As time went by, the atmosphere inside the warehouse gradually became both solemn and fervent.

About half an hour later, the man in the Tang suit who had been playing with iron walnuts walked back to the central light, cleared his throat, and spoke in a voice that, though not loud, carried clearly throughout the entire warehouse:

"The time has come, the ghost market opens. Same old rules, rely on your eyesight, money and goods settled."

Without further ado, the trade fair officially began.

There were no fixed stalls; it was more like a free market. Some people simply laid out a cloth on the ground and displayed their goods; others just stood there, waiting for people to come up and ask questions.

They spoke in hushed tones, like ghostly whispers.

Zhang Shaozhong roused himself and cautiously led the two big shots on a tour.

He mainly focuses on things that look like medicinal herbs, minerals, or things with unusual energy fluctuations.

The first stall owner was a thin old man. In front of him was a red cloth with several dark-colored, irregularly shaped stones and a few dirty pottery jars.

"Sir, what are these?" Zhang Shaozhong squatted down and asked politely.

The old man raised his eyelids, glanced at him with his cloudy eyes, and said in a hoarse voice, "Yin Sha Stone, a good material for raising ghosts and setting up formations. The jar contains the larvae of the Five Poison Gu, carefully cultivated to kill people invisibly."

Zhang Shaozhong sensed that the stones did indeed emit a faint, cold aura, but they were full of impurities and their energy was extremely mixed, far inferior to the jade stones that Ling Qingxue had used before.

As for that so-called Five Poison Gu, it exudes a nauseatingly foul and evil aura.

He shook his head. This thing was useless to him and had an evil aura about it; getting involved with it would probably cause trouble.

"Let's go, trash."

Ye Meier curled her lip and commented without any politeness.

Upon hearing this, the old man glared coldly at Ye Meier, but sensing the faint but dangerous aura emanating from her, he ultimately didn't dare to retaliate.

They visited a few more "stalls".

Some people sell bronze artifacts that are said to be unearthed from ancient tombs and carry "corpse aura"; others sell animal bones and hides with strange runes; still others mysteriously peddle so-called "kung fu manuals," which look like cheap street literature.

Zhang Shaozhong frowned as he looked at the items. Most of them were either fakes or strange and unorthodox things, which were of no use to his cultivation of chaotic energy and might even cause him to be tainted by karma.

"It seems that good things aren't so easy to come by," Zhang Shaozhong said, somewhat disappointed.

Just then, a small commotion broke out ahead.

An old Taoist priest with a slovenly robe and a bulbous nose carefully took a jade box from a tattered cloth bag and opened it a crack.

Instantly, a pure and gentle fragrance of herbs and trees filled the air, invigorating everyone nearby!

"Fifty-year-old Crimson Sun Ginseng! A top-grade product for strengthening the body's foundation and nourishing the vital energy! I'll only exchange it for treasures that can enhance the soul, or gold and jade of equal value!" the old Taoist priest shouted, immediately attracting several people to gather around.

Zhang Shaozhong's eyes lit up!

The aura of this Crimson Sun Ginseng is more than ten times stronger than the ginseng he used before!

It is absolutely the main ingredient for refining the upgraded version of Peiyuan Paste!

He quickly moved closer.

Inside the jade box lay a ginseng, its main body about the thickness of a thumb, with abundant rootlets, and its entire body had a warm, reddish-brown color, as if there was flowing light rotating inside. It looked extremely appealing!

"What a find!" exclaimed a middle-aged man in a suit with a large belly. He held a magnifying glass in his hand and examined it carefully. "Master, how about I trade you this century-old warm jade?"

He took out a palm-sized piece of white jade that exuded a soft, warm glow.

The old Taoist priest glanced at it and shook his head: "Warm jade is good, but it is of little use to my soul."

Another person, shrouded in black robes and with a hoarse voice, spoke up: "I have a bottle of Soul Nourishing Pills here, made with the heartwood of a hundred-year-old locust tree as the main ingredient. It has a miraculous effect on nourishing the soul."

Upon hearing this, the old Taoist priest was clearly tempted. He took the small porcelain bottle, opened it, smelled it, and a look of joy appeared on his face: "Deal!"

Seeing that the Crimson Sun Ginseng was about to be replaced, Zhang Shaozhong became somewhat anxious.

A treasure to enhance one's soul? He doesn't have one!

The chaotic energy can indeed nourish the soul, but he can't very well share the chaotic energy with others, can he?

Just then, Ling Qingxue gently tugged at his sleeve and transmitted her voice, saying, "That 'Soul Nourishing Pill' has mixed medicinal properties and contains hidden Yin energy. Long-term use may damage your Dao foundation and is not the right path."

Zhang Shaozhong's heart stirred, and he immediately stepped forward, saying to the old Taoist priest, "Taoist priest, wait a moment!"

The old Taoist priest and the man in black robes both looked at him.

"What advice do you have for me, my friend?" the old Taoist priest asked, frowning.

Zhang Shaozhong organized his thoughts, trying to make his words sound believable: "Daoist, to be honest, I know a little about elixirs. The Soul Nourishing Pill in your hand can nourish the soul temporarily, but it contains Yin energy. Long-term use may damage the soul and cause a drastic change in temperament. This ginseng is good, but taking such a risk is not worth it."

Upon hearing this, the man in black robes immediately exuded a fierce aura: "Boy! What nonsense are you spouting! Ruining my business?!"

The old Taoist priest was also skeptical. He picked up the porcelain bottle again and carefully examined it, and his expression gradually changed.

His cultivation was not weak. He had just been deceived by the words "nourishing the soul". Now, after Zhang Shaozhong reminded him, he carefully investigated and indeed detected a trace of extremely subtle, yet lingering, cold aura!

"Hmph!" The old Taoist snorted coldly, tossing the porcelain bottle back to the man in black. "I almost fell for your trick! This deal is off!"

This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!