Chapter 15: Beast Taming Pavilion
Flashes of purple lightning flickered within the hazy Purple Light Group formed by the Nine-Thunder Shocking Thunder. After passing through the Purple Light Group Teleportation Gate, Ye Xing reappeared in the cave on White Cloud Mountain on the Martial Arts Continent.
As he walked out of the cave, Ye Xing carefully straightened the weeds at the entrance to avoid leaving any footprints.
’Living in fear like this every day isn’t a long-term solution. I need to earn enough money as soon as possible, build a big house, and make this cave a part of the estate. Then things will be easy,’ Ye Xing thought to himself. His gaze fell upon Phoenix Town below, and he immediately picked up his large bag and ran down the mountain toward it.
Phoenix Town wasn’t what you’d call large, but it wasn’t small, either. It was a gathering place for people from all the surrounding villages, with an endless stream of horses and carriages. The town was bustling and prosperous.
Ye Xing went to the end of the street and quickly found the spot where he had set up his stall before. He laid out his mat and arranged the lighters and mirrors on top.
"Hey! Young man, you’re finally here! Give me a lighter, the kind that costs two Silver Coins." An older woman pushed through the crowd to Ye Xing’s stall. This woman had come to buy a lighter from Ye Xing yesterday, but she had been too late and missed out. She had been waiting here since early this morning.
"Of course, ma’am." Ye Xing immediately handed the lighter to the woman and accepted two Silver Coins.
"Oh! They’re selling mirrors here, too!" A brightly dressed woman among the passersby walked up to Ye Xing’s stall. She curiously picked up a mirror and examined it. "Wow! This Copper Mirror shows such a clear reflection!"
"Miss, that’s not a Copper Mirror, it’s a Glass Mirror!" Ye Xing said. "It’s much clearer than a Copper Mirror."
Glass Mirrors did not exist on the Martial Arts Continent, only Copper Mirrors. Copper Mirrors were very expensive to make, so only wealthy families could afford them. Common folk usually just used a basin of clear water as a mirror. Such luxury items were typically sold only in specialized shops.
"It really is so clear! What is this mirror made of, and how much is it?" the brightly dressed woman asked joyfully.
"The small ones are one Gold Coin each, and the large ones are two Gold Coins each!" Ye Xing said.
"Hmm, I’ll take one of the large ones!"
As time passed, more and more pedestrians filled the street. Ye Xing’s lighters sold quickly; after all, he had already sold over two hundred of them before. The magical lighters had earned a bit of a reputation in Phoenix Town, and word had gotten out. The five hundred or so lighters sold out in about half a shichen. As for the mirrors, while they were also popular, they were simply too expensive for ordinary families.
He tended the stall for over three shichen before the fifty-odd mirrors were finally sold.
’If I convert the Silver Coins to Gold Coins, I should have about eighty Gold Coins. One more day of this, and I should have enough to go to the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower and buy a Martial Arts Manual for my Cultivation.’
Looking at the gleaming gold and shimmering silver of the Gold Coins and Silver Coins in his money pouch, Ye Xing was in high spirits. He was especially looking forward to getting a Martial Arts Manual. He had seen the so-called Lightweight Sword Skill with his own eyes and naturally yearned for it.
Since everything was sold, Ye Xing packed up his stall and began to wander down the street.
The street was lined with shops on both sides, and pedestrians moved in a ceaseless flow.
’Huh? The Beast Taming Pavilion?’ Suddenly, Ye Xing’s gaze shifted, landing on a large, three-story building in the bustling center of the street. It had a simple, classic design and covered a vast area.
A plaque on the front of the building was inscribed with the three words ’Beast Taming Pavilion’ in a bold, flamboyant script that exuded a powerful aura. Most of the people entering and leaving the main gate were Martial Artists carrying weapons. Ye Xing had previously heard the Xia Girl from Immortal Spring Manor mention that the Beast Taming Pavilion seemed to be a place that sold Demon Beast pets.
Overcome with curiosity, he followed them and stepped into the Beast Taming Pavilion.
"Hey, sir! Are you looking to buy a Demon Beast of a certain level?" a clerk greeted him enthusiastically.
"How are your Demon Beasts priced?" Ye Xing asked curiously, his eyes scanning the surroundings.
The shop was filled with countless iron cages of all sizes. Inside them were various Demon Beasts—Tiger-type Demon Beasts, snake-type Demon Beasts, ox-type Demon Beasts, and more—all radiating a fierce aura.
"Demon Beasts are divided into nine levels. Which level are you looking for, sir?"
"Oh? How much is a Ninth-level Demon Beast?" Ye Xing asked.
"Huh? Level 9?" The clerk was stunned. He stammered, "I’m very sorry, but this is just a branch store in a small town. The highest level we have is a single Seventh-level Demon Beast, a Gale Leopard, valued at nine thousand seven hundred Gold Coins. Would you like me to show you?"
"No, that’s alright. Then how much is a Level 1 Demon Beast?" Ye Xing asked casually.
"For a Level 1 Demon Beast, it depends on the type. The more expensive ones can go for five or six hundred Gold Coins. For a cheaper one, like this black-furred hound pup, it’s only one hundred and thirty Gold Coins," the clerk explained.
"Oh, I see. Is it alright if I just look around on my own?" Ye Xing said.
"Of course, sir. Please, feel free."
Ye Xing immediately began to browse through the Beast Taming Pavilion.
"Brother Wang, what do you think of this Qingfeng Horse?"
"A Qingfeng Horse? It’s fast enough, but its combat power is a bit lacking."
"Haha, Brother Wang, with your Eighteen Mountain-Opening Axes, you already have the strongest combat power! What do you need more for? What you lack is speed. If you ask me, this Qingfeng Horse is the perfect fit for you."
"Hmm, you have a point. The Qingfeng Horse’s speed is considered very fast among beasts of the same level. It would indeed be good for escaping in a critical moment."
Many other Martial Artists were in the shop, also selecting suitable Demon Beast pets.
The iron cages held all sorts of Pet Beasts, from ferocious and bloodthirsty Tiger-type Demon Beasts to cute dog-type Demon Beasts, and more.
’These Demon Beasts are so powerful. It would be amazing if I could buy one and take it back to Earth!’ Ye Xing’s heart burned with desire. He desperately wanted to buy a Demon Beast pet, but his wallet was too light, so he had to give up the idea for now.
He left the Beast Taming Pavilion and wandered the streets for a while longer. Suddenly, the crowd around him began to surge, with many people rushing forward.
"Excuse me, sir, what’s happening up ahead? Why is everyone rushing over there?" Ye Xing asked an old man beside him.
"It’s nothing much. Just the little girl from the Qiao Family, selling herself to save her mother," the old man sighed. "Such a pity."
Ye Xing’s interest was piqued, and he immediately followed the crowd.
In a corner of the street up ahead, a little girl with delicate, pretty features knelt on the ground. She was only about twelve or thirteen years old, dressed in thin, worn-out clothes, her eyes red from crying. Many passersby were pointing and murmuring amongst themselves.
"Ten Gold Coins, that’s too expensive!"
"It is a bit pricey, but the Qiao Family’s little girl is quite pretty! I hear she’s very well-behaved, too. Wouldn’t be bad to buy her as a maidservant."
"The main problem is she’s too young. What kind of work can a twelve or thirteen-year-old even do if you take her home?"
"Her mother is gravely ill and they have no money for treatment. This poor girl has such a bitter fate. I just hope whoever buys her is a good family."
The surrounding crowd whispered amongst themselves as more and more onlookers gathered to watch the spectacle.