The stall owner, who had no customers and was thus engrossed in watching a beauty live stream on his phone, immediately put it down with a smile as soon as he saw business approaching. "Boss, what would you like?" he asked Wu Tian.
Wu Tian pointed to a herb on the stall. "I'm talking about this. How much are you planning to sell this for?"
"This?" The owner was slightly taken aback. He had picked the herb by the roadside on his way here and didn't know what it was. These stall owners were all the same; much of their merchandise was junk, picked up casually and presented as treasures, with no regard for commercial ethics.
However, seeing Wu Tian's interest in the herb, the owner naturally began to extol its virtues. "Boss, you truly have a discerning eye to have spotted this herb at a glance," he said quickly. "This is a genuine treasure. If my family wasn't facing such hardship, I wouldn't be willing to part with it!"
Wu Tian was tired of listening to such talk. Their excuses were always the same, like those of ladies of the night: hardship today, a terminal illness tomorrow – all in the name of business. He waved his hand. "Alright, alright, don't give me all that nonsense. I know how you people operate. Just give me a price."
The owner chuckled awkwardly. "If you truly like this herb, Boss, I'll sell it to you at a special price." He held up five fingers. "This is the price, no room for negotiation."
Seeing the owner's gesture, Wu Tian asked, "Fifty thousand? What! That's outrageous!"
The owner shook his head. "What are you talking about? If I charge you fifty thousand for a single herb, wouldn't that make it more valuable than ginseng? I meant five thousand. If it's any less, we won't talk."
"Five thousand?" Wu Tian was stunned. He looked at the owner with suspicion. "Are you sure?" He was genuinely surprised because this herb, known as Feiling Cao, was a true treasure! The juice extracted from it could elevate the quality of medicinal drugs or poisons, making it worth millions. Only two or three of these appeared each year!
Wu Tian couldn't believe he had found such a gem at a flea market stall. He also realized that the owner clearly didn't know it was Feiling Cao, otherwise, he would never have offered it at such a low price. However, Wu Tian had no intention of informing him. After all, if the owner was willing to sell it at such a price without knowing its value, it meant he was a unscrupulous merchant. Since the owner was not benevolent, Wu Tian would not be righteous.
The stall owner, seeing Wu Tian's question, immediately became vigilant. "What do you mean, sure or not sure? Five thousand yuan, not a penny less, or I absolutely won't sell it!"
Wu Tian knew that if he really didn't want it, the stall owner would lower the price further, possibly selling it for five hundred or even fifty yuan. But he didn't intend to do that. After all, he was getting a great deal from the owner. It was only right to show some consideration. He took out his phone. "No, I was just asking casually. Five thousand it is."
"Take out your phone, I'll transfer the money directly." The owner was overjoyed. He felt incredibly lucky to have found such a fool, easily pocketing five thousand yuan. Fearing Wu Tian might change his mind, he quickly said, "Alright, alright, I'll sell it to you, I'll sell it to you. Honestly, I'm a bit reluctant to sell it at this price, really."
Wu Tian smiled, not bothering to expose him, and quickly completed the transaction with the owner. Just as he was about to pick up the Feiling Cao, a pleasant voice suddenly came from beside him, "Boss, how much for this Feiling Cao?"
Hearing this, Wu Tian froze. What, another connoisseur? He turned his head and saw a beautiful woman of similar age standing beside him. She was tall and slender, wearing a black dress, exuding a cold and aloof aura. The owner was immediately captivated by her beauty. He swallowed hard before saying, "I'm sorry, beautiful lady, this has already been sold. Perhaps you could look at something else?"
"Sold?" The beauty's brows furrowed immediately. "Sold to whom? It's still here, how can it be called sold?"
The stall owner explained, "It's like this, beautiful lady. This gentleman here has already paid, so I'm truly sorry."
The beauty immediately looked at Wu Tian, her beautiful eyes filled with aggression. "You bought this Feiling Cao, right? Tell me, how much do you want to sell it to me for?"
Wu Tian was taken aback again and shook his head. "Sorry, I have no intention of reselling it, so let's forget it."
Wu Tian thought the matter was settled. However, to his surprise, the beauty persisted. "I said, sell it to me. That's the second time! Don't make me say it a third time!"
The sudden cold tone made Wu Tian feel a bit uncomfortable. He wondered who this woman was, speaking so rudely. His expression turned cold. "Even if you say it a third time, I still have no intention of reselling it to you. You know this is Feiling Cao. Who would resell such a thing?"
The beauty said, "Believe me, this Feiling Cao will be far more useful in my hands than in yours. So I advise you to give it to me, to do it justice."
Wu Tian became even more displeased. "No, what do you mean by that?" he asked. "Why would it be more useful in your hands than mine? If you're going to use it for medicine, aren't I capable of the same?"
The beauty replied, "If you knew who I was, you wouldn't speak to me like this."
"Who are you?" Wu Tian casually asked.
The beauty's cold gaze fixed on him, and her red lips parted slightly. "I am Liu Xue, the Poisonous Maiden of the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect. Do you have any further questions?"
Ten Thousand Poisons Sect? Hearing Liu Xue's answer, Wu Tian was stunned.