Martial Peak

Chapter 6122, Escape (6)

Author: Silavin

The shopping experience in this Artifact store was to put it plainly, too quick. Yang Ji did not even know what he was holding in his hand. Wu Lun would just pick a few things from the shelves and ask Yang Ji to take them to the counter.

Some of the Artifacts were strangely shaped, like a hat or chopsticks. Honestly, when Yang Ji saw the hat, he did wonder if it was made for someone bald. After all, most Artifacts that he knew were items like armour or weapons. There might be some more oddly shaped ones like cauldrons and necklaces but hardly utilises used for eating.

Still, since Wu Lun had asked him to pick those few, he just did as he was told and waited for Hong Jun to question why he picked them.

As expected, Hong Jun did indeed enquire, saving Yang Ji the need to ask Wu Lun himself..

“The hat is to better hide you. You are not even wearing a disguise, naturally, those that are chasing after us will easily recognise you. As for the chopsticks, it might look simple, but this is a deliberate deception. Throw them and you’ll understand.” Yang Ji said while passing the chopsticks to Hong Jun.

Hong Jun flicked his wrist and the chopsticks shot out like a meteor. They were fast and silent, truly Artifacts made perfect for assasination. 

Hong Jun, with his quick reflexes, managed to catch them in mid-air. Though, it should be said that this was just him simply flicking his wrist. He estimated if he had refined these chopsticks, made them his own Artifacts and used all his might to throw them, he might even be able to severely injure if not kill another Immortal King when they have their guard down.

Unable to hold his intrigue back, Hong Jun resurveyed the chopsticks in his hand and discovered they were made of a material like wood. However, the material used was something he could not deduce even with his many years of experience.

[This kid. How did he know of such a treasure lying here? And, it came at such an affordable price…]

…

Indeed, the Artifacts which Wu Lun had chosen were all cheap Artifacts laying at a corner of the store. When the group entered, Yang Ji had not wasted time and headed directly to the back corner of the shop.

Of course, this was not to say that Yang Ji’s eyes were not looking around while he moved. This was a new site to him, one of great interest. His Divine Sense was checking out each Artifact due to curiosity. However, due to profound craftsmanship and his own lack of insight, even if he looked, he could not deduce what each Artifact does on his own.

Furthermore, Wu Lun had stressed that he should not waste too much time here looking around, that he needed to show the aura of an ‘expert’ or whatever that means. 

So, Yang Ji moved swiftly through the rows of shelves and arrived at the back corner of the store, swiping Artifacts like a fox. Once he had picked out all those selected, he quickly moved through the store, to the counter, to make payment.

When the clerk looked at the selection, he looked at the boy then at the two adults standing behind him with eyes of intrigue. “Is this all?”

This was a question posed because the number of Artifacts selected by Yang Ji was rather numerous. Yet, all of them were low in cost.

These Artifacts were all those that were hard to sell. After all, in terms of appearance, they seem lacklustre and in terms of effectiveness, they were limited. Take the chopsticks that Hong Jun had used for example. Though to Hong Jun they were exceptional Artifacts, that was simply because the Artifacts were in line with the Cultivation Technique that he used. These chopsticks were not influenced by one’s injection of Qi, but with one’s physical force.

In terms of weapons, they could be classified as hidden weapons. Though, their use case would best be used in a surprise attack when one was dining. For cultivators who do not need to eat, when would such occasions occur?

With such limited use cases, it was no wonder they were not popular. Still, with a Mortal in tow, that was a different story, was it now? 

Thus, it was truly the case of one man’s trash becoming another man’s treasure.

Seeing this child so happily buying up all these ‘discarded’ or ‘hard to sell’ Artifacts, naturally the clerk wished to sell more if he could. 

But, Yang Ji adamantly shook his head, and that was when Hong Jun asked him the question earlier.

After all, he could not possibly waste his remaining funds on something useless, could he? 

…

After testing out the Artifact, Hong Jun gave Xing Ting a nod, and she went up to pay the clerk in full. They did not even haggle, they just directly paid.

“What fools. Do they not know how to haggle? You are taking trash away from their hands, and after your eyes gleam with such light after that overt test, any seller would want to raise the price.” Wu Lun mocked off-hand but he did not instruct Yang Ji to do anything. He was merely stating this for Yang Ji to know.

“Hmm? What’s hagging?” Yang Ji questioned with true naivety.

“Haaa…” Wu Lun wanted to smack Yang Ji’s Ancestors at this point. [Isn’t this too much sheltering? He doesn’t even know what haggling is…]

“It’s a skill. An important skill. If you are the buyer, you haggle the sellers to get the lowest price possible. If you are the seller, you haggle to get the highest price possible. Understand?” Wu Lun thought that this explanation would be enough, but it clearly was not.

“Haggle… haggle… so, we got to threaten them? Like if they don’t sell at a lower price, we destroy their store?” Yang Ji questioned.

“No! For god sake. Where did that idea even come from? Haggling is a skill of words. It’s basically a method of negotiating. Haven’t you seen your Parents cut deals before?” 

Yang Ji thought back on the past… [Deals… deals… but… whenever Father wants something, he would just take it or make it himself. Others would just hand it over to him. Our Mothers would also go out and shop without saying another word. More often than not, it is others coming to look for something than the other way around…]

Seeing Yang Ji still needing to contemplate over this simple matter, Wu Lun sighed and stated, “Alright, alright. We need to take things step by step. Since they’ve already paid, no point haggling over in this store. This one is not as important as the next one. I’ll show you how to haggle, so take notes you little fool.”

…

Thus the second store was done with. They purchased Artifacts that seemed unimpressive but effective in certain situations. This naturally led to Xing Ting and Hong Jun growing wary.

After all, just who was this child that could see through so much, all while being a Mortal that has the imprint of the Lower Realm? Was he truly someone they had picked up by coincidence, or was this all some kind of plot?

Regardless, the two did not take action over such thoughts. There was still more that the boy had yet to show. Nevertheless, their wariness was not without foundation and they naturally spoke to one another in secret.

Still, as though disrupting their rhythm, while they walked to the third store, Yang Ji asked them a question which seemed innocent enough, yet it also made them. “Why didn’t you two try to haggle earlier?”

This was a question that had been on his mind ever since Wu Lun brought it up.

Hong Jun took a glance at Xing Ting, and she answered, “The price of these goods are cheap. We have plenty of Immortal Crystals with us so there is no need to waste time haggling. Besides, we are of the Hong Clan. What would others think of us if they caught us haggling over some small change?”

Yang Ji gave a small nod, as though he accepted it. However, Wu Lun’s voice quickly echoed through him, “Don’t accept it like an idiot. They are just mindlessly clinging onto their own useless pride. Immortal Crystals are Immortal Crystals. Do you seriously feel proud when someone jumps the price by three fold and you knowingly pay it? You best never hold such ridiculous thoughts once you have your own pile of Immortal Crystals.”

Yang Ji gave another nod, accepting this idea as well. 

“You! Okay, you better keep your stinking eyes peeled later. See what it means to haggle and why you need to do it when there’s a chance to!” Wu Lun would like to give him a beating right now if he could. “Take a turn there and walk straight for the time it takes three joss sticks to completely burn. You’ll see the store at the very end of the street. It’s such an obviously misplaced store that you will never miss it.”

Feeling frustration welling inside of him, Wu Lun quickly instructed and closed off the connection. Yang Ji called out to him but was completely ignored.

Unable to get a response, Yang Ji could only lead Xing Ting and Hong Jun to the third store from that set of instructions.

Indeed, like what Wu Lun had first described it, this store was truly far. The original area they were in could be considered quite crowded due to it being close to an entrance. However, here, before even reaching the third store, the place seemed desolate.

Even when Hong Jun questioned, ‘are you sure we are going in the right direction?’, Yang Ji could only give a nod and trust whatever Wu Lun said.

After all, at a certain point, stores were completely gone. Without customers, how could a store possibly run here? All that was left were dilapidated houses, as though people had lived here before but the place was completely abandoned.

As they continued to walk on, they naturally met a few figures here and there. However, the aura they people exuded was weak beyond measure. If one were to compare Yang Ji to these people, he would indeed fit in. It was not so much that they were Mortal, but they were weak enough to still need the usual sustenance.

In short, these people had Lower Realm auras on them.

They seemed to have gathered here in small numbers. However, most seemed to be in hiding, wary of any strangers with well kept clothes on them.

How they gathered here and why they had gathered here was a mystery, which did not interest Hong Jun in the slightest since they posed not the slightest bit of threat to him. Nevertheless, it just further made him doubt the veracity of this third store, and Yang Ji’s origins in knowing such a place within the black market.

After the time it took for three joss sticks to completely burn, the group indeed stumbled upon a storefront at the very end of a dilapidated street. Unlike its surroundings, this store was still intact.

Though, not perfectly intact.

Made of something akin to wood, there were holes in certain spots, of different shapes and sizes. From Yang Ji’s eyes, these damaged parts seemed as though they were made from some random attack.

Regardless, appearances mattered very little. This was basically the only building that still stood, after all. It must be the third store that Wu Lun had mentioned. Furthermore, there was light from inside, indicating someone was in.

Hong Jun, seeing such a scene, got a little more wary and moved to be the one to enter the store first. The sight of what was inside made him involuntarily glance at Yang Ji.

Out of all kinds of stores, Hong Jun never expected the boy would lead him to a bookshop of all things. 

Yang Ji moved with casual steps into the store, and from there, he could finally hear Wu Lun’s voice again.

“Finally, we are here. Boy, over here, make sure to look for a specific book. Don’t care about any other book. We only need this one book and you need to bring this only book to the counter…” Wu Lun stressed but he did not say where to find this book, which was truly odd. “…Find the ‘Inverse Heaven’ and present it to the store owner.”

“Inverse Heaven?” Yang Ji questioned but Wu Lun did not answer. He naturally immediately thought of using his Divine Sense to check through all the books, but…

“Eh?” Yang Ji exclaimed, and it was caught by the two other adults. 

“What’s wrong?” Xing Ting asked, raising her guard up.

“Hmmm…” Hong Jun too had his guard up. It was for the same reason as why Yang Ji exclaimed.

Their Divine Sense simply did not work on these books. In fact, it did not work on the interior of the building. This included the Divine Sense of an Immortal King!

As though anticipating their reaction, a weathered voice soon came. It sounded a little husky, but so nonchalant to the point the two increased their guard further. “We cannot allow thieves to steal knowledge can we? If you wish to read, you need to exchange it with something of equivalent value.”

For anyone who has opened up their Knowledge Sea, and could use the Divine Sense, they basically had perfect memory. Using one’s Divine Sense, one could fully analyse ordinary books without needing to even open them. The contents could even be memorised and read at one’s leisure.

However, this aged voice had indirectly said that they were not even allowed to open up the books until they were bought. 

Yang Ji, probably the only one not on guard here, was quick to move to a nearby bookshelf and tried to take out one of the books.

“Ahhhh.” He used all his might but the book was stuck and did not budge an inch.

The aged voice soon spoke, “Boy, you’ll only be hurting yourself. You will never be able to take books out of that shelf. Those books require you to at least reach the Immortal Realm. For an ordinary Mortal, go the shelf over there.”

Upon speaking those words, Yang Ji could feel an invisible force lifting him up from the ground. It was gentle but fast. Within a breath, Yang Ji had already moved to the end of the store, where a single shelf stood.

The two, Xing Ting and Hong Jun, naturally tried to stop Yang Ji from being taken away. However, even an Immortal King failed to stop him. In fact, when Hong Jun tried to catch Yang Ji, he could feel his hand unable to move further, as though it had been blocked by a solid wall.

The aged voice soon sounded again, “You two should go to your respective shelves as well.” 

Upon saying that, even Hong Jun was pushed against his Will to another part within the store, quite a distance away from the other two. He had tried to resist but he failed. Likewise, Xing Ting tried as she could to resist but if even an Immortal King could not break free, what hope did she have?

Such a massive disparity of strength left them both fearful and wary. For someone to so easily suppress an Immortal King to such an extent, they had to at least be an Immortal Emperor. However, why would an Immortal Emperor be here of all places? In this poor building in some unknown corner of a black market within the Outer Heaven?

It was well known that Immortal Kings were core figures of any Sect or Clan within the Inner Heaven. Such a figure would be lavished with resources fit for someone of his status. Even if he were a mere wandering cultivator who held no affiliation to a single Sect, he would still be treated as a guest of honour in countless places.

Standing in front of a row of shelves, Xing Ting could not care less about them. She took a deep bow and respectfully asked, “Senior, we of the Hong Clan would like to extend our–”

Before she could continue, a force immediately ejected her out of the building. It was so swift and silent that Xing Ting could hardly react before catching herself already outside of the store. In fact, when she tried to re-enter, there seemed to be a barrier opposing her entry…

Hong Jun, who saw this, then understood that he should keep silent. It was clear this Senior had no intention of leaving the store. Likewise, anything to suggest he should would earn his ire.

Despite not truly trusting and liking Yang Ji, he could not possibly leave this precious body double inside the store with some unknown expert. So, Hong Jun just kept a wary eye on the situation, while glazing over the books in front of him.

Meanwhile, Yang Ji, who noticed Xing Ting getting kicked out, turned but was quickly warned. “Just focus on the task I gave you. If you go out now, you will no longer be able to find the book. That old man is not someone I would cross if I were you.”

“Wu Lun, can’t you just tell me where the book is then?” Yang Ji questioned but Wu Lun shook his head and said, “I can’t. Even I don’t know where it is. But, you should be able to find it.”

“You really don’t?” Yang Ji was unable to hide his astonishment. Though he sort of already guessed this was the case, hearing it from Wu Lun first hand was still eye opening. After all, this was the man who seemed to know everything. Sure, he might not share everything he knew, but for something like the location of one book, especially when he already knew its title and the book would be here… was that really possible?

“Look. I don’t know everything. I’m not omniscient, no one is. Not even your Father knows about the truth of your 3,000 Worlds, so don’t hold such expectations over me. I do know certain things, and I will share what I know when necessary. But for this case, I seriously don’t know where that damn book is. If I knew, we would not need to be wasting time here.” Wu Lun said, seeming to hold some frustration in his voice.

“Alright, alright. I’ll start looking. But, the books here seem to only be for Mortals. Think it is really here?” Yang Ji asked while taking one book out. Unlike before, it was effortless to take out this book from the shelf. There was simply no resistance.

Yang Ji took a look at the title, ‘Lovers Reunion’, and tried to open it, but he failed to do so. Indeed, though he could take the book out from the shelf, he still could not open it until he ‘purchased’ the book.

“Hard to say, but it should be the case.” Wu Lun said with a shrug. [If it’s them, that would certainly be their method of doing things…]

Yang Ji gave a nod and continued picking and placing back books.

[‘My Wife’s Eternal Love…’, ‘A Thousand Years In Mist…’, ‘Heartful Longing…’, ‘Sorrowful Parting…’, ‘3000 Poses of Love…’, ‘999 Letters…’, ‘Ruined By My Young Master…’, ‘Ninety Shades of Green…’, ‘My Love Against Heaven…’, …]

Yang Ji read each book title one by one, and placed them back in order.  

He had not read much in terms of novels, but he believes most of these are romance based.

[Will it seriously be here?] Yang Ji could not help but doubt.

And indeed, as though fulfilling his doubts, he failed to find a single book with the title ‘Inverse Heaven’. 

“Hmm… that should not be the case… it should be here somewhere…” Wu Lun, who naturally noticed, muttered. 

“But, I’ve already looked through all the books on this shelf. There is nothing there.” Yang Ji replied.

“Try looking over again. Maybe we’ve missed something?” Wu Lun stressed, as though certain that the book had to be on this shelf, despite not sharing why.

“Okay… okay…” Yang Ji felt helpless and could only agree to go through the whole bookshelf again.

This time, he read each title with greater intent, focused on looking for ‘Inverse Heaven’. However, once more, there was truly no such book.

“Can’t be… did they hide it somewhere, or maybe it is hidden behind the books?” Wu Lun, after seeing this result, still could not accept it.

“Erm…” Yang Ji muttered but seeing how Wu Lun was still fixated on this, he relented and gave it another shot. This time, he read through each title and placed the book on the ground instead of the shelf.

Likewise, it was the same result. There was no book hidden behind. The shelf was truly empty.

However, this time, Yang Ji noticed something that he had overlooked if he did not take out all the books. The bookshelves had carving on them…

They were things that would never stand out. After all, they seemed like ordinary wood carvings. They do not glow, nor do they seem to possess any abnormal power. In fact, one could not even say that these characters formed an Array or were Runes.

They seemed so natural that one would miss it, especially since they could not use their Divine Sense here. 

“Hey, is it possible that the Inverse Heaven is the shelf itself?” Yang Ji questioned and Wu Lun seemed to have his palm to his face.

“Those rotten shits. No wonder we could not find it. Yes. This is the ‘Inverse Heaven’!” Wu Lun exclaimed, seemingly able to read this scripture, which even Yang Ji could not recognise.