Chapter 39: Disparity

"Damn it, I actually got played!"

"This hellish world, it really is the honest folks who suffer most."

Chen Ci looked back at Fuhu Altar, feeling quite emotional; just moments ago, after accidentally losing twenty taels of gold at the Internal Affairs Department, he learned that there was no such thing as falling behind every month—while a tribute of two hundred drops of Essence Refining a month wasn't much, it certainly shouldn't have put him at the bottom.

Niu Ji taking the fall for no reason was purely a matter of social connections.

He had forgotten to grease the palms of the Internal Affairs Department.

However, listening to what that old Daoist said, the competition was truly fierce; those with deep Daoist cultivation and advanced age offered up over five hundred drops of Essence Refining each month, heading straight for one thousand.

In a mere few months, they accumulated thirty or forty merit points, which could be called "as long as you have the guts, the merit points come home."

There was simply no comparison.

"Sure enough, that Seven Kill Primordial Spirit True Talisman is like a grand prize, just there to be looked at; it's a thing worth a thousand merit points. Those old ghosts are competing so fiercely, and it would still take them ten years to save up enough."

"Ten years... Heh."

Chen Ci gave a dry laugh, but before long, the corners of his mouth drooped.

Never mind others; at this rate, if he wanted to exchange for three Tiger Sha Breaking Aperture Pills, it would probably take him five or six years—it was truly six of one, half a dozen of the other.

"In Xishan Prefecture, the prices at Baibao Pavilion are just too high. I wonder if one can haggle. I reckon the amount of Essence Refining they have isn't very large, otherwise, it would have been bought out by those competition kings long ago."

Essence Refining is the kind of thing where the greater your guts, the lower your costs, and the more you earn.

Fuyun Mountain, Fuyun Market.

Chen Ci was familiar with the path; this time, sure enough, no one asked where he came from, and he stepped into the market area quite naturally along with the others.

He didn't dawdle and headed straight for Wanxiang Treasure Pavilion. Seeing that today's gold price was one hundred and six taels and four mace for one Spirit Pearl, his heart settled a little—it was slightly cheaper than the last time he came.

Chen Ci exchanged the gold he was carrying for five Spirit Pearls and kept a few dozen taels for miscellaneous use; his backbone suddenly felt much stiffer, and he even dared to stroll around inside Wanxiang Treasure Pavilion.

They say money is a man's courage, and that is no lie.

It's just that this courage was still a little small.

A Dharma Artifact blank that could be refined up to thirty-six layers of Prohibition was a very exquisite and small copper mirror, suitable for various divine light Dharma Artifacts, priced at eighty Spirit Pearls.

A Dharma Artifact blank that could be refined up to seventy-two layers of Prohibition was a mass of seven-colored clouds of unknown origin, suitable for protective or flying Dharma Artifacts, priced at five hundred Spirit Pearls!

These were blank Dharma Artifacts, mere vessel blanks; to use them, one had to refine them personally.

Chen Ci's eyes went wide.

Couldn't his own Five Fierce God Statue sell for a good price?

He was rich!

"This sir, does the maid need to explain anything for you?"

Just as he was pondering how much this Five Fierce God Statue might be worth, a female voice suddenly rang out softly behind him. Turning his head, he saw a palace-attired maid with a round face who looked very likable.

Perhaps seeing that he had been standing in front of these Dharma Artifact blanks for a while, Chen Ci didn't refuse and asked with a smile: "What is this mass of seven-colored clouds? I have never seen it before; it feels quite novel."

"This is a cloud-mist vessel blank refined by the masters in the pavilion using Cloud Root Stone Essence as a base, gathering the morning glow of every day, and refined with ten years of effort. Its aura is the purest, flawless and unblemished."

The round-faced maid explained: "Not only does it swirl with clouds when used, but if one gathers the essence of thunder and rain to integrate into it, it is also quite beneficial for the practice of Thunder Technique."

Chen Ci: "Oh."

Although I don't understand, it doesn't stop me from nodding.

"Besides gold, do you accept Dharma Artifacts here?"

The round-faced maid had likely encountered this question many times and wasn't surprised, smiling sweetly: "Reporting to sir, if it is ore or refined iron, the pavilion does accept it, and the price is reasonable. However, we do not accept Dharma Artifacts; I hope you will forgive us."

"I see."

Chen Ci rubbed his chin. He happened to have a piece of Sha iron that was useless to keep, so he might as well sell it.

"One piece of Sha iron, inferior quality, weighing one catty and one mace, priced at thirty-eight taels and seven mace of gold."

"If the guest does not sell, a ten percent appraisal fee will be charged."

Chen Ci gave a sheepish smile. He had just wanted to get a free appraisal to see what quality his Spirit Iron Short Sword was and how much it was worth, but upon hearing this, he quickly took it back.

He decisively took the money and left.

This Wanxiang Treasure Pavilion must be overflowing with wealth.

Chen Ci tidied himself up and walked toward the back mountain along the streets of Fuyun Market with a calm expression. Looking around, some male cultivators walked in a secretive and sneaky manner, which was truly a disgrace to refinement.

Perhaps because Chen Ci's posture looked like that of an old hand, those servants who led the way didn't come up to ask, which left him feeling a bit lost, like someone wearing fine clothes in the dark.

He was wealthy tonight.

Sometimes, being too mature is not a good thing.

When he arrived at the familiar, urban-rural fringe location of Xishan Market, Chen Ci felt slightly relaxed. After walking only a few steps, a wave of dark fragrance rushed toward him: "This sir has had a hard journey; would you like to rest for a while, drink some wine, er..."

Chen Ci was also surprised; had the service level of Xishan Market regressed?

When he looked down and thought for a moment, he smiled: "So it's you; what a coincidence."

It was actually that "father gambles, mother is ill" young lady from last time.

"Greetings, sir; please do not tease this maid."

This beautiful young lady bowed, and in an instant, she managed her expression—half shy, half complaining, yet not making one feel repulsed.

"Fair enough."

Chen Ci subconsciously reached out, pinched a gold bean, and tossed it over: "Lead me to Baibao Pavilion to take a look."

"What, this Five Fierce God Statue is only worth three Spirit Pearls? You are a black—"

Chen Ci's subconsciously raised tone came to an abrupt halt. He almost forgot that he was a cultivator with class.

It was definitely not because the shopkeeper's cultivation was more than twice his own.

Baibao Pavilion, though called a pavilion, was actually only two stories high. The shopkeeper was a male cultivator wearing a hundred-flower mask and dressed in green, but judging by his voice, he should be quite old.

"The Prohibition on this Five Fierce God Statue of yours is low, the material is poor, the aura is mottled, and the five ghosts have no spirituality."

The shopkeeper raised his head to look at Chen Ci and said indifferently: "I don't even know how many hands it has passed through; it needs to be refined all over again. Three Spirit Pearls is already me making a friend of you."

Ten layers of Prohibition, that's not low at all.

However, thinking of the shopkeeper's cultivation, Chen Ci decided it was better to say nothing.

"Shopkeeper, add a little, it's fine if you convert a little more into Essence Refining for me."

The gap was too large; Chen Ci nearly bit his teeth to pieces: "At the Wanxiang Treasure Pavilion, any random Dharma Artifact blank costs dozens of Spirit Pearls; your price suppression is too ruthless."

"A Dharma Artifact that has been refined too many times naturally suffers in quality, and how many wealthy cultivators are willing to use a second-hand Dharma Artifact, especially an evil one? If I take it, I'm afraid it will just rot in my hands."

"I'll take a step back, how about two hundred drops of Essence Refining?"

Chen Ci simply shook his head; at this price, it would be better to let this Five Fierce God Statue rot in the warehouse. At the very least, it was his first trophy, and it had some commemorative significance.

The shopkeeper looked up and sized Chen Ci up for a moment, then suddenly smiled: "You are a cultivator from the He Mountain Sect, right?"

Was he exposed just like that?

Chen Ci was somewhat surprised, but he did not deny it.

"Are you very short on money?"

Seeming to have seen through Chen Ci's confusion, the shopkeeper straightened his back and smiled indifferently: "This god statue's aura is mottled, clearly having had more than one owner. That it could end up in your hands suggests you have some means. I happen to have a way to make money quickly; would you like to try it?"

(End of this chapter)