Chapter 231: Powers (1)
The townspeople on both sides of the road whispered among themselves, but this incident did not distract Luo Xuanyi. She walked into the Puji Trading Company as usual, and saw the shopkeeper Zhong Su and the servant Jin Guyi turn their heads to look at her.
When the two saw that it was Luo Xuanyi, they both breathed a sigh of relief. Jin Guyi smiled and said, "I'll go make tea! Wait a moment." Then he was about to go into the back hall.
Luo Xuanyi called out to him, "No need. I just came to ask a few questions and will be leaving soon."
Jin Guyi first glanced at Zhong Su, and when he saw Zhong Su nod, he smiled and shrank to one side of the room: "Then you guys chat, just treat me as a decoration." He took a rag and pretended to wipe the dust off the antique display cabinet, while listening to the movement here with his ears perked up.
Zhong Su ignored Jin Guyi's little tricks, and Luo Xuanyi's attitude didn't seem very urgent. She knew that this matter was not a big deal, but her face was still full of concern: "What do you want to ask, fellow Daoist?"
"Regarding the materials, I wonder if your trading house can obtain a large quantity and resell them to me?" Luo Xuanyi asked bluntly. Although she suspected that since the trading house was purchasing spiritual herbs and monsters here, they would most likely not sell them, she still wanted to ask first.
As expected, Zhong Su looked embarrassed: "Daoyou, it's not that I don't want to make this deal, it's just that I can't do it."
Just as Luo Xuanyi expected, she still frowned and deliberately asked, "You said earlier that you could find and purchase smaller quantities of elixirs and magical tools, but why can't you buy large quantities of herbs and monsters?"
Seeing Luo Xuanyi seeming to be angry, Jin Guyi took a quick look and quietly slipped away, leaving the two of them to talk. Zhong Su remained composed on the surface, but it was unclear what was going on in his heart. "Fellow Daoist, you may not know. There are many intricacies here. Why don't we sit down and talk?"
Jin Guyi quickly brought out a tea table and two chairs, placed them next to the antique display case in the lobby, and then slipped back into the door curtain. Zhong Su repeatedly invited Luo Xuanyi to sit down, and only when she sat upright did she finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Luo Xuanyi wasn't truly angry, but since she was trying to extract some information from Zhong Su without any effort, she had to act with all her might. She had always been quite modest in front of Zhong Su, but now, in contrast, Zhong Su realized that Luo Xuanyi was, after all, a more accomplished senior.
"It is indeed impossible to buy and sell spiritual herbs and monsters, but it is not just the case for Pu Ji Trading Company. It is the general trend." Zhong Su said sincerely.
"As a senior, you should have noticed that the supply of spiritual herbs and demonic beasts has been decreasing over the past century, right? This is because spiritual energy has dissipated, and many blessed lands have dried up and become mortal lands, no longer producing spiritual herbs and demonic beasts. Even a mere 10% decrease is enough to cause concern."
Zhong Su sighed when she talked about this matter. This was obviously shocking news to Luo Xuanyi, and it didn't seem to be a secret to her.
Therefore, Luo Xuanyi decided to listen carefully to what Zhong Su continued to say, so as not to reveal any flaws.
"Ever since the amount of materials in circulation has decreased, the six alliances have begun to seize all the previously public blessed lands. Not only that, they also want to seize the materials produced by the few spiritual lands in the mortal world. They have also set up many trading houses to purchase the natural materials and treasures from the major spiritual mountains and the dragon-falling lands. These seized materials are only allowed to be circulated within the six alliances and are not allowed to be sold privately."
Recalling the letter given to Master Jing earlier, Hui Xizi, the leader of one of the six major alliances, had indeed mentioned the shortage of supplies within the alliance, but she hadn't expected it to be this severe. Seeing that Zhong Su seemed to be visibly resentful, Luo Xuanyi deliberately frowned, "This is rather overbearing."
"That's it!" Zhong Su couldn't help but raise his voice, then managed to lower it, helplessly spreading his hands. "That's it. For the sake of the monks in the alliance, Baiyu Pagoda, which is affiliated with our Puji Trading House, has also agreed not to sell the collected materials. Trading is only allowed within the alliance."
"To cultivate pills and equipment, one needs materials. As for refining and selling finished products, that's another matter. The pills you can buy on the market are all produced in Baicheng. Cultivators within the alliance are allowed to purchase materials, but they need to submit an application to Baicheng."
Luo Xuanyi had always been skeptical about the Loose Cultivator Alliance. If they were all loose cultivators, why would they form an alliance? Now it seemed like they were probably trying to counter the six major alliances.
"Therefore, I, a casual cultivator who has not joined the Baiyu Tower, cannot obtain materials from the six major alliances and your Baiyu Tower." Luo Xuanyi completed Zhong Su's sentence.
Zhong Su breathed a sigh of relief, clasped his fists, and said apologetically, "That's exactly what happened. Please forgive me."
This means that Luo Xuanyi's dependence on materials from Guhu Town has deepened, and she is determined to obtain the Twelve Towering Cloud Mountains.
"Then there is no other way?" She stood up and said in a stiff tone.
"The sea monks on Kunyue Island can still trade normally, but they have to go out to sea." Zhong Su never mentioned that he could buy materials from the townspeople near the mortal spiritual land at a high price. This was tantamount to cutting off his own retreat. He just looked apologetic and helpless.
After receiving the news, Luo Xuanyi breathed a sigh of relief: "In that case, it's me who is making things difficult for you."
"Nothing, nothing." Zhong Su waved his hand quickly, followed Luo Xuanyi to the door, and breathed a sigh of relief.
"By the way," Luo Xuanyi suddenly turned around and asked casually, "Why are you two discussing the grain officer who just passed by on the street?"
"Oh, the people who came in previous years were all minor officials who collected grain. Grain officials usually sit in the central government and will not come down easily. It is estimated that it has nothing to do with grain, but seems to be related to Duke Yu..." When Zhong Su said this, he immediately woke up and stopped talking.
Luo Xuanyi smiled, and this time did not continue to ask questions. Instead, she strode over the threshold and left lightly, leaving only the regretful Zhong Su still there.
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