BXBX NOVEL Chapter 91 - 86: The Bug Appraiser i
Qin Niu was dressed in coarse clothes, marked with quite a few patches.
Once inside, there really was no difference between his attire and that of a beggar. Those aspiring Insect Masters and Beast Tamers looked at him with disdain and contempt, and some even showed aversion.
Because they considered their status to be exalted, mixing with a poor mountain boy was an insult to their dignity.
As for this, Qin Niu was utterly unconcerned.
He idly strolled within the market.
“Selling Snow Wolves here, just caught yesterday. Young Snow Wolf cubs, only fifteen Silver Money for a quick sale!”
“A Yellow Finch that can understand human speech, yours for just ten Silver Money!”
“Just weaned, red-furred milk sheep, fifty Silver Money each, first come first served.”
The entrance to the marketplace had the highest flow of people, and both sides of the road were mostly lined with stalls selling various beasts and birds.
Each species possessed some special abilities.
Snow Wolves, also known as Ice Wolves, reportedly originated in the polar ice fields. Later, after some were captured, they interbred with local wolf packs, occasionally producing Snow Wolves.
In fact, they were no longer pure-blooded Ice Wolves.
But if nurtured properly, they could still retain some of the Ice Wolf’s abilities.
For instance, once evolved to a certain grade, they could exhale a cold fog, and even potentially spew ice spikes to kill enemies in their later stages.
Even a Snow Wolf that could exhale cold fog was quite formidable.
When it sprayed its fog, enveloping its enemies, it would instantly freeze their bodies, slowing down their movements. At this point, the master riding on the Snow Wolf’s back could easily slay them with a single sword strike.
If Snow Wolves were so powerful, why could one buy one for just fifteen Silver Money?
First, the Snow Wolf was a relatively scarce breed among wolves, and it was quite delicate. It required meat at every meal.
House dogs that served as Protectors could eat just about any leftovers.
Snow Wolves, however, would rather starve than eat anything that wasn’t fresh meat. Their preferred diet consisted solely of fresh meat, particularly that of wild beasts and birds.
Moreover, their appetite was especially large.
Once grown to adulthood, their height could reach a person’s chest or even their shoulders, exceeding the weight of a large house dog by a significant margin.
Devouring twenty or thirty pounds of meat in a meal was not out of the ordinary for them.
This single factor already priced many people out of owning one.
Besides, cultivating a Snow Wolf was extremely difficult; for it to level up was even harder than the owner themselves advancing a grade.
After all, Beast Pets are just an external possession, and it’s unlikely that any idiot owner would use all of their resources to nurture one. More than 99% of people would prioritize advancing their own cultivation.
And whether nurturing insects or beasts and birds, the goal was to earn more resources for cultivation.
Few were willing to put the cart before the horse.
That’s why, despite their appeal, Snow Wolves were essentially a bottomless pit.
Only scions of immensely wealthy families dared to purchase and rear them.
Qin Niu was ‘not interested’ in Beast Pets; taking care of himself was hard enough, so maintaining a Beast Pet was less appealing to him than keeping a wife!
At least a wife could provide warmth and carry on the family line.
He briskly walked past the beast and bird selling area and finally came upon insect vendors in an alley.
The status of an Insect Master was truly far below that of a Beast Tamer!
There were probably just seventy or eighty stalls selling various types of insects.
The storefronts behind them were equally small, giving off a rather shabby impression.
“Iron Arm Mantis, a rare variety, half a Silver Money per one! This is the only one, don’t miss out if you’re passing by!”
“Blue-footed Toxic Centipedes, fiercely poisonous. One bite, and not even a deity could save you. Selling for two Silver Money, take it if you want it!”
The insects for sale here were all of large size.
Poisonous insects were seen the most.
This also indicated that poisonous insects were popular in the market.
Raising a poison insect for self-defense was indeed a great idea.
If necessary, suddenly releasing a poisonous insect to bite an enemy could eliminate a formidable foe instantly.
The cost of owning this thing is not high, and with great power, it naturally becomes very popular.
Qin Niu planned to first try selling a Jin Chan.
He walked straight to the end of the vendors’ row, took out a cage with a male
Jin Chan and placed it in front of him.
“Deadly male Jin Chan for sale, come and get it if you need one!”
He certainly wasn’t shy; after setting up, he mimicked the other vendors, calling out loudly to attract buyers.
Making money isn’t easy, and sometimes one has to set aside their pride.
His cries elicited smiles from the surrounding vendors.
What a rarity.
After selling insects for so long, I’ve never seen anyone sell a deadly variety.
This country boy must have some screws loose in his head.
Hearing the shouting, a man in a black robe approached. Embroidered on his chest were the words Market Administrator.
He wasn’t wearing an official hat.
His status seemed similar to that of the black-robed idler at the city gate, roughly an assistant to the officials.
A position akin to that of a modern auxiliary police officer.
Working as a public servant, yet without an official post. Doing the most work but only they know the sourness of their income and status.
Heartbreak that can’t be spoken out loud.
“Selling insects at a stall requires a management fee of ten wen money,” the man in the black robe stated coldly.
“All… you need to pay a fee even for setting up a stall on the roadside?”
“Nonsense, how else would you be allowed to sell in the marketplace? You can go sell on the streets. But if the patrolling city guards catch you, they’ll not only seize your insects, but also fine you.”
Although his words were intimidating, most of what he said was likely true.
“Then forget it, 1 won’t sell. It’s not even certain whether this insect can sell for ten wen money.”
Qin Niu put away the insect.
“It’s best not to think about setting up a stall here secretly. If 1 catch you, it won’t just be a matter of ten wen money to settle.”
Seeing Qin Niu’s shabby clothes, the man in the black robe wasn’t sure if he even had ten wen money but did not make things more difficult for him.
After a warning, he walked over to a recliner set up in front of a shop and comfortably lay down.
He chatted with the shop’s charming proprietress from time to time.
Working as a public servant sure is comfortable!
It’s essentially making money by lying down.
Qin Niu decided to first get his Insect Master certification sorted out.
“Young man, if you want to set up a stall selling insects here, 1 advise you to pay the management fee of ten wen money. But 1 suggest you catch some better insects next time, like spiders, centipedes; they’re stronger than your Jin Chan,” advised a nearby stall owner kindly.
“Okay, thank you, uncle! Can’t I set up a stall for free?”
“To set up a stall for free, you either need to be an Insect Master or a Beast
Tamer, otherwise don’t even think about it.”
“So that’s how it is, thanks!”
After hearing the advice, Qin Niu’s eyes lit up.
An Insect Master certification? That’s easy! Just go get certified.
“Also, when selling insects, it’s best to get an Appraiser to identify them and provide a certificate, like this one I have. It’s more authoritative, and buyers will feel more confident.”
The vendor showed Qin Niu an appraisal certificate.
It listed the insect’s name, its classification, special abilities, lifespan, and other information.
It also bore the individual stamp of the Appraiser.
Indeed, it looked quite authoritative.
“How much does an appraisal cost?”
Qin Niu asked.
“That depends on what kind of insect you’re appraising. A Grade One insect costs twenty wen money per appraisal. Grade Two insects are more expensive; you need at least a hundred wen money for the fee. Grade Three insects are impossible to catch, so no need to mention them..”