22 Spirit Stones

"May I ask what the name of Senior's cultivation technique is?"

"Black Water Technique."

"So it's that one. Then Senior may not be able to sell it for a very good price, because the first seven layers are quite widely circulated on the market."

"This copy of mine can be cultivated to the Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer, and it also comes with three spells. One can cultivate it all the way until before Foundation Establishment."

After Qi Er heard that, he immediately slapped his chest and guaranteed he could sell it for a good price.

"However, Senior, if you trust me, you can sell this cultivation technique to Old Man He. He specializes in selling cultivation techniques at his stall. He's always wanted to collect the complete Black Water Technique, and he also knows the value of a full nine layers plus three matching spells. Even if you pawn it to a stall boss, in the end it'll probably be resold to him anyway. Better to skip the middleman."

Hearing these words, Chen Mobai's eyes lit up.

As expected, there was a reason to look for local snakes when selling things. He also knew Old Man He, the one who sold cultivation techniques. He was precisely the person in the market selling the seven-layer Black Water Technique.

If Chen Mobai set up a stall to sell the nine-layer Black Water Technique, that would be openly lining up chariots and horses to snatch his business. He would definitely offend him greatly. It was better to sell it directly to him. Not only could he exchange it for some Spirit Stones, he would also attach a favor to it.

Qi Er brought Chen Mobai to a stall. First, he went forward to cozy up to an old man with a goatee and a lean, refined face. Before long, the three of them got to the point.

"Not bad. I compared it with the first seven layers. It's the genuine copy."

The old man was named He Qun and was already at Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer. He took the newly copied booklet of the first eight layers of the technique from Chen Mobai, carefully compared it, and confirmed there was no problem with the cultivation technique. He could not help but nod.

"If this complete Black Water Technique is sold to Senior He, I wonder how much it would be valued at?"

"How much does fellow daoist want to sell it for?"

"One fixed price. Twenty Spirit Stones. How about it?"

Over the past few days, Chen Mobai had also lingered quite a bit in front of He Qun's stall and knew the price he sold the Black Water Technique for. The price he gave happened to be stuck right at the limit, making the latter's eyelid jump. Out of habit, he began bargaining.

"This fellow daoist, among Rogue Cultivators, those who need a Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer technique are, after all, few. Although your Black Water Technique is the complete version, it is difficult to cultivate, and it is not easy to sell. Moreover, I already have the first seven layers of this technique and two spells. For you to want to sell it to me for twenty Spirit Stones, isn't that a bit excessive?"

Chen Mobai had no experience in haggling. Hearing He Qun say this, he froze in place, not knowing how to answer for a moment.

"Senior He must be joking. This Black Water Technique may not be easy to sell to others, but for you, isn't it just right?"

At this moment, Qi Er spoke up and took over the topic.

"Oh? What do you mean by that, kid?"

He Qun's eyes narrowed as he looked at Qi Er with a hidden threat. The latter shrank back slightly, but when he thought of how slim his hopes of cultivating immortality were, and that if he did not stake everything, he would probably stop at the low ranks of Qi Cultivation for the rest of his life, he mustered his courage and said a sentence.

"Senior He seems to cultivate the Black Water Technique, right? For you, this cultivation technique should be something you have to complete no matter what. After all, for us Rogue Cultivators, only at Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer can we enter the Seven Great Sects and fight for a chance at a Foundation Establishment Pill."

As soon as these words came out, He Qun's eyes suddenly widened, and he gave Qi Er a cold glare.

"Senior, isn't it the case that the further back a cultivation technique goes, the more valuable it becomes? Moreover, after one masters the Ice Spell, this cultivation technique can display its greatest effect, can it not?"

After Qi Er spoke, Chen Mobai also reacted. He could not help but take a step forward, blocking He Qun's cold gaze. The latter sensed his cultivation and nodded somewhat unwillingly.

"Fine, then. Twenty Spirit Stones. But you have to swear that after this Black Water Technique is sold to me, you are not allowed to sell it to anyone else."

Chen Mobai thought about it. Although he felt that having this cultivation technique bought out for twenty Spirit Stones was a bit not worth it, since he had already decided to run a talisman business afterward, obtaining start-up funds as soon as possible was the proper course. Thus, he immediately nodded.

"Here."

He Qun counted out twenty Spirit Stones from the gray cloth pouch at his waist and handed them to Chen Mobai with great reluctance. The latter immediately handed over the remaining ninth layer of the Black Water Technique and the Ice Spell.

After the two inspected each other's goods, they looked at each other. Then Chen Mobai smiled and waved his hand, taking Qi Er away from the stall.

Next, he sold the three bottles of Spirit Gathering Pills bearing Returning Heaven Valley's mark to the cultivator at the stall that specialized in selling pills. However, because they were secondhand goods, although the medicinal effect had not suffered any loss, they still could only be sold for two Spirit Stones.

Even so, Chen Mobai was already very satisfied.

As for the remaining bottle of Recovering Spirit Pills, because the bottle had no mark, although the pill-selling cultivator also identified that there was no major problem with it, he refused to purchase it no matter what.

In the end, that Hand Crossbow was also sold for 450 taels of gold under Qi Er's introduction, and he even helped go to the Five Elements Sect's silver shop to exchange it into Gold Notes.

When selling the pills, a thought of making a fortune flashed through Chen Mobai's mind.

Could he buy up those empty Returning Heaven Valley pill bottles and have a plum tree wither in place of a peach tree?

But it was only a thought. He still wanted to do business in an upright and proper manner. The education he had received since childhood on Earth Origin Star made Chen Mobai understand that only good credibility could bring an endless stream of wealth.

"You worked hard today. I'll give you this talisman as your fee for the trouble."

With twenty-two Spirit Stones and a stack of Gold Notes in his arms, Chen Mobai was in a very good mood. He took out a Green Arrow Talisman and gave it to Qi Er.

"Many thanks, Senior. If you have this kind of matter in the future, look for me again. In South Stream Market, there's nothing we aren't familiar with."

Although Qi Er did not know what grade of spirit talisman it was, he knew that in the market, even a Grade 1 Low Rank talisman cost over a hundred taels of gold. Without any hesitation, he immediately took the Green Arrow Talisman Chen Mobai handed him, his face blooming with joy.

"Right, today you can be considered to have offended that He Qun. Will he cause trouble for you?"

Before Chen Mobai left, he remembered this matter. He did not want Qi Er to get into trouble because of this.

"Senior, don't worry. Don't look at how low our cultivation is, we also have people behind us. Our Society Head is a Guest Elder of the Liu Family. In this South Stream Market, he can also be counted as a person with a head and a face. Old Man He has always been forbearing. He won't make a move against me over this kind of thing."

Qi Er patted his chest and boastfully spoke of his backer.

"The Liu Family? The Liu Family that raises Blood Jade Carp?"

Chen Mobai thought of the account book Liu Lengpei had recorded. It had especially mentioned this family. The Blood Jade Carp fry in Jade Cloud Lake had all been purchased from this family.

"That's right, it's that Liu Family, one of South Stream Market's Four Foundation Establishment Families. It's said they've already connected with the Five Elements Sect's route. A few years ago, the Liu Family even sent two seedlings with True Spirit Roots into the Five Elements Sect. It seems they're about to take sides completely."

Qi Er spoke mysteriously. Chen Mobai knew nothing about these matters and could only laugh it off.

However, after this reminder, before leaving, he made another trip to the largest bookshop in the market and bought the unfinished Introduction to Major Sects of the Eastern Wasteland, along with Introduction to Local Cultivation in South Stream, Map of Cultivation Forces in Yun Country, and so on.