Chapter 77: Chapter 77 Disappointment
This book stall was quite unique.

All that was displayed on the ground were books, piled up in stacks upon stacks, with at least several hundred volumes.

Among the many stalls selling all sorts of miscellaneous items, it was like a fresh stream.

The stall owner was a young and frail-looking Loose Cultivator.

Seeing Wang Chen lingering in front of his stall, he immediately squeezed out a big smile, “Fellow Daoist, do you read? I have all kinds of books here!”

All kinds of books?

Wang Chen squatted down and asked, “Can I take a look?”

The young Loose Cultivator raised three fingers, “You can only look at the first three pages.”

Wang Chen nodded, acknowledging the stall owner’s rule.

A Cultivator’s memory is much stronger than that of mortals, with a capacity for instant recall that’s quite common; if one were allowed to browse freely, then these books would never be able to sell.

In fact, business was dismal for him, with no one paying any attention at all.

Most of those who came to the market were Loose Cultivators from the Outer Domain and Cultivators from the lower tiers of sects. Their regular cultivation was hard enough; who would have the leisure and mood to spend Spirit Stones on books?

Besides, there was a book society in Cloud Mountain City that had a complete range of books!

Wang Chen then picked up a thick book.

On the cover were written four big characters, “Cloud Dragon Nine Transformations”!

Wang Chen: “…”

Any disciple of the Cloud Sun Sect knew about “Cloud Dragon Nine Transformations.”

Because it was the Cloud Sun Sect’s sect-protecting Cultivation Manual, it was said to be created by the Ancestor of Cloud Sun, vast, profound, and full of mystery.

This Cultivation Technique pointed directly to the Nascent Soul Great Path, and only the Sect Leader’s disciples were privy to its true transmission!

How could such an important Cultivation Manual appear at a market stall?

Hold on!

Wang Chen took a closer look and immediately spotted the problem.

It wasn’t “Cloud Dragon Nine Transformations” but “Cloud Dargon Nine Transformations”!

The character “Dargon” was written in a wild cursive style, and if one didn’t observe carefully, it really was not noticeable.

A high imitation with a fake title!

“This one is not for sale.”

The young Loose Cultivator was quick to react, grabbing the “Cloud Dargon Nine Transformations” and stuffing it behind himself while offering an apologetic smile, “Fellow Daoist, what kind of book do you want to buy? I can help you choose.”

Such counterfeit Cultivation Manuals could only deceive newbies. Wang Chen had a disciple’s Identity Plaque from the Cloud Sun Sect at his waist; he certainly wasn’t someone that this Loose Cultivator from the Outer Domain could afford to offend!

The young Loose Cultivator looked around and whispered slyly, “I’ve got colored editions of Nine-tailed Turtle, Traveling Immortals’ Cave, Silly Old Lady, Apricot Blossom Sky, Coiled Hairpin…”

“Stop!”

Wang Chen’s head ached from listening, “You don’t need to recommend anything; I’ll choose myself.”

All these… what on earth?

If he hadn’t cultivated the Heavenly Dragon Vajra Method, he would have bought them all!

Wang Chen: “How much are your books per jin of Fragmented Spirit Stones?”

The young Loose Cultivator was stunned, “Huh?”

Books can be sold by weight?

Wang Chen chuckled, “It’s fine, how much for one book in Fragmented Spirit Stones?”

In his past life, Wang Chen really did buy many books at the rate of nine jin per jin from street stalls, filling a whole large bookcase.

The young Loose Cultivator scratched his head, “Four, how about three Fragmented Spirit Stones?”

He suddenly thought Wang Chen’s method was quite good because books varied in thickness; selling by weight was actually the fairest.

“Fine, then.”

Wang Chen didn’t haggle with him.

This young Cultivator might look sly, but some of the books he laid out were indeed quite good.

After making his selections, Wang Chen picked out a total of fifty books.

These books included the travel accounts authored by Cultivators, as well as records pertaining to the Monster Race and Evil Wraiths.

Wang Chen even found a collection of musings penned by Purple Mansion Superior!

It must have been compiled by the descendants of this Superior.

These books wouldn’t help Wang Chen to gain strength, but they could increase his knowledge and understanding.

You never know when they might come in handy!

As for those related to Cultivation Techniques, Wang Chen didn’t even have the interest to flip through them.

Because nearly all the Cultivation Manuals sold at the stalls were fakes or incorrect copies; a true one was one in ten thousand!

After the final settlement, he only spent fifty Fragmented Spirit Stones.

Having paid for the books, Wang Chen stood up, ready to leave.

The young Loose Cultivator suddenly lowered his voice and said, “Fellow Daoist, I have a treasure map here…”

Wang Chen couldn’t be bothered with him and left on his own.

A treasure map?

That was definitely more of a scam than even Cultivation Manuals!

It was said that some Demon Cultivators liked to use treasure maps for fishing, copying hundreds of copies and releasing them. Then, when those novice cultivators, believing they had found a stroke of luck, hurried over, they would be captured, their marrow sucked and their Divine Souls stripped away.

This map could very well be real, pointing to a cultivation Cave Mansion left by a Superior or even a True Person.

But apart from traps and mechanisms, there would be no treasures inside!

And all this knowledge of the Martial World was what Wang Shaoyuan told the original owner.

As for the young Loose Cultivator trying to sell the treasure map.

Whether intentionally or not, Wang Chen had already blacklisted him.

He continued to wander around the marketplace for about half a two-hour period, buying some everyday necessities.

Then he made his way back to his residence.

He returned by riding the Dragon Scale Horse Carriage again.

They were parked in a long line by the Chi Path, with one carriage setting off as soon as it was full and the next one immediately replacing it to pick up more passengers.

It was very much like the rural buses from Wang Chen’s previous life.

And among the passengers in the same carriage as him were many elderly cultivators.

They chatted and laughed along the way, seeming quite happy.

Each face radiated happiness and satisfaction.

Although this year hadn’t been very good overall.

In the summer, a large number of Spirit Fields had been hit by a pestilence, and the Grey Eye Thieves had brought unrest to the countryside.

But these calamities had been cleared away by the sects.

The early-winter, second-season rice harvest had turned out quite well, so everyone could finally breathe a sigh of relief and look forward to a new year with ample food and clothing.

A few days ago, there had been a heavy snowfall.

As the saying goes, a timely snow promises a good harvest, so next year was bound to be even better.

As for whether they were happy or not, just look at those Loose Cultivators from the Outer Domain, their lives were truly miserable!

Everyone clicked their tongues in response.

Another old man mentioned that his youngest son had joined the Reclamation Camp a few months ago.

Not only did this save his family the rent for ten mu of Spirit Fields, but just two days ago, he had returned home with dividends and rewards from land reclamation, even advancing a level in his Cultivation Realm!

Everyone was envious and jealous.

Several old ladies eagerly inquired about marriage prospects, promoting their daughters and nieces.

The old man was grinning from ear to ear.

His life was getting more and more hopeful!

Suddenly, someone in the corner muttered, “I hear the land rent’s going to be increased next year.”

Instantly, the surroundings became very quiet.

Nobody knew who started the rumor that the land rent would increase next year, but it had spread throughout the villages in the last few days.

People dared not believe it.

Currently, most Spiritual Plant Farmers and tenants paid seventy-five percent of their yield to the sect in rent.

That meant that out of a hundred catties of Spirit Valley, seventy-five catties went to paying the rent.

The remaining twenty-five catties of grain was not much to subsist on.

If the rent were increased further, to eighty percent or even more, then it would be hard to fill stomachs with Spirit Valley.

Although the cheaper Tribute Rice could stave off hunger,

if your own share of Spirit Valley wasn’t enough to eat, where would you find the surplus to exchange for resources needed for cultivation!

If something went wrong next year…

A shadow fell over everyone’s hearts, and they all lost interest in talking.

It was too disheartening.

Inside the carriage, the only sound to be heard was the rumbling of the carriage wheels over the stone road.

———–

The first update is here.