Chapter 10: A Brush with Fate
The owner has come to redeem the pawn, and his tone is very unpleasant. He can only complain about his poor judgment at the time and acknowledges that his attitude was not sufficiently polite
For those who cultivate, time is the most useless—one can sit in meditation for hundreds of years and it will pass. Yet at the same time, time is also the most useful; a ninth-level immortal can live for two hundred years, while upon entering the spiritual immortal realm, as long as the cultivation method is not a major issue, one can at least live for three hundred years
It was just a mess... The price quoted by the shopkeeper for the thirty spirit stones was not very honest, but this was to be expected. The other party had once been so poor that they didn't even have two spirit stones to their name, and had to resort to being the owner of such items. If not to take advantage of someone in a difficult situation, then when else would one do so
The shopkeeper's smile is silent; is there a need for explanation? Pawnshops in the world are for pawning items, not for selling information
I have no intention of selling at all," Chen Taizhong replied without turning his head, "I was merely inquiring about the price.
Unfortunately, I truly do not remember," the shopkeeper sighed lightly, yet his eyes were darting around restlessly.
On the twentieth day, Chen Taizhong finally concluded his seclusion. He had successfully reached the peak of the third level. In comparison, advancing to the fourth level is considerably more challenging, as it falls within the realm of mid-level Immortal Wanderers.
"The deal is done," he nodded and took out ten spirit stones, "Now, tell me, what does that person look like..."
The merchant of the ten spirit stones is quite straightforward; with a snap of his storage bag, he places ten spirit stones on the counter—aren't you the one who says not to release the hawk until the rabbit appears? I am directly presenting you with the reward
The item in the shopkeeper's hand is generally valued at around 100 spirit stones in the market, but it is exceedingly rare, making it a case of having a price but no market. If someone were to sell it in the market and encountered a genuinely interested buyer, selling it for 500 spirit stones would not be a problem.
He settled the bills; apart from the one hundred spirit stones for rent, he also spent over thirty spirit stones on meals. This is without taking any pills that could enhance his cultivation. It is evident that the resources required for dedicated cultivation are immense.
The inn did not take it seriously; many people come here to face challenges, seeking nothing more than to be undisturbed
If it is possible to advance to a higher level in the shortest time possible, spirit stones are truly not an issue
At that time, the shopkeeper regretted—he should have set the price of this ball of spider silk at fifty ling. If the other party was willing to redeem it, the pawnshop would earn more; if not, this item would certainly sell for a high price.
"How much do you want?" The man's expression darkened; the Nightmare Spider had been recognized, which was within his expectations. However, the fact that the other party pointed it out so explicitly suggested that this matter might be somewhat tricky
After listening, the man with the dark face narrowed his eyes and coldly spoke, "We have been observing the people coming in and out of the pawnshop recently, and we have not found the person you mentioned... Twenty is not a large amount, but having deceived the Zheng family, you must ensure you have a life to spend it."
In other words, cultivating in a daily rental room for three days is equivalent to cultivating in a standard room for two days; however, it requires the expenditure of ten spirits
The guest residing at 9303 exudes an air of affluence; ever since entering the room, they have not stepped outside at all, even having their meals delivered directly by the attendant.
After leaving the inn, he first went to the pawnshop, as thirty days were about to arrive.
In fact, they assumed that this person might successfully break through the barriers, so they were monitoring not only the first-level celestial beings but also the second-level ones. However, to say that one could advance two levels within a month... what a joke
In the book "Twenty Spirit Coins," the shopkeeper is not being overly demanding. The Zheng family is not to be trifled with—though the Merchant Alliance does not fear the Blood Sand Marquis, how could a mere shopkeeper possess such audacity? Earning an extra ten coins would be sufficient for him.
The Nightmare Spider, also known as the Cleansing Spider, exists in the Ascension Passage. It not only devours ascenders but also effectively cleanses some spatial debris, which is how it acquired this nickname
"It is actually quite simple to make someone disappear," his companion chimed in.
"You wouldn't have killed someone and want to keep this for yourself, would you?" Such offensive words were spoken by the dark-faced man, who suspiciously scrutinized the other party.
Then, someone entered the pawnshop again. The next morning, a young man of the second level of the Wanderer class entered, followed closely by two middle-aged men of the eighth level of the Wanderer class.
The shopkeeper merely smiled and did not respond
These two individuals belong to the Xuesha Marquis Zheng family. Upon seeing the young man enter, they treated him as an object and did not speak. After the young man left, they planned to depart as well—this is how they have been spending their days. Whenever a first or second-tier wandering immortal enters the pawnshop, they feel compelled to follow in and take a look.
If you remember, Your Excellency, if you are willing to inform us, the Zheng family has its own intentions
Shut up! His accomplice could no longer endure it and, after a stern shout, asked again, "You mean to say that a destitute wandering immortal would not become a partner of the global merchant alliance, correct?"
Which is more cost-effective? Of course, training in a standard room is more cost-effective. Although it costs an additional 4 spirit points, it saves a day of time
As mentioned earlier, this spider silk possesses spatial power, making it a strategic resource for medium to large-scale battles. A single bundle of spider silk may not have a significant effect, but its value is considerable
The two of them have been working together for a long time, always playing the roles of the good cop and the bad cop.
Having left, another person tugged at the dark-faced man—at this moment, being entangled in such trivial matters was a loss for the Blood Sand Marquis.
The shopkeeper was no longer surprised; after all, he could not afford to provoke the Blood Sand Marquis. Since the latter was merely an observer, he was too lazy to get involved. However, thinking about the young man's irritating behavior from yesterday, he couldn't help but mutter, "Alright, no need to wait; they have already redeemed him."
"Alright, Old Thirty-Seven," another person patted the shoulder of the dark-faced man, then looked at the shopkeeper with an unfriendly expression, "Are you saying that the spider silk has been redeemed by someone?"
The shopkeeper smiles but says little
"What did you say?" A middle-aged man with a black face and long beard turned around, his eyes widening, and an imposing aura involuntarily emanated from him
Seeing this, the shopkeeper no longer pretended and instead smiled as he retorted, "The clues to the Ascension Nightmare Spider... ten spirit stones seems a bit insufficient, doesn't it?"
The shopkeeper was still waiting for him to haggle, but upon seeing someone, he turned and walked away, which made him a bit anxious. "You really are keen to sell; the price is negotiable."
The facts tell him that the difference is indeed quite significant. A standard room at Five Spirits for one day has a much stronger aura than a daily rental. Practicing in it for one day is equivalent to practicing in a daily rental for one and a half days
"How much do you charge for the high price?" Chen Taizhong furrowed his brow and asked.
However, with his hand reaching halfway, he forcefully restrained himself, only gritting his teeth and asking, "Then why didn't you say it earlier"
How could you, a man with a dark face, not see that this person from hetushu.com is intentionally amusing himself? The flames have risen up.
Chen Taizhong did not linger with the staff; after leaving the task compound, he found an inn to stay in, opting for a standard room at the rate of five spirit coins per day
In the span of one month, from level one to level three of the Immortal Wanderer? The two individuals exchanged glances, each seeing in the other's eyes a deep sense of disbelief.
Chen Taizhong did not respond, handing over three spirit stones to the other party. After receiving a small bundle of spider silk, he turned and walked towards the door.
Indeed, the shopkeeper nodded in response, "It was redeemed by someone yesterday."
This person has already reached level 3 of the Immortal Wanderer in one month, progressing from level 1 to level 3. The shopkeeper lazily replied, "You are only focused on levels 1 and 2 of the Immortal Wanderer, so naturally, you won't pay attention to him... If I were you, I would place more emphasis on the owner."
The shopkeeper helplessly pursed his lips. Ever since the person from the Blood Sand Marquis inquired about this bundle of spider silk, he had sought someone to authenticate it, only to discover that this unremarkable white thread was, in fact, the renowned silk of the Clean Spider.
The shopkeeper, however, was not swayed by this, speaking to himself, "In the world of business alliances, we establish ourselves on the foundation of integrity and will not disclose any information about our partners"
"This is my pawnshop, so please conduct yourself with respect," the shopkeeper's expression darkened; the World Business Alliance is not a soft persimmon to be easily manipulated.
During this period, the inn experienced a significant fluctuation of spiritual energy, resembling a Level 4 wandering spirit impacting a Level 5. However, the spirit gathering array employed by the inn enveloped all the rooms, which did not attract too much attention.
Previously, he had only stayed in a daily rental room for 2 Ling. He was very curious about the difference between a daily rental for 5 Ling and one for 2 Ling.
The Zheng family is determined to obtain the Nightmare Spider
"Old Thirty-Seven," another middle-aged man once again stopped his family member, then turned to the shopkeeper and asked calmly, "Surely you still remember that person's appearance, right?"
"What if I remember, and what if I don't?" The shopkeeper's face showed no expression either
"Do you believe I will beat you up? The global business alliance will not stand up for you either." The dark-faced man finally could no longer endure it
After trying for a day, he directly handed an orange spirit stone to the inn, which is a medium-grade spirit stone, and said, "Register me for twenty days; I need to break through."
Of course, he still wanted to give it a try, "If you still have this kind of spider silk in your possession, our pawnshop is willing to purchase it at a high price."
A nightmare spider can produce silk that is at least ten times larger than this mass, and it is normal for it to be twenty times larger.
The shopkeeper had long forgotten who this person was, but upon receiving the ticket and taking a look, a strange expression immediately appeared on his face. After hesitating for a moment, he asked, "May I ask, do you still have such spider silk..."
Damn it, the man with the black face was furious. He stepped forward and attempted to grab the other person's collar. They had been stationed here for nearly a month, and today they were unexpectedly informed that the spider silk had been redeemed yesterday. You cannot imagine how infuriated he felt—are you messing with me?
"What does it matter to you whether I have it or not?" Chen Taizhong glared at him, feeling very displeased with this person's previous attempts to lower the price. Now that he had the money to redeem it, he had no intention of paying any attention to this fellow. "I am here to redeem it."
The shopkeeper muttered under his breath in anger, but for him, this was merely an unsuccessful transaction, although that fellow's response was indeed somewhat infuriating