46: "Insider Information" and Bloodsucking Business

Business at "Wannian Talisman Shop" was a bit quiet today.

This wasn't because Zhou Wannian's talismans were bad, but because the times had changed.

Since the beginning of autumn, the wind in Qinghe Market had grown harsher by the day, scraping against one's face like a small knife.

Even the Constant-Temperature Formation in the Inner District, which was claimed to be like spring all year round, seemed unable to block this chill that seeped into one's bones.

Pedestrians on the streets were in a hurry; even the old Cultivators who usually loved to play chess and chat on the street corners had now retreated to their respective Immortal Caves.

The feeling of "unease" was like an invisible haze, shrouding everyone's head.

Zhou Wannian sat behind the counter with a cup of hot tea in his hand, eyes half-squinted. He appeared to be dozing, but in reality, he was using the Turtle Breathing Technique to extremely faintly sense the changes in the surrounding Qi.

"The Yin Qi... has grown heavier."

He calculated silently in his heart.

Ever since Xiao Cao saw that "black vortex" a few days ago, Zhou Wannian had keenly discovered that the flow of Spiritual Qi in the air of the Inner District had become somewhat sluggish, as if something were greedily extracting the vitality from the earth veins.

"The Chen Family's movements are even faster than I imagined."

"I just don't know what kind of big move they're preparing. Core Formation?"

Just as he was pondering, the string of welcome bells at the shop door suddenly rang violently.

"Ding-ling-ling-ling—!"

Immediately after, a figure wearing a thick bear-skin cloak and wrapped up like a ball rushed in, bringing with him a gust of cold wind.

"Old Zhou! Old Zhou! Quick, pour me a cup of hot tea! This Young Master is freezing to death!"

The visitor was none other than Chen Zhaozu.

He hadn't brought that golden pig today, and he looked a bit disheveled. On that usually oily face, there was now a hint of abnormal flush and excitement, along with two large dark circles under his eyes.

Zhou Wannian rose slowly and poured a cup of spiritual tea, handing it over.

"Young Master Chen, on such a cold day, why aren't you staying in your den of pleasure instead of running to my small, broken shop?"

Chen Zhaozu gulped down the hot tea in one breath and exhaled a puff of white vapor before finally recovering his strength.

He leaned mysteriously toward the counter, looked left and right, and said in a lowered voice:

"Old Zhou, I've come to bring you a heaven-sent fortune!"

Zhou Wannian's eyelid twitched.

Why did these words sound so familiar? The last time that person called Li Mazi said this, the original owner lost his life.

"Young Master Chen must be joking."

Zhou Wannian put on a simple and honest smile, like someone who hadn't seen much of the world. "I'm just a talisman drawer earning a bit of hard-earned money. That heaven-sent fortune is too heavy; I'm afraid it'll crush me to death."

“Tsk! How can you be so stubborn!”

Chen Zhaozu slapped the counter in frustration. "This time is different! This time, I heard it from my old man's study... ahem, I accidentally overheard some top-secret inside information!"

As he spoke, he pulled a crumpled list from his robes and spread it out before Zhou Wannian like a treasure.

"Look!"

Zhou Wannian casually glanced down.

With just one look, his pupils slightly constricted.

The list was densely packed with the names of dozens of spiritual Materials, with purchase prices marked behind them.

[Fifty-year-old Blood Spirit Grass: Purchase price 50 Spirit Stones (Urgent)]

[Century-old Yin Soul Wood: Purchase price 300 Spirit Stones (Urgent)]

[Second-tier Yao Beast bone powder (must carry Blood-Evil Qi): Purchase price 80 Spirit Stones per catty]

[Virgin's Heart Blood (crossed out)... Top-grade Cinnabar: Purchase price...]

Although the "Virgin's Heart Blood" had been hurriedly crossed out with ink, Zhou Wannian still recognized those few words.

This was a... list of Materials for a Demonic Path blood sacrifice!

And it was a deluxe, top-tier version used for setting up some kind of large-scale "Yin-Gathering Corpse-Nurturing Formation"!

"Young Master Chen, this is..." Zhou Wannian pretended not to understand, looking confused.

"This is all money!"

Chen Zhaozu slapped his thigh excitedly. "I'm telling you, those old geezers in the Family have gone crazy! They're buying these things at any cost! As long as there's stock, the price isn't an issue—cash on delivery! They'll even take them at a thirty percent markup!"

"Tell me, if we can hoard a batch of goods in advance and then turn around and sell them to the Family..."

Gold light flickered in Chen Zhaozu's eyes, as if he could already see countless Spirit Stones waving at him.

"What do you call this? This is called information asymmetry! This is called business acumen!"

Looking at this playboy before him who was still dreaming of getting rich, Zhou Wannian didn't know whether to laugh or sigh.

How was this business acumen?

This was clearly the Chen Family preparing for their final madness.

Every single one of these Materials reeked of blood. Especially that crossed-out "heart blood," which further proved the Chen Family no longer intended to hide their actions.

"Young Master Chen, these things... seem a bit unorthodox?"

Zhou Wannian asked tentatively, "Why is the Family collecting these gloomy things? Are they planning to build a tomb?"

"Eh, who cares what they're doing!"

Chen Zhaozu waved his hand dismissively. "I heard from my second uncle that it seems to be for some longevity-extending Formation for the Old Ancestor. Anyway, we don't understand the Old Ancestor's business; we just need to know this stuff can make money!"

Longevity extension?

Zhou Wannian sneered in his heart.

More like snatching someone back from the King of Hell.

"Then what does Young Master Chen mean?"

"I have the connections, but I don't have the stock on hand!" Chen Zhaozu rubbed his hands, finally revealing his true intentions. "Old Zhou, you've been in the Outer District for a long time and know all sorts of people. Can you help me get in touch and see if there are any... well, friends with wilder methods who can get the items on this list?"

"Don't worry, we'll all make money together! I'll take sixty percent, and I'll give you forty!"

Zhou Wannian was silent for a moment.

This was a trap, but also an opportunity.

Helping Chen Zhaozu collect the goods was equivalent to helping the Chen Family accelerate the blood sacrifice process.

However... if he didn't help, the Chen Family would still obtain the goods through other channels.

In that case, why not use this "sucker's" hands to earn those hot Spirit Stones and, while he was at it... mix some sand into those Materials?

For example, adding some "Thunder Struck Wood Powder" to the Yin Soul Wood?

Or soaking the Blood Spirit Grass in some "Spirit-Dissolving Powder"?

"Since Young Master Chen thinks so highly of me, then I'll give it a try."

Zhou Wannian's face showed a "greedy" smile. "But this kind of stock is hard to get. I'll have to go to the black market, and the price might be a bit..."

"Money is not an issue!"

Chen Zhaozu heroically pulled out a heavy Storage Pouch and slapped it on the table. "Here is one thousand Spirit Stones! Consider it a deposit! As long as the goods are good, there will be more in the future!"

Looking at that Storage Pouch, Zhou Wannian's smile grew even wider.

"Understood, just wait for the good news."

...After seeing off Chen Zhaozu, Zhou Wannian closed the shop door, and the smile on his face instantly vanished.

He took the list and walked into the secret room.

"Blood Spirit Grass, Yin Soul Wood, bone powder..."

"Old Mute happens to have some stock of these things."

"However, I can't give them directly."

Zhou Wannian dug out a pile of lightning-struck wood charcoal powder left over from making "Thunder Duke Drills" from a corner.

This charcoal powder had been refined, and its thunder spiritual power was extremely restrained. If one didn't check carefully, it couldn't be discovered at all; one would only feel that the Yin Soul Wood was a bit "dry."

But if this Yin Soul Wood mixed with thunder powder was used to set up a corpse-nurturing Formation... "Hehe."

Zhou Wannian chuckled sinisterly twice.

When the time comes to activate the Formation and the Yin Qi gathers, it will precisely ignite the thunder powder.

That scene will surely be very beautiful, very spectacular.

"This is what you call: you have your clever plan, and I have my counter-strategy."

"The Chen Family wants to nurture corpses? I'll make sure you explode them instead."

...At night.

Zhou Wannian once again transformed into the black-robed man and quietly arrived at the dry well in the West District.

Old Mute had been waiting for a long time.

"In the black market recently, has someone been buying these things on a large scale?"

Zhou Wannian handed over the list.

Old Mute took a look, nodded, and gestured: [Yes. Not only is the price high, but they want it very urgently. Several shops have already cleared out their inventory. I heard the buyer is from the Inner District.]

"That's the Chen Family's people."

Zhou Wannian said indifferently, "Tell the brothers below to take out all the bottom-of-the-barrel stock of this type and sell it all to the Chen Family. Jack up the price for me—raise it by fifty percent!"

Old Mute was stunned, somewhat puzzled.

Isn't the benefactor at odds with the Chen Family? Why provide resources to the enemy?

"Don't be in a hurry."

Zhou Wannian took out a jade bottle containing powder as black as ink (highly concentrated Thunder Charcoal Powder). "Spread this stuff into the bark texture of every piece of Yin Soul Wood, and into those Yao Beast bone powders. Do it discreetly."

Old Mute took the jade bottle, sniffed it, and understood instantly.

A hideous smile, uglier than crying, appeared on that wrinkled old face.

[Benefactor is brilliant.]

"Also."

Zhou Wannian paused, his expression becoming serious. "Have Xiao Cao keep a close eye recently. The Chen Family bought so many things; they'll definitely be transporting them to the ancestral residence. I want to know their transport routes and times."

"Once this business is done, we should prepare to withdraw."

"This market is about to turn into an Asura field."

...When he returned to the Inner District, fine snowflakes began to fall from the sky.

Zhou Wannian stood in his courtyard, watching Chen Zhaozu's house next door, which was still brightly lit with the sound of music drifting out.

That foolish young master was still dreaming of getting rich through reselling.

"Ignorance is sometimes a kind of happiness."

Zhou Wannian caught a snowflake, watching it melt in his palm.

"However, this kind of happiness won't last much longer."

He turned back into the house, activated all the defensive Formations, and placed two more "Second-Tier Poison Thunder Drills" under his pillow.

This winter will be very cold.

It will also be very red.