Chapter Four: The Deal

Is there such a thing?
There really is!

If the other party sought stronger immortal techniques or more advanced cultivation methods, Chen Xuan would naturally be at a loss.
But what she lacked was not a specific skill.

The second rule of the code: "Treat every ability with care" was essentially telling him that even seemingly insignificant abilities might hold the key to solving certain problems.

The method of trading was illustrated with diagrams in the latter half of the booklet. The process wasn’t complicated, so after one look, he had it memorized. Honestly, he was also curious whether this so-called ability trading could truly work. But by now, any doubts were meaningless—like shooting an arrow, there was no turning back.

Chen Xuan picked up the scanner with one hand and operated the mouse with the other, opening the inventory tab.

He skipped over “Exceptional Appetite” and “Exceptional Sleep” immediately—they likely didn’t meet the other party’s needs. After some thought, he finally selected “Extensive Knowledge of History” at Level 2, then pressed the scan key towards Liu Shuyue.

The software responded instantly.

A window popped up on the left side of the screen, perfectly mirroring the inventory panel!

Ability Trader: 1
Name: Liu Shuyue.

However, her window was blank. Between the two windows was a green arrow linking them, and each box had four columns.

Obviously, the trader wasn’t paying with money but with their own abilities.

“So this is... what you call ability trading?” Liu Shuyue’s expression changed drastically, as if she had seen something shocking. She reached out tentatively and murmured, “But how do I know it’s something I actually need?”

“This shop doesn’t deal in one-off sales; customer experience is paramount,” Chen Xuan said smoothly. “If you find the item doesn’t match your expectations or is of no help, you can return or exchange it free of charge within a month. As for the price... I need to see what abilities you’re willing to trade first.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than the blank box filled with new content!

“Calm Mind Technique” Level 6, white rarity.

A note below read: An introductory cultivation method, advantageous for compatibility with most talents, but also a drawback.

“How about this?” she asked.

Chen Xuan remained silent.

Liu Shuyue thought for a moment, then raised an eyebrow. Another entry appeared in the box.

“Secrets of Feng Shui” Level 1, also white rarity.

He still gave no response.

The young woman frowned.

Soon, a third ability lit up in the box.

“Alchemy” Level 2, again white rarity.

“This one should work, right?”

Chen Xuan pondered, then slightly shook his head. The performance points below the box had already risen to “4.”

“You want to trade one ability for my three, and you’re still not satisfied?” Liu Shuyue’s expression soured. “They’re all the same grade! What is your pricing based on?”

“How many bushels of rice can a sword be exchanged for?” he countered.

She hesitated before answering, “...I don’t know.”

“...” He cleared his throat. “Let’s say ten bushels. Now, when a farmer needs to protect his grain, or a swordsman is on the brink of starvation, would the trade remain fixed?”

“The former might trade twenty or thirty bushels for a precious sword, since he has a hundred bushels stored at home; the latter might exchange even a single bushel, because otherwise he would starve.”

“When you desperately need something, naturally its price rises.”

Liu Shuyue’s eyes turned colder. “What you’re describing is taking advantage of someone’s misfortune.”

“I’m not forcing you to trade,” Chen Xuan sighed. “There’s even a trial period—I told you, returns within a month at full price. Someone looking to exploit others wouldn’t let you use the ability for 29 days without charging a fee. Besides, the abilities you’re willing to trade... are they really that precious? Especially for sect disciples.”

Her momentum faltered.

Chen Xuan immediately knew his guess was correct: even an ordinary person like him had four abilities to trade, so she likely had even more.

Moreover, a one-to-one exchange might seem fair on the surface, but after some thought, it clearly meant a loss for the shopkeeper, since inventory wouldn’t increase.

The number of abilities in stock determined the success rate of future trades. The more he had, the more bargaining chips he could offer.

After a moment of hesitation, Liu Shuyue made up her mind. “I’ll add one last ability. If it still doesn’t work out, then forget it!”

With that, the fourth column lit up.

“Sword Spirit Technique” Level 5, white rarity.

Chen Xuan hovered the mouse over it: Sword energy adheres to external objects; even plucking flowers or leaves can injure an opponent. It looks strong but is essentially a common-grade ability.

All four columns on her side were now filled, and the performance points rose to “5.”

This indicated that the shopkeeper’s score favored the volume of trade turnover, including what he sold. If both sides’ boxes were filled, a single trade could earn 8 performance points.

However, his inventory was too small for that now.

Even if he wanted her to increase the offer, there was no more room in the trade window.

“This is truly a favorable price,” Chen Xuan finally nodded. “If you have no objections, then let’s conclude the deal.”

“...What a pity.”

“What’s the pity?”

“I thought this place would be elegantly decorated, with incredible items for sale. You must be from the immortal sect too, not a petty merchant obsessed with every penny,” Liu Shuyue said regretfully. “I accepted your four-for-one offer, but that doesn’t mean others would. Next time, if you meet a rogue cultivator or an evil practitioner, pressing too hard might backfire.”

If other cultivators heard her equate herself with a merchant, they might fly into a rage on the spot.

But he wasn’t a cultivator.

He just wanted to expand his inventory and boost his performance. Was that wrong?

“Thank you for the advice,” Chen Xuan smiled and nodded. “Are you done speaking?”

“You—” The young woman was at a loss for words. She glared fiercely. “Fine, deal!”

The moment Chen Xuan pressed the agree button, he felt as if something had been drained from his body. Four new items instantly appeared in his inventory.

So this was what losing “Extensive Knowledge of History” felt like...

He tried to recall the historical stories, but his mind was a blank.

In contrast, Liu Shuyue’s eyes rolled upward, her eyelids twitching as if having a hysterical episode. Fortunately, it lasted only a second or two before she quickly regained composure.

“How do you feel?” Chen Xuan was also curious about the customer’s experience.

“I... I suddenly feel like my head is filled with a lot more knowledge...” She held her forehead and murmured, “So this is... how it works...”

“How does it work?”

“No, it’s nothing. Now that the deal is done, I’ll take my leave.” Liu Shuyue seemed eager to leave. She staggered out of the shop, not giving Chen Xuan a chance to ask further.

A few seconds after she left, the familiar scenery of the neighborhood returned.

Chen Xuan came to the door, peered outside to confirm she was gone, then took a deep breath.

So the first business deal was done just like that?

Everything that had happened was real. The shopkeeper’s code wasn’t some fantasy but a genuine professional guide!

The small bloodstains on the floor still reminded him that a visitor from another world had indeed come and bought one of his abilities.

What he needed to do now was not verify the trade’s results, but quickly clean up the bloodstains. Otherwise, if the police showed up, he would never be able to explain himself.