Gu Daoist Master

Chapter 39 – Toad Caravan Merchant

The month of May was a transition between spring and summer.

The fragrance of flowers filled the air, the huge mountains evergreen and the sunlight began to gradually release its ardent side.

Under the clear azure skies, the white clouds drifted like cotton.

On Qing Mao Mountain, the bamboo forest was straight like spears as always, pointing towards the blue sky. Weeds grew wildly everywhere, and unknown varieties of wild flowers dotted the grass thicket. As the light breeze blew, the wild grass moved to and fro, the heavy fragrance of flower pollen and the smell of green grass assailing visitors.

Halfway up the mountain was a huge number of terraced fields. Layer by layer, step by step, the soft green wheat sprouts were planted down. From afar, it looked like a verdant green sea.

On the terraced fields were numerous farmers busily working away. There were some farmers cleaning the canal for the channeling of water to irrigate the fields, while some farmers were rolling up their trousers, standing in the fields and planting sprouts.

These people were naturally all mortal outsiders as the Gu Yue clansmen would never have do these lowly jobs.

Ring, ring…

The sound of camel bells could be faintly heard in the spring breeze.

The farmers straightened their bodies as they headed down the mountain, only to see a caravan moving like a colorful worm from the mountain side, slowly showing its head.

“It’s the merchant caravan!”

“Yes, it’s already May, it is about time for the caravan to come.”

The adults caught on the situation at once, and the children stopped playing with the water and clay in their hands. Together, they energetically approached the caravan.

The Southern Borders had a hundred thousand mountains – Qing Mao Mountain was just one of them. On every mountain, there were villages after villages, which were maintained by everyone through their blood relationships and kinships.

In between the mountains, the forests were deep and ominous, the cliffs steep and full of the dangerous falling rocks. Additionally, in the complex surroundings of the forest dwelled a large number of ferocious beasts and peculiar Gu worms.

through at all. It was difficult to get past these obstacles

of trading was through the caravan merchants. Only by organizing a merchant group in such a large scale could Gu Masters come together with the power to help each other,

bowl of boiling water that

past years they would come in April, but this year they only arrived in May. At least they’re here now.” The owner of the inn let out a deep breath upon hearing the news. The inn’s

there was some green bamboo wine within his storage that he could sell

the

its entire body orange-yellow in color. The back of the toad was thick and full of warts and knots. It was like the lumps of

goods. At a glance, it seemed like the toad was

with a circular face full of pockmarks sat cross-legged atop the toad. He was fat and had a large belly. Both of his eyes formed into slits when

at Rank four and

sitting on its head was stable and steady. When the toad hopped, his height would level with the windows on the second floor of a building. Even when he was back on the ground, he was at a height greater than the first level of the

and narrow. The Treasure Brass Toad was like a beast that

glass windows, the colors bright and gorgeous. The worm was fifteen meters long, its body shape resembling a silkworm. However, the surface of the worm was covered in a thick layer of black porcelain-like leather armor. On the armor was another abundant pile of goods and merchandise, a hemp rope tied around it. In between the gaps and intervals of the goods, Gu Masters sat one by one, some

and sturdy martial warriors, slowly moving

the fat beetle, there were ostriches with brightly colored feathers, hairy mountain spiders, winged snakes with two pairs of feathered wings and so on. However, these were in small numbers, most

similar to the Treasure Brass Toad, but they were smaller in size and had the build

merchant caravan wound

curiously with wide eyes, calling out in joy

second stories opened one after another, the mountain villagers observing the merchants from a short distance. Some had eyes that flashed with fear and

came a little late this year, you must have had a hard journey.” Approaching with the identity of a

Master, if a Rank three elder were to be in charge of receiving him, it would be undoubtedly be seen as

the way we bumped into a group of Secluded Blood Bats and we lost quite a few good men. Then on Jue Bi Mountain we ran into a mountain fog, and we didn’t dare to

they spoke, their

come and trade, and the

food and wine, let me host a welcoming dinner for you, old brother,” Gu Yue Bo stretched out his

too polite.”

merchant caravan arrived at the boundaries of the Qing Mao Mountain in the early morning, and by afternoon they were stationed in the Gu Yue Village. When it was dusk, the surroundings of the village had formed into a

was descending, yet it was still brightly lit in

There were mortals as well as GuMasters. The little children hopped around in high spirits, and the adults showed an expression of joy akin to