Duobao Pavilion

In the East District stood a seven-story tower-shaped pavilion, its glazed green tiles gleaming in gold and jade. The building took up nearly half a street—it was the "Duobao Pavilion" that had lately become the talk of the town.

After learning the situation from Shopkeeper Hu, Qin Meng first returned to Chen's Fur Shop. He greeted Li Tiezhu and the others, who were busy selling meat, then dragged the corpses of the little Demon Salamander and the Blood Wolf away by himself.

He didn't head straight for the East District. Instead, he stopped in a secluded alley, and with a slight shift of thought, his Environmental Integration talent quietly activated.

He felt a faint adjustment in his sinews, bones, skin, and flesh. His features grew somewhat more rugged and mature, and his build seemed a little more imposing. In the blink of an eye, he had become a hunter in his forties.

Once his disguise was in place, he dragged his prey to the East District and stood before the imposing building.

Duobao Pavilion was indeed extraordinary. The entire building was divided into several sections, with a restaurant, weapons shop, medicinal-herb shop, and materials purchasing department all connected to one another, forming what was practically a commercial complex.

With a calm expression, Qin Meng went straight to the materials purchasing department, beneath the signboard reading "Hundred Treasures Pavilion."

It was quieter here than in the restaurant next door. The attendant behind the counter was yawning, but as soon as he saw a customer, he hurried over with a broad smile. "What can I do for you, sir? Buying or selling?"

His gaze swept over the bow and saber on Qin Meng's back. Seeing the calluses covering his hands, he smiled even more eagerly. "If you have good prey, our pavilion will pay top prices!"

"I'm selling Demonic Beast materials," Qin Meng said in a lowered voice.

"Demonic Beasts?" The attendant froze, then lit up with delight. "Please wait a moment, honored guest. Demonic Beasts are a serious matter, and I can't make the decision myself. I'll fetch the steward right away!"

He quickly ushered Qin Meng to a seat and served him tea, then trotted off toward the back hall.

Qin Meng sipped his tea as he waited. Before long, the attendant returned with a burly man. The man's voice reached them before he did. "Sorry to keep you waiting, good sir!"

His voice boomed like a bell, and his steady, powerful steps carried an imposing air.

Qin Meng's expression remained unchanged, but his heart tightened. The man's qi and blood surged like a torrent, giving Qin Meng the faint impression of something dazzling to the eye. His strength was certainly no ordinary matter.

The burly man stepped up, clasped his fists, and smiled. "I'm Yang Xiong, steward of Duobao Pavilion."

"I'm Ding Li. My respects, Steward Yang." Qin Meng returned the salute.

"Brother Ding, are you really selling Demonic Beast materials?"

"That's right." Qin Meng gestured for him to inspect the sled he was dragging.

When the thatch and branches were pushed aside, they revealed the dark-red corpse of a Demonic Wolf, over a zhang long. Though dead, the lingering aura of its savage menace still made one's heart clench.

"A Blood Wolf! It really is a Demonic Beast!" Yang Xiong's eyes brightened. He stepped closer to examine it, pressed a hand against the wolf's neck, and nodded. "Its qi and blood haven't dissipated, and its demonic aura remains. The body's in excellent condition—quite a rare find!"

He looked at Qin Meng. "Every part of a Demonic Beast is valuable. Its flesh and blood can be refined into Blood-Qi Pills, its hide made into soft armor, and its claws and fangs forged into talisman weapons. Would you prefer silver, Brother Ding, or an exchange for goods?"

"I'm not short on silver," Qin Meng replied frankly. "I'm looking for a superior cultivation technique—one that's legitimate, officially documented, and won't interfere with enlisting in the army later. I also need tonics that can help those in the Boiling Blood Realm and the Blood Changing Realm."

"Cultivation techniques?" Yang Xiong paused, a probing look flashing in his eyes.

He had already noticed that this man's qi and blood were as vigorous as a blazing furnace, and his sinews and bones were exceptionally strong—not the least bit inferior to someone at the peak of the Blood Changing Realm. He simply couldn't make out the man's exact cultivation level.

"To be frank," Qin Meng said, "a nephew in my family has extraordinary talent, but the techniques available in our fort aren't suitable for him. He needs a technique better suited to him to draw out his qi and blood."

"A physique beyond the ordinary?" Yang Xiong's surprise deepened. He hadn't expected a small place to produce someone like that.

His thoughts raced, and his expression grew more serious. "If he truly has extraordinary talent, ordinary techniques would indeed hold him back. But a superior technique is worth a great deal. This Blood Wolf alone..."

"There's this as well." Qin Meng pushed aside more of the branches below.

At once, a giant lizard-like Demonic Beast, over a zhang long and covered from head to tail in pitch-black scales, came into view. A chill, demonic aura radiated from it.

"What? An Iron-Armored Demon Salamander?" Yang Xiong was moved. He leaned down to examine its scales, tapping them and listening to the sound they made. "Judging by its size and the color of its scales, it must be close to the peak of the first rank."

"Demon Salamanders are rare. They live in deep pools and frigid ravines, with hard scales and tough flesh, and are extremely difficult to hunt in the water. Their flesh and blood are rich in vitality and have remarkable healing and nourishing effects. It's worth even more than the Blood Wolf."

Yang Xiong spoke as if reciting a well-known list, delight in his eyes. He looked at Qin Meng. "This isn't the place to discuss it. Good sir, would you join me upstairs so we can talk?"

"Fine," Qin Meng replied evenly, and followed Yang Xiong up to a private room on the third floor.

It was quiet and elegant, cut off from the bustle downstairs.

"Brother Ding is straightforward, so I won't beat around the bush." Yang Xiong's expression turned businesslike. "The Blood Wolf is in excellent condition and is worth around six hundred taels.

"The Iron-Armored Demon Salamander is much rarer. It wouldn't be unreasonable to value it at fifteen hundred to two thousand taels."

Qin Meng listened quietly.

Yang Xiong continued, "As for cultivation techniques... Duobao Pavilion is called 'Duobao' for a reason. Our business covers a wide range of goods, so naturally we have a little of everything. However..."

He changed tack. "I have to ask, Brother Ding: do you only need a technique for the Body Forging Realm, or should it include the realms that follow?"

"If it's the latter, the price will be worlds apart."

Qin Meng had thought carefully about the matter of cultivation techniques and knew exactly what he wanted. "For now, I only need a technique for the Body Forging Realm. It must be first-rate and lay a strong foundation for switching to more profound martial arts later. I'll figure out what to do about the later realms when I reach them."

"Wise." Yang Xiong nodded, rose, and took several booklets from the shelf. "These techniques are all officially recorded with the authorities, with clean provenance. After practicing one, you can serve in the army later without any trouble, as long as you explain where it came from."

Qin Meng felt somewhat reassured and began leafing through them.

"Ox Demon Body Forging Technique": a complete system of breathing methods, stance work, and body-forging exercises. At the Blood Changing Realm, it could condense forty-eight strands of qi and blood into essence blood—far superior to the techniques used by the militia in Luming Fort. Once mastered, it granted one immense strength of tens of thousands of catties.

"Reckless Ox Strength" also cultivated one to the peak of the Body Forging Realm. It focused primarily on refining qi and blood and unleashing brute force. It was faster to learn, but the foundation it provided was somewhat weaker.

"Black Tiger Technique," "Bedrock Technique"...

Each technique had its own strengths and weaknesses, but all were clearly marked as cultivable only up to the peak of the Body Forging Realm.

Not until he picked up the final, thin booklet. Its cover was simple and ancient, with the words "Diamond Body" written on it. The description stated that this was a special technique that cultivated both the inner and outer body, tempering the flesh while refining inner energy, and providing both offense and defense.

Unfortunately, it was marked as an "incomplete text," with only the Body Forging chapter remaining.

Qin Meng asked, "Steward Yang, why is this incomplete technique still for sale?"

Yang Xiong answered honestly, "It's said to have originated at the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple in the Central Province. It's widely circulated, but complete lineages are rare. It's difficult to practice and slow to progress, but it can lay a deep foundation. What's more..."

He paused. "The qi and blood and inner energy produced by this technique are supremely yang and firm, rich and solid, and can indeed counter baleful and demonic forces.

"For someone with extraordinary talent, it's an excellent choice as a transitional technique. After enlisting and earning merit, he'll naturally be able to exchange for more profound martial arts and switch techniques."

"I see. I'll take this Diamond Body."

Qin Meng nodded, looking as if he had been persuaded. The moment the stone touched the booklet, a strange sense of affinity rose from the depths of his heart.

Yang Xiong's face broke into a smile. "Brother Ding has a good eye. It's just that the price..."

He rubbed his hands together. "Three thousand taels of silver."

Qin Meng looked up. "A Blood Wolf and an Iron-Armored Demon Salamander aren't enough to trade for this incomplete technique?"

"Brother Ding, it's not that simple." Yang Xiong adopted a matter-of-fact expression. "Although the Diamond Body is incomplete, its Body Forging chapter is intact, and it's a superior foundation-building technique worth a great deal. Those two Demonic Beasts aren't enough for an exchange... You'd still have to make up the difference."

"Brother Yang, a deal ought to be fair."

"I'll add a copy of the Ox Demon Body Forging Technique," Qin Meng bargained, holding up three fingers, "and twenty sets of nourishing herbs for the Boiling Blood Realm."

These two Demonic Beasts belong to your pavilion.

Yang Xiong's dark face turned a little green. "Twenty sets? Brother Ding, that's not an exchange—that's robbery! A set of top-grade tonics for the Boiling Blood Realm costs forty or fifty taels. Twenty sets of the finest would come to over a thousand taels! As good as your Demonic Beasts are, they can't make up that much."

"The Iron-Armored Demon Salamander is rare, and you know its value. Here, I'll add one more condition." Qin Meng leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice.

"Within a month, I'll bring your pavilion another Iron-Armored Demon Salamander."

Yang Xiong's gaze flickered. He was tempted, but still shook his head. "No. Twenty sets of medicine is too many. Ten sets, plus copies of both techniques. You'll also put it in writing that you'll deliver a Demon Salamander of comparable quality within a month. If you're late or it isn't good enough, you'll compensate us at market price."

"Fifteen sets."

"Twenty sets. I won't go any lower."

"Fine, twenty sets it is, but I want to place an order with your pavilion for tonics needed for the Blood Changing Realm." Qin Meng thought it over for a moment, then agreed.

Yang Xiong frowned in thought, then finally nodded. "All right. But the written agreement must specify that you'll leave valuable goods as collateral. If you fail to deliver the Demon Salamander on time, the collateral will belong to Duobao Pavilion, and you'll still have to pay compensation."

"Deal."