Surviving in the chaos of war begins in the wilderness.

Chapter 51: Business Must Be Discussed

Zhou Ye finally understood. Trying to kill someone to steal treasures or obtain martial arts techniques was virtually impossible in this martial arts fantasy world.

Because the clever people among the natives had already devised a solution. They added a lot of coded language and obfuscation to prevent these martial arts manuals from being passed on.

Only those sects, imperial courts, armies, and aristocratic families with a clear lineage would possess genuine copies. Most of the martial arts manuals and techniques books in martial arts schools or shops are common, mostly third-rate, with only a few second-rate ones occasionally.

Furthermore, these common items are only reviewed by reputable martial arts masters who deem them suitable for cultivation. The same applies to the martial arts techniques and skills sold at auctions; they are also reviewed by their own skilled martial arts masters.

For example, the martial arts manuals in Fenglei Martial Arts School should have all been reviewed by Du Keyuan, a master of the late stage of internal strength, with his martial arts school's reputation as a guarantee.

As for this approved version, will it differ from the original? Has it incorporated the reviewer's own interpretation, actually distorting the original creator's intent? Only heaven knows.

Anyway, cultivation can be guaranteed. But no one can guarantee that it's definitely the original!

Furthermore, the martial arts manuals and techniques on the black market are even more chaotic. It's not just adding shit to sugar, it's adding shit to shit. Some are completely fabricated, purely for fraud. They just want to swindle as many suckers as possible!

At that moment, Zhou Ye thought of the "Mirage Realm Free and Easy Skill" set at home. Could it be true? Is it very likely that it's also an encrypted version?

Let's not worry about that for now; it's free anyway.

So Zhou Ye asked, "Junior Sister, do you have any good martial arts manuals?"

"Since you asked about first-rate and second-rate martial arts techniques, I'll recommend a fragmented manual to you."

"The remaining copy?"

"Yes! Originally, this was a first-rate martial art, but the martial arts school only had a fragment of the manual, so it was rated as third-rate."

"What martial arts technique?"

"Eight Directions Night Rain. Used for throwing hidden weapons. It can launch eight hidden weapons at the same time, making it impossible to defend against. However, the incomplete version can only launch three hidden weapons. But Eight Directions Night Rain also has advantages. Its application range is very wide. You can throw anything you pick up. For example, you can throw swords and knives, and you can also use spears as javelins. You can even grab a handful of stones on the ground and use the Eight Directions Night Rain technique to throw them."

"Great! I want this Eight Directions Night Rain technique. Is it 95 taels?" Zhou Ye was delighted. This martial art was excellent and particularly suited to him.

"Yes! But don't rush, there's more."

"Huh? There's more?"

"Yes! Now that we've finished discussing martial arts techniques, do you need any supplementary medicine? Like Qi and Blood Powder and low-grade Qi and Blood Pills? They can greatly accelerate the cultivation of your techniques, you know?"

"How so?"

"The Qi and Blood Powder is slightly less effective, costing one tael and one mace per packet. If you buy 10 packets or more, I'll give you a discount, only 10 taels of silver! The Inferior Qi and Blood Pill is much better, costing three taels and three mace per pill. If you buy a bottle containing 10 pills, I'll give you a discounted price of 30 taels!"

"Are there any mid-grade and high-grade ones?"

"The martial arts school doesn't have mid-grade pills; you'll have to look at the large pharmacies in the inner city. Most of our disciples are from the outer city or outside, and they generally can't afford them. So the martial arts school doesn't stock them. High-grade Qi and Blood Pills can only be taken when you reach the late stage of the Qi Refining realm. The most suitable time to take them is when you reach the early stage of the Ming Jin realm."

"I understand. It's definitely a good product. But I'm out of money."

Du Juan rolled her eyes: "Senior Brother A Ye, how could that be? The cultivation of martial arts techniques also relies heavily on auxiliary medicinal herbs."

"But I really don't have that much money on me. How about I go home and ask someone to help me out? I can come back in a few days to buy it?"

"How about this!" Perhaps fearing that things might change if he delayed, Zhou Ye compared prices at the shops outside and decided not to buy anything at the martial arts school. After all, the martial arts books in the bookstores before only cost 2 or 30 taels of silver at the very least.

Du Juan blinked. "Do you have the money for the auxiliary medicinal herbs? I can sell them to you now. I'll take care of those two martial arts techniques; you can pay on credit, just pay within three days. How about that? Aren't I considerate, junior sister?"

"Heh. How thoughtful of you!" Zhou Ye sneered.

Actually, when it comes to money, including that 100-tael silver note, Zhou Ye did have some. But sometimes you have to pretend to be poor; you can't reveal that you're actually rich.

He pretended to pat himself down and managed to scrape together 40 taels of silver.

Du Juan happily brought over 10 packets of Qi and Blood Powder and a bottle of 10 low-grade Qi and Blood Pills.

Zhou Ye was stunned when he saw the Qi and Blood Pill. The two Qi and Blood Pills he had taken from the corpse of the minor leader were actually these low-grade Qi and Blood Pills.

Immediately afterwards, Du Juan skipped over and brought two... handwritten copies? Those were the two martial arts manuals. No wonder she agreed to let me buy them on credit, and I could copy as many copies as I wanted... right?

As long as Zhou Ye remains active in the martial arts circles of the county town, he will never dare to renege on his debts.

"Senior Brother Aye, since you're willing to use supplementary medicinal herbs, your diet needs to keep up, right? Should we increase your daily meals to five ounces? That way, we can ensure your overall health and blood circulation."

"..." Zhou Ye chuckled speechlessly, "Junior Sister, has anyone ever told you that you're a business master? As tall as an eighteen-story building?"

Du Juan covered her mouth and laughed: "Then I'll take that as a promise. Senior brother, I'll definitely have my grandfather teach you properly!"

"Don't mention that old man," Zhou Ye said with a laugh. Suddenly, an idea struck him. "Oh, right, Junior Sister, I also have a business deal to discuss with you."

"Huh? Business? You?"

"I see the martial arts school serves nearly a hundred set meals a day, so they must need a lot of meat. I'll provide 20 live pheasants each month, or the same amount of other meats, plus 100 jin of salted fish or salted meat. Would that cover the monthly tuition and the cost of the deluxe set meals?"

Zhou Ye had already calculated that the tuition plus the cost of the lavish set meal would amount to eight taels of silver, roughly the same as the value of these wild game.

And this is the purchase price at the mountain market, which is much lower than the market price. So it's at least two or three ounces cheaper.

There were no servants in the martial arts school; even the cooks in the kitchen were middle-aged women who received wages. Only Dujuan had a maid named Xiaocui, who was even younger than Dujuan.

Although Du Juan seems to have become the head of the martial arts school, it's not really suitable for a young girl like her to go out and do errands. So it's always been Du Keyuan who runs the errands. You can tell he's also quite annoyed by these trivial matters.

Du Juan asked curiously, "Where did all of them come from? So many?"

"It's not just me. I have many friends who travel in the mountains."

Anyway, the price of these items was neither too much nor too little, less than 10 taels of silver per month, which wasn't a big business, just enough to cover the martial arts school's expenses. Actually, what Zhou Ye valued most was opening up a new market.