The cultivators still running stalls on the street at this hour were, by and large, relatively well-off.
They all had something in common: their cultivation was at least at the Mid-stage Qi Refining, they had mastered a trade sufficient to make a living, and most of them were not young.
Some of these cultivators sat cross-legged, absorbing and refining the Spiritual Qi of the Ruins Market, seemingly trying to earn back their stall fees this way. Others gathered in twos and threes, enthusiastically discussing recent interesting events in the area.
Lü Zhong sat nearby and listened for a while, only to find they were discussing nothing but trivial matters.
It was either about which family's Elder had taken another concubine, or which Sect Steward's Dao Companion had an affair. Or perhaps a skilled Alchemist had appeared somewhere, spreading the word that they were taking orders for Alchemy.
Watching these cultivators, who looked so ethereal and were dressed so properly, gossip about such things, Lü Zhong couldn't help but feel a sense of absurdity.
But he had to admit, this was the reality for low-level cultivators.
They didn't have an endless supply of Pills to refine, nor an incessant stream of troubles to handle. They certainly weren't rushing off to explore Secret Realms of all sizes. All they had was a peaceful life, day after day, year after year.
A life of monotony, tinged with a hint of boredom.
After listening a bit longer, Lü Zhong stopped wasting his time and continued toward the end of the street.
Along the way, there were some stooped, white-haired old people picking things up off the ground.
It might be a stalk or two of Talisman Grass discarded due to poor quality, or some misshapen vegetables that simply couldn't be sold, or other miscellaneous scraps of minor value.
These things that others didn't want were treasures in their eyes.
After a bit of tinkering, they could probably be sold for some money.
Lü Zhong walked past these elderly scavengers and reached the center of the main street. The stalls disappeared, replaced by well-decorated shops filled with all sorts of goods.
Qingliu Ruins wasn't large, so there weren't many shops on the street, but the variety was reasonably complete. There was a Magic Technique Pavilion specializing in selling Cultivation Techniques and Magic Skills, and a Huichun Hall for buying and selling all kinds of Pills.
But the most numerous were the shops that purchased various raw materials, as well as finished and semi-finished products.
The largest was run by the Qingyang Sect. Their appraisal fees were exorbitant, but their reputation was relatively guaranteed. There were also shops run by other small families or Commerce Associations. Their appraisal fees might have a discount, but they often drove a harder bargain than the Qingyang Sect by a wide margin, and sometimes there were even rumors of deception.
The cultivators of Qingliu Ruins had no choice. This was the only place nearby to sell their goods. Although the prices at the Yanling Mountain Market to the north were fair, the nearly thousand-li mountain road was not easy to travel. A moment of carelessness, and both person and goods could be devoured by road-blocking Evil Cultivators. So, they could only helplessly endure this exploitation and sell their things to the various unscrupulous merchants of Qingliu Ruins.
Cultivators went in and out of the open shops from time to time, but they were all wealthy enough to afford Dharma Robes.
Lü Zhong watched with envy, not daring to entertain the thought of going inside just to have a look.
Hurrying past, he unknowingly arrived at the end of the street, which connected to a small riverside dock. Several fishing boats, new and old, were moored at the wooden pier, and people were mending fishing nets on the shore.
A gust of wind brought the thick stench of fish.
Lü Zhong watched for a while and found their fishing methods to be primitive, to say the least.
The nets were made of coarse cloth and hemp, bundled and tied together. Although this method greatly improved fishing efficiency, it paled in comparison to the various fishing tools in his memory.
'Maybe I should just become a fisherman?' he couldn't help but think.
But Lü Zhong quickly extinguished the thought. In a world where the strong preyed on the weak and the hierarchy was strict, only strength and cultivation were the foundation of self-preservation. Even if being a fisherman could earn a little money for a while, it would all be taken away later by someone who grew envious.
But taking the path of a Talisman Maker was different. The ability to make talismans was something no one could take away.
At this thought, Lü Zhong solidified his resolve to walk the path of Talisman Making.
What he found strange was that a lavishly dressed old man, who looked like a steward, was waiting anxiously at the dock with a group of servants. Judging by the way the man paced back and forth, he must have been burning with anxiety.
Just then, a small boat came rowing quickly from a distance.
"They're here, they're here!"
one of the servants shouted joyfully.
The old man looked up and was also overjoyed.
Before long, the fishing boat docked, and a lean man jumped off it.
Before he could speak, the anxious old man grabbed his arm and asked, "The fish? Don't tell me... you didn't catch any this time either!"
The lean man chuckled, pointed to the live well on the boat, and said with a cupped-fist salute, "I did not disappoint you, Steward Li. This time, I, Yanr Liu, lay in wait for a full three days and finally caught another Peach Blossom Mandarin Fish!"
As he spoke, he carefully lifted the cover of the live well on the deck. Beneath a net woven from hemp rope, a fish with peach blossom patterns and a vibrant pink color was flopping about energetically.
This was the Peach Blossom Mandarin Fish, a fish that wasn't a Spirit Fish, but whose flesh was exceptionally delicious.
Upon seeing it, the old man known as Steward Li, whose face had been tense, finally beamed with joy.
"Good, good, good! It seems I wasn't wrong about you. Remember to go to Jiangwei Pavilion later to collect your reward!"
"Thank you, Steward Li!" The lean man's expression grew excited upon hearing this.
Jiangwei Pavilion was the number one restaurant in Qingliu Ruins, and they were always generous. For example, this Peach Blossom Mandarin Fish, which weighed just over a jin and three taels, was not a Spirit Fish, but the reward offered for it was not low at all.
A full three Spirit Stones, equivalent to an ordinary Loose Cultivator's annual income.
'I've made a fortune! Now I can visit Yichun Courtyard again!' When Yanr Liu thought of the fatally seductive girls inside, he couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement, not even noticing when Steward Li left.
Just then, a voice startled him out of his daydream.
"Fellow Daoist, might I ask you about something?" a young man in a linen Daoist Robe asked, his expression somewhat reserved.
Yanr Liu sized up the young man. In his good mood, he didn't refuse as he usually would. Instead, he rubbed his fingers together, his meaning straightforward: if you want to ask, pay up first.
Lü Zhong understood immediately and smilingly handed over a Cleaning Talisman with both hands.
Seeing the other man's expression falter, he quickly pulled another one from his robes, making it a total of two Cleaning Talismans.
'My heart is bleeding from the pain of it!'
Yanr Liu took the two Cleaning Talismans and smacked his lips, not entirely satisfied.
But then, he was in a good mood today.
Yanr Liu slapped one of the Cleaning Talismans on himself, dispelling the pungent fishy stench from his body. Then, while smoothing out his wrinkled clothes, he said lazily, "Alright, spit it out. What do you want to ask?"
Lü Zhong was all smiles, trying his best to leave a good impression.
"I was wondering if you'd be willing to tell me where you caught that Peach Blossom Mandarin Fish just now?"
As he said this, his heart tightened.
He was so nervous that even his smile froze on his face.
If he could really find out where the Peach Blossom Mandarin Fish came from, Lü Zhong was confident he had a way to catch them.
Hearing this, Yanr Liu slapped the other Cleaning Talisman on himself. A faint Spiritual Light covered his entire body, shaking loose the last remnants of dirt and the fishy smell.
He then grinned and looked Lü Zhong up and down.
"Dihua Continent. Go ahead if you've got the guts!"