Starting as a supporting character in Doupo

Page 237

Yun Yun still hadn't found anything unusual about the shop, but seeing Xiao Fan's interested expression, she couldn't help but examine the goods inside the counter.

The counter mainly displayed low-level magical beasts' organizations or medicinal herbs, except for one specially packaged item.

Xiao Fan tapped the counter with his finger, then said to the only shop assistant, "Please get this out for me."

Upon hearing Xiao Fan's words, the shop assistant's face flashed with impatience, but seeing that Xiao Fan and his companion were dressed in fine clothes, he dared not be negligent. He walked over and glanced at the goods that Xiao Fan was pointing to, and frowned slightly.

The item Xiao Fan was pointing to was a wooden hairpin that was still inside the counter. However, it was out of place with the things around it. The hairpin was more like a tree branch with several small twigs on it. Moreover, it looked grayish-brown and had no beauty to speak of.

What's even stranger is that the hairpin was placed inside the counter, specifically in a sealed, transparent container.

The shop assistant took the hairpin, along with its container, out and placed it on the counter.

When Xiao Fan saw it, he reached out to open it, but was stopped by the shop assistant.

"Well... sir, this ornament cannot be opened."

The shop assistant looked at Xiao Fan with a troubled expression, then glanced at the hairpin on the counter with a hint of disgust.

"Sir, this is something our shopkeeper acquired. It originally had an extremely strong fragrance, so the shopkeeper thought he could sell it for a high price. However, after he brought it back, it became more and more smelly, until it was so smelly that it made people vomit. The shopkeeper had no choice but to make this container to seal it. If you open it, the smell will all come out."

After listening to the shopkeeper's description, Xiao Fan's face lit up with joy. He waved his hand and said, "Don't worry, I'll take this. Just name your price."

Seeing Xiao Fan's luxurious clothes and Yun Yun's graceful figure beside him, the waiter couldn't help but sigh that he was yet another playboy obsessed with beautiful women.

But fearing that the smell might not only prevent Xiao Fan from winning the heart of his beloved, but also anger him, the waiter couldn't help but explain, "Well, sir, how about we open it a little first, so you can take a look?"

Xiao Fan originally wanted to just say the price, but seeing the expression on the shop assistant's face, he understood that the shop assistant was worried that he would return the goods and cause trouble. So he said, "Hehe, okay, open it."

The shop assistant nodded upon hearing this, then covered his nose with his left hand and reached towards the sealed container with his right. Seeing the shop assistant's actions, Xiao Fan gently waved his hand, forming a thin film invisible to the naked eye in front of him and Yun Yun.

Yun Yun noticed Xiao Fan's actions and couldn't help but wonder just how smelly this hairpin-shaped piece of wood was, that even Xiao Fan was handling it so carefully.

Click.

As the waiter opened the container, an overwhelming stench instantly wafted out of the box and spread rapidly in the surrounding area.

Even though he was prepared, the guy still gagged from the stench.

The most pitiful one was the shopkeeper, who was sleeping behind the counter. He was dreaming of eating hot pot and singing songs when suddenly... the smell of the hot pot became even more stench than a latrine.

This made the shopkeeper jump up from his rocking chair.

"Hey kid, did you poke a hole in the toilet? It smells awful!"

After shouting, the shopkeeper seemed to notice Xiao Fan and the other person in the shop. When he saw the wooden hairpins on the counter, his face twisted in disgust.

It's this thing again. If it weren't for his motto of never making a losing deal, he would have sold this piece of junk at a low price long ago. How could it have ended up stuck in his hands?

It wasn't that no one was interested in this thing before, but after discovering its foul odor, most people lost interest. The remaining few were just driven by curiosity, and after hearing the price quoted by the shopkeeper, they all eventually gave up.

When the shopkeeper saw that Xiao Fan and his companion were interested in the hairpin, a smile immediately appeared on his face. He walked to the counter, reached out and closed the box again, but the stench in the shop still hadn't disappeared.

The shopkeeper seemed used to it and said to Xiao Fan, "Sir, don't be fooled by its smell; it's definitely not an ordinary item."

When the shopkeeper initially acquired this item, although the main reason was its rich aroma, it was even more based on his intuition. You see, he built his shop step by step by relying on his intuition.

Xiao Fan didn't refute the shopkeeper's words. Instead, he smiled and said directly, "Just tell me how much it costs."

Seeing Xiao Fan's luxurious clothes and keen interest in the hairpin, the shopkeeper couldn't help but take another look at it. Could it be that he had missed a treasure?

"Ten...thirty gold coins!"

The shopkeeper decided to give it a try; if the other party was really willing to offer thirty gold coins, he wouldn't sell it—it was definitely a good item.

Unfortunately, the shopkeeper's tricks were no match for Xiao Fan.

Upon hearing the shopkeeper's price, Xiao Fan glanced at him indifferently, then made a gesture as if he were about to leave without speaking to him.

"Hey, wait a minute, wait a minute."

Seeing Xiao Fan's actions, the shopkeeper dispelled his doubts. He had finally found something interesting and wanted to get rid of it as soon as possible, otherwise the smell would keep bothering him.

"Sir, please wait a moment. If you are really interested, how about I sell it to you at a lower price?"

Upon hearing the shopkeeper's words, Xiao Fan turned around and smiled, "Alright, I'm just a little curious, but I'm not a sucker. If you're trying to rip me off, then I won't be polite."

Upon hearing Xiao Fan's words, the shopkeeper hesitated for a moment before finally saying, "Five gold coins. I'll sell it for just five gold coins, how about it?"

Upon hearing the shopkeeper's words, Xiao Fan smiled, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Alright, five gold coins it is then."

After paying five gold coins, Xiao Fan left the shop with Yun Yun.

"What is this? Have we found some treasure?"

Yun Yun knew that Xiao Fan was an alchemist. Could it be that he recognized what kind of rare medicinal herb this was?

"Hehe, isn't this like finding a treasure?"

Xiao Fan smiled as he looked at the box in his hand, and then said, "This thing is called Hundred-Foot Fragrance, which is why it had such a strong fragrance when the shopkeeper bought it. Moreover, if you absorb the fragrance of Hundred-Foot Fragrance for a long time, it may increase the success rate of your breakthrough, and it also has the effect of cleansing your meridians and marrow. It is a rare treasure."

If it weren't for the faint lingering smell in the shop, Xiao Fan would have missed this item.

PS.

Xiao Fan is a modern person who has undergone nine years of compulsory education, so even though he has become stronger and is used to fighting to the death, he would never use his power to bully ordinary people, right? This is a mindset for dealing with the world.

As for the recent chapters not being very intense, that's because of the map change; there always needs to be a transition period. I hope everyone understands.

Thank you, Dichenluoran. I saw several of your posts. Thank you for being a reader like you. Thank you for your understanding and concern.

This is being written and posted immediately; there are no drafts saved. I'll be updating more this weekend. Goodnight!

Chapter 18 Si Kou Ning

Hearing Xiao Fan's high praise for the item in his hand, Yun Yun looked at the ordinary wooden lump with surprise.

"Does this stuff really have such a powerful effect?"

Xiao Fan looked at Yun Yun with a smug expression and said, "You don't know this, do you? This thing is extremely rare. Not many people even know what it is. Just discovering it is already very difficult. The stench it emits is enough to scare away most people."

Yun Yun nodded in agreement. After all, the shopkeeper's reaction to what had just happened in the shop showed the power of the stench.

"Didn't that guy say this stuff used to have a strong fragrance? How come it smells so bad now?"

Yun Yun recalled what the shopkeeper had said before: the shopkeeper bought it because of the strong fragrance emanating from the wood, but he never expected that after the purchase, the fragrance would disappear and the wood would become increasingly smelly.

Upon hearing Yun Yun's question, Xiao Fan smiled mysteriously and said, "This is the unique way that Bai Chi Xiang hides itself."

"As the Hundred-Foot Fragrance grows, it continuously emits a rich fragrance that cannot be concealed. This attracts many magical beasts or humans to pick it, which is why it is extremely rare to see a mature Hundred-Foot Fragrance."

"However, once this thing matures, its essence will continuously condense inwards, expelling the impurities it contains and forming this grayish-brown dark shell on its surface."

Xiao Fan pointed to the dark color on the wooden lump and the raised brown spots, and explained to Yun Yun, "These are the impurities it expelled. The real good stuff is all inside."

Upon hearing Xiao Fan's words, Yun Yun asked curiously, "Then why not just cut it open? This method shouldn't be able to fool anyone, right?"

After all, once someone obtains this strange wood, they will inevitably be tempted to cut it open and take a look, and someone will inevitably discover the wood's magical properties.

"Hehe, that's why Hundred-Foot Fragrance is so hard to get."

After hearing Yun Yun's words, Xiao Fan smiled and pointed to the Hundred-Foot Incense in the box, saying to her, "Take a closer look at this."

Yun Yun looked in the direction Xiao Fan was pointing and saw the small brown dots raised on the Hundred Feet Incense. She tilted her head and looked at Xiao Fan in confusion.

Seeing this, Xiao Fan stopped keeping him in suspense and used his Dou Qi to isolate the smell around the box before opening it. Then, a tiny black flame appeared on his right fingertip, condensing into a delicate dagger. His precise control over the flame was enough to leave the other alchemists dumbfounded.

"These brown bumps are the connection between the essence inside the Hundred Feather Fragrance and its surface. Once these brown bumps are damaged, even if you cut it open, all you will get is a pile of foul-smelling impurities."

“Once this small brown dot is damaged, the impurities that were originally discharged will instantly flow out and mix with the essence inside, and the Hundred Feet Fragrance will be destroyed.”

As Xiao Fan explained to Yun Yun, he controlled the knife in his hand to continuously slice across the Hundred-Foot Incense. Under Xiao Fan's superb control, the knife smoothly avoided the brown spots on the Hundred-Foot Incense.

As Xiao Fan moved, the gray shell on Bai Chi Xiang's body was finally peeled off, revealing a smooth tree branch about the length of a palm, emitting a faint blue halo.

Xiao Fan smiled faintly and took out the true essence of the Hundred-Foot Fragrance. As soon as it came into contact with the air, the essence of the Hundred-Foot Fragrance solidified, and the brown light spots that were originally connected also solidified on the surface, and then turned into specks of dust and scattered down.

"All right."

Xiao Fan held the exquisite blue Hundred-Foot Incense in his hand up to the sunlight for a moment, then turned around and inserted it into Yun Yun's hair bun.

“Absolutely perfect!”

Looking at the natural hairpin on Yun Yun's head, Xiao Fan couldn't help but admire it. This hairpin was the perfect match for Yun Yun's temperament. Yun Yun usually wore very little jewelry, and her cool temperament was not suitable for those bright decorations. This hairpin looked much more appropriate, and in addition, its special effects were also of great benefit to Yun Yun.

Yun Yun noticed Xiao Fan's actions, and a hint of joy flashed across her face. A blush rose on her cheeks behind the veil, and her eyes, as clear as autumn water, watched quietly as Xiao Fan put the wooden hairpin on her head. Unfortunately, no one could see it.

At the palace gate, Xiao Fan and Yun Yun arrived but were stopped by the guards.

Xiao Fan took out Lao Wan's waist token and handed it to the guard. The guard glanced at Xiao Fan, then announced his arrival and led Xiao Fan and Yun Yun into the palace.

Upon entering the palace, several Dou Wang-level spiritual powers swept over Xiao Fan and Yun Yun, but thanks to their concealment, they did not notice anything amiss.

The guards quickly led Xiao Fan and his companion to the entrance of a spacious courtyard. After handing them over to the imperial guards at the gate, they turned to Xiao Fan and his companion and instructed them, "Wait here for a moment. Someone will call you shortly."

After saying that, without looking at Xiao Fan and the others' reactions, he turned around and walked back the way he came.

Xiao Fan and Yun Yun looked at each other in bewilderment as the guards left, but fortunately, neither of them cared.

After waiting for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, an elderly man with graying hair was escorted out by a maid dressed in a light blue palace dress. The Imperial Guard then led the old man away, and she turned her gaze to Xiao Fan and Yun Yun who were waiting at the door.

"Are you the poison masters recommended by Wan Zuochen?"

Upon hearing the maid's words, Xiao Fan stepped forward, nodded, and said, "That's right, we were recommended by Lao Wan."

The maid looked at Xiao Fan's face, glanced at Yun Yun who was wearing a veil, and said to the two of them, "In that case, please come with me."

"My name is Chunlai. Remember, once you go inside, don't look around or say anything carelessly. If you break any taboos or offend the princess, I won't be able to save you."