Start with everyday skills and grind your way to immortality.

Inside the multi-treasure pavilion, the shopkeeper behind the counter had returned to his stiff, lifeless state, like a stone sculpture.

When Chen Qian handed over the black porcelain bottle, the shopkeeper's dead fish eyes only glanced at it briefly, without showing the same shock as Chen Qian.

Instead, he extended his bony fingertips and gently flicked the bottle.

A dull, chilling resonance echoed through the hall.

The sound lingered for a long time.

"He's a potential nurture for evil."

The shopkeeper spoke calmly, as if he had seen it all before, "The thing inside is called 'Earth Dragon Reversal Curse,' and it's not fully formed yet."

"The bottle itself isn't valuable; what's valuable is the breath inside."

Chen Qian's heart skipped a beat, but he remained outwardly calm: "Will you accept it?"

"Save it. But this thing is tainted by karma. People who raise this kind of evil spirit are usually petty and narrow-minded."

"If Duobaoge takes it, they can resell it to the border regions without any trouble. But the price I'm giving you will have to deduct this risk fee."

The shopkeeper held up three fingers. "Thirty taels."

Chen Qian remained silent for a moment.

Thirty taels? That's a ridiculously low price.

But he was also making rapid calculations in his mind.

Firstly, since the owner of this porcelain vase was visited by tomb robbers, he was probably in grave danger. However, this was of no practical use to him now, so it would be more practical to exchange it for money.

Secondly, this so-called "earth dragon turning over evil spirit" was a hot potato for him, a time bomb that could explode at any moment.

He neither knows how to control it nor has anywhere to store it, so keeping it around would do him no good.

Since the other party dared to accept, the thirty taels were a free bonus.

But even if it's free, we can't let the other party take advantage of us.

"Sixty taels. I'm sure the porcelain pillow and vase are worth more than that."

"Let's be friends, so I don't get taken advantage of. From now on, if I have anything good, I'll still come to Duobaoge first, okay?"

The shopkeeper stared at Chen Qian with his dead fish eyes for a couple of moments, seemingly weighing his options.

After a moment, he nodded stiffly.

He pulled out a sixty-tael silver note from under the counter and pushed it over, his voice shrill: "Duobao Pavilion prefers customers who prefer a steady, long-term approach. Deal."

By this point, Chen Qian had accumulated 410 taels of silver notes.

In an ordinary county town, this would be enough to buy a whole street of shops and become a wealthy man.

If used to build connections, even a place like the Iron Fist Martial Arts School could secure a disciple's spot.

Just a few days ago, he was a poor scholar who had to carefully calculate even a dozen or so copper coins.

Who could have imagined that things would change so quickly, and that choice is more important than effort?

Otherwise, a mere ten or twenty taels would have been enough to give him a headache.

But at this moment, Chen Qian's ambitions had long since shifted away from that small martial arts school.

Now that we've entered this City of the Dead and witnessed the bizarre side of this world, how can we be content to remain just ordinary mortals?

"Manager, surely the Treasure Pavilion must have some cultivation manuals or something similar?" Chen Qian's gaze swept across the first floor.

"Second floor." The shopkeeper said expressionlessly, pointing to the wooden stairs next to him.

Chen Qian took a deep breath and stepped onto the second floor.

The second floor was significantly more elaborately decorated, with sandalwood incense filling the air.

On the right-hand bookshelf, dozens of thread-bound books are arranged in a staggered manner, each locked in a specially made jade box, with only a brief introduction visible.

Tiger Fist, Five Animal Frolics, Bagua Palm...

A few people were studying something in different locations.

Chen Qian read through the books one by one.

His current demands are very clear.

Having god-level talent, the biggest fear is not that the techniques are difficult to learn, but that there isn't enough money.

What he needs is a method that he can learn on his own, a method that, once he gets started, can be mastered through time.

For those things that require various forms of spending to even get started, that's a huge barrier to entry.

However, the price of these martial arts manuals made his eyes twitch.

A basic version of the "Fierce Tiger Fist" costs 120 taels, while the breathing techniques and advanced moves cost 300 taels.

Chen Qian shook his head inwardly.

No wonder a martial arts manual has never been circulated on the market; at such a price, an ordinary family could not save up even a fraction of it in several lifetimes.

Wang Datou's success is probably due to some extraordinary good fortune.

Since ancient times, it has been said that a master can starve his apprentice. After three years of doing odd jobs and three years of mastering the basics, the master still has to keep something in reserve for his old age.

In that kind of environment, to stand out, one not only had to endure loneliness, but also had to outmaneuver fellow students.

Even in the end, one may not be able to access all of the martial arts techniques.

Chen Qian shook his head inwardly.

Although his body is currently being conditioned by the [Health Preservation Technique], he is still not yet a mortal and has no means of killing or self-defense.

They are utterly inadequate in the face of real demons and evil spirits.

Even the water elemental curse was beyond his ability to handle.

"Although the manuals here are just rubbings, they are all first-class methods for strengthening muscles and bones, and are most suitable for warm-blooded martial artists."

A hoarse voice suddenly came from the shadows.

Chen Qian turned around abruptly and saw a figure dressed in a purplish-brown long robe and with rouge on his face slowly walking out.

That face was exactly the same as the shopkeeper downstairs!

He was quite certain that the person downstairs hadn't followed him up.

twin?

Or is it a clone?

He pursed his lips, suppressing the chill in his heart: "I'll take another look."

Avoiding the uncomfortable gaze, he turned his eyes to the bookshelf on his left.

Unlike the straightforward martial arts techniques on the right, such as "Fierce Tiger Fist" and "Five Animal Frolics," the bookshelf on the left exudes an air of obscurity and mystery.

"Basic Six Lines Divination", "Twenty-Four Mountains and Directions", "Introduction to Talismans"...

The name sounds mysterious, and the price is even more staggering.

Eight hundred taels, one thousand taels, and even some with prices "negotiable".

The four hundred and ten taels of silver that Chen Qian had just earned through hard work seemed so meager and meager in front of these books.

Until his gaze fell on an inconspicuous black booklet in the corner.

The cover was tattered, with several ancient seal characters written on it.

"Miscellaneous Notes on Qingwu".

Price: 380 taels.

Not a penny more, not a penny less, as if it were waiting for him right there.

Seeing Chen Qian staring at the tattered booklet, the second manager said:

"This book is a rubbing of the notes of a Taoist priest from the Imperial Observatory of the previous dynasty. It covers topics such as [Alchemy with Herbs and Trees], [Five Elements Divination], [Explanation of Evil-Avoiding Arrays], and a fragmentary [Qi-Gathering and Guiding Techniques]."

He paused for a moment: "The way of the alchemist prioritizes talent first, and resources second."

"This booklet contains some introductory miscellaneous knowledge."

"Those with talent can progress rapidly and master their skills. Those without talent can still benefit from diligent study and practice."

These words were spoken flawlessly, yet utterly devoid of human warmth, as if they were simply reciting a pre-written script verbatim.

This both inflates the book's perceived value and explains its low price. If you buy it and still can't master the skills, it's because you lack talent; don't blame the book.

Chen Qian remained silent.

His gaze gently fell upon the rough book cover.

A jack of all trades, master of none?

getting Started?

There are no bottlenecks, only accumulation.

In his eyes, what was called miscellaneous studies were clearly four golden paths leading to the Great Dao: alchemy, formations, divination, and qi absorption!

Even if he only touches herbs, arranges pebbles, and calculates tomorrow's weather every day, his experience points can steadily increase!

Three hundred and eighty taels of silver to buy four unique martial arts techniques.

This isn't buying books, it's robbing the entire bookstore!

Though overjoyed inside, Chen Qian remained outwardly composed: "Shopkeeper, could you please give me a fair price?"

At that moment, he resembled a lamb about to be slaughtered.

As soon as he finished speaking, the guests around him who were choosing martial arts techniques stopped what they were doing and turned to look at him.

They clearly wanted to see a good show.

"Three hundred and eighty taels for this thing? This guy must have just struck it rich and gotten arrogant, really thinking he's one in a million?"

"Mind your own business. Let him buy it if he thinks he's so important."

"Hey, when he goes back and trains for three to five years and can't even fart anymore, he'll realize that those of us who practice martial arts are the real deal."

[Auditory recognition experience points +1]

Those deliberately suppressed jeers were as clear as thunder in Chen Qian's ears.

But he didn't even lift his eyelids, as if he had truly become a deaf person who didn't hear anything, and just stared fixedly at the second shopkeeper.

The second manager also shut his mouth at the opportune moment, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.

"What we're offering to our esteemed guest is absolutely unique in this City of the Dead..."

"Honest price".