Chapter 14 The First Deal

Lin Family, Lin Liang's courtyard.

"Was it Lin Chen who injured you?"

Lin Liang looked at the heavily injured man in black before him, feeling shocked in his heart.

Could the rumors be true? Had Lin Chen really regained his Qi Gathering Mirror cultivation?

If that were the case, how could he defeat Lin Chen in the family's grand competition?

Lin Liang's cultivation had been stuck at the ninth level of the Body Tempering Realm, unable to break through to the Spirit Gathering Realm.

It's known that although there are differences in strength within the Body Tempering Realm, being of the same realm, one could challenge opponents of higher levels based on the differences in physique and the extent of their cultivation, as well as the strength of their martial arts skills.

But reaching the Spirit Gathering Realm marks a major difference in realms compared to the Body Tempering Realm; it's like the difference between the heavens and the earth.

A martial artist of the Body Tempering Realm, no matter how strong their martial arts skill or physique, would find it very difficult to defeat someone in the Spirit Gathering Realm.

Therefore, if Lin Chen had recovered his past cultivation, Lin Liang striving for the Princely Heir position would be a joke.

Seeing such a reaction from his master, the man in black was so frightened that he hurriedly stepped back two paces and then informed Lin Liang of all the events of the attempted assassination tonight.

"Oh? His cultivation is only at the fourth layer of the Body Tempering Realm?"

After hearing the man in black's explanation, the worried look on Lin Liang's face vanished in an instant.

He pondered carefully and believed the man in black's words.

Lin Chen defeating Lin Lang yesterday was already known to him, and today's news of defeating Li Huan from the Wanxing Commerce Association had spread as well.

In all of his duels, Lin Chen had defeated his enemies with overwhelming force.

So Lin Liang was worried and had sent his strongest follower to assassinate Lin Chen tonight, to probe the depths of Lin Chen's abilities.

Although his follower did not defeat Lin Chen, his keen observation skill was still present.

With Lin Chen's past knowledge and possession of some of the family's powerful martial arts skills, it was indeed possible for him to defeat an opponent one or two layers higher in cultivation if he went all out.

Lin Liang felt that he had seen through Lin Chen.

"Hehe, my dear brother, just continue to struggle for survival for a few more days."

Lin Liang, in a very good mood, laughed heartily, then poured himself some tea and started to savor it.

The next morning, Lin Chen took the ten Strength Talismans and headed to the Wanxing Commerce Association.

Time was pressing; he needed to quickly sell the Strength Talismans for herbal materials.

Today there were an exceptional number of people at the Wanxing Commerce Association, as if something important was happening.

Lin Chen didn't care to find out and simply found a stall to set up his Strength Talismans.

Some people, seeing Lin Chen setting up a stall, gathered around to watch.

After all, Lin Chen's deeds at the Wanxing Commerce Association yesterday had spread throughout Desolate Sky City.

Now, Lin Chen was a First-Rank Spirit Array Master.

"Young Master Lin Chen, how much are you selling these Strength Talismans for? I want one."

The first one to speak up about wanting to buy a Talisman Inscription was a man.

Lin Chen looked up and immediately recognized the man from yesterday who wanted to buy a Strength Talisman.

Zhang Kailu, at this moment, looked at the Strength Talismans on Lin Chen's stall with bright, eager eyes, as if he had found a lifesaving straw.

But he was also gripping the hem of his clothing; such an action was somewhat unseemly for a grown man.

"Twenty low-grade spirit stones, or the equivalent value in body tempering pills and elixirs can also be exchanged."

Seeing Zhang Kailu in such a state, Lin Chen didn't say much more; he surmised that the other party must have some urgent matter. With a normal attitude towards a customer, he responded,

"Fifty low-grade spirit stones for a strength talisman with a doubled enhancement effect?"

Lin Chen spoke indifferently, stating the price in a calm tone.

Spirit stones are divided into low-grade, middle-grade, high-grade, and top-grade.

The conversion ratio is one thousand times.

That is to say, one high-grade spirit stone is equivalent to one thousand middle-grade spirit stones, and one middle-grade spirit stone can be exchanged for one thousand low-grade spirit stones.

Top-grade spirit stones and high-grade spirit stones are rare existences, generally only found in the hands of powerful martial artists with high cultivation.

For martial artists in the Body Tempering Realm, the common currency is low-grade spirit stones, and occasionally a few middle-grade spirit stones can be found in the hands of offspring from large families.

The reason why spirit stones can serve as a currency is that they contain pure spiritual power that can be absorbed by martial artists.

The conversion ratio is also determined based on the energy contained within the spirit stones.

As for the ratio between spirit stones and the worldly treasures of gold and silver, that is much larger.

One low-grade spirit stone, when converted into silver taels, is worth up to a thousand taels of silver.

For ordinary people, if they happen to find one or two spirit stones in a mine, it can be said that their livelihood is secured for life.

At this moment, hearing that Lin Chen's strength talisman only needed twenty low-grade spirit stones, Zhang Kailu's face showed delight.

On the market, the worst strength talismans, that enhance strength by thirty percent, require ten low-grade spirit stones.

And the best, enhancing by seventy percent, require thirty low-grade spirit stones.

Lin Chen's strength talisman was going for just fifty low-grade spirit stones.

Though the price is twenty more low-grade spirit stones, it offered a doubled enhancement effect and was not considered expensive comparatively.

Zhang Kailu sought effectiveness, and he had thought Lin Chen's strength talisman would cost at least one hundred low-grade spirit stones. He hadn't expected it to be only fifty.

"Young Master Lin Chen, here are fifty low-grade spirit stones. I'd like to buy a strength talisman,"

Rather worried that Lin Chen might change his mind about the price, Zhang Kailu hastily took out fifty low-grade spirit stones and placed them on Lin Chen's stall.

Lin Chen saw the spirit stones and a faint smile appeared on his lips as he thought he finally welcomed his first business transaction.

His pricing for the strength talisman was based on the current market; it wasn't cheap, but selling a double enhancement effect strength talisman for fifty low-grade spirit stones was certainly not too expensive either.

For martial artists who often live on the edge and need a short-term burst of power, the better the strength talisman, the more it would catch their eye, so Lin Chen wasn't worried about not being able to sell them.

He handed over a strength talisman to Zhang Kailu, who thanked him and then rushed towards a crowd in the back.

Lin Chen didn't know why the other party was in such a hurry and didn't concern himself with it, continuing to sell his strength talisman.

However, looking in the direction Zhang Kailu went, it seemed to be a duel platform, established by the Wanxing Commerce Association, the only place in the Wanxing Commerce Association where fighting was permitted.

After Lin Chen sold that strength talisman, another half an hour passed with no further business.

It seemed his fame wasn't yet great enough; people were skeptical about a strength talisman with a doubled enhancement effect and hesitant to buy.

Not until the distant crowd suddenly erupted into cheers.

After the crowd cheered, they swarmed toward Lin Chen's stall.

"Young Master Lin Chen, I want to buy a talisman, a strength talisman with a doubled enhancement effect."

"Me...I want to buy too, I want ten, no, I'll take all of them, however many you have, I'll buy them all."