A broad smile filled Shopkeeper Wu's face, though in his heart he was still wondering if he should try to press the price down a bit more. He could, of course, see that even if he acquired this magical treasure for ten thousand spirit stones, he would still make a huge profit.
Just then, a voice suddenly sounded in his mind.
"Give him ten thousand spirit stones. I need this magical treasure!"
Shopkeeper Wu's expression froze for a moment, but it quickly returned to normal. His face, however, had changed to one of helplessness.
"Alright, ten thousand it is! But Fellow Daoist Jiang, we have an agreement. Our shop is being so sincere; if you have business in the future, you must consider our shop first. We will absolutely not let you suffer a loss."
Upon hearing this, Li Yan turned his head back.
"This is the way to do business, Shopkeeper Wu. If this deal hadn't gone through, you would have definitely regretted it later!"
As Li Yan spoke, he returned to the table and took out the inkstone magical treasure.
Shopkeeper Wu did not reach for the inkstone, but instead scanned it with his divine sense again. This was also a rule: do not touch the customer's items.
But the other party had just put this magical treasure away, so he had to inspect it again. At the same time, upon hearing Li Yan's words, his shrewd mind immediately sensed a hidden meaning.
While inspecting the magical treasure, he asked in a seemingly casual tone.
"It seems Fellow Daoist Jiang has other treasures. If you intend to sell them, why not take them out for a look? I will surely give you a satisfactory price."
Hearing this, Li Yan's expression flickered slightly, but he immediately shook his head.
"Hehe, Shopkeeper Wu is overthinking things. What other treasures could I have!"
As he said this, his eyes also darted around. His expression was all seen by Shopkeeper Wu, whose heart skipped a beat.
"This fellow really does have other good things!"
Shopkeeper Wu's eyes also darted around slightly.
"Fellow Daoist Jiang, if your transactions in our shop reach fifty thousand spirit stones, you can become a VIP of our shop. Not only will your treasures be sold at the highest price in the city, but you will also enjoy a twenty percent discount on any materials, medicinal pills, or treasures purchased from our shop in the future."
"If Fellow Daoist Jiang has other items to sell, there is no need to look for other shops. Selling them directly at our shop is a mutually beneficial arrangement that will definitely make you feel that trading with our shop is worth your while…"
For a moment, Shopkeeper Wu was spitting saliva, talking endlessly, because he had seen a sharp glint flash in Li Yan's eyes. This glint was all too familiar to him; it was the familiar taste of someone who liked to take advantage.
Sure enough, amidst his persuasion, Li Yan finally spoke.
"Shopkeeper Wu, you'd better pay the ten thousand spirit stones first!"
Upon hearing this, the smile on Shopkeeper Wu's face grew wider. With a wave of his hand, a storage pouch appeared on the table.
"Fellow Daoist Jiang, here are ten thousand spirit stones. Please take them!"
Shopkeeper Wu then swept his sleeve, and the black inkstone was put away. Then he stared at Li Yan with a burning gaze.
Li Yan immediately picked up the storage pouch. After a scan with his divine sense, he nodded and casually tied the storage pouch to his waist.
Looking up, he saw Shopkeeper Wu staring at him intently. He froze for a moment, then immediately understood the other's meaning. He coughed lightly.
"I do have one more item, but the asking price is very high, at least fifty thousand spirit stones. Such a large amount of spirit stones, Your Excellency may not be able to make the decision!"
The smile that had been on Shopkeeper Wu's face instantly stiffened.
'Damn it, I just mentioned fifty thousand spirit stones, and you immediately say you have a treasure to sell for fifty thousand. Are you trying to screw me over on purpose?'
But his expression only froze for a moment before he put on a look of great interest.
"Oh? Fellow Daoist Jiang has such a supreme treasure? I have been in charge of this shop for a long time and have handled single transactions of over one hundred thousand before. What's there that I can't decide?"
"As long as your treasure is truly worth that price, I can still decide to take out these spirit stones."
Li Yan's triangular eyes slanted at him, and then he shook his head again.
"I said you may not be able to make the decision because after I take this item out, Shopkeeper Wu, you may not be able to determine its true value. It might require a Nascent Soul cultivator to confirm the treasure's use."
"You have such a treasure in your hands?"
After hearing this, when Shopkeeper Wu looked at Li Yan again, his expression had relaxed, clearly showing a look of disbelief. At the same time, he sneered in his heart.
"With such a treasure, whether it's a medicinal pill or a cultivation method, it's definitely a rare and sought-after item. And you say you have one just after I mentioned it. You're just trying to take advantage of me!"
Being stared at by him, Li Yan's triangular eyes also spun nonstop, as if trying to guess Shopkeeper Wu's thoughts. After a few breaths, Li Yan finally waved his hand helplessly.
"Then I'll tell you the truth. This item was obtained together with that inkstone magical treasure, but it is not damaged in the slightest."
"It's just that I can't activate it at all, but its value is definitely no less than fifty thousand spirit stones. I am completely sure of this point."
After hearing this, Shopkeeper Wu's heart stirred. So it was a treasure the other party couldn't use. In that case, it shouldn't be some kind of medicinal pill.
"A magical treasure obtained together? It must have been obtained from some ancient cultivator's ruins. This kid's luck is heaven-defying, getting several treasures at once…"
Shopkeeper Wu's face, however, gradually turned solemn, appearing to take Li Yan's words very seriously.
"Could Fellow Daoist Jiang take it out for a look? All transactions in our shop have never revealed any information about our customers. I believe you have also inquired about this before coming to our shop for a transaction."
He feared that Li Yan was worried about the treasure being exposed, so he immediately brought up the golden reputation of the "Immortal Treasure Market" again. Unexpectedly, after he said this, Li Yan still shook his head.
"I've also had it appraised. Without a Nascent Soul cultivator, its value cannot be determined. How about this, I'll come back in half a year. At that time, you can have a Nascent Soul cultivator help appraise it, and then we can discuss the specific price!"
As Li Yan spoke, he had already stood up.
"Hey, hey, hey! Fellow Daoist Jiang, Fellow Daoist Jiang, why are you in such a hurry!"
Seeing that Li Yan was about to leave as he spoke, looking as if he no longer wanted to trade, Shopkeeper Wu couldn't help but feel anxious. If the treasure the other party mentioned really existed, he had to get his hands on it today, no matter what.
This fellow looked extremely shrewd. Once he walked out of the "Immortal Treasure Market," he would go to some other shop in a flash. By then, this treasure would no longer be his. As for half a year, that was just nonsense.
In the market, the people in every shop were sharper than ghosts.
"Shopkeeper Wu, when you were appraising that inkstone magical treasure earlier, you said that the Nascent Soul cultivators in the shop were all in the sect. Don't tell me you're going to say they're here now? That's not very honest of you!"
Seeing the other party blocking him, the skin on Li Yan's lean face immediately sagged, and a hint of anger appeared on his face.
"Fellow Daoist Jiang, you misunderstand. You can take the item out for a look first. I flatter myself that I have some discernment. After that, I will immediately make a decision. At the latest, someone from the sect will definitely be here the day after tomorrow."
Shopkeeper Wu thought for a moment. Even if he sent a voice transmission back now, a Nascent Soul cultivator would only arrive the morning after tomorrow at the earliest. It took people like Yang Youxian several days to fly here.
"That won't do. I have to leave tomorrow morning. I have important matters to attend to. I said I'll be back in half a year, and I definitely will!"
Li Yan rolled his triangular eyes, shaking his head like a rattle drum. After speaking, he was already walking out of the room.
"Fellow Daoist Jiang, Fellow Daoist Jiang! Today is also possible, today is also possible…"
"Are you playing me for a fool? I never thought the dignified 'Immortal Treasure Market' would do business like this. One moment the Nascent Soul cultivator is not here, the next he might be, and then he's not again. Do you take me for a rogue cultivator? Hmph!"
Li Yan turned back, looking at Shopkeeper Wu with an unfriendly expression.
"Fellow Daoist Jiang, you have to let me finish. The Nascent Soul Ancestor is indeed still in the sect, but today someone else from the sect happened to come over, the Nascent Soul Ancestor's direct disciple."
"His status and insight are far superior to mine. And as long as he confirms it, we will immediately make the deal. Not a single spirit stone will be shorted to you."
"A Nascent Soul cultivator's disciple, isn't that still a Golden Core cultivator?"
Li Yan glared at Shopkeeper Wu fiercely.
"That's different, absolutely different. He is the direct disciple whom the ancestor is personally cultivating. It can be said that he has seen or heard of six or seven out of ten of the treasures that Nascent Soul cultivators in this realm know of."
"Every word I say is true. Please believe me, Fellow Daoist Jiang. Anyway, you just want to trade. Why don't we proceed immediately?"
Shopkeeper Wu had a sincere look on his face. In order to make the deal, he had praised Yang Youxian to the skies.
This was because it was Yang Youxian who had sent him a voice transmission just now to quickly acquire the inkstone magical treasure. Now he had also taken a strong interest in the other treasure on Li Yan.
After Li Yan's strange eyes had sized up Shopkeeper Wu, and with Shopkeeper Wu's obsequious smile, he finally spoke faintly.
"Alright then, but…"
He dragged out the last word, then glanced around.
"Please speak freely, Fellow Daoist Jiang."
"We can't look at it here. To put it bluntly, I still trust myself more. I've booked a room at the 'Clear Lotus Inn' in the city. If you want to trade, you can find me there."
"But let me make it clear beforehand: only the Nascent Soul cultivator's disciple you mentioned can go. Otherwise, the deal is off!"
Hearing Li Yan's words, Shopkeeper Wu was stunned.
The "Clear Lotus Inn" was an inn opened by the top-tier sect, the "Sword-Washing Sect." A single night's stay there cost at least a hundred spirit stones; it was ridiculously expensive.
But it was still one of the places people liked to go. The reason was that the Wind Beasts cooked there were not only particularly delicious but could also retain the spirit qi in their meat, which was of great benefit to cultivation.
Another main reason was that no one dared to fight or cause trouble in the "Clear Lotus Inn." Doing so would surely attract the pursuit and execution of the Sword-Washing Sect. Even a sect like the "Qionglin Sect" wouldn't dare to provoke them.
It was said that the Sword-Washing Sect had Spirit Transformation cultivators, and the combat power of sword cultivators was already far superior to their peers. This sect's combat power was extremely formidable.
"This person is really cunning. There are really fewer means of control there!"
Shopkeeper Wu's mind raced. Just then, a somewhat stiff voice sounded in his mind.
"Agree to his terms. In half an hour. Don't delay any longer!"
Shopkeeper Wu's heart tightened. It was Yang Youxian's voice. It seemed he was very interested in the magical treasure Jiang Hai mentioned.
But then again, when had Yang Youxian not been interested in good things? Those he could use, he would keep a portion for himself at a low price and give a portion to his master in filial piety.
Those he couldn't use, he would definitely sell at a high price later.
Of course, Yang Youxian couldn't see all the good things in the shop. Shopkeeper Wu himself would also hide a portion for himself. Yang Youxian of course knew, but they had a tacit understanding.
Like the inkstone today, if Yang Youxian hadn't happened to come over, Shopkeeper Wu might have taken it. After all, Confucian magical treasures were relatively rare outside.
"Alright, then someone will come and find you in half an hour. Is that acceptable?"
"Half an hour?… That's fine too!"
After Li Yan said this, he had already left quickly.
He could sense that there were restrictions in this private room. Although he didn't know their specific functions, he had made a plan before coming.
The final transaction would absolutely not be conducted in a place designated by the other party. One misstep, and they might really see through something.
Half an hour later, at a street corner, Yang Youxian, with a cold expression, was looking at a row of elegant courtyards diagonally opposite. Without turning his head, he said to Shopkeeper Wu behind him.
"Alright, you can wait for me here. I'll be right back!"
When he came here to trade, Cao Lang had also gone to other places in the market with a gloomy expression to purchase things. As for Shopkeeper Wu, because he had something to say to Yang Youxian, he had simply accompanied him here.
As for whether Jiang Hai would set a trap for them, they hadn't even thought about it. First, this was a market, and there were Nascent Soul cultivators stationed here.
Second, after the "Clear Lotus Inn" had once ruthlessly killed some blind fools, no one dared to cause trouble here anymore.
Third, the "Qionglin Sect" was also a major sect in this area, not some insignificant small sect. Yang Youxian himself was a veteran who had seen great storms.
Yang Youxian walked directly across the lotus pond, over the small bridge, through the corridor, and finally arrived at the door of a room. He knocked lightly on the door.
"Is Fellow Daoist Jiang in? Yang Youxian from the 'Immortal Treasure Market' apologizes for the disturbance!"
The door opened silently, and then Yang Youxian saw a gaunt cultivator with triangular eyes nodding at him.
A few breaths later, the room door was tightly closed. Inside the room, not only had the original restrictions been activated, but another formation had been added.
Li Yan had one hand on Yang Youxian's head, and Yang Youxian, with a terrified expression, could no longer move a muscle.
Immediately, an expression of extreme pain appeared on his face. His two eyeballs bulged out, and his whole body trembled like a sieve.
This time, for the soul search, Li Yan didn't want to waste magical power to perform a high-level soul-searching art. He just directly sealed the other's entire cultivation and used the most brutal method to search his soul, directly obtaining all his memories.
This made Yang Youxian experience a pain worse than death. Every breath, his soul felt like it was being taken out and cut bit by bit with a sharp blade. The pain was simply unbearable for a human.
Yang Youxian had no idea who the other person was. The moment he entered the room, he was easily subdued. Apart from the sentence he said outside the door, he had no chance to say even half a word afterward.
The memory of a Golden Core cultivator was also immense. Li Yan's soul search took the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn.
At the beginning, Yang Youxian could still show a resentful look, but then he entered an extremely tragic purgatory until he fainted.
Some people die, but not completely…