Chapter 2073

In comparison, the Fishing Alliance was far inferior.

The Fishing Alliance was primarily composed of sects in the Boundary Sea that specialized in catching and selling fish. These sects were generally not strong, so the chamber of commerce they formed naturally couldn't be very powerful either.

Xiao Yue knew quite a bit and introduced various things to Lin Moyu along the way.

Her voice was pleasant to the ear. Although she was already fifteen years old, her voice, like her physique, remained as crisp and immature as a ten-year-old's; one would never tire of hearing it.

The two of them did a lap around the west side of the city, and Lin Moyu gained a general understanding of the various factions.

Lin Moyu asked, "Do you know about the Lan Family of Linhai City?"

Xiao Yue nodded. "I do."

"What star-rank faction is the Lan Family?"

"Three-star."

Xiao Yue answered very quickly without a hint of hesitation. She continued, "Sir, you'll know if you go to the entrance of the City Lord's Mansion. There are three stars drawn under the plaque there."

Lin Moyu couldn't help but laugh. "So that's how it is. Then how exactly are these one to nine stars classified?"

This seemed to stump Xiao Yue a bit. She wrinkled her small face and said, "I know the difference between three-star and four-star. To become a four-star faction, you must have a Dao Venerable. But I don't know anything beyond that."

Lin Moyu asked curiously, "Doesn't the City Lord's family have a Dao Venerable?"

Xiao Yue first nodded, then shook her head. "There probably isn't one. If there were a Dao Venerable, they should be a four-star faction. But Xiao Yue isn't very sure; maybe I've got it wrong."

Lin Moyu said, "How does Xiao Yue know so much?"

Xiao Yue said, "My grandfather told me. But Grandfather is no longer here; only Xiao Yue is left now."

As she spoke, a trace of sadness appeared on Xiao Yue's face.

Lin Moyu didn't press further. He could already tell from Xiao Yue's words that her being alone meant even her parents were gone.

Xiao Yue's bright eyes grew slightly moist, but she tried hard not to let herself cry.

Lin Moyu said, "Your grandfather must have been a very learned person."

Xiao Yue nodded. "Yes, Grandfather knew everything. He often told Xiao Yue stories about many things in the Origin Continent."

Lin Moyu said, "It seems Xiao Yue's grandfather was a very powerful cultivator. How did he pass away?"

Xiao Yue said, "Grandfather said he had something to do and had to go somewhere, and then he never came back."

So that was it. Lin Moyu had thought Xiao Yue's grandfather had passed away, but it turned out he was missing.

In that case, he wasn't necessarily dead.

Suddenly, Lin Moyu's eyelid twitched, and he looked toward one side.

In an alleyway, Lin Moyu saw a pair of slightly dark eyes.

Those eyes met Lin Moyu's for a moment before vanishing.

Lin Moyu saw the owner of the eyes clearly. It wasn't a person, but an eyeball-shaped magical treasure.

This magical treasure was very well-hidden, but unfortunately, it couldn't be concealed from him.

"It's not aimed at me, but at Xiao Yue."

"Is it the hidden hand behind Xiao Yue? What is this fellow's goal?"

"I hope you don't come to mess with me!"

After learning that there most likely wasn't a Dao Venerable in Linhai City, Lin Moyu felt much more at ease.

With his trump cards, as long as no Dao Venerable appeared, he really had nothing to fear.

Lin Moyu asked casually, "How long has it been since Xiao Yue's grandfather left?"

Xiao Yue calculated the time. "Grandfather has been gone for six years."

Six years. Six years ago, Xiao Yue was only nine.

That meant that within less than a year after her grandfather left, that fellow had made their move.

From this, it could be inferred that the party wanted to deal with Xiao Yue, not her grandfather.

But what could anyone gain from a little girl who didn't even know how to cultivate?

Lin Moyu always believed that most cultivators were the type who wouldn't act without profit; they wouldn't easily make a move without a beneficial goal.

Lin Moyu asked, "Why doesn't Xiao Yue cultivate?"

Xiao Yue said, "Grandfather did teach Xiao Yue how to cultivate, but one can only formally start after twelve. Xiao Yue tried, but it didn't have any effect."

Lin Moyu had checked Xiao Yue's body earlier and knew why she couldn't cultivate.

It was that power inside Xiao Yue's body that prevented her from cultivating.

Lin Moyu's gaze shifted slightly, and he took out another piece of roasted fish meat for Xiao Yue. "This is an extra reward for you. Now I want to go see the market on the north side of the city. Do you want to earn another portion of fish meat?"

Xiao Yue took the fish meat and cried out happily, "Thank you, Sir! Thank you, Sir!"

Chapter 2498: Compassion, Natural Jade Soul

The market on the north side of the city was the primary Trading Center of Linhai City.

Although there were transactions in places outside the market, such as various shops, they were mainly concentrated in the north of the city.

There was a formation here that covered and monitored the entire market.

The Lan Family sent out a large number of personnel to maintain order. Forced buying and selling were not allowed in the market; only fair trade was permitted.

The Lan Family adopted the most ancient and primitive system: they only rented out trading stalls and didn't care about the content of the transactions.

Lin Moyu strolled through the area, with the thin Xiao Yue following closely behind him, explaining things to him from time to time.

Lin Moyu also realized that Xiao Yue didn't actually know much about the trading market; presumably, her grandfather hadn't told her stories about this aspect.

Xiao Yue's grandfather wasn't her biological grandfather either. According to Xiao Yue, her grandfather had picked her up from outside.

And her grandfather wasn't a local of Linhai City; he only lived there because of some business.

"In the trading market, all stalls are managed by the City Lord's family. Each stall has to pay one first-tier origin crystal per day."

Normally, when cultivators spoke of origin crystals, they were referring to ordinary-grade origin crystals.

If it were boutique-grade, they would specifically point it out.

As for world-grade, they basically wouldn't appear in the trading market and would only be found at auctions held by major chambers of commerce.

When the little girl mentioned origin crystals, her eyes shone.

Even a first-tier origin crystal was a wealth that was beyond her reach.

The payment she had asked of Lin Moyu before was only some fragmented origin crystals.

Such a small body had been plotted against; clearly fifteen years old, yet she looked only ten.

Even cultivation had become a distant hope.

In the Origin Continent, there were indeed ordinary people, and quite a lot of them.

Ordinary people had very short lives, only about a hundred years or so, and many could live peacefully until old age.

But ordinary people were too lowly, with no status to speak of.

It wasn't that cultivators couldn't act against ordinary people; they were simply too disdainful to do so.

If they really did kill someone, no one would stand up for these ants.

Compared to the Great World, life for ordinary people in the Origin Continent was much harder.

Xiao Yue looked at the dazzling array of materials and supplies, hearing prices that were astronomical figures to her, and envy would occasionally show in her eyes.

Lin Moyu asked, "Have you been here before?"

Xiao Yue nodded. "Grandfather would sometimes bring me here, but I was still small then."

Lin Moyu said, "You must have lived quite well back then."

Reminiscence appeared in Xiao Yue's eyes. "Grandfather was very good to me. He would always buy lots of delicious food and fun toys."

"But after Grandfather left, my house was taken by someone, and I was kicked out."

Lin Moyu frowned slightly. "You have no place to live?"

Xiao Yue shook her head. "I do. I built a small room in the hollow under a bridge on the west side of the city. I live there alone."

Lin Moyu said, "Aren't you afraid?"

Xiao Yue said, "I am afraid. I want to wait for Grandfather to come back. Once Grandfather returns, Xiao Yue won't be afraid anymore."

What a sensible child. Lin Moyu hadn't seen such a pitiful person in many years.

In the Great World, the rules were well-developed; even ordinary people could live a good life, at least without being exposed to the elements.

In all his years in the Great World, Lin Moyu had never seen someone with such a hard life; the Human Emperor would have intervened long ago.

Lin Moyu couldn't help but reach out and pat Xiao Yue's head. Her hair was very soft.

Clearly fifteen years old, yet with the stature and appearance of a ten-year-old.

Lin Moyu even felt a trace of compassion, wanting to help Xiao Yue remove that evil power from her body and help her return to normal.

However, Lin Moyu only thought about it and didn't act.

The mastermind behind the scenes hadn't shown their face yet. Even if he were to help Xiao Yue, there was no rush.

The two of them walked through row after row of individual stalls, hearing countless shouts and bargaining voices.

As Lin Moyu walked along, he didn't see anything he needed.

Xiao Yue was very smart and also understood that Lin Moyu didn't really want to buy anything; he was just strolling.

Walking out of the market, the surroundings suddenly became quiet.

At the end of the market, several exquisite buildings stood there like palaces.

"Xingyun Chamber of Commerce, a four-star faction."

"Heiyu Chamber of Commerce, a three-star faction."

"Shuidi Chamber of Commerce, a three-star faction."

These palaces belonged to various chambers of commerce. If one couldn't find what they wanted in the market, or had something good they couldn't sell, they could go to a chamber of commerce.

Of course, the prices at the chambers of commerce would be slightly higher, but their reputation was never an issue.

Lin Moyu said, "There is no Lufeng Chamber of Commerce."

Xiao Yue said, "I know about that. Grandfather said that the Lufeng Chamber of Commerce is too big; they don't care about a tiny place like Linhai City."

Lin Moyu asked with a smile, "How big is the Lufeng Chamber of Commerce?"

Xiao Yue shook her head. "I don't know. Grandfather said it's very big, one of the largest chambers of commerce in the Origin Continent."

Earlier, Heavenly Venerable Shuizhi had told Lin Moyu about the power structure of the Origin Continent. Among the humans of the Southern Continent, the strongest powers were the four Holy Lands.

Next were the three super sects and two super families.

However, because Heavenly Venerable Shuizhi hadn't been to the Origin Continent for a long time, his information was somewhat outdated.

Lin Moyu didn't enter any chamber of commerce. For now, he had nothing to buy.

Gurgle!

Xiao Yue's stomach growled again.

The two had walked for most of the day, and the two small bites of fish meat Xiao Yue had eaten earlier had long since been digested.

Xiao Yue clutched her stomach, looking a bit embarrassed.

Lin Moyu smiled. "Let's go. You've worked hard all day. I'll take you to eat."

Xiao Yue quickly shook her head. "No need, no need. Xiao Yue has fish meat. One piece of fish meat can last for many days."

For an ordinary person, one piece of fish meat could indeed last for many days.

If Xiao Yue were frugal, it wouldn't be a problem for ten days to half a month.

However, Lin Moyu didn't agree. "Just consider it as accompanying me to eat. There will be an extra reward after we're done."

When Xiao Yue heard the words 'extra reward,' her eyes immediately lit up.

Throughout the entire day, she had already received four pieces of fish meat.