256: Chapter 256 Boss

Inside Tiangong Market.

"Fairy, the Qi-Inducing Grass you want costs this much. No bargaining, or how am I supposed to make a living!"

The street vendor boss said helplessly. Standing before him was a fair-looking woman. She was biting her red lips, clearly not knowing how to haggle, and only stammered, "But five Spirit Stones for Qi-Inducing Grass is too expensive. It used to... it used to only cost two Low-Grade Spirit Stones."

"Fairy, looking at your attire, you're an Inner Sect Disciple of the Qingyun Sect, right? Why are you bargaining over a few Spirit Stones?"

The vendor waved his hand impatiently.

That woman was Su Wan. She looked embarrassed; she had once been the legitimate daughter of a great noble Family, but her clansmen had all died at the hands of the Xuanyou Sect.

Now she could only lead a few surviving clansmen to stay temporarily in Tiangong Market. The Spirit Stones and resources they needed were all provided by her from the stipend the Sect gave her.

That was why she was so destitute. Back when her Family was still around, she never worried about Spirit Stones. Even for high-grade Spiritual Plants worth a hundred gold, she only needed to give an order, and servants would present them with both hands.

But now, the butcher's knife of the Xuanyou Sect had shattered everything. The former pampered legitimate Young Miss now had to endure cold looks from street vendors over a price difference of three Spirit Stones.

"I..." Su Wan bit her lower lip, her lips almost bleeding, her eyes slightly red, but she forced herself not to let the tears fall.

She knew the vendor wasn't wrong. Prices in Tiangong Market fluctuated with the market. Recently, Qi-Inducing Grass was being snapped up by Sect Disciples, so it was normal for the price to rise.

But she really couldn't produce any extra Spirit Stones. Behind her were seven or eight pairs of expectant eyes waiting for her to bring back Spiritual Plants for Cultivate.

Seeing her like this, the vendor felt a bit uncomfortable and put away his impatience.

But he still wouldn't budge: "Alright, alright, Fairy, don't make it hard for my small business. Either take it for five Spirit Stones, or I'll sell it to someone else. There are several people waiting behind you."

Su Wan sighed, feeling useless.

She prepared to ask other vendors to see if she could buy cheaper Qi-Inducing Grass.

"You are..." Suddenly, a familiar voice sounded behind Su Wan.

Su Wan was stunned and subconsciously looked back, seeing a middle-aged man in silk clothes looking at her in disbelief.

This middle-aged man was both familiar and strange to Su Wan. She dazed for a while and said in surprise: "Third Uncle?"

"Young Miss, is it really you?" The middle-aged man stepped forward excitedly. He was Su Dadan, the Loose Cultivator who had left the Su Family and had been wandering outside.

He looked Su Wan up and down, seeing her in the Qingyun Sect Inner Sect attire, her eyes full of exhaustion and embarrassment, even coming to this small vendor to buy things.

Where was the slightest hint of the noble air of the former Su Family's legitimate daughter? He said in disbelief: "You are..."

Su Wan's nose felt sour. The grievances accumulated for a long time could no longer be held back. Tears slid down her cheeks, but she hurriedly raised her hand to wipe them away.

Forcing herself to stay calm, she said, "Third Uncle, I... I escaped with a few clansmen and am temporarily staying in Tiangong Market."

She didn't want to say much about her embarrassment, but her reddened eyes had already exposed her difficulties.

But soon, she suppressed the sorrow on her face and smiled at the middle-aged man. "Third Uncle, why are you in Tiangong Market? Are you here to buy spiritual materials?"

The middle-aged man was stunned, then smiled and said, "Young Miss, it's a long story. The Family had trouble, and I, an unfilial descendant, was left on the streets. Fortunately, I was taken in by a benefactor to help out there. He's very generous. If you don't mind, you can come with me to help do some things."

Having met an old acquaintance, Su Wan couldn't turn down his invitation. Thinking of her destitute state, she followed the middle-aged man.

The middle-aged man led Su Wan through the crowded vendors to a very busy and prosperous commercial street, with well-dressed and extraordinary-looking Cultivators walking along the way.

Su Wan could see that the shops here sold high-grade spiritual materials. The gilded names on the plaques shone brightly, a world apart from the crowded and noisy street stalls just now.

She subconsciously gripped the few remaining Low-Grade Spirit Stones in her sleeve, her footsteps paused, and a sense of awkwardness surged in her heart.

The middle-aged man led her to a shop marked "Ye Clan" and stopped. This was a vast, exquisitely carved pavilion.

It exuded a grand air amidst the lingering Spiritual Qi.

Seeing the word 'Ye', Su Wan immediately thought of the Ye Family that had become quite famous in the Qingyun Sect. Could it be Senior Brother Ye's Family business?

The attendant at the door saw him and smiled: "Uncle Dan, are you back from purchasing at the spiritual material market?"

Su Dadan hurriedly bowed and said, "Sorry to trouble you, little brother, please announce that I've brought my Family's Young Miss to see the Young Master, hoping to find a job for her here."

The attendant saw this and realized Su Dadan was bringing his Young Miss to seek help from the Young Master. After all, Su Wan looked very awkward and was dressed simply. The Su Family had been wiped out, with only one Young Miss surviving.

He responded, left a "Wait a moment, you two," and turned to walk quickly into the pavilion.

Seeing this, Su Wan asked curiously: "Young Master?"

Su Dadan nodded and said, "Yes, these Ye Clan shops are all looked after by the Ye Family Head's teenage Young Master. Young Miss, don't look at how young the Young Master is, he's very shrewd!"

Hearing him say this, Su Wan thought of Ye Tianhao and Ye Tianyao of the Qingyun Sect. Their Ye Clan indeed would have other siblings.

While she was thinking, the attendant came out and said directly: "My Young Master said, Miss Su, if you don't mind, you can be a Shopkeeper Apprentice. What do you think?"

A Shopkeeper Apprentice? Su Wan's heart jolted, her fingertips gripped tighter, and even her breathing skipped a beat.

Although she was an Inner Sect Disciple of the Qingyun Sect, the Sect's stipend was meager. She had to support the surviving clansmen and maintain her basic Cultivate, and her expenses had long exceeded her income.

Although a Shopkeeper Apprentice wasn't a dignified job, it could at least be exchanged for Spirit Stones and Spiritual Plants to solve the urgent need. The clansmen waiting for food behind her finally had some hope.

But on second thought, she was once the legitimate daughter of the Su Family, living in luxury and surrounded by people. Now she had to humble herself as an apprentice in a shop and rely on the charity of the Ye Family's Young Master.

This gap felt like a needle pricking her heart, making her cheeks burn. She was so embarrassed she wanted to find a hole to crawl into.

She looked up at Su Dadan. He was full of earnestness, constantly winking at her, and whispered: "Young Miss, we can't care about dignity now. Securing a livelihood and protecting the clansmen is the top priority."

"The Young Master has a kind Heart-Nature and will definitely not treat us poorly."

Su Wan bit her lower lip, not out of grievance, but out of endless bitterness.

Yes, now she was no longer that high-and-mighty Eldest Young Miss of the Su Family, but just a destitute Cultivator carrying the lives of her clansmen, who even had to haggle over a three-Spirit Stone difference. How could she be in a position to be picky?

She took a deep breath, suppressed the surging emotions in her heart, bowed slightly to the attendant, and lowered her posture: "Thank you for the Young Master's kindness. This Junior... is willing to try."