"Hmph! The Yellow Spirit this kid dug up are all aged and good quality. As far as I know, these aged Yellow Spirits often take root and cluster together, with at least a dozen, and at most dozens or even hundreds. If by chance a Spirit Medicine Yellow Spirit over a hundred years appears, it wouldn't be surprising. Even if it doesn't, it's still quite a profit!"
Shopkeeper Xu murmured to himself, his voice barely audible. A greed flashed in his eyes, and then he became somewhat gloomy: "Too bad this kid doesn't know his place and dared to refuse me. It's benefited that Jade Cauldron Tower… forget it!"
With that thought, he looked up and ordered, "Go to the Cyan Bamboo Gang, spend some money to find someone to keep an eye on this kid. If necessary, have him brought to me! Remember, let them do it discreetly."
"Yes, shopkeeper!"
The assistant quickly agreed.
...
Gu Yuan came out of Jade Cauldron Tower and felt a hunger in his stomach, so he found an inn.
Now that he had money in his pocket, he didn't treat himself poorly.
He ordered two dishes, one meat and one vegetarian, a plate of mantou, and a pot of hot water, and then began eating.
Gu Yuan's body was now well-nourished, and as a young man, he had quite an appetite. So when the food was served, he didn't care for anything else and started devouring mantou and braised meat.
After eating two mantous in a row, with most of the dishes down, he poured a bowl of water and sipped it slowly, while thinking about what had just happened.
"That lad just said, if you want to learn martial arts, there are probably three ways in Beiliang County."
"The first way is the simplest. Just take silver to a few martial arts schools in the city to learn from them. The condition is that you need at least fifteen taels of silver, and the martial arts they teach are only basic. If you want to learn advanced martial arts, whether they have it or not, even if they do, you need to keep paying, and it also depends on the disciple's talent and aptitude."
"The second way is to inquire about martial masters in the county, who might be looking for students. But this is luck-dependent, and you also need to have a clean background and sufficient talent and aptitude."
Gu Yuan's eyes flashed: "The first method is too slow and time-consuming, and I don't have that much money, so it's not an option. The second method also goes without saying, as it depends on luck and I have secrets, which makes it unsuitable."
"It seems the only way is the third method."
The third way is to learn martial arts from the Jade Cauldron Tower.
The Jade Cauldron Tower has its rules. Anyone who finds a Spirit Medicine sells it to the Jade Cauldron Tower can become a freelance Medicine Gatherer for the Jade Cauldron Tower and can obtain a martial arts technique for free.
And once you become a Medicine Gatherer for the Jade Cauldron Tower, with more contributions, you can exchange contributions for more things such as martial arts techniques, gold and silver, spirit elixirs, etc., and even guidance from the tributor martial masters in the tower.
Besides, you can become a full-time Medicine Gatherer from a freelance one, earning a stable monthly stipend and having a chance to gradually rise to become a steward, tributor, shopkeeper, and more, gaining higher status.
This gave Gu Yuan a déjà vu feeling.
He showed an odd expression: "Isn't this like an alternative system? Once you get involved, you have to work for it, be under its command, but at the same time, you can also gain certain benefits and protection."
Gu Yuan sighed inwardly:
"As long as you have ambition and ability, and make enough contributions, you can be promoted and benefit. In the long run, it's unimaginably beneficial for the Jade Cauldron Tower! And the Jade Cauldron Tower only has to provide various resources and martial arts secret manuals."
"Overall, it's a mutually beneficial deal."
"The people behind this Jade Cauldron Tower have such big ambitions!"
"However, this is greatly beneficial to me!"
Gu Yuan's eyes flickered: "I happen to know where the giant mystic centipede is, and it's likely to have a few Yellow Spirits, which might be Spirit Medicines. I only need to get one, and I can obtain a martial arts technique and become a Medicine Gatherer for the Jade Cauldron Tower, gaining some protection."
"And the Jade Cauldron Tower itself is a rare resource channel. I only need to pay a certain price to obtain corresponding martial arts secret manuals, and even other resources, information, etc."
"Compared to learning martial arts in a martial arts school or apprenticing under a martial master, becoming a Medicine Gatherer for the Jade Cauldron Tower offers more freedom. You don't have to work under people's noses, nor do you have to be subservient to anyone."
With this thought, Gu Yuan had made up his mind:
"Since that's the case, then it's decided, Jade Cauldron Tower it is!"
Having decided to join the Jade Cauldron Tower, the biggest problem before Gu Yuan now was how to deal with that giant centipede!
That centipede had already become formidable; it was a demon insect, not easy to handle.
But what makes humans human is that they have wisdom and rationality.
Unlike lower intellect creatures or demons, humans can prepare plans, make preparations, use tools to achieve their goals.
"As the saying goes, know your enemy and know yourself, and you will be victorious in a hundred battles. Dealing with that demon centipede is not something that can be done in one day, so I first need to understand the details of that centipede, so there's no need to rush it."
Gu Yuan stood up, paid the bill, and went out, walking along the street.
By this time, it was already late afternoon.
On the street, some small vendors were still busy with their work.
There was a man selling oil, carrying a pole and shouting as he walked along the street...
There was a woodcutter carrying firewood, waiting for customers to haggle on the price...
There was also a vendor selling candied hawthorn, followed by a few children biting their fingers, drooling and sniffling...
Then there was an unlicensed doctor beating a bamboo clapper, promoting his pills...
These scenes were filled with a strong local atmosphere.
However, Gu Yuan had no time to appreciate these; he walked while scanning the street, apparently looking for something.
Soon, Gu Yuan's eyes fixed on a small stall by the roadside.
The stall owner was a scholar.
The scholar's appearance was somewhat handsome, but his long gown was washed to a pale white, frayed in places, and his thin frame shivered in the cold wind.
In front of him was a piece of worn cloth with neatly placed old books and some daily supplies like a Copper Lamp, brushes, ink stones, and other items.
Beside him stood a wooden board with a line of text: "Trading goods for food to make ends meet."
The scholar seemed to be new to setting up a stall and felt somewhat uneasy, not calling out for sales, instead relying on fate.
Noticing Gu Yuan standing in front of the stall, the scholar hesitated for a moment and asked, "Are you here to buy books?"
Gu Yuan pointed at a few old books in front of him, "May I take a look?"
The scholar, with a spirit uplifted, quickly responded, "Of course, please help yourself!"
Gu Yuan picked up one of the books, confirming that the scholar in front of him was a book lover.
This book was evidently quite old, its cover was worn in many places, but the pages showed no creases or missing corners, indicating the owner usually took great care of it.
More importantly, the moment he touched the book, a small line of text appeared before his eyes:
[Dao Rhyme Points +2!]