Empire Secrets

The black-robed man did not answer. He merely sat down in a nearby chair. Not long after the middle-aged man left, a beautiful maid came over to serve him tea.

The black-robed man was aloof, so the maid obediently stood a little farther away and waited on him in silence. Before long, the middle-aged appraiser led an elderly man with white hair and beard but excellent spirits into the room.

Old Mister Zheng first nodded to the black-robed man in greeting, then carefully examined the Golden Crown. After a while, he set down his tools. "Sir, this item was not passed down through your ancestors. You obtained it only recently, didn't you?"

The black-robed man's voice was utterly flat. "Does the Mitel Merchant Guild require people to explain the origins of their goods?"

"No, no, no. Sir, you misunderstand. It was merely a small guess on my part."

Old Mister Zheng smiled. "Judging by the style and design of this Golden Crown, it should be a noble coronet from ancient times in the region now occupied by the Mulan Empire. It is indeed a valuable antique."

Many great families in the Mulan Empire liked such historical relics to bolster their heritage. Over there, it would start at two hundred thousand Gold Coins.

However, here in the Jia Ma Empire, its value would likely be considerably lower. Only certain special families would spend a large sum to purchase it.

The auction house in our Black Rock City will be holding an auction three days from now. If you entrust this Golden Crown to us, I cannot promise too much, but it should sell for at least one hundred and fifty thousand Gold Coins."

The black-robed man fell silent for a moment before his hoarse voice sounded again. "I heard that the Mite'er Family buys goods as well."

Old Mister Zheng was somewhat surprised. "Sir, are you planning to sell it directly to us? But the buyback price will not be as high as an auction price. At most, it would be around one hundred and twenty thousand."

The black-robed man spoke again. "What I need is not Gold Coins, but something else. Can you have the person in charge of your auction house in Black Rock City come here?"

Old Mister Zheng's expression turned serious. He gave the middle-aged man standing beside him a look, and the man immediately ran out to find someone. Old Mister Zheng, meanwhile, began exchanging pleasantries with the black-robed man.

They had chatted for no more than the time it took to drink a cup of tea when a well-dressed middle-aged man entered the appraisal room. "Mitel Green greets you, sir. May I ask what you wish to exchange the Golden Crown for?"

"Cultivation techniques. I need a Wood Attribute Profound-tier High-grade Cultivation Technique at minimum, preferably with matching Dou Skills!"

As the black-robed man spoke, he flicked his sleeve, and three more treasures appeared atop the table, gleaming beneath the brilliant lights. "These are the deposit. If the Mite'er Family can satisfy me, I can produce at least ten treasures of this kind for exchange."

Mitel Green looked at the four treasures on the table, and a flicker of heat flashed through his eyes. Old Mister Zheng inspected them one after another, then walked over and whispered to him. Mitel Green's expression grew even more fervent, but his gaze soon dimmed again.

Mitel Green smiled bitterly. "Sir, it is not that I am unwilling to make this deal. I truly may not have the authority to decide it.

You may not understand the situation within the Jia Ma Empire. The Wind Attribute reigns supreme here. The only Profound-tier High-grade Cultivation Technique that can be obtained on the market is Wind Attribute. For all other attributes, the strongest available are merely Profound-tier Mid-grade..."

Mitel Green slowly revealed a secret of the empire. On the Dou Qi Continent, what determined the upper limit of one's achievements was not talent or anything else, but one's cultivation technique.

Cultivation techniques on the Dou Qi Continent were divided into four tiers: Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow. At the very bottom of the continent's social hierarchy, commoners and those of ordinary birth could at most come into contact with Yellow-tier High-grade Cultivation Techniques and Dou Skills.

Cultivation techniques above the Profound tier were jointly sealed away by sects, clans, and factions of every size. A full major tier separated Yellow from Profound, bringing at least a tenfold difference in cultivation recovery speed and a difference of several times in quality.

This was why Dou Zhe of common birth could so easily be defeated and killed by weaker clan Dou Zhe. They simply held no advantage in any respect.

In theory, it was nearly as difficult as ascending to heaven for an ordinary person to obtain a high-grade cultivation technique. Of course, nothing was absolute. The Dou Qi Continent was vast, with countless races, and many unknown recluses remained hidden from the world.

Before these senior recluses reached the end of their lives, they might hide the cultivation techniques they had created somewhere, waiting for a fated person to claim them.

A saying circulated across the Dou Qi Continent: if one day you fell from a cliff and landed in a cave, do not panic. Take two steps forward, and perhaps you would become an expert.

The saying was naturally true. Throughout the continent's history, there had been no shortage of stories about people becoming experts through fortuitous encounters. Yan Qingshan's high-grade cultivation techniques and Dou Skills had come from such a source as well, but such cases were rare. More reliable methods were still auctions and black markets.

For the time being, Yan Qingshan had not considered Heaven-tier or Earth-tier cultivation techniques. Xiao Yan had used an Earth-tier High-grade Dou Skill to consecutively kill Dou Zong in this region, which showed that the several nearby empires, and even the Black Corner Region, could not possibly possess cultivation techniques or Dou Skills above Earth-tier High-grade.

Yan Qingshan had originally planned to exchange the wealth in his possession for cultivation techniques and Dou Skills. After all, relying only on the methods recorded in the Lionheart King's Art was somewhat lacking and made him easy to target and counter.

But from Mitel Green, he learned that the upper echelons of the Jia Ma Empire had long reached a consensus. High-grade cultivation techniques had already been monopolized and sealed away by several major factions to ensure their respective ruling positions.

The Jia Ma Royal Family reigned supreme in the Earth Attribute, the military Mu Family ruled Wood, the Alchemist Association possessed the strongest Fire Element cultivation techniques, the Misty Cloud Sect was peerless in the Wind Attribute, while the Mite'er Family was renowned for the Ice Element.

Among these major factions, the Misty Cloud Sect had been founded by a Dou Zun and possessed more than one Earth-tier Wind Attribute cultivation technique and Dou Skill. It did not fear challenges and enforced the loosest monopoly over the Wind Attribute. Even Profound-tier High-grade Wind Attribute cultivation techniques were allowed to circulate freely.

While the Misty Cloud Sect allowed Profound-tier High-grade Wind Attribute cultivation techniques to circulate, the other major factions lacked such confidence. They instinctively joined forces to ensure their monopolies over certain attributes, leaving talented cultivators of those attributes with only one path upward: joining the factions that controlled them.

"Sir, to be frank with you, the strongest Wood Attribute cultivation technique in the Jia Ma Empire is only Profound-tier High-grade. The few Wood Attribute Profound-tier cultivation techniques that have surfaced in recent years have basically all been taken by the Mu Family."

Mitel Green continued, "The Mite'er Family has indeed handled Profound-tier High-grade Wood Attribute cultivation techniques before, but we reached an agreement with the Mu Family. Our family members may cultivate them, but they cannot be freely circulated.

Your treasures are indeed valuable, but they are not valuable enough for the Mite'er Family to take such a risk... If you can lower your requirements, I can use my authority to transfer a Profound-tier Mid-grade Cultivation Technique from the Imperial Capital. The matching Dou Skill, however, can reach Profound-tier High-grade."

Generally speaking, matching cultivation techniques and Dou Skills were of equivalent grade. However, it was not uncommon for a matching Dou Skill to be one minor grade higher than the cultivation technique, because creating a Dou Skill was easier than creating a cultivation technique, and the assessment of a Dou Skill's power was also highly flexible.

"No need!"

The black-robed man suddenly shook his head. Mitel Green was somewhat disappointed, but then he heard the man speak again. "You just said that what is sealed away is cultivation techniques, correct?

I have changed my mind. The deposit remains the same. Have your Mite'er Family help me find an Earth-tier Wood Attribute Dou Skill. That condition is not difficult, is it?"

"This... can be done!"

After considering it for a while, Mitel Green said, "But to be honest, sir, Earth-tier Dou Skills are precious everywhere. Even with the Mite'er Family's strength, finding a suitable Earth-tier Dou Skill will take time."

Mitel Green was inwardly thrilled. In terms of practical value, an Earth-tier Dou Skill was not worth as much as a cultivation technique, but its price far exceeded that of a Profound-tier High-grade Cultivation Technique.

Take the Earth-tier Low-grade Movement Dou Skill, Three Thousand Lightning Movements, which was auctioned in the Black Corner Region. It had sold for the astronomical price of ten million Gold Coins.

Of course, Earth-tier Movement Dou Skills were far more valuable than ordinary Dou Skills. The Earth-tier Dou Skill this black-robed man needed was naturally only an ordinary Earth-tier Wood Attribute combat Dou Skill, but even so, this transaction would certainly not be worth less than a million.

After considering for a while, the black-robed man raised one finger. "One year! Leave me a token. One year from now, I will come find your Mite'er Family again. I trust you would not make a joke of your own reputation?"

"The Mitel Merchant Guild conducts trade throughout the nation. What we value most is our reputation!"

Mitel Green stepped forward and bowed, leaving behind a jade token. "This is my identity token. It can represent the entire Mite'er Trading Company of Black Rock City."

"I also need a Fourth-tier Ice Attribute Magic Core!"

The black-robed man spoke again, this time taking out a pile of Gold Coins.

"I will send someone to retrieve it immediately!"

Mitel Green hurriedly nodded. The Mite'er Family reigned supreme in the Ice Element, so it had always collected Ice Attribute materials and rarely traded them away. Yet after their earlier discussion, this transaction proceeded very smoothly.

"Just as expected, high-grade cultivation techniques have been sealed away and monopolized. The Mu Family..."

On the streets of Black Rock City, Yan Qingshan had obtained the Fourth-tier Ice Attribute Magic Core, but he was not particularly happy. His failure to obtain a high-grade Wood Attribute cultivation technique better suited to him left him somewhat disappointed.

His cultivation of the Lionheart King's Art had already reached a respectable level. After undergoing a Lionheart Baptism, his current Dou Qi cultivation speed was not much worse than that of someone cultivating a Profound-tier High-grade Wood Attribute cultivation technique. However, the attributes did not completely match, so there were still some issues when circulating it.

Of course, he was not desperately eager to replace his cultivation technique. He had merely wanted to give it a try, only to receive such unwelcome news.

Still, he had been mentally prepared for it and was not terribly disappointed. The empire's upper echelons had joined forces to monopolize things, and the highest-grade cultivation techniques circulating on the market were only Profound-tier. Compared with cultivation techniques, however, Dou Skills and secret arts were somewhat less restricted.

As long as one was not utterly dull-witted, anyone could cultivate a cultivation technique, though the results varied from person to person. But once someone cultivated a high-grade cultivation technique, their achievements generally would not be low.

Dou Skills, on the other hand, truly depended on talent. Even if a lucky person obtained a high-grade Dou Skill, they might not necessarily be able to master it. Thus, even commoners had a chance to acquire high-grade Dou Skills through certain channels.

At present, his only ordinary means of fighting was the Roaring Lion's Roar Dou Skill. That was far too limited. He needed stronger trump cards. Although Earth-tier Dou Skills were difficult to cultivate, he had Shuguang, and once he mastered one, he would gain another trump card.