Free Web NovelChapter 131: Chapter 131: The Plan
When Bai Mo returned to his shop, he found a massive cow head sitting right in the middle of the hall.
It was about as wide as a man’s waist, covered in coarse black hair that still had a healthy sheen.
Fortunately, its large eyes were closed, making it less frightening.
"This..."
Bai Mo felt this would be a hassle to deal with. He looked around and saw a man applying lacquer nearby, who lifted his face mask and said in a deep, muffled voice:
"Some Cultivators from a Demon Hunting Team brought it by yesterday."
A look of envy appeared in his eyes.
"I hear Cow Demon meat has a unique flavor. I wonder if that’s true."
In recent years, it was indeed rare for Cow Demons to be sold in Immortal Arrival City. Any that did appear were mostly tamed by the sects.
In any case, it was a rare sight for an ordinary person.
Bai Mo looked at the stunned Wei An.
The muscles on the cow’s head were clearly defined, showcasing the might of a Demon Beast and giving it a ferocious appearance.
How could Wei An have ever seen something like this? He was at a complete loss.
"Give me a hand!"
Bai Mo said.
Each grabbing a horn with one hand and supporting the base with the other, the two of them struggled but finally managed to move the Cow Demon’s head into the Alchemy Room.
To cook this thing, he would have to use a large furnace, aided by the heat of Spiritual Fire.
Otherwise, heaven knows how long it would take.
"Shopkeeper, you can use a Pill Furnace like this?"
Wei An asked cautiously.
He had helped out at Liu Liu’s place for a few days and saw how much Liu Liu treasured his Pill Furnace. He wouldn’t let anyone else near it.
"Are Pill Furnaces really that delicate?"
Bai Mo said dismissively, then asked:
"Any thoughts on the past few days?"
Wei An hesitated for a moment, then said softly:
"Brother Liu isn’t a foolish man; he’s both diligent and clever. Yet he often sighed to me about how difficult the Alchemy Dao is."
"I can’t even sort herbs properly yet. I’m afraid I can’t be of more help to you."
Bai Mo nodded.
"It’s alright. This path truly isn’t one that just anyone can walk. Just focus on your duties."
"If you’re still interested in the future, I’ll teach you the Alchemy Skill. The choice is yours."
Alchemy couldn’t be forced. From the beginning, Bai Mo was just looking for a shop assistant, after all.
The Spirit Wood was set up, and flames licked across it, instantly igniting the whole pile.
The cow head was placed on top, and its hair immediately singed and curled, releasing a burnt odor.
After telling Wei An to watch the fire, Bai Mo went out and found the man who was lacquering the storefront.
"How many more days until it’s finished?"
The man quickly replied, "It’ll be done today. Let the lacquer dry for two days, and this place can be officially used!"
"I won’t be here tomorrow. I’ll see you again when I deliver Spirit Wood in the future."
Bai Mo nodded and surveyed the shop’s layout.
Three sets of shelves lined the walls, with several more displays arranged in the center. The counter was crafted from redwood and seemed to be faintly suffused with Spiritual Qi.
Gauze-covered oil lamps extended from the gaps between shelves. The oil within was no ordinary product and had to be purchased with Spirit Stones.
Underneath the smell of fresh lacquer, faint wisps of sandalwood reached his nose.
It was all top-grade wood for furniture, possessing a weak Spirit Gathering effect. Though it had little practical use, it made the shop feel grand.
Brother Shui certainly had a good eye.
The shop could have opened much earlier, with the finishing touches handled gradually.
But Bai Mo couldn’t get away, and the workers had wanted to do a better job.
After looking around for a bit, it was about time.
Bai Mo returned to the Alchemy Room. After a flurry of activity with Wei An, they finally managed to scrape all the burnt hair off the cow’s head.
The scorched, yellowed hide was revealed. Pressing his palm against it, he could feel the powerful resilience of the muscle beneath.
"How do you plan to prepare this, Shopkeeper?" Wei An asked.
Bai Mo pondered for a moment.
"I’ll stew it until it’s flavorful, then slice it up. I can take some to visit a few old acquaintances."
"You clean up the mess here. I’m going out to find some spices."
...
The Cow Demon head that Lanshan and his group sent over took Bai Mo a great deal of effort to prepare.
But after tasting the finished product, Bai Mo felt it was worth it.
Wei An had wandered for thousands of miles and was no slacker. His hands moved swiftly as he sliced the meat from the cow’s head.
Bai Mo took his share and leisurely strolled out the door.
The first place he went was the bookstore at the street corner.
"Sir, do you have a moment?"
The bookstore’s Shopkeeper was flipping through a tattered ancient book, a worried look between his brows.
"Ah, Brother Bai, you’re here. Do you need something?"
Bai Mo smiled and placed the oil-paper bag on the counter.
"I got my hands on some Cow Demon meat. I brought some for you to try, Sir."
"Alright, I’ll give it a try."
The old Shopkeeper set down the ancient book, washed his hands, opened the bag, and took out a piece of meat with the skin still on. He placed it in his mouth and began to chew methodically.
He normally made it a habit not to eat in the bookstore; today, he was making an exception.
"You young folk... you probably stewed it a moment too long. It’s lost some of its toughness."
"But that’s just right for an old man’s teeth like mine. The flavor is quite nice, too."
Bai Mo simply said, "Old Man Li’s spices are excellent!"
"No wonder."
After setting the oil-paper bag aside, the old Shopkeeper looked at Bai Mo and said softly:
"You probably didn’t come just to deliver food."
"Is there something you want to say?"
Bai Mo smiled. "I’ve been busy for a long time, but the shop is finally starting to look decent. It’ll be opening in a few days."
"I’m hoping to make a bit of a scene for the opening to draw a crowd, so I wanted to let you know and invite you to come and show your support when the day comes."
The old Shopkeeper nodded repeatedly.
"Of course! To think the boy who once had to think twice about buying a Pill Book finally has his own foundation. This is wonderful."
There was a smile on his face.
"There are other neighbors you should go invite too. They’ve helped you out a lot."
"With all the people coming and going, whenever someone asked about Pills, everyone sent them your way without thinking it a bother."
Bai Mo listened attentively.
When his Pill business had just started, his first customers had come to him just like that.
If not for them, he likely would have languished for much longer. He could not forget their kindness.
"Sir, you’ve run this bookstore for many years and are an expert in these matters. Is there any advice you could offer me?"
A bookstore isn’t like a street stall; the latter can make some extra money just by boasting and bluffing.
For this bookstore to have survived all these years doing legitimate business was something of a miracle.
The old Shopkeeper thought for a moment.
"There’s not much of a secret to it, nothing really to say."
"The fact that I’ve made it this far is just the good fortune I’ve received from giving alms now and then..."
But for someone in Bai Mo’s position, acting this way would be inappropriate. It would only attract countless opportunistic and crooked people.
The old Shopkeeper fell silent, and finally only offered a reminder:
"You just have to be cautious. I’ve heard the Xuandao Sect acts with a heavy hand. Don’t let anyone provoke you, or you’ll be the first one they make an example of..."
He had seen many such things in his long life.
Bai Mo rubbed his nose.
"Sir, you seem to have forgotten. I have a bit of a history with the Xuandao Sect..."
"Don’t take it lightly. Your ties to the sect might not be enough to override their rules," the old Shopkeeper said.
"By the way, what’s your status in the Xuandao Sect?"
Bai Mo lowered his voice. "A senior brother from the sect treats me pretty well. I’ll have to make a trip up to the mountain gate soon."
The old Shopkeeper was momentarily stunned.
"Didn’t you tell me you were just a Daoist Child?"
"There are always opportunities to earn merit and make a name for yourself."
The old Shopkeeper had a sudden realization and slapped his thigh.
"In that case, what are you even worried about!?"
"Just go all out! We all live under the sect’s jurisdiction here; everyone has to act according to the sect’s whims!"
"A young man like you shouldn’t be so timid and overcautious!"
With just a few more words, Bai Mo found himself bustled out of the shop.
A few passing Cultivators recognized Bai Mo and gave him curious looks, wondering what kind of background the bookstore’s Shopkeeper had to be so brazenly impolite.
With a wry smile, Bai Mo ignored the furtive glances from those nearby and looked towards a shop on the street corner.
Tomorrow, he had several old acquaintances to visit.
Furthermore, he also needed to order a batch of invitation cards.
Once he checked the almanac and set a date, he would need the invitations.
