Splitting the Heave

“I have some Scale Gravel. I wonder if it’s enough to make the trade?” The sudden interruption affected the conversation between Shang Xia and his aunt. It also attracted many gazes from those seated around. 

Ji Min’s pupils shrank slightly and he quickly asked, “Oh? How much are you talking about?” 

Pausing slightly, the reply eventually came. “I have six taels of it!” 

“Is that it? The Formless Yarn I brought out should be able to trade of nine taels of Scale Gravel.” Ji Min’s expression sank.

“Eight teals.” The cultivator who spoke earlier interrupted Ji Min again. Due to the large bamboo hat covering his face, no one was able to see his appearance.

“This… Even if you offer eight taels…” Ji Min seemed extremely interested nonetheless. He added, “How are you going to make up for the difference? Let me make this clear before you make any counteroffers. There’s no need to try using gold coins or silver essence to make up for it.” 

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The cultivator who wore the large bamboo hat waved his hand and sent a shadow flying towards Ji Min. “What do you think about this?” 

Grabbing the item that flew his way, Ji Min realized that it was a sealed spiritual case. After opening it to confirm its contents, Ji Min sealed it properly before putting it away. “Alright, deal!” 

…

With the completion of the deal, Shang Xia saw that Shang Jian’s lips started moving quickly. He seemed to be communicating with some other people.

After the deal between Ji Min and the cultivator in the bamboo hat was complete, another cultivator went to the center platform. He had a face full of smiles and he greeted everyone by cupping his fists. “I’m no Ji Min. I don’t have the foundations of the Ji Clan behind me and I am definitely unable to bring out any rank four treasure. However, I still have several interesting items on hand. I wonder if it will interest any of you…” 

Shang Xia looked at the cultivator who had a face full of smiles and was retrieving something from his sleeves and he turned to the side. “Second Uncle, is this also someone on our side?” 

“Strictly speaking, it’s someone from the Yun Clan. He should be one of their guest elders and his family name is ‘Du’. It’s said that he married a branch family member of the Yun Clan.” Shang Jian explained,

Nodding slightly, Shang Xia turned back to look at the central platform. He saw the cultivator showing off some goods with a wide smile plastered on his face. 

“Three Water Moon Pearls. These might be rank three treasures, but all three of them are of the same size. They are of comparable quality as well. It’s not difficult to see that they’re part of the same set.” Cultivator Du introduced, “Anyone who can see that probably knows how much they’re worth too. I won’t waste any more time. I wish to trade these three pearls for a set of rank three palm technique that can allow me to comprehend a martial intent!” 

Surprisingly, the three Water Moon Pearls were extremely well received by those in the crowd.

Not long after he made the offer, someone in the crowd yelled, “Does it have to allow you to comprehend a martial intent? I have a palm technique of a pretty high standard, but no one has been able to comprehend a martial intent after learning it. Perhaps Cultivator Du will be successful after some research!” 

Cultivator Du maintained the smile on his face but he shook his head apologetically.

Looking across the venue, Shang Xi’s voice entered his ears again. “Every single one of those pearls can be crafted into a low-grade weapon. With three of them in a full set, the strength they possess can be compared to a high-grade weapon. It’s more than enough to trade it for a rank three technique and it’s no wonder everyone is interested in it.”

Even Martial Extermination Realm experts wouldn’t be wielding high-grade weapons as they wished. Looking at Shang Bo, the strongest Martial Extermination Realm expert in the institution at the moment, he barely obtained his customized weapon not too long ago!

Shang Jian added, “You can’t put it that way. No matter how special they are, they’re three separate items. To fuse them into a single artifact, who knows how many treasures will be required. Moreover, they won’t be able to promise that the refinement process will succeed. If we consider all the factors, trading it for a complete set of rank three technique is barely acceptable.” 

Another person in the crowd spoke up once again. “I have a complete set of rank three palm technique. It’s called the Floating Feather Palm! According to the records, there are two experts who comprehended the Cloud Sweeping Palm as their martial intent after learning the move. I’ll use it to trade for your pearls. Do you accept?” 

The moment the trade was brought up, everyone turned to Cultivator Du in anticipation.

However, Shang Xia gasped in shock with a reaction unlike the others. “Why does that person sound so familiar?” 

“Hehe, can you recall who that is?” Shang Xi chuckled softly.

“I think… I think it's Wu Tianfang from the Protection Division from our institution!” Shang Xia gasped.

Shang Jian and Shang Xi nodded slightly in response. The two of them weren’t surprised in the slightest.

However, they were quickly greeted with another question from Shang Xia. “Wait a second, didn’t he trade my Jade Creek Sword in the previous gathering? Has he outgrown it in such a short period of time? If he wishes to obtain a better weapon, he should be looking for a sword anyway. Don’t tell me he plans to turn the Water Moon Pearls into a sword?” 

Shang Jian stared at Shang Xi for a second before he coughed slightly, “Well, there can only be one reason now can there? The institution is probably the ones who have their eyes on the pearls. Moreover, it won’t be difficult for the institution to bring out a complete rank three palm technique.” 

Once the deal was done, Cultivator Du left the central platform with a face full of smiles.

The trade he made this time not only managed to greatly lower the expectations of those present from rank four treasures to rank three treasures but he also allowed the gathering to regain its original purpose. Very quickly, the atmosphere was pushed back to its peak.

According to their previous agreement, the four great clans along with the Zhao Family would bring out five treasures to get the ball rolling.

If those treasures weren’t well received by the crowd, the five powers would make bids to ensure that the items were definitely sold to put up a front that the gathering was carried out successfully as it would allow the others who were present to feel slightly more reassured that they weren’t wasting their time there.

Now that Cultivator Du had brought out something many people desired, it could be said that their mission was accomplished.

After Cultivator Du, another cultivator quickly stepped over to the central platform. The cultivator this time wasn’t from one of the five powers, but they were at the large completion stage of the Martial Intent Realm nonetheless.

The second the cultivator appeared, Shang Xia could see Shang Jian’s lips trembling once again. He seemed to be communicating with the rest of the organizers before heaving a sigh of relief.

Seeing the cultivator taking out his items, Shang Xia couldn’t help but ask his second uncle, “How did the Zhao Family become a part of the organizers this time? Did the four great clans allow them to join so easily?”

The Tongyou City had always been run by the four great clans. However, now that Zhao Hengchun stepped into the Martial Extermination Realm it seemed as though the situation in the city had changed slightly. The four great clans seemed to be a thing of the past and they finally had enough qualifications to resemble the five great families of the You Continent before the collision of the worlds. 

That might be the case on the surface, and leaving the matter of how he got his hands on his advancement formula aside, the Zhao Family wasn’t going to rival any of the four great clans any time soon. After all, in terms of foundations or strength they were far too weak.

The situation at the moment was that the Tongyou City was controlled equally by the four great clans. Everything was pretty saturated and it was difficult to allow the rise of a fifth superpower.

It was incredible that the four great clans didn’t go out of their way to suppress the Zhao Family. How could they take the initiative to give the Zhao Family a chance to sit on the same pedestal as the four of them?

Unless…

Shang Xia seemed to have thought of something when Shang Jian’s voice rang in his mind. “Think about how our Shang Clan rose to become the fourth great clan in the Tongyou City nearly twenty years ago…” 

Indeed…

“Even if that’s the case, the Tongyou City doesn’t have the resources to support the rise of another power. Unless the four great clans take a step back together… Or, the institution could make a huge contribution and force them to rise in power…” Before Shang Xia could even finish talking about it, he realized how impossible it was for either option to happen.

Another surprising thought filled his mind as he questioned unsteadily, “Is the Zhao Family going to migrate to the Changfeng City to take charge of things there?”

Shang Xia shook his head as he realized that was also not too likely.

The Tongyou Institution finally swept away all the power that was obstructing them in the Changfeng City. They had to exert their authority over it the best they could and there was no way they would allow any individual power to control it.

Since they were lacking in so many areas, they couldn’t possibly construct another city in the You Continent too. Could the Tongyou Institution have plans of expansions?!

Shang Xia wasn’t letting his imaginations run wild on purpose. However, it was a well established fact that Ji Wenlong had entered the Martial Dipper Realm. With two Martial Dipper Realm experts in charge of the Tongyou Institution, they definitely had the qualifications to expand.

Before his imagination could grow too crazy, Shang Xi spoke up. “Do you remember how half of our continent was swallowed during the collision of the worlds?” 

With his eyes widening in shock, Shang Xia gasped, “This… Do you mean, here?! Is it really happening so quickly?” 

Shang Xia gestured around the battlefield between the two worlds as he spoke. In that instant, a cloud affecting his judgment seemed to disappear. He seemed to make many connections and think of many things he hadn’t thought about in the past. 

With a cultivator not a part of the five powers going up to take center stage, it seemed as though the gathering had started for real. The other members they had arranged to go up no longer needed to do so as Shang Jian and the others came to an agreement to let things run their course.

Things seemed to progress normally when Shang Jian’s voice entered Shang Xia’s mind again. “Our original agreement with the others stands regardless. If you need to trade anything, quickly get up there and get it over with.”