Luminous Pearl

Jiang Ding entered the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce. Before he had time to look around, a neatly dressed, delicate-looking maid stepped forward.

"Young Master Jiang, welcome to the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce. Please proceed to the second floor. The shopkeeper will be here shortly," the maid said crisply as she led the way.

Jiang Ding paused. "You know me?"

The maid covered her mouth and chuckled. "Young Master, Shopkeeper Long instructed us many times that the moment you arrived, we were to summon him to receive you. We servants have long remembered."

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 as he wondered about something.

The maid stood prettily at his side.

Before long, hurried footsteps came from afar, drawing nearer with a thud-thud-thud.

Jiang Ding's gaze flickered.

An Inner Qi realm martial artist could already move soundlessly without slowing down. Making such noise seemed somewhat deliberate.

Still, being treated with respect did not feel bad.

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

The moment Long San entered, his face lit up with delight. "I had long wished to pay you a visit, but feared disturbing your cultivation. Today, I finally have the honor of seeing 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 truly owe you an apology for, and I dare not conceal it."

Long San looked uncomfortable.

"Please, speak freely."

"Some days ago, one of my attendants introduced a steward to you, did he not? Everything had been fine. Steward Huang handled himself and his affairs well. But since I had only recently arrived, I had to place some trusted men to gain control of the situation. That was why I had Huang Gui introduce him to you, thinking he could lend you some support..."

"Unexpectedly, while inspecting the storerooms yesterday, I discovered a major case of embezzlement from the Chamber of Commerce. Several stewards were involved, and they had colluded with outsiders. People of such poor character may bring future trouble."

Jiang Ding's eyes narrowed.

Huang Deyou was currently in charge of purchasing specimens. He had already established the necessary channels and was doing well. Replacing him would delay the collection of specimens.

"How deeply was he involved?"

"Not very deeply. Among them, Huang Deyou was actually one of the less greedy ones." Long San quickly waved his hands. "Only a little over twenty taels of silver. The amount is not much, but the nature of it is truly hateful. I hate these ungrateful dogs who bite the hand that feeds them most!"

It was not a small amount.

For a poor family, that money would be enough to live on for over ten years.

Jiang Ding pondered for a moment.

"The accounts must be recovered. I do not like people like this either. However, I still have a use for him. Please do not employ private punishment, Shopkeeper. Let it end here."

It was an internal matter of the Chamber of Commerce, and he had betrayed those who fed him. The authorities might not even intervene.

Long San sighed. "Sigh, I am too ashamed to face you, Young Master. We shall do as you say."

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

He dared embezzle money from the Dragon clan? He was tired of living.

"I came this time mainly because I have no money on hand, so I specifically came to sell something 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 soft and delicate, as though it had been made from some precious fur. The box alone was not cheap.

He opened it.

"Ah!"

Even the maid at the side, despite having seen many treasures, could not stop herself from crying out.

Light—soft light.

Inside the gift box, a thumb-sized eastern pearl emitted countless rays of light, clearly visible even in broad daylight.

"Close the windows."

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

Jiang Ding looked thoughtful. It seemed that in this low-martial environment with extraordinary elements, luminous pearls were still quite precious, though not entirely unheard of; perhaps some naturally occurring spiritual materials might share similar traits.

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

Of course it did not.

The value of an item varied from person to person. There was a difference between labor value and commodity value. Besides, no matter how cheap they were, once the long shipping costs between two worlds were added, selling them at a high price was perfectly reasonable.

Once the windows were closed, dim white light filled the private room. It was somewhat faint, dimmer than a candle, but still sufficient to read the words on a page.

Long San took out a white cloth and gently wiped the pearl. Its glow remained as good as new. Next came a magnifying glass, some kind of medicinal powder, and other tools. He used every possible method of appraisal.

"This luminous pearl is of ordinary size, but its radiance far surpasses all others. It can 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 time, then rose and paced back and forth several times. "How about one thousand taels? This is the highest price our Four Seas Chamber of Commerce offers for non-cultivation goods."

"Fine."

"Young Master is forthright!"

Long San was overjoyed. With this deal completed, his performance for the year would be secure.

"But I do not only want money." Jiang Ding said calmly, "I need aged medicinal herbs, preferably old mountain ginseng."

Ever since the Fledgling Eagle Takes Flight Sword Art had broken through to Minor Mastery, he no longer dared train at full intensity, lest depleted qi and blood leave hidden injuries in his body. He could only maintain it at the Proficient level.

His cultivation speed had improved somewhat, but it was nowhere near enough to rapidly approach the Inner Qi realm.

Long San was not surprised. Most martial artists were not interested in gold and silver alone.

"Someone, bring up all old mountain ginseng over forty years old." Then he turned and said, "Young Master is straightforward, so I will not say much. I will certainly offer you the best price."

Very soon, the maids brought up more than twenty square redwood boxes one by one.

Long San opened one of the boxes. "Please look, Young Master. This is forty-year-old mountain ginseng, priced at one hundred and twenty taels. You need only pay one hundred taels."

Jiang Ding took the wooden box and carefully examined it according to what he had learned in biology class. His technique was highly professional; he had practiced it many times in the laboratory before.

"Young Master is an expert!"

Long San praised him.

He was young, handsome, polite to others, and already so strong. That was one thing, but he had even studied miscellaneous fields so deeply. If he had not been raised by some great sect or powerful school, Long San would not believe it even if beaten to death.

"The quality is quite good."

After examining them one by one and confirming that there were no issues, Jiang Ding looked up. "Shopkeeper, bring out the oldest ones directly. Though my one thousand taels may seem like a lot, it will not buy much."

"Please take a look, Young Master." Long San did not waste words. He carefully opened the final wooden box. "According to the appraisal of a renowned physician from the prefectural city, this ninety-eight-year-old mountain ginseng was purchased by our establishment at great expense from the capital. It is only two years away from becoming a century-old medicinal herb."

There was some regret in his tone.

Jiang Ding asked curiously, "Are there no century-old medicinal herbs?"

"You jest, Young Master."

Long San shook his head. "Century-old medicinal herbs are already among the finest medicinal treasures in the world. Their efficacy is incomparable to others, and they offer some effect in breaking through realms. On the rare occasions they are traded, it is only among the heads of great aristocratic families and major gangs. They will never reach the open market."

"They are foundations of powerful factions. I myself have never seen one."

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

So-called medicinal herbs of a certain number of years actually referred to the amount of pure spiritual energy accumulated within them. They could only arise in an environment with spiritual energy. One hundred years was a threshold; if they failed to cross it, they would decay.

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

"This item is valued at one thousand two hundred taels," Long San said. "If Young Master wants it, nine hundred and forty taels will suffice. I will also include a Four Seas Chamber of Commerce silver token, which grants a five percent discount at any Four Seas Chamber of Commerce."

"That will do."

Jiang Ding nodded, knowing the price was not expensive.

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