Crow Immortal
Chapter 42: Donkey-Faced Man

That spirit dog looked somewhat familiar? 

Before Han Yu could take a closer look, a crimson-robed girl carrying a medicine basket hurried over. She grabbed the white spirit dog and stuffed it into her basket. 

"This little troublemaker, please forgive its mischief." 

After speaking, she gave a slight bow and walked toward a nearby stall with her basket. 

Han Yu finally recognized her—she was Zhong Yue, the servant disciple who sold Moonlight Grass last time, and the white spirit dog was her pet. 

Zhong Yue naturally wouldn't recognize Han Yu, as months had passed since their last encounter, and Han Yu had been wearing a bamboo hat then. 

Sun Kang, Liu Lan, and Han Yu wandered around the Bamboo Shed Area. Han Yu noticed prices remained largely unchanged: four to five pounds of spirit rice still exchanged for one spirit stone, which equaled either one Qi Condensing Pill, three Wind Riding Talismans, or one Wind Blade Talisman. 

Last time, Han Yu had seen Spirit Blood Vine for sale, but it was absent now. 

"Does anyone sell spells here? Or cultivation-related knowledge?" Han Yu asked Sun Kang. 

Sun Kang replied in a hushed tone: "Spells are indeed sold, but they're expensive and rarely traded openly in the Bamboo Shed Area." 

"After all, Green Sprout Market falls under Wangu Valley's jurisdiction. Outer sect disciples can learn two spells after promotion—otherwise, acquiring spells requires at least ten minor merits." 

"If servant disciples and rogue cultivators openly traded spells here, wouldn't Wangu Valley's merit system become meaningless? How could the market surpass the sect's importance?" 

Han Yu understood now. 

"As for cultivation knowledge, do you mean basics like identifying spirit herbs, artifacts, talismans, and formations?" Sun Kang continued. 

Han Yu nodded. 

Sun Kang explained: "Recognizing spirit herbs is common knowledge among servant disciples in medicine gardens and alchemy halls, though their understanding remains limited. True expertise requires specialized study in herb cultivation or pill refinement." 

Han Yu realized proper knowledge about spirit plants' effects or spells' power required dedicated study with spirit rice, not casual purchases. Identifying herbs and understanding their uses formed foundational knowledge for alchemy and herb cultivation. 

"The Bamboo Shed Area offers little worth buying," Sun Kang suggested. "Let's visit the Reed Mat Area for mundane goods instead—at least we won't return empty-handed." 

Han Yu pondered briefly. "Senior Brother Sun, wait a moment. I need to buy something first." 

Exchanging four pounds six ounces of spirit rice for one spirit stone, Han Yu secretly replicated another stone. He then traded it for a Qi Condensing Pill. 

"You bought a Qi Condensing Pill?" Sun Kang seemed surprised. 

"Yes, I want to test its cultivation effects," Han Yu replied. 

Sun Kang cautioned him: "Pills accelerate cultivation but shouldn't be overused. Each person has limited effective doses—exceeding them renders Qi Condensing Pills useless." 

"One pill releases enough spiritual energy for daily cultivation. Those with poor spirit roots can't absorb efficiently, wasting half the pill's potential. Junior Brother Han, as quad-spirit-root cultivators, we don't benefit fully from them." 

Han Yu felt astonished—he'd planned to test the pill's effects himself, but Sun Kang's explanation satisfied his curiosity. 

The Mystic Heart Fruit's value became clear—equivalent to three Qi Condensing Pills with additional mental clarity effects. No wonder it never appeared in the Bamboo Shed Area, and why Han Yu could only replicate one daily despite his enhanced blood replication limit. 

After consideration, Han Yu exchanged the pill for a Wind Blade Talisman containing an offensive spell activatable with spiritual energy. Sun Kang didn't comment further—given recent disturbances at the spirit fields, self-defense measures seemed prudent. 

With four ounces of spirit rice remaining (insufficient for Bamboo Shed trades), Han Yu found it surprisingly valuable in the Reed Mat Area. Ordinary people—barred from cultivation—treated spirit rice transactions as rare honors, usually begging for unavailable grains rather than receiving cultivators' voluntary purchases. 

Each companion bought two items without exhausting the rice. At a flower cake stall, a donkey-faced middle-aged man wearing a headscarf called out: 

"Honored immortals! Try my flower cakes? Made from premium blossoms and rice!" 

Han Yu bought three portions, spending the remaining rice, and shared them with Sun Kang and Liu Lan. 

His gaze lingered on the donkey-faced man. Though the man laughed cheerfully with normal speech, Han Yu sensed similarities to Elder Li—perhaps their shared ugly, elongated faces? 

"Junior Brother Han, you've been too generous today," Sun Kang remarked. 

Liu Lan also thanked him, offering future cultivation advice. 

Han Yu smiled. "When I first arrived at the spirit fields, I owed you both gratitude. This rice means little—just a small token. Besides, we came to browse—why leave empty-handed?" 

Sun Kang and Liu Lan found their junior brother thoughtful and considerate, worthy of continued mutual support. 

Suddenly, someone shouted: "Senior Brother Zhao! Quick—the tavern!" 

"They've posted this year's predicted top-ten rankings for inner and outer disciples!" 

As "Senior Brother Zhao" rushed to see, servant disciples and rogue cultivators flocked toward the market's central tavern. 

Sun Kang and Liu Lan grew excited, pulling Han Yu along. 

The crowd grew dense before they arrived. Servant disciples chattered excitedly as if attending a lantern festival. 

Seeing the packed path, Han Yu suggested: "Should we return another day? The rankings won't disappear, and it's too crowded now." 

Liu Lan insisted: "Since we're here, missing them would be a shame. Junior Brother, wait outside—we'll return after looking!" 

Before Han Yu could react, Liu Lan and Sun Kang vanished into the throng. 

What's so fascinating about rankings? Han Yu thought. Better to focus on cultivation and reach the top ten myself. Besides, these are just Foundation Establishment realm disciples—what significance do they hold? 

Spotting a nearby herb and pill shop, Han Yu walked over. Now was his chance to inquire about trading his Mystic Heart Fruit and Spirit Blood Vine.