NOVEL NEXT Ch. 59
Chapter 59: The Fallen Genius
"Is there a problem?" Chen Beiwu countered.
"Of course not." Wanwan shook her head and hesitated. "It's just that this Qi Refining cultivation method is too valuable. Wanwan might not be able to find a suitable buyer right away."
She wasn’t pretending to be what she wasn’t—any cultivator who could casually bring out a superior Qi Refining method wasn’t someone a mere Tooth Broker like her could afford to offend.
"Even Ten Thousand Laws Pavilion won’t take it?" asked Chen Beiwu.
"They’ll take it, of course." Wanwan didn’t hide it. "Ten Thousand Laws Pavilion is backed by the Shen Clan of Yunhai and has always been purchasing Qi Refining methods, but their prices are relatively low. This technique of yours may not fetch a high price."
At that, Wanwan paused slightly. "If Senior trusts Wanwan, I have a way to help you sell the Hidden Abyss Manual."
"What way?" Chen Beiwu showed a hint of interest.
"Biyuan Market hosts an auction every five years, and the next one is exactly a month from now. If this Hidden Abyss Manual is put up for auction, it will definitely sell for a good price."
Wanwan added, "But there's a downside. To verify the authenticity of the method, the Shen Clan may ask you to provide the contents of the first three levels of the Hidden Abyss Manual for Qi Refining."
Upon hearing this, Chen Beiwu hesitated.
In Wanwan’s eyes, the Hidden Abyss Manual was a precious method worthy of being auctioned.
But in his view, it was just a cheap Mixed-Grade Cultivation Method readily available on the Immortal Alliance Official Website. It was better to sell it off early and exchange it for cultivation resources to sustain himself, rather than entangle with the Shen Clan, which was backed by a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Seeing Chen Beiwu still undecided, Wanwan remained calm on the surface, but inwardly, she was extremely anxious.
This was the closest she had ever been to a superior Qi Refining method.
If she could successfully cultivate the first three levels of the Hidden Abyss Manual, she might break through to Mid-Stage Qi Refining, and even pass the Mirror Moon Palace’s entrance trial in a month to become an outer sect disciple of one of the Five Great Sects.
"Let’s go with your plan." Chen Beiwu gave Wanwan a deep look.
Her little schemes were obvious, but he didn’t care. For Chen Beiwu, earning Spirit Stones in the Southern Wastes was the priority.
There was no other way—after all, the Immortal Alliance Official Website had extremely strict controls over Spirit Stones.
It was easy for ordinary cultivators to deposit Spirit Stones and convert them into Spirit Yuan. The Immortal Alliance Bank could process the request in minutes without even asking where the Spirit Stones came from.
But if one wanted to withdraw Spirit Stones from Spirit Yuan, they would have to undergo a rigorous inquiry by the Immortal Alliance Bank, clearly stating the source and intended use of the Spirit Stones.
To exaggerate slightly—the Immortal Alliance didn’t care where the cultivator got their Spirit Stones. They only cared whether they were deposited in the bank and whether taxes were paid.
"Please don’t worry, Senior. Wanwan will handle everything properly," Wanwan said with delight.
"I hope so." Chen Beiwu nodded slightly, had Wanwan sign a Contract and swear a Dao Oath, then handed over the first three levels of the technique.
With the Hidden Abyss Manual in his hands, he wasn’t worried about the early levels leaking out.
Watching Wanwan leave, he turned and entered the Spirit Fish Studio.
[Crushed Sand Monkfish]
[Ice-Scaled Ray]
[Ripple-Backed Fish]
Chen Beiwu scanned the area but didn’t spot any exotic fish that moved him—not even the Jade Swordfish had been restocked.
‘As expected, trying to find hidden treasures isn’t that simple,’ thought Chen Beiwu.
Even cultivators in the Southern Wastes knew the value of dietary supplements. Most exotic fish that could boost cultivation were expensive and often snatched up as soon as they arrived.
Rather than spending a fortune on exotic fish for nourishment, it would be more efficient and cost-effective to buy spiritual pills from the Immortal Alliance.
"Fellow Daoists, please make way."
Just then, the Spirit Fish Studio owner came in, carrying two buckets of exotic fish, seemingly showing off like an angler flaunting his catch, drawing the attention of many cultivators in the shop.
Chen Beiwu's gaze paused, landing on a rare species of fish.
It was a spirit fish with scales resembling six-petal lotuses, its entire body semi-transparent and glassy.
Its head had overlapping double pupils, and its fins branched like Spirit Jade Marrow—an extremely mystical appearance.
[Purifying Lotus Trout]
Information about this Second-Tier spiritual creature surged into Chen Beiwu’s mind.
The flesh and bones of this spirit fish were poisonous—causing dizziness and disorientation at best, and damaging a cultivator’s foundation at worst. But its scales were rare treasures.
Foundation Establishment cultivators would grind the Purifying Lotus Trout's scales into powder and mix them with Second-Tier Spirit Spring Water to cleanse pill toxins from their bodies, increasing their spell circulation speed by twenty to thirty percent.
There were quite a few cultivators present who recognized the trout’s value, and they all approached to ask the price—only to receive the same response from the shopkeeper:
"This fish is not for sale!"
Upon hearing this, one Foundation Establishment cultivator released his aura in public and offered a high price, trying to pressure the owner.
But the Spirit Fish Studio owner remained calm and still refused to sell.
Chen Beiwu quietly shook his head at the scene.
The reason the owner wouldn’t sell was simple—the offerer’s strength and status were insufficient.
A rogue Foundation Establishment cultivator might be powerful, but couldn’t shake the Shen Clan behind the market, let alone the Mirror Moon Palace behind the Shen Clan.
If a Golden Core True Person were present, the owner would likely hand over the fish without a word.
As expected, the rogue cultivator didn’t act forcefully once he saw the owner’s resolve.
Seeing this, Chen Beiwu let out a sigh of relief and lost interest in searching for deals in the Spirit Fish Studio.
Back home in the Cultivation Room, he glanced at the delivery information, then sat cross-legged and used his divine sense to help Gold Egg purify turbid qi into clear.
An hour later, the courier arrived.
"These are valuable items. To receive them, you must present a verification code and identification, and perform owner recognition on the spot," the delivery man said.
Chen Beiwu had no objections. This was the standard procedure for delivering cultivation methods from the Immortal Alliance Official Website, designed to prevent the methods from leaking or being resold to Demonic Cultivators.
He opened the package, took out the jade slip containing the technique, and activated it with divine sense and magic power.
"Buzz!"
As the jade slip glowed faintly, several obscure Dao Runes appeared—this was the sign that the technique jade slip had recognized its master.
The delivery man took out his phone, snapped a few photos of the Dao Runes on the jade slip, uploaded them to the Immortal Alliance Official Website, and then left without a word.
Just then, a graceful figure stepped out from the room across the hall—it was Chen Qin, returning from work.
Seeing the Dao Runes on the jade slip, Chen Qin paused slightly.
Although she hadn’t graduated from Immortal Alliance High School, her job had familiarized her with the verification process for Legendary-Grade Cultivation Methods.
"Xiao Wu, you already chose your foundational method?" Chen Qin asked tentatively.
"Yeah." Chen Beiwu nodded.
He was currently eager to study the All Laws Converge, Heaven Book of the Divine Tree, and had no interest in small talk.
"Xiao Wu, do you still remember Zhang Yang?" Chen Qin suddenly asked.
Chen Beiwu looked puzzled. "Of course. What about him?"
Zhang Yang had monstrous talent, born with a Heavenly Fire Root. He reached the Seventh Level of Qi Refining at twelve and advanced to Foundation Establishment rogue cultivator at seventeen. He was a legend in Pingchen Township.
"He’s dead," Chen Qin said.
"Impossible!" Chen Beiwu was stunned.
"Suicide," Chen Qin replied, eyes filled with sorrow.