Chapter 30: Demon Snare

After obtaining Jiang Yan's permission, Ningning led the way, and they soon arrived at the entrance to the Inner Market.

On both sides stood a guard clad in heavy armor, their faces hidden behind ferocious visors, revealing only eyes burning with ghostly fire, radiating the aura of the Foundation Establishment realm.

She explained to Jiang Yan, "Big Brother, official staff of the Five Vices Dharma Assembly can bring three outsiders into the Inner Market at half price every month, and can enter for free twice themselves; this also applies to staff family members."

"You are the first one today, so the six-thousand entrance fee only costs three thousand. I've saved you half the money, plus you get me as a clever and capable guide."

After saying this, Xu Ningning waved and greeted, "Uncle, I'm back again!"

She then took out a wooden plaque engraved with the Five Vices Dharma Assembly seal and handed it to the guard.

The two guards looked at Ningning and Jiang Yan behind her with helpless expressions.

One of the guards spoke up, "Ningning, you really never rest, coming right on time every month to fleece the Dharma Assembly. Have you finished your homework?"

Ningning said with a grin, "Of course, you can go ask my dad if you don't believe me. Besides, Uncle, you're wrong; this is an employee benefit provided by the Dharma Assembly, meant for us to use."

"After all, some guests are quite frugal and might skip the Inner Market if they think the entrance fee is too high. Now that it's cheaper, they'll go in to take a look, and once they see enough good things, they might make an impulsive purchase!"

"You're the one with all the twisted logic, little girl." The two guards laughed and scolded, then cleared the way.

"Hehe, thanks, Uncle!"

Ningning led Jiang Yan into the Inner Market. Although there were fewer stalls than on the Middle Street, the quality was several times higher.

Extraordinary materials of the Foundation Establishment realm began to appear, along with pills, magical artifacts, secret manuals, and more.

But the prices rose accordingly; most only accepted barter, and if paid in money, it would easily reach hundreds of thousands or millions, exceeding Jiang Yan's budget.

"The shop we're going to isn't here; we have to go further in."

Ningning skipped along in front, sighing as she walked:

"Big Brother, did you know? I was also very surprised when I first learned that the extraordinary world could use Tianxia Alliance currency; it felt like the sense of mystery was diminished."

"But thinking about it, it's normal. The present world has no spirit stone veins and cannot build an extraordinary currency system."

"Our Tianxia Alliance is a top-tier major power in the current age, with a stable currency. Many History Walkers had average living conditions before becoming extraordinary and need money to improve their lives, so it's convenient."

Jiang Yan nodded. Actually, what Ningning said wasn't comprehensive.

Because Ba Lie had told him that even with sufficient conditions, the Tianxia Alliance and other countries would not establish an extraordinary currency system.

Because money itself is a type of anchor point. As long as History Walkers use it frequently, they won't feel they are different from ordinary people, thereby anchoring their humanity and preventing pathological changes.

Some say that the rich can do whatever they want?

Not necessarily.

Because low-level extraordinary items can still be measured by money, but most medium-to-high-level extraordinary materials are traded through barter or exchanged for other values.

Even if converted into money, it would be an astronomical figure.

Moreover, as long as one isn't a fool, one understands...

With strength, you don't have to worry about not having money!

Jiang Yan followed Ningning, turning left and right, entering a corner of the alley.

Ningning pointed to a shop in the deepest part and said:

"This is it!"

Jiang Yan glanced back at the path they had taken; if not for her leading the way, an ordinary person really wouldn't be able to find this place.

The shop was not large, consisting of two floors and a backyard. It had a wooden building structure and looked like an ancient medical clinic, but the shelves inside were filled with various instruments and pill bottles, indicating it was a general store.

A plaque hung above, bearing the shop's name.

[Demon Snare]

Jiang Yan said softly, "Taking the meaning of 'gathering all the heroes of the world into my snare,' collecting all the demons of the world—a grand ambition."

Ningning said with a smile, "Of course, after all, Grandpa Chu is a Refining Master who specializes in alchemy and artifact refining using organisms from Pathogenic Domains."

"This must be very expensive, right?"

Jiang Yan hesitated; a man without money truly lacks confidence when speaking.

"Of course it's expensive!"

Ningning nodded and said, "But we aren't here to buy finished products this time. Because many History Walkers, in order to forge weapons or pills suitable for themselves, bring various demon corpses to beg Grandpa Chu for help. Not only do they have to pay, but the remaining demon parts after a successful refining also serve as part of the payment."

"But too many corpses have accumulated, and since the extraordinary organs have already been used, the internal balance is broken. If he continues to refine artifacts or pills, the failure rate is extremely high."

"Rather than letting them go to waste in his hands, it's better to process and sell them, so the price is much cheaper than normal. But unless you're an acquaintance of Grandpa Chu, you'd never know this news."

Hearing this, Jiang Yan couldn't help but feel a bit more expectant.

One man's poison is another man's meat.

With the Demon God Embryo, what others saw as defective goods were his best nourishment.

At this moment, Ningning looked around, and after confirming the boss wasn't there, she said mysteriously:

"Don't look at the Five Vices Dharma Assembly as having many people; most are History Walkers from around Jiangnan Province because Pathogenic Domains anchor to specific regions. Truly good things aren't put out on stalls to sell, so the materials are just the same old things over and over."

"But here, there are materials obtained from Pathogenic Domains by History Walkers from all over the world, which will definitely satisfy your needs."

"The most important thing is that it's in the Inner Market. You pay to get in, and the Five Vices Dharma Assembly takes a cut and collects taxes on every transaction."

"The organizer behind it is a powerhouse of the Dharma Seed realm who will guarantee that what you buy is absolutely authentic. If it's fake, you can file a complaint and get double compensation—you'd make a fortune."

"Later, Big Brother, whatever you take a liking to, just give me a look, and I'll help you haggle..."

"Ningning, why do you always insist on fleecing an old man like me? Can't you change shops?"

A helpless voice came from behind the shop counter. A white-haired old man with a goatee, dressed in a green robe, sat up from a recliner, his gaze toward the little girl full of disdain.

"Eh, Grandpa Chu, you're awake! I'll make you some tea!"

Ningning wasn't embarrassed at all; she scurried over to the table, took out a tea bowl and three disposable paper cups, and skillfully took out a teapot to brew tea.

Then she handed the tea bowl to the boss and one cup to Jiang Yan, leaving the remaining two cups untouched.

Old Man Chu grumbled, "You girl really knows how to give a stick and then follow up with a sweet date."

"No way, this is clearly helping you attract customers and clear out your inventory!"

Ningning cried out in injustice.

Old Man Chu snorted, ignored her, and turned to look at Jiang Yan, asking:

"Guest, tell me your requirements."

"Alright."

Jiang Yan nodded and repeated the requirements he had told Ningning.

"Demon corpses with unique abilities, or pathogenic organisms related to the Corpse-Severing Royal Court, and a budget of around five hundred thousand... you really dare to open your mouth..."

Old Man Chu took out a lens cloth to wipe his glasses, glanced at the expectant Ningning on the side, and said helplessly:

"But since you're lucky enough to run into this girl, I do indeed have what you want."

Demon Snare backyard.

Old Man Chu lit an oil lamp, reached out to open the door to the storage room, and walked slowly inside, with Jiang Yan and Ningning following closely behind.

The lamplight shone,

and one could see ferocious and terrifying demon corpses hanging on the walls on both sides.

Yet, with so many corpses gathered, there was no Yin energy; instead, it felt somewhat warm.

The reason was that in the center stood a huge three-legged bronze alchemy furnace, but its surface lacked crane or cloud-thunder patterns, instead featuring numerous aquatic beasts and fish designs.

What burned inside was not fire, but a mass of scorching, surging white water like magma, constantly churning, even hotter than fire.

A furnace refined with water?

This was Jiang Yan's first time seeing such a special alchemy furnace, and he couldn't help but take a few extra looks.

Ningning, following by his side, saw this and whispered an explanation:

"This is Grandpa Chu's Ren-Water Alchemy Furnace, which follows the path of Post-Heaven Ren-Water refining. Ren-Water is the Yang water of the Five Elements, like the vast ocean, possessing broad, surging power. It can crush hard extraordinary materials while retaining water's characteristic of encompassing all things, allowing for reshaping and condensation."

"The furnace is metal; metal generates water, water generates wood, wood generates fire, and ashes serve as earth. The Five Elements generate each other; this is the essence of the Refining Path. That's why Grandpa Chu's success rate is much higher than ordinary artifact refiners. If Big Brother has needs for artifact refining or alchemy, remember to choose Demon Snare."

"Impressive."

Jiang Yan was surprised; he hadn't expected Ningning to have such knowledge.

"You're just parroting what I said word-for-word and showing it off."

A faint voice came from the old man in front.

"Doesn't that just show that Grandpa Chu taught me well!"

Ningning said with a smile, flattering him vigorously.

"Hmph!"

The old man kept a straight face, but his pace quickened, clearly in a good mood, completely handled by the little girl.

Soon, he arrived at the edge of the wall to the left of the furnace and pointed to a golden carp, hanging from the top, with an aged human face, two fleshy bumps on its head, and the height of a person, saying:

"This is a Foundation Establishment realm Human-Faced Dragon Carp. It likes to eat people and contains a trace of dragon blood. Of course, that's an exaggeration; in reality, it doesn't even count as flood dragon blood, but it does have the ability to summon clouds and mist."

"If it stays in a lake and summons a large fog in a small area to hide its form, the mist also has a slight hallucinogenic effect, causing people who stay in the fog for a long time to have various hallucinations, get lost, and finally end up in the fish's belly."

"It was washed into the present world by the River of History and descended into a small lake in Jingchu Province. Under normal circumstances, it's very difficult to catch it in the fog."

"But the History Walkers there lost their temper, brought in a large number of water pumps, and worked day and night to drain the water directly. The fog dissipated, and they finally locked onto its position and killed it."

"Because no historical relics were precipitated, they came to me to use its reverse scales and full body scales to make a Cloud-Mist Fish-Dragon Armor."

This is what happens when one's techniques aren't refined and one gets crushed by technology!

Jiang Yan thought to himself.

Old Man Chu continued, "If its meat didn't possess hallucinogenic toxins—which cause pathological changes if eaten, growing horns and fish scales, and making one uncontrollably enter the water to breathe, eventually drowning—I would have sold it to those rich people long ago."

"Now I can only extract the hallucinogenic toxins, but once you've poisoned it, who would still use the hallucinogenic ability... that's just crazy, so I'll make it cheaper, five hundred thousand for you."

Jiang Yan pondered; the Human-Faced Dragon Carp’s cloud and mist ability was quite good, as its illusions obscured perception, similar to a field skill, and it was even of the dragon species.

However, the drawbacks were also obvious: it had to rely on a large amount of water, and it was best to fight near swamps or lakes.

Otherwise, the range covered by the mist would not be large, making it seem like a chicken rib.

Jiang Yan asked, "Are there any others?"

A new month begins, seeking monthly tickets! Seeking continued reading! Seeking recommendation tickets!

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(End of chapter)