Chapter 964: Golden Den

Zuan was taken aback as Pei You voiced his confusion, "What's so fun in the wilderness? The city is much livelier." Evidently, he was still thinking of the tall, long-legged beauties from the Northern lands.

Gao Ying explained, "Those in the city are merely ordinary. The truly exceptional ones are actually out here. Don't worry, I wouldn't lie to you."

Pei You knew Gao Ying had always been a serious and reliable person who wouldn't speak idly. Only then did he suppress the urge to turn back.

Zuan, however, frowned and said, "I need to go to the black market, so I won't be joining you at that kind of place." He had no particular interest in brothels. After all, weren't all his close female confidantes breathtaking beauties? How could brothel women compare? Besides, this world didn't have certain famous protective brands. With the exchange of various bodily fluids, what if one contracted a disease?

Wait, with the purification ability of the Primal Chaos Scripture, perhaps he didn't need to fear those diseases.

Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey, what was he thinking? Today's goal was to check the black market for breakthrough materials.

Gao Ying laughed, "If Brother Zuan wants to go to the black market, then all the more reason to come with us. That place not only has beautiful women and a casino, but also the largest black market within a thousand-mile radius. It's a famous pleasure paradise."

Zuan immediately understood. It was a super entertainment complex combining all sorts of diversions. He hadn't expected people in this different world to be so good at having fun. Since it hosted the largest black market, Zuan naturally wouldn't refuse.

Soon, the group arrived at a small town on the city outskirts. The town was sparsely populated, and the autumn wind scattered fallen leaves across the ground, making it appear particularly desolate, much like the remote towns Zuan had seen in his previous life that hadn't caught up with development.

"This place has the kind of pleasure paradise you mentioned?" Pei You asked, his face full of doubt at the sight before him.

Gao Ying didn't explain. He walked directly to a dilapidated teahouse. There were hardly any customers inside, just a few scattered tables. The owner was sprawled on a chair, his feet casually propped on a table. On other tables, there were a few bowls of leftover tea from previous customers. The tea bowls were crude earthenware, many chipped from knocks. The remaining tea was yellowish and murky, clearly made from the lowest quality leaves. Crucially, a fly was swimming in one of the bowls.

"This is outrageous!" Pei You tugged on Gao Ying's sleeve. "You're not planning to drink tea here, are you?" He came from a noble family, accustomed to luxury since childhood. He wouldn't even deign to drink ordinary good tea, let alone this.

Gao Ying smiled, but didn't answer. He simply found a table and sat down, then called out to the lounging shop owner, "Boss, we have customers."

Pei You's eyes widened. He hastily said to Zuan, "Brother Zuan, why don't you talk some sense into him? You don't want to drink tea in a place like this, do you? What about the beautiful, long-legged Northern girls he promised?!"

Zuan smiled. "Don't be impatient. Brother Gao has always been reliable in his dealings. I trust he won't lead us astray." As he spoke, Zuan also sat down. Pei You tried to wipe off some unknown stains on the stool, which was greasy and polished with grime. Ultimately, he couldn't bring himself to sit.

Gao Ying looked at him and chuckled, "Look how steady Brother Zuan is. You need to change your temperament."

Pei You looked displeased. Seeing the shop owner remain motionless, his temper flared up instantly. "Shop owner! We've been calling you for ages and you haven't moved! How do you run a business like this?"

Just then, the shop owner on the stool removed the cloth that had been covering his eyes to block the light. "What's all the fuss about? Are you in such a hurry to be reincarnated?"

Zuan noticed that the owner had the typical appearance of a commoner from the lower classes, and there were no cultivation fluctuations around him. He wondered if he had guessed wrong. But how would an ordinary commoner run a business this way?

Pei You's face hardened. "What did you say?!" He had never endured such disrespect. Just as he was about to get up and teach the owner a lesson, Gao Ying stopped him.

"Shop owner," Gao Ying said, "we're not in a hurry to be reincarnated, but in a hurry to drink tea here."

Hearing this, the shop owner's expression softened slightly. "Then you've come to the right place. Our establishment is famous for its tea; many people come specifically for it."

Pei You secretly sneered, about to mock the idea that such terrible tea could be boasted about. Suddenly, something clicked. Gao Ying was always steady and didn't joke around, so there had to be a reason for his actions. Moreover, the three of them were richly dressed cultivators, emanating an inherent aura. Yet, the farmer-like man before them showed no fear upon seeing them, which was indeed abnormal. Realizing this, he calmed down and observed the situation. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Zuan's relaxed demeanor, and secretly felt ashamed. Brother Zuan truly was an exceptional individual; he couldn't match his composure.

At this point, Gao Ying asked, "May I ask, Boss, what kinds of tea do you have here?"

The shop owner puffed out his chest and proudly declared, "We have everything you could want here. It just depends on what the customer wants to buy."

Gao Ying smiled and replied, "I'd like 'Sparrow's Tongue' after the snow."

The shop owner replied, "You're an amateur, customer. 'Sparrow's Tongue' is best before the rain, then after. There's no such thing as 'after the snow'; there wouldn't be any tea after snow."

Gao Ying wasn't annoyed. He continued, "Then I'd like 'Great Green Robe' from Rocky Mountain, specifically from the mother tree by the Stone Basin Stream in Rocky Mountain."

The shop owner shook his head. "You jest, customer. The finest 'Great Green Robe' comes from the mother tree on the cliff face of Heaven's Heart Cliff. As for any 'Rocky Mountain,' I've never heard of it."

Gao Ying then said, "And I want 'Man-Frightening Fragrance,' specifically the one with one hundred and eight thousand twists."

'Sparrow's Tongue,' 'Great Green Robe,' and 'Man-Frightening Fragrance' were the most famous teas in this world. Among them, the roasting process for 'Man-Frightening Fragrance' was the most intricate. While stir-frying in a wok, one had to knead the leaves with special techniques, forming them into small balls, shaking them loose periodically, repeating the process many times until the leaves were curled into strips with fine hairs visible. The grade, or "twist" count, was determined by how many tens of thousands of young tea buds were needed per catty of tea; the higher the number, the finer the quality.

Upon hearing this, the shop owner's face darkened. "The highest grade of 'Man-Frightening Fragrance' in this world is only sixty-four thousand twists. Where would you find one with one hundred and eight thousand? Are you trying to make fun of me?"

Seeing the shop owner's anger flare, Pei You secretly tensed, ready to help at any moment. Zuan, however, remained at ease, silently noting the conversation between the two. He thought it was truly eye-opening. Although he had previously crammed knowledge about this world, his focus had primarily been on cultivation, history, and geography. In terms of lifestyle and enjoyment, he was far behind these noble young masters.

Gao Ying's tone also shifted slightly. "You just said you had everything. How is it that I've mentioned several things, and you have none of them?"

The shop owner sneered, "You're clearly one of those who merely feign elegance. Our shop doesn't welcome your kind. That Purple Tea Pavilion over there is more suitable for people like you. Go on, get out!" With that, he pushed and shooed the three men out of the teahouse.

Pei You looked astonished. "Brother Gao, all that for nothing?"

Zuan, however, said, "It seems Brother Gao has already matched the code word."

Gao Ying chuckled, "Brother Zuan's foresight is indeed remarkable. You're right, that teahouse was merely a front for a meeting point. Although he seemed angry on the surface, he actually understood that we had used the special code, and he gave us directions for our next destination."

Pei You sighed, "No wonder that teahouse looked like it didn't want any business. Clearly, it was to deter unsuspecting customers and avoid trouble."

As they spoke, the three men arrived at the Purple Tea Pavilion, which the owner had indicated. This place was decorated far more elegantly. The manager inside was dressed like a minor rich man, and seeing their arrival, he immediately greeted them warmly, "What would you gentlemen like?"

Pei You secretly gasped; this man's enthusiasm was a world apart from the previous owner's.

Gao Ying replied, "I'd like 'Sparrow's Tongue'."

The manager immediately said with a smile, "We have 'Sparrow's Tongue' from various seasons here, even 'after the snow' variety."

Gao Ying continued, "I also want 'Great Green Robe'."

"Excellent! We'll prepare the one from the mother tree by the Stone Basin Stream in Rocky Mountain for you, esteemed customer," the manager replied.

Gao Ying continued, "And 'Man-Frightening Fragrance'."

"No problem, we have the one hundred and eight thousand twists variety," the manager said, his eyes almost narrowed into a slit.

"And the actual goods?" Gao Ying asked, spreading his hands.

The manager chuckled apologetically, "Forgive me, esteemed customer, but these items are too precious. We'll have to trouble you to retrieve them from our warehouse." As he spoke, he took out a few slips of paper. "Gentlemen, please go to the carriage depot at the end of the street, around the corner. Someone there will guide you to our warehouse to pick up your goods with these slips."

Gao Ying nodded, took the slips, and headed straight towards the end of the street.

Zuan was a little surprised. "Do they need to be this cautious? It feels like a secret agent meeting."

Gao Ying explained, "After all, these kinds of places aren't officially permitted by the imperial court, so naturally, they have to operate with extreme caution."

Zuan nodded, growing even more curious about the place. Perhaps he really could find what he urgently needed there this time.