Chapter 11, Hundred Noble Ladies at Night

Really?” Liu Xin Yue grabbed Lin Hai’s arm in pure excitement. With the hopes in her heart being lifted, her hands trembled as she clung; worried this opportunity might slip away. 

 

“Yes, just hold on for a moment.” Lin Hai avoids Liu Xin Yue’s desperate gaze and opened his inventory to check:

(‘Rejuvenation Pill’: A Pill to rejuvenate one’s soul.

Cannot be used for being under the cultivation level of Minor Deity.)

 

The introduction was simple and direct, but the line of small words below it almost made Lin Hai smash his head on the ground. ‘Cannot be used for being under the cultivation level of Minor Diety!’

 

[Then this means that there will not be any effect on us! What the hell?!] Lin Hai’s face turned ugly as he clenched his teeth in bitterness. [Lord Lao Zi, you bastard! Why do you discriminate against us mortals?]

 

“What’s wrong?” Seeing Lin Hai’s facial expression change made Liu Xin Yue even more nervous.

 

“Mm. It’s all right. It will take a few days to save my uncle, but I’ve got a solution. Don’t worry about it.” Lin Hai comforts Liu Xin Yue.

 

“Oh.” Liu Xin Yue nodded with a smile, hiding a touch of wariness but still trying it’s best to wish that Lin Hai’s words were true.

 

“My Lord, are there any Rejuvenation Pills that mortals can take?”

Lin Hai thought about it and sent Monkey King another message.

“No!” Monkey King quickly replied with such assurance that Lin Hai felt a chill run down his back. [Goddamit! How? How can I save him then?]

 

After a while, Lin Hai and Liu Xin Yue returned back to their school dormitory.

 

Lin Hai laid in bed, deep in thought. He came up with an idea and opened up his phone to check up on the group.

 

Lin Hai: “@Lord Lao Zi, are there any rejuvenating pills that mortals can take? “

Lord Lao Zi: “For mortals? I don’t make that stuff. It’s too low level for someone like me to waste time creating them.”

Lin Hai: “What if I am interested to purchase one?”

Lord Lao Zi: “Hmm… Sure. 10000 Points.”

Lin Hai: “…”

Erlang Shen: “Old fart, those rejuvenation pills that you sell for those in the Fairy realm only cost 500 points. How can a pill for mortals possibly cost that much.”

Lord Lao Zi: “@Erlang Shen, you know farts. When I practice my alchemy, make it by the pots! In short, I make it by batches. If he wants one, how can I sell the rest? Will you be willing to buy the rest of the stock?”

Erlang Shen:  “If it is for mere mortals, then I have no use for such a thing.“

Qi Xian Nu:  “Lao Zi is trying to say that the price of one and one stove should be the same. After all, it is not marketable for any of us.”

Lord Lao Zi: “@Qi Xian Nu, Exactly!”

Qi Xian Nu: “Oh, mentioning mortals, I wish to go down to earth again. Unfortunately, Heaven and Earth have been separated for three thousand years…”

 

Lin Hai withdrew from WeChat and sighed in his heart. [I can’t buy from Lao Jun. Let alone 10,000, I don’t think I can even afford a carrot from him. I can’t also trade a carrot for the pill like the last time…]

 

Early the next morning, Lin Hai opened up the WeChat group and stared at his smartphone, daring not to leave for a moment. [Lord Lao Zi said that Red Packets are only given out once a day, but I would not be able to receive them if I’m not online]

 

Lord Lao Zi: “All right. Send out Red Packets.”

 

[Finally!] Lin Hai thought

notification was sent out ‘Ding Ding!’

 

A large Red Packets appeared on the screen and Lin Hai opened it

 

Once he clicked on the red packet, a global announcement rang out to inform the whole chat group what he received.

 

Clear Heart Pill: A holy medicine to dispel evil spirits. This medication will not have any effect on those below Minor Deity.

 

Lin Hai’s opinions of Lord Lao Zi got lower. [Another one that can’t be used by mortals…]

 

Mo Li Qing: @Lin Hai, a Taoist friend, are you willing to sell the Clear Heart Pill you just got?

”Of course!” Lin Hai wearily replied. [after all, I have no use for it anyway.]

Mo Li Qing: “How much?”

“Tell me how much you are willing to spend.” Lin Hai replied [Hmm… I wonder how much a Clear Heart Pill cost.]

 

Just as he was thinking, a notification rang out. It was a message from the Monkey King.

 

“This Mo Li Qing is going to break through in 3 to 9 days’ time. He urgently needs Clear Heart Pill. If the offer is fewer than 1,000 points, don’t bother selling it.”

[Holy shit!] Lin hai exclaimed and replied. “Thank you, my lord!”

 

Mo Li Qing: “How about 300?”

 

Lin Hai rolled his eyes. [This damn deity, knows that I am not well aware of the market and is trying to take advantage of me.]

Mo Li Qing: 500, and no more!

Lin Hai: Are you taking me for a joke?

 

After waiting for a few minutes, Mo Li Qing did not reply.

 

[Damn it. Did this sale just fall through?] Lin Hai cursed. Just as he was about to throw his phone back onto the bed, a notification popped up.

 

‘Ding Ding!’ Mo Li Qing asks to add you as a friend. Do you accept?

 

“Yes!” Lin Hai exclaims as he pressed the button.

 

Mo Li Qing: “Daoist Brother, I can only pay you 600 at most and no more.”

 

[If the offer is fewer than 1,000 points, don’t bother selling it] Monkey King’s words reverberate once again in Lin Hai’s mind, convincing him once again. “Sorry but that is too low for me to accept 1000 and no less!”

 

Mo Li Qing: “Haa… even Lord Lao Zi only sells this pill for 800.”

Lin Hai: “Then you can buy it from Lord Lao Zi.”

Mo Li Qing: “…”

 

Noticing and waiting to see his response, Lin Hai felt at ease. He discovered that Mo Li Qing was the one is a desperate situation while he was the one with the upper hand in this negotiation. Waiting for a reply, Lin Hai smirked as the next message came up.

 

“Daoist brother, how about I make you a deal?” Mo Li Qing finally opened up and asked. “I only have 600 at hand.  Can I replace the 400 with something else?”

Lin Hai: “What do you want to replace?”

Mo Li Qing: “I have a friend in the prefecture who had gifted me with one of his paintings. Do you think I can exchange it instead of the 400? “

Lin Hai: “What’s your friend’s name?”

Mo Ling Qing: “Tang Bo Hu.”

(Silavin: A famous Chinese painter in the 1400s)

 

Lin Hai could not believe those words had has to reread the name. At the very least, he needed to reconfirm who it was.

 

Lin Hai: “Are you sure that’s his actual name?”

Mo Ling Qing: “Yeah. It‘s Tang Bo Hu, why, do you know?”

 

[Not only do I know him, but there are only a handful of people in China who do not know who Tang Bo Hu is. Damn. To think I would get an opportunity to see his paintings and much less own one! Of course, I’m going to exchange it! Only a god damn idiot would not exchange it!] Lin Hai thought as he could not control his lips from curling up.

 

Though, even with all that excitement, Lin Hai was still aware that he was in negotiation and played to be none the wiser.

 

Lin Hai: “No. It’s just that I haven’t heard of him before. To me, he’s just a nobody.”

Mo Li Qing: “Then Daoist brother, what I can exchange for the Clear Heart Pill? I really need it urgently.”

Lin Hai: “Haa… Forget it. I don’t think you will be able to grant me what I want. No matter. I’ll take this as my lost for now. Ahh… I always wonder why I’m so soft-hearted…”

Mo Li Qing: “Are you serious? Thank you, Daoist brother! I Mo Li Qing will forever be grateful to you.”

 

‘Ding Ding!’, just as Mo Li Qing sent out his message, two more notification popped up:

Mo Li Qing transferred 600 to you.

Mo Li Qing sent you Tang Bo Hu’s original painting, <Hundred Noble Ladies at Night>.

 

Mo Li Qing: “Daoist friend, you are satisfied with this picture? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)”

 

[Whoop!] After Lin Hai saw the name of the painting he started to cough. [What kind of bloody painting is this? Is this a painting of a brothel?]

 

[I know that Tang Bo Hu’s style of painting is well-known. From what I recall, Mo Li Qing is a man of war and was a crude man. Thinking back on it, how could he become friends with Tang Bo Hu? Tang Bo Hu was a gifted scholar… don’t tell me this is the common hobby they had that helped them get to know each other…] Lin Hai thought and sighed. He knew that though Tang Bo Hu was a scholar, he was not exactly pure in heart, mind, and body… especially the body…

 

Lin Hai, after taking note that Mo Li Qing has fulfilled his end of the bargain, began to fulfill his.

 

Clear Heart Pill has been sent to Mo Li Qing

 

Mo Li Qing: “A thousand thanks”

 

Placing his phone back to his pockets, Lin Hai began to check around his dorm to see that no one else was in, and no one else will intrude upon him.

 

Extract!

 

“Boom!” A box with a thick wooden stench appeared before him. Lin Hai stared as the box in shock as he exclaimed: “What the hell. Why is this so big!? It’s longer hand a meter!”

 

Opening the box, there was a simple scroll inside. Just form the outer appearance of this roll of paper, it could be claimed that it was created years ago. Gently unscrolling this piece of paper, Lin Hai took a look. When he saw the contents within, he felt the heat rising to his lower abdomen and something rising up from the depths.

 

The painting was so vivid and lifelike. It had the force to suck you in and make it seem as though you were partaking the acts within the painting.

 

“This truly is the work of Tang Bo Hu. It makes modern movies pale in comparison. I need to sell it!” Lin Hai said. He was not interested in painting and calligraphy, but the money that this painting could fetch.

 

Having kept this painting in another smaller box, Lin Hai called Liu Liang. “Liang, do you know where I can sell antique paintings or calligraphy for a good price?”

 

In Lin Hai’s circle of friends, Liu Liang’s family was relatively wealthy. So, it was likely that Liu Liang had experience in some form or another in this particular market.

 

Liu Liang: “Ancient Street!”

Lin Hai: “Just curious, how much is a Tang Bo Hu’s painting worth?”

Liu Liang: “I don’t know the market, but it’s definitely not cheap.”

Lin Hai: “Where are you right now? Do you want to come with me?”

 

Since Liu Liang has a car, it would be convenient to travel there. Holding a box of this size would be difficult unless he called a cab.

 

Liu Liang: “Sure. I’m outside now. Will be heading back to school soon. Pick you up there?”

Lin Hai: “Yeah. Thanks.”

 

A short while later, a white Audi A4 parked in front of the dormitory.

 

Just as Lin Hai was about to get on, his phone started to ring. It was Liu Xin Yue.

 

Liu Xin Yue: “Lin Hai, I see you are getting on a car, are you going somewhere? “

Lin Hai: “I’m heading to Ancient Street. Wanna come?”

Liu Xin Yue: “En. But can you wait for me? I just ended class.”

Lin Hai: “Sure. I’ll pick you up at the girl’s dormitory.”

Liu Xin Yue: “En. Thank you.”

 

After they ended the call, Liu Hai turned his attention to Liu Liang and said, “Can you go to the girls’ dormitory and pick her up? ”

 

“Dang. Brother, to think you manage to get with Liu Xin Yue!” Liu Liang looked back with admiration on his face.

 

“Alright! Sit tight!” Liu Liang, said as he could not contain his excitement to support his brother and dashed out. However, his enthusiasm was a little too great as this sharp turn nearly hit the side of the road.

 

This near accident left Lin Hai sweating, as he cursed. [Holy Shit… I hope I am not going to regret getting on his car…]

 

After they picked up Liu Xin Yue they headed off to Ancient Street. On the way, there Lin Hai was browsing the Internet.

 

Jiang Nan City’s largest antique calligraphy and painting shop. Wan Gu Tang, has a history of nearly 100 years.

 

Since Liu Liang claimed to still be busy, he alighted Lin Hai and Liu Xin Yue in front of Wan Gu Tang before speeding off.

 

The pair looked at each other and prepared themselves. As soon as they entered the door, a young man forward and checked up on Lin Hai and Liu Xin Yue.

 

Once he surveyed them, his facial expression turned icy and he asked in an impatient tone. “Are you here to buy a painting?”

 

“I’m here to sell a painting!” Lin Hai said as he tried to control his anger.

 

“Selling a painting?” The man sneered, “If you want to sell your painting, then go somewhere else. We are not a garbage collection.”

 

“What if it is a Tang Bo Hu’s painting? You won’t buy them? ” Lin Hai icily asked.

 

“Tang Bo Hu?” Guys stared at Lin Hai as though he was an idiot. “Tang Bo Hu’s works have all been uncovered and they are now spread throughout the world. They are owned by rich collectors who keep them in preservative containment units. Idiots like you would not be able to tell what a true Tang Bo Hu’s painting really looks like. Get out!”

 

The man quickly started top shoo them away.

 

‘Pop’ Lin Hai took out his black box and placed it directly in front of the counter. “No. You get lost. I want to see your boss. Get him out!”