Luminous Pearl

Jiang Ding entered the Four Seas Merchant Guild. Before he had time to look around, a delicately dressed, pretty maid stepped forward.

"Young Master Jiang, welcome to the Four Seas Merchant Guild. Please go up to the second floor; the shopkeeper will be here shortly," the maid said brightly as she led the way.

Jiang Ding froze. "You know me?"

The maid covered her mouth and laughed softly. "Young Master, Shopkeeper Long instructed us repeatedly that the moment you came, we were to summon him at once to welcome you. We maids remembered long ago."

In an elegant private room on the second floor, a cup of fragrant tea had already been prepared. Jiang Ding sat down, lightly stroking his sword hilt, lost in thought.

The maid stood prettily at his side.

Before long, hurried footsteps came thudding closer from afar.

Jiang Ding's gaze flickered.

An Inner Qi Realm martial artist could already move without making a sound while maintaining speed. Making such a display seemed rather deliberate.

Still, even so, being treated with respect did not feel bad.

"Young Master Jiang, forgive me for failing to welcome you from afar!"

The moment he entered, Long San's face lit up with delight. "I had long wished to pay you a visit, but feared disturbing your quiet cultivation. Today, I finally have the fortune to see you again."

"Shopkeeper Long is too courteous." Jiang Ding rose and gave a slight bow.

After exchanging pleasantries, the two sat down.

"There is something... I have truly let you down, Young Master, and I dare not conceal it."

Long San looked somewhat awkward.

"Speak freely."

"A while ago, one of my attendants introduced you to a steward, did he not? Things had been quite good. Steward Huang conducted himself well and handled matters properly, but as I had only recently arrived, I had no choice but to place some trusted men in key positions to take control of the situation. Thus, I had Huang Gui introduce him to you, thinking it might lend you some support..."

"Yet yesterday, while inspecting the storerooms, I discovered a major case of embezzling guild property. Several stewards were involved, and they had colluded with outsiders. People of such corrupt character may yet breed disaster."

Jiang Ding's eyes narrowed.

Huang Deyou was currently in charge of purchasing specimens. He had already established the channels and was doing a good job; replacing him would delay the collection of specimens.

"How deeply was he involved?"

"Not much at all. Huang Deyou was actually among the least greedy of them." Long San waved his hands repeatedly. "Only a little over twenty taels of silver. The money is not much, but the nature of it is truly hateful. What I despise most are these dog bastards who eat from the inside and sell out the household!"

It was no small amount.

For a poor household, that money would be enough to live on for more than ten years.

Jiang Ding considered for a moment.

"The accounts must be recovered. I dislike such people as well. However, I still have a use for him. Shopkeeper, please do not employ private punishment. Let this matter end here."

Eating from the inside and selling out the household—moreover, it was an internal matter of the merchant guild. Even the authorities might not intervene.

Long San sighed. "Alas, I have no face to face you, Young Master. We shall do as you say."

That dog Huang Deyou was lucky. Otherwise, Long San would have personally broken both his legs.

He dared embezzle the Long Clan's money? He was tired of living.

"I came this time mainly because I have no money on hand, so I specifically came to sell some goods to you, Shopkeeper." Jiang Ding took out a palm-sized gift box and handed it over.

"I will certainly not let you suffer a loss, Young Master."

Long San's expression turned solemn as he accepted the gift box. It felt fine and soft, seemingly made from some expensive fur. The box alone was worth no small sum.

He opened it.

"Ah!"

Though she had seen many treasures, the maid at the side still cried out involuntarily.

Light—soft, gentle light.

Within the gift box, an Eastern Pearl the size of a thumb emitted countless rays of brilliance, clearly visible even in daylight.

"Close the windows."

Long San managed to remain composed as he spoke in a low voice.

Jiang Ding was thoughtful. It seemed that in this low-martial world with supernatural powers, light-emitting pearls were still very precious, though not so rare as to be unique under heaven. Perhaps some Spirituality Materials that occasionally came into being could also possess such qualities.

As for whether his conscience hurt from selling light-emitting pearls that cost ten yuan each as treasures?

Of course it did not.

The value of an item differed from person to person. Value could be divided into labor value and commodity value. Besides, even if it were worthless, adding the long shipping costs between two worlds made selling it at a high price perfectly reasonable.

The windows were shut, and hazy white light filled the private room. It was somewhat dimmer than a candle, but still bright enough to read the words in a book.

Long San then took out a piece of white cloth and gently wiped the pearl. It gleamed as brightly as new. Next came a magnifying glass, some kind of medicinal powder, and more. He used every possible method of appraisal.

"This Luminous Pearl is average in size, but its radiance far surpasses the others. It may be considered a rare treasure. Does Young Master truly wish to sell it?" Long San asked solemnly.

"Sell it." Jiang Ding was concise.

"As for the price..." Long San pondered for a long while, then stood and paced several circles around the room. "How about one thousand taels? This is the highest price our Four Seas Merchant Guild offers for non-cultivation goods."

"Fine."

"Young Master is forthright!"

Long San was overjoyed. Once he completed this transaction, this year's performance would be secure.

"But I do not only want money." Jiang Ding said blandly, "I need aged great medicines and old medicines, preferably mountain ginseng."

Ever since the Eagle's Takeoff Sword Art had broken through to minor mastery, he no longer dared train at full force, lest he drain his qi and blood and leave hidden injuries in his body. He could only maintain it at the proficient level.

His cultivation speed was somewhat faster than before, but it was nowhere near enough to swiftly approach the Inner Qi Realm.

Long San was not surprised either. Among people of the martial world, none simply loved gold and silver alone.

"Someone, bring up all Aged Wild Ginseng over forty years old." He then turned back and said, "Young Master is generous, so I will not say much. I will certainly give you the most favorable prices."

Very soon, more than twenty square redwood boxes were presented one by one by the maids.

Long San opened one of the boxes. "Young Master, please look. This is a forty-year-old Aged Wild Ginseng, priced at one hundred and twenty taels. You need only pay one hundred."

Jiang Ding accepted the wooden box and carefully examined it according to what he had learned in biology class. His methods were highly professional; he had often practiced them in the laboratory before.

"Young Master is an expert!"

Long San praised him.

Young, handsome, courteous to others, and powerful enough already—yet he had even studied miscellaneous knowledge so deeply. If he had not been raised by some grand sect or noble school, Long San would not believe it even if beaten to death.

"The quality is quite good."

After verifying each one and confirming there were no problems, Jiang Ding looked up. "Shopkeeper, just bring out the oldest ones directly. Though my thousand taels may seem like much, it will not buy many."

"Young Master, please look." Long San did not waste words. He carefully opened the last wooden box. "After appraisal by a renowned physician of the prefectural city, this ninety-eight-year-old Aged Wild Ginseng was acquired by our establishment at great cost from the capital. It is only two years short of becoming a Centennial Great Medicine."

There was some regret in his tone.

Jiang Ding asked curiously, "There are no Centennial Great Medicines?"

"Young Master jests."

Long San shook his head. "Centennial Great Medicines are already among the finest medicines in the world. Their medicinal effects cannot be compared with ordinary medicines, and they carry a slight effect of helping one Breakthrough Stage. When they occasionally change hands, it is only in transactions between the heads of great Aristocratic Clans and major gangs. They never make their way onto the market."

"This is an item that forms the foundation of a powerful faction. I myself have never seen one."

Jiang Ding said regretfully, "So that is how it is."

So-called great medicines of so many years actually referred to the amount of pure spiritual power accumulated within them. They could only arise in an environment with spiritual energy. A hundred years was a threshold; if they failed to cross it, they would wither away.

In an environment without spiritual energy, even if they grew for a hundred years, they would only become a piece of woody timber, utterly useless.

"This item is priced at one thousand two hundred taels."

Long San said, "If Young Master wants it, nine hundred and forty taels will do. I will also include one Four Seas Merchant Guild Silver Token. At any Four Seas Merchant Guild, it will grant you a five percent discount."

"Then it is settled."

Jiang Ding nodded, knowing that the price was not expensive.