Chapter 142: Just Looking Around

Chapter 142: Chapter 142: Just Looking Around

"Who knows if the Black Feather Dynasty tampered with them? I want to sell them now."

Liu Chen shook his head. ’If I sell them directly to the Black Feather Dynasty, how could I take advantage of future encounters with their Cultivators by using the Spirit Arrow Technique and Spirit Wheel Skill? Any fool would know to come looking for me if something happened.’

"That’s a good point. Junior Brother, follow me."

Yang Haichen nodded, then walked past Liu Chen and headed forward. After a few turns, he led Liu Chen to a dilapidated room.

"If you’re not selling to the Black Feather Dynasty, then the Great Xia Royal Family is the best choice. Just place the Storage Ring in the opening."

Yang Haichen pointed to an opening in the wall and spoke slowly. After placing the Storage Ring there, Liu Chen looked at Yang Haichen.

’According to the information I’ve received, the Great Xia Royal Family isn’t participating in this trial.’

"Just because the Great Xia Royal Family isn’t participating doesn’t mean no one from the Royal Family came. From a certain perspective, those families of imperial relatives *are* the Great Xia Royal Family."

Yang Haichen saw Liu Chen’s confusion and spoke in a low voice. Liu Chen nodded slowly. Just then, Liu Chen noticed a small White Fox appear on the other side of the opening. The fox snatched up the Storage Ring Liu Chen had placed there and quickly departed.

"This should take about as long as a cup of tea."

Yang Haichen said calmly. Liu Chen stared at him, astonished. ’This guy has clearly done this many times before.’

"Items from Loose Cultivators are whatever, but you can’t just openly sell the loot you take from family disciples. This place is the perfect way to offload it."

Yang Haichen explained casually. Liu Chen nodded, then took out another ordinary-looking Storage Ring. Seeing this, Yang Haichen couldn’t help but look over.

"This is what I got from my trade with that senior earlier. Might as well deal with it while I’m here."

Liu Chen gave a casual explanation. Yang Haichen nodded and didn’t press the matter. After a little while, the White Fox ran back. It put down a relatively luxurious-looking Storage Ring, then turned and left without pausing.

Liu Chen took the Storage Ring and glanced inside. It was densely packed with Spirit Stones, a conservative estimate of twenty thousand.

Liu Chen then put down the other Storage Ring. Inside were spoils he had originally considered less important: Spiritual Artifacts from the Black Feather Dynasty Guards, an unlucky Loose Cultivator, and disciples of Qingxu Hall. Now that he had such a channel, it was better to just dispose of them directly.

’A pile of Spirit Stones is better than a pile of Spiritual Artifacts I can’t use.’

The White Fox returned, snatched the Storage Ring, and left. After another wait, a Storage Ring identical to the previous one was brought back. This time, the White Fox didn’t leave right away; only after Liu Chen took the Storage Ring did it slowly vanish.

"Now I can browse in peace."

Liu Chen put away the two Storage Rings, feeling a sense of relief. Yang Haichen, however, had no reaction. He had been here many times and was completely unfazed.

The two wandered for a while and returned to the area where the stalls were gathered. Liu Chen continued to aimlessly browse the stalls on both sides.

Before long, Liu Chen stopped in front of a very simple-looking stall.

There were only two items for sale at the stall: two rather battered-looking secret manuals.

"How many Spirit Stones for the Mystic Cauldron Technique?"

Liu Chen looked at the more dilapidated of the two manuals and couldn’t help but ask. ’If the price is right, this could be the tool I need for preparing Spiritual Cuisine in the future.’

"One thousand Spirit Stones."

The stall owner replied listlessly. Ever since he’d put this technique up for sale, it hadn’t sold. Even Cultivators who were interested would give up after hearing the price.

"Count them."

Liu Chen nodded. ’Outside, a Basic Magic Technique is five hundred Spirit Stones. Although prices in Fire Dragon Valley don’t usually reach double, what could I do? I wanted it!’

One thousand Spirit Stones landed on the stall. The owner was a little stunned but quickly recovered. After counting the stones, he handed the secret manual directly to Liu Chen.

After taking the Mystic Cauldron Technique, Liu Chen didn’t leave. Instead, he looked at the other secret manual, now sitting alone on the stall.

"I found that in some ruined hall. It should be the Intermediate Magic, Fire Dragon Technique, but unfortunately, the manual is badly damaged."

The stall owner explained casually. Liu Chen thought for a moment but ultimately decided against buying the technique. With his current Spirit Stones, if he wanted a Middle Grade Technique, he could buy a complete one directly rather than trying to master a damaged manual and create a Middle Grade Technique from it.

"What a pity."

Liu Chen sighed helplessly, got up, and walked further on. He didn’t stop along the way. After reaching the end of the market area, he shook his head in resignation and prepared to turn around and leave.

"What kind of technique are you actually looking for, Junior Brother?"

Yang Haichen, who had been following him the whole time, couldn’t help but ask. ’If Junior Brother Liu needs something, I definitely want to help him find it. Xie Xichen and Ren Xunchun are already on his tab, but I’m just freeloading.’

"I’m just browsing. If I see something I like, I’ll buy it. Don’t worry about it, Senior Brother."

Liu Chen shook his head and started walking back. Yang Haichen pouted. ’It seems only Junior Brother can be this carefree. Other Cultivators have to consider if a technique is compatible with them and how many Spirit Stones they can afford, but Junior Brother doesn’t worry about any of that.’

’If he wanted to, he could buy every technique here and probably still have Spirit Stones left over.’

On the way back, Yang Haichen had assumed Liu Chen would go straight back, but after walking a short distance, he saw Liu Chen stop at another stall.

Yang Haichen moved closer for a look and saw the Spirit Arrow Technique and the Spirit Wheel Skill displayed on the stall. These were the very techniques Liu Chen had just sold.

Yang Haichen watched this scene hesitantly, then saw Junior Brother Liu spend two thousand Spirit Stones to buy back the techniques that had originally belonged to him.

Only then did Junior Brother Liu walk straight out of the trading area. Xie Xichen and Ren Xunchun, who were waiting there, quickly came over.

"Thanks for waiting, Senior Brothers. Let’s head back."

Liu Chen said this very naturally, causing Yang Haichen, who had been about to ask a question, to hold his tongue. The three of them silently returned to the Purple Cloud Valley disciples’ gathering area.

As they passed through the streets, Liu Chen noticed that more Purple Cloud Valley disciples had set up stalls, and the quality and variety of goods for sale also seemed to have improved.

Unfortunately, there was nothing Liu Chen wanted. Yang Haichen and the others, following behind, clearly saw that after Liu Chen left the street, ninety percent of the Purple Cloud Valley disciples started packing up their stalls.

"What resources does Junior Brother Liu even need?"

Xie Xichen couldn’t help but ask. Even setting aside his identity as a Spirit Chef, Purple Cloud Valley disciples were generally very willing to trade resources among themselves.

"He doesn’t need anything. You can just think of it as Junior Brother Liu’s spirits have recovered, so he wanted to take a walk, buying whatever caught his interest."

Yang Haichen shrugged. He certainly couldn’t mention their trip to the Black Market. ’Xie Xichen couldn’t possibly be unaware that place was a Black Market; he just hadn’t asked about it directly.’

"Extravagant..."