"Old Hu, what's the rush? Fatty's just started enjoying a good life," the Fatty said, finding it strange that they were leaving that afternoon. Especially since he had just bought a siheyuan (courtyard house). He was reluctant to leave so soon after settling in. The siheyuan had cost thirty thousand, with Hu Bayi adding another thirty thousand, totaling sixty thousand. In those days, sixty thousand could buy two small siheyuan. The average salary in Beili was only around five hundred yuan a year, and sixty thousand was an amount most people couldn't even dream of.
"You damn fatty, don't forget you still owe me thirty thousand!" Hu Bayi shot him a glare.
"Old Hu, that's not fair. I gave you half the house too, so let's just live together," the Fatty chuckled. Hu Bayi gave him another exasperated look.
"Alright, since we're leaving this afternoon, let's prepare what we need before we go," Zhang Tian said, and the others readily agreed. Now that they had money, Hu Bayi and Wang Pangzi weren't holding back. Soon, the three of them swaggered onto the bustling streets of Beili.
"There are many children in the village, so let's buy some candy first, then some shoes. Children need good shoes," Zhang Tian said thoughtfully. This touched Hu Bayi, as Zhang Tian was considerate of their needs.
"The village children must have never tasted candy before. Boss, your idea is brilliant!" the Fatty exclaimed, giving Zhang Tian a thumbs-up. "Not only will you win the children's favor, but you'll also earn the parents' praise. Perhaps you'll even bring back a young lady when you return!"
Zhang Tian rolled his eyes at the Fatty. "One look at this fatty, and I can tell he's a ghost husband!" he muttered playfully. "You say another word, and I won't help you anymore. You can marry the Princess then." The Fatty quickly smiled and appeased him, "Hehe, Boss, I was just joking. Besides, I don't have that kind of ability." Zhang Tian was speechless.
"Let's go. We should also buy some new clothes. It'll give Old Hu some face when he goes home, and it'll help foster good relations with the village," Zhang Tian suggested. The other two nodded in agreement.
And so, on the streets of Beili, they bought white sugar, peanut brittle, and sandals for children. Zhang Tian even specially bought some clothes for the villagers, thinking they might be useful for their many jars and pots. However, Zhang Tian wasn't sure if those jars had already been taken by experts. He wasn't buying them for the jars; he simply wanted to help Hu Bayi and the honest villagers.
As the three were shopping, elsewhere, Wu Xie, accompanied by Han Shao, spoke with a sense of helplessness. "Wu Xie, the doctor said that the snake venom in me can only be cured with special medicinal herbs. Where are we going to find them?" Han Shao was dejected. He hadn't been well since their last trip to the ancient tomb, and Brother Xiao had disappeared after leaving the tomb. Without anyone to help him, Han Shao could only endure the pain in his body alone.
"Don't worry, that's why we're staying. In a month, there's an auction at the Xinyue Hotel. According to Third Uncle, there might be something there to cure your poison. For now, you can drink my blood to suppress the toxicity," Wu Xie said. Han Shao had no choice but to agree. Wu Xie had consumed the Millennium Qilin Blood, and his blood could suppress the poison.
Just as Wu Xie was about to leave, a figure in the distance caught his eye. Since returning to Beili, he had wanted to visit Zhang Tian's antique shop but hadn't had the chance. Now that he saw Zhang Tian, he didn't want to miss it. "Let's go over there," Wu Xie said, leading the somewhat confused Han Shao towards Zhang Tian.
"Oh? Little Master? Long time no see," Zhang Tian greeted Wu Xie with a smile. He then glanced at Han Shao beside him, noticing the green marks on his body, indicating poisoning. From this, he deduced that Wu Xie and his companions must have gone tomb raiding, unfortunately without any gains and only getting into trouble.
"Little Zhang Master, let's be frank. Is that bottle you had before still here? I want it," Wu Xie said, still thinking about Zhang Tian's bottle. Zhang Tian smiled and looked at Wu Xie meaningfully. "Since you sincerely want it, there's no reason why our antique shop wouldn't sell it. How about this, how much are you willing to pay?" Zhang Tian asked. The jade pendant inside was useless to him now, so he might as well sell it and generate some income for the antique shop.
"Little Zhang Master, you tell me, how much?" Wu Xie had a bad feeling.
"That bottle is worth five million. It seems to have a jade pendant inside, which is just a bonus," Zhang Tian said, appearing very generous. However, in this era, not many people could afford five million. Moreover, five million back then was far more valuable than in modern times; it was the capital for a small factory owner.
"Five million?!" Han Shao exclaimed. He had never seen five million yuan in his life.
"Yes, we won't sell it for less," Zhang Tian stated, and then said no more.
"How about this, I'll go home and consider it," Wu Xie said. Zhang Tian nodded. "I might not be home for the next few days, so after you've considered it, come find me in ten days. If you don't come, I'll put it up for auction." Zhang Tian added. Wu Xie nodded and left with Han Shao without further comment.
"Wu Xie, are you an idiot? Five million for a broken bottle?" Han Shao asked, bewildered. "I feel there's something strange about the jade in the bottle. My grandfather's notes record a type of jade that contains a mysterious world," Wu Xie explained. Han Shao couldn't say anything more and followed Wu Xie.
Watching them leave, Hu Bayi and the Fatty exchanged smiles. "Boss, that's a huge profit, five million for a bottle!" the Fatty chuckled excitedly.
"It's not the bottle that's valuable, but the jade pendant," Zhang Tian clarified. "They probably don't know about the cultivation technique yet. And very few people should know about it up to this point, unless it's the elders of the major families." Hu Bayi and the Fatty nodded, understanding somewhat.
"Damn it, then doesn't that mean Fatty donated tens of millions?" The Fatty felt a pang of regret thinking about the three jade pendants he had donated. Zhang Tian patted the Fatty on the back, and soon they finished buying their supplies. The Fatty carried bags of goods, Hu Bayi shouldered a large bag, while Zhang Tian carried much less.
They were leaving in the afternoon, and Zhang Tian had a few things to do. He told his mother he was going to the countryside for a visit. His mother didn't object and even told him to bring a girl back. Zhang Tian was now free to do as he pleased. His father, however, was a bit unhappy, having been cooped up in the antique shop and feeling bored. Zhang Tian changed into a new backpack and packed his ancient sword, the Bagua mirror, and the small turtle, Little Bi. These were his life and fortune, and he couldn't afford to lose them. Moreover, Little Bi's bell could play a crucial role and was extremely useful.
After preparing everything, Zhang Tian met up with the Fatty and the others at the train station. Zhang Tian had booked an entire carriage, so their numerous bags didn't seem out of place.