บท 9: Shopping
I opened my eyes after a long meditation period, It seemed to me that I felt some changes so I opened up my <status> window.
<Name: Cai Ying>
<System Points: 475>
<Soul Rank:24 Compression:4>
<Spiritual Realm: Spirit Connection Realm(300)>
<Bloodline: Hero's Bloodline, Ice Phoenix Empress Bloodline>
<Physique: Heroic Physique, True yin element affinity physique>
<Martial Soul: Ice Brush, Water Pen, Spirit Eyes, Caliburn>
"It seems I have made a minor breakthrough"
My soul rank increased by 1, as did my compression too. I went up to my window to check the time.
"It appears to be already morning"
I have today fully planned out, and morning is the perfect time to wake up for it to take place.
"I should start out with washing my clothes"
Only the current clothes I'm wearing are clean, and I seriously should change my clothes more often, the problem is I don't have them. So I should clean my current ones at the very least.
After more than a full hours of cleaning my clothes, and getting ready for my departure. I finally finished everything I need before going.
"It's time to go out now" I left my room and closed the door. The inn was the same as always, so I didn't pay much attention to it. Instead I headed directly to the towns square.
The towns square looks quite lively. There are people with their stalls selling all sorts of goods all around. Some sold vegetables, some accessories. As everyone here by now might already know, stalls that sell accessories, as I need a hair band.
I'm also looking around asking for some information. I was ignoring most of the stalls, only looking at ones that sell handicraft, and accessories. As I was strolling around looking at the stalls around me, I spotted some suspicious people far from me.
"That's some bad looking people over there, well not like it's my problem"
They were looking pretty much like thugs, one of them even hold eye contact with me for a second there.
"What are you looking all around here for little girl?"
I turned to my left and saw a middle aged man sitting in the stall next to me.
"I'm looking for a hair band, do you sell those?" I answered him coldly.
"Well I for sure have some, come look at my assortment"
He took out a few of them, they were a lot of colourful ones, some even had another accessory attached to them like a butterfly and other similar stuff. I scanned them with my eyes and found a plain dark purple one.
'Close enough to a black one' I thought.
"I will take this one" I pointed at the one I choose and exchanged it for money. After I put it in my pocket he spoke to me again.
"You got what you looked for, you should go back home now" He told me.
"What do you mean?" I asked him, he certainly got my attention now.
"You already saw them didn't you"
"You mean those men I saw before just then?"
"That's them, there have been some nasty rumours going around them" He paused for a moment.
"People even say they sell humans to evil soul masters" He continued.
"Is that so?"
"I'm not sure but they are definitely up to no good"
That's very unlikely, evil soul masters are at their heyday at this era. If they needed some people for sacrifices or rituals they should be able to do it alone, I see no reason to turn to those measures.
Maybe they want to stay low profile for a bit before a big operation, or someone is on their tail so they are doing things in a roundabout way?
Well rumours certainly aren't born from nothing, so they aren't doing anything pretty, I can take that as a guarantee. Maybe they are criminals wanting to profit on a fast growing place, or they are just dealing in human trafficking.
Though "just" isn't probably the best way to describe human trafficking. Should I do something about that? I don't think so, I'm leaving soon anyway. Well one business is done time to move on to the other.
"Uncle, I've got a question to ask you, can I?"
"Go on what is it?"
"Well, I've been thinking are there any merchants/caravans and the like going through here that are heading for the sea?"
"Why are you asking that?"
"I'm currently travelling with my parents right now, and we agreed for everyone to ask around about that, though I was supposed to stay in our room" I tell him with a smile.
"That's no good, but I've heard some word about that. Unfortunately I don't know much about that, you should ask around some more"
"I see, thank you" I continue my walk.
I thought he had some bad intention he is after all a middle aged man talking to a kid that looks like a girl. I guess you can't always judge by appearance, there are always some good people in this world after all.
I have been going around asking for some information for quite some time now, it's already noon. Thankfully it seems like there is a group of travelling merchants going through here in about 4 days.
I don't really have much to do here, I guess in my 3rd day I will go buy supplies and clean my clothes again, plus buy some supplies. In the other days I'm going to cultivate I guess, I've been saving up my system points for quite a while now and I think I will for a bit more.
There is nothing I really need to buy now, I cannot progress in my mecha designing and making in this state anyway.
On the other hand I should train in using Caliburn more, the thing I can feel like I'm close to making a breakthrough at, is attaining my sword intent. I want to do that before getting a 3rd soul ring.
"I guess it's time to go back now" I already attained my objective for today, so there is no problem.
At that I start heading back home, this time with a destination in mind I quickly start heading back. My journey was smooth, up till the half way point.
Then suddenly from the corner I feel someone grabbing me, before I could make any sound I black out.
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