“Who says two girls can’t be together?”
Su Mo’s explosive statement didn’t initially elicit shock from Li Xiaomou. Instead, he actually saw a flicker of delight on her face.
Holy crap, she couldn’t possibly be…
Combined with her behavior back on Death Mountain, it really might be possible.
But then she’s with Luo Xiu, and they’re married?
She must be bi—呸呸呸 (pei pei pei – sound of spitting, meaning “ugh, no”), what am I thinking? My mind is in the gutter.
Su Mo mentally chastised his own brain fiercely.
Li Xiaomou’s cheeks flushed bright red. This was the first time Su Mo had seen her shy. Her already enchanting face became utterly fatal like a poison.
Su Mo couldn’t help but swallow hard. He found himself wondering: If the person who had crawled into my bed in the dorm room back then wasn’t Xia Qingqing, but this person right here, would I have remained so calm?
The room was silent for a long time before Li Xiaomou’s soft voice was heard: “Is that… your own personal opinion you’re stating?”
Su Mo waved his hands hurriedly: “No, no, no! I’m just teasing you. Consider it payback.”
He was genuinely afraid. Afraid that the other party might actually have special preferences and try something with his current self.
Li Xiaomou let out an “Oh,” and turned to leave. Suddenly, she seemed to remember something and turned back. “It’s my first time in this world. I want to go out for a stroll. Do you want to come along?”
“No, you go ahead by yourself. I need to cultivate,” Su Mo refused decisively.
“Alright then.”
After she left, Su Mo’s expression instantly turned serious. He took out paper and a pen, jotting down all the clues he currently knew, and added one final line at the end—She might be gay.
Not long after Li Xiaomou left, Su Mo also went out to wander around the market, hoping to gather information and see if there were any good finds.
He had changed his clothes before going out to avoid standing out.
The market in Yun City was bustling, but there was only one shop selling supernatural items, named Lingbao Pavilion (Spirit Treasure Pavilion). The shopkeeper was a portly middle-aged man swaying in a rocking chair.
When Su Mo arrived at the entrance of Lingbao Pavilion, the shopkeeper immediately got up and ran over, stopping right in front of him with an ingratiating expression:
“Honored Cultivator, are you here to look at magical artifacts or spirit herbs? Whatever you need for your cultivation, we have everything here.”
“Oh?” Su Mo became interested. “Really, everything?”
The shopkeeper patted his chest confidently. “Just look around, feel free!”
Led by the shopkeeper, Su Mo browsed around the shop. It had to be said, the variety was indeed comprehensive.
“Look here, this sword is forged from refined iron, it can slice through iron like mud.”
Su Mo laughed inwardly. Does it slice through refined iron?
“And this, a dagger made from the horn of a third-order demon beast.”
“This spirit herb here can actually increase cultivation base! Would you like to buy it and give it a try?”
…
Su Mo declined them all. He was just looking around, not really planning to buy anything unless something caught his interest.
However, just as he had made a round and thought he would return empty-handed, a bamboo scroll suddenly caught his attention.
“What’s this?”
“Oh ho! Your discernment eye is truly excellent, Honored One! You spotted our store’s treasure immediately!” The shopkeeper became excited. “This is the top-tier cultivation manual, the ‘Blaze Tempering Art.’ It’s suitable for all fire-attribute cultivators. It not only enhances the practitioner’s control over flame but also refines fire-attribute spiritual power, making it purer. It’s practically a boon for all fire cultivators!”
Su Mo’s heart leapt with joy. He felt this was perfect for cultivating his Yin Fire. He said nonchalantly, “It’s alright. I might consider it if the price is right.”
The shopkeeper’s eyes were practically smiling into slits. He hurriedly said, “It’s not expensive, not expensive at all. Just three hundred spirit stones.”
Su Mo thought that indeed wasn’t too expensive. He took out one hundred lower-grade spirit stones and said with feigned difficulty, “But I only brought a hundred. What do you think…”
The shopkeeper’s eyes lit up when he saw the spirit stones in Su Mo’s hand. He exclaimed, “Upper-grade spirit stones!”
Su Mo hadn’t expected such a strong reaction, nor that he would call lower-grade stones ‘upper-grade.’ Could it be that the quality of spirit stones here is generally poorer?
Hahahaha, does that mean I’m rich?! Thousands of these so-called “upper-grade” spirit stones were currently resting quietly inside his white jade ring.
“You must be joking, Honored One! How could I dare accept so many upper-grade spirit stones from you? This is equivalent to a hundred thousand ordinary spirit stones! Look, how about this: I’ll give you the manual for free, as a gesture of friendship. What do you say?” The shopkeeper made a snap decision.
Su Mo was secretly delighted, but he still handed one of the stones to the shopkeeper. “Keep the change.”
Then he added, “How about this: I still want to buy a few more things. Can you give me a discount then?”
The shopkeeper was taken aback: This young lady is cunning!
But after a brief internal struggle, he said with pained determination, “Fine! I’ll consider it making a friend.”
Having said that, he called over a clerk: “Have them bring that thing out.”
The clerk’s eyes widened with an incredulous expression, but he complied.
Su Mo was puzzled, thinking to himself, It couldn’t be Xue Rengui’s Fangtian Huaji (a famous halberd from history/legend), could it?!
Before long, eight clerks carried out a medium-sized box. Judging by their posture, it seemed heavier than Xue Rengui’s halberd.
His interest was piqued. “What is this?”
The shopkeeper smiled mysteriously. “You’ll know when I open it.”
The shopkeeper personally unlocked the box. A piece of metal, black as ink, came into view. Although Su Mo didn’t recognize it or know its name, his first impression was that it was extraordinary.
“This is divine iron from beyond the heavens. I call it Mò Jīn (Ink Gold). It doesn’t look big, but it’s extremely heavy and indestructible. That’s why it could only be stored in the backyard. If you want it, ninety-nine upper-grade spirit stones will do.”
Su Mo touched the surface of the Mo Jin, feeling even more convinced of his initial thought. He immediately exchanged for it.
Storing it away in the white jade ring, Su Mo secretly rejoiced at finding a treasure.
You guys might not be able to process it, but that doesn’t mean modern factories can’t!
Both parties felt they had gotten a great deal, creating a win-win situation.
But then, Su Mo took out a few more of his “upper-grade spirit stones” right in front of the shopkeeper and said, “I’d like to look around some more. Keep introducing things to me.”
The shopkeeper was more than willing. He ignored Su Mo’s earlier claim of having “only a hundred spirit stones” and shifted into maximum overdrive.
What a joke, the more money the customer has, the more I earn. Why bother with useless details?
Now aware of his immense wealth, Su Mo embarked on a major shopping spree.
By the time he walked out of Lingbao Pavilion, nearly a third of the goods inside were gone. Anything he found remotely useful, he had bought. The shopkeeper would have gladly carried him out on his back to express his current feelings.
“Take care, Honored One! A new shipment will arrive in three days. I’ll save the best picks for you to see first.”
“Thank you very much for that.”
Su Mo returned fully loaded. But the most valuable items were undoubtedly the ‘Blaze Tempering Art’ and the Mo Jin. He could try one immediately upon returning, while the other would have to wait until later.