Ascending, Do Not Disturb!

Chapter 54: Salted Fish

Ever since entering Mind Activation Stage, Kong Hou felt a kind of understanding of the universal path. However, this feeling was so blurry she did not know if she was thinking too much, or if her mental state had changed as her cultivation increased.

What was the path of the universe?

What was important in the path of the mind?

She had joined the sect and cultivated. She possessed bravery and love, but could understanding just these things help her step onto the path to ascension?

A faint odor came into her nose. Kong Hou lost interest in discussing the path and searched around. The smell came from a shop that sold salted fish. Unlike the other stalls selling food, this salted fish store was desolate. Even the passersby would pinch their noses and quickly walk by.

Facing the disdainful expressions of the passersby, the shop owner seemed calm, and looked at people with a gaze that seemed to say, you are all ignorant mortals.

Maybe the owner’s mysterious and cool expression was too attention-catching, so that Kong Hou who had never eaten salted fish before suddenly felt curious. She said to Huan Zhong, “Huan Zhong, wait here for me. I am going to look at the salted fish shop.”

The owner had been preparing to find a book to pass the time. When he turned his head, he saw a young girl dressed finely standing before his shop with bright eyes. He put down his book and looked at the other. Was this one lost, or did she lose her money bag?

“Shop Owner, you sell just salted fish here?” Kong Hou looked at the dried fish hanging on the left wall that was larger than a person. Such a big fish—how long would a person need to eat it all?

“You want to buy?” The owner saw the young girl was dressed well and looked very clean. What was she doing in his salted fish shop instead of going to buy beautiful dresses?

“Yes.” Kong Hou nodded. “I am preparing to mail some back to friends—do you have any recommendations?”

The owner did not ask more. He took down several different fish from the rack and put them on the counter. “These fish have relatively gentle taste, suitable for non-locals like you.”

The salted fish was harder than tree bark. Kong Hou could not see any differences between the salted fish except for their size. “Then prepare one hundred for me.” If she did not buy enough, when the shijie of Food Hall made the dish, it would not be enough for everyone in the sect to eat.

One hundred? This young girl was preparing to sell them elsewhere and profit off the difference in price?

The owner took out a cloth bag. “One and a half spirit stones per fish, a one-use storage bag is fifty spirit stones; in total, two hundred spirit stones.”

“Owner, could this be lower?” Kong Hou touched her storage ring and started to count spirit stones.

“This is a small business—we do not bargain.” The owner cut her with a look. He took out a blue salted fish from the shelf. “You have bought a lot, so I can give you a sea fish. This fish is not local Yan City fish; I caught this at sea a long time ago.”

“Thank you, Shop Owner.” Kong Hou paid the spirit stones. She turned and saw Huan Zhong standing in the distance. She thought for a moment. “Give me another two hundred, packed separately.” Radiance Sect had more people, and they would need more fish.

The owner also sold another one-use storage bag to hold the two hundred salted fish. This time, without Kong Hou needing to speak up, he took down a wooden box from the shelf. He took out a piece of dried fish which was completely golden all over and the size of half a palm. “Bonus.”