After the Traveling Merchant came to a halt, his gaze fell upon White Night.
He watched her for a few seconds, then shifted his eyes toward Little Frost.
Then back to White Night.
Then back to Little Frost.
His gaze flickered between the two of them for several rounds.
“Sigh…”
He let out a heavy sigh and shook his head.
“A tragedy, what a tragedy.”
White Night felt her skin crawl under his gaze.
‘How mysterious this guy is…’
“Senior, what do you mean by that?”
White Night spoke, her tone guarded and filled with confusion.
The Traveling Merchant had started sighing and lamenting the moment he arrived. What exactly did he want?
The Traveling Merchant withdrew his gaze, waved his hand, and a gentle smile returned to his face.
“It is nothing, nothing at all. I simply recalled some unhappy memories.”
He raised a hand and patted his shoulder pole as if to soothe his own emotions.
“I have walked too many roads and strayed too far from home; it is inevitable to feel homesick. That is why I sighed. Please do not mind me, guests.”
“But we do not wish to do business with you,” White Night said bluntly. “You are not planning to force a sale on us, are you?”
The Traveling Merchant did not get angry upon hearing this. Instead, his smile widened, revealing a row of white teeth.
“Little girl, my wares are excellent and inexpensive. Do you really have no need for them?”
He bent down and rummaged through one of his baskets, pulling out a Bronze Mirror.
The craftsmanship was somewhat crude. The surface of the mirror was a dull bronze-green, and the edges were engraved with several unrecognizable patterns.
He held the Bronze Mirror up in front of White Night.
On the blurry surface, the outline of White Night’s Soul Body was actually reflected.
White Night was startled.
She was a soul; normal mirrors could not reflect her image. But this Bronze Mirror—
The Traveling Merchant smiled and shook the Bronze Mirror.
“For instance, is there not a Weirdness hiding within your convoy? A single glance into this mirror will reveal any demon or ghost.”
White Night’s heart stirred, but she quickly suppressed the feeling.
She knew that all good things came with a price. Especially when obtaining something from a mysterious Traveling Merchant who appeared and disappeared like a ghost, heaven only knew what the cost would be.
What if he wanted a part of her body?
She was currently a Rusty Bicycle. Although she did not have kidneys to give, who knew what she would become if she lost a component? Or perhaps he would want her soul or spirits. If she lost her soul, she had no idea what she would turn into.
White Night remained extremely cautious.
“I still have no need for it,” she said, shaking her head. “The Weirdness in the convoy cannot threaten us for the time being. At worst, we will simply leave the convoy.”
The Traveling Merchant was not annoyed by the rejection. He did not rush, either, remaining there with a smile.
“Do not worry. You can put your heart at ease. I will not harm you.”
He tilted his head, his tone as casual as if they were chatting about family matters.
“If I wanted to harm you, I have thousands upon thousands of ways to handle it. Why would I waste my breath like this?”
White Night fell silent for a moment.
He was not wrong.
Given the methods this Traveling Merchant had displayed—seeing through her Soul Invisibility and using Shrinking Distance to move instantly—if he truly wanted to act, the three of them combined would not be enough to stop him. If he wanted to kill them, he would not be standing here talking.
“Then… let’s make a deal.”
White Night relented but immediately added, “But you have to say what you want first. I do not have anything valuable. You cannot possibly want cash; that pile of waste paper is worthless.”
“Of course I do not want that pile of waste paper.”
The Traveling Merchant laughed twice, tossed the Bronze Mirror back into the basket, leaned on his shoulder pole, and leaned closer to White Night.
“Actually, what I want is very simple.”
“Just say a few Auspicious Words to me.”
White Night was stunned.
“Say a few Auspicious Words? It is that simple?”
“It is that simple.”
“Nothing bad will happen after I say them, right?”
Seeing that the other party’s strength was unfathomable, White Night stopped hiding her thoughts and spoke her worries directly.
The Traveling Merchant scoffed and shook his head.
“No, it is just a few Auspicious Words.”
He straightened his back and looked up at the Blood Moon in the sky, his tone carrying a hint of inexplicable sentiment.
“In my world, the New Year would be approaching soon. If you say a few Auspicious Words and I feel happy, the deal will be struck.”
White Night thought about it.
If she could truly trade blessings for items, she naturally had something she wanted more.
“Then can you give me Ghost Crystals?”
Compared to a Bronze Mirror, she needed Ghost Crystals more to upgrade the RV System. Once the System was upgraded, it could provide better protection and more convenience for her two Aunties, and they could continue to grow stronger by relying on it.
As for the Weirdness lurking in the convoy, she did not care much about it. Once this one was dealt with, there would be another. The root problem was their own lack of strength.
“Of course.”
The Traveling Merchant waved his hand grandly.
“I do not lack Ghost Crystals. However, business is about fairness. Depending on how many Auspicious Words you say, I will give you a corresponding amount of Ghost Crystals. Does that sound fair?”
“Fine.” White Night nodded. “Then let me think.”
“Think carefully. I am in no hurry. Take your time.”
The Traveling Merchant stood there leisurely, hands resting on his pole, watching White Night with a beaming smile. He looked as though he was in no rush at all.
White Night furrowed her brows, her small soul face showing an expression of intense concentration. She frantically searched her mind, turning her fragmented memories from her past life upside down.
After about two minutes, she prepared herself and spoke.
“I wish you, Senior Traveling Merchant, safe travels as you carry your load across ten thousand miles! May every step be secure! May you encounter no danger as you travel from north to south, and may your body stay warm through the biting cold and scorching heat!”
The Traveling Merchant arched an eyebrow, the smile on his face deepening as he nodded slowly.
Seeing that it was working, White Night’s eyes brightened. Her small head bobbed along as she spoke, and the floodgates of her memory opened. Her words became smoother and smoother:
“I wish your business prosperity across the four seas, and may you find a destined customer every time you open your basket! May your trades be smooth without dispute, and may gold and silver roll into your basket!
I wish you a warm home to return to for the New Year, filled with the laughter of a full family reunion! May your three meals be flavorful, your four seasons peaceful, and may you find friends abroad and a lamp waiting for you at home!
May fortune follow you and calamity stay far away! May your body remain robust and your appetite keen! May you have the spirit of a dragon and horse, with every day being bright and clear! May luck be upon you and every worry vanish!
May wealth come from the four seasons and treasures from the eight directions! May each year be better than the last, and may you remain worry-free year after year!”
She rattled off a long string of blessings. Occasionally she would stumble, pause for a second, and then continue with even more fluency.
As the Traveling Merchant listened, the smile on his face grew wider and wider. By the end, he was actually clapping happily.
“Good, good, good! Where did you learn such a long string of words?”
White Night paused, her voice growing slightly softer.
“In my past life, when I was begging, I heard an old man saying them to others under a bridge. He would say these things while begging, and people would give him food. I listened to him a few times and memorized them.”
She stopped for a moment.
“But when I went to beg, no one really paid attention to me. Perhaps I did not learn them completely.”
The Traveling Merchant’s smile faltered for a brief instant.
Within those weathered eyes, a tiny, subtle emotion flickered before vanishing.
“So that is how it was.”
He did not press further.
“Very well. Since you have said such a long string of Auspicious Words, I am truly happy. I shall give you an auspicious number then—eighty-eight Ghost Crystals.”
Upon hearing that number, White Night’s soul literally brightened by a notch.
“Thank you, Senior.”
She hurried to give him a bow.
The Traveling Merchant bent down, reached into his large basket, and scooped out a full handful of gray Ghost Crystals. Every single one was plump and emitted a faint, cold light.
He then pulled a gray Coarse Cloth Bag from the bottom of the basket, poured the Ghost Crystals inside with a clatter, tied the opening, and handed it to White Night.
White Night hesitated for a moment before reaching out with her soul hand.
The moment her fingertips touched the cloth bag, she realized she could actually hold it. A Soul Body normally could not grasp physical objects, but she could firmly hold this bag in her hand. It felt rough and warm, as if someone had been warming it in their palm for a long time.
This bag itself was likely worth more than the Ghost Crystals inside.
“Does this bag need to be returned?” White Night hurried to ask.
There was no such thing as a free lunch; she did not believe such an item would be given away for nothing.
“No need to return it.”
The Traveling Merchant waved his hand with a look of indifference.
“Your Auspicious Words made me happy. Consider the bag a bonus.”
He brushed the dust off his hands.
“Alright, the deal is done.”
The Traveling Merchant hoisted his shoulder pole again, hanging the baskets steadily on either end as if preparing to leave.
It seemed his arrival was truly just to complete this single trade with White Night.
Just then, a figure hurried over.
Wang Ziming.
He had been observing the situation from a distance. Seeing that Su Shuang’er and Mu Yingying were standing there without a combat stance, and that the Traveling Merchant showed no signs of aggression—appearing instead to be chatting—he judged this to be a fortuitous encounter rather than a danger.
Such a mysterious existence was definitely like a wandering master. If he missed this chance, it would never come again.
He could no longer hold back.
“Wait, Senior.”
Wang Ziming walked up quickly and stood before the Traveling Merchant.
“May I ask if you are selling items?”
The Traveling Merchant stopped, glanced at him, froze for a second, and then grinned.
“You kid, isn’t that obvious? I’m carrying a pole and Hawking; of course I’m here to sell things. Did you think I was here to take your life?”
Those words made Wang Ziming take half a step back, his heart tightening. The other party was fickle; he couldn’t tell if those words were a joke or a warning.
But he had already committed.
Steeling himself, he cupped his fists in the manner of the ancients.
“Senior, I also wish to trade with you. You are a master from beyond the mundane world; you must be knowledgeable and have encountered many Weirdnesses. I want to ask you, is there…”
“You want to ask if I have a way to bring the dead back to life, right?”
The Traveling Merchant cut him off.
Wang Ziming’s words caught in his throat. He stared blankly at the Traveling Merchant, his lips moving twice, but not a single word came out.
Then, with a thud, he dropped to his knees.
His knees hit the gravel ground with a dull thud. He kowtowed to the Traveling Merchant, his forehead slamming against the earth. Small stones embedded themselves in his skin, and blood began to seep out.
A second time.
A third time.
He performed three loud kowtows.
“Senior, since you know what is in my heart, I beg you to help me.”
The Traveling Merchant looked down at the kneeling Wang Ziming, his face calm and devoid of emotion.
“The dead cannot return to life. I cannot help you.”
His voice was not heavy, but every word was like a nail driven into Wang Ziming’s ears.
“Kowtowing is useless. I am a businessman who does business, not a deity who performs charity.”
With that, he stepped forward and walked away.
The shoulder pole bobbed on his shoulder, and the small goods in the baskets clinked together with a fine, tinkling sound.
Wang Ziming knelt on the ground, watching the Traveling Merchant’s receding back. His hand slowly reached into his collar, pulling out a Pocket Watch from close to his skin.
His face, which was usually indifferent and calm, now looked as if his soul had been sucked out. His empty gaze fell upon the Pocket Watch in his palm.
He pressed the lid of the Pocket Watch open.
Inside was a photograph.
A younger version of himself stood on the left side of the photo, laughing with a hint of youthfulness. Beside him, a girl wore a sweet smile, her eyes curving into crescents, seemingly frozen forever at her best age.
The love of his life.
She had long since passed away.
The blood-red moonlight shone upon the photograph, and the girl in the picture seemed to be smiling forever.
The Traveling Merchant did not look back.
However, his voice drifted into the ears of White Night and the others as if carried by the wind.
“Su Shuang’er’s Luck is useful, but do you know what the price is? It would be best not to use Luck recklessly.”
White Night was stunned.
Before she could thin deeply about the meaning of those words, the Traveling Merchant pulled a Pellet Drum from his basket.
He shook it—thump-thump, thump-thump—as he strode forward.
His Hawking cry rang out again, clear and resonant.
“As the saying goes—”
“The world is fickle; misfortune leans on fortune, and fortune hides within misfortune. Calamity and blessing are forever entwined.”
“The world holds a promise: in life, one shall not part; in death, one shall not betray. Life and death are forever bound.”
“Providence toys with us, providence toys with us—”
The thump-thump of the Pellet Drum gradually grew distant. His figure became smaller and fainter in the moonlight.
The Hawking followed, fading until only the vendor’s cries remained.
“Selling combs! Selling Bronze Mirrors! Selling needles and thread! Selling candies!”
“Selling trousers! Selling bodices! Selling insoles! Selling pots and pans! Selling firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, and tea!”
The voice grew smaller and smaller. Eventually, it vanished into the edge of the night.
White Night clutched the gray Coarse Cloth Bag in her hand; the eighty-eight Ghost Crystals inside were heavy.
However, her mind was elsewhere. She thought about the Traveling Merchant’s words, her face filled with worry.
What was the price for Auntie Frost’s Luck?