I Can Travel between Two Worlds-Chapter 84 - 82: The Sect Competition Approaches, Returning to the Black Market
Changchun Mountain Marketplace, Lin’s Small Pavilion.
It’s August, and the heat is intensifying.
Even the female cultivators on the street are dressed more lightly.
Since Lin Chen broke through to the Foundation Establishment Stage, more than a month has passed.
Inside the shop, a miniature Ice Array emits a cool breeze.
Lin Chen is leisurely lying in a rocking chair, half-squinting and dozing off.
"Shopkeeper! It’s quite a surprise, your shop is actually open today?"
A voice comes from outside. Lin Chen opens his eyes and, upon recognizing the visitor, stands up with a smile:
"Ah, it’s Taoist Friend Liu... What kind of pills do you need this time?"
The visitor is Liu Jiguang, a loose cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Stage and a regular customer of the shop.
He has contracted two mines near a cold pond on the mountain, primarily dealing in Cold Iron Stone.
"Give me two bottles of Qi Nourishing Pills and one bottle of Qi Blood Pills..."
Liu Jiguang looks around to make sure no one is listening and then quietly adds:
"And one more bottle of Night Bo Pills... Taoist Friend Lin, your Night Bo Pills are truly effective!"
Lin Chen smiles slightly, hands over a few bottles of pills, and says:
"I’ll give you a little discount, let’s say sixty Spirit Stones!"
Liu Jiguang nods, takes the pills, and pays the Spirit Stones.
Lin Chen ponders and then asks:
"Do you still have any Cold Iron Stone left, Taoist Friend Liu? I consume quite a lot in artifact refining... best if you could bring about five to six thousand pounds more."
Liu Jiguang is not surprised; this is not his first transaction with Lin Chen.
Although the transaction amount is quite large, he didn’t delve into it. After all, why turn away business that comes calling?
"No problem... This month’s mining just finished; I’ll personally deliver it to you in a few days!"
Lin Chen nods, then pays a five hundred Spirit Stone deposit.
After Liu Jiguang leaves, Lin Chen lies back in the rocking chair, covers his face with a paper fan, and continues to doze off.
Not long thereafter, footsteps are heard inside the shop.
"Taoist friend, what kind of pills are you buying?" Lin Chen asks without lifting his head.
"Senior Brother Lin, it’s me!"
Huang Xin’s voice reaches his ears.
"Oh, it’s Xin. What brings you to the shop today?" Lin Chen gets up and asks curiously.
Huang Xin first takes out a Storage Bag and hands it over.
"Senior Brother Lin, here are this month’s spiritual medicines, a total of 2,376 plants... I’ve already counted them."
Lin Chen’s eyes light up; he puts the spiritual medicines into the Purple Jade Gourd and returns the Storage Bag.
"Xin, the number of disciples in the Medicine Garden is almost fifty now, isn’t it? As the Medicine Garden Steward, your salary needs a raise!"
"How about twenty Spirit Stones a month?"
Huang Xin beams with joy and clasps his hands together in thanks:
"Thank you, Senior Brother Lin!"
After receiving the Spirit Stones, Huang Xin hesitates to speak.
Lin Chen notices and says:
"Xin, you’re not an outsider... just speak your mind."
Encouraged, Huang Xin nods and says softly:
"Senior Brother Lin, I’d like to ask for a few days off."
"The sect competition is in three days... I want to give it a try and see if I can earn an Inner Sect disciple status."
Lin Chen shows a look of surprise but upon reconsideration, it makes sense.
In recent months, Huang Xin has been working for him, earning quite a number of Spirit Stones.
Though his aptitude is average, he has reached the Third Layer of Qi Refining.
He probably also acquired one or two Magical Treasures for protection. With his strength, he indeed stands a chance at the sect competition.
The Changchun Sect’s sect competition occurs every three years, divided into inner and outer venues.
The Outer Sect has thousands of disciples, with no less than hundreds participating in the competition.
Each session selects the top eight from the Outer Sect to qualify for the Inner Sect.
As for Inner Sect disciples, their number totals only a few hundred.
Represented by the Four Peaks of Pill, Array, Artifact, and Talisman, each peak sends out a few disciples to compete in batches according to the years of joining the sect.
They are divided into batches of five-year disciples, ten-year disciples, and twenty-year disciples...
As Lin Chen is a newly accepted disciple of this batch.
His opponents are those of this batch and the last.
"Now that I think about it, the sect competition rewards seem great... Though I’ve already reached Foundation Establishment, there’s still a need to participate."
Lin Chen silently thinks to himself.
Winning the top position in the sect competition not only awards a Foundation Establishment Pill but also grants over a thousand sect contributions.
Furthermore, what Lin Chen is very interested in is the access to the third and fourth floors of the Scripture Pavilion.
In addition to that, the resource supply from the Four Peaks of Pill, Array, Artifact, and Talisman is also related to the sect competition.
The reason the Pill Peak has fewer resources is that they haven’t participated in the past few competitions...
Lin Chen looks over at Huang Xin before him.
Not very tall, busy in the Medicine Garden for months, his skin is tanned black and yellow.
There’s a hint of unease in his demeanor, worried that Lin Chen might not agree.
"Sigh, for an Outer Sect disciple like Xin, the sect competition is their only chance to turn their lot around... how could I stop him?"
With this in mind, Lin Chen smiles and nods:
"Very well, a new batch of medicinal herbs has just been harvested, I’ll give you these few days off!"
Having said that, Lin Chen gently brushes the Storage Bag, and a long sword enters his hand.
"Xin, I remember you use a sword; this middle-grade Magical Artifact long sword is for your protection."
For an Outer Sect disciple like Huang Xin in the competition, a good Magical Artifact often determines the result.
Huang Xin takes the long sword, deeply moved.
"Senior Brother Lin..."
Lin Chen waves it off with a smile and playfully scolds:
"Stop being shy... place well in the competition, and when you come back, keep working in my Medicine Garden, alright?"
Huang Xin hurriedly replies:
"Of course, I want to keep working for Senior Brother! Without you, how would I be where I am today?"
"I, Huang Xin, will grow spiritual medicines for you for a lifetime..."
Lin Chen waves his hand, and Huang Xin leaves with the sword in hand.
After checking the time, Lin Chen closes the shop and puts up a wooden sign that reads "Shopkeeper out on errands, closed for one day."
Lin Chen picks a corner where no one is around and changes his appearance and clothing.
"It’s been over a month since I’ve done any trades at the Black Market..."
"Today is the day for Master Five Thunders to make an appearance again!"
Lin Chen takes a few turns in the Marketplace.
Before long, he enters an inn called Huaman Building.
"Master Five Thunders, you’ve arrived?"
As soon as he enters, a servant at Qi Refining Perfection greets him. Compared to before, there’s more respect in his eyes.
"Hmm, I’ll head in myself."
Lin Chen doesn’t stop moving; Master Five Thunders has already gained quite a reputation at the Changchun Mountain Black Market.
Moving through the long back alley, Lin Chen soon arrives at the small courtyard.
Currently, a trade is taking place in the courtyard.
Yet, the moment Lin Chen arrives, all the loose cultivators stop trading and spontaneously gather around him.
"Master Five Thunders, you finally arrived! I’ve been waiting a month for you!"
"Master Five Thunders, last time you promised to sell me two Five Thunders..."
More than a dozen loose cultivators crowd in, afraid Lin Chen might miss them.
Nowadays, Five Thunders is the highlight of Black Market transactions.
Without many words, Lin Chen takes out twenty Five Thunders.
"Everyone, today I’m trading twenty Five Thunders, priced at one hundred Spirit Stones each, hurry if you wish to buy..."
After experiencing several price fluctuations, Five Thunders stabilizes at one hundred Spirit Stones each.
Each transaction nets Lin Chen two thousand Spirit Stones, making it an easy matter.
Soon, all twenty Five Thunders are sold out.
Lin Chen lingers in the courtyard briefly, but seeing no items of interest, he plans to leave.
Just after exiting the courtyard, the Qi Refining Perfection guard blocks his path.
"Master Five Thunders... our shopkeeper invites you to stay for a chat, can you spare a moment?"
