Chapter 785 Deceitful Object of Beast Village (4)

Then, Shen Bai saw what was inside.

The ring was a spatial item, and so was the Bronze Box.

The Refuge was created by those skilled in the Power of Space, so possessing spatial items was perfectly normal.

The box was filled with flowers and plants. These flora pulsed with Qi, emitting faint wisps of an aura. A single glance was enough to tell they were no ordinary things.

Beast Village relied on Flower Village’s plants to raise their beasts, and consuming those beasts was beneficial for Cultivators.

As for the wooden tokens, they were the method of transaction used between the various Refuges.

Trades were naturally large-scale, making it impossible to transport everything at once. When Guo Qi was ready to leave, the final exchange would happen outside the canyon, with the wooden token serving as the proof of transaction.

The wooden token carried the aura of Beast Village, making it impossible for ordinary people to forge.

Soon, the transaction was underway.

Shen Bai’s gaze remained fixed on the three Deceitful Objects.

‘To touch them or not, that is the question.’

‘If I touch them, the Deceitful Objects will certainly turn into ordinary items.’

‘Once the Deceitful Objects become ordinary items, the owner is sure to sense it. That would just cause more chaos.’

Shen Bai wasn’t afraid of causing chaos, but since he hadn’t yet grasped the full situation, it wasn’t wise to stir up trouble.

While he was lost in thought, the transaction was nearly complete.

Seeing Shen Bai’s gaze fixed on the Deceitful Objects, the shopkeeper asked, “My friend, you seem quite interested in these Deceitful Objects?”

Shen Bai nodded. “I am. How much are these Deceitful Objects?”

Since the question had been posed, Shen Bai simply went along with it.

The shopkeeper held up three fingers. “Three boxes of Spirit Grass.”

Shen Bai said, “I’ll take them.”

Beside him, Guo Qi’s expression stiffened.

A look of immense joy spread across the shopkeeper’s face.

Shen Bai turned to Guo Qi. “Pay the man, Brother Guo.”

At his words, though Guo Qi’s expression remained stiff, he winced as he took out three boxes of Spirit Grass and placed them on the table.

A moment later, Shen Bai left the shop with Guo Qi, holding the three Deceitful Objects and looking utterly satisfied.

Guo Qi, however, wore a look of utter resignation.

Three boxes of Spirit Grass were very precious and could have been traded for a great deal of supplies, but he had no choice.

After all, his life was in Shen Bai’s hands. If he didn’t obey, he might lose his head.

Shen Bai patted Guo Qi’s shoulder. “Don’t think of it as a loss. You won’t be losing out. After all, if something happens in Beast Village, I’ll do my best to keep you alive.”

Guo Qi’s expression grew even stiffer.

‘This guy is seriously overbearing,’ he thought.

‘What kind of major disaster could possibly happen in Beast Village?’

‘The biggest disaster right now *is* this guy. There are still two dead bodies back in the canyon, after all.’

“Where to now?” Shen Bai asked.

Guo Qi thought for a moment. “Let’s get something to eat first.”

‘Things have already gotten this far,’ he thought. ‘There’s no point worrying about it anymore. Might as well get a full stomach.’

So, Shen Bai and Guo Qi went to the nearest stall and ordered two meals.

Two bowls of noodles were placed on the table, topped with meat from the specially raised beasts of Beast Village and vegetables grown by Flower Village.

Vegetables counted as plants, so naturally Flower Village grew them as well.

After a few bites, Shen Bai put down his chopsticks and remarked, “Life in the Refuge is pretty comfortable.”

Both the meat and the vegetables in this bowl of noodles were rich with Qi.

Consuming it was also beneficial for a Cultivator.

The benefits might be minor, but it was still far better than ordinary food. At least, back in the Great Zhou Country, Shen Bai had never seen Cultivators eating such things for all three daily meals.

Guo Qi saw his reaction and explained, “You may not know this, my friend, but it’s precisely because the Refuges have small populations that we’ve taken a more ‘elite’ path. Our food, clothing, and general provisions are all of the highest quality. Add to that the trade between the various Refuges, and life here is much more comfortable than in the outside world.”

Shen Bai nodded. “So, your people fled from the Era of Ten Thousand Cities, established the Refuges, and have lived here for countless ages. How does it feel?”

Guo Qi thought for a moment. “Honestly, it’s nothing special. At least our lives aren’t in danger. It’s a bit isolating and boring, but without having to worry about survival, we can get by.”

Shen Bai finished his noodles in a few quick mouthfuls. “You mentioned earlier that Beast Village is split into two factions. Can you elaborate on that for me? I suspect their disagreements go beyond just their opinion of outsiders.”

Guo Qi took a sip of broth. “You’re right about that. Beast Village is split into two factions, and their views differ on more than just outsiders.”

“One is the Conservative Faction. They believe Beast Village should remain completely isolated. Not only do they oppose outsiders entering, but they’ll kill any who do manage to get in. They don’t even particularly like those of us who work as traders.”

“That group we ran into in the canyon earlier? They were from the Conservative Faction. If it weren’t for the fact that trading is a unique and widely accepted practice among all the Refuges, they probably would have spat and cursed at me on sight.”

Shen Bai stroked his chin. “If there’s a Conservative Faction, there must be a Radical Faction.”

Guo Qi nodded. “The other is the Radical Faction. If an outsider gets in, they’ll drive them out, but they won’t kill them. In fact, they even want to make contact with the outside world, to find out what it’s like these days.”

Shen Bai mused, “So, have any of your people from the Refuge ever explored the outside world?”

This was the question he most wanted to ask.