Chapter 452: Chapter 452

"The counter outside separates customers waiting to exchange Immortal Jade. Only when it’s their turn can they enter, which can also make them feel sufficiently secure. What do you think?"

Cang Lingdong is indeed a seasoned businessman, setting everything up efficiently in the shortest time.

To exchange Immortal Jade, one must push open the small door originally for sales personnel to enter and exit the counter, then face a non-transparent window.

The workspace behind the window is not large, but by pushing open a door, one can enter an independent small space, simply furnished for temporary accommodation.

More importantly, this small space has a secret door leading to the stairs to the first floor, maximizing the ability to come and go freely without being easily discovered.

"After all, we’re dealing in treasures, and it’s not uncommon to have items worth tens or even hundreds of thousands of Spirit Stones. Therefore, we have to prevent theft and have some contingency measures. The pavilion is set up with many secret passageways and arrays, so rest assured about security. As long as Miss Hu Jiu is inside the Treasure Pavilion, I guarantee no one can trace any of her information."

Of course, he couldn’t guarantee it absolutely, so Cang Lingdong smiled slightly and said, "But if she wanders around the Market and can’t keep her mouth shut, I can only do my best to protect her. If she’s targeted by those with ill intentions, there’s no foolproof plan. Therefore, please advise appropriately, and be sure not to publicly flaunt."

Advising the other party to keep a low profile ensures sufficient security without leaking any information.

The reputation of the Immortal Jade exchange business is most beneficial to the Treasure Pavilion. After discussing with the gentleman and having the privilege to be the first to hear the news, it might raise my own standing as the Pavilion Master by keeping the middlemen out of the spotlight.

Perhaps through this opportunity, I might build more high-level connections, ensuring a retreat path for myself and avoid being used as a pawn.

Jiang Yuan was more than happy for the little fox spirit to conduct business discreetly without provoking anyone, and nodded in agreement upon hearing this.

Once both parties reached an agreement, Cang Lingdong hurriedly went to have his subordinates do the promotion and attract prestigious guests; whereas Jiang Yuan quickly returned to the Floating Market, selected Cyan Fish Mountain Market using the dial, and went to the Cloth Shop for detailed discussions with Miss Hu Jiu.

Afterwards, he took her to be familiar with the procedures at the Wo Hu Temple Market, introducing her to Pavilion Master Cang as well. They agreed on opening the next evening, with him personally overseeing it. It wasn’t until dawn that everything was settled, and he opened the door of the general store and returned to his small courtyard. ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by novel(ꜰ)ire.net

The Fortune Box was bound and placed in the living room, and Jiang Yuan didn’t bother with the Storage Box, rushing to the idle Alchemy Room to click on the Grain Avoidance Pill Formula.

This formula was not picky and could be crafted by novice Alchemists, requiring few Spirit Medicines.

The Alchemy Room is currently at Level Four, able to concoct first to fourth-tier pills. However, making a fourth-tier Grain Avoidance Pill consumed too much of the widely useful Light Spirit Grass, so he decided to first create a batch of third-tier Grain Avoidance Pills to evaluate their value.

[Do you wish to consume Purple Ginseng*10; Reishi Grass*12; Holy Fragrance Fruit*10... to concoct a batch of third-tier Grain Avoidance Pills?]

"Cultivators of different Realms consume Spiritual Power differently, and the effects of taking a third-tier Grain Avoidance Pill vary. Essentially, it’s like an external power source!" Jiang Yuan clicked to view the detailed description and found it differed from his expectations.

He had assumed the Grain Avoidance Pill was a magical pill that stopped hunger for a certain period, but the system identified it as something that constantly provides a certain feeling of fullness. By consuming it, one essentially adds an external Physical Strength Bar, which activates once one’s own Physical Strength is depleted.

Once all its contained Physical Strength is used up, you can take another one to maintain a long-term state without needing to eat.

"Better prepare more, having an external power source would be quite convenient during the Sea Moon Tomb expedition." After all, being submerged in the sea, restoring Physical Strength through meals would be cumbersome.

Clicking to commence concoction, after deducting the raw materials from the Storage Box, the Alchemy Furnace emitted a faint humming sound and began the pill-making process.

Based solely on the Spirit Medicines the members of the small courtyard gathered during day and night, along with those earned from completing tasks, it’s not sufficient for the Alchemy Room’s extended operation. Fortunately, now Yun Shu can start acquiring Spirit Medicines in Cloud City, which, once on track in a few days, will allow the Alchemy Room to function continuously like other workshops.

The Longevity Pill requires the Alchemy Room to reach Level Five before it can be clicked for use, and its main ingredient is unexpectedly the Centenarian Fruit.

Jiang Yuan speculated that the reason Old Man Xue was willing to trade the Pill Formula for the peaches was likely because he no longer needed the formula, or because he simply couldn’t find the Centenarian Fruit.

After all, the system identified it as an extinct Spirit Medicine occasionally found in a mine layer of the World Tree, making it significantly useful in amplifying the effects of the Centenarian Fruit collected.

"The issue is that the materials needed for upgrading the Alchemy Room to Level Five are quite challenging!" Clicking the gear to check the materials required for upgrades, he frowned; both the Alchemy Room and the Treasure Forging Workshop required more and rarer special materials compared to other buildings.

If only there was a Building Upgrade Card...

Ever since confiscating the inventory of the Demon Monk Guang Hui, the Treasure Forging Workshop has been busy decomposing unwanted Magical Artifacts, transforming them into more versatile materials.

Jiang Yuan first added the Blade and the Beast Bones of the Golden-Horned Thunder Avoiding Beast to the Treasure Forging Workshop, clicking to upgrade to a Long Spear with Attack Power +800.

Then, he opened the unlocked Storage Bag of Old Shen Liu and began inventorying the spoils.

["Cloud-Piercing Thunder": Profound Tier Intermediate Technique, suitable for Thunder Cultivators]

[Shen Family Treasure Map (1/3): The Shen Family’s patriarch, concerned about the future of the family, hid the family’s legacy Cultivation Techniques and various treasures in secret. To find the treasure, one must gather all three parts of the Shen Family Treasure Map held by the Shen Family’s patriarch, the direct descendants, and the appointed Guardian Divine Beast Shen Liu.]

[A Waist Token: VIP Waist Token for the Black Market at Golden Chicken River Market. This seal is required to enter the Black Market. Once the Market upgrades to Level Five, the Golden Chicken River Market will be accessible.]

"No wonder Xie Chenyuan said the City Lord of Carefree City and others have yet to find the Shen Family’s valuable items. The patriarch was thorough and hid them ahead of time!" Jiang Yuan suddenly understood and frowned slightly upon seeing the system’s appraisal of the waist token.

Upon establishing a Level One Floating Market, Cyan Fish Mountain became accessible; from Level Two, Golden Carp Lake Market became reachable; after upgrading to Level Three, Wo Hu Temple Market officially opened. Later, obtaining a Building Upgrade Card had upgraded the Floating Market to Level Four without any notable change. Now, it seems it must reach Level Five to unlock the next location.

Fortunately, there is no rush to unlock more new maps, as Wo Hu Temple already caters to the Immortal Jade exchange business. Prioritizing the upgrade of the Alchemy Room seems more prudent.

[Do you wish to learn "Cloud-Piercing Thunder"?]

With these thoughts, Jiang Yuan absentmindedly stored numerous Spirit Stones, Demon Cores, and other miscellaneous items, accidentally touching the Secret Technique Manual, prompting the system’s notification.

Jiang Yuan felt a flutter of interest, mainly because he wanted to test his earlier assumption—that Cultivation Techniques rewarded by the system disappear once learned, but those obtained through other means in the Wilderness World, like the "Heaven-Burning Scripture," remain after clicking to learn.

If proven true, future Cultivation Techniques can be learned without much hesitation.

After briefly contemplating, he thought that with one-third of the Treasure Map in hand, there’s still a chance to plot for the Shen Family treasure, ensuring he can find more Techniques suitable for Yun Mo. He decided to take a gamble!