599: Chapter 419 599: Chapter 419 The herbs that were useful to them were planted and tended to diligently.
Half a month passed this way, and the Earl felt it was time to harvest some herbs again when he wanted to contact Jiang Tang.
He discovered that there was no signal inside the cave, so he took the communication device outside to contact Jiang Tang.
Unexpectedly, a vine whipped up from the ground, snatched the communicator from his hand, and pulled it underground.
The Earl was startled, he immediately guessed that the old Vine Tree Elf was causing mischief.
He took out his magic wand, intending to snatch back the communication device, but before he could react, the old Vine Tree Elf had already smashed the device to pieces.
The Earl could feel that the Tree Elf had destroyed the communicator, and, furious, he chased after the old Vine Tree Elf with his magic wand.
“Stop hitting me, stop hitting me, I was only playing with you, who made you drive away the fox?
Now I have no one to talk to!” The old vine spoke human language, and it spoke the truth.
Before, it had the Fox Demon for company with whom it would match wits, never feeling lonely.
But now, although there were big trees on the mountain, those that hadn’t attained elfin status couldn’t play with it.
Angry, the Earl did not listen to the Tree Elf’s pleas and kept whipping it with his magic wand, consuming the nourishment from the vines, cutting off each and every vine, and pursuing the Tree Elf’s roots until he found the main body.
The Earl wasn’t simply punishing the Tree Elf—it dawned on him that with a Tree Elf on this mountain, his future plans could be ruined.
With his magic concealing the cave entrance, he and his clansmen would continue to guard it.
This cave would be a place they constantly entered and exited, coming and going from the great mountain.
They couldn’t put their clansmen at risk.
Without relenting, the Earl uprooted the main body of the Tree Elf that had destroyed his communication device and burnt it to ashes.
As its main body was chopped and whittled away, the Tree Elf escaped and fled the mountain, harboring a grudge against the Earl.
The Earl was unaware that the Tree Elf’s spirit had fled; he still thought he had burned down the big tree.
Even so, he felt annoyed and regretful.
Why didn’t he leave the mountain before using the communication device to contact Jiang Tang?
With the communication device destroyed, he had no choice but to use a storage bag to carry some herbs dug by his clansmen and try his luck in Immortal Venerable City, hoping to find Jiang Tang.
Going to that shop, surely one of the staff could reach Jiang Tang.
It was a possibility to find him.
In that half-month, the Earl had consumed the rest of his pills, and it was apparent to outsiders that he had upgraded.
Having progressed to a Marquis, the Viscounts were also pleased since they had advanced to Earls.
Every man in the family understood the benefits of these pills.
Now a Marquis, the Young Clan Leader carried the trust and hopes of his family and secretly descended the mountain alone once again.
The Marquis had come here full of hope, yet failed to make contact; searching for Jiang Tang in the vast sea of people was extremely difficult.
Even though he had upgraded, he couldn’t venture out recklessly due to the need to defend his family from sneak attacks.
The treasure of the stockade had been brought out by him; he could only return home first.
“Dear customer, are you looking for the owner?
Please, come inside, let’s talk.” Seeing that this young man seemed a bit stronger than before, the Shopkeeper, who had twice failed to track the young man, was intent on extracting the secret from his lips.
The secret to this young man’s strength was evident, as he looked different from the people of the Cultivation World, surely being a cultivator from abroad.
“Shopkeeper, do you have a way to contact your boss?” recalled the Marquis.
The last time he came to this shop, it was this Shopkeeper who had contacted the owner for him, enabling his meeting with Jiang Tang.
Maybe the Shopkeeper really could get in touch with the boss.
Joy filled his heart; it seemed coming here to try his luck was indeed the right decision.
The shopkeeper, unfathomable, simply smiled, then made a welcoming gesture with his hand.
The Marquis followed the shopkeeper into a room, the very same room where Jiang Tang had met with him before.
“Guest, if it’s convenient, may I know what business you have with our boss?” The shopkeeper’s expression was calm, as if he was asking a casual question.
“Shopkeeper, I saw that your boss sold pills to him.
I wonder if you can get in touch with your boss?” The Marquis didn’t tell the whole truth, half-truths and half-lies, as he had begun to suspect that being followed twice might mean he was being targeted.
As someone not freshly exposed to the world’s trials, within this danger, one learns to perceive the malice in people’s hearts.
When speaking with strangers, acquaintances, or even friends, one must be on guard.
“Oh, so you’re selling medicinal herbs.
Our boss isn’t here, but you can trade with me as well.
The price I offer should be no different from the boss’s.
Could you show me the herbs?” The shopkeeper did not say he could contact the boss, intent on uncovering the young man’s secret.
The Marquis saw the shopkeeper’s seemingly enthusiastic exterior but had already noticed the slyness in his eyes.
Having been through several trials and followed twice, he had learned to be wary of others.
He had divided the herbs into several bags, one of which contained the medicinal materials for their cultivation resources, which he wouldn’t allow others to see.
The contents of this bag were just ordinary medicinal herbs, a bit better than those traded with Jiang Tang, but the other bag contained the medicinal materials of their resources.
The Marquis took out the bag of ordinary medicinal herbs, his face showing a pleading expression:
“Shopkeeper, I hope you can offer a good price.
My family is poor, and I went to the mountain to gather herbs for money.
It was not easy to find some herbs, so please don’t offer too low a price!”
Without speaking, the shopkeeper snatched the bag, opened it with his Divine Sense, and inspected the herbs inside.
Showing some disappointment, he then said:
“Guest, are these the herbs you traded with our boss?
Were they the same kind last time?
These common herbs can be found all over the mountains; they won’t fetch a good price.
Don’t you have any better herbs on you?” The shopkeeper’s eyes darted slyly as he looked at the Marquis, certain the young man was lying and very much wanting to search him.
“These are ordinary medicinal herbs?
I sold these same herbs to your boss last time, and he said they could be used to make pills.” The Marquis seemed sincere, not blinking an eye as he spoke.
“No, no, I have run a pharmacy for decades.
How could I not know that such ordinary herbs are of little use?
They are merely good for treating cuts and bruises and won’t sell for more than a few silver coins.
I don’t believe our boss would buy them.
Young man, you are lying.” The shopkeeper felt the urge to slap the young man, thinking he was testing his capabilities.
“Shopkeeper, please contact your boss.
Then we will know whether your boss will buy these herbs and whether they are of any use, won’t we?” The Marquis became more convinced of the shopkeeper’s ulterior motives, sensing suspicion in his crafty eyes.
He was less willing than ever to share some of his secrets with the shopkeeper, continuing his act.
A sinister look flashed in the shopkeeper’s eyes; he nearly lost control and wanted to strike the young man, but he resisted, realizing the young man had too many secrets and might not be an easy opponent.
Moreover, being in the shop, he couldn’t openly deal with the young man.
“Guest, if you don’t tell me the truth, how could our boss want these herbs?
Without your honesty, I can’t dare to contact the boss.”
The Marquis still thought the shopkeeper had an agenda.
Despite talking until he was out of saliva, the shopkeeper wouldn’t let him see Jiang Tang.
Left with no choice, he prepared to return to the stockade, and the herbs in the other two bags couldn’t be shown to the shopkeeper.
“Sigh, my trip hasn’t been easy, and I thought I could make some money.
If the shopkeeper can’t recognize the value, then there’s nothing I can do.
Let’s leave it at that!”
Watching the young man really about to leave, the shopkeeper had refused the herbs initially to force the young man to reveal his true valuables.
Seeing him about to depart, the shopkeeper’s eyes flickered and he decided to keep him.
“Guest, please wait.
I’ll reluctantly buy your common herbs, but I can’t give you a high price.
For such a bag of herbs, I can only offer you five gold coins.
As for the boss, we can’t contact him either.
He hasn’t been in touch with us for half a month, and there are other investors helping with the resource supply.”