“Whoa!”
Jiang Yao couldn't help but marvel as he looked at the eight-story building before them. “The Xiaoyao Chamber of Commerce and the Five Continents Chamber of Commerce are on adjacent streets. Are they sure they won't end up in a fight?!”
“I heard from my clan elders that Wuxin City is an inclusive place,” Mu Chenze said with a smile as he took in the bustling scene. “Besides the headquarters of the Xiaoyao Chamber of Commerce, several other major chambers of commerce have branches here. Isn't it good to have a hundred flowers blooming together?”
“What would you all like to buy?”
Gu Ningyun looked up to see a youth of sixteen or seventeen in yellow robes. He was at the third level of Qi Refining.
Seeing the words 'Xiaoyao Chamber of Commerce' embroidered on his chest, she assumed he was a clerk. Judging by his attire and how he addressed them, he was likely someone hired from outside the sect.
She had originally thought the sect would arrange for handyman disciples to take on missions to staff their own chamber of commerce.
However, since the Xiaoyao Chamber of Commerce was a sect industry, the managers and those in charge above him were likely Xiaoyao disciples or elders.
“We’re here to buy Spirit-Attuning Jade Tokens.”
“Those are on the first floor. Please follow me.”
The clerk led them directly to the artifact section and took out five jade tokens, handing them to Gu Ningyun and her companions. “These are universal Spirit-Attuning Jade Tokens for the Five Continents. They feature friend lists, chat, and the World Forum. They work similarly to your sect tokens. Each token costs two mid-grade spirit stones. Have a look.”
The moment the clerk brought them out, Gu Ningyun sensed the difference between these and the ones from the previous shop. The spirit energy within these tokens felt much purer.
Jiang Yao remarked, “The forging technique of these jade tokens seems to share a slight similarity with our Xiaoyao sect tokens.”
“You must be new to Xiaoyao, fellow daoist,” the clerk said. “The Spirit-Attuning Jade Token was actually developed by Xiaoyao and later promoted throughout the cultivation world. The method of manufacturing them is held only by Xiaoyao. All authentic Spirit-Attuning Jade Tokens on the market are sourced from our chamber of commerce.”
The clerk pointed to a cloud pattern on the bottom right corner of the token. “Look, here is the Xiaoyao emblem.”
Jiang Yao sucked in a breath. “The three types of tokens we saw in that other shop didn't have the cloud pattern. They must have been counterfeits. No wonder they have all sorts of problems.”
“I knew the tokens in that shop looked different from the ones I’ve seen in my clan,” Mu Chenze said, his peach blossom eyes rolling upward. “I thought they were just new models, but they were actually fakes. That shopkeeper even said 'Xiaoyao people don't lie to Xiaoyao people.' What a lying, profit-driven merchant.”
“Based on your description, you certainly encountered fakes,” the clerk added. “My manager says Spirit-Attuning Jade Tokens are difficult to make. Counterfeits not made by Xiaoyao are just empty shells that look the part. They start failing within a few days. When these fakes first appeared, many people were tricked. But after the issues became known, everyone started looking for the Xiaoyao cloud pattern. Those shops are now stuck with their stock and can only trick newcomers who don't know any better. That shopkeeper was likely trying to offload his inventory and scam you while he was at it.”
“So that’s how it is.” Jiang Yao patted his chest. “Ningyun, thank goodness you were smart. Otherwise, we would have been scammed hard.”
“I just had my suspicions,” Gu Ningyun said with a small smile. Once the clerk had packed the tokens for them, she asked, “Does the chamber of commerce sell any low-profile dharma robes?”
“What rank are you looking for?”
They had discussed this beforehand. Since they were posing as disciples of a small sect, yellow-rank low-grade robes were the most appropriate for daily wear.
“Yellow-rank will do.”
“Yellow-rank robes are on the first floor. This way, please.”
According to the clerk, yellow-rank low-grade robes only had a cleaning effect and could not self-repair if damaged in a fight. Gu Ningyun looked through the selection and chose ten sets each in cyan, white, and black. Thirty sets of yellow-rank low-grade robes should be enough. If not, they could always buy more later.
...
One month later, Gu Ningyun’s group came to a halt before a canyon.
“Something's not right.”
Gu Ningyun observed the surroundings and the path ahead. A massive, barren mountain blocked the way forward, leaving only a narrow path through the center.
She sent a divine sense transmission: “This is a perfect place for an ambush.”
Mu Chenze raised an eyebrow. “Before we set out, you mentioned that the person who had been following us for days suddenly disappeared. Perhaps they were preparing something. Are they waiting for us here?”
Gu Ningyun’s divine sense quietly swept through the canyon ahead.
“I’ve already detected them. There are seventeen people in total. One at level twelve of Qi Refining, one at level ten, three at level eight, and the rest are at levels seven and six.”
Gu Ningyun had tested this before; perhaps due to her epiphany, her primordial spirit was much stronger than other cultivators of the same level. Currently, no one at the Qi Refining stage could detect her divine sense.
Jun Luo transmitted back: “We can take them.”
Jun Luo and the others were now at the seventh level of Qi Refining, and Gu Ningyun had reached the eighth. Having survived the trials of the secret realm and fought against veteran disciples on Fighting Peak, their strength far exceeded that of ordinary seventh and eighth-level cultivators.
Gu Ningyun checked the position of the sun and spoke aloud, “I’m tired from walking. Why don't we sit down and rest for a bit?”
“Sure. I’m actually hungry. Let’s roast some meat,” Wen Xuan said, already setting up a fire.
On the surface, the group was preparing a meal, but they were all secretly alert to their surroundings.
Gu Ningyun’s divine sense remained focused on the movement within the narrow canyon.
“Why haven't they come through yet? They should have arrived by now,” a shifty-looking man with rat-like features at the eighth level of Qi Refining muttered in confusion. “Boss, should I go take a look?”
“Mhm. Be careful. Don't let them spot you,” a man with a full beard cautioned.
“Don't worry. Once they enter, we’ll catch them like turtles in a jar!”
Gu Ningyun recognized the shifty-looking man immediately—he was the one who had been following them. He hugged the side of the mountain and slipped out of the canyon. After getting close enough to see the group, he looked delighted and ran back.
“Boss, they’re here! They’re just outside.”
“Oh? Then why haven't they come in?”
“They seem to be tired. They’re outside roasting meat.”
The bearded boss slapped his thigh. “What! I’ve got my men in this canyon being eaten alive by bugs, and those people are out there having a barbecue?!”
“Boss, let’s not wait. We should split into two groups. One team can circle around to block their retreat, while the other draws their attention from the front,” the shifty man suggested. “There are only five of them, and the strongest is only at level eight. No matter how good their movement techniques are, they won't escape our circle.”
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