Eight in the morning.

On a main street of Wuji Market, Qin Lu walked at a steady pace, a redwood table held aloft in both hands.

Bound to the tabletop with a red rope were numerous items.

A closer look revealed bedding, pots, pans, bowls, utensils, food grains, books, and various materials.

It was packed to the brim.

The sight made Qin Lu resemble a small moving truck.

“Well, well, looks like another one moving into the market to live…”

“Who’s this? A bit of an unfamiliar face~”

“Just some nobody…”

“This kid seems to be the one selling talismans at the market. I’ve seen him a couple times, but I don’t know his name.”

Quite a few people pointed at Qin Lu’s back, discussing the identity of this new market resident.

Qin Lu paid no heed to these comments, keeping his eyes fixed ahead as he carried his entire worldly possessions step by step towards his new home.

However, while he could remain unaffected, the Cao Mo following behind him could not.

At this moment, Cao Mo had a large water bucket hoisted on his shoulder. He walked with his head down, eyes fixed on the road, listening to the hushed discussions around him. His face flushed red with embarrassment.

Because in Cao Mo’s mind, carrying a water bucket like this was utterly shameful!

A proper cultivator, moving house and actually hauling all these cheap belongings along? It was truly beneath one’s dignity!

So, Cao Mo kept his head lowered, hoping to avoid being recognized by any acquaintances.

Fortunately, after passing through the bustling streets, the foot traffic gradually thinned. The two soon arrived at the location of the new home.

Qin Lu supported the redwood table with one hand, used the other to open the courtyard gate, and then strode inside.

“Hey, little fatty, just put my water bucket over there.”

“And the beast meat inside the bucket, help me take it out and store it properly.”

“Hey, hey! Move it! Don’t dawdle!”

The moment they entered, Qin Lu immediately started directing Cao Mo to work.

The two busied themselves with the old items in the new home, beginning to furnish the place.

Qin Lu even took a small broom and swept the entire new house inside and out, making it spotless.

A good half-hour later, they finally finished all the work and sat down together on the stone chairs beneath the peach tree to rest.

“The environment here is really nice. Never thought a gambler like you could afford to move here…”

Cao Mo’s eyes held a look of envy. The air was fresh, the house had an antique charm, a stark contrast to the harsh environment of The Slums.

Qin Lu also wore a satisfied expression. He clapped his hands and said cheerfully,

“No matter the era, money makes the man. That’s an eternal truth. But… you’re still calling me a gambler? Have you seen me go to a gambling den lately?”

Hearing this, Cao Mo’s eyes lit up. He leaned forward and said eagerly,

“You know, that’s true. Come to think of it, I feel like you’ve become a different person recently, totally unlike before…”

A flicker of panic crossed Qin Lu’s face. He pretended to hide it by rubbing his nose and mumbled vaguely,

“People change… Anyway, you helped me move today, so I’ll keep my promise and take you to that place you’ve been dreaming about!”

“Great! I’ve been waiting for you to say that!”

“But…”

Qin Lu changed the subject, pointing to the stall tools in the corner. “Right now, I’m broke. I need to go set up the stall and sell some talismans first! After all, you need money to have fun!”

“Alright! Then I’ll go set up the stall with you!” Cao Mo agreed readily.

……

During this period of seclusion practicing his skills, Qin Lu had also drawn quite a few talismans.

A careful count revealed over ten Water Qi Shields.

Of course, if he hadn’t run out of talisman paper materials, he could have drawn more.

Getting up and packing the various stall tools, the two left the courtyard.

Qin Lu’s courtyard wasn’t far from the Scatter Cultivator Market, only about a kilometer away.

The two arrived at the market.

As it was still early, many stalls in the market were still vacant.

Drawing on past experience, Qin Lu found a decent spot, set up his things, and opened for business.

Cao Mo also squatted to the side, the fat around his waist bunching up. He watched the passing cultivators, his eyes darting around, full of mischievous cleverness.

“So you made all that money by selling talismans?” Cao Mo suddenly asked.

“Yep,” Qin Lu replied absentmindedly.

“Never saw you with this skill before. When did you learn it?”

“I know lots of things. What can a little kid like you understand? Just learn properly.”

“Then can you teach me?”

“Sure. Call me ‘Big Brother’ first.”

“Big Brother!”

“……”

During the stall setup, the two chatted idly, and several hours passed quickly.

To help the talismans sell faster, Cao Mo even helped by loudly hawking and attracting customers.

Finally, with his help, the dozen or so Water Qi Shields were sold one after another, successfully earning thirty Spirit Stones. They packed up perfectly.

Simply gathering their things, the two got up and headed towards a street alley behind the market.

The market district wasn’t just about restaurants and eateries serving exquisite dishes; there were also small stalls selling simple, ready-to-eat food.

Similar to the food streets of his past life, most were small stalls run by loose cultivators. The food variety was diverse, and the prices were affordable and low, making it one of the most frequented places for many low-level cultivators.

Wuji Market’s small stall street was located behind the Scatter Cultivator Market.

As it was nearing mealtime, when Qin Lu and Cao Mo arrived, the place was already very lively.

Stalls lined the area, various artisans distributed along both sides of the alley, constantly calling out to passing customers. The air was thick with the rich aroma of cooking and life.

“Big Brother, what are you taking me to eat?”

Cao Mo looked around curiously, his face full of wonder.

This was Qin Lu’s first time here too. Looking at the many food stalls on both sides of the road, he wasn’t sure what to eat either and replied offhandedly,

“Don’t know. What do you want to eat?”

Cao Mo looked left and right, then suddenly pointed at one of the stalls. “Let’s eat this!”

It was a noodle stall named Old Tan’s Beef Noodles. A few scattered low-legged tables and chairs were placed by the roadside. Several customers were heartily enjoying their meals at the stall, creating a lively atmosphere.

“Alright!”

Qin Lu didn’t refuse. He led Cao Mo to the stall and they casually sat down.

“Fellow Daoist! Two bowls of your signature beef noodles!”

“Coming right up! Fellow Daoist, please wait a moment!”

The stall owner was a lean man with a shrewd face. Seeing business arrive, he answered cheerfully and immediately got busy.

Qin Lu looked around and noticed many cultivators sitting casually by the roadside, chatting and laughing happily, full of lively, mundane atmosphere.

It was an eye-opener for him.

Cao Mo, meanwhile, had already picked up a pair of chopsticks, his face full of anticipation for the food to arrive.

The stall owner was extremely quick. In no time, two bowls of steaming, fragrant beef noodles were brought over.

Having been busy for most of the day, both Qin Lu and Cao Mo were long since hungry. Seeing the very appetizing-looking beef noodles, their appetites were immediately whetted. Without another word, they both lowered their heads and started eating heartily.

Soon, both were full and satisfied.

Qin Lu settled the bill.

These two bowls of beef noodles ultimately cost him two jin of gold.

In the cultivation market, gold, so precious in the mortal world, was merely the lowest form of currency here, equivalent to small change for transactions, used for making up differences.

One low-grade Spirit Stone could be exchanged for seven or eight jin of gold, and one jin of gold was sixteen liang.

For food at roadside stalls like this, the price was generally one jin of gold per meal. That meant one low-grade Spirit Stone could cover seven or eight cheap meals.

Calculating three meals a day, eating out for two or three days would cost one Spirit Stone.

After settling the bill, the two got up and headed towards another street alley. And that place was precisely the “fireworks district” Cao Mo had been dreaming about.

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