The Chaoyun Commerce Association was the same as ever.
Bai Mo came out from that household and once again passed by the front of the Chaoyun Commerce Association.
He had intended to just walk past, but unexpectedly, he heard a light chuckle.
"It's that young man who used to come by so often..."
"Hee hee, I wonder which family he's from. He just comes to look every day but never buys anything!"
"It makes a girl feel so forlorn!"
Bai Mo glanced over awkwardly and saw two young women leaning against the main gate, pointing at him and teasing him.
Back when he used to enter the Chaoyun Commerce Association to check prices, he had dealt with them quite a bit.
Flashing the two young women a grin, Bai Mo gave them a wave and hurried away.
The two young women still didn't know he was the shopkeeper of some inconspicuous Pill Shop in the city.
'It's rare for me to get out. Should I wander around? Or go back and watch the shop?'
Bai Mo looked up and around. This was the central area of Immortal Arrival City.
Mortals were almost nowhere to be seen. The cultivators coming and going had fluttering sleeves, their wide robes swinging open, exuding an air of romantic elegance.
There were also powerfully built men in tight-fitting attire, carrying sabers and swords. As they walked, their gazes were like lightning, and their auras were heavy and menacing.
This was the true nature of cultivators.
Bai Mo felt a surge of yearning as he watched, but a small fry like him was still far from being able to truly integrate into this group.
Even though small fries like them were one of the important pillars of the Cultivation Realm.
Just as he was lost in thought, Bai Mo suddenly saw a figure who seemed completely out of place here.
The man's clothes were rather tattered, and his body was covered in scabbed-over wounds. He looked quite wretched as he weaved quickly through the crowd.
'Han Meng?' Bai Mo was a little surprised.
The man worked with Lanshan, so they would have plenty of dealings in the future.
Bai Mo was just wondering whether he should go over and say hello when Han Meng seemed to sense something and turned to look his way.
Han Meng's face lit up with joy, and he trotted over.
"Shopkeeper Bai?"
Bai Mo nodded and sized up Han Meng. Seeing him covered in scars, he knew the man was a brave one.
Based on his spiritual perception just now, he was a qualified Celestial Barrier Mountain cultivator.
"Brother Han, you seem to be in a hurry. What's the matter?"
Han Meng's expression turned serious. "What else? It's that whole mess with the Li family."
He sniffed, as if sensing something was off.
"The Li family's Patriarch has been deserted by everyone. He personally went into Celestial Barrier Mountain to ambush someone, but he was outmaneuvered and ended up killing a Tier Two Demon Beast."
"Now the Blood Curse has entered his body, and he's gone a bit mad."
"Big Brother Lanshan and the others are over there keeping an eye on things right now."
A jolt went through Bai Mo when he heard this.
"A Tier Two Demon Beast!?"
As long as you didn't go deep into Celestial Barrier Mountain, Tier Two Demon Beasts were a rare sight. They were Demon Beasts with strength equivalent to a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Stage.
Bai Mo was shocked by the Li Patriarch's strength, but on the other hand, he was also very curious about the Blood Curse from a Tier Two Demon Beast.
"Let's go. I want to see this for myself."
Han Meng nodded and took the lead.
Bai Mo followed him through streets and alleys, learning more about the Li family's situation along the way.
Rumor on the street was that the Li Patriarch had gone to Celestial Barrier Mountain, planning to eliminate the leaders of a few troublesome Demon Hunting Teams there.
His imprisoned wife and son took the opportunity to escape, taking most of the family fortune with them and disappearing without a trace.
However, somehow, the Li Patriarch was plotted against in Celestial Barrier Mountain and ran into a Tier Two Demon Beast.
Although he killed the Demon Beast, not only was he injured, but he was also afflicted by a Blood Curse?
The crucial thing was, the Pills in his home that could remove the Blood Curse just so happened to be among the things that were taken...
Bai Mo was quite concerned about this matter.
'At a critical time like this, the Li Patriarch went to Celestial Barrier Mountain?'
Han Meng scratched his head and said, "The person who exposed that his son wasn't his biological child, causing a huge scandal throughout the city, is in the mountains."
"Having lost all his dignity, it seems to make sense, doesn't it?"
'It's a bit of a stretch, but not entirely without reason.'
Just then, they turned a corner and arrived on a certain street.
There weren't many shops; most were converted residences. The houses were large with extraordinary decorations, looking much wealthier than the street where he lived.
Bai Mo nodded to himself.
The street was very quiet and sparsely populated.
The customers in the shops on either side were also quiet, their gazes occasionally sweeping towards a courtyard with high walls.
That was the Li Mansion, the most magnificent and grand place on the street.
Bai Mo's gaze swept around, and he finally found Lanshan in front of a stall covered by a canvas tarp.
The stall was set up in a narrow alley between two residences, propped up by a few bamboo poles so the sun couldn't reach it.
Lanshan had reserved a table and was sitting around it with several people.
As Bai Mo and Han Meng approached, Lanshan spotted them immediately, his eyes lighting up.
"Shopkeeper Bai! What brings you here?"
"Quick, have a seat!"
Lanshan pointed to the only empty seat and gestured for him to sit.
Bai Mo glanced at Han Meng, who smiled and said:
"I'll go ask the owner for another stool."
Besides Lanshan and Han Meng, there were two other men and one woman present.
Bai Mo had seen the woman before. She was one of the people Lanshan had brought to his shop the night he returned from Celestial Barrier Mountain.
Her complexion was much better now, though. Her wheat-colored skin looked tough, and her slightly bulging muscles made her look like a female leopard.
"Qin Ying, Wang Hu, Shen Yang."
Lanshan introduced them.
The woman was Qin Ying. Wang Hu was a dark-skinned, sturdy young man, and Shen Yang had a somewhat scholarly air about him.
"This is Shopkeeper Bai from the Pill Shop!"
The three of them quickly stood up, cupped their fists towards Bai Mo, and smiled warmly, appearing very enthusiastic.
"We'll be in your care from now on, Shopkeeper Bai."
Evidently, Lanshan had already spoken with his team members and informed them of their partnership.
Bai Mo replied with polite pleasantries before taking his seat.
On the table were two plump chickens, but they were already cold, and a few legs had been torn off.
"This is..." Bai Mo was a bit puzzled.
Lanshan held up two fingers as thick as carrots.
"One chicken, two Spirit Stones."
Bai Mo sucked in a sharp breath. 'Isn't this an even faster way to make money than selling Pills?'
"Hey, hey."
A middle-aged man in an apron came over, followed by Han Meng who was carrying a wooden stool.
"These here are a special breed of chicken from Celestial Barrier Mountain. They're raised on medicinal herbs. Aren't they worth that price?"
Lanshan was dismissive. "The plump chickens they sell at the roadside stalls to go with wine look exactly like yours."
The middle-aged man gave a sly chuckle, put an arm around Lanshan's shoulder, but looked at Bai Mo.
"Heard you guys have been eating well lately? All because of this young Shopkeeper?"
Bai Mo smiled and nodded at him in acknowledgment.
But Lanshan slapped the man's hand away. "Go on, go on, what are you snooping around for? Haven't you been doing well these past few days?"
After the man left and Han Meng was seated, Lanshan lowered his voice and said:
"At night, you're not allowed to wander around this street freely. This guy's business isn't selling food, it's selling seats."
"Not allowed to wander freely?" Bai Mo frowned. "What do you mean?"
Lanshan thought for a moment before saying, "It's probably a tacit understanding between the big families in the city and the law enforcement team."
"They don't like people loitering in front of their homes at night. The people who live here are all wealthy families."
'So, the stall doesn't close at night, but no one knows if the owner will be around.'
'You probably need connections to even set up a stall in a place like this.'
Bai Mo was quite surprised that Lanshan was paying such close attention to the Li Mansion, day and night.
When he asked about it, Lanshan had his companions wait there while he took Bai Mo to the second floor of a teahouse on the street.
The teahouse was full, but Lanshan led him to a window and pointed toward the Li Mansion.
"Look."
Bai Mo looked over and saw that within the Li Mansion, rockeries and flowing water, pavilions and towers, all complemented each other perfectly.
The stream flowed to a pavilion, encircling it, and a hazy mist of spiritual energy rose from it.
With just a single glance, he could feel its overwhelming Spiritual Qi.
Lanshan said, "There are Spirit Stones buried beneath that waterway. Without a deep enough foundation, how could they afford to burn through Spirit Stones like that?"
"This time, all I want is to snatch a Mountain Entrance Map!"