Ch 67 – North Sea City

“Sea Market?” Feng Ye repeated the phrase with some confusion. He stared at the person who had just passed by him. Although he looked human, his facial features were…..strange, no matter how he looked at them. It was like someone had randomly doodled them, the proportions completely off.

“Right. Sea Market.” Fang Yang nodded affirmatively, turning sideways as he spoke to make room for those passing by.

Feng Ye and company were located on the largest island in the North Sea. This island was clearly far from the mainland, nestled in the middle of a remote stretch of water, and should have been as desolate and pristine as any other island.

But on this island, there were unusually prosperous buildings standing in rows, with neatly-maintained streets lined with shops welcoming customers.

And there were currently a great number of cultivators gathered here. Some strolled around the market, while others pulled pieces of cloth from who knew where and found empty spaces along the street, sitting on the ground to sell their wares. The market was so busy that it even seemed a bit crowded.

Feng Ye and the other three stood in the middle of the road, blocking the flow of traffic. After standing there for just a short while, they had received countless cold glares.

Thus, before Fang Yang could start to explain from the beginning, the four of them quickly moved to a corner to escape the constant staring.

Hao Chen was also puzzled about the Sea Market. After flying for a day and a night on Lingxiao Sword Sect’s ship, he and Feng Ye had inexplicably arrived on this small island.

But when the ship landed, the others seemed to know what was going on and went ahead to the market, leaving only the two of them with questions filling their heads.

This was not so for Cao Zirui, who knew what the Sea Market was and why everyone had come here. In fact, all Fang Yang knew was what Cao Zirui had explained to him. 

Fang Yang simply repeated this explanation to his Useless Shixiong and Hao-dage: “The so-called Sea Market is just as the name suggests, a market at the seaside.”

Feng Ye and Hao Chen: “……” No kidding.

Unaware of their inner complaints, Fang Yang continued: “Although it’s mostly humans who trade with each other at seaside markets, the Sea Market is different. It’s also called North Sea City. The owner of this market isn’t a human, but a crab spirit with profound cultivation, called Proprietor Crab. Besides humans, there are also quite a few sea monsters who set up stalls to sell things.”

Feng Ye nodded in understanding. He had been wondering why he was seeing so many monsters transformed into humans. They were so bizarre and grotesque that even the phrase “crooked melons and cracked dates” wasn’t enough to describe them, yet they dared to walk around openly in the market.

“As for why we came to North Sea City, it’s actually tradition. The entrance to the Floating Island Secret Realm is directly above the North Sea, and everyone harvests a lot of spiritual herbs there. But while those things are valuable, they might not be things those people need. So naturally, they will want to go to the nearest market to sell or trade them.”

“The closest and largest market to the North Sea is North Sea City. Although you have to pay a small fee in spirit stones to set up a stall here, the market guards also ensure the safety of the transactions, and at least no incidents of robbery will ever occur in the territory of the island. Because of this, trading here is the first choice for many people.”

“Every time the Floating Island Secret Realm closed, most people would come straight here, so it became a tradition. All of the sects bring their disciples here to stay for three days in order to facilitate trade.”

So that’s how it is, Feng Ye thought. No wonder he kept seeing disciples from those sects of various sizes who should have returned home. And no wonder Tiangong Pavilion and Lingxiao Sword Sect had flown side by side all night despite being located in different locales. Apparently, they had been aiming for the same destination.

“Shixiong didn’t know such common sense knowledge?” Fang Yang looked with some doubt at Feng Ye and Hao Chen, who seemed to have come to a sudden realization. He himself hadn’t known, because he really had no such common sense knowledge. But Useless Shixiong and Hao-dage weren’t new to their sects, yet they were just as clueless as he was.

Feng Ye and Hao Chen’s eyes drifted at the same time. Of course these two didn’t know such an obvious thing. It wasn’t until this moment that they had realized they would be staying for three days in North Sea City instead of returning directly to the sect. 

Faced with Fang Yang’s question, the two of them experienced a tacit sense of guilt.

Fang Yang was just asking casually, never suspecting that these two were imposters. After asking this question, Fang Yang turned around and pulled Cao Zirui toward the nearest stalls to see what was on display.

A seaside market was inherently different from a land market. In addition to the human cultivators who set up stalls to sell straightforward magic instruments and spiritual herbs, spirits from the sea mostly sold local specialities such as pearls and corals.

Fang Yang had never seen such novel things that grew deep in the sea. In fact, this outing to the Floating Island Secret Realm was his first time seeing an ocean. So when he looked at these pearls and corals now, he couldn’t help but marvel.

Cao Zirui was more restrained. Although he had long known about the Sea Market, seeing was believing. It was quite novel to actually see such a bustling scene and all kinds of unprecedented goods. But he didn’t show it as obviously as Fang Yang, continuing to maintain his icy appearance.

The other two followed the youths at a leisurely pace. Although Feng Ye and Hao Chen would peer at various street vendors, they were far from intrigued. 

Pearls and corals – how could people have the nerve to sell something that could be picked up everywhere? Hao Chen eyed the street vendors with contempt. Besides, the pearls they were selling were only the size of pigeon eggs, while in his palace, pearls the size of a fist were scattered all over the place. 

Thus, he looked down on everything around him. Fang Yang squatted down and pointed at such a despised pigeon egg-sized pearl on a carpet, asking: “How much does this cost?”

The vendor was a middle-aged man with a long beard split in two. Feng Ye eyed this beard and came to a conclusion: catfish spirit.

The catfish twisted the long whiskers framing his mouth and swept his gaze over Fang Yang’s attire, which was a basic sect uniform. It was clear that its owner was not wealthy, so he quoted a price that should be within Fang Yang’s affordability: “Three hundred spirit stones.”

However, he had still overestimated Fang Yang’s spending power. Fang Yang gripped his storage bag, which held only a little over a hundred spirit stones, and gave a regretful sigh: “So expensive.”

He had picked a bag of Yuanling Grass but had no time to sell it, so his entire net worth was the one hundred or so spirit stones he had saved up throughout daily life.

The catfish spirit thought Fang Yang was just reluctant to spend, so he enthusiastically lobbied: “This isn’t expensive at all. These are pearls that oyster spirits nourished inside their bodies for a hundred years before spitting them out. They contain the mirage energy that the oysters swallow and spit out, which is excellent material for refining weapons or medicine.”

Fang Yang was persuaded. But although he looked at the pearl with some reluctance, he still gave a firm shake of his head. Even if he sold all of his Yuanling Grass, he still wouldn’t be able to afford this pearl. And no matter how useful the pearl was for refining weapons or medicine, it was still of no use to him.

He didn’t know how to refine materials, so it would be too extravagant to buy this pearl just to play with it like a marble.

As a sword cultivator, he still didn’t have a decent spiritual sword. He had plans to use his savings for a magic weapon, not to spend it on things like this.

So Fang Yang made up his mind and moved on to the next vendor, no matter what prices the seller blurted out.

However, Cao Zirui was in no hurry to leave with him. He looked at Fang Yang’s back, then at the pearl on the ground, his thoughts unclear. Suddenly, he reached into his storage bag and took out two hundred spirit stones, with which he bought the pearl from the catfish spirit.

After purchasing it, he took the pearl in his hand and trotted to catch up with Fang Yang. As if presenting to him a treasure, he offered the pearl to his gobsmacked friend.

Fang Yang stared at the pearl in front of him, but didn’t reach out to take it. After a moment’s hesitation, he finally reacted and waved his hands: “Why did you buy this for me, ah? Hurry up and return it!”

As he spoke, he grabbed Cao Zirui’s hand and tried to haul him back to return the goods.

However, Cao Zirui gently broke free from Fang Yang’s grip. He offered the pearl to him again and said earnestly: “I’m giving it to you.”

To prevent Fang Yang from refusing again, he quickly added: “In thanks for saving my life.”

It turned out he was repaying a favor. Fang Yang was somewhat relieved, but still couldn’t accept it: “Didn’t you promise to treat me to a nice meal? That’s enough for me.”

He pressed down Cao Zirui’s raised hand as he spoke. And yet, Cao Zirui raised it for a third time, insisting on gifting the pearl to Fang Yang: “Not enough.”

He repeated solemnly: “It’s not enough.”

Three times was the limit. If he continued to refuse, he would just be making things difficult for Cao Zirui. After some thought, Fang Yang accepted it for the time being, planning to return it when he got the chance.

The two youths continued on into the market together, while Feng Ye and Hao Chen following behind witnessed the entire process in silence.

Feng Ye folded his arms as he watched the two interact. Seeing such simple, sincere friendship caused a smile to unknowingly appear at the corners of his mouth.

However, Hao Chen’s thought process was entirely different from Feng Ye’s. Watching the two walk about ten meters ahead, he covered his lips with his mini fan and whispered to Feng Ye: “It seems your naive shidi is lucky enough to have hooked up with a rich man, ah.”

Feng Ye couldn’t help but glance at Hao Chen leaning close to his ear, thinking, Here he goes again. In Hao Chen’s mouth, the friendship between the two teenagers became hooking up with a rich man.

He remained silent, with no intention of squabbling with Hao Chen over such a tedious topic, and continued to follow after the two youths.

Although Feng Ye had no interest in these corals and pearls, he was very interested in one thing. He was desperate to change his unsightly tattered robes. So he stopped in front of a clothing stall and asked its owner: “How much are these?”

The stall owner was a cultivator in the beginning stages of Foundation Establishment. He was initially happy to see business come to his door, but when he noticed Feng Ye and Hao Chen’s clothing, as well as their cultivation levels, his expression transformed into impatience.

Two Qi Refining disciples, one in tattered clothes with the look of a beggar and one with intact clothes that were made of only the most commonplace fabrics. They looked so poor that they probably couldn’t even afford to buy his robes.

Although he was impatient, he still sent them away with two sentences: “These are black-grade magical garments, and excellent ones at that. They have fantastic defensive capabilities, impervious to water and fire, as well as invulnerable to swords and spears. They’re worth one thousand spirit stones.”

One thousand spirit stones. Feng Ye calculated the mere concept of one thousand spirit stones. En, he still needed nine-hundred and ninety eight.

Feng Ye didn’t ask anything further, just took the two spirit stones in his storage bag and tactfully left the stall under the stall owner’s contemptuous gaze.

Hao Chen’s eyes swiveled and he touched his storage bag, wanting to imitate Cao Zirui’s actions from earlier and buy the clothes as a gift.

However, when he touched his empty storage bag, he realized that although the amount of wealth he possessed would take a month to count out, he hadn’t brought a single penny with him.

He could only heave a sigh of regret, then catch up with Feng Ye. Although he hadn’t brought any money, that wouldn’t stop him from showing off his skills.

He asked Feng Ye, all smiles: “Is Fellow Daoist Feng Ye short of money?”

Although he had called Feng Ye simply by his name the day before, it was only that one time. Now, he added the “fellow daoist” suffix.

Feng Ye didn’t care about the change of address, and just nodded in response to Hao Chen’s question.

He was short of money. It wasn’t something to be ashamed it, so he admitted it readily.

Hao Chen’s smile deepened, and he suggested with feigned casualness: “Ai, your naive shidi has hooked up with a rich man. If Fellow Daoist Feng Ye could also hook up with a rich man who is willing to spend thousands of gold on you, you could buy anything you want.”

Hao Chen’s hint couldn’t be more obvious. Feng Ye played along with a hint of amusement: “Where can I find such a rich man?”

“Cough, cough.” Hao Chen deliberately cleared his throat. At the same time, he puffed out his chest and fully opened the mini fan in his hand, like a peacock spreading its wings or a pufferfish puffed up into a ball, doing his best to attract attention to himself.

But Feng Ye maliciously jabbed Hao Chen and caused him to deflate: “Ai, if Fellow Daoist Hao Chen was a rich man, I would definitely stick to your side. But…..”

Feng Ye gestured to Hao Chen’s storage bag and reminded him: “Fellow Daoist Hao Chen is even poorer than I am. I at least have two spirit stones saved, but Fellow Daoist Hao Chen has nothing but the clothes on his back.”

Hao Chen: “…..” He then remembered that it was common knowledge that he hadn’t brought one penny with him.

But it was just money. With one message to Prime Minister Turtle, he could immediately have a large cart of treasures sent over. But if he was unwilling to expose his secret identity, he obviously couldn’t come up with an excuse for his sudden wealth.

He could only stand there in vexation, feeling that he had missed a great opportunity. Why hadn’t he brought any money with him when he went out?

Feng Ye held back his laughter as he continued forward to catch up with Fang Yang and Cao Zirui, who were some distance away.

He arrived at just the right time, because the two of them happened to be in trouble.

Although most of the spirits in the Sea Market had taken a human form, there were still a few who had maintained their original appearances.

But Fang Yang was completely unaware of this. He squatted down and stared at a half-man-high crab behind a stall. Thinking that it was an item on sale, he exclaimed: “What a big crab!” He glanced around for the stall owner in confusion, only to find that there was no one watching over it but the crab.

That would have been fine, but his hands were strangely itchy and he reached out to touch the crab.

Such unsolicited touching was extremely rude between humans, and the same was true for spirits.

The crab flared up at once and batted Fang Yang’s hand away with a claw, saying furiously: “Disrespectful human!”

Fang Yang realized he was in trouble. Before he could apologize, Cao Zirui, who had gone off on his own to buy something, came back just then.

When he saw the big crab waving its claws at Fang Yang, he thought he was being attacked, and immediately pulled out his usual spirit sword from his storage bag and approached, sword raised.

The crab caught the sword in one claw as it stabbed at him, flying into a rage: “How dare you act so wantonly in North Sea City! Haven’t you heard who the owner of this place is?”

This was the scene that Feng Ye and Hao Chen saw when they came over. Who was the owner of North Sea City? That would be Proprietor Crab.

Fang Yang had just recently educated them about a crab spirit with profound cultivation.

The one in front of him was also a crab. He seemed so self-assured – perhaps he was a relative of Proprietor Crab.

Although they didn’t know what was going on, they were new here and the other party was probably a local, so it wouldn’t be appropriate to start a conflict. So Feng Ye began to step forward to mediate, but he couldn’t help but pause when he heard what the people around them were saying.

The fight between Cao Zirui and the crab had made quite a commotion, and with so many people around, a crowd of onlookers immediately formed a circle. 

Hearing the crab’s aggressive tone, those who had no common knowledge — like Feng Ye — couldn’t help but whisper to their companions: “Who is the owner of North Sea City?”

Their companion whispered back: “Nominally, it’s Proprietor Crab, but…..North Sea City is such a huge market. Although Proprietor Crab is very powerful, he’s only at the level of our Nascent Soul cultivators. He can’t control such a huge place alone.”

“But North Sea City is very safe, and nobody dares break the rules here. This is all because of the person behind Proprietor Crab…..”

Although she was speaking softly, the crab still heard her.

The crab proudly shook the claw that wasn’t gripping the sword and said: “Hmph, that’s right. The true master of North Sea City is one of the most powerful gods in heaven, who guards the North Sea…..”

“The Lord of the North Sea!” The crab kept them in suspense before revealing the truth with flair.

Those just learning this for the first time gasped. The owner of North Sea City happened to be a god, the Kunpeng, who had the power to cover the sky and blot out the sun!

However, Feng Ye and Hao Chen’s reactions were different from everyone else’s. Their expressions were exactly the same:

Hao Chen: “……”

Feng Ye: “……”

How had he never known there was such a market?

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