The trading grounds of Canglang City were bustling with lively shouts and calls from vendors.
As Chi Yu walked along, she saw numerous shops and stalls displaying a variety of Spiritual Herbs and Elixirs. After asking around about market prices, she felt rather disheartened.
The area around Yao Mountain, where the Chi family resided, was remote. The Spiritual Herbs and Elixirs collected by the Great Demon were considered valuable there.
But Canglang City was prosperous, located close to the Taixu Sect, with many Spirit Veins, making Elixirs and Spiritual Herbs quite common.
As a result, their prices were very low.
What was worse, because they were so common, they were sold everywhere in the trading grounds. After paying the stall fee, she hadn’t sold a single item.
Fortunately, Jiang Jiuming hadn’t made any sales either.
This made her feel a bit better.
Chi Yu roughly calculated that even if she sold all the spiritual herb pills in her possession, she would only earn a few hundred Spirit Stones—barely enough to cover a few days at an inn.
It was almost noon, and still, no one showed any interest.
Chi Yu sighed.
A life without money was truly dull.
She was about to reach into her Storage Bag for the leftover steamed buns from the morning when her fingers brushed against something cold. Startled, she looked down and saw the Demon Core.
This was the most valuable item she currently possessed.
In the trading grounds, this Demon Core could fetch two thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones.
But Chi Yu wanted to maximize its value.
After a moment of thought, she reached out and tugged on Jiang Jiuming’s sleeve. “Good brother, let’s discuss something.”
He looked up, confused. “What?”
“Give me some of your Spirit Talismans—the effective ones. Don’t worry, I promise I’ll sell them all. You won’t lose out.”
Jiang Jiuming didn’t understand what she was planning, but he still sorted through his Spirit Talismans and handed them over.
Chi Yu stood up and walked away to purchase a small storage box.
She placed the Elixirs, Spiritual Herbs, Spirit Talismans, and a mid-grade Storage Bag inside, then had Jiang Jiuming add two sealing talismans to it, leaving only one opening.
Once everything was ready, she pulled Shen Yanzhou and the others aside and whispered to them for a while.
After a moment, Jiang Jiuming hesitated. “Will this really work?”
“Of course it will. Trust me.”
Chi Yu was confident. She patted Shen Yanzhou on the shoulder. “Whether we eat meat or chew on steamed buns tonight depends on your acting skills, Zhouzhou.”
Shen Yanzhou: “…”
Why did he suddenly feel so much pressure?
As the sun began to set, the trading grounds remained crowded.
Suddenly, a voice rang out, echoing across the grounds.
“Let’s congratulate this young man for drawing a mid-grade Storage Bag!”
The crowd was drawn to the commotion and turned to look.
In front of a simple stall, a handsome young man held a mid-grade Storage Bag, grinning from ear to ear. “I won! I won!”
The stall owner was a young girl, looking quite excited. “This fellow cultivator is truly chosen by fate! With just twenty Spirit Stones, he drew a mid-grade Storage Bag worth a hundred Spirit Stones.”
Twenty Spirit Stones for a mid-grade Storage Bag?
Curious onlookers gathered around, just as Shen Yanzhou declared, “I’ll draw again!”
Chi Yu presented the storage box to him. “Please.”
He tossed five Spirit Stones into the box. Moments later, five Spirit Talismans appeared at the opening.
Chi Yu immediately exclaimed loudly, “Look! It’s Gathering Spirit Talismans, worth ten Spirit Stones each on the market! This fellow cultivator spent only half the price but drew five Gathering Spirit Talismans. His luck is extraordinary, and his future is limitless!”
Shen Yanzhou cooperatively flashed a bright smile.
As the crowd around them grew larger, Chi Yu shouted loudly, “In this lottery box, there is also a Foundation Establishment Stage Demon Core worth two thousand Spirit Stones!”
Upon hearing this, the bystanders instantly erupted in excitement.
The trading grounds were mostly filled with low-level Cultivators. A late Foundation Establishment Demon Core wasn’t much to high-level Cultivators, but it was very useful to them.
“Friends, with just five Low-Grade Spirit Stones, you can get one chance to draw a mid-grade Storage Bag, Spiritual Herbs, or Spirit Talismans!”
“Just spend twenty Low-Grade Spirit Stones to enjoy a discount for five consecutive draws, with a ninety-nine percent probability of drawing a Demon Core! Limited quantity, pay first and draw first!”
Chi Yu shouted while signaling Jiang Jiuming with her eyes.
He immediately took out twenty Spirit Stones, pretending to rush for the first spot: “I’ll go first! Missing out on such a bargain would be foolish!”
As soon as he finished speaking, the surrounding Cultivators instantly pushed him aside, each pulling out Spirit Stones.
“I’ll go first, give me one draw.”
“Me, me, me! I want twenty consecutive draws!”
“I want one hundred consecutive draws!”
…
The lottery queue grew longer and longer.
Some were happy, others worried.
Not far away, Jiang Jiuming and Shen Yanzhou sat by the roadside, watching Chi Yu, whose face was split with laughter, and a sense of admiration naturally arose.
It had to be said, she had talent in making money.
She had added a seal to the box, so many people couldn’t draw anything at all. Only a few could draw Spiritual Herbs, Elixirs, or Spirit Talismans.
As for that Demon Core, she hadn’t even put it inside.
Those participating in the lottery were all low-level Cultivators, unable to spot any issues.
High-level Cultivators scorned such activities, so there was no worry about being exposed.
In just half a day, she made a huge profit.
Someone spent several hundred Spirit Stones and only drew a few Spiritual Herbs.
Just as he suspected that there might be no Demon Core in the lottery box, Chi Yu’s voice rang out.
“Congratulations to this friend for winning the Demon Core!”
A blue-clothed Cultivator in the front row received the Demon Core, overjoyed.
Seeing this, the others no longer doubted anything.
After all, someone really drew it.
If they had to blame anything, it could only be their own bad luck.
Chi Yu observed everyone’s expressions, inwardly praising her own brilliance.
Fortunately, she had selected a Cultivator who spent a lot of money and gave the Demon Core to him, otherwise suspicions would arise.
Just as everyone wanted to continue drawing, Chi Yu packed up the Storage Box: “Everyone, that’s enough for today. I’m closing up, we’ll meet again if fate allows.”
Upon hearing this, everyone felt regretful but dispersed voluntarily.
Under the twilight sky, at Yunshui Residence.
Chi Yu slowly exhaled a breath and solemnly said, “After deducting costs, we earned six thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones.”
Jiang Jiuming’s eyes widened like bronze bells: “Holy shit.”
After Chi Yu gave him one thousand, Jiang Jiuming was so excited his hands trembled.
This was far better than drawing talismans.
She also gave Shen Yanzhou two hundred Spirit Stones as his payment for being a decoy.
Although he found it absurd, he also felt it was novel.
“Let’s go, eat meat!”
Chi Yu declared boldly, leading them to a lavish meal.
Afterward, she went to the market and exchanged for a larger Storage Box.
At the same time, she purchased two Spiritual Tools worth one thousand five hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones and some cheap Spiritual Herbs, planning to use them for her stall.
Early the next morning, Chi Yu and the two others arrived at the trading grounds.
It was the same spot as yesterday, but this time, without needing to shout, many people came to queue.
However, this time, Chi Yu added another rule.
“If fellow cultivators can invite others to draw together, you can enjoy the special offer of four Spirit Stones for a single draw, and fifteen Spirit Stones for five consecutive draws!
“This offer is limited to the first two hundred participants only. As always, first come, first served!”
As soon as she finished speaking, the crowd surged forward, stuffing Spirit Stones into the storage box.
Chi Yu sat leisurely on a small stool, while Shen Yanzhou and Jiang Jiuming, dressed inconspicuously today, quietly collected the money.
In the vast trading area, one spot stood out conspicuously, with people eagerly lining up.
Mo Chongyang carefully watched over the young girl beside him, shielding her from passersby: “Shu Yun, be careful.”
Chi Shuyun smiled weakly: “Brother Mo, there’s no need to worry. I’m not that delicate.”
But Mo Chongyang didn’t see it that way.
Her constitution was special, inherently frail. Now that she was about to become his junior sister, it was only natural for him to take extra care of her.
“There are so many people ahead. It looks lively,” Chi Shuyun said curiously. “Brother Mo, let’s go take a look.”
Mo Chongyang nodded and led her over. After asking a passerby for details and learning it was a lottery draw, Chi Shuyun felt tempted.
“Senior Brother, why don’t we join in too?”
“Alright.”
As soon as she said this, Mo Chongyang swept his sword sideways, pushing others aside as he escorted Chi Shuyun forward.
The onlookers were somewhat displeased and had intended to make them queue properly.
But upon seeing the fine brocade he wore and the exquisite jade pendants, they knew he came from an extraordinary background—someone they couldn’t afford to provoke—so they fell silent.
“How does this drawing work?”
Chi Shuyun looked at the storage box and asked.
However, when she raised her head, she froze: “Chi Yu?”
Chi Yu had just taken out a portion of the Spirit Stones from the storage box when she heard someone call her name. Instinctively, she looked up and met a delicate, beautiful face.
She recognized her at once—this was Chi Shuyun, the cherished legitimate daughter of the Chi family.
In the original owner’s memories, the entire Chi family had always treated her like a servant, and Chi Shuyun was no exception, ordering her around since childhood.
When the Great Demon demanded a sacrifice of a Pure Yin Body, this legitimate younger sister had wept before their parents, suggesting that Chi Yu take her place. The Chi family parents had immediately agreed.
The atmosphere froze for a moment.
Chi Shuyun pursed her lips: “What are you doing here?”
Chi Yu had no time for a family reunion; earning money was more important at the moment. She replied, “You’ve mistaken me for someone else.”
Chi Shuyun: “I couldn’t possibly be mistaken.”
How could she mistake the person who nearly brought disgrace and ruin to the Chi family?
Mo Chongyang caught on: “Shu Yun, is this the ungrateful and treacherous illegitimate daughter of your family?”