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Chapter 159: The Shop

"Let's go inside for registration. Once I report to the court, your official positions will be confirmed," Nan Chengtong said with a smile.

"Much appreciated," Zhong Shan and Nan Batian replied promptly.

Upon entering the grand hall, they found it filled with bookshelves and numerous desks, clearly an office for many officials. Inside, there was a private office, belonging to Nan Chengtong.

Nan Chengtong promptly registered Zhong Shan and Nan Batian. As for Shui Wuhen, he had already been registered.

Finally, Nan Chengtong asked, "Recommended by the Seven Stars Hall, you have one choice to make: military or civil service? Your decision will be recorded and reported to the court."

"I choose the military," Nan Batian replied immediately.

"I choose civil service," Zhong Shan said after some thought. Understanding the Heavenly Court's system would be easier through civil service.

"Good," Nan Chengtong marked their choices on the documents.

After securing the documents, Nan Chengtong smiled at Zhong Shan and Nan Batian. "I am Shui Tianya. We are colleagues now. For the time being, let Wuhen show you to your accommodations. Once the court issues your appointment letters, you can assume your duties accordingly," he said.

"Thank you!" Zhong Shan replied.

"It's my duty. Wuhen, take good care of your junior brothers," Shui Tianya instructed.

"Alright, father," Shui Wuhen nodded.

"Goodbye," Zhong Shan said.

Led by Shui Wuhen, they left the valley and proceeded to tour Wushuang City.

"Senior Brother, what kind of official is Nan Chengtong?" Zhong Shan asked with a frown.

"Do you mean my father?" Shui Wuhen asked in confusion as they walked.

"Yes," Zhong Shan nodded.

"Wushuang City has one city lord and four district lords for the east, south, west, and north. My father is the South District Lord, a fifth-rank official in the Da Luo Heavenly Court, assisting the city lord," Shui Wuhen explained.

"Fifth rank?" Zhong Shan said in surprise.

"Yes, we are just entering the Da Luo Heavenly Court as sixth-rank officials, slightly lower than the fifth rank, but it's still quite impressive. My father worked his way up to this position over a long time. For us to reach the sixth rank so easily is the fastest way in the Da Luo Heavenly Court," Shui Wuhen said with a smile.

"Understood," Zhong Shan nodded.

"Let's go. There is a commercial district nearby. I'll show you around," Shui Wuhen suggested with a smile.

"Good," Nan Batian laughed, and Zhong Shan nodded.

Commercial district? What could it be like in this heavenly court? Zhong Shan, originally a shrewd businessman, was very interested.

Led by Shui Wuhen, they soon arrived at a massive blue light curtain area in the north. Many people were coming and going, and Zhong Shan even saw some riding fierce beasts such as tigers, leopards, and boars.

Seeing people riding these beasts, Zhong Shan surmised that they were tamed, similar to the wolf cavalry of the Great Yin Dynasty. Tamed beasts could integrate into human society, and humans could utilize their power for cultivation and combat, complementing each other for faster progress in cultivation.

With Shui Wuhen leading the way, the three of them stepped into the blue light curtain. Inside, there were no mountains or rivers but a vast square filled with numerous buildings. These buildings were clearly different shops, and along the edges of the blue light curtain were sections divided into many areas, each housing a large beast.

Some staff-like individuals were feeding these beasts, and soon, someone walked out from within the commercial district, mounted a beast, and left. Others came in from outside, paid some spirit stones, and left their beasts there.

"Beasts are not allowed inside the commercial district due to their large size, so they usually wait on the outskirts, with designated staff to look after and protect them," Shui Wuhen explained.

"Understood," Zhong Shan nodded.

The three of them stepped further inside. The streets here were about a hundred meters wide, with each shop separated from the others. Small flags were placed around the shops, which Zhong Shan guessed were for protection, possibly forming small defensive arrays in case of emergencies.

The first shop they encountered was a pill store, with a serial number "142806" displayed. Clearly, shops here were numbered and taxed by the court, a common practice everywhere.

Shui Wuhen's main purpose was to show them around, without any specific agenda, so they wandered casually.

Inside the shop, it looked much like a mundane store, but each item was protected under an ice crystal glass cover, similar to a glass display but much sturdier.

Each ice crystal glass cover contained a single pill, with a label underneath:

Grade: Third Rank Effect: Aids in breaking through the peak of the innate stage, 90% success rate. Price: 100 high-grade spirit stones. Buyback: 95 high-grade spirit stones.

Reading the label, Zhong Shan smiled wryly. A 90% success rate? He had consumed hundreds of these without breaking through. The price was meticulous: 100 high-grade spirit stones equaled 1,000 mid-grade spirit stones, which equaled 10,000 low-grade spirit stones.

Had he wasted millions of low-grade spirit stones on a single breakthrough?

Moreover, the store not only sold but also bought back pills.

Apart from the Ascending Pill, there were various other pills, but since Zhong Shan had all of these in his storage bracelet, he wasn't very interested. However, he did take note of the prices, likely due to his background in business.

The highest grade of pills in this shop was fifth grade, with nothing higher. It seemed their inventory wasn't as extensive as his own.

The shop was divided into two sections, with the other side selling medicinal herbs, also labeled:

Flame Fruit Grade: Fifth Rank Price: 3,500 spirit stones. Buyback: 3,200 spirit stones.

Nan Batian's eyes widened in amazement, filled with envy. The shop attendant watched the three respectfully, waiting for their decision, but they turned and left.

Nan Batian didn't have the money or spirit stones, Shui Wuhen was merely showing them around, and Zhong Shan didn't need to spend money here.

"Senior Brother, the highest grade pills here are only fifth grade," Zhong Shan remarked with a frown.

"This is just a small shop. Fifth-grade pills are its limit. Anything higher would be a treasured item of the store. To find better ones, we need to go further in. However, sometimes you can find pills in small shops that big shops don't have," Shui Wuhen explained with a smile.

Then, they entered the second shop, which was a flag store.

The inside of the shop was filled with various small flags, and it seemed even quieter than the pill shop they had just visited.

"Welcome, welcome!" A chubby shopkeeper immediately came forward with a smile.

Perhaps due to the rarity of customers, the arrival of three people was a chance not to be missed.

"No need to be so polite, boss. We're just looking around," Shui Wuhen smiled.

"That's no problem. I'm just sitting around anyway. Let me introduce you to some of the items we have here," the chubby shopkeeper said cheerfully.

"Alright, let's hear it," Shui Wuhen replied with a smile.

"This is a flag shop. The store is filled with sets of flag formations and flag-type magical tools, mostly used for defense. Depending on their grade, they can block different levels of enemies and various types of energy. For example, this Flaming Flag Formation, although it's only third grade, can withstand a full-power attack from a fourth-grade fire-type magical tool," the chubby shopkeeper said, pointing to sixteen small flags within an ice crystal glass cover.

"Aren't magical tools all made using spirit pearls? They are personal tools and difficult for others to use, right?" Zhong Shan asked immediately.

"Uh, are you a guest who has just come from a remote immortal sect?" the shopkeeper asked, puzzled.

"First time out, there are many things I don't know," Zhong Shan nodded, acknowledging the question.

"Haha, it seems your immortal sect specializes in alchemy or martial cultivation, not in crafting tools," the shopkeeper laughed.

"Uh?" Zhong Shan responded along the lines.

"Yes, crafting tools is divided into two types: 'human crafting' and 'furnace crafting.' Tools crafted by one's heart, spirit, will, mind, and spirit pearl are called 'human crafting.' These tools are infused with one's effort and are refined over time, becoming more and more suitable for their owner. They can also be upgraded through continuous refinement by the owner and are something everyone in the Divine Land learns to make. As for the tools we sell here and in most of the shops in this commercial district, they are 'furnace crafted' tools," the shopkeeper explained.

"Furnace crafted?" Zhong Shan absorbed the knowledge like a sponge.

"Yes, indeed. Furnace crafting refers to tool-making experts collecting various materials and using a furnace to fuse them, inscribing the appropriate formations to imbue the tool with different abilities. The materials are one aspect, and inscribing the formations is another. The more formations a tool has, the harder it is to inscribe them because they tend to repel each other. Perfectly merging and stacking these formations is a skill that a master toolmaker must possess. The requirements are no less stringent than those for alchemy," the shopkeeper said.

"Oh, so what are the differences between furnace crafted tools and human crafted tools?" Zhong Shan asked curiously.

"Furnace crafted tools have three main advantages: First, you can buy them with money and use high-grade tools without long-term refinement. Second, they can be used in batches, as long as you have enough mana to support them. Third, even if the tool is destroyed, the owner won't suffer any mental backlash. There are also three minor disadvantages: First, they cannot be upgraded; whatever grade they are when crafted, they will remain that grade forever. Second, they cannot be mind-linked with the owner; you must use specific techniques to operate them. Third, the highest grade is sixth grade. Of course, there are tools above the sixth grade, but those are no longer considered tools but treasures, as they possess a treasure spirit akin to a human's soul. However, such items are only found in legends, so it's best not to think about them," the shopkeeper said with a smile.

"The best flag formations here are only fifth grade," Shui Wuhen remarked after looking around at the various flag formations.

"Hehe, our shop does have a prized possession: a sixth-grade flag formation," the shopkeeper said with a smile.