Chapter 405: Chapter 182: Dragon Form

Zhang Wenhui bowed with a placating smile.

"The Zhang Family is indeed facing some difficulties at the moment. However, as long as this shipment reaches Yongzhou City safely, everything will be fine. I’ll be sure to reward you handsomely then!"

Chen Cheng shook his head slightly, indicating he wasn’t concerned about the immediate reward.

"Ma Daguo already told me about the Zhang Family’s situation. He said you even had to scrape together these five thousand taels last night. It’s more than enough."

’In Chen Cheng’s eyes, as long as the man knew how to repay a kindness, he was worth befriending. In the long run, a mutually beneficial relationship was definitely possible.’

Zhang Wenhui nodded emphatically, then changed the subject.

"Young Master Chen, since you arrived in the city last night, why didn’t you come straight here?"

"...I had some private business to discuss with Ma Daguo," Chen Cheng said casually.

"I mainly wanted to ask him to deliver a letter I wrote for my family, just to let them know I’m safe."

"I see..."

Before Zhang Wenhui could finish, Zhang Yu had already turned and left to instruct a Steward to prepare a generous gift for Ma Daguo to deliver to Chen Cheng’s family along with the letter.

"Boss Zhang," Chen Cheng said,

"I’d like to ask you about something. I occasionally have some Treasure Medicine or Treasure Fish I’d like to sell in Yunlei Prefecture City. Where would be the best place to do that?"

"...The Yunlei Commerce Association is the best place, bar none."

Zhang Wenhui said,

"As you may know, Young Master Chen, the Yunlei Commerce Association is one of the absolute top powers in the Northern Territory."

"All the apothecaries and fish markets under their banner buy Treasure Fish and Treasure Medicine, and they offer better prices than anywhere else."

"The key is, they pay in cash on the spot. There are no upper limits on quantity or price. They can afford to buy anything you bring them, no matter how valuable."

"That’s good to hear."

Chen Cheng paused, then lowered his voice and asked,

"And if I wanted to keep a low profile and not attract attention, where should I sell my things?"

"The Valley of Oblivion. The black market."

Zhang Wenhui said,

"The rules there are ironclad. All forms of conflict are forbidden, as is any attempt to investigate another person’s identity."

"And while there’s no official proof, it’s an open secret that the one controlling the Valley of Oblivion from behind the scenes is the Yunlei Commerce Association itself."

"That’s why no one has ever dared to break the rules there. Absolute security and absolute privacy have always been the Valley of Oblivion’s trademarks."

"...Thank you for the information."

Chen Cheng mentally filed the information away. ’I’ll have to go and investigate when I get the chance.’

’After all, he wasn’t planning on selling just one or two Treasure Fish. A large quantity would inevitably arouse suspicion.’

’Besides, once he tested this route and confirmed it was safe, he could also sell some illicit goods there.’

’For example, the Blood Pills from the Red Moon Sect, the Silver Bottle Pills from the Immortal Bone Sect... he could even retrieve that Profound Iron Saber from the bottom of the river and liquidate it.’

’Of course, the prerequisite for all of this was absolute security.’

’If it seemed even the slightest bit unreliable, he would steer clear. He would never place himself at risk.’

...

「Mountain and Sea Sect.」

After returning to the sect, Chen Cheng first returned Huang Feng to Steward Sun.

Afterward, Chen Cheng went back to Guan Lan Pavilion. He carefully stowed his gear and last night’s spoils, then picked up two Treasure Fish and returned to the General Affairs Hall to give them directly to Steward Sun.

As the two were chatting, Zhou Wansen approached, his face wreathed in smiles.

"Junior Brother Chen! Congratulations!"

Zhou Wansen offered a cupped-fist salute. His form of address for Chen Cheng had subtly changed to "Junior Brother."

It was worth noting that Zhou Wansen’s primary identity was that of an Elite Disciple from the Sword Pavilion. He had only been assigned to manage affairs in the Outer Sect because he had hit a wall in his Martial Arts cultivation.

Therefore, now that Chen Cheng had entered the Inner Sect, he and Zhou Wansen were indeed sect brothers.

However, the status gap between a regular Inner Sect disciple and an Elite Disciple was enormous. If Zhou Wansen wanted to put on airs, he was fully entitled to address a regular disciple by their full name.

This subtle change in address was a clear olive branch.

"...To what do I owe this, Senior Brother Zhou?" Chen Cheng asked casually.

"The news that you formed the Ninth Pillar of Blood Qi and defeated Dong Chuo has already spread throughout the Outer Sect."

Zhou Wansen chuckled and handed over a small medicine bottle, saying,

"There are three Mountain and Sea Blood-Nourishing Pills in here. A small congratulatory gift from your Senior Brother."

"Thank you, Senior Brother Zhou."

Chen Cheng didn’t stand on ceremony and accepted it directly.

’Since Zhou Wansen had extended an olive branch, accepting it signaled both acceptance and reconciliation. Refusing it, on the other hand, would only make him suspicious and needlessly deepen the friction between them.’

’Besides, his own supply of Mountain and Sea Blood-Nourishing Pills was running low, and he’d been thinking about replenishing it anyway.’

’If he were to redeem them from the General Affairs Hall himself, each pill would cost one thousand taels of silver.’

’He only had a little over nine thousand taels of silver in cash right now. Spending his own money on them would definitely sting a little.’

’But now, he’d saved a full three thousand taels just by holding out his hand.’

The feeling could be described in a single word—

Awesome.

Back at Guan Lan Pavilion.

Chen Cheng locked the courtyard gate from the inside, went up to the quiet room on the third floor, and began to carefully take inventory of the previous night’s spoils.

First, there was a large, assorted pile of items: Antidotes, Healing Medicine, Auxiliary Cultivation Pills, Treasure Beast Dried Meat, and so on.

Aside from two medicine bottles that belonged to Dong Chuo, which looked to be of a significantly higher grade, Chen Cheng couldn’t tell who the rest of the items belonged to.

However, he had no intention of using any of these items himself. He piled them all in a corner, planning to sell them at the Valley of Oblivion when the time came.

Next, Chen Cheng took out four Money Bags.

Inside the three cloth bags belonging to Yin Xi, Guan Tong, and Li Gang, there was a total of ten thousand taels in Silver Notes, as well as some loose Golden Blade Coins and broken silver.

After counting it all, Chen Cheng felt a small thrill of satisfaction.

In Dong Chuo’s Money Bag, however, there were only one thousand taels in Silver Notes and about seven or eight taels of broken silver.

In addition, there was a regular Hexagonal Gold Coin of a type Chen Cheng had never seen before.

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