Consequently, the starting price for anything here was one Spirit Stone, which was a bit inflated since Outer Disciples no longer dealt in silver coins.
This also led to a lot of junk being sold. To justify the exorbitant price of one Spirit Stone, stall owners would sell things in bulk bundles.
For example, you could buy a bundle of Xue Su's collected notes on Basic Magical Techniques for a single Spirit Stone, and they were even the classic, annotated editions.
They were said to contain the personal notes of several senior disciples from the Inner Sect.
As for Zhang Deming's main objective—a Cultivation Technique—he had also found the right area.
Two entire streets, plus several surrounding alleyways full of stalls, were dedicated to selling all sorts of Cultivation Techniques and other Techniques.
Of course, they were almost all Secret Level Low Grade, Tier One Techniques.
After several days of searching, Zhang Deming managed to find a good number of Secret Level Mid Grade, Tier Two Techniques. Most were a little pricey, costing ten or so Spirit Stones.
Even at only about a third of the cost of acquiring one from the Scripture Pavilion, it was considered a bargain.
However, for Zhang Deming, it was still too expensive.
As for Cultivation Techniques, Zhang Deming scoured the entire area and only found two incomplete Tier Two Cultivation Techniques.
This was because, with the exception of Basic Cultivation Techniques, the Sect's restrictions on the circulation of other Cultivation Techniques were much stricter than those for Techniques.
As a result, it was impossible to sell Cultivation Techniques from the Sect's Scripture Pavilion here.
Therefore, not only were there few Cultivation Techniques for sale here, but compared to techniques of the same level in the Scripture Pavilion, they were only discounted by about 50%.
A Secret Level Mid Grade, Tier Two Cultivation Technique cost fifty Contribution Points in the Scripture Pavilion, which was equivalent to fifty Spirit Stones.
The fragmented Tier Two Cultivation Techniques that Zhang Deming found here all cost eight or nine Spirit Stones.
Feeling the ten Spirit Stones that made up his total savings in his pouch, Zhang Deming's expression turned bitter.
He had ten years of savings, and while his net worth surpassed that of most newly promoted Outer Disciples, he was still dirt poor.
'Looks like I'm in desperate need of a way to make money, and a fast one at that. Being a Spirit Farmer is stable, but it's just too slow.'
After wandering through the surrounding streets once more, Zhang Deming shook his head in resignation.
'I've been going about this all wrong. I should focus on making money, then just exchange it for Contribution Points and get a Cultivation Technique from the Scripture Pavilion.'
'That's the right approach. Coming to these street stalls to try my luck was clearly a fundamental mistake in my strategy.'
Having suddenly reached this conclusion, Zhang Deming no longer hesitated and turned to leave.
However, as he reached the end of the street, Zhang Deming paused, then quickly and discreetly ducked into an alley.
A moment after Zhang Deming turned into the alley, an inconspicuous young man darted in after him.
Upon entering the alley, he saw it was a dead end. It was completely empty. He froze for a second.
"What do you want, following me like this, Junior Brother?"
While the young man stood there, stunned, Zhang Deming's voice came from above.
The youth snapped his head up to see Zhang Deming hanging above him, a thick vine wrapped around his waist.
He was currently sizing him up with a scrutinizing gaze.
Li Shifan's pupils contracted slightly. He immediately bowed his head and said, "Servant disciple Li Shifan greets you, Senior Brother."
Zhang Deming's gaze remained sharp. Noticing that the other party only had the Cultivation of a Junior Apprentice, the vine around his waist vanished, and he hopped down to the ground.
He carefully studied the young man before him.
The young man wore the gray-blue uniform of a servant disciple and looked to be about seventeen or eighteen.
His features were ordinary—the kind of ordinary that was, perhaps, a little too ordinary.
So ordinary that you could lose him in a crowd if you glanced away for a second, the kind of person whose very presence was easy to ignore.
His skin was tan and his build was sturdy; he was clearly accustomed to manual labor.
With his head lowered and his expression anxious, he seemed rather meek.
And yet, Zhang Deming didn't know if it was just his imagination, but beyond the young man's appearance, he sensed something else—something inexplicable.
It was the kind of thing you couldn't quite put your finger on—not a temperament or an impression, just a feeling.
"Speak. Why were you following me?" Zhang Deming said, still sizing him up.
"Think carefully before you answer. Don't forget you're just a servant disciple. In a situation like this, even if I beat you half to death, the Law Enforcement Team would come looking for you, not me."
Zhang Deming added as he saw the youth about to speak.
The young man hesitated for a moment, then said, "I heard that Senior Brother is looking for a Secret Level Mid Grade, Tier Two Cultivation Technique?"
Zhang Deming raised an eyebrow. He looked at Li Shifan and said, "Are you implying that you have one?"
Taken aback by Zhang Deming's directness, Li Shifan paused before nodding hesitantly. "It's from a family inheritance. I do, in fact, have a Tier Two Cultivation Technique."
"A complete one?" Zhang Deming asked, surprised.
Li Shifan nodded. "Complete."
"A Secret Level Mid Grade, Tier Two Cultivation Technique is typically used by Tai Chi Stage Cultivators.
I wouldn't be surprised if a Peak Apprentice could get their hands on one, but a servant disciple who's only a Junior Apprentice… just how credible do you think your claim is?
You claim it's a family inheritance, from a Cultivation Family that possesses its own Tier Two Cultivation Technique, independent of the Sect.
That would mean it's a Cultivation Family with at least one Tai Chi Cultivator, and the Sect has always given preferential treatment to the descendants of such Affiliated Families.
But looking at you… you don't exactly seem like a servant disciple who receives preferential treatment."
Zhang Deming said, continuing to study Li Shifan.
Upon hearing this, Li Shifan unexpectedly pulled a manual from his pouch and simply tossed it to Zhang Deming.
Zhang Deming was quite taken aback. As he began to flip through the manual, Li Shifan did not try to stop him, but instead began to explain:
"Senior Brother is correct. Our family was indeed an affiliated Tai Chi Clan in the past.
But ever since our Ancestor passed away, no disciple in our family has been able to reach the Tai Chi Stage.
Over the years, we have fallen into complete decline.
I won't hide it from you, Senior Brother. There is nothing wrong with this Cultivation Technique, and yet, there is a huge problem with it.
When I say there's nothing wrong with it, I mean the technique is complete and functions as it should.
The huge problem is that this Cultivation Technique is extremely difficult to comprehend. Other than our Ancestor, no one has ever successfully reached the Entry Level.
That's why, even when I offered this Tier Two Cultivation Technique as a bribe, I was only assigned to be a laboring servant on Little Hui Peak.
Perhaps I would have gotten a better deal by handing it over to the Sect, but then the Cultivation Technique would belong to them, and my family's Inheritance would be completely severed."
As Zhang Deming flipped through the manual, a look of delight spread across his face. 'Extremely difficult to learn? Hard to even reach the Entry Level?'
'That's not a problem!'
'As long as the grade is high enough, it'll do. All I have to do is mount it, anyway.'
"Your story sounds plausible enough. I'm just here to buy something, so I won't pick apart the details.
Tell me, what's your asking price?
Since you followed me in secret, you must be planning to sell this on the sly. Add to that the technique's major flaw… if I buy this, my investment will very likely be a total loss.
So, you'd better be reasonable with your offer," Zhang Deming said, holding the manual.
Hearing this, the young man gritted his teeth and said, "Fifteen Spirit Stones."
He was clearly desperate to make the sale, so much so that his eagerness was far too obvious.
For a private transaction, this was a huge mistake.
Zhang Deming smiled inwardly, but on the outside, he just shook his head impassively and said,
"No deal. That's too high. The market price for a Secret Level Mid Grade, Tier Two Cultivation Technique around here is only about twenty to twenty-five Spirit Stones."