Little Junior Sister, We Can’t Handle This Grind Anymore - Chapter 19

The stall owner studied Feng Qingran once more.

Dressed in a light cyan robe, she carried an air of noble elegance, like a solitary lotus standing above the mundane world—commanding reverence, making others feel unworthy in her presence, daring not to defile her with improper thoughts.

Seeing the stall owner lost in thought, Feng Qingran spoke coldly, “Is there something else?”

Snapping out of his daze, the man startled and quickly put on an ingratiating smile. “Miss, was your friend on the teleportation array behind you?”

Feng Qingran’s beautiful eyes turned icy. “Why are you asking so many questions?”

“Ah, don’t misunderstand! I just wanted to tell you that the teleportation array’s landing points are random. Your friend might have been sent somewhere else entirely. You won’t find them by waiting here.”

Feng Qingran’s lips twitched. Why didn’t Mo Jinghong mention such an important detail?

If he claimed he didn’t know, she’d never believe it!

Originally, she had planned to wait until the stall owner left before making her move. Now, it seemed unnecessary. “Thank you for the reminder.”

“You’re too kind. Also, communication talismans don’t work in the Black Market,” the stall owner added sincerely, seeing her politeness. “Though there are patrols here, it’s best for a young lady like you to stay cautious.”

While Feng Qingran wouldn’t be in any immediate danger inside the Black Market, there was no guarantee some unscrupulous individuals wouldn’t target her later.

Feng Qingran cupped her hands in thanks. “Since I need to find my friend, I’ll return this stall to you. Farewell.”

Feeling slightly guilty—after all, he had swindled the girl out of her spirit stones—the stall owner pulled out a booklet and handed it to her. “This is something I’ve compiled from over a decade in the Black Market. I hope it helps.”

Without hesitation, Feng Qingran accepted it, nodded, and left.

Not long after she departed, a man draped in a black cloak approached the stall owner.

“Let me see the spirit stones that girl gave you,” the man rasped, his voice muffled behind a mask.

The stall owner clutched his storage pouch tightly. “What do you want?”

The masked man scoffed. He was only curious about the stones—they looked familiar—not planning to steal them. This stall owner was being unnecessarily wary.

A chilling aura radiated from the man, startling the stall owner. Could he be that girl’s companion?

“T-This was given to me by that young lady! And—and you can’t fight in the Black Market!” the stall owner stammered loudly.

The masked man tossed him another storage pouch. “I only want to exchange for one of them.”

Peeking inside, the stall owner’s eyes widened. Was today his lucky day?

Though Feng Qingran’s spirit stones were close to heavenly-grade, they weren’t worth three hundred top-grade spirit stones.

Grinning, the stall owner handed over one of the stones. The masked man took it and left without another word.

Shaking his head, the stall owner rearranged his wares, waiting for the next big spender.

From a distance, Feng Qingran observed everything. The spirit stones she had used were given to her by Baili Wenliu. Why would that man want one? Was he connected to her Sixth Senior Brother?

Friend or foe?

She decided to report this to Baili Wenliu once she returned.

Stopping at a stall selling jewelry, Feng Qingran picked up a jade pendant. The moment it touched her skin, a cold sensation seeped into her fingers, making her frown. Unless she was mistaken, this thing carried traces of death energy.

“Young lady, what would you like to buy?” The stall owner’s eyes gleamed with calculation. Feng Qingran had been generous at Old Zhang’s stall—he wouldn’t let her leave without paying a premium.

Besides, young girls loved pretty things. With a little sweet-talking, she’d surely pay top price for his goods.

“Where did these come from?” Feng Qingran set down the pendant and picked up a hairpin instead—a third-grade defensive artifact.

“All handcrafted by my family! High quality, affordable, perfect for a lovely young lady like you.”

Feng Qingran lowered her gaze. The audacity.

The death energy clinging to these items wasn’t something that formed overnight. If not for her five-element spiritual roots and recent breakthrough to Qi Refining, she wouldn’t have sensed it at all.

For ordinary people, prolonged wear would shorten their lifespan. Even cultivators would suffer gradual vitality drain.

“See anything you like?” the stall owner pressed eagerly.

“I’ll keep looking.” A shadow flickered in Feng Qingran’s eyes.

Items looted from tombs usually carried yin energy. But objects tainted with death energy like these? They must have been taken directly from corpses—personal belongings of the deceased.

No way was she buying any of this.

“Master, Dandan says it wants the jade crown on the left,” Yuanbao’s childish voice chimed in her mind.

Feng Qingran paused mid-step. “Who is Dandan?”

“Master, don’t you remember? The egg Baili Wenliu gave you last time!”

Picking up the blue jade crown, Feng Qingran scanned her spatial storage. “Yuanbao, I don’t see it.”

“Master, it’s sleeping in a restricted area. You’ll be able to access it once you reach the Nascent Soul stage,” Yuanbao explained carefully.

“Drag it out. I want to see it now,” Feng Qingran retorted inwardly, rolling her eyes. This was her domain. She called the shots!