Longevity: Comprehending the Heart Method

Chapter 125: Chapter 119: The Lingering Melody

For the next few days, Song Changseng was completely absorbed in his cultivation. While the [Insight Skill] was easy to grasp, the [Ten Thousand Miles Tracking] technique was far from simple and consumed a great deal of his energy.

Meanwhile, during his period of seclusion, Song Luhuai had not been idle. He settled the trade of their goods with Qian Duoyu, receiving over thirty thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

The profit from this single trade route was equivalent to more than half a year’s income for the entire Song Clan. The clan’s finances would be much more comfortable for some time to come, and Song Luzhou would no longer have to spend his days sighing with worry.

One day, Song Changsheng emerged from his seclusion bright and early.

Sun Chuanming was behind the counter, appraising treasures for a client. Just as he had before, Song Changsheng found a quiet corner to sit down and activated the [Insight Skill] he had just recently mastered.

A moment later, Song Changsheng began to appreciate the miraculous nature of the skill. The last time he’d appraised items, his conclusions had always been wildly different from Sun Chuanming’s.

Today, however, while his conclusions still often didn’t quite align with Sun Chuanming’s, his accuracy had improved tremendously. In fact, there were now quite a few instances where his findings were identical to the master’s.

’This is just because I don’t have enough experience yet,’ he thought. ’If I really settle down to learn the Treasure Identification Skill and properly study those books in Sun Chuanming’s room, I’m confident it won’t be long before I can surpass him.’

This wasn’t arrogance; it was a simple fact.

Though Sun Chuanming was the master, his cultivation realm and comprehension were both inferior to Song Changsheng’s. This was especially true for the strength of their Divine Sense, where the difference between them was like night and day.

The only reason Sun Chuanming currently performed better was due to his wealth of experience.

After a short wait, during a lull with no new customers, Sun Chuanming walked over to Song Changsheng. ”How is it coming along?”

Song Changsheng cupped his hands and smiled. ”I’m still not at your level, Master, but I’m getting close!”

”With your aptitude, surpassing me is only a matter of time. But if you want to improve quickly, there is a way. I can point you to a good place for it,” Sun Chuanming said with a pleasant smile, not the least bit offended.

Hearing there was a ”shortcut” to improving, Song Changsheng’s eyes instantly lit up. ”Please, Master, tell me more.”

Sun Chuanming didn’t beat around the bush, calmly uttering two words: ”The market.”

”The market?” Although this was Song Changsheng’s first visit to Luoxia City, he had asked Song Luhuai plenty of questions about it on the way.

Luoxia City was the trade hub for the entire southwestern region of the Daqi Cultivation World, and as a renowned Cultivator City, it naturally had places for Cultivators to trade what they had for what they needed.

These places were the markets. Because Luoxia City was so large, one was established in the east and one in the west, providing spaces for the city’s many Cultivators to trade. They were known as two of the liveliest spots in the entire city.

The two markets were quite different from each other. The East Market was primarily for bulk transactions—goods brought for sale by various powers. The volume was immense and the variety vast. Only the official powers of Luoxia City or other major factions could handle such deals; it was not a place for individuals to participate.

If a group like the Wang Clan hadn’t arranged a direct deal with Qian Duoyu, for instance, their only option would have been to sell their cargo at the East Market.

The West Market was another story. It was mostly composed of shops and stalls set up by small vendors and peddlers, much like Liuyun Marketplace. Transactions here were generally small-scale, and it was a popular gathering spot for Loose Cultivators and those from out of town.

In the West Market, one simply had to pay a ”Stall Fee” to set up a booth, sell goods, and receive the city’s protection.

Consequently, the variety of goods available here was incredibly eclectic, with quality ranging from excellent to abysmal. The market was even flooded with fakes, which was precisely why people occasionally sought out Sun Chuanming for his appraisal services.

So, if that was the case, why were so many people drawn to the West Market?

The answer was simple: because you could find real treasures there. Though many vendors intentionally mixed in fakes, there were also plenty of items whose origins were a mystery even to the stall owners themselves.

Some might be worthless, but others were hidden gems—giving people the chance to find a ”steal.”

Of course, finding such a ”steal” was a feat reserved for the sharp-eyed and the lucky. Most people were just fools who got tricked into buying a pile of junk.

But no one who went to the West Market ever thought of themselves as the fool; everyone believed they were the one with the discerning eye, the ”treasure hunter.”

Because of this mentality, the fake-ridden West Market, far from declining, had actually grown more prosperous over the years, becoming arguably the most bustling place in all of Luoxia City.

Sun Chuanming had only said two words, ”the market,” but Song Changsheng understood immediately and blurted out, ”You mean I should go to the West Market?”

”Exactly. When I first came to Luoxia City, I spent a lot of time in the West Market. With this humble skill of mine, I managed to snag quite a few deals, and my Pupil Technique improved rapidly as a result.

But over time, my reputation started to spread. The vendors in the West Market began to avoid me like the plague, so eventually, I stopped going.

But you’re a newcomer with no reputation to speak of, so you should be able to wander around freely.” Sun Chuanming gave a slight nod, the corners of his mouth turning up involuntarily as he recalled those days.

Song Changsheng had to chuckle at the thought. ’A Treasure Appraiser in the West Market? Isn’t that like letting a wolf into the henhouse?’

’Especially one as exceptional as Sun Chuanming. He was guaranteed a find every time he tried. No wonder the vendors couldn’t get away from him fast enough.’

”I understand,” Song Changsheng said with a nod. It really did seem like the perfect place for him.

’Come to think of it, I’ve been in Luoxia City for a few days now,’ he mused. ’Other than that one trip to see Qian Duoyu, I’ve just been holed up in my room. I haven’t had a proper look around yet. This is the perfect chance to go out and explore.’