Btth: The Rise of Qingshan

The person in black robes remained silent, taking a seat in a nearby chair. Shortly after the middle-aged man left, a beautiful maid arrived to serve tea.

The person in black robes was aloof, so the maid obediently stood a little further away, attending to them quietly. Before long, the middle-aged appraiser returned, leading an elderly man with white hair and a vibrant demeanor into the room.

Elder Zheng nodded to the person in black robes before carefully examining the golden crown. After a moment, he put down the tools in his hand and said,

"Sir, this item doesn't seem to be an haritage, but rather something you acquired recently, am I right?"

The voice of the person in black robes was devoid of emotion. "Does the Miteer Auction House require people to disclose the origins of their items?"

"No, no, no, sir, you misunderstand. It was just a small guess on my part."

Elder Zheng smiled and said, "Judging from the style and shape of this golden crown, it appears to be a noble's coronet from the ancient times in the region that is now the Mulan Empire. It's quite a valuable antique.

Many large clans in the Mulan Empire favor such historical artifacts to enhance their prestige. Over there, it would fetch at least 200,000 gold coins.

However, in our Jia Ma Empire, the value of this item might be considerably lower. Only a few special clans would spend a large sum to acquire it.

Our Black Rock City auction house will be holding an auction in three days. If you entrust us with this golden crown, I dare not guarantee a high price, but it should fetch at least 150,000 gold coins."

After a moment of silence, the person in black robes spoke again in a hoarse voice, "I've heard that the Miteer family also buys items!"

Elder Zheng was somewhat surprised. "Sir, do you intend to sell it to us? However, the price for direct purchase is not as high as the auction price, at most around 120,000 gold coins."

The person in black robes spoke once more, "What I need is not gold coins, but other things. Could you ask the person in charge of your auction house in Black Rock City to come here?"

Elder Zheng's expression turned serious. He gave a signal to the middle-aged man standing nearby, who immediately ran out to find someone. Elder Zheng then began to exchange pleasantries with the person in black robes.

After a brief exchange, a well-dressed middle-aged man entered the appraisal room. "Miteer Green, at your service, sir! May I know what you wish to exchange for the golden crown?"

"Cultivation techniques. I need cultivation techniques, at least high-level Xuan-rank wood-attribute cultivation techniques, preferably with accompanying Dou Qi Skill!"

As the person in black robes spoke, they flicked their sleeve, and three more treasures appeared on the table, shimmering under the bright lights.

"These are the deposit. If the Miteer family can satisfy me, I can provide at least ten more treasures of this caliber for exchange."

Miteer Green's eyes lit up as he looked at the four treasures on the table. Elder Zheng examined them one by one and whispered to him.

Miteer Green's expression became even more fervent, but then his eyes dimmed again.

Miteer Green smiled wryly and said, "Sir, it's not that I'm unwilling to do business, but I'm afraid I can't make the decision.

You may not be aware of the situation in the Jia Ma Empire. The Jia Ma Empire reveres wind-attribute cultivation. The only high-level Xuan-rank cultivation techniques available on the market are wind-attribute. As for other attributes, the strongest are mid-level Xuan-rank..."

Miteer Green went on to explain a secret of the empire. On the Dou Qi Continent, what determines a person's cultivation ceiling is not talent or anything else, but their cultivation technique.

Cultivation techniques on the Dou Qi Continent are divided into four ranks: Tian, Di, Xuan, and Huang.

The most common techniques available to the common people and those of ordinary backgrounds are high-level Huang-rank cultivation techniques and Dou Qi skill.

Techniques above the Xuan-rank are monopolized by various sects and clans. The difference between the Huang-rank and Xuan-rank is at least a tenfold gap in cultivation speed and a several-fold difference in quality.

This is why Dou Zhe from common backgrounds are easily defeated by Dou Zhe from powerful clans. They are simply at a disadvantage in every aspect.

In theory, it's nearly impossible for an ordinary person to obtain high-level cultivation techniques. Of course, nothing is absolute. The Dou Qi Continent is vast, with countless races and many unknown recluses.

These recluses, before their lives come to an end, might hide the techniques they created in their lifetime, waiting for a destined person to find them.

There's a saying on the Dou Qi Continent: If one day you fall off a cliff and into a cave, don't panic. Take two steps forward, and perhaps you will become a powerhouse.

This saying is not without merit. There are many stories in the continent's history of people becoming powerhouses through fortuitous encounters.

Yan Qingshan's high-level cultivation techniques and Dou Qi skill also came from this source. However, these are just exceptions.

The more reliable ways to obtain such techniques are through auctions and black markets.

Yan Qingshan hadn't even considered Tian and Di-rank techniques. Xiao Yan was able to consecutively kill Dou Zong in this region using high-level Di-rank Dou Qi skill, which indicates that there are likely no techniques higher than high-level Di-rank in the nearby empires or the Black-Corner Region.

Yan Qingshan had originally planned to exchange his money for cultivation techniques and Dou Qi skill, as the techniques he had acquired from the Lion Heart King Arts were still somewhat limited and could be easily countered.

However, from Miteer Green, he learned that the Jia Ma Empire's high-level officials had long reached a consensus to monopolize and seal off high-level techniques, ensuring their respective ruling positions.

The Jia Ma royal family revered earth-attribute cultivation, the Mu clan revered wood-attribute, the Alchemist Association possessed the strongest fire-attribute techniques, the Misty Cloud Sect had unparalleled wind-attribute techniques, and the Miteer family was known for its ice-attribute techniques.

Among these major forces, the Misty Cloud Sect was founded by a Dou Venerate and possessed more than one Di-class wind-attribute cultivation technique and Dou Qi skill.

They were not afraid of challenges and had the lightest monopoly on wind-attribute techniques, allowing even high-level Xuan-rank wind-attribute techniques to circulate freely.

While the Misty Cloud Sect allowed the circulation of high-level Xuan-rank wind-attribute techniques, the other major forces lacked such confidence and subconsciously joined forces to ensure their respective monopolies on certain attributes, giving geniuses of those attributes only one option for advancement: joining their forces.

"Sir, to tell you the truth, the strongest wood-attribute cultivation technique in the Jia Ma Empire is high-level Xuan-rank. The few wood-attribute Xuan-rank Dou Qi skill that have emerged in recent years have all been acquired by the Mu clan."

Miteer Green continued, "The Miteer family has indeed handled high-level Xuan-rank wood-attribute techniques, but we have an agreement with the Mu clan that our family members can cultivate them, but they cannot be circulated freely.

While your treasures are valuable, they are not enough to make the Miteer family take such a risk... If you can lower your requirements, I can use my authority to transfer a mid-level Xuan-rank cultivation technique from the capital. The accompanying Dou Qi skill can reach high-level Xuan-rank."

Generally speaking, accompanying cultivation techniques and Dou Qi skill are of the same rank, but there are some cases where the accompanying Dou Qi skill is one rank higher than the cultivation technique.

This is not uncommon, as Dou Qi skill are easier to create than cultivation techniques, and the evaluation of their power is also flexible.

"No need!"

The person in black robes suddenly shook their head. Miteer Green was somewhat disappointed, but then he heard the person speak again,

"You just said that the cultivation technique is monopolized, right?

I've changed my mind. The deposit remains the same. The Miteer family will help me find an Di-rank wood-attribute Dou Qi skill. That shouldn't be too difficult, right?"

"This...is possible!"

Miteer Green considered for a moment and said, "But to be honest, Di-rank Dou Qi skill are precious everywhere. Even with the Miteer family's power, finding a suitable Di-rank Dou Qi skill will take time."

Miteer Green was actually very excited. Di-rank Dou Qi skill, in terms of actual value, are not as good as cultivation techniques, but in terms of price, they are much higher than high-level Xuan-rank cultivation techniques.

Taking the low-level Di-rank movement technique, Three Thousand Lightning Movement, auctioned in the Black-Corner Region as an example, it fetched a sky-high price of ten million gold coins at that time.

Of course, Di-rank movement techniques are much more valuable than ordinary Dou Techniques. The Di-rank Dou Technique that the person in black needed was naturally just an ordinary Di-rank wood-attribute combat Dou Technique, but even so, this transaction would definitely not be less than a million gold coins.

After considering for a moment, the person in black robes raised a finger and said, "One year! Leave me a token, and I'll contact the Miteer family again in a year. I trust you won't risk your reputation, right?"

"The Miteer Auction House trades throughout the country, and we value our reputation above all else!"

Miteer Green stepped forward and bowed, leaving behind a jade token. "This is my identity token, representing the entire Miteer Auction House in Black Rock City."

"I also need a fourth-rank ice-attribute monster Core!"

The person in black robes spoke again, this time taking out a pile of gold coins.

'I'll send someone to fetch it immediately!"

Miteer Green nodded hurriedly. The Miteer family revered ice-attribute cultivation, so they were always collecting ice-attribute materials and rarely traded them away. However, after the previous exchange, this transaction went smoothly.

…

"As expected, high-level cultivation techniques are sealed off and monopolized. The Mu clan, huh…"

On the streets of Black Rock City, Yan Qingshan, who had obtained the fourth-rank ice-attribute monster Core, wasn't particularly happy.

He was somewhat disappointed at not being able to obtain a more suitable high-level wood-attribute cultivation technique.

His cultivation of the Lion Heart King technique had reached a considerable level. After undergoing the Lion Heart baptism, his current Dou Qi cultivation speed was not much inferior to cultivating a high-level Xuan-rank wood-attribute technique.

However, the attributes didn't perfectly align, and there were still some issues during circulation.

Of course, he wasn't in a great hurry to change his cultivation technique. He was just trying to see what he could find, and this was the less-than-ideal result.

However, he had been mentally prepared for this and wasn't too disappointed. With the empire's high-level officials colluding to monopolize, the highest level of cultivation techniques circulating in the market were Xuan-rank.

However, Dou Techniques and secret techniques were more readily available.

Cultivation techniques could be learned by anyone who wasn't dull-witted, though the effects varied from person to person.

However, as long as you cultivated high-level techniques, your achievements wouldn't be too low.

Dou Techniques, on the other hand, truly depended on talent. Even if a lucky person obtained a high-level Dou Technique, they might not be able to master it.

Therefore, even commoners had a chance to obtain high-level Dou Techniques through various channels.

Currently, his main combat method was the Mad Lion's Roar Dou Technique, which was too limited. He needed stronger trump cards.

Although Di-rank Dou Techniques were difficult to cultivate, he had the Dawn ability, and mastering one would give him another trump card.