Chapter 43: Stealing the Home

"It's not a good time; the Sword Platform at Xishan Market only opens on the 20th of each month. It will be two days before the date, and it's not even open every month."

"I see."

"Also, while the betting amount on the Sword Platform doesn't matter, the entry fee is one Spirit Pearl, which is quite expensive."

"Ah?"

Chen Ci blinked; didn't this just block the path to a free ride?

"Haha, you can look at the girls in the Music Pavilion without spending money; that's probably the only cheap thing in Xishan Market."

This friendly cultivator also chuckled: "The Sword Platform doesn't let people come and go as they please. If you want to watch for free, you can only wander around the market and see if any fellow Daoists are fighting in a fit of rage."

Sword gambling, sword gambling; the gambling comes before the sword, so naturally, the gambling is what matters most.

Chen Ci asked a few questions, and after bowing to thank him, he understood that there were two types of sword gambling in the market: open and hidden.

Open gambling means going up to the market's Sword Platform, where there are naturally people acting as bookies to guarantee the bets, setting up a large pool of Spirit Pearls with odds; everyone can place bets on the fight, but if you want to enter the Sword Platform to watch in person, you need to pay the one Spirit Pearl admission fee.

Sword Platform duels are fights to the death; at most, only one person can walk off the Sword Platform alive. Even draws where both perish are not uncommon, so people aren't afraid of the house using underhanded methods to ruin their reputation.

Hidden gambling exists because the market strictly forbids causing trouble, but there are often disputes between cultivators. As long as both sides do not refuse, the market can act as a witness, marking the ground as a prison, and letting them speak with their swords. Although life and death are not guaranteed, it is not necessarily a fight to the death; it is mainly to determine victory or defeat.

Originally, onlookers often placed bets on these hidden duels, but after being scammed a few times by some people, others just watch for fun and don't place bets; at most, the two parties involved will put up some stakes.

Sword Platform deathmatch.

No wonder it only opens once a month, and it's not guaranteed to be every month.

It really is a waste of cultivators.

Chen Ci clicked his tongue. Since the house sets the odds for open gambling, they should only be taking a cut and not betting themselves. The cultivation levels of the two sides in the sword duel should at least be similar on the surface, otherwise, the match couldn't be set up.

His cheap senior brother Lin Qinhu won thirty-seven sword duels in seven years; the value of this is probably much higher than he thought.

Lin Qinhu is a cultivator of the He Mountain Sect.

He is also a cultivator of the He Mountain Sect.

"Was I this amazing all along?"

Chen Ci touched the Five Yin Evil Qi Bag at his waist; if he wasn't amazing, then it must be a problem with the Dharma Artifact.

"The betting opens at noon on the 20th of each month, closes at the hour of Shen, and the sword duel begins at the hour of You. I'll come back and take a look in two days."

"It's just that the one Spirit Pearl admission fee seems a bit expensive, but it's not like I can't afford it."

He subconsciously reached into his robe, but felt nothing. Where did those five big Spirit Pearls of his go?

"Wait..."

Chen Ci froze for a moment. He only then realized that to prevent himself from losing control, he had already used all the Spirit Pearls for cultivation. All he had left on him was about thirty taels of gold and one Old Ginseng that still had some value.

Never mind entering the Sword Platform; if he stayed in the market for a few more days, even finding a place to stay would be a problem.

That was reckless.

However, Chen Ci wasn't panicked. He still had the skill of talisman making; if he drew some Soul Fixing Talismans to sell, he wouldn't truly be destitute.

"A famine year won't starve a craftsman; the saying is crude, but the logic is sound."

Three days later, Chen Ci sneered and strode away from Xishan Market. The market's Sword Platform hadn't even opened this month; it was a complete waste of his time and effort.

Of course, this had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that not a single Soul Fixing Talisman had been sold.

Soul Fixing Talisman: Minor Achievement/59/100

He carried three Soul Fixing Talismans, twelve taels of gold, and one Old Ginseng, looking at the surging Liuyun River and his own Gold Finger panel, feeling a bit emotional.

Even with his skill in drawing Soul Fixing Talismans, after changing to a less stable environment, the success rate had actually dropped by this much.

Chen Ci had tried before; as his technique in practicing the Soul Fixing Talisman deepened, even if it wasn't noon, he could achieve an efficiency of one success in ten, no longer the inferior level of failing all ten when he first tried.

But he didn't expect that without a dedicated talisman-making room, the success rate would also drop.

The first day, two successes out of ten.

The second day, he was a bit impatient, one success out of ten.

That was fine; putting the three Soul Fixing Talismans together and selling the Old Ginseng would barely be enough.

But he didn't expect that for these two days, it seemed like no one in the entire Xishan Market was having bad luck or running into evil, and not a single Soul Fixing Talisman was sold. During this time, someone bargained down to five taels of gold each, which he decisively refused.

This Xishan Market wasn't worth staying in anyway.

At worst, he would go to Xishan Prefecture city to stay; if the turbid Qi was heavier, so be it, and if his cultivation slowed down, so be it. At least he would finish watching this month out.

"Twelve taels of gold, one hundred and twenty taels of silver; renting a courtyard is more than enough."

Chen Ci sighed; it was just difficult to want to live somewhere nice, soak up some good Feng Shui, and take care of his cultivation at the same time.

"Senior Brother Chen, what is the meaning of this?"

At Fuhu Altar, Ding Jiang looked at the few seasonal fruits on the table and was stunned. You're testing me with these things?

The gift is light but the sentiment is heavy; yes, these fruits were picked by his own hands, that's it.

Chen Ci comforted himself before picking up his teacup and smiling: "Well, Junior Brother Ding, I came to Xishan Prefecture to visit a friend and wanted to borrow your place to stay for a few days. We are as close as brothers, so you shouldn't be unhappy about such a small matter, right?"

"Stay for two days?"

Ding Jiang immediately became vigilant: "Daoist Chen, don't tell me you ran here to my place after causing trouble outside. You don't need to hide for small matters, and hiding for big matters is useless. Fuhu Altar is not a place outside the law... no, my master is not afraid of trouble, but he won't go looking for it either."

Chen Ci: "..."

When he handed over a Soul Fixing Talisman, Ding Jiang took it calmly and then coughed lightly: "Senior Brother Chen, are you really not?"

"No, no, no, I just came out to get some fresh air."

Chen Ci shook his head decisively: "Our He Mountain Sect is a famous school of the immortal path; what kind of trouble could I possibly cause?"

Uh...

Ding Jiang looked Chen Ci over twice, and seeing that he didn't seem to be lying, he finally felt relieved: "Senior Brother Chen, you are welcome to visit my humble abode, but only for two days, ha. Any longer would be impolite... wait."

Ding Jiang's expression suddenly became suspicious. He rubbed his chin and asked curiously: "Senior Brother Chen, are you cultivating in Changping County?"

Seeing Chen Ci nod, Ding Jiang slapped his thigh hard: "Senior Brother, why are you still wandering outside? The official documents from Changping County have already been sent to Xishan Prefecture, and even Fuhu Altar has received a copy. Your family foundation is almost gone!"

Huh?

I haven't been out for more than a few days, have I?

Chen Ci was also stunned for a moment, but seeing the look in Ding Jiang's eyes, he figured he wasn't bluffing, so he handed over another Soul Fixing Talisman and asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"Sigh, didn't some strange and eerie incidents happen in your Changping County region? I heard a Zhang Family descendant even got lost in there?"

"That's right, what about it?"

Chen Ci was also surprised: "The Zhang Family member died, surely they wouldn't expect me, an Apprentice of the He Mountain Sect, to take responsibility, right?"

"That isn't necessary, but you are the Deacon of Changping County."

Ding Jiang's fat face twitched: "If Longhu Mountain sends a High Merit Daoist to inspect the area, you are responsible for receiving them. If they can't find anyone, the High Merit Daoist will report it to those above, and heh heh, if your Deacon position is gone, the Main Altar will send another Apprentice to take over Sanyin Temple."

Ah!???

Chen Ci widened his eyes abruptly; what kind of logic was this, and why didn't he know about it!

(End of chapter)