Crimson Sun Great Root

Chen Cheng went to the market and bought a bamboo hat, pulling it over his head to hide most of his face, leaving only his chin exposed.

Dressed in black casual clothes as well, he looked no different from an ordinary wanderer of the martial world and drew no attention.

Leaving the market, he arrived at a shop on the streets of Ruyi Ward: Luo's Shop.

He had made inquiries. The Luo Family was a prominent clan of the inner city, with considerable influence even there—far beyond those families in the outer city.

Luo's Shop had branches in every ward of the four major districts, both inner and outer city, and placed tremendous importance on its reputation and credibility.

This branch of Luo's Shop was the largest shop in Ruyi Ward, and it was not far from the Ruyi Ward Branch Office of the City Guard Office, so there was no need to worry about safety.

"Customer, what would you like to buy?"

The moment he entered, a shop assistant warmly came forward to greet him.

"Does your shop buy cultivation manuals?" Chen Cheng lowered his voice and asked.

"Of course we do. Our shop has a dedicated counter for cultivation manuals; we buy and sell them alike. This way, please, customer." Used to such matters, the assistant smilingly led Chen Cheng through the main hall to a counter farther inside.

At that moment, behind the counter, a plump-looking middle-aged steward of around forty was introducing a manual to a man dressed like a martial wanderer, with a blade at his waist.

"Customer, please wait a moment."

The assistant invited Chen Cheng to sit nearby and poured him some tea.

Chen Cheng was in no hurry, so he waited at the side.

The man wanted to buy a blade technique manual. Once the middle-aged steward had finished his introduction, he quoted the price.

"Twenty taels of silver is too expensive! Can't you make it cheaper?" After hesitating for a long while, the man asked.

The middle-aged steward smiled. "Customer, Luo's Shop has always charged fair prices and never deceived young or old alike.

"This copy of the Fierce Tiger Blade Technique is a complete blade technique with considerable power. If cultivated to perfection, it would give you the strength to fight even a Skin-Tempering Realm martial artist.

"Twenty taels of silver is already the lowest price."

"Still too expensive! Do you have anything cheaper?" The man wore ordinary clothes and seemed short on money, so he settled for the next best thing.

"There is something cheaper. This copy of the Mountain-Splitting Blade Technique is incomplete and can only be cultivated to major accomplishment, so it is worth ten taels of silver." The middle-aged steward took out another blade technique manual.

"An incomplete blade technique still costs ten taels of silver? Manuals like this sell elsewhere for only five or six taels." The man rolled his eyes, still finding it too expensive.

The middle-aged steward did not get angry, maintaining an amiable expression as he said, "Luo's Shop values its reputation above all else. Everything we sell is an authentic manual, and every manual has been verified by martial arts experts, ensuring there are no errors or omissions. Other places would not dare make such a guarantee.

"You should know that if there are any errors or omissions in a manual and something goes wrong during cultivation, the consequences can be severe."

"Fine, I'll buy it." After pondering for a long time, the man was finally persuaded by the steward's words. Gritting his teeth, he paid for the manual and left.

Listening from the side, Chen Cheng felt that the middle-aged steward made sense, but he was secretly alarmed as well. He had long heard that blade technique manuals were expensive, but he had never expected them to be this expensive.

With his current wealth, he could not even afford an incomplete blade technique manual.

"Customer, what manual would you like to buy?" After seeing the man off, the shop steward stepped forward, cupped his hands, and asked with a smile.

Chen Cheng decided to ask first.

"What is the cheapest blade technique manual you have? An incomplete one is fine."

Chen Cheng's clothes were plain, and his figure was somewhat thin. He looked even less impressive than the man from before, yet the shop steward showed no impatience and answered politely.

"The cheapest is the Mountain-Splitting Blade Technique manual I just sold that customer. Ten taels of silver."

Chen Cheng could not help sucking in a breath. It was not merely that he could not afford it—just looking at it made him feel guilty.

Forget it. I'll try selling the manual first, then look elsewhere for a cheaper incomplete blade technique manual to practice. After all, I have the panel's correction. Even if the blade technique manual is incomplete or contains errors, I can still cultivate it.

With that thought, Chen Cheng took the prepared cultivation manual from his clothes and placed it on the table.

"I'm not buying anything for now. Take a look and tell me how much this manual is worth."

Unhurriedly, the middle-aged steward picked up the manual. The instant he opened the first page, his face twitched, and he said in astonishment, "Crimson Sun Great Root Art... an internal breath method?"

"What, you don't buy internal breath methods?" Chen Cheng was somewhat confused by his sudden reaction.

"Our shop is open for business, so naturally we buy all kinds of cultivation methods, but..."

The steward suddenly snapped the manual shut, his expression darkening. "We do not buy fake manuals!

"Though Luo's Shop mainly deals in commerce, we have considerable influence in Linji City as well. Every shop has martial arts experts stationed within it. Not just anyone can bring in a fake manual and fool us at will!"

Though he had been prepared for this, Chen Cheng truly had not expected the middle-aged steward to declare it fake without even examining it. His expression immediately turned serious. "You have not even looked at it. How do you know it is fake?"

The middle-aged steward said impatiently, "Why would I need to look? Do you know that martial cultivation is divided into external arts and internal cultivation methods, while internal cultivation methods are further divided into body-tempering methods and internal breath methods?

"External arts and body-tempering methods are the most common. Our shop has quite a few of them. But internal breath methods—none of even the great families of the inner city possess them.

"You brought an internal breath method manual here. Are you not trying to swindle me?"

"You mean even the great families of the inner city do not have internal breath methods?" Chen Cheng suddenly realized how shallow his knowledge was. The middle-aged steward's words overturned his understanding.

He had learned about external arts and internal cultivation methods from Master Xiuchen.

He had assumed that an internal breath method which even a Skin-Tempering Realm death-row prisoner could casually produce was nothing rare, and he had not taken it seriously.

Who would have thought internal breath methods were so scarce that not even the entirety of Linji Prefecture City possessed one!

Seeing that Chen Cheng seemed lost in thought, as though he truly had not known, and seeing how young he was, the middle-aged steward's expression softened slightly. He said flatly, "Kid, if you want to cheat people next time, you had better make inquiries first.

"Only because this is Luo's Shop, and because I see that you are young and ignorant, will I let the matter pass. At another shop, you would be in for a vicious beating!

"Take care of yourself."

"You should still examine the manual before reaching a conclusion." Chen Cheng remained calm, privately calculating what price would be appropriate for this cultivation manual.

Though it was a castrated version, a half-baked and incomplete internal breath method that could only cultivate the great root, it was still an internal breath method after all, was it not?

"Hmph. Since you refuse to give up, then I shall take a look!"

The middle-aged steward reopened the manual. After only skimming a few pages, he could no longer look away.

This so-called Crimson Sun Great Root Art internal breath method manual was written in a convincing manner. More importantly, it included simple diagrams, and beyond the mnemonic verses, it also contained a unique cultivation method.

A long while later, his old face was flushed red, though a trace of excitement could be seen beneath it.

"It truly is an internal breath method. Though it follows a crooked, unorthodox path and is somewhat incomplete, it should be cultivable."

The middle-aged steward closed the manual and looked at Chen Cheng again, saying solemnly, "This is only the first half of the cultivation manual. Since honored guest can bring it out for sale, you must have the second half as well."

Without Chen Cheng noticing, the steward's form of address had shifted three times—from customer, to kid, to honored guest.

It meant that he had already acknowledged Chen Cheng.

"Of course I have the second half."

Chen Cheng lightly nodded, then said leisurely, "You have seen the first half of the manual. Tell me first how much you are willing to offer, and then I will consider whether to sell the entire cultivation manual to you."

"As for that... allow me to have an expert examine it before appraising its value. Honored guest, please wait in the inner room for a moment."

The middle-aged steward politely led Chen Cheng into the inner room, had the assistant pour him tea, and only then hurried upstairs with the manual in hand.