Eternal Life: I Can Harvest Demon Beast Talents

Chapter 183: Chapter 160: Such a Windfall, a Beauty’s Night Invitation

In the Inner City of the Immortal City stood a shop called the Ten Thousand Books Tower.

Inside, a glint appeared in Lin Changheng’s eyes as he listened to the shop assistant.

’It seems Tier Two Cultivation Techniques and Skills aren’t their main products,’ he thought.

’But as long as they have some, that’s good enough. I’ll take a look first.’

So, he casually found a seat and, with a grand wave of his hand, asked, "Do you have any Fire Element Techniques, Skills, or something like a Soul Searching Secret Skill?"

"Please wait a moment, Elder. The specific Tier Two manuals are quite valuable and are managed and sold directly by our Shopkeeper. I’ll go get him to introduce them to you."

The shop assistant asked cautiously.

"Go on." Lin Changheng stiffly uttered the two words, shedding his usual affability and putting on the airs of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

"Yes."

But the shop assistant didn’t find this strange at all. On the contrary, he thought it was perfectly normal and immediately departed with a smile.

Before long, a middle-aged Male Cultivator strode in briskly. The beaming shop assistant followed behind him with quick, short steps, respectfully presenting a tray he was carrying.

"My apologies for the wait, Elder."

The middle-aged Shopkeeper bowed the moment they met.

Lin Changheng glanced at the Shopkeeper. ’Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer. Not bad,’ he mused, then shifted his gaze to the tray. On it lay a thin manual and two pale green Jade Scrolls.

"What are these? Tell me about them."

"Yes, Elder."

The middle-aged Shopkeeper’s attitude was impeccably respectful, causing Lin Changheng to sigh inwardly. ’The feeling of being a Foundation Establishment Cultivator really is different. It’s incredibly satisfying.’

He immediately pointed to the thin manual and said, "This is the Secret Skill you wanted, Elder."

"Oh?"

Lin Changheng simply beckoned with his hand, and the thin manual flew into his grasp. Opening the blank cover, he looked inside. It was, indeed, the Soul Searching Secret Skill.

However, he could only see the first page. The rest was impossible to open, covered by a layer of fine white light as if it were glued shut.

"What about the other two?"

Lin Changheng didn’t put the manual back down. He held it in his hand and continued to ask.

The middle-aged Shopkeeper’s face lit up. He knew this meant part of the sale was already secured. He continued his introduction, his voice growing even more enthusiastic. "This Jade Scroll on the left is called the Flame Retention and Essence Guarding Technique. The one on the right is the Cyan Flame Nine-Burning Scripture. Both are Tier Two Lower Grade Cultivation Techniques."

After speaking, he carefully observed the Foundation Establishment Elder’s expression.

"Only Tier Two Lower Grade?"

Lin Changheng’s brow furrowed slightly.

Clearly, a Tier Two Lower Grade Technique had almost no potential to speak of and was useless to him.

"These are the only two Tier Two Fire Techniques our little shop has," the middle-aged Shopkeeper said with a nod.

’As expected.’

Lin Changheng had already prepared himself for this, but he wanted to confirm it. Powerful High Tier Techniques were all hoarded by the major influences, never to be revealed.

Even if the owner behind this shop had acquired such a technique somewhere, they wouldn’t dare sell it openly. Unless they had obtained it through legitimate channels or had completely eliminated the original owners, putting it up for sale would risk attracting the hostility of the clan that practiced it.

’Forget it.’

Lin Changheng gave up on that front; he would have to find another way. He turned his attention back to the Soul Searching Secret Skill and asked for the price.

"Three hundred Lower Grade Spirit Stones."

The Shopkeeper stated a price.

’If this were a rare Tier Two Secret Technique, the price would be normal,’ Lin Changheng thought. ’But the Soul Searching Secret Skill is incredibly widespread. Most Foundation Establishment Cultivators have a copy; they’re a dime a dozen. To sell it at this price... isn’t he just treating me like a fat sheep to be fleeced?’

"Three hundred?" Lin Changheng sneered. "Does the Shopkeeper perhaps believe your esteemed store is the only one that carries this Skill? Are you trying to swindle me?"

"In a place as vast as the Immortal City, what shop of this type *doesn’t* have it? Since you’re not negotiating in good faith, Shopkeeper, we can forget this whole affair."

With that, he set the manual down, flicked his sleeve, and turned to leave.

As he did, a flash of his Foundation Establishment Spiritual Pressure swept over them. The two men froze as if struck by lightning. Their hearts hammered in their chests, their faces went pale, and their backs were instantly drenched in sweat.

’Foundation Establishment Cultivators are terrifying...’

The middle-aged Shopkeeper, his heart pounding with fear, immediately called out to stop Lin Changheng. "Elder, please wait! The price is negotiable."

Lin Changheng stopped but kept his back to them. His cold voice drifted back, "Don’t waste my time."

To the two men in the shop, that figure, framed by the lingering Foundation Establishment Spiritual Pressure, seemed like a towering mountain, pressing down on them so hard they could barely breathe.

The shop assistant, merely at the Fourth Layer of Qi Cultivation, almost collapsed to the floor.

"One hundred Spirit Stones! One hundred Spirit Stones will do, Elder! Any lower and this junior will be the one in trouble."

This time, the middle-aged Shopkeeper didn’t haggle. He gritted his teeth and blurted out the price.

...

With the Soul Searching Secret Skill in hand, Lin Changheng changed his appearance and concealed his Cultivation once more. He had just returned to the Qingyuan Small Building and sat down when a visitor arrived.

"And you are, Fellow Daoist?"

Lin Changheng deactivated the Restriction and found a Foundation Establishment Cultivator standing at his door. The man had a long beard, wore a long robe, and had a wide smile on his face.

He was a complete stranger, and he was carrying a gift basket.

The Foundation Establishment Cultivator chuckled, introduced himself, and offered the gift basket.

Following the principle of not turning away a smiling guest, Lin Changheng warmly welcomed him inside. It turned out the man was a cultivator from a nearby Foundation Establishment Clan, the Changwu Mountain Wu Family, and he had come to recruit Lin Changheng as a clan Tributor.

The man claimed he had been in deep cultivation within his clan but had immediately come out of seclusion to pay a visit the moment he heard news of Alchemist Lin’s return.

His sincerity was on full display.

However, Lin Changheng had already made up his mind about this.

He immediately thanked the man’s clan for holding him in such high regard before tactfully declining the offer.

"I cannot accept a reward I haven’t earned."

As he spoke, Lin Changheng made a show of being too embarrassed to accept the gift basket, trying to hand it back.

Accepting a gift without fulfilling the expected favor was a major taboo.

But the long-bearded, long-robed Foundation Establishment Cultivator from the Wu Family gently pushed his hand down, refusing firmly. He insisted that there was no logic in taking back a gift once given; even if they could not join the same clan, they could still be friends.

His posture made it clear he wouldn’t take no for an answer.