The streets of Yuan Guang County Town.
Zou Feng was no stranger to the area around the Yang Mansion.
After all, even though he was a servant of the Yang Mansion, he wasn't forbidden from leaving during his free time.
Yuan Guang County Town was quite bustling. Barring rainy days, the streets were always filled with people, and the shouts of vendors were constant.
It was the picture of a prosperous, ancient city.
But Zou Feng knew this was merely a facade.
After getting directions, Zou Feng headed straight for an herbal shop that did business with the Yang Mansion.
After he presented a token, the shopkeeper personally came out to greet him.
"You must be Master Luo's new apprentice, young man?" The shopkeeper, whose surname was Sun, had a very friendly smile.
Zou Feng bowed and said, "Greetings, Shopkeeper Sun. The mansion is running low on many medicinal herbs. I'll have to trouble you to prepare them for delivery as soon as possible."
As he spoke, Zou Feng handed the list Luo Yong had given him to Shopkeeper Sun.
"Of course, of course!"
Shopkeeper Sun took the list, glanced at it, and immediately shouted for his clerks to prepare the goods.
In less than fifteen minutes, a large pile of weighed herbs was laid out before Zou Feng.
Zou Feng just needed to verify that everything was in order, and the clerks would pack it all up on the spot for delivery to the Yang Mansion.
And this verification step was the main event of Zou Feng's trip...
He inspected them meticulously, picking up every herb to smell it, and even taste it.
Seeing this, Shopkeeper Sun couldn't help but chuckle. "Brother Zou, you're being overly cautious. We've been working with the Yang Mansion for a long time. We would never substitute inferior goods or short you on the weight!"
Zou Feng didn't reply. Instead, he picked up a root-like herb and said, "Shopkeeper Sun, this Osmanthus Root... its scent seems a bit faint. Is it not old enough?"
The Herbal Catalogue stated that for Osmanthus Root to be used in medicine, it needed to have a growth period of at least one year.
If it was too young, its fragrance would lack a pungent quality, and its medicinal effects would be significantly weaker.
Hearing this, Shopkeeper Sun frowned slightly and quickly came closer.
"That can't be right. Brother Zou, take another careful sniff!"
At the same time, a small cloth pouch was discreetly placed in Zou Feng's hand.
Zou Feng coughed lightly and, without changing his expression, slipped the pouch into his pocket.
Then, he sniffed the Osmanthus Root again.
"Ah, yes, that's the one. I've had a bit of a cold recently, so my nose isn't working too well. My apologies for making a fool of myself, Shopkeeper Sun."
Seeing that Zou Feng knew the score, Shopkeeper Sun secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said with an even brighter smile, "Not at all, not at all! As long as there's no problem!"
This was one of the perks of being a procurer.
But he certainly couldn't keep it all for himself. He had to go back and obediently hand it over to Luo Yong first.
Zou Feng was certain that Luo Yong hadn't explained this beforehand precisely because it was a test for him.
After leaving the herbal shop, Zou Feng was about to head to the next procurement spot when he noticed several ill-intentioned ruffians at the mouth of a nearby alley, sizing him up.
This was normal. He was an unfamiliar face and looked frail.
But there was no need to panic. Even if he really did get entangled with these local thugs, he just had to reveal his identity as a servant of the Yang Mansion, and they wouldn't dare to cause trouble.
However, Zou Feng was actually looking for these local ruffians to ask about some information he wanted.
So, in the next moment, Zou Feng deliberately walked into the secluded alley, intentionally creating an opportunity for them.
He had now trained his Five Poison Palm to the stage of "Slightly Accomplished." If he couldn't even intimidate a few ruffians, he might as well just go find a block of tofu and smash his head against it.
Unexpectedly, however, after a moment's hesitation, the ruffians didn't follow him.
Zou Feng looked back at their expressions. To his surprise, every single one of them looked suspicious, as if they suspected a trap.
'These thugs are supposed to be brainless, yet they're being unusually cautious?'
Helpless, Zou Feng had no choice but to return to the mouth of the alley and strike up a conversation. "Brothers, could I ask you about something?"
"Sure thing. As long as we know it, you can ask us anything, little brother."
The thug in the lead, despite having a scar on his face and a ferocious appearance, was quite affable at the moment.
"I was away from Yuan Guang County for a while. I was wondering if you can still buy those... rare goods at the night market these days?"
Zou Feng's question was veiled, but he was certain these ruffians would understand.
What he was really asking about obviously wasn't a normal night market, but the "Ghost Market."
The Ghost Market was a place set up by local gangs specifically for trading contraband.
It didn't have a fixed location and moved around frequently.
It generally opened late at night, and most of its patrons came in disguise. It was a place where dragons and fish mingled.
Most of the goods sold and traded there couldn't see the light of day, which is how the Ghost Market got its name.
The older servants at the Yang Mansion often mentioned this Ghost Market during their idle chatter.
Zou Feng was asking about the Ghost Market now to prepare in advance, so that if necessary in the future, he could go there to try his luck and see if he could buy another Evil Skill Secret Manual.
After all, the strength of the Five Poison Palm lay in sneak attacks and ambushes; it ultimately lacked the ability for a direct confrontation. Knowing only this one skill left Zou Feng feeling constantly uneasy.
What's more, the Five Poison Palm itself was only a Low Grade Evil Skill.
According to the notes in the secret manual, it wasn't even certain that one could cultivate Inner Qi and achieve Martial Arts Entry with it...
In the Great Yan Dynasty, almost everyone practiced martial arts, but the widely circulated and easily obtainable Cultivation Skills were only effective for strengthening the body.
To put it bluntly, they were second-rate. Wanting to achieve Martial Arts Entry with such skills was nothing short of a daydream.
Evil Skills, on the other hand, specialized in unorthodox shortcuts, and most were detrimental to one's karmic virtue, so they were naturally considered contraband.
In any case, as far as Zou Feng knew, the only way to obtain one in Yuan Guang County was at the Ghost Market.
As for where the money to buy an Evil Skill would come from?
He wouldn't have dared to dream of it before, but now that he had this lucrative procurement job, the future was full of promise.
Hearing his question, the scar-faced man's smile didn't waver. "Yes, yes. Especially at the night market over by East River Port. A lot of merchants there are selling top-quality 'fresh goods'."
"Many thanks!"
Zou Feng cupped his fists and left without hesitation.
'The Ghost Market is at East River Port now?'
Of course, he didn't fully believe it; he would just treat it as a clue for now.
It would be a while before he saved up enough money anyway. He could take his time to find a chance to verify it.
"Boss, this kid smells kinda fragrant. You don't think he's a 'rabbit,' do you?"
One of the minions behind the scar-faced man couldn't help but step forward and say.
"Keep your voice down!"
The scar-faced man lowered his voice and scolded, "Do you know why I stopped you guys from going to 'borrow' money from him just now?"
"It's because when he first walked by, I caught a faint fragrance on him that didn't feel right!"
"Anyway, just remember this: if you see this person again, stay far away from him!"
Although he wasn't certain what the fragrance meant, in this day and age, to be a gang leader and not have been beaten to death yet, one naturally had to have an extraordinary sixth sense...
Zou Feng, who had already left the area, didn't hear this conversation, but he too was pondering why those thugs had been wary of him.
'Could it be that someone smelled the fragrance on my hands and became suspicious?'
In truth, ever since his Five Poison Palm reached Slightly Accomplished, the smell had already faded a great deal.
But he couldn't account for people with exceptionally sensitive noses.
'I have to keep training. Once I reach the next stage, there shouldn't be any smell as long as I'm not Cultivating!'