The Longevity Family: Starting From The Branches And Leaves

Chapter 3: Innkeeper Shen (Please Collect and Follow)

"Yunxiu, take good care of Ping'an at home. I'm going to the market."

The sword-making process is complete.

Chen Ling is going to the market to hand it over to Innkeeper Shen in exchange for spirit stones, and also to see if there are any other jobs available.

They have also run out of spirit rice and meat, so they need to exchange for some. His wife is currently in confinement and needs sufficient nutrition every day.

"Husband, be careful when you go out!"

"After finishing your business, come back quickly and don't delay outside!"

Upon hearing that Chen Ling is going to the market, Yunxiu, who was playing with Chen Ping'an, showed a worried expression. Although Jinshan Market is safe and guaranteed, their cultivation level is too low. Even if there is a slight accident, it could cost them their lives. And now, Chen Ling is their only reliance.

"Don't worry, the market is not far away. I'll hand over the artifact to Innkeeper Shen, exchange for spirit stones, buy what we need, and then come back."

After that, Chen Ling opened the door and walked out.

The weather in April was a bit hot in the afternoon, and the crowded shanty houses were somewhat dim. Chen Ling walked calmly on the bumpy alley, although still somewhat panicked in his heart, his eyes were shining, not living his life in a daze like before.

Spring was gloomy around him.

The jujube trees on the street had sprouted tender shoots, making people feel relaxed.

With something to look forward to and expectations, he looked at everything around him with vitality.

There were cultivators passing by on the road, some were neighbors from Hongye Lane, and Chen Ling greeted them one by one.

As soon as he reached the spacious main road, the atmosphere became lively. The road was paved with stone slabs, and there were vendors shouting every few zhang, their voices overlapping.

Chen Ling didn't stop at all and walked towards the market along the main road.

As soon as he reached the main road, the city wall of the market was already in sight. The city wall was about three to four meters high, with various complex formations carved on it, occasionally emitting fluctuations of spiritual power.

This kind of formation made people feel a sense of inexplicable security.

"When we have enough spirit stones, we should also set up a formation in our own courtyard. That would be much safer!" Chen Ling thought to himself.

The flow of people in the market was even greater than on the main road. Chen Ling followed the crowd and entered the market.

The safety factor inside the market was much higher than outside the market.

When they first arrived here, they lived inside the market. It was only after He Jing's fall that they lost their main source of income and had to move to their current place.

But even in Hongye Lane, the rent was not cheap. With the influx of cultivators opening up new territories every year, the rent prices kept rising.

If it weren't for the lucky activation of the golden finger this time, he would have had to go hundreds of miles away to mine in order to make ends meet.

Fortunately, that's not necessary now.

Although it was past the trading hours, the market was still bustling. There were shops lining both sides of the main road, decorated grandly and most of them equipped with defensive formations.

Chen Ling was familiar with the place and quickly arrived in front of a shop that mainly sold artifacts. The signboard hanging on the storefront read "Duobao Pavilion" in dazzling golden characters.

He walked in directly.

This shop was opened by the Qin family, a Foundation Building family in the market. The ancestor of the Qin family was once a disciple of the Gold Core Elder of the Qingyang Sect, and the Qin family was also considered an old and prestigious family in the Qingyang Sect.

The shopkeeper of Duobao Pavilion, Innkeeper Shen, is the son-in-law of the Qin family. He used to have a good relationship with He Jing.

Back then, all the artifacts refined by He Jing were entrusted to Innkeeper Shen for sale.

Although He Jing has passed away, Innkeeper Shen still takes care of Chen Ling. He still looks after him when it comes to some low-level artifact business.

However, Chen Ling's own level is limited, and the artifacts he refines often fail to meet the standards, leaving customers dissatisfied.

Shen, the shopkeeper, is a middle-aged man with a prosperous appearance. He has gained some weight and is at the seventh level of Qi Refining. He is currently looking at the account book when he sees Chen Ling, and is slightly surprised.

Chen Ling quickly bows and says, "Uncle Shen, the magic sword you wanted, your nephew has already refined it."

As Chen Ling speaks, he takes out the magic sword from his storage bag and hands it to Shen, the shopkeeper.

Shen, the shopkeeper, is taken aback, puts down the account book, takes the sword, and examines it.

Soon, he shows a pleased expression and says, "Not bad, a second-level spiritual restriction."

"You've been quick this time! The quality is also good!"

"Here are twenty low-grade spiritual stones, count them!"

After Shen, the shopkeeper finishes speaking, he takes out a bag of spiritual stones from the counter and pours out twenty low-grade spiritual stones.

With this magic sword containing a second-level spiritual restriction, the market price would be twenty-five spiritual stones or even higher.

But Chen Ling has always chosen to trade with Shen, the shopkeeper, even though he earns less, he values the safety.

He doesn't have to worry about safety issues, and the spiritual stones are exchanged directly.

Moreover, by dealing with only Shen, the shopkeeper, he reduces many potential risks.

Chen Ling keeps fifteen spiritual stones and pushes the remaining five spiritual stones to Shen, the shopkeeper, saying with a smile, "Uncle Shen, consider these spiritual stones as a token of my gratitude!"

Shen, the shopkeeper, smiles, looks at Chen Ling, waves his hand, and says, "You're not wealthy either, keep them for yourself."

For a refiner, what he values is the other person's potential. He naturally doesn't care about these spiritual stones.

Originally, his patience with Chen Ling was almost exhausted.

The reason he entrusted Chen Ling with this magic sword was because recently, a third-level vein of fierce gold ore was accidentally discovered in the Yunmeng Swamp by a disciple of the Qingyang Sect. The sect needs to recruit a large number of cultivators to enter and mine it.

This led to a surge in demand for magical instruments, and other refiners were too busy to handle it. That's why he reluctantly handed over this magic sword to Chen Ling for refinement.

Of course, Chen Ling is not aware of the reasons behind this.

He usually stays at home and is unaware of the fierce gold ore.

"I still have ten orders for low-level magical instruments. The embryos of these magical instruments have already been refined, and only the spiritual restrictions need to be engraved. Two of them even require third-level spiritual restrictions, and they need to be completed within ten days. Are you willing to take them?"

Since he couldn't find any other refiners to complete these custom-made magical instruments in a short time, Shen, the shopkeeper, decided to let Chen Ling give it a try.

Upon hearing this, Chen Ling's face immediately shows joy. After thinking for a moment, he bows and says, "Uncle Shen, I promise to complete them."

Although it is not easy to engrave ten spiritual restrictions within ten days, he is eager to earn spiritual stones and can't care about that much.

"Good!"

Seeing that he agreed, Shen, the shopkeeper, takes out a square storage bag and hands it to Chen Ling, saying, "There are ten custom-made magical instruments inside, five of them have first-level spiritual restrictions, three have second-level spiritual restrictions, and two have third-level spiritual restrictions."

"The total reward is one hundred and eighty spiritual stones. I can give you twenty spiritual stones as a deposit."

"Thank you, Uncle Shen!" Chen Ling takes the storage bag and bows in gratitude.

Although Shen is a businessman, he gives Chen Ling the feeling of being quite honest.

With an extra forty low-grade spiritual stones in his hand, Chen Ling feels excited, as if he suddenly became rich.

It should be noted that their monthly rent is only eight low-grade spiritual stones, which is already putting a lot of pressure on him.

But with this order, if completed, he will earn one hundred and eighty spiritual stones, making his future life more comfortable.

After putting away the storage bag and spiritual stones, Chen Ling is about to bid farewell to Shen.

Unexpectedly, Shen looks around, smiles, and says in a low voice, "Chen Ling, now that you are already a middle-level refiner, it will be easier for you to earn spiritual stones. Do you have any thoughts of taking a concubine?"

"Why do you ask like this, Uncle Shen?" Chen Ling replies somewhat nervously.

Now, in order to gain family prosperity, he naturally needs to increase the number of family members. However, his wife has just given birth to a child, and if he hastily takes a concubine, it would hurt her feelings.

Of course, for the sake of family prosperity, he cannot consider so much. As long as he compensates his wife more in the future, it will be fine.

Shen, with a slightly embarrassed expression on his face, says, "A few days ago, a fellow Daoist went to the Yunmeng Swamp and asked me to take care of his daughter and find a suitable husband for her."

"This girl is in her twenties, at the second level of Qi Refining. If you are interested, you can marry her."

(End of this chapter)