The State of the Cultivation World

As Zhou Yan had shown his skill at Zhao Family Market, his name finally began to spread.

Not many people knew of him yet, but it was a good start.

Before long, everyone at the Police Station had heard that Ma Yan had such a capable brother-in-law. The looks they gave Ma Yan now carried a little more respect. It felt to him like someone had poured a bucket of cool water over him on a sweltering summer day. He was positively elated.

Everyone knew that the real credit for what happened at Zhao Family Market belonged to Zhou Yan, not Ma Yan.

But that did nothing to change the fact that, after the mission was completed, Ma Yan received praise from his superiors, envy from his colleagues, and admiration from his subordinates.

After all, not everyone had such a powerful relative.

That was a kind of ability in itself!

While Ma Yan basked in his newfound glory, Zhou Yan kept up with his cultivation as usual, without the slightest slacking or arrogance.

Three years spent at the bottom of society, and memories from two lifetimes.

Together, they had helped Zhou Yan weather his initial trials and gradually become more grounded.

Not only in body, but in spirit as well...

Before long, a fellow cultivator came calling.

"This is Master Jin Mantang."

Ma Yan introduced him to Zhou Yan, giving him a discreet look of warning.

Zhou Yan gave a small nod as he studied the chubby, middle-aged man standing before him. Jin Mantang wore a broad smile, and even his clothes were embroidered with large gold ingots. He looked almost unbearably vulgar.

But Zhou Yan didn't dare underestimate him. His powerful soul could vaguely sense a threat from the man.

Besides, it took considerable courage to casually visit the home of a stranger who was a mage.

Unless, of course, the visitor had enough confidence in his own abilities.

Before Zhou Yan could speak, Jin Mantang said with a laugh, "Heh, please forgive me. I heard that Investigator Ma is a relative of yours, so I shamelessly asked him to introduce us. I hope you don't take offense, fellow cultivator!"

"Whatever gave you that idea? I've only recently entered the cultivation world, and I need a fellow cultivator to show me the ropes. Please, have a seat." Zhou Yan was equally courteous.

He wasn't just being polite. He genuinely wanted to meet a fellow cultivator and learn more about the cultivation world in Shen City.

Once they had taken their seats, Jin Mantang spoke first. "You're too kind. First you dealt with the Zombie at Li Residence, then you killed a Water Ghost, and you even avenged two fellow cultivators at Dong Mansion. Your name has been making the rounds for some time.

"Then you went to Zhao Family Market to slay another Zombie. When I heard your name, I took the liberty of coming to see you..."

Zhou Yan's thoughts stirred.

Jin Mantang knew so much about him. It seemed he really had come prepared.

But was he simply here to pay a visit, or did he have another motive?

Jin Mantang soon explained why he had come.

"Don't laugh at me, fellow cultivator. I came first to meet you, and second because I heard you avenged fellow cultivators Li and Zhao and killed the mastermind behind it all. You must have some things you don't need, so I thought I'd come by and make a deal. We can trade what we have..."

He made no effort to hide his intentions; if anything, he seemed rather proud of them.

Looking at his clothes, Zhou Yan began to understand.

Some people simply loved doing business.

Even after becoming cultivators, they were still the same.

Zhou Yan didn't mind.

"Oh, that's no problem. I do have a few things, and your visit comes at just the right time..."

After a few words of flattery, Zhou Yan voiced the question on his mind. "Fellow cultivator Jin, is there no place in Shen City for trading? Must you go to all this trouble?"

Jin Mantang gave a wry smile. "You mean a trading market, or perhaps a black market?"

Zhou Yan hadn't expected him to be so blunt. He nodded.

Jin Mantang sighed and said, "There are places like that, but they're all monopolized by the great sects. Ordinary factions can't manage one. Those great sects have blessed grottos and heavens, after all. They're the richest source of resources...

"Besides that, the imperial capital has the largest trading market. More than a dozen great sects run it together...

"As for Shen City, it only began to rise in the past few decades. It used to be nothing more than a fishing village by the sea...

"Over these decades, Shen City has grown rapidly and attracted strange and talented people from all over. Add in the foreigners, and you've got a chaotic mix of all kinds, a place where dragons and snakes are jumbled together. The great sects don't think much of it...

"Establishing a cultivation market takes decades, even centuries. Shen City's foundations are too shallow..."

Only then did Zhou Yan realize that the cultivation environment was even harsher than he had imagined.

Shen City didn't have a proper cultivation market—or even a black market.

That was why half-itinerant merchants like Jin Mantang had appeared.

There were several more like him in Shen City, each with their own territory.

But Jin Mantang had been very cautious. He must have watched and made inquiries for a long time before finally coming to Zhou Yan through Ma Yan.

Zhou Yan sighed inwardly and looked at Jin Mantang. "Thank you for the guidance, fellow cultivator Jin. I have a few things here. Take a look."

He brought out nearly everything he had acquired, though it was all low-grade magical artifacts.

Jin Mantang didn't turn up his nose at them. He examined each artifact carefully, noting its strengths and weaknesses as he went, then named a price.

The total was a little higher than Zhou Yan had expected, which surprised him.

Zhou Yan had been prepared to get the short end of the deal and treat it as payment for the information.

Now it seemed that Jin Mantang might look unremarkable, but he was sharp.

"Lamp Lighting Method" and "Starfire Method"—are you selling these two cultivation manuals as well?" Jin Mantang asked, glancing at the books in surprise. He seemed almost unable to believe it.

Zhou Yan frowned slightly and said in a low voice, "I already have a lineage of my own. These two manuals aren't suited to me, so naturally I'm selling them."

"Fellow cultivator Zhou, you're generous indeed."

When Zhou Yan asked why, he learned that the manuals he'd looked down on were rare and sought-after inheritances for most other mages.

Mages who had established themselves in the city were better off. Even if they didn't have a proper lineage, they usually had some kind of unorthodox inheritance. At the very least, they knew some Luban Arts, Yin Mountain Arts, Shaman Arts, or Henan Sect sorcery.

These arts weren't even as good as the unorthodox arts, but they were still supernatural techniques, and their power was no small thing.

The worst off were the village wise women who knew only one or two tricks like the Eye-Dazzling Technique, Confusion Technique, or Veiling Technique. They could only scrape by in the countryside, living from one meager meal to the next...