Chapter 148: Ruyi Treasure Coins, the Burdens of the Clan

Sihai Ruyi Dragon Pattern Treasure Coin.

Although Chen Ci had never heard of this item, he subconsciously thought of the jade coin in his bosom that was trying to disturb his Dao Heart.

Sihai Ruyi, Dragon Tiger Ruyi, they seem a bit similar, huh.

It's just that I don't know if "Yongxing Yongan" and "Dragon Pattern Treasure Coin" have any connection.

However, Chen Ci did not take out that jade coin for others to appraise; he smiled quite candidly and said, "Daoist Xu, you flatter me. I have never even heard of this Sihai Ruyi Dragon Pattern Treasure Coin, let alone a thousand treasure coins; I couldn't even produce a thousand Spirit Pearls. How could small cultivators like us hold onto such immense wealth?"

"Haha, Daoist, no need to be nervous. I don't have any other intentions; it's just that since you asked, Daoist Chen, I'll tell you a bit about it, just idle chatter."

The old Daoist Xu also smiled, his expression relaxed as he explained, "Just hearing the name, you should have guessed that this treasure coin is related to the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce, and this coin hasn't been circulated outside yet, so it's normal that you haven't heard of it. I mentioned it because I have a task in this regard, so there is a bit of selfishness involved, hence I said a few more words. Daoist, you should have heard of mortal gold notes and silver notes, right?"

Chen Ci's heart stirred slightly, and he nodded to indicate he knew.

The old Daoist Xu took a sip of tea and spoke slowly.

"The benefit of this Sihai Ruyi Dragon Pattern Treasure Coin, besides being convenient for circulation, is that holding this treasure coin to make purchases grants one the status and authority equivalent to an Apprentice of the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce."

Ten catties of Five Elements Divine Sand for eight Four Seas Treasure Coins.

This so-called Sihai Ruyi Dragon Pattern Treasure Coin is simple to explain: it is a money contract that the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce is preparing to launch, similar to the 'gold notes' and 'silver notes' of the cultivation world. One Dragon Pattern Treasure Coin is equivalent to one catty of Five Elements Divine Sand or one Jade Clam Spirit Pearl.

This Four Seas Chamber of Commerce, are they not trying to open a bank and print money? They certainly have some nerve.

Chen Ci pondered slightly; if it were like this, who would use this damn Dragon Pattern Treasure Coin? Wouldn't that be like taking off one's pants to fart—an unnecessary act?

One must know that in the cultivation world, although cultivators tacitly agree to use Five Elements Divine Sand and Jade Clam Spirit Pearls as transaction currency, the essence is still a barter trade model. Because these two items are cultivation resources and have a certain value to all cultivators in the world, they can be recognized by them.

"Daoist Chen, would you like to exchange for some Ruyi Treasure Coins?"

Come to think of it, the Dragon Tiger Ruyi Treasure Coin on Master Chen's person, isn't it only worth one Spirit Pearl?

It is likely impossible for this item to be truly promoted, but this doesn't have much to do with a small cultivator like Master Chen.

No, you're using this thing to test the He Mountain Light?

But this treasure coin thing is not necessarily the same. Just like the Sihai Ruyi Dragon Pattern Treasure Coin, although it has value, if one is not dealing with the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce, presumably no one would hold it. Apart from the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce, no one wants this thing.

That is to say, the purchasing power of the three items—treasure coins, divine sand, and spirit pearls—might seem the same within the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce, but their actual value is not the same.

Unless buying a true Dharma secret manual, only a fool would exchange for it. He originally came to buy a Force Path Facie, but as they chatted, it turned into promoting this so-called Four Seas Treasure Coin. Sure enough, all profiteers in the world are equally black-hearted, phew.

How much money does he even have on him?

A good thing?

The old Daoist Xu had said so much that his mouth was dry. He sipped his tea and leisurely persuaded, "I feel like I've known you for a long time, Daoist, and I happen to have a little authority to let you exchange divine sand or spirit pearls for fifty treasure coins. In a few days, there won't be such a good thing."

However, the reverse is not the same: ten catties of Five Elements Divine Sand or ten Jade Clam Spirit Pearls can only be exchanged for eight Dragon Pattern Treasure Coins, and there is a corresponding quota.

Seeming to know Chen Ci's confusion, the old Daoist Xu straightened his back and smiled indifferently: "To tell the truth, spirit pearls and divine sand don't have much value to the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce. Many pills, artifacts, talismans, and manuals are hard to trade without bartering. Just like the complete Force Path technique you are seeking, it is actually considered a non-sale item. However, if you hold Dragon Pattern Treasure Coins, you can buy anything. The word 'Ruyi' comes from this. But these treasure coins can only be exchanged with pills, artifacts, talismans, or manuals, or issued by working in the Chamber of Commerce. If using divine sand or spirit pearls, each person only has a quota of ten."

Eight Four Seas Treasure Coins are equivalent to eight catties of Five Elements Divine Sand.

Which cultivator could withstand such a test!

Chen Ci came to his senses and gave a dumbfounded smile. So this 'Sihai Ruyi Dragon Pattern Treasure Coin' is somewhat like an exclusive Dharma money launched by the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce, combining 'merit value,' 'commercial notes,' and 'membership' identities, and they even want other cultivators to recognize it.

Chen Ci couldn't help but complain in his heart, then shook his head slightly and politely declined with a smile: "Daoist, please forgive me. I still need to go to other chambers of commerce to look for what I need. If there is no result, I might have to go to other regions to try my luck. Although these Four Seas Treasure Coins are good, I have no use for them."

"Haha, Daoist Chen, I'm afraid you haven't been overseas yet, have you?"

The old Daoist Xu smiled leisurely and sized Chen Ci up: "Outside cultivators all think the owner of the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce is the Liuyun Palace Dragon Lord, but if that were the case, it should be called the Liuyun Chamber of Commerce; how would they dare call it the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce?"

Seeing that Chen Ci seemed not to understand his meaning, the old Daoist Xu had a profound and mysterious look on his face: "I wouldn't tell others, but our Chamber of Commerce truly covers the four seas and eight continents. This treasure coin is universal; it can be 'as you wish' (Ruyi) everywhere in the four seas. In the future, it might be usable wherever there are water veins. I have inside information; if you exchange for some, Daoist, you definitely won't be cheated or suffer a loss."

Chen Ci: "." Really?

"Moreover, next month is the birthday of the Liuyun Palace Dragon Lord. By then, the Sihai Treasure Tower will hold a grand event. Treasure materials, Dharma Artifacts, technique manuals, enchanting women, and rare treasures of the world—heh, I shouldn't say more specific details, but if you have treasure coins in hand, you can take advantage of more things than others."

Chen Ci: "." I don't believe it!

"Not sixty-two, not sixty, fifty-eight Spirit Pearls, and you can take the Four Seas Treasure Coins home. Daoist Chen, are you really not going to exchange for some?"

After Chen Ci left the Sihai Treasure Tower, looking at the fifty crimson copper coins in his hand, he couldn't help but wipe his forehead.

It's impossible to guard against.

How should I put it? It's a bit like spending fifty-eight Spirit Pearls to buy fifty 'original shares' of the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce. With Chen Ci's business talent, he vaguely felt he could make a profit. Even if he lost... it would only be eight Spirit Pearls... after all.

Such a big chamber of commerce, they wouldn't cheat him out of his money, right?

I wonder if it can be forged.

Chen Ci quickly stopped the thought in his heart and picked up a Four Seas Treasure Coin to examine it. This treasure coin was not made of jade, but a fine, crimson metal. It felt cold to the touch and was not large, about the same size as mortal small change. The front was imprinted with the four small characters 'Sihai Ruyi', and the back had scale-like patterns, layered and overlapping, seemingly disordered but containing a certain marvelous charm.

He squeezed it hard, and even with True Qi added, the surface of the treasure coin showed no change. Based on this material alone, it was likely sturdier than some treasure materials. Even if it could be forged, the cost would probably be higher than the value of the treasure coin itself.

Chen Ci felt inexplicably disappointed, though he didn't know where the disappointment came from. After a while, he carefully took out the 'Dragon Tiger Ruyi' jade coin from his bosom to compare. Looking at it this way, the Dragon Tiger jade coin in his hand was clearly much higher-end than this Four Seas Treasure Coin, a gap that was obvious at a glance.

Could it be that his own jade coin has a higher denomination?

After carefully putting away these treasure coins, Chen Ci touched his chin, vaguely feeling that something was still not right.

He originally thought the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce was just a chamber of commerce in the Liangjiang Sea Market. No matter how big its power was, it was just occupying a corner of the Liang Kingdom. Creating this so-called Four Seas Treasure Coin would at most circulate in a small range within the Sea Market; it was more like a commercial note than a currency.

But if, according to what that man surnamed Xu said, the power of the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce is so vast and extensive that it probably isn't inferior to the great sects of the Profound Gate, then the ins and outs of this Sihai Ruyi Treasure Coin have some implications.

Although with Chen Ci's shallow financial knowledge he could only feel that something was wrong, he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was. But it was obvious that other great powers and chambers of commerce would certainly not allow it; they would either follow suit or suppress it. They would never watch this treasure coin truly circulate. In the short term, holding these Four Seas Treasure Coins might allow one to pluck some dragon fur from the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce, but in the long run... it's probably precarious.

"Sihai Ruyi, Dragon Tiger Ruyi... could this item be a treasure coin also launched by Longhu Mountain? But it doesn't feel quite like it. Instead, this 'Yongxing Yongan' sounds somewhat familiar, as if I've heard it somewhere."

Chen Ci pondered for a moment before he remembered where this sense of familiarity came from.

Yongxing Chamber of Commerce.

Right, that Daoist Zhuang Liang once mentioned that the owner of the Yongxing Chamber of Commerce is a Golden Core True Person from Longhu Mountain. It is likely an industry of the Longhu Yang clan. In this way, this 'Dragon Tiger Ruyi' 'Yongxing Yongan' jade coin also makes some sense.

Go and take a look?

After only a moment, Chen Ci made up his mind. He remembered that the Deacon of the firm had said that if one signed a thirty-year Dharma contract with the firm, one could get a complete Force Path Facie. Presumably, there is also one or two Force Path inheritances in the Yongxing firm that can be cultivated, and he could also see what value this jade coin has.

If that doesn't work, he could also cash it out and return to the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce to buy a Force Path fragment manual of the highest possible level. Presumably, a technique with seventy or eighty apertures would be enough to use. As for the thousand Sihai Ruyi Treasure Coins, even if he didn't eat, drink, or cultivate and went to run a ship as a Ding-lifting warrior, it would take him more than ten years to save up.

"Despise Jiao Zhenren, understand Jiao Zhenren, become Jiao Zhenren. Once regarded the fairy as a treasure, only in old age did I know that a rich woman is good."

"Sigh."

Yongxing Chamber of Commerce.

Unlike the Sihai Treasure Tower, although the Yongxing Chamber of Commerce also had many buildings and tall pavilions, the flow of people was not very high, and even the immortal guests and serving maids in the hall were somewhat sparse.

Chen Ci had once heard He Cheng mention that because the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce had immense strength, it handled all kinds of business, from low-level talismans and Miscellaneous Pills to precious materials, rare treasures, Dharma Artifacts, and technique manuals, for individual rogue cultivators, families, and sects alike; whereas this Yongxing Chamber of Commerce kept a low profile and mainly dealt in large-scale overseas cargo, either items with small margins but high volume, or items that were exquisite but had high margins, and generally did not receive business from ordinary rogue guests.

Chen Ci walked in, and a serving maid with a fine figure came up to greet him, bowed, and asked in a gentle voice: "Does this master have any instructions?"

"You have no displays here; I wish to purchase some items, but I do not know how to choose."

Chen Ci thought for a moment and asked.

"To let you know, master, my master likes quiet, so there are no display stands set up."

The serving maid smiled gently: "If you have any needs, master, you may tell this servant; if it can meet your wishes, I will take you to discuss it in detail."

"I wish to purchase a Force Path Facie, is that possible?"

"Please forgive me, master, this firm has no technique manuals for sale."

The serving maid bowed slightly to express her apology: "If you are seeking a technique, master, you can only sign the corresponding legal contract with this firm. If you are interested, I will take you to see the Deacon."

Sure enough, ordinary cultivators truly have no way to seek proper cultivation methods; although Spirit Pearls are quite valuable to low-level cultivators, they are not actually worth much, and larger forces do not look upon them at all.

However, put this way, those Four Seas Ruyi Treasure Money might actually have some possibility of circulating; after all, in the cultivation world, rogue cultivators and miscellaneous practitioners occupy an absolute numerical advantage, and even Side Door Cultivators often find themselves with no way to seek techniques.

As this thought flashed by, Chen Ci thought for a moment, reached into his bosom, took out that Longhu Jade Coin, handed it over, and asked politely: "I have this item, I wonder if we might discuss it."

"Please wait a moment, immortal guest, I must go and ask."

The serving maid only took one look and did not dare to take it; she bowed and hurried away, presumably not recognizing what it was and not daring to make the decision.

After a long while, a middle-aged female cultivator wearing a green Daoist robe came over from the inner hall, took one look at the jade coin in Chen Ci's hand, and bowed slightly: "Greetings, Daoist. The building owner invites you in."

"Please lead the way, Daoist."

Chen Ci felt a joy in his heart; it seemed there was a chance!

This Longhu Jade Coin is indeed much more valuable than the Four Seas Treasure Money; in such a large Longhu Mountain, there is finally a good person, not easy, not easy indeed.

"Uncle-Master, why must you do this? Even if you are dissatisfied with the marriage arranged by the clan, there is no need to sully your own reputation and come to this red-light district of the market to fool around, throwing away the demeanor of a True Person for nothing."

Above the Sea Market, a thousand feet high, an octagonal bamboo building stood upon the clouds, filled with immortal aura; Yang Hu'er was in white clothes and a high cap, looking refined and detached, but the table in the bamboo building was already covered in overturned pots and cups, a complete mess, and even his sleeves were stained, the immortal demeanor of a Golden Core True Person truly lost for the most part.

"Huangzhen, there is no one else around, call me Uncle."

Yang Hu'er leaned back, let out a satisfied burp, and said leisurely: "Every day Uncle-Master this, Uncle-Master that; someone who didn't know might think we aren't very close."

The detached female cultivator shook her head and sighed: "Uncle, if you continue like this, you will truly anger the clan and the sect, and they will press you into the Yin Wind Cold Land behind Longhu Mountain to temper your temperament; even Mother won't be able to help you. If you complain then, it will be too late; never mind beautiful maids and fine wine, even getting a cup of hot water will likely be difficult."

"Still talking about the clan and the sect; I just don't understand, where did these stinking rules come from? Before attempting the Golden Core, one must marry into another clan and leave offspring before the sect will provide internal and external great medicines and the secret method for condensing the core. If that's the case, can't I just refuse?"

Yang Hu'er spat fiercely: "Besides, can't those old immortals in the clan see what the Zhang Family intends? They insist I marry that Zhang Family woman; do they really think that by forming a marriage alliance, the Zhang Family will look favorably upon our Yang Family?"

"Uncle-Master, silence. Slandering the Sect Leader is a grave crime."

The female cultivator's expression darkened slightly: "Since I hold the position of Discipline Deacon, even if you are my uncle and one of the Shida Zhuan of the sect, I will not let you off lightly."

After a pause, the female cultivator's expression softened slightly, she pondered for a moment, and instead asked another question: "Your lack of understanding, is it feigned? On the contrary, I truly do not understand; in such an eventful autumn, what is your intention in specifically waiting for that little cultivator from He Mountain?"

(End of chapter)