Sold for 300, I Fight Back with Superpowers

In the end, Su Qing didn’t get to have dinner in Uncle Sangji’s yurt.

The people of Xiuma Village were extremely hospitable. No outsiders had visited in years; Su Qing was their only guest in a long time. To express their sincere welcome, the village chief decided to hold a bonfire banquet that evening in her honor.

The bonfire banquet was set up in an open area next to Xiuma Village. Beside a large bonfire was an abundance of roasted mutton and beef, as well as tsampa, cheese pastries, dried cheese, and highland barley wine... a truly lavish spread.

To welcome Su Qing, the villagers brought out their best food, making her feel the genuine warmth of Xiuma Village. She also received the sincerest blessings from the village elders.

”Su Qing, hurry and try this. This cheese pastry was made by Aunt Gama. It’s especially delicious,” Zhuoma said with a smile, handing a piece to Su Qing.

”Okay.” Su Qing accepted it with a smile, took a bite, and her eyes instantly widened. ”This is delicious!”

”Right? Aunt Gama makes the best cheese pastries,” another girl of a similar age said to Su Qing with a smile.

Su Qing nodded with a beaming smile.

After dinner, the villagers began to sing and dance around the bonfire. Su Qing joined in for a while before sitting to one side to chat quietly with Zhuoma.

A short while later, the Xiuma Village chief walked over, supported by his grandson. ”Su, I hear from Sangji that you’re planning to enter Xiqing Mountain tomorrow?”

”Yes.” The Xiuma Village chief was not young, already in his sixties or seventies. Su Qing, feeling great respect for the kind old chief, quickly responded and helped him sit down.

”This is for you.” The Xiuma Village chief handed a small cloth pouch to Su Qing. ”It’s some beast-repellent powder. It might not work on large beasts, but it’s effective against snakes, insects, and mosquitoes. Take it with you. Since you’re a young woman going into the mountains, you must not go too deep. It’s truly dangerous otherwise.”

As the Xiuma Village chief spoke, a hidden sadness flickered in the depths of his eyes. Though it was night and only the bonfire provided light, Su Qing could see it clearly.

”Don’t worry, Grandpa Chief, I’ll be careful.” Su Qing didn’t refuse the Xiuma Village chief’s kind gesture and accepted the cloth pouch.

”Good, good.” Seeing Su Qing accept the pouch, the Xiuma Village chief smiled. ”When you come out of Xiqing Mountain, come back to the village, and we’ll celebrate for you again.”

”Okay,” Su Qing said, nodding with a smile.

”Alright, you young people can chat. I’ll be heading back now.”

”Okay, Grandpa Chief. Take care.”

After the Xiuma Village chief left, Su Qing quietly asked Zhuoma, ”Forgive me for asking, but did Grandpa Chief seem a little sad just now?”

”Sigh.” Zhuoma sighed softly and also whispered to Su Qing, ”Grandpa Chief’s second son went missing in Xiqing Mountain. They were never able to find him.”

”He went deep into the mountains?” Su Qing asked.

”Yes,” Zhuoma said. ”Times were tough a few years ago. Our village is far from the county town, and nobody had much money. If it weren’t for every family raising cattle and sheep, we probably would have had trouble just getting food.”

Su Qing remained silent, listening quietly to Zhuoma.

Zhuoma continued, ”Three years ago, Grandpa Chief fell gravely ill. They spent a lot of money sending him to the hospital, but he couldn’t be cured, so he had to come home. Grandpa Chief himself wasn’t too bothered; he felt he was old, and sickness and death were normal. But his second son, Uncle Jiamu, refused to give up. He insisted on entering Xiqing Mountain to find medicinal herbs. Who would have known... he went in and never came back.”

”Later, Grandpa Chief’s illness miraculously recovered. But because of Uncle Jiamu’s disappearance, his health deteriorated. He even needs someone to support him when he walks now. There has been no news of Uncle Jiamu all these years, so everyone thinks he’s probably... gone.”

Zhuoma’s voice grew low and melancholic as she recounted the village’s past.

”Yeah,” another girl around Su Qing’s age added. ”Grandpa Chief has been blaming himself all these years. He thinks that if it weren’t for his illness, Uncle Jiamu wouldn’t have risked going into Xiqing Mountain. And if he hadn’t gone into Xiqing Mountain, Uncle Jiamu would still be fine today.”

An elderly father losing his son—it was a heartbreaking story. Su Qing could only sigh in sympathy.

Zhuoma spoke again, ”So, that’s why my dad is so worried about you going into Xiqing Mountain. To be honest, I also think there’s no need for a girl like you to go into Xiqing Mountain just to gather herbs. Even if you have to go, you shouldn’t go alone. It’s too dangerous.”

”It’s fine. I’ve taken precautions, so nothing will happen. Just wait for my return with peace of mind,” Su Qing said to Zhuoma with a smile.

The conversation about Jiamu had cast a somber mood. Worried about affecting Su Qing’s spirits, Zhuoma quickly changed the subject and told her many amusing stories.

The bonfire banquet lasted late into the night before everyone finally dispersed. Su Qing stayed the night at Zhuoma’s house and bid the family farewell the next day, preparing to enter Xiqing Mountain. Before heading into the mountains, she left her payment with Zhuoma’s family. She also gave them some White Rabbit creamy candies and brown sugar, asking Uncle Sangji to distribute them to the villagers. Uncle Sangji couldn’t refuse and had to accept, repeatedly urging Su Qing to be extremely careful.

Su Qing agreed.

Uncle Sangji then escorted Su Qing to the foot of Xiqing Mountain. He watched her enter the mountain before heading back to the village.

In late November, Xiqing Mountain was as beautiful as a painting!

At this time of year, the verdant green of the mountains had gradually given way to yellows, reds, and browns. The colors were vibrant, magnificent, and beautiful. Fallen leaves carpeted the mountain paths, creating a sense of quiet, stark beauty as far as the eye could see.

Walking amidst it all, Su Qing watched a squirrel occasionally leap between branches and couldn’t help but take a deep breath. She wasn’t sure if it was because of Xiqing Mountain’s higher altitude, but Su Qing felt that the Spiritual Energy here was much denser than on Da Hu Mountain.

Back in the Ancient Forest on Da Hu Mountain, Su Qing had spent nearly a week there. However, her superpower didn’t advance to the Sixth Rank. She suspected it was because the leap from Fifth Rank to Sixth Rank required a vast amount of Spiritual Energy, as she hadn’t even sensed the barrier to the next rank back then.

But today, in Xiqing Mountain, after being in the mountains for only half a day, Su Qing felt her superpower seemed to have touched the barrier to the Sixth Rank.

Su Qing’s heart leaped with joy. ’If this is the case, then this time in Xiqing Mountain, I should be able to advance to a Sixth Rank Wood Ability!’

’A Sixth Rank Wood Ability! I never even reached that in my past life. To think that in this new life, my Wood Ability is about to reach a whole new level.’