'A sucker, or is it a double act?'
Zhong Shenxiu remained calm, rely uncorking the small black bottle and pouring out a little powder.
The peddler beside him was speaking passionately: "To be honest, this rfolk Powder, as long as you take a pinch as small as a fingernail and mix it with wine, it can make you feel invincible for several hours..."
"Truly a marvelous thing, marvelous indeed!"
Qi Yuan nodded repeatedly: "Recently, a new girl arrived at Yixiang House, her waist, her figure... simply stunning! With this miraculous item, I will surely have her begging for rcy..."
"If it were rfolk Scale Powder, then it would indeed be worth it..."
Zhong Shenxiu glanced at the Attendant Student who was about to cry, and still said, "But yours seems to be Sea Monkey bone powder."
"Sea Monkey?"
The expressions of several onlookers around changed.
This is a legendary demon, living in the sea, fond of dragging people into the water to drown them, then devouring their brains raw.
"Sea Monkey, also called 'River Child,' its bone powder also has strong aphrodisiac effects, but it cuts the source, lacking the miraculous effect of rfolk Powder to invigorate yang while also consolidating genuine yang... moreover, if overused, it can cause the calamity of losing yang... its value is greatly discounted, this bottle at most is worth fifty copper coins."
Zhong Shenxiu shook his head and said.
This bit of knowledge was gleaned from a hand-copied version of the [Four Seas Strange Scripture].
Although the author copied it in a disordered manner, with only two proper spells, various miscellaneous anecdotes were recorded quite abundantly.
Especially so strange sea creatures, which really opened Zhong Shenxiu's eyes.
"Fifty copper coins?"
A trace of panic flashed across the peddler's face, and he shouted, "This is genuine rfolk Scale Powder, not Sea Monkey..."
"Really? rfolk Scales, when burned, emit a fragrance, while Sea Monkey bone powder, when ignited, has a fishy stench. Do you want to test it?"
Zhong Shenxiu asked with a smile that was not a smile on his face.
"Fifty copper coins are too little, at least worth a silver coin." The peddler made a last struggle.
Qi Yuan's face changed, realizing he almost fell for a trap and beca a big fool.
"Just fifty copper coins, take it or leave it."
Zhong Shenxiu tossed out a string of small coins, looking at the peddler.
"Sigh... Today I t an expert."
The peddler sighed, handed the small bottle to Zhong Shenxiu, packed up his goods, and cupped his hands in farewell.
'This person... might have so connections with the sea, it's also a lead. I'll set the bait and wait...'
Zhong Shenxiu watched his departing figure, smiling silently.
"This brother has broad knowledge, truly admirable."
Qi Yuan sat directly opposite Zhong Shenxiu: "Thank you for the reminder earlier, may I ask for your honorable na?"
"Fang Lang!"
Zhong Shenxiu took the bottle, calmly replied, "Are you a Western student?"
"Indeed, I was fascinated by novelties since childhood, later begged my father to send to study in the Western World. Unfortunately, the mysterious societies there have strict mbers-only policies... even national citizens find it hard to join, let alone a foreigner like !"
Qi Yuan smiled bitterly, "After graduating, I returned to Great Zhou, preparing to continue seeking the path of the dao..."
"I too have the heart to seek the dao, but... true cultivation is elusive and hard to find."
Zhong Shenxiu chatted a bit more with Qi Yuan, whose deanor, temperant, and conversation impressed him. Then, Zhong Shenxiu ntioned sothing.
"True cultivation? I happen to have so news, three days later, twenty miles east, there is Liu Xian Town, where a Daoist will open the doors to accept disciples!"
Qi Yuan said: "I personally witnessed that Daoist perform spells. He truly possesses real skills. If you are interested, shall we go together in three days?"
'What an easy mark!'
'No wonder I sensed so aura around him, but it's not deep!'
Zhong Shenxiu concluded internally, showing a smile on his face, "Naturally, let's go together, together!"
...
Three days later.
Outside Liu Xian Ancient Town, Zhong Shenxiu and Qi Yuan got off the carriage, looking at the mottled buildings, both exhaled deeply.
The bumpy ride on the carriage was quite unpleasant.
"The Daoist 'Ju Liuzi' is truly skilled; he once demonstrated Daoist Skill by cutting paper into a moon, from which a fairy jumped down from the Moon Palace..."
Qi Yuan's eyes shone brightly, this ti he snuck out, even without taking the Attendant Student, "If I could beco a disciple of the Immortal Sect, just learning that would satisfy ."
Zhong Shenxiu was speechless hearing that.
At that mont, several horses galloped by the roadside with unmatched montum, not slowing or dodging even when seeing soone ahead.
"Get out of my way!"
A woman on horseback swung her whip, lashing out.
Zhong Shenxiu pulled Qi Yuan back, narrowly avoiding the whip, and Qi Yuan cursed angrily after the knights passed: "I spit... these Jianghu people, each with a few martial skills, behave so tyrannically, they really deserve to be punished!"
"So they are Jianghu people."
Zhong Shenxiu nodded, thinking of their martial attire, bulging waists, they indeed looked like Martial Arts practitioners, and couldn't help but chuckle, "Perhaps they too are here for Ju Liuzi?"
Slap!
Qi Yuan clapped his hands and exclaid, "We can't let them get ahead!"
Imdiately pulling Zhong Shenxiu, he hurried into the ancient town.
In the ancient town stood a giant mansion, with many people already gathered at its gate.
The flashy Jianghu people were there, three n and one woman, brimming with heroic spirit, also exuding a sense of seeing everyone else as ants.
If they were immortals, it would be understandable.
But Zhong Shenxiu saw only a few martial artists whose Qi-Blood was slightly stronger than ordinary people...
Besides them, there were many Jianghu folks, wealthy rchants, and gentry, indicating Ju Liuzi's disciple recruitnt was quite a spectacle this ti.
"Good boy, you will definitely beco a disciple of the old immortal, seeing these people, all so old, yet they still have the face to seek immortality?"
A fat man like a landlord tycoon, adorned in silk and satin, coaxed his chubby son.
At this mont, the big door suddenly opened with a bang, an elder with the deanor of the immortals stood at the entrance, smiling: "I, Ju Liuzi, open my doors today to accept disciples, those with fate can enter the main hall, listen to the old Daoist preach, and the best will be selected..."
"The old immortal is generous!"
A green-clothed swordsman among the Jianghu crowd saluted and said: "I am Sun Chu of the Crane Feather Sword, these are my sworn siblings, even if we cannot beco your disciples, we are willing to serve loyally..."
These flattering words were utterly shaless, causing many to roll their eyes, yet they also secretly hated being outpaced.
Zhong Shenxiu and Qi Yuan exchanged smiles, entered the large mansion, passed through a sowhat neglected garden, and reached the grand hall.
This hall was vast, accommodating hundreds, with desks around, a group sitting cross-legged, Ju Liuzi the Daoist seated at the forefront, began proclaiming: "The dao is inherently void, those who gain the void of the dao, can transform the formless into form, change into birds and beasts, ride phoenixes and cranes, sit on flood dragons and whales..."
"Comprehending the transformations of the universe, I am everything, and everything can be , my body interiorly transforms into pinworms, roundworms, externally fever lice, fleas, gouts thus turtles, fishes, boils thus rats, ants..."
His voice was ethereal, carrying an extraordinary power.
The crowd in the hall listened as though they were hearing a wonderful scripture, absorbed, with eyes gradually becoming dreamy.
Zhong Shenxiu outwardly feigned being enraptured as well, with a dark glimr passing through his eyes.
In his view, Ju Liuzi Daoist's emaciated face suddenly turned twisted, hideous... massive lumps erged on his shoulders, as if countless small bugs were drilling in and out...
Strange root-like tendrils pierced through Ju Liuzi's body, making him appear like a marionette.
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