Price differences

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Chapter 48: Price differences

As Chen Beiwu entered the market, incredibly dense spiritual energy filled the air. With just one breath in and out, his whole body felt considerably lighter.

The spiritual energy concentration in this market is probably already approaching tier three, he marveled inwardly.

The market already possessed a high-grade tier-two spirit vein. With a tier-two spirit-gathering formation drawing in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and keeping it from dispersing, the concentration within the market could be raised to nearly tier three.

In the Immortal Alliance, a place so rich in spiritual energy was a cultivation site that Foundation Establishment Rogue Persons could only dream of obtaining. Only Golden Core True Persons were qualified to occupy one.

Yet in the Earth Evolution Realm of the Southern Wasteland, a tiny Foundation Establishment lineage could occupy such a rare spiritual site. Truly, some died of drought while others drowned in floods.

Chen Beiwu's expression remained unchanged as he thought, This is the gulf between the two worlds.

"Senior, do you need a broker? Just one spirit stone for three days." A sweet voice suddenly rang out.

Chen Beiwu looked down and saw a short figure dressed in a grayish-green Daoist robe.

She was slender and petite, with a string of pearls hanging over her full breasts and a thin silver-plated belt around her waist, outlining the exaggerated curve of her pert buttocks.

She rose high on her toes in embroidered shoes, an ingratiating smile on her carefully made-up face. Even so, the makeup could not conceal how young she was.

"All right." Chen Beiwu nodded slightly.

One spirit stone was not a small sum, but it was nowhere near as valuable as information about the market.

With a broker explaining things, he could gather enough information in the shortest possible time and get a clear understanding of the price differences between the two worlds.

"Senior, are you looking to purchase spiritual materials and pills, rent a shop or a cultivation residence, or buy servants and Dao companions?" Wanwan asked eagerly.

"Take me around the market first," Chen Beiwu said succinctly.

Wanwan immediately understood and stepped forward to lead the way.

Too many words invited mistakes. Cultivators willing to spend spirit stones on a broker's services were usually outsiders visiting Abysswall Market for the first time. She had long since grown accustomed to this aloof attitude.

Ignoring the crowded stalls on the street corners, Wanwan explained quietly, "Most cultivators who set up stalls in the market are rogue cultivators. What they sell is a mix of wheat and chaff, with no guarantee of quality. Cultivators often get cheated and then can't find the seller."

With that, she turned and stepped into an old-fashioned, elegant shop called the Myriad Arts Pavilion.

The shop was not large inside. Shelves on both sides held cultivation manuals, giving off a faint scent of ink.

"The Myriad Arts Pavilion has the largest collection of reference materials and the most comprehensive selection of cultivation manuals in Abysswall Market..." Wanwan launched into a flowing introduction.

[Metal Refining Art]: Mid-grade qi refining method suitable for body cultivators. Refines the energy of metal and iron into the flesh and bones, forging a metal body impervious to blades and spears. Allows cultivation up to the ninth layer of qi refining.

Price: 300 low-grade spirit stones

[Water Transformation Art]: Mid-grade qi refining method. Visualizing the force of a waterfall accelerates cultivation, producing water-aspect magical power as enduring and inexhaustible as flowing water. Can condense water into weapons.

Price: 400 low-grade spirit stones

[Earth Mountain Art]: High-grade qi refining method. Absorbs the energy of earth veins to condense pure, vast earth-and-mountain magical power. Fighting atop a mountain range rapidly replenishes expended magical power, leaving the cultivator unafraid of being surrounded.

Price: 500 low-grade spirit stones

Chen Beiwu was somewhat surprised by the dazzling array of qi refining methods. He casually picked up a book and leafed through it.

To prevent anyone from stealing the cultivation methods, the books on the shelves contained only partial information. The actual legacies were all stored in transmission jade slips beyond the customers' reach.

"This..." The more Chen Beiwu read, the more surprised he became.

Apart from a few five-element qi refining methods that could barely be considered complete, all the other methods had omissions and errors. Yet they could still command high prices.

;psme&;psme&

In the Immortal Alliance, these second-rate qi refining methods would only qualify for the lowest mortal grade. Forget three hundred spirit stones-they would not sell even for thirty. They might not even pass review if posted on an official website for cultivators to read for free.

Seeing this, Wanwan felt a flicker of delight, though she kept it off her face.

One spirit stone for three days did not amount to much.

The biggest source of income in the brokerage business was the commission earned by bringing customers into shops and closing deals. The Myriad Arts Pavilion offered the most generous commissions of any shop in the market.

Of course, she did not bring just any visiting cultivator to the Myriad Arts Pavilion.

Customers like Chen Beiwu, whose bearing, cultivation, and clothing were all out of the ordinary, and who looked rather like the child of a cultivator family, were the Myriad Arts Pavilion's main clientele.

As the minutes and seconds ticked by, Chen Beiwu browsed dozens of cultivation methods and spells.

To Wanwan's disappointment, however, he did not take a liking to a single one despite looking through so many manuals.

"Senior, is there something you're dissatisfied with?" she asked cautiously.

"These are all rather ordinary." Chen Beiwu shook his head and returned [Little Palm Thunder] to the shelf.

Understanding his implication, Wanwan looked troubled. "Senior, Foundation Establishment methods are quite rare. They can easily sell for thousands of spirit stones and generally only appear at the auction held once every five years."

At this, something stirred in Chen Beiwu's mind.

The Southern Wasteland Cultivation World treasured even its worn-out brooms, placing tremendous importance on cultivation legacies. Even a single complete Foundation Establishment method was worth thousands of spirit stones.

Yet in the Immortal Alliance, with its explosion of information, Foundation Establishment methods of this level were merely miscellaneous-grade methods that could be shared without restriction. Calling them worthless would be no exaggeration.

If Chen Beiwu wanted to, he could download dozens of different miscellaneous-grade methods in a single night in the Immortal Alliance.

The only problem was that Foundation Establishment methods were far too valuable in the Southern Wasteland Cultivation World. They could bless future generations and were treasures that would tempt even Foundation Establishment experts. Even if he put one up for auction, he might not be able to keep the situation under control.

After witnessing that scene at the market entrance, Chen Beiwu did not dare trust the reputation the market advertised.

Unless he was a Foundation Establishment expert, Abysswall Market would very likely strike from the shadows for a Foundation Establishment method if the profits were high enough.

As for its reputation, so long as Abysswall Market acted cleanly and ruthlessly enough, the dead could not speak, much less affect its business.

"Let's look around elsewhere," Chen Beiwu said.

Being unable to sell miscellaneous-grade methods did not mean he could not sell mortal-grade ones. A single qi refining method would not be enough to tempt Abysswall Market.

But before selling cultivation methods, he needed to keep gathering information.

Wanwan said nothing more and obediently went outside to lead the way.

A cultivator who could dismiss even qi refining methods probably had an extraordinary background. He was not someone she could afford to offend.

Leaving the Cultivation Zen Studio, Wanwan skirted the street vendors and wound through several turns. First, she took Chen Beiwu into the Hundred Pills Pavilion, which sold spiritual materials and pills, then the Thousand Artifacts Studio, which sold magical artifacts, followed by the Flying Talisman Hall, which sold talismans, and finally the Array Study Studio, which sold formation disks.

What left Wanwan utterly disheartened was that, after a full circuit of the market's shops, Chen Beiwu had not bought a single thing.

That meant she had worked herself to the bone all day without earning even a little commission.

"Not bad. Here's your payment." Chen Beiwu casually tossed her a spirit stone.

After a day of exploration, he had found the fastest and safest way to earn spirit stones.

(End of chapter)