Chapter 21: From Withering to Flourishing

After settling the rental arrangements, Zhang He logged in from his new residence that night.

The scale and professionalism of Hui Ma Town far surpassed Yuhua Village. After wandering the main streets for a while, Zhang He made his way to the marketplace of Hui Ma Town.

The so-called marketplace was an open plaza at the town’s entrance. In the real world, it would be a classic commercial pedestrian street, but here, the market was a chaotic mix of all sorts. If you wanted to find a bargain, you needed sharp eyes—otherwise, even with a fortune in hand, you could easily lose it all.

“First-tier extraordinary equipment set, selling only as a bundle, don’t ask for the price!”

“Looking for a team—first-tier tough guys or ranged experts for the dungeon at Youming Mountain, level 30 and above only, just two more needed!”

“Fifty silver for a helmet or cloak with high internal power, will pay extra for better stats, serious inquiries only!”

…

The small merchants of Hui Ma Town were quick to adapt, knowing most players frequenting this area were around the first tier. Yet these slogans were too generic to lure quality buyers.

Nowadays, even hawking in games is a skill; without some gimmick, no one will spare you a glance.

As Zhang He ventured deeper into the plaza, the slogans became bolder:

“Looking for a team above level 30 for the Fierce Dragon dungeon, my awareness is exceptional, my moves are dazzling, external power splits the earth, internal power fathomless, Dance Dance Revolution reverse keys 19 combo, Beatmania hard noble 1600 combo, Bubble Fighter Pirate 1v5, Chenghai 3C 1 controls 8, DOTA Dragon Knight guards three lanes unbroken, Left 4 Dead killed three teammates and soloed the Iron Bridge, Contra cleared in one life, King of Fighters I abuse all max-star AIs…”

Well, this guy truly is ferocious, but Zhang He wasn’t here to join teams and moved on:

“First-tier level 35+ team for Dragon Altar Cave, if you’re unranked, get lost; got attitude, rank up first; second-tier show-offs, I curse your whole family; a bad helmet isn’t an excuse; rage quitters, be mindful—even if you say it was an accident, even if you pressed with your foot, or chopped off by your little brother, it doesn’t matter; weaklings beware—not afraid of godlike opponents, only pig-like teammates…”

Why is this guy so aggressive? Has he failed his dungeon runs too often?

“All over the world, searching for Zhang Erqiang from Kunshan, stop running dungeons—your whole family is looking for you. Your wife is in the City People’s Hospital, about to give birth. Please go back immediately, stop playing…”

Brother, playing games to this point is true mastery.

“Attention people of Shanghai, I offer two Ashimas for a precious Naochan gauntlet! Also, I’ll trade a pressure cooker for a level 30 extraordinary Fool’s Cloak! The pressure cooker is newly bought by my mom, I’m at New Century Net City! If you want more, I have a pair of leather shoes too…”

This slogan nearly made Zhang He spit blood. The longer you play, the more bizarre characters you encounter. Yet the next slogan was truly insightful:

“If you’re seeking peerless martial arts, don’t bother coming; if you want an invincible mind technique, don’t even show up; second-tier and above, don’t ask; don’t inquire about price, lest we both be disappointed. Masters like the Qingcheng Head and Tang Clan Leader don’t sell on the street. I don’t expect you to pay hundreds of gold taels—even if you did, I couldn’t sell it. I don’t have ‘Nine Swords of Solitude’ or ‘Buddha’s Palm,’ but I certainly won’t sell basic sword or arrow skills. Clear enough? I’m selling manuals on behalf of someone else—don’t miss out, if you walk by and don’t see me, I’ll log off immediately.”

With such a powerful slogan, of course Zhang He was compelled to check out the stall—what if the seller really logged off?

The vendor was clearly a life player, wearing a badge pinned to his chest displaying his merchant credibility: Erlei, +102 points!

This meant the player named Erlei had successfully completed over a hundred transactions, with 102 positive reviews—a stellar reputation in Hui Ma Town.

“I want to buy manuals—internal skills and mind techniques.” Zhang He got straight to the point.

Erlei sized him up. “What level are you?”

“Twenty-eight,” Zhang He replied.

Hearing this, Erlei realized he was dealing with an unaffiliated cultivator. “First-tier?”

“Not ranked yet,” Zhang He answered.

Erlei was clearly taken aback. Near level thirty and still unranked—such players in ‘Dynasty’ were either clueless newbies (which was unlikely given the abundance of guides online), or eccentric individuals seeking alternative paths in cultivation—a rarity.

“Have you practiced internal skills or mind techniques before?” Although Erlei was a life player, his understanding of combat skill systems could be deeper than many combat players. His question made Zhang He appreciate the seller’s expertise.

“No, I haven’t,” Zhang He answered honestly. Erlei nodded, convinced Zhang He was genuinely here to buy.

In that moment, both men felt goodwill toward each other.

Erlei rummaged through his pack and soon produced four yellowed booklets. “All suitable internal skill manuals for you, pick for yourself.”

Zhang He looked at the titles: ‘Gathering Yang Technique,’ ‘Turning Withered to Flourishing,’ ‘Heroic Spirit Overflowing,’ ‘Transforming Qi to Gold.’

Each came with a brief description: temporary strength boost, prolonging internal skill consumption, increasing courage, forcibly boosting defense.

“I’ll take two, these two.” Zhang He pointed.

Erlei saw Zhang He had chosen ‘Turning Withered to Flourishing’ and ‘Heroic Spirit Overflowing’ and grew even fonder of the buyer. Not only did Zhang He know his stuff, but his insight into cultivation was deep.

It was the ‘If You See’ philosophy—the first layer of basic martial skills doesn’t need to be extraordinary, but must suit oneself, laying a solid foundation for the full skill tree ahead.

‘Turning Withered to Flourishing’ prolongs internal skill consumption, suggesting Zhang He wanted to deepen his internal base. ‘Heroic Spirit Overflowing’ boosts courage, emphasizing attack rather than just internal power or strength.

“Brother, you have a keen eye.” Erlei said sincerely. “These two books are consigned by an employer. Since you haven’t practiced internal skills yet, I won’t say much—flat price, ten silver taels for both.”

Zhang He was startled. “That expensive?”

Erlei replied, “To be honest, the consignment price here in Hui Ma Town is seven silver. I’m selling to you for ten, which is fair. Players here are level 20–40, and unaffiliated cultivators value these books. If you took them to Yizhou Prefecture, they wouldn’t be priced in silver. If you think it’s too much, I’m sorry, but you’ll have to look elsewhere.”

Seeing Erlei’s firm stance, Zhang He didn’t argue, and continued, “I’d like a mind technique manual as well.”

“No problem, I happen to have one that suits you.” Erlei handed over another booklet.

‘Clear Breeze Formula,’ usage requirement: level 20, effect: supports fatigue recovery, restores some stamina, increases carrying capacity by a certain percentage.

Zhang He added, “I’d also like to buy two martial arts manuals.”

Erlei was very efficient, clearly his specialty. He quickly produced a thick stack for Zhang He to browse, making his eyes blur:

‘Bronze Hammer Technique,’ ‘Sweeping Shadow Kick,’ ‘Shadow Seeker Claw,’ ‘White Bone Fist,’ ‘Wind Sword,’ ‘White Dragon Palm,’ ‘Haha Kick’…

All sorts of wild martial arts—just from the names, Zhang He could tell these low-tier skills were as crude as they come. Even if mastered, their effectiveness would be limited, but low-tier martial arts were essential; without them, the pursuit of legendary skills was futile.

After much deliberation, only two caught Zhang He’s eye: ‘Attack and Kill Sword Technique’ and ‘Coin Dart.’

‘Attack and Kill Sword Technique’ wasn’t really a sword technique—it boosted attack output by 20% and increased critical hit chances without fixed moves, which suited Zhang He’s needs.

Choosing ‘Coin Dart’ was purely economical. This level 20 hidden weapon skill used the player’s copper coins as darts, thrown at will. As for throwing knives, sleeve arrows, plum blossom darts—those weren’t untrainable, but simply unaffordable.

Hidden weapons, unlike bows and crossbows whose arrows can be retrieved, are mostly single-use consumables. The shop’s cheapest willow-leaf throwing knives cost one silver for just two. More refined items like flying needles, hopper stones, wish beads were expensive and often unavailable except through custom orders from life players. Like last night, when Zhong Shuman threw several knives and a sleeve arrow in one go—it cost several silver taels instantly.

Zhang He absolutely couldn’t afford such spending. A few silver taels could buy a decent meal.

“I’ll take all five books. Give me a fair price—it shouldn’t be that expensive.” Zhang He, a seasoned businessman, knew that not bargaining meant failing as a merchant.

“The first two are ten silver as discussed. The mind technique isn’t top-tier, since your base is thin, so three silver. The sword manual is solid—attribute boost, no fixed moves, very useful as your skill level rises. Even without a sword, bare-handed damage is impressive—ten silver, no question. The hidden weapon manual is also excellent, saves your wallet and is handy—five silver, fair deal. Total: twenty-eight silver.” Erlei was precise in his calculations.

Zhang He had intended to haggle, but hearing Erlei’s insightful commentary on the manuals, he was impressed and didn’t press further. “Alright, twenty-eight silver. Brother, you have a sharp eye—no wonder your reputation is so high.”

Erlei, surprised and grateful for Zhang He’s concession, felt a desire to befriend him. “Brother, you’re no slouch yourself. I believe your low level and weak stats are only temporary. If you ever find good equipment or manuals, and trust me, let me sell them for you—I guarantee you won’t lose out. Here, take my card, please!”

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