Seeing an Old Acquaintance Again

Just as Long Xuan's patience was wearing thin, a very familiar face finally stepped forward.

The one who came to the table this time was a bald youth. The moment Long Xuan saw him, he found him familiar. Wasn't he the little medicine boy who had sold him that pill furnace?

This little medicine boy had risen to fame in recent years. His cultivation advanced at lightning speed, and in just a few short years, he had shot up to the Late Spirit-Gathering Stage.

He was not even eighteen yet. A Late Spirit-Gathering Stage cultivator under eighteen was rare even among great clans. Thus, this little medicine boy had briefly enjoyed boundless glory, gradually becoming someone everyone in the marketplace knew. He was in the full blaze of fame.

However, this little medicine boy loved selling junk. Last time, he had sold unwanted waste pills. Who knew what scrap he would sell this time?

Long Xuan was looking forward to it.

Sure enough, the bald little medicine boy did not disappoint him. To everyone's astonishment, he took out a damaged treasure map.

One-tenth of the treasure map had been burned away. Though the missing area was small, this was a riddle-based treasure map, and the missing portion happened to be the most crucial part.

With that part of the treasure map missing, no one could hope to find the treasure's location. A useless treasure map was naturally worthless.

Everyone was utterly dumbfounded. Before the little medicine boy could speak, someone below shouted, "What kind of trick are you pulling? Why are you taking out a sheet of waste paper? Don't tell me you want to sell waste paper here. Do you really think anyone would buy this damned thing?"

Quite a few people below sneered. They had already recognized it as a damaged treasure map, completely useless. If it were truly useful, he would have gone treasure-hunting himself. Why would he bring it here to look for a sucker?

Facing everyone's doubts, the little medicine boy remained indifferent and went his own way. "Who says it's useless? Only one-tenth of this treasure map has been damaged. What if someone smart enough can infer the treasure's location from the remaining nine-tenths?"

"What if someone has the ability to restore any item? Restoring a damaged treasure map would be child's play."

"What if someone has divination abilities? With just a little information, they could divine the treasure's exact location."

"All of this is possible. You think it's useless, but that doesn't mean it's useless to someone else," the little medicine boy said disdainfully.

"What pipe dream are you having? Have you read too many novels? An ability to restore everything? Right now, I just want to restore you—fix that brain of yours!"

The people below were completely unmoved by his words and snorted with laughter. Whoever believed such ghost stories was a fool.

Long Xuan alone fell into thought. He had to admit that the little medicine boy's words did make some sense.

The world was vast, and all manner of strange things existed. Any bizarre ability could appear. Who could say for certain that this world did not possess the kind of golden finger from novels that could restore everything?

The ability to magnify everything that he possessed had not existed in this world before, yet hadn't he created it all the same? Anything was possible.

And even setting aside such an ability, powers like divination very likely existed in this world. It was simply that such heaven-defying abilities were far too distant from ordinary Rogue Cultivators. No one believed they would happen to encounter one by such a coincidence.

Therefore, the little medicine boy's words were theoretically possible. It was only that the chance of such a person appearing in this region was zero. No matter how extravagantly he embellished his tale, it was useless.

Long Xuan looked once more at the treasure map. It displayed progress of [90.98%]. A thought stirred in his heart. Could he complete this damaged map by blindly guessing?

Since he could grind out Gu recipes through blind guessing, then by the same logic, he might be able to grind out a complete treasure map through blind guessing as well.

The difference was that the former involved guessing words, while the latter involved guessing lines.

If he placed a sheet of paper beneath the damaged map and blindly drew over the hole, then if the progress disappeared, it meant he had drawn wrong, so he could erase it and draw again. If the progress rose, it proved he had drawn correctly, and he could continue guessing downward. In theory, sooner or later, he would grind out a complete treasure map.

Long Xuan drew a deep breath. The little medicine boy had actually been right. This world really might contain someone capable of repairing a damaged map, and by coincidence, that person was standing right here.

After waiting so long, he had finally gotten the chance to pick up an enormous bargain.

Long Xuan instantly perked up, revealing an excited smile.

He had no idea what treasure this map led to, but it was entirely possible that something worth hundreds of millions had been buried there. This time, he might truly strike it rich.

Long Xuan could no longer restrain himself. He immediately stepped forward and said, "I'll take this damaged map. What do you want in exchange?"

Hearing that familiar voice, the little medicine boy froze, then cried out, "You again! Are you addicted to buying junk?"

Long Xuan's expression stiffened, but he still said with restraint, "I'm the kind of exceptionally intelligent person you were talking about. With just nine-tenths of the contents, I can deduce the treasure's location."

The little medicine boy curled his lip, clearly not believing him. Who was he trying to fool? If someone could truly infer the treasure's location through intelligence, would he have put it up for sale? Wasn't that just another way of mocking his low intelligence?

"Could it be that you really have the ability to restore everything?" The little medicine boy's eyes widened as he suddenly exclaimed.

"I'll restore your big-headed ghost! Are you selling it or not? If not, I'm leaving right now!"

Long Xuan had been thoroughly infuriated by this little brat. He was spreading rumors about him again, and shouting them so loudly.

What if the people below believed it and truly thought he had the ability to restore everything? That would be a disaster.

Right now, he had the urge to tear this little medicine boy's mouth apart.

"Sell! Of course I'll sell! Only an idiot wouldn't!"

Seeing that there really was a sucker willing to trade for his damaged map, the little medicine boy was overjoyed. How could he let such a fine opportunity slip away?

"I want those spirit pills from earlier. Just give me a hundred," the little medicine boy quickly said.

"Ten at most! Take it or leave it!"

Long Xuan slammed a pill bottle heavily onto the table. What a joke. If he paid such a high price for the damaged map, people really would suspect that he possessed the ability to restore everything.