Chapter 18: Encounter in the Market, Su Jia Wanyun
The temptations from the Ye family's upper echelons and the haze brought about by her parents' affairs were like invisible threads entwined in her heart, but Ye Li did not let them sink in. She knew that only strength was the cornerstone to overcome all difficulties.
With the Xuanyun Sect's selections approaching, she needed to make further preparations for the upcoming journey. The family head's promised allocation of resources had yet to materialize, and she was reluctant to rely too heavily on the family. So, she disguised herself and quietly arrived at the Ye Family Marketplace once again.
Compared to the quiet before the competition, the market was now bustling with activity. The legend of "Ye Li" was already well known, but she deliberately subdued her presence, donning a loose grey cloak with the brim pulled low, obscuring most of her face, and thus drawing little attention.
Her goal was clear: to purchase some higher-quality healing and revitalizing elixirs, and perhaps even find a suitable piece of low-level protective gear, just in case. Sect selections were far from being as "gentle" as family competitions.
Weaving through the throngs of people, her sharp eyes swept across each stall. Her powerful spiritual perception allowed her to quickly discern subtle differences in energy and determine the authenticity and quality of the goods.
She stopped in front of a stall selling medicinal herbs. The stall owner was a thin, middle-aged man who was eloquently boasting about a so-called "hundred-year-old blood ginseng," attracting several monks to gather around and comment.
The "blood ginseng" was crimson red, certainly looking attractive, and its spiritual energy was quite vibrant. But Ye Li only glanced at it and shook her head slightly. The color was too bright and uniform, the root shape was a bit dull, and the spiritual energy, while active, was impetuous, lacking the calm and restrained nature of a century-old elixir. This was an inferior ginseng, specially ripened and dyed, and its medicinal properties were probably even worse than those of ten-year-old wild ginseng.
Just as she was about to leave, she heard a gentle yet hesitant voice beside her: "Boss, can you make this blood ginseng cheaper?"
Ye Li glanced sideways and saw a young girl in a light blue dress standing in front of the stall. She was about fifteen or sixteen years old, with a delicate and gentle face, picturesque eyebrows and eyes, and a tranquil temperament, like a secluded orchid in a valley. Behind her was a timid little maid.
It was Su Wanyun, a young lady from the Su family. Ye Li had a good impression of her. The Su family was a small clan affiliated with the Ye family, trading in medicinal herbs for a living and having a decent reputation. Su Wanyun was also well-regarded among the younger generation of the Ye family, known for her kindness and gentleness. She was practically a world away from the "waste" of the original owner.
The lean stall owner saw Su Wanyun's elegant attire and demure demeanor, and a sly glint flashed in his eyes. He pretended to be embarrassed, "Oh, Miss, this is a hundred-year-old blood ginseng, with strong medicinal properties. Look at its appearance... I'll give you a flat price of fifty low-grade spirit stones, no less!"
Su Wanyun frowned slightly, as if she felt the price was a bit high, but she really needed this herb. She said softly, "I can only offer thirty spirit stones at most... and, I've seen this ginseng..."
She seemed to notice something was amiss, but was clearly not experienced enough to be sure.
The stall owner immediately interrupted her, swearing, "Miss, you have good eyes! But this is absolutely genuine! If I weren't in a hurry to use the money, I wouldn't sell it at this price! Fifty spirit stones, not a cent less!"
Someone around started to make a noise: "Miss Su, a hundred-year-old blood ginseng is hard to come by, fifty spirit stones is not expensive!"
"That's right, buy it quickly, otherwise it will be gone!"
Su Wanyun showed hesitation on her face, her slender hands clenched slightly, and she seemed a little embarrassed.
Ye Li didn't want to meddle in other people's business, but when she saw Su Wanyun's pure, gentle eyes that didn't seem fake, and thought about the Su family seeming to be a distant relative of the original owner's mother (the original owner's memory fragments), her heart moved slightly.
Just as Su Wanyun seemed to be persuaded and was about to take out the spirit stone, a cold and calm voice suddenly sounded:
"The color is gaudy but lacks inner meaning, the roots are stiff and lack spiritual charm, and the spiritual energy is active but lacks concentration. It is soaked in red flame grass juice to ripen it, and then embellished with phantom light powder to embellish the spiritual fluctuations. This method may be enough to fool laymen."
The sound was not loud, but it was clearly heard by everyone present.
Suddenly, everyone's attention was focused on the gray-cloaked man who spoke.
The skinny stall owner's face suddenly changed, like a cat whose tail was stepped on, and he shrieked, "You...what nonsense are you talking about! Where did you come from? How dare you slander my goods! If you don't understand, don't talk nonsense!"
Su Wanyun also looked at Ye Li in surprise, with astonishment and a hint of inquiry in her beautiful eyes.
Ye Li ignored the stall owner's shouting and turned her gaze to Su Wanyun, saying calmly, "A true century-old blood ginseng should be dark red from the inside out, with natural texture, roots that are as flexible as whiskers, and a spiritual energy as condensed as mercury. To verify, scrape off a little of the ginseng skin and smell it. It should have a faint smell of blood mixed with earth, not a pungent smell of grass juice."
Her words were clear and to the point, with an unquestionable authority.
When the stall owner heard this, his face turned pale instantly and his lips trembled, but he could no longer say a word to refute.
The people around them also understood what was going on in an instant, and there was an uproar.
“It turned out to be a fake!”
“I almost got fooled!”
"This boss is so wicked!"
Su Wanyun suddenly realized and looked at Ye Li with gratitude. She bowed to Ye Li and said in a gentle voice: "Thank you very much... Daoist friend for your reminder. Wanyun is very grateful. I almost bought a fake by mistake." Although she didn't know who was under the cloak, she was polite and considerate.
Ye Li nodded slightly in response, without saying anything more, and turned to leave. She just did it casually and didn't want to get too entangled.
"Fellow Daoist, please stay!" Su Wanyun called her softly.
Ye Li paused slightly.
Su Wanyun took a few steps forward and pulled out a small, exquisite jade bottle from his sleeve. He handed it to Ye Li and said softly, "Thank you for your righteous words and for helping Wanyun avoid losses. This is a bottle of 'Qingxin Pill', a secret recipe of my Su family. Although it is only of the first grade, it is very beneficial for calming the mind and relieving fatigue. As a small token of my gratitude, please accept it."
Her attitude is sincere and gentle, without the slightest airs of a young lady from aristocratic family, making people feel like they are in the spring breeze.
Ye Li looked at the jade bottle, then looked into Su Wanyun's clear and sincere eyes. After a moment's hesitation, he reached out and took it: "Thank you."
Her voice still sounded a little low and cold through the cloak, but she did not reject this kindness.
Seeing her accept it, Su Wanyun smiled peacefully, like a blooming spring flower, refreshing and delightful. She seemed quite interested in this mysterious and knowledgeable "Daoyou" and asked softly, "Are you also here to prepare for the Xuanyun Sect selection?"
Ye Li's heart moved slightly and he nodded.
"That's a coincidence," Su Wanyun smiled even more broadly. "Wanyun, though not very talented, has also been given a place in the family's recommendation. I heard that the competition for this selection is fierce and full of dangers. If fellow Daoist doesn't mind, perhaps we can look after each other?"
Her invitation was very natural, well-intentioned, and not intrusive.
Ye Li looked at the gentle girl in front of him. Her pure kindness was like a ray of warm sunshine, quietly shining into Ye Li's heart, which was slightly cold due to hatred and calculation.
After a moment of silence, Ye Li nodded again and replied briefly, "Yes."
Although it was just one word, it made Su Wanyun's smile even brighter. "Then it's settled. I don't know what to call you, friend?"
Ye Li hesitated for a moment, but did not reveal her identity immediately. She simply said, "You'll know during the selection process."
Su Wanyun didn't force it and nodded obediently: "Okay. Then Wanyun looks forward to seeing you again in Xuanyun Sect. Farewell."
She bowed again, then turned and left with the little maid, her figure gradually moving away.
Ye Li held the bottle of Qingxin Dan, which still had the warm body temperature, in his hand, and looked at the direction where Su Wanyun disappeared, his eyes flashing slightly.
Su Wanyun...is an interesting person.
Perhaps, on this cold road of cultivation, it is not a bad thing to occasionally encounter such a touch of warmth.
She put away the jade bottle, pressed down the brim of her cloak, and joined the crowd again to continue her shopping.
This brief encounter with Su Wanyun was like planting a seed in her heart, foreshadowing an unexpected fate in the future.
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