts, among them one high-grade artifact, the rest are all mid-grade, shields, swords, spikes, darts, all kinds of artifacts.

There are also thirty-one valuable Amulets, and sixteen Featherweight Talismans.

Besides that, there were several bags emitting a pungent odor suspected to be poison powder, as well as some gold.

Chen Li didn’t dare to open these bags.

Carefully pinching them with his fingertips, he tossed them far away; such things were too dangerous, better not to touch them.

All the remaining items were dumped into his large cloth bag meant for storing meat, and the blood-stained cloth was casually discarded.

He slapped a Cleaning Talisman on himself to get rid of the bloodstains and, avoiding the direct path, he soon cheerfully made his way home.

In the living room, Zhang Shuniang was chatting with Zhou Hong.

Chen Li greeted them with a smile and headed straight to the bedroom.

Ever since the two families became neighbors,

Zhang Shuniang, with nowhere else to go, would often visit, and as one thing led to another, she ended up spending even more time here than at her own home.

"Uncle Chen, isn’t it dangerous to go out so often? I heard that it’s been very chaotic outside lately," Zhang Shuniang said.

"Ah, one has to venture out to make a living in these times; I hope the chaos outside ends soon," Zhou Hong sighed, surrounded by a faint air of melancholy: "What level of Qi Cultivation are you at now?"

"I’m only at the second level of Qi Cultivation. My dad doesn’t usually let me go out!" Zhang Shuniang said.

"It’s right not to let you out. You’re so pretty that you might get kidnapped the moment you step outside," Zhou Hong said with a laugh.

"Heehee, Ms. Zhou is the pretty one!"

ps: Sorry, I’m late today.