Chapter 473 - 241: The First Assessment! Fallen Genius? (Part 2)

"Step right up, take a look! High-quality Qi Recovery Pills, only twenty points a bottle! Don’t miss out!"

"For sale! A complete, handwritten copy of the Blazing Sword Technique, with a free bonus copy of a senior disciple’s Cultivation Insights! Only fifty points!"

"Refined Iron Longswords! They cut through iron like mud, the perfect weapon for self-defense! Ten points each, and the price is firm!"

"A Treasure-Seeking Rat pup for sale! It’s clever and can find Spirit Medicines and ores! Only five hundred points—take it home, and getting rich will no longer be a dream!"

The items for sale here were a motley collection, ranging from Elixir Pills, Cultivation Techniques, and Weapons to bizarre Magical Treasure fragments, unidentified Spirit Grass and ores, and even live Exotic Beasts. It had anything and everything you could imagine.

Although the quality of most items couldn’t compare to the fine goods on Duobao Peak, their low prices were a major advantage. For disciples strapped for cash, this place was practically paradise.

"Huh? What’s that..."

Suddenly, Lin Xiao stopped in her tracks, pointing toward a rather desolate stall up ahead, a flash of surprise in her eyes.

Everyone turned to look.

The stall was situated in a corner. The vendor was a mysterious figure clad in a loose black robe with a black cloth obscuring their face, making it impossible to discern their features or Cultivation level.

On the cloth spread out before them, a single, exquisite Jade Bottle sat in solitude.

Next to the Jade Bottle was a wooden sign with a few lines written in large script:

Elemental Fusion Vein Protection Pill, one bottle, 4,000 points. Price is firm!

GASP—

Seeing those words, Su Xiaoxiao’s eyes went wide.

"That’s an Elemental Fusion Vein Protection Pill! It’s a Divine Medicine that can speed up the process of switching Cultivation Techniques!"

Bao Da swallowed hard, his face a mask of longing. "This stuff sells for five thousand points at the Ten Thousand Medicines Pavilion! It’s a full thousand points cheaper here!"

For New Disciples like them, who were desperate to switch their Cultivation Technique and pass the upcoming assessment, the pill’s allure was simply irresistible.

"Four thousand points..." Lin Xiao was also tempted, but she quickly calmed herself and shook her head bitterly. "That’s too expensive. Even if I sold everything I own, I couldn’t afford a fraction of that."

Su Xiaoxiao looked just as regretful, tearing her gaze away with great reluctance.

Jiang Che stood to the side, his expression placid, but inside, his mind was in turmoil.

’Someone’s actually selling this...’

’And judging by the vendor’s disguise, they clearly don’t want to be identified.’

’In that case...’

An idea rapidly took shape in his mind.

’I could do the exact same thing. I can disguise myself and sell that bottle of Elixir Pills Daoist Wu Wei gave me!’

’I can’t use it anyway, so keeping it is just a waste. As for Daoist Wu Wei... as long as my Cultivation progress doesn’t slow down, he’ll never suspect a thing, even if I don’t take the pill.’

Realizing this, Jiang Che felt a weight lift from his shoulders.

He didn’t let it show, however, and simply continued to browse the market with the others for a little longer.

Although they all coveted the various treasures, their empty pockets meant they could only window-shop, not actually buy anything.

"Alright, let’s find a spot to set up our own stall," Bao Da suggested.

So, the four of them found a relatively empty corner in the valley, took out the items they had prepared, and set up their stalls.

Bao Da laid out a few rare ores he had brought from Taizhou and several decent-quality Weapons.

Lin Xiao, for her part, displayed some Exotic Beast Materials she had gathered during her adventures in Gangzhou, along with a few stalks of Spirit Grass.

Su Xiaoxiao took out some jewelry and a few bottles of supplementary Elixir Pills her family had refined.

Jiang Che also laid out a few miscellaneous items of decent quality that were of no use to him.

Soon enough, Bao Da sold a piece of ore, but it only earned him ten points.

Transactions using points required a special Array Plate engraved with a small Array.

These were simple to make and many vendors had them, so Bao Da borrowed one for the time being.

The two placed their Identity Tokens on the plate and, after confirming the details with their Divine Thought, the transaction was complete.

The day passed before they knew it.

Despite the four of them hawking their wares energetically, most of the customers were shrewd bargainers, and sales were low.

When the sun began to set, the four of them packed up their stalls to take stock of their earnings.

Bao Da had sold a few ores, earning eighty points.

Lin Xiao had some luck; her few stalks of Spirit Grass caught the eye of an Alchemy Apprentice, netting her one hundred and twenty points.

Although Su Xiaoxiao’s jewelry was exquisite, it held little value in the eyes of Cultivators. She only managed to sell a few pieces for fifty points.

Jiang Che, on the other hand, had managed to earn over three hundred points in bits and pieces from his decent-quality Weapons and miscellaneous goods.

"Sigh... Making points is so hard..."

Su Xiaoxiao slumped to the ground, staring dejectedly at the pathetic number on her Identity Token. "We worked all day, and I still can’t even afford a single bottle of good Elixir Pills."

"Yeah." Bao Da sighed as well. "It helped with our immediate needs, but getting rich this way is a pipe dream!"

"If only we had some High-tier Elixirs..." Su Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but recall the mysterious stall. "That person selling the Elemental Fusion Vein Protection Pill... four thousand points for a single bottle! That’s instant wealth!"

"Don’t even think about it." Lin Xiao shook her head, speaking sensibly. "Pills of that caliber are completely out of our league. We should just stick to doing missions."

Jiang Che listened to their complaints. Although a plan was already forming in his mind, his expression remained calm, and he said nothing more.

He understood the principle of not flaunting one’s wealth all too well.

Especially since this particular bottle of Elixir Pills had a sensitive origin, it couldn’t be revealed casually.

"Let’s go. We should head back and get some rest."

Jiang Che stood up, dusting himself off. "The matter of points can’t be rushed," he said calmly. "Now that we’re in the Myriad Phenomena Dao Sect, we can’t expect an easy ride. The right path is to do more missions and increase our strength."