A Mysterious Merchant Came from the South

In the Great Wilderness, itinerant merchants are a very special breed.

They belong neither to merchant guilds nor to the ranks of small-time peddlers.

They travel from village to village and roam the wilderness. Wherever humans gather, you are sure to find them.

Some even do business with demons and monsters.

They drive all kinds of box carts through the streets and across the wilderness.

Copper bells on the carts’ canopies jingle merrily, drawing the children of local farmers, who hop and skip along behind them.

The carts carry all sorts of goods, from fine salt to precious spirit herbs. They have just about everything.

Some children even bring herbs they have gathered to trade with the merchants for crunchy milk candies.

Adults who want divine weapons or cultivation manuals offer precious crystals and beast bones in exchange.

If a motorcycle breaks down in the wilderness, the merchant can even produce a screw that fits its model.

Over time, this merchant becomes more and more unsettling:

“Will you sell me your swordsmanship? One hundred loaves of bread. I don’t want your manual, I want the skill you’ve cultivated.”

“Superpowers? You mean things like X-ray vision, invisibility, or body swapping? I’ll take them. Name your price!”

“What else can you sell? Fifteen years of your lifespan... The market’s good right now, so you can still get a decent price. Sell it. Don’t want to? No need to be afraid. I only carry this knife for self-defense. A deal has to be voluntary, and I certainly won’t rob you for free.”

He roams the Great Wilderness with countless treasures in tow, seeking people destined to trade with him. As long as you can afford the price, you can get anything from him.