Translator: CinderTL
Xu Sanyan's face showed reluctance as he said, "Madam, you've worked hard."
Qin Manyang bit her lip and slowly walked toward the young man in green robes. "Let's go..."
"Hahaha, excellent. I'll make sure you have a wonderful time today." As they spoke, the two had already stepped out the door.
Xu Sanyan's expression returned to its usual coldness as he reached into his robes and pulled out a Dust-Whisk. "May I ask, Shopkeeper, how many Spirit Stones is this worth?"
Manager Yue observed Xu Sanyan's seemingly unaffected demeanor and couldn't help but admire his composure. His wife had run off with another man, yet he still had the presence of mind to conduct business.
Little did he know, the truth was quite the opposite. It remained to be seen who was the hunter and who was the prey.
Just moments ago, Qin Manyang had sent him a mental message, instructing him to wait for her five miles outside the city. Xu Sanyan didn't know what scheme she was plotting, but he didn't expose her. Instead, he played along, acting out this entire charade.
Moreover, Qin Manyang had promised him a twenty percent share of the profits afterward.
Manager Yue took the Dust-Whisk and shook his head gently. "Fellow Daoist, this magic artifact is made from common materials and is a magic artifact cultivated by a cultivator. It can only be activated using specific cultivation methods, so it's not worth much."
"But it must still have some value, however small," Xu Sanyan replied, having anticipated this response.
Manager Yue held up five fingers.
"Fifty Spirit Stones?"
"Five."
Manager Yue forced a wry smile. "The materials used in this magic artifact are quite ordinary. Even if we were to reshape it, it wouldn't fetch many Spirit Stones, and it would be a waste of effort."
If Xu Sanyan hadn't just made a big sale here, Manager Yue wouldn't have even accepted the item.
Xu Sanyan was disappointed, but it made sense. After all, Lan Yue's cultivation level wasn't high, and she had been forced to flee the Central Region for the remote Qi Kingdom. What treasures could she possibly have possessed?
But five Spirit Stones...
That was far too cheap.
Next, he produced the swords of the Red Sea Twin Immortals. "What about these?"
"Twenty Spirit Stones each. These are slightly better."
Xu Sanyan shook his head inwardly and then presented the longsword and dagger he had obtained from the Imperial Advisor. "And these two?"
"The longsword is made of decent materials, but it's a magic artifact cultivated by a cultivator. It's worth about a hundred Spirit Stones. The dagger is just an ordinary one, priced the same as the Dust-Whisk."
Manager Yue couldn't help but wonder where this man had found such a collection of junk.
Xu Sanyan nodded, reclaiming the Imperial Advisor's longsword and leaving the rest with him. "Sell them all."
Manager Yue took the items.
"How much for the Spirit Herbs?" Xu Sanyan asked again.
Manager Yue perked up immediately. "The price varies depending on the type you need."
"The cheapest ones."
Manager Yue was taken aback. This was the first time he'd encountered someone buying Spirit Herbs like this, and he couldn't help but be curious. "May I ask, fellow Daoist, if you're a Qi Refiner?"
"No."
Manager Yue didn't press further. "Very well. The cheapest Spirit Herbs are twenty Spirit Stones per plant."
"That expensive?" Xu Sanyan was stunned. At this rate, buying Spirit Herbs with Spirit Stones seemed less efficient than directly absorbing the stones' Vitality.
One Spirit Stone was roughly equivalent to two units of Vitality, so twenty stones would yield forty units. However, a single Spirit Herb only contained five or six units of Vitality—a significant difference.
Xu Sanyan then sold the Spirit Herbs he'd obtained from the Corpse Walker, along with all the bottles and jars, to Manager Yue for a total of one hundred Spirit Stones.
After calculating his earnings, Xu Sanyan realized he now possessed nearly a thousand Spirit Stones—enough to last him for a while. After some thought, he asked, "Do you sell Mystical Arts here?"
Manager Yue chuckled. "Of course, but they're not cheap. If you're interested, fellow Daoist, you can come upstairs."
Xu Sanyan nodded. "I'll trouble you."
"Please."
The second floor was vastly different from the first. It was divided into individual quiet rooms. Manager Yue led him into one, and Xu Sanyan glanced around, finding it to be an ordinary reception hall.
Manager Yue picked up a booklet from the table. "Everything is recorded here, including the prices. Please take a look, Daoist friend."
Xu Sanyan took the booklet and began flipping through it. It contained only brief descriptions of various techniques.
Three Fragrance Soul Curse Technique
Take a pinch of the target's hair, a drop of their blood, and their birth details. Write the birth details on paper, mix the three with crow's blood and other ingredients to create incense. Use a mystical art to guide the process, chanting the incantation to curse the soul.
The target will experience dizziness, blurred vision, and even hallucinations. Their cultivation level will stagnate, and they will die suddenly within three months.
Price: 380 Spirit Stones
Xu Sanyan shook his head inwardly. This technique wouldn't be very effective against cultivators. It required too many materials upfront, including the target's birth details—something no one would casually share with a stranger.
No wonder it was so cheap.
Most of the techniques were like this: they sounded impressive but proved useless upon closer examination. If the Yue Clan truly possessed powerful techniques, they wouldn't be selling them.
Xu Sanyan shook his head, a hint of disappointment in his expression, and continued flipping through the book.
"Breath Concealment Technique"
The moment he saw the title, Xu Sanyan's interest was piqued. He had long wanted to learn a Breath Concealment Technique but had never had the opportunity. He couldn't believe he'd found one here.
"Conceal your own aura."
"Price: 550 Spirit Stones"
"Five hundred and fifty Spirit Stones for a Breath Concealment Technique? That's expensive!" Xu Sanyan exclaimed.
Manager Yue shook his head. "You don't understand, friend. Breath Concealment Techniques come in different grades. The higher the grade, the better the effect. Some can even completely conceal your aura, not leaking a single trace. If you don't open your eyes, even standing right in front of you, they wouldn't be able to detect you at all."
Xu Sanyan's expression cleared as he nodded in understanding. He then recalled how he had used his Qi Observation Technique to examine Qin Manyang earlier. Her aura had been incredibly faint, suggesting she was practicing a high-grade Breath Concealment Technique.
Xu Sanyan pointed at the book. "How effective is this one?"
"If you master this technique, even those with a similar cultivation level won't be able to discern your true cultivation," Manager Yue said, stroking his beard with a smile. "And high-grade Breath Concealment Techniques don't come cheap. They often cost over a thousand Spirit Stones."
Xu Sanyan keenly picked up on the key phrases in his words:
"Master this technique" "Similar cultivation level"
This meant that if he hadn't mastered it or if his opponent's cultivation level was higher, they could still detect something amiss.
But it was still a decent deal. After all, the price wasn't too high, and Xu Sanyan had his cheat. He could instantly master it to Peak Stage.
"I'll take this one," Xu Sanyan decided.
"Excellent. I'll have someone fetch it for you right away," Manager Yue said, his mood noticeably improved.
Selling Cultivation Methods was the most profitable business. A single method could be sold repeatedly, with virtually no cost of production.
A moment later, Xu Sanyan emerged from the Treasure Pavilion and headed straight for the city gate.
On the other side of the street, Qin Manyang was still strolling through the market with the young man in green robes.
"My name is Song Zhi. May I ask for Miss's name?" Song Zhi tentatively reached for Qin Manyang's finger. Seeing she didn't resist, his heart swelled with excitement.
"This humble servant is Qin Manyang. Greetings, Young Master Song," Qin Manyang replied, her cheeks flushed crimson like a maiden untouched by the world, shy and demure.
Song Zhi's eyes darted around as he led her to a nearby restaurant, a hint of self-satisfaction in his voice. "This establishment is one of my properties. I had spiritual cuisine prepared in advance. Miss Qin, please honor me with your presence and sample it."
As he spoke, the young attendant at the door winked subtly at Song Zhi. Seeing this, Song Zhi's smile widened.
(End of the Chapter)
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