4: Chapter 4 Young man, I see an ominous sign in your brow.
Xincha Road, located a few kilometers from home, was originally a flower and bird market. However, after transmigrating to the Otherworld, that place transformed into a bazaar filled with all sorts of rare and bizarre items or demon beasts. Most of them were just gimmicks, and people went there to purchase items with a 'blind box' mentality.
Naturally, there wouldn't be many good things in the bazaar. If there were any significantly valuable items, they would certainly be snatched up internally. Those looking for a lucky find definitely weren't as skilled as the professionals, but Chi Anlin was different—he also had the Appraisal Technique.
The Appraisal Technique wasn't particularly high-level; it couldn't display information for items two realms above his own. However, anything that couldn't be appraised was definitely a good item.
Soon, Chi Anlin took a taxi to Xincha Road. Since it was the weekend, the entrance to the bazaar was packed with a sea of people, making Chi Anlin feel a bit overwhelmed.
Along the way, notifications in the system's background began to frantically flood his screen.
【Killed an earthworm, obtained 0.2 blood energy】
【Killed a mole cricket, obtained 0.4 blood energy】
【Killed a cricket, obtained 0.5 blood energy】
...
It seemed the Iron Fierce Ants in the backyard had started their work. Chi Anlin nodded with satisfaction; at this rate, he could farm over a hundred blood energy in a single day.
Walking to the bazaar entrance, Chi Anlin sighed. Perhaps influenced by chuunibyou tendencies, the creator of the bazaar believed that a place where cultivators traded items should be hidden. Consequently, the entrance was built exceptionally narrow, like a maze, making it incredibly difficult to enter.
He didn't even know where to begin complaining.
The ones that should be hidden are black markets! This bazaar has a proper business license; making it like this is just a twisted sense of humor.
Just after getting out of the car, Chi Anlin was squeezed into the bazaar along with the crowd, practically being pushed along the entire way.
After about ten minutes, Chi Anlin had even helped a young boy who had his hands full win a round of 'Fight the Landlord' and took a selfie with some girl's phone in passing. It wasn't a wasted trip.
The path ahead suddenly opened up, the crowd dispersed, and various storefronts and stalls appeared before his eyes. Chi Anlin squinted; he had imagined the bazaar in a cultivation world would be strange, but he hadn't expected it to be this bizarre.
“Mortal Rank magic treasure, the Iodophor Belt! A belt dipped in iodophor—disinfect as you whip!”
“Mr. Wang, this medicinal wine has Mortal Rank herbs added to it. As the saying goes, wolfberry with red dates will pierce through Sister-in-Law Wang...”
“This book of unofficial history is absolutely the real deal! Back in the day, Cao Cao's Blitzkrieg of Poland...”
“Wild Ultraman...”
Chi Anlin sighed and rubbed his brow, utterly speechless. His imagined cultivation bazaar had collapsed.
But speechlessness aside, since he was already here...
Chi Anlin bypassed those ridiculous stalls and walked forward. Although these things had very bizarre effects, he had to admit that through the Appraisal Technique, a few were actually real. For example...
【Name】: Iodophor Belt
【Quality】: mortal rank mid-grade
【Description】: A belt with disinfecting properties, ensuring the person being whipped won't suffer from an infected wound.
Consequently, Chi Anlin looked at the Wild Ultraman with great curiosity, but to his surprise, this Ultraman was not for sale.
On the stall, a Tiga Ultraman was holding a child for a photo, while a cardboard sign next to them resolutely stated—1088 per photo.
Good heavens, 1088? I could have a technician wear a Tiga suit and give me a five-hour oil massage for that. Is this a real one they've invited? How dare they rob people like this.
After complaining a bit in his head, Chi Anlin walked toward the metal district. That area was mostly street stalls; the only storefront had decent quality but was ridiculously expensive.
The stalls were nothing more than some colorful ores and crystals. Seeing Chi Anlin's arrival, several stall owners immediately began to hawk their wares.
“I have Mortal Rank minerals here! You won't lose out and you won't be fooled! Little brother, come take a look quickly,” said a burly man with a bare upper body, shouting at the top of his lungs. He was a Body Tempering Warrior and could tell Chi Anlin had a cultivation level of mortal rank first stage.
Compared to mortals who picked and chose, cultivators were naturally more popular. Plus, with Chi Anlin's 'I don't know anything, come rip me off' appearance, the vendors became even more excited.
With this outfit, he looked exactly like the dumb son of a landlord.
Chi Anlin had always been a rich kid, and in this world, Father Chi had specially bought several protective magic treasures to ensure his safety. If it weren't for his cultivation being too low, forcing him to use these passive treasures, Chi Anlin would likely appear even more flashy.
“Don't listen to that guy's nonsense; his are all ordinary stones. Little brother, mine are attribute crystals, which are very useful for cultivating attributes!”
Chi Anlin glanced casually at the crystals on the ground, constantly using the Appraisal Technique in his mind.
【Name】: Purple Glass Bead
【Quality】: None
【Name】: Iron Ore
【Quality】: None
【Name】: Profound Fire Stone
【Quality】: Mortal Rank Low Grade
【Description】: An ore containing a trace of fire spiritual energy, can be used for artifact refining.
...
The ores were a mix of real and fake. Chi Anlin thought for a moment and bought some hard metals without attributes. These could serve as food to accelerate the growth of ordinary worker ants; those little guys might not necessarily be able to digest high-quality metals.
Since he had just arrived in this world and didn't know the market prices, Chi Anlin asked for prices at several stalls and pulled out his phone to check a food delivery app. Finally, he stopped at a relatively cheaper stall, preparing to haggle.
Actually, he could buy them online, but he couldn't wait that long right now. Although he didn't know why he had transmigrated to this world, he still had to quickly improve his self-protection capabilities.
Most importantly, he had never haggled before. In the past, not only did he have money, but prices weren't as ridiculous as they were now; he simply couldn't be bothered to bargain.
Looking at the stall owner whose face was beaming with a smile, Chi Anlin took a deep breath.
The word 'Quiet' contains 'Struggle', 'Steady' contains 'Urgency', 'Endure' contains a 'Knife', and 'Yield' contains 'Above'.
“I'm a student. Will you sell this Profound Fire Stone for a hundred yuan?”
Start with a cliff-style price cut, then raise it to your psychological target price—this was the essence of haggling!
The burly man's eyelid twitched frantically. Chi Anlin's heart tightened; was this guy going to try and hit him?
“This is a Red Spirit Stone; it costs ten thousand yuan.” Unexpectedly, the man was no pushover either and directly made an outrageous claim.
“Are you joking?” Chi Anlin's eyes widened. You big-eyed, thick-browed fellow!
“You started the joking,” the man said, his lips curling slightly upward.
The man wasn't playing by the rules, so Chi Anlin had no choice but to turn around and leave immediately. He'd have to try this technique properly next time.
The burly man was also stunned. Shouldn't he have stated his target price and added, 'If you won't sell, I'm leaving'?
Instead, this kid just up and left!
...
In the end, the man chased after him and sold the Profound Fire Stone to Chi Anlin for a hundred yuan less.
Having scoured the entire mineral district, Chi Anlin hadn't found any 'leaks' or hidden gems.
The people here all had incredibly sharp eyes; they would only overstate the quality, never understate it.
Shouldn't it be that he spots a hidden top-grade metal, and as soon as he buys it, a young master from a prestigious family appears to bid against him, leading to a conflict that draws in the family behind them, becoming an obstacle on his path of cultivation and spurring his growth...
Disappointing.
Looking at the ores in his pocket, Chi Anlin shook his head. That was enough for today; if he browsed any more, he wouldn't be able to carry it all.
Passing through the crowd and just about to leave the bazaar, a kind voice suddenly came from behind him to his side.
“Little brother, I see a calamity between your brows...”
Chi Anlin stopped upon hearing this, his pupils dilating sharply as he replied in a deep voice, “I am indeed not wearing one.”
Behind Chi Anlin to the side, the eyelids of a kind-looking old man wearing Daoist robes twitched frantically.
How the hell could you give such a serious answer to that sentence?
“Little brother is quite humorous. However, listen to this old Daoist's advice: if you don't take this matter to heart, it will lead to a great disaster.”
Heh?
The corner of Chi Anlin's mouth curled up slightly. He was just a minor Mortal Rank cultivator with almost no combat strength; he didn't even qualify to be a mob for a big shot to farm. Moreover, with the magic treasures his father gave him, even if he got hit by a car, he'd be able to perform a set of radio gymnastics energetically. How could he encounter any danger?
Trying to scam me for money? Not a chance.
Chi Anlin looked at this 'fortune-telling master,' preparing to mock him disdainfully. But the second after he used the Appraisal Technique, he was completely stunned.
【Appraisal failed. Please increase your level or upgrade the Appraisal Technique】
“Senior, save me!”