24: The peddler should also come and burn some incense.

“Junior Sister, it seems we are still too weak. From now on, we must Cultivate more diligently.”

Lu Ming frowned slightly, his expression a little solemn.

“Senior Brother, when do you plan to rent a cultivation room?”

Lin Yao bit her lower lip lightly, raised her eyes to look at Lu Ming, her lively eyes full of anticipation.

“Tomorrow. Junior Sister, we will go together then.”

Shen Feng’s demise was like a muffled hammer blow to Lu Ming and Lin Yao’s hearts.

As Outer Sect Disciples of the Sect, to some extent, they were merely expendable like ants.

As long as the number of deaths did not reach an exaggerated, uncontrollable level, the Sect would not care.

Fortunately, this mission concluded smoothly, and they had accumulated enough mission points to rent a cultivation room as desired.

*

Just as various forces were probing each other due to the death of the Naked Ghost, outside Chang Sheng Village, dust flew as a team of people slowly drove into the village entrance.

At the forefront was an anciently decorated carriage, with the four characters “Wanbao Merchant Guild” embroidered on its curtain. Behind it followed several attendants dressed in green, pushing several wooden carts laden with goods.

The villagers, who were working in the fields, heard the commotion and stopped their work, curiously looking up.

Upon seeing who had arrived, they immediately swarmed forward, surrounding the carriage so tightly that not even a drop of water could pass through.

“The people from the Wanbao Merchant Guild are here!”

“Wanbao Merchant Guild? Is that the legendary peddler merchant guild? I heard they travel north and south, selling rare items.”

“Indeed. Last time they came, they even brought some Spiritual Plants and Medicinal Pills. Even Old Man Li from our village bought a few Medicinal Pills for longevity.”

“The Wanbao Merchant Guild hasn’t been here for several months, has it?”

“Yes, the salt at home is almost gone. We’ve been waiting for them!”

A group of people surrounded the carriage in the center, chattering, and some craned their necks, wanting to see if there were any rare items on the carriage this time.

The carriage stopped in the open space in the center of the village. The curtain was lifted, and a middle-aged man in a gray robe slowly stepped down.

He had a lean face and extremely sharp eyes. He held a folding fan in his hand, gently waving it, appearing calm and composed.

“Fellow villagers, the Wanbao Merchant Guild passes through this treasure land today. Everyone, come and take a look, see if there’s anything you desire or need for your home.”

“Clearly marked prices, fair to all ages!”

“Furthermore, we support bartering. Everyone can rest assured and choose!”

The middle-aged man’s voice was loud, clear enough for everyone around to hear.

The reputation of the Wanbao Merchant Guild had already spread in the nearby villages. Every time they arrived, they would bring some rare items that were hard to see on ordinary days.

Villagers could also sell any rare items they had to the shopkeeper.

In this chaotic world where demons ran rampant, ordinary people dared not travel easily. Therefore, all the daily necessities for their homes basically relied on this peddler organization—the Wanbao Merchant Guild—to solve their needs.

Some secretly speculated that the Wanbao Merchant Guild must have strong backing to be able to travel unhindered in the territory of the Great Yan Dynasty;

Others asserted that the Wanbao Merchant Guild’s business was inherently colluding with demons, and its origins were illicit.

However, despite the various opinions, it could not diminish the fact that the Wanbao Merchant Guild’s goods were of superior quality and their prices were fair and reasonable.

Every time the Guild’s carriage arrived, the villagers would pounce like hungry wolves, wishing they could clear out all the goods on the Guild’s carriage.

“Shopkeeper, what good things did you bring this time?”

Xu Tian squeezed to the front, asking impatiently.

The gray-robed man smiled slightly, gently closed his folding fan, and pointed to the wooden carts behind him: “We brought a lot of things this time. Besides firewood, rice, oil, salt, needles, thread, pots, and pans, there are top-grade Spiritual Plants, Medicinal Pills, and some rare items transported from afar.”

“Fellow villagers, you can take your time to look and choose.”

“And this, everyone, look closely! This is the latest demon-expelling talisman developed by the Qingyun Immortal Sect. Its efficacy is extraordinary. As long as you don’t encounter a high-level demon that has already taken human form, it will surely give you peace of mind!”

“Only 10 taels! 10 taels won’t buy you a loss or a scam, but it can save your life at a critical moment!”

The middle-aged man, Jin Zihua, held several demon-expelling talismans in his hand, promoting them emphatically.

He seemed quite proud of these demon-expelling talismans.

These were bestsellers for their Wanbao Merchant Guild. Every time they went to a place, they would sell out.

Only, today’s situation was a bit strange.

Jin Zihua watched as the villagers happily bought oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, pots, pans, needles, thread... Everyone seemed to have agreed beforehand, directly skipping over the demon-expelling talismans in his hand.

Inside the carriage, the best-selling items were surprisingly the most inconspicuous incense and candles!

“Shopkeeper, how much are these incense and candles?” An old woman squeezed to the front of the cart, clutching a few copper coins in her hand, asking eagerly.

Jin Zihua came back to his senses and replied with a smile: “Auntie, these incense and candles are five copper coins each. How many do you want?”

“Give me ten!”

The old woman unhesitatingly pulled out her copper coins and handed them over.

Jin Zihua took the money and handed her the incense and candles, but his confusion grew.

He couldn’t help but ask: “Auntie, is there something big happening in the village today? Why is everyone rushing to buy incense and candles?”

Liu Cuihua looked up at Jin Zihua, lowered her voice, and said: “Seeing that you’re an honest child, this auntie won’t lie to you. A True God has come to our village. As long as you worship him devoutly, he can protect his followers. Do you want to come and worship too?”

Jin Zihua frowned slightly, his confusion deepening.

He had traveled extensively for many years, seen many strange things, but the villagers’ unanimous purchase of incense and candles was clearly not a normal phenomenon.

Jin Zihua closed his folding fan, leaned closer to Liu Cuihua, and whispered: “Auntie, what is the background of this ‘True God’ you mentioned? Why haven’t I heard of him before?”

Liu Cuihua looked left and right, and seeing that no one was paying attention, she said mysteriously: “This True God only recently appeared in the village. As soon as he arrived, he drove away the man-eating mountain god and even killed the Black Bear Demon. He’s truly divine!”

“Everyone in the village has witnessed his miracles with their own eyes!”

“If I didn’t think you were an honest child, I wouldn’t tell you!”

Jin Zihua’s heart stirred, vaguely feeling that things were not simple.

He had traveled extensively, seen many charlatans pretending to be gods, but a “True God” who could convince an entire village was clearly not an ordinary character.

He pondered for a moment, then smiled at Liu Cuihua and said: “Auntie, since this True God is so efficacious, then we must go and worship him too. Do you know where he lives? We can also go and offer some incense.”

Liu Cuihua pointed to the west end of the village: “He’s in the temple on the mountain behind the village. If you want to go, you’d better go early, or you won’t be able to squeeze in.”

Jin Zihua nodded, already having a plan in mind.

He turned and whispered a few instructions to the attendants behind him, then smiled at the surrounding villagers and said: “Fellow villagers, the Wanbao Merchant Guild’s sales for today end here. The remaining goods will be sold tomorrow. If anyone still needs anything, please come again tomorrow!”