Chapter 9: Treasure That Blocks Divination and Deduction
Xu Yongsheng quietly walked around, looking for things that interested him.
Ahead, someone's voice suddenly rose a little:
"These two swords, one has better inscription enchantment but the material is a bit lacking, the other has excellent material but is a blank slate. Can't their advantages be combined?"
The person opposite him replied unhurriedly: "Of course they can, but the price would be much higher."
The person who spoke earlier seemed to be a young man, and his emotions fluctuated greatly. He immediately became a little disheartened: "I don't have that much money right now..."
He looked at the two swords opposite him and said helplessly: "It seems I can only choose one of these two here."
Despite saying that, he quickly became conflicted again: "If only the material of this sword was just a little bit better, I wouldn't hesitate for a second to choose it directly, but..."
But having to choose it under these circumstances felt as uncomfortable as finding a fly in your food... Xu Yongsheng mentally completed the second half of the sentence for him.
He wasn't surprised by the young man who was suffering from decision paralysis.
Differentiation, he had seen many people on Blue Star similarly troubled when buying mobile phones and other products.
As he passed by the other person, Xu Yongsheng's gaze suddenly flashed.
His steps didn't pause, but his sight swept past the sword seller.
On a black cloth, besides a few precious swords, there were other items.
What caught Xu Yongsheng's attention was a golden ring.
He suddenly remembered Ma Yang and Ouyang Shu mentioning in their previous conversation that Tan Jian had used a spiritual item, a golden ring, to try and isolate divination and deduction, but it was lost before Tan Jian was apprehended.
This golden ring might not be that golden ring, but the recent events still made Xu Yongsheng pay more attention at this moment.
He walked around the venue, first looking elsewhere, then returned.
The young man ultimately didn't choose either of the two swords, only saying he would go back and try to raise more funds to acquire a higher-grade treasured sword.
After the other person left, Xu Yongsheng stepped forward and roughly looked at the items on the black cloth.
Earlier, thinking that this golden ring might not be that golden ring, he had only intended to casually test it. He secretly used a trace of Confucian Grand Qi, activated from the "Wisdom" Tortoise Shell within his glabella's Heavenly Pavilion, to touch the golden ring, and the result surprised him.
His Confucian Grand Qi circulated as usual, so it was no wonder others didn't notice anything unusual about this golden ring. But anything related to "Wisdom" seemed to vanish into thin air, like a mud ox entering the sea, without eliciting any reaction from the golden ring.
This... Xu Yongsheng was speechless at the sight.
The ability of Confucian divination and deduction rests upon the Wisdom of the five constant virtues. Although other cultivation paths differ, the basis of their divination and deduction generally corresponds to Confucian Wisdom.
Looking at the golden ring's reaction now, could it truly be the one Tan Jian had?
Xu Yongsheng calmly put down the golden ring and looked at other spiritual items, but his heart became wary.
He first secretly observed his surroundings, then chatted with the other person for a few sentences, but there was nothing unusual.
After a slight deliberation, Xu Yongsheng negotiated the price normally with the other person and bought three spiritual items, including the golden ring, together.
Afterward, as he was preparing to head home, he suddenly heard someone else speak from another direction, their voice slightly raised:
"It is indeed a zitong jue (purple bronze jue). Those who understand its value naturally understand, no need for me to say more."
The person's voice was a bit muffled by the mask: "However, I can't make any guarantees right now. I can only say I'll try my best. Friends who are interested, let's talk again tomorrow night."
Xu Yongsheng listened, lost in thought.
The zitong jue (purple bronze jue) could help a Ninth-Rank Confucian Martial Artist accumulate the five constant virtues of propriety more quickly.
The item was naturally good, but he wondered what price it would fetch?
After buying the golden ring today, Xu Yongsheng's wallet, which had just become a little more robust thanks to Ma Yang and Ouyang Shu, quickly dried up again.
He shook his head slightly, leaving silently, considering whether to check the situation tomorrow.
Before midnight, Xu Yongsheng returned to his residence in Yongning Ward.
Although all signs indicated that only he could see the illusory book and the diting, Xu Yongsheng still made it a habit to return home before midnight when conditions allowed.
The illusory diting, as usual, jumped off the diagram, passed through the wall, and disappeared.
This time, it returned a little later, almost at dawn.
However, the news the diting brought back this time made Xu Yongsheng frown repeatedly:
The Golden Guard and Demon Suppression Guard have formulated a plan to raid Xiangde Temple in Chongben Ward on the evening of the twenty-ninth of June, in the eighth year of Shengjing.
When Xu Yongsheng saw this news, he didn't care to celebrate his earlier visit to the night market or regret the cancellation of the upcoming night market, which meant the zitong jue (purple bronze jue) was completely out of reach.
He stared at the message on the diting diagram for a moment, and the thought that came to his mind was:
Could the fellow who advertised his zitong jue (purple bronze jue) last night be someone from the Golden Guard or Demon Suppression Guard, mixing in to spread false information and fish?
The Chongben Ward night market has more than just Xiangde Temple. Why was Xiangde Temple singled out?
In any case, Xu Yongsheng naturally gave up the idea of going to Chongben Ward again tonight.
He paid more attention to the golden ring he had already bought, checking if there were any other mechanisms within it.
On the evening of June 29th, Xu Yongsheng stayed home peacefully.
By the daytime of June 30th, news indeed came from Chongben Ward that Xiangde Temple had been raided overnight.
Later, from Ma Yang and Ouyang Shu, Xu Yongsheng confirmed his suspicions.
It was still the aftermath of the Yang Manor case.
Tan Jian had visited Chongben Ward and Xiangde Temple many times, which is why the Golden Guard and Demon Suppression Guard took such drastic action this time.
The night market had extensive hidden connections, so to maintain secrecy, the scope of participants and informed individuals was controlled.
Ma Yang and Ouyang Shu had other assignments recently, and the Demon Suppression Guard used another team, so they only learned of it today.
"If I had received wind earlier, I would have definitely reminded you," Ma Yang sighed. "You've been there before, right? Anyway, it's good you missed yesterday, otherwise, even if nothing happened, you would have been detained for a few days."
Xu Yongsheng: "I'm also relieved."
Ouyang Shu said: "It must be said, the fish caught this time weren't very high in Realm, but they all held some significant status. There was even a Han family disciple, a genuine Dongdu Academy student."
Xu Yongsheng: "The Han family?"
The Han family was one of the few prominent clans in the entire Great Qian Dynasty, but they did not originate from Heluo Eastern Capital and now mostly developed in Guanzhong Imperial Capital.
For a Han family disciple not to study at Imperial Capital's Western Academy but instead come to Dongdu Academy was already unusual.
Being caught by the Golden Guard and Demon Suppression Guard this time would become even bigger news.
However, Xu Yongsheng was still more concerned about his own affairs.
The golden ring showed no abnormalities and caused him no adverse effects.
From the current situation, Tan Jian's Qi Deviation was not caused by the golden ring; this spiritual item simply helped him conceal and weaken external divination and deduction abilities.
After observing for a period, Xu Yongsheng took the golden ring and went to his shop in the South Market.
PS1: Thanks to Pei Tu Gou for the Alliance Leader reward! Gou Shen is mighty and domineering!
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