Volume One: The First Arrival Chapter Four: The Marketplace

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Gazing at the skill effects of the basic internal cultivation, Meng Xingchen was filled with excitement. Since his transmigration, his restless heart finally found some solace. Recalling that the task had also rewarded him with three hundred biological energy points, he knew he could level up again—and likely by more than one level.

Sure enough, the number following the biological tier began to flash once more, showing 445/100. Silently commanding an upgrade, the number changed to 345/150, still flashing. After upgrading again, it became 195/200.

As for the two newly acquired free attribute points, Meng Xingchen did not plan to use them immediately. The basic internal cultivation had increased all his attributes by one point each, and he wanted to observe the effect of the agility increase before deciding how to allocate the points.

At that moment, Li Dan牛 returned to the small courtyard with a worried look. “We need to make a trip to the market. Do you want to come along and see it?”

Meng Xingchen asked curiously, “We just went through a battle. Why head to the market now instead of handling the aftermath?”

Li Dan牛 explained, “It’s been a long time since so many dog-headed goblins invaded the village. Their groups have likely grown following two years of breeding, and more of them will come seeking food. We need to hire mercenaries at the market to clear them out.”

Since Li family village was so isolated, Meng Xingchen naturally wouldn’t miss the chance to visit the market and meet more people, gaining further insight into this fantastical world.

Hiring mercenaries required money, so all the villagers needed to pool their resources. While the villagers gathered valuable items like leather and mountain goods, Meng Xingchen modified his damaged climbing suit—torn by the shadow leopard—into a makeshift backpack capable of holding five bamboo spears slung diagonally on his back.

Afterward, he followed five village representatives chosen by the villagers, including Li Dan牛, carrying all the goods the village had collected.

Although the journey to the market was over twenty li away, it was not difficult to traverse, following the small river eastward out of the village.

The five representatives consisted of four strong young men and one elder; the young men carried and protected the goods, while the elder handled transactions and hiring matters.

The elder’s name was Li Shan. It was said he had wandered outside when young and was the most knowledgeable and respected man in the village. At this time, Li Shan led the group at the front, with Li Dan牛 and the other young men carrying the goods in the middle, and Meng Xingchen walking at the rear, constantly observing their surroundings.

After traveling about five or six li, the river began to widen, forming a calm pool in the distance. Meng Xingchen saw some animals moving in the water.

He warned everyone to be on high alert and drew a bamboo spear from his back, ready to strike at any moment.

As they approached, Li Shan and the others recognized the animals in the pool and breathed a sigh of relief. Li Shan whispered, “Those are wild oxen. Everyone, please move quietly; don’t disturb them.”

There were seven wild oxen in total, resembling the water buffaloes from Earth but much larger and covered in muscular lumps. Their horns were not thick and curved like water buffalo but short and sharp, standing upright like two daggers on their heads.

Knowing Meng Xingchen had little knowledge of beasts and magical creatures, Li Dan牛 quietly explained, “Wild oxen rarely attack first but have very bad tempers and live in herds. Though just beasts, even first- or second-tier magical beasts won’t dare provoke them. I’m called Li Dan牛 because shortly after I was born, my father found a wild ox that had fallen to its death. Its hide was so thick that hunting knives struggled to cut through it, and they had to sharpen their blades several times just to skin it.”

Hearing this, Meng Xingchen glanced at his bamboo spear, then at the muscular beasts leisurely playing in the water with their thick pelts, and quietly slid the spear back onto his back.

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The journey went smoothly, and by noon, Meng Xingchen saw from afar where the small river joined a larger one. At the outer bay of the river junction, a cluster of buildings was faintly visible.

At the confluence, Meng Xingchen noticed the large river was over twenty meters wide and had no bridge. A wooden ferry was slowly drifting toward them in the river’s center.

After crossing the river on the wooden ferry, they entered the market—only to be greatly disappointed. Although Li Dan牛 had told him this was the only market within a thirty-four li radius, Meng Xingchen had expected it to be at least the size of a small town.

Instead, the so-called market was just a street less than a hundred meters long, surrounded by haphazardly scattered homes with no planning. The market was desolate; hardly any pedestrians could be seen, and the only sounds were the constant clanging of metal from a blacksmith.

Fortunately, despite its small size, the market was well equipped with essential shops: there was a blacksmith, leather goods store, grain and oil shop, a general store, and even a tavern that was relatively large for such a small market.

The villagers first needed to sell their leather and mountain goods, then hire mercenaries at the tavern to clear the dog-headed goblins near the village.

Li Dan牛 took out the shadow leopard’s pelt and six dog-headed goblin pelts, still tinged with blood, handing them to Meng Xingchen—spoils from his brief day since transmigration.

In theory, since Meng Xingchen and Li Dan牛 had jointly killed the shadow leopard and Meng Xingchen had been given the most valuable magical beast core, the pelt should belong to Li Dan牛. But Li Dan牛 adamantly refused to take it, and since Meng Xingchen needed money to upgrade his gear, he kept it for now, planning to compensate Li Dan牛 later.

The dog-headed goblin pelts were not very valuable, worth only three to six copper coins depending on their condition. The six pelts Meng Xingchen had were damaged to varying degrees and sold for only nineteen copper coins.

The leather shop owner was very interested in the shadow leopard pelt and offered two silver coins. Li Shan and the owner argued heatedly, but the owner only raised the price to two silver coins and thirty copper coins. Ultimately, Meng Xingchen heeded Li Shan’s advice and did not sell it.

After Li Shan sold the villagers’ collected goods at the leather and general stores, he led the group—with under seven silver coins in payment—toward the tavern, which was somewhat oversized for the small market.

Meng Xingchen walked at the rear, examining the shabby market while fiddling with the copper coins in his hand.

The copper coins were surprisingly well minted. Meng Xingchen had expected the coins in this world to be rough given the current level of productivity.

However, the nineteen copper coins were uniform in size—just larger than an adult’s thumbnail and perfectly round. The edges were smooth. One side bore a strange human face, though ugly with a pointed mouth, monkey-like cheeks, and a large nose; the portrait was clear and vivid, radiating slyness. The other side held mysterious symbols—unintelligible, but clearly crafted with skill.

At noon, the tavern’s spacious hall, over a hundred square meters, was nearly empty, with only three or five people scattered about, each drinking alone.

Li Shan, surprised by the quietness, lazily inquired with the bartender behind the counter.

The bartender’s answer shocked Li Shan’s group. Recently, dog-headed goblins had overrun several villages, and the already few mercenaries in the market had all been hired out. Moreover, other villages had placed deposits and were in queue, so no mercenaries would be available for at least another ten days.

Just as Li Shan’s group felt at a loss, a commotion erupted outside the tavern. Then a sharp, high-pitched voice called from the doorway: “This journey has worn me out! Bring a large glass of the finest fruit wine for generous Klein to quench my thirst!”

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With the voice came a small creature about one meter tall, with green skin, large ears tipped with points.

Meng Xingchen looked at the little creature in surprise, feeling a strange sense of familiarity. The reactions of the tavern’s patrons were interesting—more like Earthlings seeing a foreigner than encountering a monster.

The little creature swaggered to the bar, climbed onto a high stool, and sat with his head just barely above the counter. He pulled out a pouch, laid three copper coins on the bar, and began sizing up everyone in the tavern.

Seeing the coins, Meng Xingchen realized this creature’s face was exactly the same as the one on the copper coins. Then a name from Earth’s fantasy races popped into his mind: goblin.

As Meng Xingchen observed the goblin, the goblin noticed him holding the shadow leopard pelt. His eyes lit up, and he jumped down from the stool, running over.

“Wow, look what I found! A beautiful pelt—sell it to generous Klein! I’ll offer... one silver coin. How about it?”

Meng Xingchen smiled wryly and shook his head. Could this be called typical goblin behavior—stingy and cunning?

Seeing Meng Xingchen’s refusal, Klein looked wounded and said, “Alright, lucky guy, you’ve met the generous and honest Klein. I’ll offer one silver coin and ten copper coins. How about that?” As he spoke, he reached for the pelt.

Meng Xingchen stepped back and dodged his hand, staring displeased at the green-skinned little fellow. Just then, Li Shan stepped forward, blocking Meng Xingchen with a bow and a smile.

“Mr. Klein, this is a complete shadow leopard pelt, with no damage. It’s worth at least five silver coins.”

The goblin shrieked dramatically, “Five silver coins? That’s robbery! Do you know what robbery means?”

After the outburst, seeing that they would not budge, he reluctantly said, “Fine, fine, I’m generous Klein after all. But five silver coins is impossible; the most I’ll offer is four. Though it’s unrolled, I can tell at a glance it’s the pelt of a juvenile shadow leopard—no one can fool the shrewd Klein!”

Then the green little fellow strode outside, saying, “Come see my goods! You’ll find what you need; these are all top-notch!”

Li Shan nodded at Meng Xingchen and led the way outside.

At that moment, two four-wheeled horse-drawn carts appeared on the street, piled high with various goods. Four burly men in leather armor were unloading them.

The goblin approached the first cart and said, “Look, these are weapons carefully crafted by goblin artisans—far better than those made by your human blacksmiths.” He lifted a spear nearly 1.8 meters long. “See this? A spearhead forged from refined steel, a shaft made from ironwood. It’s worth four silver coins. Trade it for your shadow leopard pelt?”

Meng Xingchen did need a melee weapon but shook his head. “Since ancient times, spearmen have been endowed with great fortune, but only Zi Long has monopolized one stone, while others owe two dou. Do you have any other weapons?”