Martial Cultivator

They headed towards the honey date shop on South Street and Zhu Xia took the initiative to say, "Actually, you don't need to worry. My master left a Dao thought on me before I left. If anything happens to me, he will arrive instantly. There's no danger."

"Dao thought."

Chen Chao nodded. He was aware of this technique used by the great sage of Daoism, which could leave a thought on someone. If they were not far apart, the great sage would arrive instantly when the person was in danger. If the distance was too great, the Dao thought would still hold some power of the original body who planted the Dao thought. This technique was used by cultivators of various paths, with different names for it.

Chen Chao sighed and said, "Your master really dotes on you."

Zhu Xia replied naturally, "That's of course, my master dotes on me dearly."

Chen Chao frowned and asked, "Since that's the case, why did your master leave first to meet the dean when you just entered the city?"

Chen Chao only learned about this matter later on. The great daoist sage from the Myriad Heaven Palace, who was also the master of this saintess in front of him, had actually left first before entering the city, disregarding the girl in front of him. If it were not for that, the assassination attempt would not have happened that day.

Upon bringing this up, Zhu Xia also felt unhappy and said, "Exactly! I think he didn't care about me, his disciple! If there's another time, he'd better be careful that I don't change my sect and come to the academy to study under the dean!"

Listening to this, Chen Chao could not stifle his laughter. While he found it amusing, he also understood that the fact Zhu Xia could casually say such things proved that she was truly carefree in Myriad Heaven Palace. At least, she was this way in front of her master. It also indirectly proved that the great daoist sage genuinely doted on this disciple.

"However, there seems to be some grudge between Master and the dean. I can understand why he was in such a hurry."

Zhu Xia furrowed her slender eyebrows slightly, a bit puzzled. "I wonder why there are grudges between my master and the dean. The dean is so good-looking."

Chen Chao could not help but ask, "Is the dean really good-looking?"

Zhu Xia nodded, looked at Chen Chao for a moment, and said responsibly, "Much better looking than you!"

"Alright, that's enough. Don't say it again next time."

Chen Chao felt rather speechless. Was he really that unattractive?

It seemed like Zhu Xia could discern what Chen Chao was thinking and shook her head as she said. "It's not that you're unattractive, but the dean is really good-looking."

Chen Chao felt another blow. This girl's seemingly comforting words had no comforting effect at all.

"When I personally meet the dean, I want to see how much better-looking he is compared to me!"

Chen Chao snorted. When he looked up, they had already arrived at the honey date shop.

This honey date shop on South Street was excellent. Even early in the morning, there was already a long queue. Zhu Xia was delighted to see this and quickly pulled Chen Chao to queue behind the crowd and said with lingering fear in her heart, "Lucky, it's all good."

Chen Chao furrowed his brow. "What do you mean good? There are so many people."

Zhu Xia pouted, "You don't understand. When I came here a few days ago, no one was in line. That is what's truly miserable, it means that they have already sold out. But today, we have to wait in line, which means we didn't come too late. Isn't that good?"

Chen Chao glanced at the long queue. Although he had been in the Divine Capital longer than Zhu Xia, he did not pay much attention to these things. He had not been to this area before, let alone waste half a day waiting in line.

"These honey dates are incredibly delicious. Get a bag for Big Sister Xie later too."

Zhu Xia has been staying in the academy these few days and her relationship with Xie Nandu was considered pretty good. Although they had made up their minds to compete against each other in the literary exam, there is no underlying animosity between them. The initial meeting, which seemed like a declaration of war, was just her personality and not aimed at anyone.

Chen Chao nodded. It had been a while since he visited the academy. Today, he could bring some honey dates to see Xie Nandu. He believed she would also enjoy these snacks.

"Speaking of the long queue, don't you have any thoughts of cutting in line?"

These days, foreign cultivators had been flooding into the Divine Capital. Although they had not committed any egregious acts, there had been frequent incidents of mistreatment towards the common people of the Divine Capital. Although the incidents were eventually resolved, it was not a good thing for the Great Liang Dynasty. A cultivator like Zhu Xia could actually disperse the crowd with ease by revealing her identity, but she did not do so.

"Hey, I stay in the academy, and I want to be reasonable, okay?"

Zhu Xia scoffed and then lowered her voice as she said with a laugh. "If I'm unreasonable, will you, as the deputy commander of the Left Guard, take action?"

Chen Chao replied seriously, "I can't beat your master."

Zhu Xia grinned. Her two dimples seemed to hold a lake of clear water.

Chen Chao looked up at the sun and pointed to a large tree in the distance. He said, "Go find some shade. I'll buy the dates."

Zhu Xia nodded. The Divine Capital was in the midst of summer, it was extremely hot even in the morning. She had just started cultivating and could not ignore the current weather like Chen Chao could. Upon hearing his words, she quickly skipped under the shade of a nearby large tree and pulled out a reclining chair like performing a magic trick. Then, she took out a box of ice cubes. Laying down contentedly in the shade of the tree, she began to doze off. In order to wake up early to buy the honey dates, she had not slept well the previous night.

Chen Chao looked at her appearance and felt that he might have been tricked.

Perhaps Zhu Xia asked him out just so he could queue up to buy the honey dates.

Shaking his head, Chen Chao stopped overthinking and quietly joined the line.

The honey date shop was doing exceptionally well with a long queue. It took him almost half a day to reach the front, with only three or five people ahead of him.

Then, he heard an overweight middle-aged man say, "I want twenty bags. My son will be one month old soon and I love your honey dates the most!"

Chen Chao glanced at the dwindling supply of honey dates on the counter.

Taking a look, there were still two people in front of him.

He thought silently to himself: my luck shouldn't be that bad.

"My wife is in her postpartum recovery period and she loves this. Give me twenty bags."

The man in front of him said so with great excitement. It was unknown whether it was because he had a newborn son or because his wife was in her postpartum recovery.

Chen Chao watched as the twenty bags were taken. Fearing that there would be none left, he quickly spoke up, "Brother, my family runs a medical clinic. During a woman's postpartum recovery, it's best to eat fewer honey dates!"

The man turned around and asked with some confusion, "Aren't dates supposed to replenish blood?"

Chen Chao's expression did not change as he replied earnestly, "That's what it says in the medical books. I won't lie."

After hearing this, the man hesitated for a moment and then shouted, "Alright, just give me ten bags then."

Taking the honey dates from the stall assistant, the man thanked Chen Chao, "Thank you, bro. Where's your medical clinic? I'll definitely come to you next time I need medical treatment!"

Chen Chao chuckled with the man and did not say much.

Finally, there was only one person left in front of him, and there were still around 17 or 18 bags of honey dates on the counter.

"Pack up the rest for me."

The woman made Chen Chao jump in fright the moment she opened her mouth.

Just as Chen Chao was about to speak, the woman turned her head and smiled at him, saying, "Young man, did the medical books say that women in postpartum recovery shouldn't eat too many honey dates?"

There was a hint of mischievousness in the woman's eyes.

This meant that she was a professional. She had clearly seen through Chen Chao's deception earlier.

Chen Chao had a bitter face as he said, "Big Sister, can't you leave me two bags? The girl I like loves this stall's honey dates the most. If I can't buy them, she will definitely be upset with me."

The woman smiled and shook her head. "What a pitiful young man. Alright then, shopkeeper, leave him two bags."

After saying that, the woman paid and left with the honey dates.

Chen Chao looked at her departing figure with gratitude in his eyes.

His words were not entirely false. Zhu Xia was nearby and if she could not get her hands on honey dates today after waiting for so long, she would probably fly into a rampage.

She would likely start throwing a fit if she were queuing in line right now.

Finally, Chen Chao reached the front of the shop. The stall assistant handed him the last two bags of honey dates with a smile and said, "You're really lucky. These are the last two bags."

Indeed, he was lucky. If there was only one bag left, who should he give it to, Zhu Xia or Xie Nandu?

Chen Chao retorted with a serious expression, "What luck? It's the result of my efforts that I secured these last two bags."

The stall assistant did not say much, he just took the money that Chen Chao handed over and was about to pass him the two bags of honey dates.

At that moment, a money pouch suddenly fell onto the counter between the two of them.

A voice sounded outside the shop, "I'll take those two bags of honey dates."

Chen Chao frowned when he heard the voice, feeling inexplicably annoyed. He had spent half a day just to finally procure these two bags of honey dates. Who the hell was trying to butt in now?

Chen Chao turned around and saw two people walking toward them; a man and a woman. The man was not particularly handsome, but the woman looked quite attractive. She had delicate eyebrows and a cherry-like mouth. Describing her skin as smooth as jade would no be an exaggeration. However, her expression at the moment was somewhat indifferent, which ruined her beauty.

They were foreign cultivators.

The man did not look at Chen Chao and instead spoke to the stall assistant, "There are two skygold pieces in that pouch."

Two skygold coins was nearly several months worth of profit for this honey date shop.

The shop assistant looked troubled and said, "Sir, this young gentleman here asked for these two bags of honey dates first."

The man smiled and said, "Asking for it is one thing, completing the transaction is another matter. I'm offering a higher price, aren't you selling them to me?"

Perhaps in front of the woman, the man wanted to show off some kind of magnanimity, so he did not resort to forceful tactics.

The shopkeeper smiled bitterly and said, "There has to be an order of first come, first served. Even if I don't sell them to this young gentleman, there are still many customers waiting in line behind him. It wouldn't be right for Immortal Master to engage in strong-arm tactics."

The shop assistant was considered rather knowledgeable and recognized that the two individuals in front of him had extraordinary identities. However, since he could still talk like this even after knowing their identities, this shop assistant was not lacking in courage.

The man's eyes flashed with a cold light, but he quickly turned to Chen Chao and asked, "In that case, would you be willing to let me have these two bags of honey dates? I can offer a higher price."

Chen Chao smiled slightly as he listened and said, "It's not impossible. I wonder how much skygold currency Immortal Master can offer?"

"How about one more coin?" The man said, "It's already plenty."

Chen Chao nodded and agreed, "That's quite a lot. If it's exchanged to Great Liang general currency, it can buy a lot of honey dates. I'll probably get sick of eating them before finishing."

The man smiled but did not say anything. He reached out to take the honey dates.

However, Chen Chao shook his head and said, "Although it's quite a lot, I still think it's not enough. I spent the whole morning and even hoodwinked two people. Three pieces of skygold currency, I feel that it isn't enough."

The man furrowed his brows and said, "Young man, don't ask for an exorbitant price. This already far exceeds the price of the honey dates in your hands."

There was already some fury between his brows and it seemed like he was about to lose his patience.

Chen Chao smiled and said, "I have no objections. But to me, it's still not enough."

"It's a business transaction, it's all a matter of mutual agreement. Since Immortal Master isn't willing to offer a higher price, then let's forget about it."

Chen Chao took the two bags of honey dates and was about to leave.

The woman's expression had already turned somewhat unpleasant.

Only then, did the man say in a cold voice, "Do you know who I am?"

Chen Chao narrowed his eyes and said, "Then do you know who I am?"

The man was taken aback, It was unknown what he thought of and he asked with some confusion, "Who are you?"

Chen Chao smiled and looked at him, saying, "Who am I? I'm someone who woke up early to buy honey dates."