JSCMU-Chapter 35: The Marketplace

Lin Ya stared at Yun Jin, the corners of his mouth twitching once, then again.

Finally, he glared at her, exasperated. “What do you think I’m trying to do?”

Yun Jin thought for a moment, then replied with complete confidence, “I brought such great glory to our Heavenly Sword Peak today. You must be trying to praise me! Go ahead, I can take it!”

Teeth clenched, Lin Ya raised the wine gourd in his hand and swung it at her.

Yun Jin was dumbfounded. Dodging as she ran, she shouted, “Master, what are you doing? You’re clearly being unreasonable! You’re failing to recognize merit! Do you even know how to treat your heroes?!”

A hero, she said?

Lin Ya grew even more furious.

One incense stick’s time later,

At Heavenly Sword Peak, Yun Jin sat there with a face full of indignation.

Lin Ya glared at her. “Three months! You actually challenged a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator with just three months to prepare? Yun Jin! There are better ways to die than this!”

Lin Ya was truly furious.

This little disciple of his clearly had a bright future ahead of her.

If Kunlun Sword Sect were to take notice of her one day, she might finally be able to escape the muddy waters of Tianxing Sect.

But instead, she had to be so arrogant as to challenge someone to a life-or-death duel!

Yes, Zhao Wuji and his disciples were infuriating.

Lin Ya had long been grinding his teeth in anger, but since his strength couldn’t compare, he had no choice but to lie low for now.

“Master, what’s done is done. There’s no use being angry now,” Yue Zhao said calmly. “That Ruan Jun is slightly weaker than I am, but not by much. From now on, I’ll personally give Little Junior Sister special training. I’ll beat her up a few hundred times a day. She’s bound to improve a little.”

Yun Jin: “???”

Was that even human language?

She strongly suspected this was Yue Zhao’s twisted way of getting revenge.

“If Eldest Senior Brother gets tired, I can help too,” said Si Wanning sweetly.

Yun Jin: “???”

Even Second Senior Sister!?

“That’s actually a good idea,” Lin Ya sneered. “Then it’s settled!”

“Hold on!” Yun Jin hurried to speak up. “I know everyone is worried about me, but I really do have confidence!”

“Is it possible,” Yue Zhao said with a smile, “that we just want to beat you up?”

Yun Jin blinked her sparkly Carslan(1) eyes. “I don’t believe that. I’m pure and adorable. None of you could bear to hurt me.”

That face really was something else.

For a moment, no one could say a word.

Finally, Lin Ya sighed. “Let’s talk business. Since your Little Junior Sister has a life-or-death match in three months, all resources from now until then will be funneled toward her. If she dies, at least let her die gloriously. Any objections?”

Yue Zhao and the others all shook their heads.

“I’ve saved up a good amount of spirit stones,” Yue Zhao said. “I’ll convert them all into pills over the next few days and push Little Junior Sister’s cultivation up.”

“I’ll look for a weapon that suits her,” added Si Wanning.

Yu Songnian looked worried. What could he do?

“Third Junior Brother, your job is to monitor her. Don’t let her go flaunting her skills in public,” Yue Zhao assigned.

That was a good task.

Yu Songnian sighed in relief and readily agreed.

Lin Ya turned to Yun Jin. “For these next three months, I’ll be watching you closely! But your top priority is still the Azure Lotus Sword Technique. If you manage to master it within three months—”

“I’ll win?” Yun Jin asked hopefully.

“No,” Lin Ya replied. “You’ll die with the reputation of a sword genius.”

Was that a joke?

Even with a De level technique capable of leaping realms, she would at least need to reach the Golden Core Stage.

Three months, Golden Core Stage.

Heh. May as well be dreaming.

Yun Jin pouted. “You all really have that little faith in me? What if I’m actually one of those once-in-ten-thousand-years super geniuses? Not only do I have incredible talent in swordsmanship, I’m also amazing in other areas!”

“Mhm, we believe you.” Yue Zhao stood up. “Master, I’ll head to the marketplace to exchange for pills.”

Lin Ya nodded. “Go ahead.”

Marketplace?

Pills?

Yun Jin immediately jumped up. “Eldest Senior Brother, I’ve never seen a marketplace before. If you’re going, can you bring me along?”

The truth was, Yun Jin felt that directly exchanging spirit stones for pills was a bit of a loss.

She could just buy the herbs and refine them herself. It would only cost her some simplification points.

This was a perfect opportunity to show off again, to flaunt her earth-shattering talent in alchemy.

Sword cultivation?

That was far from her final goal.

Yue Zhao hesitated.

Yun Jin looked up at him with big, hopeful eyes.

Although he had already seen her chūni tendencies before, he still couldn’t help but soften when she looked at him like that.

“Fine,” he said reluctantly. “But you have to listen to me, and you’re not allowed to run off.”

“Got it!” Yun Jin agreed immediately.

Still skeptical, Yue Zhao gave her a long look. Seeing her honest face, he reluctantly accepted.

The region where Tianxing Sect was located lay within the borders of the Canglan Kingdom.

Within Canglan Kingdom, there was one super sect, ten top-tier sects, five mid-tier sects, and countless minor ones.

Tianxing Sect was now considered mid-tier. In the hundred-mile-long mountain range they occupied, there was another mid-tier sect called the Huangshi Sect, and several smaller sects survived by relying on the two.

The marketplace was located on a stretch of flat land between Tianxing Sect and Huangshi Sect.

When they neared the marketplace, Yue Zhao put away his flying sword.

He tossed a mask to Yun Jin. “Put this on. It changes your appearance.”

As he spoke, he put one on himself and transformed into a middle-aged man.

Yun Jin thought for a moment and altered her face into that of a plain-looking young woman. Walking beside Yue Zhao, they now looked like a father and daughter.

“I have some business to take care of here. Just follow me for now,” said Yue Zhao.

Yun Jin nodded obediently.

Then she watched as Yue Zhao busily moved between storefronts.

He seemed quite popular. No matter where he went, someone greeted him warmly.

Yue Zhao also returned each greeting with ease.

“These shops, some I gave advice to, others I invested in, and a few rely on my network. So I come regularly to collect earnings,” he explained simply.

Yun Jin clicked her tongue in amazement.

Her eldest senior brother was definitely a transmigrator. No doubt about it.

And before transmigrating, he was probably some kind of business prodigy.

Yun Jin didn’t plan to expose him just yet. She just looked at him with wide-eyed admiration. “Eldest Senior Brother, you’re amazing.”

But contrary to what Yun Jin expected, Yue Zhao didn’t look smug. Instead, he sighed. “Xiao Jin, in the cultivation world, strength is everything. If I didn’t have the strength of a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, no one would be doing business with me. And if I can’t go any further, then this is all I’ll ever be.”

As he spoke, a trace of melancholy appeared on Yue Zhao’s face.

He had come to this world seeking immortality and the Dao. But alas, everyone has a limit to their talent, and it seemed he had already reached his.

Yun Jin was quiet for a moment, then said, “Eldest Senior Brother, don’t worry. Everything will turn out fine.”

With her around, she would make sure it did.

“Let’s not dwell on that. Come on, I’ll take you to Baicao Pavilion to pick out some pills suitable for the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment stages,” Yue Zhao said, brushing the matter aside as he led her to their next destination.

Inside Baicao Pavilion.

While Yue Zhao went to browse the pills, Yun Jin’s gaze shifted toward a different counter.

(1)Carslan eyes: