Capítulo 15: Haggling and Goat Strength Gu
'It would be nice if I could find a way to make more Primeval Stones than just the ones I get from the clan academy...' Hei Tu mused as his gaze passed over a wooden board covered in posters detailing various missions along with the rewards for completing them.
'...It's truly a shame that they don't let students who haven't even graduated from the clan academy accept these missions,' he thought, shaking his head as he continued his brisk pace.
In the middle of a bustling street, stopping would not only delay him from reaching his destination but also invite complaints from the people walking behind him.
'And even if we could, all these missions require groups, and I have no way to join one... not even my father's group since he wouldn't let me participate in missions yet.'
As he pondered, his gaze shifted to a young girl, likely a waitress, weaving between tables and serving plates of elegantly presented food at a fancy restaurant.
'Maybe that would be a decent job...' He chuckled lightly, dismissing the idea as a mere joke.
He saw it as nothing more than a joke because, after asking one of these waitresses once, he learned that they earned, on average, only half a Primeval Stone per month. Meanwhile, without doing any work, he received 24 times that amount monthly as because ot the academy allowance.
Of course, they could also earn tips from customers charmed by their beauty, which could total up to four Primeval Stones per month. While that amount seemed significant enough to make every mortal girl in the clan eager to work as a waitress, to Hei Tu, it was still far too little.
Additionally, he doubted that his masculine appearance would earn him as many tips as these charming young girls.
Besides, they worked from early morning to late afternoon every single day of the week. Even if the job paid well, Hei Tu wouldn't consider it, as it would leave him with no time to cultivate.
What he truly needed, he thought, was a place where Gu Masters could earn money without doing missions—a place where his Hound Strength Gu or Yang Gu could give him an edge. But except for shops selling Gu Master resources, he hadn't found such a place. And attendants jobs paid as poorly and took just as much time as being a waiter—perhaps even less, since they didn't offer tips.
Frankly, Hei Tu felt greatly disappointed that in the entire Shu clan, even after tirelessly searching and asking around, he couldn't find a combat arena or anything similar where one could earn money by winning fights—something so common in Chinese cultivation novels.
At one point, he even considered starting such a business himself in the future when he had the capital and influence. However, he dismissed the idea after some thought, reasoning that it must already have occurred to someone in this martial-dominated world of cultivation. So if such a business didn't exist in the clan, there had to be a good reason for it.
For now, though, this was a problem for another time. Hei Tu shook his head and quickly stepped into a relatively small shop.
The shop sold and bought a variety of Gu Worms and was located on a quiet, less-traveled street on the clan's outskirts. Moreover, it was on the opposite side of where his house was, making this place one that wouldn't normally come to so this was his first time visiting. The reason was obvious: he had something to hide.
He was selling the Hound Strength Gu, a Gu Worm that most people would assume to be his vital Gu.
If anyone in the clan discovered he was selling it, Hei Tu couldn't even imagine how suspicious they'd become or what actions they might take because of this suspicion. However, he was confident that it would result in major consequences for him.
"Ah! A customer! Young master, tell me what you need, and I guarantee my shop has it for you!" exclaimed a middle-aged, overweight man who appeared to be inspecting the shelves when he noticed Hei Tu entering.
Hei Tu's gaze instantly shifted to the man's waist, where a belt adorned with a red iron plate and the number "2" was visible—the symbol indicating that he was a Rank 2 Gu Master in the clan.
Seeing this, Hei Tu completely ignored the relatively attractive attendant standing behind the counter and addressed the shop's owner directly.
"I'd like to sell one of my Gu, which I no longer find useful," Hei Tu said, trying to sound casual but hurried, as though this was just another routine transaction he wanted to conclude quickly.
Without wasting any time, he pulled the Hound Strength Gu from his aperture and briskly approached the counter, placing it there.
His haste was not entirely an act. Hei Tu genuinely wanted to finish this deal as quickly as possible, mainly because the longer he stayed, the greater the chance someone familiar might walk in and see him selling what they would assume to be his vital Gu. Additionally, the longer he lingered, the more memorable his face would become to the middle-aged shopkeeper and the attendant girl.
"Hmm, this is a good Rank 1 Gu. Strength-path Gu always has demand..." the shopkeeper said while carefully inspecting the Gu for a while. "...It also seems to be in excellent condition, with no signs of tampering."
Hei Tu nodded slightly, unconcerned about the shopkeeper fabricating issues to lower the price. If the shopkeeper tried anything underhanded, he could simply sell it elsewhere.
Some might argue—those accustomed to the sudden conflicts over minor matters in Chinese cultivation novels—What if the shopkeeper is a greedy old scoundrel who tries to extort or rob you, seeing you as a low-cultivation youth?
But Hei Tu knew this would never happen in this real cultivation world. It would be foolish for the shopkeeper to create a conflict that might draw the clan's law enforcement pavilion's attention, especially over a mere Rank 1 Hound Strength Gu, which wasn't rare or exceptionally valuable.
Additionally, the clan's structure, based on blood ties and strict social order, ensured that serious conflicts were rare, and open extortion was unthinkable. The clan enforced its laws rigorously, minimizing disputes that could escalate into violent altercations.
"Alright, I'm willing to offer 200 Primeval Stones for it!" the shopkeeper declared, his face lighting up with a seemingly sincere smile.
Hearing this, Hei Tu maintained a calm expression but sighed inwardly. If there was one thing this world shared with cultivation novels, it was the relentless haggling over every last Primeval Stone as though one's life depended on it. Coming from a society where bargaining was nearly nonexistent, Hei Tu found this custom particularly difficult to adjust to.
After a lively negotiation with the shopkeeper—who acted as though every extra Primeval Stone he offered was equivalent to losing a beloved child to a kidnapper—they finally settled on selling the Hound Strength Gu for 235 Primeval Stones.
Hei Tu was satisfied with the deal. Although the Gu's original purchase price had been slightly higher, he understood the shopkeeper needed a profit margin for resale, making the agreed amount reasonable.
With a satisfied expression, Hei Tu left the shop, carrying a bag filled with Primeval Stones. The bag felt relatively light to him, thanks to his current strength. His thoughts, however, were now entirely focused on one thing—what to purchase next with his newfound wealth.
---
"Ahhh, the youth of today have no respect for the struggles of their elders. Very well... I'll accept 220 Primeval Stones. Do we have a deal?" the middle-aged Gu Master muttered, his expression clearly one of dissatisfaction.
"Deal!" Hei Tu replied instantly, completely unfazed by the man's discontent, unsure if it was genuine or simply exaggerated.
Regardless, Hei Tu knew this was a good deal. The Goat Strength Gu, which usually sold for 250 to 260 Primeval Stones, was acquired with a big discount.
Of course, this wasn't due to any exceptional bargaining skills on his part—he suspected his abilities in this area might even be below average—but rather because the Gu Master he dealt with wasn't a shopkeeper at a Gu store. Instead, he was selling the Gu himself in one of the clan fair zones.
This allowed Hei Tu to lower the price considerably. After all, if someone was selling their Gu directly at the clan fair, there was likely a reason they couldn't sell to a store. Furthermore, since the Gu in question was a common Strength-path type, it was easy to argue that Hei Tu could find and buy a similar one elsewhere. Also clearly, the seller was the one in a hurry; once a Strength-path Gu's utility was exhausted, it became little more than a costly burden.
Of course, there was a small risk. The reason the seller hadn't gone to a store could be tied to a bad reputation—perhaps for tampering with Gu or similar misconduct. However, Hei Tu was willing to take that risk for the reduced price.
It was also possible the seller had another reason for avoiding stores. Hei Tu didn't bother to inquire further, knowing he likely wouldn't receive an honest answer anyway.
"Honestly, I'm practically losing a limb with this deal... Ahhh, if only I didn't need these Primeval Stones," the seller grumbled, his complaints falling on deaf ears as Hei Tu handed over the sack of stones.
The seller immediately opened the bag and began counting each Primeval Stone, one by one, to ensure none were missing.
Hei Tu, wasn't any different from him either, refining in a brief instant the Goat Strength Gu. With a serious expression, he carefully inspected the Gu for any signs of tampering, applying every technique he had learned from the clan elder at the academy.
To his relief, after thorough examination and even activating the Gu briefly—allowing a faint goat-like strength to be embedded in his body—he found nothing wrong.
"Well, it was a pleasure doing business with you," Hei Tu said, satisfied, to the Gu Master, who was now finishing his third recount of the stones. Hei Tu paid little attention to this, confident he had provided the correct amount.
Leaving the stall, Hei Tu resumed his journey through the clan streets, his mind once again flooded with random thoughts about how to earn more Primeval Stones—a topic that had become one of the most pressing concerns in his life for now.
Even though he had made a profit of 15 Primeval Stones thia day by selling one Gu and buying another, he knew this wasn't a sustainable source of income. After all, he wouldn't always be able to secure a profit on such trades, nor could he afford to sell his Gu every month. Yet, his expenses wouldn't stop.
In fact, they only seemed to grow. For instance, now that he had the Goat Strength Gu, he would need to purchase food for it, while still buying food for the Hound Strength Gu at his usual shop to avoid suspicion. Unfortunately, Gu food wasn't something he could easily resell. Gu Masters typically bought directly from stores, and stores either produced the food themselves or sourced it from bulk suppliers.
Moreover, if he began selling food meant for the Hound Strength Gu occasionally, it was only a matter of time before someone noticed something unusual. So accepting this as a small concession for the significant benefits gained from selling the Hound Strength Gu, Hei Tu could only sigh in resignation.
His thoughts quickly shifted as he spotted a small shop selling Gu food on a quiet street.
"Hmm, this should be a good place..." he murmured softly, stepping into the store he had never visited before. Located on the clan's outskirts, it was the perfect spot to buy food for the Goat Strength Gu without anyone discovering his purchase.
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