Casting immortality in the furnace

Chapter 54 Lively yet chilling

At night, Fan Zhou arrived at the East Market.

The streets were bustling with people, and the sounds of conversation filled the air.

"The market is getting more and more lively."

Now that the chaos caused by demons has ended, Qin Zhiyuan has integrated all the villagers around the market town and helped them build a small town outside the market town, where they live near the market town.

These thousands of villagers often come to the market to stroll around when they have free time.

Although they couldn't afford much, the shopkeepers were happy to see that the market wasn't as lifeless as it used to be.

Moreover, a few days ago, Qin Zhiyuan officially revealed that the people of the Gumi tribe would arrive at the market in seven days and stay there for three days.

These merchants are now in high spirits, with plenty of goods on hand. They have decorated their shops lavishly, hung colorful lanterns and red silks, and illuminated the streets as brightly as day, even at night.

The villagers were amazed and began to discuss who the Gumi tribe was.

Fan Zhou did learn some information about the Gumi tribe from Peng Yue.

This tribe has a long history and controls many gold and silver mines. They hold more than 40% of the wealth in Fujian Province and are truly big spenders.

He was also looking forward to the arrival of the Gumi tribe, hoping to sell the daggers he had forged and earn some money.

Since he joined the weapon forging workshop, his expenses have increased dramatically, and his monthly allowance is simply not enough.

The spirit stone that Tian Youliang gave him was used to buy pills and for cultivation, and now there's hardly any left.

"If I buy another pill today, I'll be penniless."

Fan Zhou walked heavily toward the Hundred Flowers Pavilion.

When he passed by the shop that sold corpse refining, he saw that the owner of the Hundred Flowers Pavilion, Haitang, was arguing with someone, surrounded by a large crowd.

Shopkeeper Haitang was a beautiful woman in her early thirties, dressed in colorful silk, revealing her fragrant shoulders and jade arms. Her curved eyebrows and eyes always gave her a charming demeanor, and her voice was slightly hoarse. She walked with graceful bearing and was very popular among the disciples of the Sword Furnace.

But at this moment, the beautiful woman's eyebrows furrowed, her anger blazing, and she pointed at the effeminate, pale-faced man in the corpse-refining shop, cursing loudly:

"You bunch of grave-digging bastards, why are you all blindly following suit with your decorations and renovations!"

Fan Zhou walked over out of curiosity and discovered that the corpse refining shop had also been renovated.

Not only were bright flowers hanging on the door plaque, but rows of colorful glass lanterns were also lit under the eaves, with flashing neon lights. A music box on the counter was playing cheerful songs, and seven or eight beautiful female corpses were dancing stiffly, with red makeup painted on their pale faces.

The pale-faced man with effeminate features flicked his jade-like fingers and retorted without any politeness, "You're just jealous of how nicely our house is decorated." His voice was even more effeminate than his appearance.

"Am I jealous of how nicely you decorated it?"

Shopkeeper Haitang was so angry that his chest trembled, and his two snow rabbits hopped and jumped around as he shouted:

"With your androgynous appearance and these neither-human-nor-ghost decorations, no one could stand to look at you!"

"Why are you swearing at me?" The effeminate man looked aggrieved, took out a handkerchief to wipe his eyes, and said, "You old woman, you're just jealous. You're clearly in the wrong, yet you still resort to foul language."

Shopkeeper Haitang's phoenix eyes widened instantly, her hands clenched so tightly they cracked, and her invisible aura caused her clothes to flutter loudly:

"Who are you calling an old woman?"

Before the effeminate man could retort, an elderly man in a green robe quickly stepped forward, standing between the two, and said in a gentle voice:

"We're all here to do business, don't get so worked up."

The shopkeeper, Haitang, lost her imposing manner, her expression turning sorrowful as tears streamed down her face.

"Senior Lu, you must help this humble woman. He has decorated the corpse refining shop like this; how are we supposed to do business now?"

The effeminate man also wept, tears streaming down his face. "Why can the Hundred Flowers Pavilion be decorated, but our Grave Hill can't? This is too much of a bullying!"

The elderly man surnamed Lu, caught between the two, felt utterly overwhelmed and said bitterly:

"Gentlemen, we are all neighbors, please compromise."

Several shopkeepers nearby also stepped forward to mediate and prevent the dispute from escalating further.

"The market is getting more and more lively."

Fan Zhou left reluctantly, still wanting more.

He walked over to the Hundred Flowers Pavilion next door and took a closer look at their decorations, finding that they were indeed not as nice as the Corpse Refining Shop.

Upon entering the building, Zhiruo was leading three girls to hang a crystal chandelier on the ceiling.

The crystal chandeliers were all crystal clear and sparkling, clearly bought at a high price, while several large red lanterns that had just been taken down were lying on the ground.

Fan Zhou immediately laughed, "No wonder Shopkeeper Haitang was so angry, it turns out the lamps she bought weren't as good as others'."

Zhiruo glared at him, annoyed. "You dare speak ill of Sister Haitang? Be careful, or I won't give you discounts anymore."

"Sister Zhiruo, don't be angry. I was wrong, I was wrong."

Fan Zhou begged for mercy and then took out the spirit sand and placed it on the counter:

"Buy seven Bone Tempering Pills."

Qingju came over to get his medicine, and asked curiously, "Didn't you usually buy ten pills at a time?"

Fan Zhou sighed, "I'm out of money."

Qingju immediately turned to Zhiruo and shouted, "Sister Zhiruo, he's out of money. Let's not give him a discount next time."

"How could you do this, girl?" Fan Zhou glared at him.

Qingju suddenly shuddered and stared blankly at him.

"What's wrong with you?" Fan Zhou asked, puzzled.

Qingju's pretty face flushed red and then turned pale, and tears immediately fell down her cheeks.

Fan Zhou was taken aback. "Why are you crying?"

Qingju didn't speak, she just lowered her head and sobbed.

Zhiruo quickly came over and hugged Qingju to comfort her, then looked at Fan Zhou with a headache and said:

"Qingju was just joking, why are you yelling at her?"

"I didn't yell at her, I was just joking," Fan Zhou said, feeling very wronged.

Zhi Ruo handed the pills on the counter to Fan Zhou, saying irritably, "You scared him to tears and you still haven't scolded him?"

Fan Zhou was speechless and could only helplessly accept the pills and turn to leave.

As he reached the door, he glanced back and saw Qingju looking at him with a pitiful expression. When their eyes met, she immediately became annoyed and buried her head in Zhiruo's chest.

Fan Zhou sighed and left.

"Alright, alright, don't cry anymore." After he left, Zhiruo comforted Qingju a few more times.

Qingju then released her and wiped away her tears.

Zhiruo asked, puzzled, "He didn't yell at you at all, so why are you crying?"

Qingju blushed and whispered, "His eyes were so scary when he glared at me just now."

Zhiruo found it amusing. "You cry just from someone glaring at you? What will you do if they try to hit you?"

Qingju said hesitantly, "It's really scary."

"Okay, okay." Zhiruo replied perfunctorily and went back to hang the crystal chandelier.

"Come over and help me as soon as you're done."

Qingju did not answer, and walked towards the backyard with a flushed face.

Zhiruo was stunned, watching her leave in confusion. After a while, she suddenly realized, "This child wasn't... scared to death, was he?"

"No way?"

"Is she really that timid?"

The other two girls looked on incredulously.

After a while, Qingju returned, having changed her clothes, and silently tidied up the red lanterns on the ground.

The three of them exchanged glances, but no one said anything, and they continued with their work.

Meanwhile, Fan Zhou returned home, took a Bone Tempering Pill, and then went to the foot of the mountain to practice his swordsmanship.

In an instant, the sixty-four sword techniques poured out of his hands. The bright sword light was like a peacock spreading its tail, embracing the cold moonlight and turning into a silver ball that enveloped him. Each sword strike was as natural as a gazelle hanging its horns, and it was no longer possible to tell whether it was fierce or gentle.

Fan Zhou was completely focused, his chilling gaze almost identical to the gleam of a sword.