Chapter 377 - 342: Selling Loot in Beicang, a Bountiful Haul
SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!
Within the courtyard, Chen Ping’an’s figure flickered as his saber technique changed. Even though he was deliberately restraining himself, the shifts in his Saber Momentum revealed the extraordinary nature of this skill.
The angles of the technique were devious, its momentum was uncanny, and the transitions between moves were often completely unexpected!
Furthermore, as the Saber Momentum shifted, he could channel his power in a unique way to make his strikes overlap, stacking their might to achieve astonishing results at critical moments.
+1!
+1!
...
As Chen Ping’an continued to practice, streams of Cultivation Experience flashed before his eyes. He had been cultivating for a long time and was already quite familiar with this process.
After executing the Broken Soul Saber Technique more than a dozen times in a row, Chen Ping’an finally concluded his morning Cultivation.
He had now reached the Entry Level with his Broken Soul Saber Technique, but he was still a long way from his goal. Experts from all corners of the world were converging on Beicang Town, and the auction was about to begin.
With his current strength, self-preservation was not an issue, but he was still a far cry from being able to dominate the competition. No crisis had presented itself yet, but Chen Ping’an knew it would be too late to start training once danger was at his doorstep. Even now, an invisible string of tension was pulled taut within him, compelling him to constantly advance his Cultivation.
Of course, Chen Ping’an also took great pleasure in the process of making these gains.
Name: Chen Ping’an
Realm: Profound Light - Mystic Light Penetrating Object
Martial Arts: Great Success in Three-Thirds Human Tribulation Finger (507/1600), Broken Soul Saber Technique (Entry Level) (24/240), Vajra Unbreakable Divine Skill (Perfection), Great Vajra Palm (Perfection)...
...
’24 points of Cultivation Experience!’
After returning from Qingya Tower last night, Chen Ping’an had practiced the Broken Soul Saber Technique for a while. Combined with his session this morning, he had accumulated 24 points of Cultivation Experience.
As Chen Ping’an grew more and more proficient with the Broken Soul Saber Technique, he fell into a comfortable routine. He would practice for a period in the morning, at noon, and in the evening, with each session netting him around 10 to 12 points of Cultivation Experience.
’At this rate,’ he calculated, ’it’ll probably take another six days to bring the Broken Soul Saber Technique to the Minor Success Realm!’
’Judging by its effectiveness at the Entry Level, reaching Minor Success with this technique should give my combat strength another significant boost!’
’By then, my combat power will be much higher than when I killed Cao Yingxiong! My overall strength might not match a true Grandmaster, but it won’t be far off. I’ll be able to tie one down in a direct confrontation for a long time. If I fully activate my Vajra Unbreakable Divine Skill, I might even be able to clash with a Grandmaster head-on!’
’Just six more days!’ Chen Ping’an thought in anticipation.
He had already spent one night in Beicang Town, which meant there were only three days left until the Beicang Auction officially began.
Chen Ping’an sheathed his saber and took stock of the items inside his Hundred Treasures Pouch.
’The time is about right.’
Today, he planned to go out and sell off his loot.
He had gleaned a fair bit of information from the idle chatter he’d overheard last night, such as the names of a few well-known Treasure Pavilions in town. The details were sparse, but it was enough to get started.
He had quite a few Treasure Artifacts and fine blades in his possession, which would fetch a considerable sum if sold. With the auction imminent, he needed to convert them into Yuan Crystals to fund his bids.
Walking into his room, Chen Ping’an took the Transparent Mask out of his Hundred Treasures Pouch and placed it over his face. As he channeled his True Qi, an unfamiliar face materialized—it was plain and unremarkable, with no memorable features.
Body and Bone Extraction!
With a series of loud CRACKS from his bones and sinews, Chen Ping’an’s body transformed, and he grew taller by half a head. His frame also became much thicker, giving him a solid, stocky appearance. It was nothing like the brawny, powerful physique he’d had when he killed Cao Yingxiong, however.
’Time to go!’
The Profound Light at the center of Chen Ping’an’s brow flickered as he did his utmost to conceal his presence, slipping silently out of Qingyou Garden. Given his current Martial Arts Realm and the aid of his Golden Finger, if he intentionally hid himself, even a Grandmaster would likely fail to notice him if they weren’t on high alert.
Of course, that only applied if he had the element of surprise. If a Grandmaster was already vigilant and searching carefully, Chen Ping’an wouldn’t be able to hide his tracks.
Chen Ping’an had chosen to act during the day rather than at night for a particularly counterintuitive reason.
Most people would assume that the cover of a dark, moonless night would be more convenient for such activities.
In reality, however, in a place like Beicang Town at this particular time, moving during the day was actually far more convenient and suitable.
There were several reasons for this. First, trouble was more likely to brew under the cover of darkness. Thieves knew this, but the Beicang Garrison knew it even better. At night, patrols within Beicang Town were much stricter, and the guards were far more sensitive to the slightest anomaly, paying closer attention to every detail.
Second, compared to the dead of night, the daytime streets were filled with people. The cover of a crowd actually allowed for more freedom of action. For instance, when selling his loot, his transaction would be one among thousands, making it much less conspicuous.
Third, his current disguise had another purpose. By appearing and leaving a trail during the day, any subsequent investigation would show that this persona had a traceable history and hadn’t just appeared out of thin air. This would make it easier to completely separate his true identity from these activities.
Of course, this was all just Chen Ping’an’s theory. Its success would depend on his subtle execution and his ability to react to unforeseen circumstances.
...
Beicang Town covered a vast area. Though not as large as Weishui County City, its streets still formed a sprawling network. As a major hub for trade between the Two States and a resupply point for merchant caravans, the town naturally boasted a great number of Treasure Pavilion Workshops.