Chapter 255: Trade Conditions

Chapter 255: Chapter 255: Trade Conditions

"To put it bluntly, if you were someone with great fortune, peerless manuals would fall from the sky as you walked, and unparalleled goddesses would want to marry you the moment you stepped out the door. You wouldn’t have to worry about finding a Cultivation Technique."

The third option he mentioned was pure nonsense.

’Isn’t that just like hoping to win the lottery? It can’t be called a solution at all. Who, when they’re deep in debt, would say their plan to pay it back is to win the lottery?’

As for the first option he mentioned...

Previously, Jiang Xu had no intention of joining a Sect.

But now, Jiang Xu felt he could consider it.

Before, that was because Jiang Xu didn’t have the Thousand-Faced Illusion Body.

If he joined a Sect, he’d have to use his own face, which would be risky.

If he caused trouble and had to run, he would be easily recognized.

But now, he could change his appearance at will.

If he perfected it, he could even simulate another person’s Divine Sense, Magical Power fluctuations, and more.

Even if he got into trouble, he could easily escape and just walk away.

As for searching for ruins...

Jiang Xu wasn’t considering that for the time being.

He was a bit scarred by the experience after his last trip to the Secret Realm in the Endless Forest.

Although the rewards from last time were substantial, it also came with great risk.

If it weren’t for the two Golden Core Ancestors, Jiang Xu was afraid he would have perished in there.

If Jiang Xu were to go to any more ruins or cultivators’ abodes, he definitely wouldn’t enter so easily.

Jiang Xu shook his head and turned to leave.

...

The secret trade meet the Broker mentioned was actually held beneath a small, normally operating shop.

This small shop was located in a corner of a bustling market. It seemed unremarkable, but it hid a secret world.

The ground floor of the shop had a secret entrance, hidden behind a seemingly ordinary cabinet. Only those in the know could find the hidden passage leading underground.

The venue for the trade meet was quite exquisite, with dim, yellow lighting that created a mysterious and solemn atmosphere.

As night fell, eleven Foundation Establishment Cultivators arrived one after another. They wore various cloaks and had their faces covered by masks or scarves, deliberately concealing their true identities.

The procedure for this trade meet was also very simple.

After everyone was seated in a circle, starting with one Cultivator, they would go around clockwise, each stating what items they had to trade and what they were looking for.

After a person spoke, any interested Cultivators would immediately communicate with them via Divine Sense transmission.

Then, the next Cultivator would take their turn, and so on.

After one full round, everyone would find their interested trading partners based on the earlier exchanges. They would then split off into pairs or small groups, scattering to the corners to conduct more in-depth private negotiations.

Jiang Xu wasn’t interested in anyone else’s offerings. Even if someone’s Treasure was truly rare and powerful, he would only glance at it for a moment before closing his eyes and waiting.

Partway through, Jiang Xu also stood up and stated that he needed a Wood Element Technique for the Golden Core Realm.

However, no one responded. Apparently, no one had one.

Until a certain Cultivator stood up.

"I’ve been here twice before, so you all probably know that the item I have for trade is an unrefined Passage Order."

He glanced around and continued,

"What I need is simple: I need you to do something for me. If anyone is interested, we can discuss it privately."

After speaking, he sat back down, said no more, and closed his eyes to rest.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xu immediately sent a transmission to ask what needed to be done.

The other person opened his eyes and glanced briefly in Jiang Xu’s direction.

"Are you truly interested?" the other person transmitted back.

"Absolutely," Jiang Xu replied.

"Very well."

The other person then explained what he needed Jiang Xu to do.

After listening, Jiang Xu couldn’t help but frown slightly.

The man’s name was Xiong Liangsheng. The task he entrusted, though seemingly ordinary, was born from a bitter and complicated life.

What he wanted Jiang Xu to do was actually quite simple: to act as a courier and deliver an item.

The item’s destination was within the Youxian Sea.

He wasn’t born in Dinghai State. Instead, he was born on Lu Cun Island in the Youxian Sea and grew up there.

As a native of Lu Cun Island in the Youxian Sea, his fate took a drastic turn when he unintentionally violated a taboo of the Seven Stars Association.

Forced to flee the Seven Stars Association’s relentless pursuit, he left his home and escaped to the distant Dinghai State, barely managing to keep his life.

Although the Seven Stars Association’s influence was relatively weak in Dinghai State, allowing Xiong Liangsheng to survive, if he ever returned to the Youxian Sea, he would likely face danger at every turn, and even death.

Therefore, Xiong Liangsheng could only entrust someone else to deliver the item for him.

As for the recipient, it was Xiong Liangsheng’s children.

However, having fled in a panic several decades ago, Xiong Liangsheng knew very little about his children’s current situation. He wasn’t even sure if they were still alive, let alone their exact location.

He only knew that before he fled, his cultivation partner and children had been living on Lu Cun Island.

’So to deliver this thing to them, I have to find Xiong Liangsheng’s family in the Youxian Sea, a place where both the people and the sea itself are vast and boundless?’

’And I don’t even know if his family still exists?’

’Plus, if the Seven Stars Association finds out about this, they might come looking for trouble with me?’

Jiang Xu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

No wonder Xiong Liangsheng hadn’t found anyone to take the job, even after two trade meets, despite how precious the Passage Order was.

So that was the reason.

Exchanging such a difficult task for just a Passage Order was a terrible deal.

"Alright, I’ll take it."

But for Jiang Xu, this level of difficulty was not a problem.

"Let me say something unpleasant up front. If your family isn’t in the Youxian Sea, or if they’re no longer among the living, then I can’t deliver it for you."

"Of course. I definitely won’t make things difficult for you."

"Alright then. Hand over the Passage Order."

"Wait. You said your unpleasant piece, so I have to say mine. What if you take my item and the Passage Order and just run off, keeping them for yourself?"

Jiang Xu frowned.

"What are you suggesting?"

"You need to swear a Heart Demon Oath. Swear that you will do your utmost to find my children and give the item to them, that you won’t get greedy and take it for yourself, and that you won’t intentionally slack off. Then, I can rest assured."

’A Heart Demon Oath?’

Jiang Xu’s heart skipped a beat.

Not long ago, he had just forced the Wuji Fairy to swear a Heart Demon Oath.

He never expected to face the same situation himself.

’No wonder no one took this task.’

’So there was a catch.’

Jiang Xu had been wondering.

’Although the task was difficult, once you got the Passage Order and went to sea, the other party had no way to restrain you. Who would know if you actually helped look or not?’

’You’d not only get a free Passage Order but also his package. A double windfall.’