I Am A Corpse Collector In The World Of Cultivating Immortals

Chapter 9: Trading in the Market

In the market district.

Chen Shen walked through the streets and alleys, his hands in his pockets.

He wasn't in a hurry to buy the materials he needed. Instead, he compared prices and quality among different shops and stalls.

Compared to the neatly organized stores, many disciples selling goods on the street offered prices that were 20-30% cheaper.

However, the items on the stalls were generally of lower quality, with many fakes and defective products mixed in. It required a discerning eye.

Chen Shen visited a highly popular stall that had many customers. They were selling Qi Gathering Pills at a much cheaper price compared to the reputable Dan Hall and Dan Treasure Pavilion.

There was also a sign hanging that said: "New customers can try one for free, whether to buy or not is up to you."

He immediately asked for one to try.

"How is it? Isn't it just as good as the pills from the Dan Treasure Pavilion? The taste is good, right?" The stall owner eagerly asked the new customer.

Chen Shen, wearing a mask, couldn't show any expression. He simply nodded slightly, but before the stall owner could say anything else, he quickly turned and left.

"Hmph, finding it too expensive? These pills not only taste good but also assist in cultivation. There's only one place that sells them, and yet you have the audacity to take one for free and leave without buying anything. Don't even know how to show some support?"

"That's right."

Seeing this scene, several regular customers in line next to them rolled their eyes and defended the stall owner.

They had all tried the pills before and couldn't stop taking them. They had even broken through a realm after taking them for over a year.

The Qi Gathering Pills were sold at a high price, even though the stall owner sold them cheaply, they still cost six spirit stones each.

But obviously, Chen Shen's behavior made them uncomfortable.

"Ah, forget it. There are always some stingy people who like to take advantage." The stall owner sighed.

As Chen Shen walked away, he quickly spat out the pill in his mouth.

Unlike those low-level cultivators, he had the experience package of a quasi-grandmaster alchemist. They couldn't tell, but he knew.

Although the Qi Gathering Pill was effective, it contained something that made people feel intoxicated and unable to stop after taking it.

It seemed like a marketing strategy for free trials, but it was actually a trap.

"There's only one stall selling Qi Gathering Pills. They must have a monopoly or have driven others out of business. But this pill is harmful. Should I refine some genuine Qi Gathering Pills and ruin that stall owner?"

Chen Shen thought for a moment, then shook his head.

"I'm definitely not the first person to discover this problem with the pill. The other party must have some background. Let's forget about it." He dismissed the idea of selling Qi Gathering Pills at a stall.

Low-level cultivators didn't just like cheap things, they were forced into this situation. Who wouldn't want to buy the best and most expensive if they had the money?

Next, Chen Shen continued to browse around, shaking his head, and decided to buy from a store instead.

"What? Three thousand?"

In a shop, Chen Shen widened his eyes as he looked at the shopkeeper in front of him.

His expression changed again and again. He had intended to buy a pill furnace to make money through alchemy, but a regular quality pill furnace cost three thousand low-grade spirit stones.

"Fine." Chen Shen sighed and left.

Afterward, he didn't rush to buy anything else.

He walked through the bustling market and arrived at a less crowded street.

He turned a corner and entered an alley.

The place was crowded with disciples wearing white robes.

At the front, a few burly men were arguing with an extraordinary-looking cultivator.

"We agreed on six hundred spirit stones before, so why is it now seven hundred? What happened?"

"Yeah, I spent nearly a year gathering six hundred spirit stones, and I don't have any extras."

Facing several angry men, the cultivator remained calm and firm, shaking his head.

"We did agree, but you didn't bring enough people. The initial agreement was for you to gather twenty people and bring your own materials, with a price set at six hundred spirit stones. But now there are only seventeen people, so naturally the price has to increase."

Chen Shen stood at the back of the group, silently observing.

Who said only market aunties know how to bargain? Cultivators are also skilled at bargaining, and they even offer group discounts.

"But seven hundred spirit stones seems too expensive. We already have seventeen people, and it's not easy for us outer disciples to gather so many spirit stones. Brother, can you lower it to six hundred and thirty?"

One outer disciple spoke politely, nodding and bowing.

The disciple from Zhen Dao Peak did not waver, sticking to his position. "The price is already the lowest. Either gather twenty people or pay seven hundred."

"Seven hundred is still too expensive, especially considering that the time limit for the Spirit Gathering Formation is only three years," one man said with a worried expression.

"If you think the time is too short, you can go find my senior brothers. They set up formations with a maximum time limit of five years." The disciple from Zhen Dao Peak stared straight at the man, speaking in a deep voice.

The man became nervous under his gaze and whispered, "That's even more expensive."

The Spirit Gathering Formation set up for five years is the most perfect small-scale formation, with prices starting at one thousand spirit stones and materials worth one hundred spirit stones to be provided by the customer. For cultivators like them at the lower levels, it was already an exorbitant price.

Among the outer disciples, only those at the sixth level or higher had the ability to set up such formations. Those at the fourth or fifth level like them didn't have the resources or ability.

The spirit stones they had on them were accumulated over one or two years, or even many years.

"What's the point of cultivating if you don't have money?" The disciple from Zhen Dao Peak glanced at the man, sneering.

"Alright, that's enough. Come back when you have gathered twenty people." He didn't hesitate at all and prepared to leave.

These people would come back to him. After all, there weren't many deals as favorable and sincere as his.

"Brother, Longge, can you please reconsider and make this deal with us?" One disciple couldn't accept it and pleaded while holding onto his leg.

"Get lost!" The latter kicked the outer disciple away, patted his boots, and walked away coldly.

The other outer disciples remained silent and didn't dare to stop him.

Their identities were clear, and they were not to be provoked.

A group of outer disciples felt helpless and dispersed with disappointment.

"Brother." Chen Shen approached a lone disciple and tugged at his sleeve.

"What?" The disciple wasn't too happy and asked impatiently.

"Come here." Chen Shen beckoned him with a finger, retreating to a corner.

Zhang San furrowed his brows but couldn't discern the other's cultivation level. Although he was displeased, he still walked over.

"Four hundred spirit stones!" Chen Shen held up four fingers.

"Are you trying to extort me?" Zhang San's face changed drastically. He had come today to trade for the Spirit Gathering Formation and indeed had a large number of spirit stones on him.

He quickly looked around and realized that the other disciples had already walked far away. His body turned cold, and his face turned pale.

". Chen Shen.

"Not." He quickly explained, "I want to make a deal with you."

Then, Chen Shen and Zhang San agreed on the price for setting up the Spirit Gathering Formation.

Materials to be provided by the customer, price of four hundred spirit stones, and a duration of two years.

"How can I trust that you will set up a two-year Spirit Gathering Formation?" On the way, Zhang San held back for a long time before finally asking.

"The effectiveness of the Spirit Gathering Formation improves with the duration. You can find someone knowledgeable to test my formation if you want." Chen Shen chuckled.

(End of this chapter)