Chapter 17: Chapter 17: Small Thunder Shock Talisman

It was time for the monthly Puppet delivery again, and Lu Zhao appeared right on schedule at the entrance of the Nine Abyss Pavilion in the Zhou Family Marketplace.

The Bronze Bell on the corner of the eaves chimed softly, carrying a familiar scent of old Spiritual Materials mixed with faint incense.

He walked toward the counter with a steady gait.

The old Shopkeeper looked up and saw Lu Zhao, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes creasing into a habitual smile.

"Mr. Lu, not even the Cold Qi from Cyan Rattan Stream can freeze your diligent footsteps."

The Shopkeeper’s withered fingers tapped lightly on the counter, his gaze sweeping over the bulging Storage Bag at Lu Zhao’s waist. "Brought this month’s goods?"

"You jest, Shopkeeper."

Lu Zhao’s expression was calm. He walked to the counter and, with deft movements, took out three Ice Mouse Puppets overflowing with Cold Qi and one Flowing Cloud Sparrow Puppet, lining them up neatly.

A fine layer of white frost instantly condensed on the counter’s surface. The Wind Pattern Stones on the Flowing Cloud Sparrow’s bone wings shimmered with a faint light, radiating a lifelike aura.

The Shopkeeper’s gaze roamed carefully over the four Puppets, lingering for a long time on the Flowing Cloud Sparrow. He gently brushed his fingers over the Ice Burst Rune engraved on the tip of an Ice Mouse Puppet’s claw, feeling the bone-chilling Cold Qi and surging Spiritual Power contained within.

After a good while, he finally spoke, his voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible deliberation. "Mr. Lu, your craftsmanship has become even more refined."

"This Ice Mouse Puppet, with its sharp claws and chilling fangs, its Ice Burst Power contained and ready to be unleashed, is truly a premium item among Tier One Lower Grade Puppets."

He paused, then his tone shifted, taking on a merchant’s pragmatism.

"However, Mr. Lu, this Ice Mouse Puppet has become more common on the market in recent months. Although it’s still a hot commodity, we’ve started to accumulate some in the Warehouse. If we keep buying them at the old price of fifteen Spirit Stones each, it puts a lot of pressure on our turnover."

Lu Zhao’s heart sank slightly, but his face remained impassive. He simply listened quietly, his gaze fixed on the Shopkeeper.

The Shopkeeper met his gaze and held up two withered fingers. "I have two options for you to consider, Mr. Lu. First, from now on, I will only take two Ice Mouse Puppets per month, but the price will remain fifteen Spirit Stones each. For the Flowing Cloud Sparrow, it’s business as usual—I’ll buy as many as you have, and the price of twenty-five Spirit Stones won’t change."

He paused, observing Lu Zhao’s reaction, then raised a second finger.

"Second, if you’re willing to lower the price of the Ice Mouse Puppets slightly—say, to twelve Spirit Stones apiece—then I can take two more per month, for a total of four! The price for the Flowing Cloud Sparrow will remain the same. What do you say?"

The air seemed to freeze for a moment. The white frost on the counter spread silently. Lu Zhao’s gaze swept over the three Ice Mouse Puppets he had painstakingly crafted, then glanced at the Flowing Cloud Sparrow, which carried his greater hopes.

The Shopkeeper’s words were blunt: the market was becoming saturated, and one of his flagship products had hit a bottleneck. Lowering the price meant a sharp drop in profit per unit but an increase in total volume. Limiting the quantity would maintain the unit price but restrict his income growth.

He quickly calculated the costs, the time, and—most importantly—the fact that the price of the Flowing Cloud Sparrow would not change.

"The price for the Flowing Cloud Sparrow... it really won’t change?"

Lu Zhao’s voice was steady, betraying no emotion, but he put special emphasis on the last two words.

A knowing smile flashed in the Shopkeeper’s murky eyes, and he nodded affirmatively. "It won’t change! This item has special uses and stable demand. Twenty-five Spirit Stones, a fair price for all."

Lu Zhao was silent for a moment, his finger unconsciously tracing a shallow streak of moisture on the cold counter.

Finally, he looked up and spoke decisively. "Then we’ll go with your second option, Shopkeeper. From now on, four Ice Mouse Puppets a month at twelve Spirit Stones each. The Flowing Cloud Sparrow, business as usual."

He had chosen low-profit, high-volume sales to maintain this stable source of income. More importantly, he had secured the channel for the Flowing Cloud Sparrow, which had far greater potential.

"Excellent!"

The smile on the Shopkeeper’s face became a little more genuine. He immediately began to take stock. "Three Ice Mouse Puppets, one Flowing Cloud Sparrow. The Ice Mouse Puppets will be at the new price of twelve Spirit Stones, so that’s thirty-six Spirit Stones for the three. The Flowing Cloud Sparrow is twenty-five Spirit Stones. That’s a total of sixty-one Spirit Stones."

He deftly counted out sixty-one smooth Lower Grade Spirit Stones and pushed them toward Lu Zhao.

Lu Zhao placed the Spirit Stones into his Storage Bag with unhurried movements.

Just as he was about to take his leave, the Shopkeeper’s withered fingers pressed lightly on the counter. The pad of his finger wiped away the streak of moisture Lu Zhao had just made, a seemingly casual gesture that held a hint of gravity.

"Mr. Lu."

The Shopkeeper’s voice dropped a notch. His murky eyes stared directly at Lu Zhao, as if trying to see into his very soul. "Things don’t seem too peaceful in the Marketplace lately. There are some new faces, and their eyes aren’t right. They’re always loitering around the stalls in the East Market and West Market that sell Puppets and Spiritual Materials, as if they’re looking for something... or rather, looking for someone."

A chill shot through Lu Zhao, as if a cold snake’s tongue had licked his spine. ’The Shopkeeper would never say something like this without a reason!’

’He instantly thought of his frequent trips to the Nine Abyss Pavilion to trade Puppets, especially the valuable Flowing Cloud Sparrow. It was entirely possible he had attracted some unwanted attention. In the world of Wanderers, murder for treasure was commonplace.’

He immediately cupped his fist, leaned forward slightly, and adopted an even more humble posture. His tone was sincere as he asked for guidance, "Shopkeeper, you have a keen eye. I hope you can enlighten me."

"My Cultivation is shallow, and I live in a dangerous place like Cyan Rattan Stream. Traveling to and from the Marketplace, I am indeed feeling uneasy."

Seeing that Lu Zhao had instantly grasped his hint, humbled his posture, and respectfully sought advice, a flash of satisfaction appeared in the Shopkeeper’s eyes.

He liked dealing with smart people, especially those who understood the circumstances and knew when to advance or retreat.

"Hmm."

The Shopkeeper stroked his sparse beard and said slowly, "Caution is the parent of safety. The road from Cyan Rattan Stream to the Marketplace isn’t that far, but it isn’t close either. It’s all wilderness out there. Anything can happen."

"Especially," he paused, his tone pointed, "especially those ’Demon Hunters’ who just came over from Northern Plains County. Their methods are crude, and they have all sorts of tricks. A man on his own like you, Mr. Lu, should prepare more means of self-protection."

’Northern Plains County!’

Lu Zhao’s pupils contracted almost imperceptibly. That was the place where his family had been destroyed, the source of his eternal hidden pain and vigilance.

The Shopkeeper’s words were practically a direct hint about where the threat might come from. A chill rose from the soles of his feet.

"Thank you for the warning, Shopkeeper."

Lu Zhao bowed deeply again, his posture even lower. "I am terrified. I wonder if you have any suitable items for protection, Shopkeeper? The price is negotiable."

He made his posture very humble, showing that he was willing to pay the price for safety.

The Shopkeeper was even more satisfied with Lu Zhao’s reaction and nodded. "You’re a sharp one. As it happens, the Pavilion just received a new shipment. There are a few things that might suit you." He turned, his back hunched, and walked toward the inner hall.

A moment later, the Shopkeeper emerged carrying a Purple Sandalwood Tray, on which sat three brocade boxes of varying sizes. He placed the tray gently on the counter, where it landed with a dull thud.

"Take a look. All premium new arrivals," the Shopkeeper gestured for Lu Zhao to come closer.

He first opened the smallest of them, a flat, square box. Inside, resting on a red silk lining, lay a light purple Talisman, no more than three inches long and two fingers wide.

The talisman paper felt neither like metal nor jade, and was cool to the touch. On its surface, intricate and profound Runes were outlined with silver Thunder Patterns. These Runes seemed to have a life of their own, flowing slowly across the Talisman’s surface, occasionally erupting with a heart-stopping arc of silver-white electricity that emitted an extremely faint "CRACKLE."

A destructive aura faintly emanated from it, making the fine hairs on Lu Zhao’s arms stand up.

"A Tier Two Lower Grade Small Thunder Shock Talisman."

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