After Being Reborn a Hundred Times, I Refused to Be the Villain - Chapter 17:

Chapter 17: Purchasing Spirit Herbs

Putting aside how the Heavenly Dao Sect and the Righteous Alliance were investigating the Fang Family in secret, after returning to Xiangdao City, Ling Yun noticed something interesting. Though the city appeared peaceful on the surface, its internal defenses had been significantly reinforced. Several formations that had long remained dormant were now fully activated. If anyone with ill intent tried to sneak in at this time, it would be like walking straight into a trap.

“Looks like the City Lord of Xiangdao City is quite cautious,” Yun Xi said as she accepted a sugar figurine from a street vendor and turned to Ling Yun.

“This City Lord is not as simple as he looks. Though he’s usually lazy and likes to slack off, he’s extremely dependable when it counts. When the demonic cultivators ravaged the land in the future, Xiangdao City managed to hold off several attacks, and he was a major contributor,” Ling Yun said, gazing toward the City Lord’s residence.

“It’s a pity someone like him met such a bad end just because he didn’t stand on the same side as the Child of Destiny, right?” Yun Xi clearly knew the City Lord’s eventual fate.

“Forget it, no need to talk about such depressing things. But Xiangdao City today does seem livelier than usual,” Ling Yun observed the bustle around them.

“Hah, did you forget? Around this time, most of the spirit herb farmers’ crops mature. The farmers looking to sell their spirit herbs and the merchants wanting to buy all come to Xiangdao City for trade. In the previous reincarnations, this used to be your busiest time,” Yun Xi said, taking a bite off the sugar figurine’s head.

“During spirit herb procurement? After leaving the Heavenly Dao Sect, I really forgot all about that. I wonder who they’ve sent this year to buy from the farmers,” Ling Yun finally remembered.

In past years, the disciples of Pill Peak had always sent word to Ling Yun, asking him to go down the mountain to purchase spirit herbs. Though they envied the fact that Ling Yun controlled the spirit herb procurement channel for Pill Peak, because Master Xueyue stood behind him, they could only grumble silently and never dared to make a move.

Many of them had tried to find fault with Ling Yun’s purchases, but the herbs he procured were always flawless in both quality and quantity, leaving them no excuse to raise an issue.

“Let’s hope the disciples sent to buy the herbs behave properly. The group of herb farmers you cultivated aren’t that easy to deceive. But… can they really handle it?” Yun Xi said with a trace of schadenfreude in her tone, as if remembering something amusing.

While Ling Yun and Yun Xi discussed the matter of Pill Peak purchasing spirit herbs, several disciples from Pill Peak had already arrived at the site where Ling Yun used to handle the trade.

In past years, this task had been fully managed by Ling Yun. Now that he had left the Heavenly Dao Sect, the responsibility naturally passed to them. The group calculated how much profit they could pocket from the purchase and excitement lit up their eyes.

At the location, an elderly man with white hair and beard was already waiting. Beside him stood a four- or five-year-old girl.

“Grandpa, Grandpa, do you think that Immortal big brother will come again this time?” the little girl asked with wide, sparkling eyes.

“If nothing unexpected happened, it should still be him this year,” the old man said with a warm smile, stroking his beard.

Behind him were several wooden boxes, a gentle medicinal fragrance wafting from within. Many merchants nearby looked longingly in his direction, their eyes filled with anticipation and helplessness.

These merchants were shrewd individuals. From the faint scent alone, they could tell these were top-grade spirit herbs. Naturally, they were eager to get their hands on such valuable goods. After all, there was no such thing as too many spirit herbs.

Unfortunately, the old man seemed to be waiting for someone. He politely declined all offers, leaving many merchants sighing in frustration.

“Young Master, this is the third year already. Are you still not giving up?” a servant whispered to a fan-wielding man beside him.

“You don’t understand, Xiao Liuzi. The herbs in that old man’s hands are the finest in the region. If we can secure this supply, it would mean a lot for our Spirit Herb Pavilion,” the man said, folding his fan.

“But every year, the old man sells everything to the Heavenly Dao Sect. This year likely won’t be any different, right?” Xiao Liuzi clearly had little hope.

Last year, even after their Young Master offered to pay 20% above the market price, the old man still refused.

“No, no, this year things might be different. We might have a chance,” the man replied mysteriously.

Just then, several arrogant young cultivators appeared before the old man. Judging by their robes, they were clearly from the Heavenly Dao Sect.

Seeing the newcomers, the Young Master of the Spirit Herb Pavilion narrowed his eyes. As expected, something had changed. The disciple he’d taken a liking to had not come. Instead, a few unfamiliar faces had arrived. Perhaps this time, he really did have a chance.

The Pill Peak disciples strode up swaggeringly to the old man. The leader glanced at him and said, “Old man, you’re the one selling spirit herbs to our Heavenly Dao Sect?”

The girl beside the old man frowned upon hearing the tone. She wanted to say something but was gently tugged by the old man’s sleeve. In the end, she stayed quiet, though she puffed her cheeks in anger and looked away.

“Immortals, I am indeed here to sell my spirit herbs to the Heavenly Dao Sect. Please, take a look—these are top-quality spirit herbs,” the old man said cheerfully as he cupped his fists and opened one of the wooden boxes behind him.

A rich medicinal scent drifted out from the box, drawing even more attention from the nearby merchants. Many of them had seen the old man before, yet they were still impressed. Growing even low-grade spirit herbs to such quality was no ordinary feat.

“Yeah, yeah, got it. Here’s your spirit stones, take them,” the Pill Peak disciple waved impatiently, tossing a storage pouch at the old man. He then motioned for the disciples behind him to begin collecting the boxes.