Chapter 39 – Toad Caravan Merchant
The month of May was a transition between spring and summer.
The fragrance of flowers filled the air, the huge mountains evergreen and the sunlight began to
gradually release its ardent side.
Under the clear azure skies, the white clouds drifted like cotton.
On Qing Mao Mountain, the bamboo forest was straight like spears as always, pointing towards the
blue sky. Weeds grew wildly everywhere, and unknown varieties of wild flowers dotted the grass
thicket. As the light breeze blew, the wild grass moved to and fro, the heavy fragrance of flower pollen
and the smell of green grass assailing visitors.
Halfway up the mountain was a huge number of terraced fields. Layer byyer, step by step, the soft
green wheat sprouts were nted down. From afar, it looked like a verdant green sea.
On the terraced fields were numerous farmers busily working away. There were some farmers cleaning
the canal for the channeling of water to irrigate the fields, while some farmers were rolling up their
trousers, standing in the fields and nting sprouts.
These people were naturally all mortal outsiders as the Gu Yue nsmen would never have do these
lowly jobs.
Ring, ring…
The sound of camel bells could be faintly heard in the spring breeze.
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The farmers straightened their bodies as they headed down the mountain, only to see a caravan
moving like a colorful worm from the mountain side, slowly showing its head.
“It’s the merchant caravan!”
“Yes, it’s already May, it is about time for the caravan toe.”
The adults caught on the situation at once, and the children stopped ying with the water and y in
their hands. Together, they energetically approached the caravan.
The Southern Borders had a hundred thousand mountains – Qing Mao Mountain was just one of them.
On every mountain, there were viges after viges, which were maintained by everyone through their
blood rtionships and kinships.
In between the mountains, the forests were deep and ominous, the cliffs steep and full of the
dangerous falling rocks. Additionally, in theplex surroundings of the forest dwelled arge number
of ferocious beasts and peculiar Gu worms.
Mortals could not pass through at all. It was difficult to get past these obstacles alone, one had to at
least be a Rank three Gu Master.
Because of the poor economy, trading was difficult. Thus, the most important form of trading was
through the caravan merchants. Only by organizing a merchant group in such arge scale could Gu
Masterse together with the power to help each other, conquering the difficulties in the traveling
routes and traversing from one mountain to another.
The merchant caravan’s arrival was like a bowl of boiling water that poured into the peaceful and
serene Qing Mao Mountain.
“All these past years they woulde in April, but this year they only arrived in May. At least they’re
here now.” The owner of the inn let out a deep breath upon hearing the news. The inn’s business was
poor in the other months, so only when the caravan came could he earn enough profit tost the year.
At the same time, there was some green bamboo wine within his storage that he could sell to the
caravan merchants.
Besides the inn, the business at the tavern would also boom as a result.
The caravan merchants entered the Gu Yue mountain vige one by one, lead by a Treasure Brass
Toad. This toad was two and a half meters tall, its entire body orange-yellow in color. The back of the
toad was thick and full of warts and knots. It was like the lumps of bronze nails on ancient city gates.
On the Treasure Brass Toad’s back, thick ropes were tied around plenty of goods. At a nce, it
seemed like the toad was carrying a giant backpack.
A middle-aged man with a circr face full of pockmarks sat cross-legged atop the toad. He was fat
and had arge belly. Both of his eyes formed into slits when smiling. He cupped his fists as he greeted
the surrounding Gu Yue vigers.
This man’s name was Fu of the Jia n. His cultivation was at Rank four and he was the leader of the
merchant caravan this time.
The treasure toad hopped slightly as it moved forward but Jia Fu who was sitting on its head was
stable and steady. When the toad hopped, his height would level with the windows on the second floor
of a building. Even when he was back on the ground, he was at a height greater than the first level of
the bamboo buildings.
The originally spacious streets were suddenly rather packed and narrow. The Treasure Brass Toad was
like a beast that intruded into the midst of a great number of bamboo houses.
After the treasure toad was a huge fat worm. It had two eyes that were simr to multi-colored ss
windows, the colors bright and gorgeous. The worm was fifteen meters long, its body shape resembling
a silkworm. However, the surface of the worm was covered in a thickyer of ck porcin-like
leather armor. On the armor was another abundant pile of goods and merchandise, a hemp rope tied
around it. In between the gaps and intervals of the goods, Gu Masters sat one by one, some old and
some young.
There were also mortals who were robust and sturdy martial warriors, slowly moving forward on the
ground following after a fat ck beetle.
After the fat beetle, there were ostriches with brightly colored feathers, hairy mountain spiders, winged
snakes with two pairs of feathered wings and so on. However, these were in small numbers, most of
the creatures were toads.
These toads were all simr to the Treasure Brass Toad, but they were smaller in size and had the
build of cows and horses. The toads were carrying merchandise and people, their bellies bulging as
they hopped forward.
The merchant caravan wound deep into the vige.
Children on the road would look on curiously with wide eyes, calling out in joy or eximing in surprise.
The windows on the second stories opened one after another, the mountain vigers observing the
merchants from a short distance. Some had eyes that shed with fear and some others waved their
hands to express a warm wee.
“Old brother Jia, you came a littlete this year, you must have had a hard journey.” Approaching with
the identity of a n head, Gu Yue Bo came out himself to greet the leader of this year’s merchant
caravan.
As Jia Fu had the status of a Rank four Gu Master, if a Rank three elder were to be in charge of
receiving him, it would be undoubtedly be seen as a kind of negligence and scorn.
Jia Fu cupped his fists and sighed, “This year’s road was rather unfavorable. On the way we bumped
into a group of Secluded Blood Bats and we lost quite a few good men. Then on Jue Bi Mountain we
ran into a mountain fog, and we didn’t dare to continue traveling at all. So we were dyed for quite a
lot of time, and caused Brother Gu Yue to wait for quite awhile.”
As they spoke, their tones were very polite.
The Gu Yue vige needed the merchant caravans every year toe and trade, and the merchant
caravan also needed business to make money.
“Heh heh heh, it’s good enough that you are able toe. Please, the n has prepared food and
wine, let me host a weing dinner for you, old brother,” Gu Yue Bo stretched out his hand and said
invitingly.
“n head is polite, too polite.” Jia Fu was ttered.
The merchant caravan arrived at the boundaries of the Qing Mao Mountain in the early morning, and
by afternoon they were stationed in the Gu Yue Vige. When it was dusk, the surroundings of the
vige had formed into a widespread area of temporary shops and stores. All kinds of red, blue, yellow
and green lofty tents were built and every inch between the tents was squeezed with numerous little
street stalls.
The night was descending, yet it was still brightly lit in the area.
An endless stream of pedestrians spilled into the area from the vige. There were mortals as well as
GuMasters. The little children hopped around in high spirits, and the adults showed an expression of
joy akin to celebrating a festival.
Fang Yuan moved along with the crowd, walking alone.
The crowd was bustling with activity, groups of people either surrounding the stalls or endlessly pouring
in and out of the entrance of the tents.
The surroundings were filled with the shouts of merchants hawking their wares.
“Come,e, take a look. Top notch Blue Sea Cloud tea brick, drinking this tea makes one as cheerful
as a fairy! Even if it’s not a person drinking, it can be used for feeding and raising tea Gu, it is a cheaply
priced item for its value. One piece only costs five primeval stones!”
“Brute Force Longhorn Beetle Gu, a Gu Master who uses this Gu will be able to burst out with the
strength of a cow. You can walk away, but don’t regret it!”
“Intimate Grass, high quality Intimate Grass. Everyone look at this quality, it’s as fresh as if a newly
picked one. One catty for two pieces of primeval stones, very cheap price…”
As Fang Yuan heard this, his footsteps paused slightly, then he followed the sound and walked over.
He saw an ostrich pulling a handcart with two wheels. On the handcart was a heap of pastel green
herbs. Every de of grass was a meter in length, slender and long. Their average width was around
that of a fingernail. On some of the pointed tips of the grass grew red heart-shaped flower buds.
The Intimate Grass was one of a Gu worm’s supplementary food type, its worth was stemmed from the
fact that it could be used to pair up with a few other foods to feed a Gu worm.
For example, Fang Yuan needed to give two pieces of flower petals every meal to the Moonlight Gu
when feeding it. If he mixed in a de of Intimate Grass, the Moonlight Gu would be full just from
eating one petal.
The Intimate Grass only costs two pieces of primeval stones per catty, while the moon orchid petal cost
a primeval stone for every ten pieces. With a simple calction, one would know that mixing the
Intimate Grass in to feed the Gu would be more cost-effective.
“Half a month ago, because I used the Moonlight Gu in the academy to kill Gao Wan, I was fined thirty
primeval stones. However the Mo family paid me thirty primeval stonester aspensation, so I
didn’t really take any losses. In recent days I have robbed twice, my total number of stones amounts to
118. However, recently I continuously spent essence to refine middle stage primeval essence and
nurture the four walls of my aperture, and I would use up three pieces of stones every day. Adding on
the costs of feeding Gu, my own daily expenses and sessively buying green bamboo wine, I have
ny-eight pieces at hand right now.”
Ever since Fang Yuan killed a person, the cruel and callous image had deeply rooted itself into the
hearts of the students and for a time no one dared to challenge him. This led to his plundering
bing much easier, as every time only a very small number would dare to resist.
Fang Yuan calcted in his heart, then he moved his line of sight and continued walking deeper into
the heart of the setup of temporary stores.
The Intimate Grass stall was surrounded by a group of people. They were all either Gu Masters or
students, holding primeval stones in their hands as they shouted and rushed to buy it.
It was not that Fang Yuancked the money to buy Intimate Grass, but he had no time.
“If memory serves, that Mudskin Toad should be in that store. In my previous life there was a Gu
Master who got it from gambling on the first night, hence he earned big time. I must hurry, I cannot lose
a great deal through trying to save a little.”