Qinghua

While Xu Yi was looking around, a young man in a long gown strode towards him. The young man had a round face and a professional smile, like a real estate agent from later generations. He walked up to Xu Yi, cupped his fist, and said with a smile, "Brother, your appearance is extraordinary and your aura is imposing. Yet, you're looking around with such curiosity, clearly new to our Guang'an East City. I am but a humble local, familiar with all walks of life and every market in this city. I was meant to be your guide."

Xu Yi understood. He'd run into a tour guide. Arriving in a new place, he did indeed need a guide. If the price was right, he'd hire him. "Name your price!"

The young man in the long gown was taken aback. He hadn't expected Xu Yi to be so direct and was momentarily at a loss for words.

Xu Yi didn't give him time to think. He started to walk away, confident that there were plenty of people in the city who did this kind of work. If he showed any hesitation, they'd take advantage of him.

The young man, not wanting to lose a potential customer, quickly caught up. "Wait, wait! Don't rush, brother. You're too impatient. One price, five Gold Coins!"

Xu Yi almost fell over. Five Gold Coins for a tour guide? Yesterday, his extravagant lunch only cost him two taels of silver. Even at the official exchange rate, five Gold Coins converted to silver could buy him a whole year's worth of food.

Seeing Xu Yi's expression change, the young man hurriedly said, "Brother, don't dismiss it as too expensive yet. Hear me out. You don't think I'm just going to lead you around, do you? It's not that simple! I'll have to answer all your questions about the city, accompany you for all your purchases, introduce you to things, help you bargain, and so on and so forth."

It sounded like the young man had a lot of work to do, but Xu Yi was reluctant to part with his money and didn't want to waste any more time. He turned to leave, hoping to shop around.

The young man, however, clung to him like a barnacle, chattering incessantly. He told many stories about newcomers who, unwilling to spend money on a guide, were severely ripped off by merchants, much to their embarrassment.

Xu Yi found it annoying but was also moved. A thought struck him, and he said, "Don't start with such an outrageous price. I see you're sincere. Let me propose a method. I do plan to buy some things in the city, no less than two hundred Gold Coins in total. You help me bargain for the items I choose, and you get one-tenth of whatever you manage to cut from the price. If you agree, lead the way. If not, get out of my sight and don't make me angry!"

Xu Yi, with his sharp mind, quickly devised a plan that would benefit both of them.

For him, danger was imminent. The most pressing matter was to strengthen himself. He intended to make significant purchases in the city.

Although he didn't know the exact cost, he expected it to be substantial.

The young man was right. He was new to the city, unfamiliar with the place and the prices. Walking into a shop blindly could easily lead to being overcharged.

Having the young man help him assess the situation and bargain would perfectly address this weakness.

He also believed that with the young man acting on his behalf, he would save far more than just five Gold Coins.

This method was convenient and a win-win. As soon as he finished speaking, the young man jumped up and agreed.

This was a simple calculation. The young man knew that, by convention, merchants would inflate prices by at least 30%. This meant that to spend two hundred Gold Coins, the merchant would have to ask for at least three hundred Gold Coins. The difference he could cut would be one hundred Gold Coins, and 10% of that would be ten Gold Coins.

Moreover, if he put in his best effort, he might even be able to cut the price further, which would naturally lead to more profit.

After settling the business, they exchanged names. The young man's name was Yuan Qinghua. He claimed to have been in this line of work for seven or eight years and was very experienced.

Along the way, Yuan Qinghua pointed out the city's famous sights and shared interesting anecdotes, speaking eloquently and wittily. It was quite entertaining.

As they walked onto a bluestone arch bridge, Xu Yi suddenly noticed a crowd of people about thirty feet to the northwest, bustling with activity. Looking closely, he saw a three-zhang-high platform, very wide, about twenty zhang square. On the platform, two burly men were fighting desperately, swords flashing, a truly astonishing sight.

With a slight shift of thought, Xu Yi understood. What was happening there was likely the famous death duels of Guang'an City, the challenge he would soon face.

Yuan Qinghua smiled and pointed towards the platform. "It's still early. Brother, would you like to take a closer look? If you're interested, we could place a bet. I'm willing to help you with that. After watching duels for so many years, my eyes have become quite sharp."

"Bet? What do you mean?" Xu Yi asked curiously.

Yuan Qinghua was momentarily stunned. He thought to himself, Did this master just emerge from the wilderness? But he replied without missing a beat, "Where there's a fight, there's a winner and a loser. Where there's a winner and a loser, there's gambling. In Guang'an City, there are over a hundred fights every day. If it weren't for the allure of bets, do you think people would be interested in watching mere mid-stage Body Tempering contests?"

Xu Yi nodded. "Brother Yuan, you have sharp eyes. You can determine the realm of the two fighters on the stage from this distance."

Yuan Qinghua repeatedly demurred, smiling. "Brother, you misunderstand. It's not my sharp eyesight, but the realms of the combatants are displayed on the flagpoles by the stage. Our Great Yue Royal Court uses five colors—gold, purple, black, white, and blue—to denote rank and status. Here, they borrow this system, using five colored flags to announce the realms of the fighters on stage, thereby attracting gamblers of different levels. The four realms of Body Tempering correspond to purple, black, white, and blue. The white flag currently flying indicates that both fighters on stage are at the mid-stage of Body Tempering."

Xu Yi asked, "Gold, purple, black, white, and blue—a total of five colors. Why do the four realms of Body Tempering take up four colors, leaving only one for realms above Body Tempering?"

Yuan Qinghua replied, "The reason is simple. Once one reaches the Qi Sea Realm, they are already formidable figures in Guang'an City. When such powerful individuals have disputes, they don't need to resort to fighting on that stage. To be frank, since I can remember, I've never seen a golden flag raised on the arena. Moreover, in recent years, the influence of the Three Great Sects has gradually extended into Guang'an City. With their mediation, even purple flags are rarely seen."

Xu Yi said, "I see. I was thinking too simply. I have another question. What if someone conceals their realm and fights on stage, secretly placing a heavy bet on themselves? Wouldn't they instantly gain immense profit? Of course, since these duels have continued to this day and are so popular in Guang'an, there must be a sound strategy to prevent such loopholes."

Xu Yi absorbed the knowledge of this world like a dry sponge.