Ch 176: Is There Really Such a Good Thing? [QT]

Shen Yunxuan was visibly delighted by Xie Feng’s willingness to give her a martial arts manual. In truth, she did feel incredibly lucky to have encountered someone kind-hearted. Of course, they had saved him, after all—perhaps the world of martial arts highly valued gratitude and chivalry.

As soon as Xie Feng finished speaking, Shen Yunxuan reached into her bundle and secretly took out a notebook and a traditionally styled pencil from her system inventory. Xie Feng was momentarily surprised but quickly took the paper and pen to write down the martial arts technique from memory.

His handwriting was in traditional Chinese characters, most of which Shen Yunxuan could recognize, but some were unfamiliar. Moreover, without punctuation, some phrases were even more difficult to understand than classical Chinese. She genuinely struggled to comprehend certain sections, so after Xie Feng finished writing, she humbly asked for explanations and carefully translated each phrase into modern terms.

Seeing her handwriting, Xie Feng was taken aback again. Shen Yunxuan offered an embarrassed smile. “When I was little, I rebelled against my father and didn’t study much. It’s a bit embarrassing.”

Xie Feng, assuming her father was strict and unkind, reassured her, “Miss, there’s no need to dwell on that. You are a person of good character and kindness. These are mere trivialities.”

Shen Yunxuan nodded and continued asking about the martial arts manual in detail. She truly was a complete beginner and needed thorough explanations. Xie Feng, sensing her eagerness to learn, felt sympathy for her and ended up explaining things in even greater detail than when his own master had taught him.

In reality, Shen Yunxuan wasn’t just trying to ensure she understood the manual after returning. She was actively learning on the spot. Only knowledge acquired in this world would earn her dimensional currency—if she waited until she was back, it wouldn’t count. Since they had time now, she wasn’t going to waste it on idle chatter.

Once she had clarified everything, she began inquiring about the martial world. “Brother Xie, could you tell me about the martial artists in the city? Are there sects? If I wanted to buy legendary weapons or medicinal pills, where would I go?”

Xie Feng looked puzzled. “Neither you nor your guards know martial arts, so why are you so determined to buy these things?”

Shen Yunxuan replied, “You just mentioned sects, and that gave me an idea. My father won’t allow me to go outside and learn martial arts, but I could establish a small sect at my dowry estate! I could invite skilled martial artists to join and teach me. A sect must have valuable assets to attract people, right? So, I want to buy a variety of martial arts manuals—the more advanced, the better, but even basic ones are fine. I also need all sorts of weapons, hidden tools, and medicinal items. That way, I can hire craftsmen to replicate them. Brother Xie, could you help me with this?”

Hearing her mention a “dowry estate,” Xie Feng seemed a little uncomfortable. Most women in the martial world wouldn’t bring up such things—only noble ladies who observed strict etiquette would talk about dowries and propriety. Feeling a bit awkward, he nodded hurriedly. “There are weapon shops and apothecaries in the city. I also know an old craftsman who makes excellent weapons, but they’re quite expensive. I can take you to see him.”

“Great! Thank you so much!”

Xie Feng crossed his legs and said, “Miss, please wait a moment. I need to use my internal energy to heal myself.”

Shen Yunxuan nodded. “I’ll take a walk in the meantime. Sitting for so long has made my legs sore. I’ll be back soon.”

She exchanged glances with the two special forces soldiers. One followed her, while the other adjusted his position slightly to ensure the tiny camera on his clothing was aimed at Xie Feng, recording his healing process for future study.

However, Xie Feng simply sat still, motionless, as he healed himself. There wasn’t much to see.

Shen Yunxuan walked some distance away, where several other special forces members were waiting to escort her to where Elder Xu and the others were stationed. This was part of her strategy—Chen Dong, on the other side, seemed like a villain and even used drugs, so they were interrogating him separately. Meanwhile, Xie Feng appeared to be a good person, so Shen Yunxuan, accompanied by just two soldiers, acted like an innocent noblewoman with a kind heart to lower his guard. If anything went wrong, there were still hidden soldiers nearby, and their tranquilizer guns would be enough to subdue Xie Feng, ensuring minimal risk.

So far, the strategy was working perfectly. When she reached Elder Xu’s side, she eagerly asked, “Grandpa, how’s it going?”

Elder Xu gestured toward the cave. “Old Chen is questioning him. That old fox is pretending to be a master poisoner. He had the doctor use some mild anesthetics on Chen Dong, convincing him they were poisons. He’s already spilled quite a bit. Turns out, this Chen Dong is a real scumbag—he immediately betrayed his sect and even suggested we join him in raiding their treasury. He even said there’s a junior martial sister in his sect he could offer up as a gift. Hmph.”

Shen Yunxuan’s expression darkened. “Then don’t bother treating him. Tie him up tightly. We’ll hand him over to Xie Feng as a gift.”

Elder Xu glanced at her and nodded approvingly. He had been debating how to deal with Chen Dong, worried that his granddaughter might be too soft-hearted. But now he saw that she was clear-headed and decisive. That was good—people who were too soft or couldn’t handle pressure would suffer greatly in repeated dimensional traversals. Only those who kept their wits about them could endure the long-term challenges.

The special forces members accompanying Shen Yunxuan thought to themselves: If only you had seen how smoothly she manipulated Xie Feng, you wouldn’t have worried about her being soft-hearted.

A short while later, Elder Chen emerged from the cave, sighing with satisfaction. “It’s been years since I’ve had this much fun. I still have my edge! Finally, I have a place to put my skills to use. Xiao Shen, how did things go on your end?”

Shen Yunxuan briefly recounted what had happened. “I plan to take four people with me to town. Once Xie Feng has finished healing, we’ll go buy supplies right away. It’s still morning, so we have a few hours. By nightfall, we’ll need to find an inn to stay at. We should split up to maximize efficiency. I’ll give you all some goods to trade—get as much in return as possible. Carry whatever you can, and we’ll meet at the largest inn in the city when night falls.”

Elder Xu immediately said, “Only bringing four people is too dangerous. Their primary role is to protect you. Let’s do this—you’ll have two soldiers and two experts with you, while another eight soldiers will follow at a distance, disguised as ordinary people. They’ll be exchanging goods while secretly providing backup. They’ll stay far enough back that they won’t be noticed.”

Shen Yunxuan nodded. “Each of us will carry a small handful of pebbles and drop one in the middle of the road every so often. That way, even if they’re following from a distance, they won’t lose us.”

Everyone agreed to this plan. Then, Elder Chen shared the information they had extracted from Chen Dong.

This city was one of the four major cities, with the City Lord’s Manor being the dominant force. Nearby, there were two major martial sects and four smaller ones, along with various independent martial artists. In one month, the Martial Arts Tournament would be held here, so many martial artists had already gathered in the city, making it necessary to act cautiously.

The gathering of martial artists certainly increased the risks, but it also presented greater opportunities. Shen Yunxuan immediately changed her plan. “Exchanging goods individually is too slow, and people might not be willing to trade with us. Since a Martial Arts Tournament is approaching, and Chen Dong was willing to rob for a manual, that means others are also looking for something to help them win.

“Instead of searching for trades ourselves, we should set up in one place, posing as a mysterious faction, and spread word that we have treasures for sale. This will draw martial artists to us, bringing their own valuables to exchange. If anyone tries to cause trouble or steal from us, we can use drugs or tranquilizers to deal with them.

“Typically, when encountering a mysterious force, the strongest individuals will first observe and probe rather than act rashly. I predict we’ll only be here for a day or two before returning, and during that time, we should be relatively safe. If we do get captured, we just need to maintain our mysterious facade, endure the interrogation, and wait for our scheduled return.”

Elder Xu and Elder Chen exchanged glances. This was a bold strategy, but they had to admit—it would maximize their time, allow them to gather the most valuable items, and collect crucial intelligence.

Besides, they had firearms. While facing martial artists was somewhat nerve-wracking, it wasn’t enough to make them afraid. The special forces soldiers nearby, upon hearing the plan, were already eager to test their skills, their fighting spirit ignited.

With the plan in place, Shen Yunxuan took out a large package from her system inventory and divided its contents. Two-thirds went to Elder Xu’s group, while she kept the remaining third, repacking it to look like ordinary luggage, which the soldiers traveling with her carried.

Elder Xu’s group left first, with Chen Dong leading the way to the city’s largest inn. Using Chen Dong’s own silver, they booked the top two “Heaven-class” rooms. Chen Dong was furious but dared not speak out. Two guards flanked him, pressing a dagger against his lower back while also drugging him with something that left his body weak and paralyzed, ensuring he had no choice but to comply.

Inside, Chen Dong seethed with hatred. If he ever found a chance to escape, he would make sure to poison them all to death!

Meanwhile, Xu Wenyu sent people to buy a large number of blank notices. The history experts, being skilled in calligraphy and classical literature, wrote out many identical announcements. The messages claimed that the “Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion” had a batch of legendary weapons available for trade. Anyone who wanted an edge in the upcoming Martial Arts Tournament should bring valuable items to exchange. They explicitly stated they were only interested in martial manuals, weapons, and rare items—no gold or silver—and that all trades would be fair and worthwhile.

Next, several special forces soldiers each took dozens of these notices and spread them across the city, paying innkeepers, tavern owners, and teahouse managers to pass the word along to the martial artists staying there.

As soon as the innkeepers read the notices, they were intrigued.

“Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion? Never heard of it before. Claiming to have treasures that can guarantee victory in the Martial Arts Tournament? Hah! That’s quite a bold statement!”

Nearby martial artists overheard and came over to take a look, grabbing copies of the notice and discussing them with their companions. Word quickly spread, and the more people realized that no one had ever heard of “Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion” before, the more mysterious and intriguing it seemed.

“Where did this come from? Legendary weapons? Could this be real?”

“Let’s go check it out and see for ourselves.”

“What if it’s a trap meant to keep us from competing in the Martial Arts Tournament?”

“We’ll go in groups. If it turns out to be fake, what could they possibly do to us in an inn? But if it’s real, then whoever arrives first gets the best deals!”

“I think this is just a gimmick. Anyone using such flashy tactics and keeping things secretive is probably up to no good.”

“All the more reason to investigate. If they’re frauds, we’ll expose them and turn them over to the City Lord. We can’t let some schemers use the tournament to cause trouble.”

“Agreed. Let’s go see for ourselves!”

Elder Xu’s group designated the Heaven-class Room One as the trading site. They placed a folding screen at the entrance, with two armed special forces soldiers standing guard on either side. Inside, a large table was set up with a teapot, serving as the negotiation area. Elder Xu and Elder Chen sat behind it, waiting.

Several experts stood behind them, next to two long tables displaying their goods—bulletproof vests, collapsible batons, solar-powered lighters and flashlights, and various medicines, including potent painkillers, fever reducers, and wound dressings.

Xu Wen’an and Xu Wenyu were in charge of fetching additional supplies as needed, while Zheng Song and Liu Heng, along with four special forces soldiers, stood on both sides, weapons at the ready. Each of them wore gas masks, ensuring maximum protection.

Another four soldiers remained in the second Heaven-class room, guarding Chen Dong.

Soon, the first group of martial artists arrived. The four of them entered together but immediately tensed up when they saw the masked guards at the door.

One of them frowned suspiciously. “What’s that strange thing on your faces? And what kind of weapons are those?”

The two guards at the entrance spoke, “These are for our self-defense. If you wish to trade, please enter.”

The four martial artists exchanged glances. They could tell that these people didn’t know martial arts, yet they showed no fear while holding strange weapons, claiming they could defend themselves. This made them wary. To be cautious, they left two of their more skilled members outside and had only two go in to investigate first.

The two men stepped past the folding screen and immediately froze upon seeing that everyone inside was wearing strange masks. Six people stood on either side, holding similar weapons. They hesitated.

Elder Xu gestured toward the seats. “Please, have a seat. Let’s skip the small talk. The Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion has crafted some unique items—let’s see if you’re interested.”

Elder Chen poured them tea. “We’ll give you a demonstration now.” He then clapped his hands.

Behind him, several experts picked up tranquilizer guns. The two martial artists noticed that these looked similar to the weapons held by the guards. One expert explained, “This weapon can strike from a distance and instantly render someone unconscious for an hour. A simple antidote will wake them up immediately.”

The two men exchanged glances. “Is this a hidden weapon?”

“It can be used as one, but it also functions as a direct combat weapon. Even those who don’t practice martial arts can use it. You could shoot from here and hit someone standing at the entrance of Bai Xiang Tavern.”

Bai Xiang Tavern was quite a distance from the inn. The two men were visibly shocked. A weapon that didn’t require martial arts skill, capable of striking from such a long range, was incredibly dangerous. They could be knocked unconscious without even knowing who attacked them.

At that moment, Elder Chen added, “This weapon is only available to senior customers of the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion. We do not sell it to new customers.”

Seeing the experts preparing to put away the tranquilizer guns, the two men quickly asked, “How does one become a senior customer and purchase this weapon?”

Elder Chen replied, “Simply accumulate enough purchases of other treasures, and you will qualify as a senior customer. However, we do not accept gold or silver. We only trade for martial arts manuals, medical texts, rare books, unique medicines, weapons, and similar items that we do not yet have.”

“Forgive me, but that seems like an unusual demand,” one of the men remarked.

Elder Chen remained calm. “The master of the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion aspires to create the greatest collection of martial arts and rare items in the world. We aim to gather all unique knowledge and skills, including both common and advanced martial arts techniques, so that anyone in need can come to trade with us in the future.”

He then gestured toward the items on display. “Now, please take a look at our treasures. If you do not wish to trade, kindly leave, as others are waiting.”

At that moment, an expert revealed a bulletproof vest. Xu Wen’an thrust a blade at it, but the weapon couldn’t pierce through. Then, another guard, Zheng Song, suddenly raised his gun and fired a shot. The two martial artists instinctively reached for their swords, but to their surprise, the bullet simply fell to the ground without harming the expert.

They exchanged astonished glances. They immediately understood—this bulletproof vest was a must-have! They needed it to protect themselves from hidden attacks, especially with the Martial Arts Tournament approaching. They couldn’t afford to be taken down by a surprise attack.

Before they could speak, another expert demonstrated a solar-powered lighter, igniting a piece of paper with a simple press. Then, he picked up a solar-powered flashlight. A soldier standing by the window pulled the curtains shut, and when the flashlight was turned on, it illuminated the entire room as if it were daylight.

Other items were introduced: sleeping bags and portable tents that were warm, insect-proof, lightweight, and resistant to damp ground. There were also mosquito coils, compasses, multi-functional military knives, extra-large travel bags, sweat-wicking quick-dry clothing, insulated water bottles, and night-vision binoculars.

The expert explained, “These are essential for traveling in the martial world. They are unprecedented items. Some can be imitated, but others can only be crafted by the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion. Carrying these will make life much easier on the road. Even if you don’t need them yourself, your family and friends might.”

Next, a medical expert displayed various medications, explaining their functions. “These are either in pill form or bottled powders, easy to carry and use when injured or ill. They are highly effective.”

The two martial artists were stunned. They had never seen anything like this. While they couldn’t verify the medicines, the lighter and flashlight were undeniably miraculous. And the bulletproof vest—it was practically a golden silk armor. These were truly treasures.

They whispered to each other before hesitantly offering their beginner-level martial arts manuals in exchange.

Shen Yunxuan had already acquired one martial arts manual. The historian compared them and noted that while the contents were different, their level was about the same. He remarked, “It’s a common manual, but since the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion does not have it, we can exchange it for sleeping bags and tents.”

The two men looked dissatisfied. They couldn’t possibly trade their sect’s unique techniques. After some hesitation, one of them gritted his teeth and said, “I have a health-nurturing jade pendant. It keeps the wearer warm in winter and cool in summer. Could I trade this?”

The other man refused to be outdone. “I have three top-grade healing pills for internal injuries. I paid a fortune for an entire bottle, intending to use them during the Martial Arts Tournament. Offering three pills is already quite a significant trade.”

These two items were indeed valuable. Elder Xu nodded. “You may each receive a lighter and a flashlight.”

The two men eagerly took their items and tested them repeatedly, their faces filled with amazement. “This fire keeps going indefinitely? And this light—does it always shine so brightly?”

“It does. If it ever weakens, simply leave it in the sunlight to recharge,” the expert explained.

The two men examined their newly acquired items repeatedly, marveling in amazement. “This is incredible! How can something work just by absorbing sunlight? How is this even possible? It’s unbelievable!”

Their eyes lingered on the bulletproof vest and tranquilizer gun, their desire for them growing even stronger. However, they truly lacked valuable treasures to trade. Seeing their hesitation, Elder Chen chuckled and said, “Everything within the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion remains confidential. No one will ever know what you have traded here. If the two of you still wish to trade, you may enter a private chamber for one-on-one secret transactions.”

“The Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion will officially open to the martial world once we have gathered ten thousand unique items worthy of our name. Until then, you may be less concerned about secrecy.”

This offer made their hearts race with excitement. Their martial arts skills were decent, but they were not the core disciples of their sects, nor had they learned top-tier techniques. At that moment, they realized that even if they refused to trade, other junior disciples from their sects would eventually give in to temptation. If that happened, wouldn’t they be the ones at a disadvantage?

One of them was the first to speak, “Just recently, I obtained a… a rare treasure. I’d like to enter for a private trade.”

He deliberately phrased it this way to disguise the fact that he was actually offering martial arts techniques rather than a physical object. His companion immediately understood but, naturally, did not expose his intentions—after all, he planned to do the same.

Soon, both men entered the chamber separately, transcribing their martial arts techniques while also noting their sect affiliations. In exchange, each of them walked out with a bulletproof vest.

Outside, their two companions had been waiting anxiously. When they saw them emerge, they immediately questioned, “What took you so long? If you had stayed in there any longer, we would have barged in!”

The four of them were friends, so those who had completed the exchange demonstrated their new acquisitions. They even emphasized the tranquilizer gun’s abilities. Seeing these remarkable items, the other two quickly decided to enter for private transactions as well.

These two had higher martial prowess. In addition to their sect’s martial arts techniques, they had acquired other basic sword and fist techniques during their travels. In the end, they successfully traded for bulletproof vests, lighters, flashlights, night-vision binoculars, insulated flasks, and other outdoor gear.

By this time, a small crowd had already gathered outside. When they saw that real transactions had taken place, and that the exchanged items were indeed astonishing, a wave of commotion erupted.

“These are real treasures! What is this thing? It lights up without needing a lamp—perfect for camping outdoors!”

“This clothing is truly impervious to blades and arrows! What material is this? I’ve never seen fabric like it before!”

“So they’re trading for martial arts manuals? I’ve been roaming the martial world for over twenty years. If I have anything in abundance, it’s martial arts techniques! I’ll go give it a try.”

“There’s no way I’m giving up my sect’s martial arts manual, but I do have some unique medicinal pills I can trade.”

“I just won a fine blade in a wager, but I don’t use swords. Maybe I’ll trade it instead.”

“This Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion is like a pawnshop, except you trade valuable items for other valuable items. Not bad—I’ll trade away this medical text I seized!”

“They claimed to have divine weapons, but so far, they’ve only displayed a single type of weapon, and they’re not even exchanging it directly. It’s probably a scam. These common items aren’t worth much! Fire starters work just fine—I’m leaving.”

“That’s not true. My junior martial sister detests camping in the wilderness. If I exchange these items and give them to her, she’ll definitely be happy.”

“I’m getting a flashlight for my father. He wakes up at night often—having this by his bedside will prevent him from falling.”

Reactions varied—some scoffed at the items, thinking they were just flashy gimmicks that wouldn’t last. Others, while acknowledging that they weren’t divine weapons useful for the Martial Arts Tournament, recognized their practical value and decided they were worth trading for. Some were simply fascinated by novelty and wanted to acquire these items for themselves or as gifts.

As more people queued up, they grew familiar with the available items, reducing the need for explanations and speeding up the transactions.

At that moment, a man transcribed a martial arts technique and attempted to leave. However, the historian compared it to the manual obtained from the first trade and noticed several inconsistencies—some sentences were jumbled, and others were missing entirely. He immediately called out, “Something’s not right.”

Elder Xu’s voice turned cold. “Seize him!”

The man immediately bolted toward the exit. Hearing the commotion, the crowd outside grew restless, pushing forward to see what was happening.

At that moment, the two guards at the entrance swiftly pulled aside the folding screen and raised their weapons. Simultaneously, five more guards inside the room leveled their guns at the gathering crowd. With a swift motion, Zheng Song fired a tranquilizer shot. Just as the escaping man neared the doorway, he collapsed instantly, rendered unconscious.

In that instant, the entire crowd fell silent, their faces pale with shock.

🌸˚˖𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒✧🩷˚⋆