The Programmer Cultivator-Chapter 96 - 93: Hongmeng Spirit Manor

Tong Hou paused and looked at Zhang Deming. "You’ve used at least two non-Basic Techniques, which means you’re at least a Five Arts Apprentice. And one of them was the Rumors Skill.

"With such Talent, you must be a candidate for the Inner Sect. If you report your status, you’ll definitely attract some attention."

Zhang Deming shook his head. "Don’t get any ideas about me. That’s a dead end. Alright, let’s part ways here. I have other business to attend to."

Tong Hou said in surprise, "You’re still going to Celestial Spirit City? You’re not going to hide? Aren’t you afraid they’ll come back?"

Zhang Deming smiled. "Their actions were clearly well-planned. Since their first strike failed, they must have fled far away by now.

"So, for the time being, going to Celestial Spirit City should be safe.

"Alright, I have things to do. Let’s part ways."

With that, the Light Wings on Zhang Deming’s heels fluttered, and he sped off.

"Hey... At least leave some way to contact you!" Tong Hou shouted at Zhang Deming’s disappearing back.

After shouting, he shook his head and muttered self-deprecatingly, ’An Inner Sect prospect... Am I really in a position to befriend someone like that?’

With that, he turned and headed back toward the Sect.

After running for a short distance, Zhang Deming suddenly stopped. His Heart Spirit entered his warehouse.

He discovered that where he had previously consumed one white orb of light, leaving only three and a half, another one was now rapidly coalescing, bringing the total back to four.

This change made Zhang Deming’s brow furrow.

’Killing people doesn’t generate Qi Fortune; I’ve tested that before. Besides, I wasn’t even the one who killed him.’

’That middle-aged man didn’t seem like someone with profound Qi Fortune. Even if he was, there shouldn’t have been such a delay.’

’There’s only one explanation, then. The people behind this Martial Artist can extract information from an exploded head.’

’So, have I been marked in the Martial Artist circles?’

He thought for a moment, then pushed it from his mind. ’It’s pointless to dwell on an organization I don’t even know the name of.’

...

After traveling for another half hour, Zhang Deming arrived at Celestial Spirit City.

This was his second time in Celestial Spirit City. Thanks to the information he’d gathered on his first visit, he was already somewhat familiar with the city and no longer a stranger.

Following his memory, Zhang Deming made his way to the central district and to Qu Qizhong’s shop.

The shop was now completely different from how he’d seen it before. It had been renovated from top to bottom. Although it was decorated with cheap, ordinary materials rather than high-end Spiritual Materials, it was at least countless times better than its previous dilapidated state.

It was now high noon, and the streets were bustling with people.

The shop’s business also seemed to be doing quite well; it didn’t look at all like a place that had just been rebuilt from ruins.

When Zhang Deming looked up and saw the shop’s sign, he was slightly taken aback. The sign bore three words: Blue Sky Branch.

’Heh, this kid is interesting,’ Zhang Deming thought. ’He won’t even pass up a chance to suck up to the Alliance. He’s got a future!’

Zhang Deming entered the shop like any other customer. It was very large, around two or three hundred square meters.

The counters displayed many items. For now, most of them were inexpensive goods being sold on consignment.

Even so, Zhang Deming was impressed.

To have built this from scratch in just a few days was truly remarkable.

The shop’s business model was rather strange. There were no dedicated sales assistants; instead, the entire store was divided into several sections.

Each section had a varying number of counters, with one or two clerks positioned behind them.

The business model was quite similar to the jewelry stores of his past life.

In the center of the shop was a small platform that looked like an auction stage.

Right now, a virtual screen formed by an Array was displayed in the very center, showing several magnificent Spirit Nurturing Beads swirling about.

This had clearly been created by a hired Illusion Array Master, similar to the posters from his past life.

A few words scrolled across the screen: "No Auction Today."

’Heh, so he’s using the Spirit Nurturing Beads to draw in customers and operating with a small-scale auction format?’

’He can completely control whether to be high-profile or low-profile!’

’He’s a businessman with good ideas. Especially once he sells more Spirit Nurturing Beads and people realize the Tier One Spirit Nurturing Pearls here also have an extremely high success rate, this will definitely become his signature attraction.’

Zhang Deming scanned the shop before making his way to the so-called Technique section, where he suddenly froze.

He looked up in surprise and asked a clerk, "You sell Secret Level Mid Grade Tier Two Techniques out here in the main hall?"

The clerk smiled and nodded. "Yes, we do, sir."

Zhang Deming was even more astonished. Looking at the price tag, he asked, "Why is it only one Spirit Stone?

"Are there any special requirements to purchase it?"

Seeing a Tier Two Technique priced at a single Spirit Stone, Zhang Deming couldn’t help but think of the one-dollar flash sales from his past life. ’Surely they aren’t that trendy here, are they?’ he thought.

The clerk smiled. "There are no purchase requirements whatsoever."

Zhang Deming was completely stunned. "A Tier Two Technique for one Spirit Stone with no requirements?" he asked in disbelief. "Are you sure?"

The clerk paused, giving Zhang Deming another careful look before saying, "Sir, I don’t think you looked closely enough.

"This is the technique collection section. Everything sold here are antique tomes for collectors."

"Are you saying the Technique is fake?" Zhang Deming asked.

"No," the clerk explained. "Most of the Techniques here are obsolete ones that have been phased out by the current Cultivation Realm.

"Due to changes over time, some Techniques have lost their effectiveness. These ancient manuals have been preserved, and many people take pleasure in collecting them.

"Take this *Summoning God Skill* in front of you, for example. As a rare Tier Two Technique of the Summoning Category, it once sold for at least thirty to fifty Spirit Stones.

"Moreover, it was the kind of Technique that money couldn’t always buy.

"But now in the Hongmeng Realm, the Incense Fire Divine Dao has been forbidden. These days, you can’t even find an Earth Spirit, let alone an Incense Fire God.

"Therefore, this Summoning God Skill has become a useless Magic that’s impossible to even get started with, leaving it with only collector’s value.

"Besides this type, there are also things like manuscripts from legendary Great Cultivators and so on."

’Is that so?’

Zhang Deming glanced at the various Technique manuals and insight manuscripts on the counter, then turned and left the shop.

After leaving the Blue Sky Branch, Zhang Deming went to the very center of Celestial Spirit City.

There was no City Lord’s Mansion here. Instead, there were several uniquely constructed buildings, each over ten stories tall, that served as clear landmarks.

Aside from a flagship store for the Celestial Spirit Sect, every shop here represented a top-tier Business Alliance in the Hongmeng Realm.

These were the kind of top-tier Business Alliances that spanned the entire Hongmeng Realm, their influence crossing the territories of all major, mid-level, and minor Sects, and even extending into the Blessed Lands.

Zhang Deming walked up to one of the pavilions. A plaque hung above the shop, inscribed with the words: Hongmeng Spirit Manor.

This was a bank. ’Well,’ he thought, ’it’s more like a mix of an ancient money house and a modern bank.’

The decor and procedures were all quite modern.

However, the Hongmeng Realm didn’t have a complex capital market, and its currency was also a resource in its own right.