As she was about to continue, she sensed a potential customer coming their way. With a snap of her fingers, she rearranged and mended the broken jars and mirrors with her cultivation.
"Profits first, losses later." She said as she rose gracefully from her seat.
"Rise." She glanced at Qingling, before looking away. "There's a customer advancing here."
As she stood at the door, she said, "This matter doesn't end here. And remember, don't mess it up this time." She glanced at Long Xiao before teleporting away seconds later, her final words hanging over their heads in silence.
Inside The Beast Market
---
Hidden beneath the city's eastern cliffs, The Mistveil Beast Market was no ordinary bazaar. It was a living labyrinth, pulsing with the breath of spirit beasts and the scent of danger. The entrance was marked by two colossal serpent statues whose green eyes glowed only when a cultivator with a valid beast contract approached.
Inside, the air was thick with incense, fur, and the occasional growl of something that shouldn't be alive. Stalls were carved from bonewood and obsidian, each run by vendors who looked more beast than human. Some wore masks. Others wore scars.
The market was divided into sectors:
The Hatchery: Where eggs of phoenixes, shadow wolves, and thunder lizards were auctioned.
The Binding Hall: Where cultivators sealed contracts with beasts... sometimes willingly.
The Trade Pit: A sunken arena where rare beasts were bartered, fought, or displayed.
The Whisper Den: A quiet corner where beast tamers exchanged secrets, curses, and rumors.
Zhingsha emerged from the shadows near the Binding Hall which was close to the Whisper Den, his robes slightly scorched, his expression unreadable.
"Why here of all the sections?" Zhingsha groaned.
"Brother Zhingsha?" a vendor called out, adjusting the muzzle on a spirit fox. "You look like you just escaped an execution."
"More like he escaped a demoness of my kind." The spirit fox teased, tail curling as she purred.
Zhingsha sighed, brushing ash off his sleeve. "Brother Xiao Long, the new worker, failed his first sale. He accepted gold for salt we don't possess and promised delivery from the Silent Realm in five hundred years."
The vendor froze. "Five hundred years?"
A figure approached. "The Silent Realm?" It was one of the beast tamers with his beast coiled around his waist..
"Isn't the Silent Realm the supposedly thirteenth realm where all immortal cultivators from the Twelve Realms live together in harmony for eternity?" A rare red glittery snake hissed, snaking around its tamer's neck.
Zhingsha nodded solemnly.
"It's existence isn't even confirmed. How is he going to retrieve the salt?" The vendor hesitated.
"I'm not worried about the salt." He placed a hand on Zhingsha's shoulders playfully. "I'm worried about what Madam Xu Lianhua had to say about this."
At the mention of her name, they all paused. Even the animals stopped feeding or resisting their tamers and stared for a moment. Silence dominated as their ears awaited the news.
Zhingsha answered, "I left before Madam Lianhua could assume that I was involved so I don't know what happened. All I know is that she doesn't take losses lightly and I might have to report at night."
A nearby beast tamer snorted. "Sounds like the Mistveil Antique Store is cursed again."
Zhingsha leaned against a pillar, watching a young cultivator struggle to tame a thunder lizard.
"Hey Thunder Lizard, behave!" The young cultivator growled. "I bought you for seven hundred spiritual stones because the Madam has offered a thirty percent discount prize.
"Tch!" The thunder lizard rolled its eyes.
"A thirty percent discount??" The other beast tamers who had just formed contracts for a full price roared.
"Well this is going to be a long day." Zhingsha sighed as he entered the Binding Hall.
"Brother Zhingsha, how about you let me go for today? I'll be back before you know it." A little blue qilin asked, wide eyed as he begged.
"Either you ask the Madam herself or you disappear from my sight." Zhingsha glared, the little qilin scramming away quickly.
---
Inside The Mistveil Antique Store
---
Qingling rose, her eyes filled with anger towards Long Xiao. She composed herself.
"I'll serve the merchant to save us your incompetence." She scoffed as she walked towards the door.
Long Xiao mimicked her actions as he struggled to keep his laugh from escaping his mouth. He just cleared his throat, setting aside the boxes in a flash so he could activate the Divine Rant.
Divine Rant Activated
---
Despite the store being old, creepy, dusty, filthy and ugly, I like it.
I can't believe that the creepy store became pleasant to the eye after a clap of Teacher's hands.
Although selling is degrading, I can learn to interact with humans.
Plus, I'll get to meet more beauties like Miss shiny spirit.
Why is Teacher angry even though the demoness was calm?
She wasn't the one whose beauty sleep was ruined.
Also I applied exactly what she taught me.
The customer is always right.
Even though a divine crane wouldn't even buy that enlightenment, I went on with it and got us three boxes of beauties.
Teacher then decided to fight Brother Zhingsha to vent her anger.
Poor Brother Zhingsha almost died because of salt.
She dared to almost prick my neck with a needle because of salt.
Salt?!
I have to be wary of Teacher as I find out why she doesn't have a bracelet like Brother Zhingsha and I.
That was the first mortal brawl I've ever witnessed.
It's similar to our divine techniques, just more humanized.
I have a feeling that this isn't the last one I get a front row seat to.
What exactly is the Art of Insanity? A cultivation technique originated from Xuchong Realm?
If it is, I wonder how ruthless it's number one cultivator will be.
I'm so excited.
I first thought selling was easy but I didn't know I had to lie my way to make profit.
This will be troublesome.
How do I sell and keep my merits intact?
Also what is this Silent Realm they were whispering about?
Should I be interested?
I knew this visit would be full of drama but work had to sneak into my fun again.
---
Divine Rant Deactivated
---