Chapter 935: Broadly Spread Throughout the World

The world held only one person who could receive a substantial amount of spiritual currency from Jiyuan: Wei Wuwei. Jiyuan himself usually carried at most a few hundred pieces, but the amount in Wei Wuwei's possession far exceeded that number.

Given Jiyuan's understanding of Wei Wuwei, he knew the man had excellent judgment. So, when he handed over the spiritual currency, he had already instructed him to use it as he saw fit, without being overly restricted by the primary purpose.

Therefore, if calculated according to the value estimates of the Lingbao Pavilion, Wei Wuwei was not only as rich as a nation in the mortal world but also undoubtedly a true magnate in the cultivation world.

With the arrival of a large caravan of *Huangquan* books at Yuzhao Peak, the Dazhen caravan had largely completed its mission. Wei Wuwei had already made arrangements for the remaining tasks, which merely required the cooperation of Dazhen officials and immortal masters.

Within half an hour of the caravan's arrival, copies of the books began to be displayed one by one in a general store on Yuzhao Peak, a shop that seemed unrelated to the treasure pavilion managed by Wei Wuwei.

Though called a general store, it was located in an immortal port, so its wares were naturally not those found in a common mortal shop. It could be considered a low-tier treasure shop, selling materials for crafting talismans, simple spiritual water, artifacts, and even some basic spell techniques.

As this general store, marked with a "Wei" signboard, began displaying the books, it quickly attracted the attention of passersby.

"Oh! *Huangquan*?"

A cultivator dressed like a scholar, wearing a scholar's cap, passed by and coincidentally saw books being placed on the outer shelves. He gasped in surprise and quickly approached the storefront.

"One, two, three… Are all six volumes here? Shopkeeper, how much is the book *Huangquan*?"

The shop assistant, though a mortal, was a member of the Wei family. Under Wei Wuwei's influence over the years, the Wei family had become a semi-cultivating lineage, well-versed in the world. So, even knowing the customer was an immortal cultivator, he remained neither humble nor arrogant, maintaining polite cordiality as he asked.

"Does the esteemed customer know *Huangquan*? How many volumes would you like? Feel free to browse first; I still need to finish arranging these books."

Since the shopkeeper had said so, the cultivator didn't hesitate. He picked up the first volume of *Huangquan* from the shelf and flipped through a few pages, immediately finding Wang Li's preface.

"Excellent, excellent, it truly is *Huangquan*! Of course, I must buy all six volumes. I have a friend, a great Confucian scholar in Chiqiu Kingdom, who acquired the first and third volumes of *Huangquan* at great expense and cherishes them as treasures. When I visited him, I read them and was instantly captivated, but I couldn't find them for sale anywhere. Occasionally, I'd find someone who owned a copy, but they would never part with it. So, I took a ferry airship and traveled thousands of miles to Dazhen!"

As he spoke, the cultivator tucked the first volume under his arm, then pulled out the second volume. After flipping through a few pages, a joyful smile spread across his face.

"It connects, it connects! It truly builds upon the previous volume! By the way, shopkeeper, how much are all six volumes together? Can I buy multiple sets?"

The shopkeeper was still arranging books but had been attentive to the customer's words. He knew that the Chiqiu Kingdom was also a land in Yunzhou, so it wasn't surprising that some books had made their way there. However, the customer wanting to buy many sets was not allowed. He shook his head and replied.

"Esteemed customer, buying one volume is certainly fine. Since your friend is a great Confucian scholar, I trust you. If you wish, you may buy one more set to take to him, but no more than that. *Huangquan* is extremely sought after in Dazhen; many people wait with money in hand but cannot acquire even one volume. It has always been limited to one set per person. Moreover, as an immortal, you must know that this book is by no means a simple mortal work..."

The cultivator nodded. Two sets were enough. As the shopkeeper said, this book was definitely extraordinary.

"Thank you, shopkeeper, two sets are sufficient!"

"I'd like to buy a set too!"

A voice echoed from outside the shop, and a kind-faced elder entered. It was Songlun, a highly skilled individual from the Wuliang Mountain lineage.

"Alright, please wait a moment, both of you. I'll finish up and then process your purchases."

Songlun and the cultivator exchanged nods. The latter then continued to read the book in his hand, muttering to himself.

"I never imagined such a work could emerge from the mortal world. The flourishing of scholarly arts is truly not to be underestimated. Friend, this is an excellent book!"

Seeing the other person look up and say this, Songlun also sighed with emotion.

"Indeed, I had previously read all six volumes of *Huangquan* elsewhere, and they are truly profound. I was looking for a place to buy them and came directly to Yuzhao Peak, unexpectedly finding them here."

The shopkeeper, having fiddled with his abacus, smiled at the two and said.

"Would you like your books wrapped, or will you take them as they are?"

The first cultivator to arrive immediately replied.

"I'll take one set directly, and please wrap the other for me."

Songlun also walked to the counter, having already taken six volumes from the bookshelf.

"I'll take mine as is. By the way, are there any later volumes?"

The shopkeeper, who was calculating, paused. He looked up at Songlun, a fleeting, inexplicable look in his eyes, then quickly smiled.

"Esteemed customer, you jest. The book *Huangquan* only has six volumes. There are no later ones."

To be honest, many of the Wei clan's elite disciples have been exposed to the world from a young age. Not just the mortal world, but also various immortal ports and even immortal sacred lands. The more they see, the more they respect and admire their patriarch, Wei Wuwei. Frankly, having seen immortals and mortals, and being accustomed to demons and monsters, they still find that their patriarch can discern special qualities at a glance, a fact repeatedly proven.

Moreover, the notion that "*Huangquan* might have later volumes" was something Wei Wuwei himself mentioned after first reading all six volumes of *Huangquan*. So, the shopkeeper was quite surprised to hear Songlun say the same thing, prompting him to take a closer look at the elder.

"After all, this is an immortal port, where silver is not very valuable. If you pay in silver, one set costs sixty taels. If you offer other items, we accept talismans, magical artifacts, concentrated essences, or even rare minor sprites. We can then adjust for any excess value."

Songlun and the cultivator beside him exchanged glances, and the latter quickly said.

"I'll pay in silver, one hundred twenty taels."

Such a price would be exorbitant in the mortal world, but to immortal cultivators who understood the book's value, it was considered entirely worth it.

Songlun hesitated for a moment, then took out a piece of wood from his sleeve.

Songlun, never one to intentionally acquire gold or silver, was naturally not wealthy and didn't even have suitable items to trade. He could only somewhat awkwardly produce a piece of wood, bark-colored, unsure if it could be traded for a book. After all, it was just a branch from a small tree on Wuliang Mountain.

"I have this piece of wood here. For now, it doesn't seem particularly special, but it's exceptionally heavy and very hard. Yes, harder than iron."

With that, Songlun gently placed the branch on the counter.

The shopkeeper looked on with curiosity. It was clearly a branch, about two fingers thick and an arm's length long. It appeared to have no bark, though he wasn't sure if it had been peeled off.

"May we test it?"

Wei Wuwei's voice came from outside the shop. The shop assistant hurriedly bowed to him.

"Patriarch!"

"Hmm!"

Wei Wuwei nodded kindly, then looked at the branch.

"Friend, may we test this branch?"

"Of course."

Hearing Songlun agree, Wei Wuwei nodded to the shop assistant, who also nodded in acknowledgment of the order.

While most Wei clan members don't cultivate immortality, they are profoundly influenced by spiritual energy and generally master excellent martial arts, which is a viable path in this era. Thus, their strength is considerable.

The shopkeeper reached out and grasped the branch. When he tried to lift it, he found its weight far exceeded his expectations. What he initially intended to pick up casually, he ultimately had to grip tightly with all five fingers just to lift it.

"Good heavens, esteemed customer, this branch is much heavier than an iron rod, nearly a hundred jin, perhaps? May I test its hardness?"

"Please, feel free."

Seeing that the owner had no objection, the shop assistant took a steel knife from the side and lightly struck the branch.

"Thud..."

The sound was muffled. After one strike, the branch showed no mark. So, the shopkeeper held the branch with one hand and, gripping the knife with the other, applied force and chopped down forcefully.

"Clang—"

The shopkeeper's hands trembled slightly, and his body felt a faint numbness. The recoil force exceeded the strength he had just used to chop, which was quite strange. Yet, the branch still bore no mark; instead, the knife's edge had developed a slight, inconspicuous curl.

"Shopkeeper, can this branch be accepted?"

Wei Wuwei's face lit up with joy. He took the branch from the Wei clan member's hand; it was indeed very heavy.

"Yes, yes, yes, it can be exchanged for a set of books! Esteemed customer, where did you obtain this branch? Do you have more?"

Songlun smiled, put away his books, and shook his head.

"The place this branch came from is rather special, and it's not convenient to disclose. I also have no intention of using it for business."

Having said that, Songlun bowed and left with the books, leaving the Wei clan disciples somewhat disappointed. Wei Wuwei, however, continued to smile, merely shaking his head slightly as he said from behind.

"Alas, what a pity. We still haven't found suitable material for Martial Saint's staff..."

Songlun's steps paused at the shop entrance, but he didn't turn back and continued to leave.

The other cultivator inside the shop, waiting for the shopkeeper to wrap his book, couldn't help but ask out of curiosity.

"Are you referring to the Martial Saint from the Black Desolation, who achieved martial arts through the blood of demons?"

Wei Wuwei looked up at him.

"Which other Martial Saint could it be? Naturally, it's Zuo Wuji, Martial Saint Zuo. To be frank, I am old acquaintances with several of the Martial Saint's masters, so I'm somewhat of a senior to him."

"He has no weapon?"

"Alas, many years ago, in the battle of the Demon Caverns, the Martial Saint's weapon broke. Even if immortals were willing to forge a weapon for him, he does not cultivate spiritual methods and feels that wielding such magical artifacts would diminish their spiritual essence. He has never encountered a suitable weapon that could carry his martial arts. When I met him by chance in another continent a few years ago, he was still bare-handed, occasionally preferring to pick up a roadside branch rather than settle for anything less."

"Oh..."

On the street outside the shop, Songlun turned to look back at the shop, his gaze thoughtful. At that moment, the other cultivator inside also took his wrapped book, paid, and came out.

Inside the shop, a Wei clan member leaned closer to Wei Wuwei and said.

"Patriarch, that elderly immortal also thought there were more volumes of *Huangquan*!"

"Hmm? It seems he truly is a remarkable person... What kind of tree can grow like this? Even spiritual wood, without refinement, should show a mark from a martial artist's strike."

The branch in his hand clearly looked like it had been freshly snapped or picked up, with no spiritual energy entwined around it, and certainly no signs of refinement. For it to naturally grow like this was truly incredible.

"One can only say the world is vast and full of wonders."

Wei Wuwei looked at the Wei clan member beside him.

"This time, the three of you brothers will be in charge of this cargo. You'll travel with the Yu Huai Mountain immortal boat to various continents, first meeting with fellow Daoists from the local Lingbao Pavilion. Then, personally lead people to publish the six volumes of *Huangquan* in some representative mortal nations there, so the book can spread widely throughout the world. Remember, keep a close eye on the publishing houses. As for the book price, it's fine if it's higher."

"What about the commission?"

"Thirty percent of the profits will suffice."

"Understood!"

The Wei clan member nodded in assent, having already grasped the strategy. They weren't worried about unauthorized printing because *Huangquan* was extremely special. While other books could be privately printed, almost every chapter in *Huangquan* contained illustrations that had specialized templates and all originated from Haoran Academy.

Pirated copies might have the content, but they lacked the spiritual essence of the artwork, often appearing blurry. Without a comparison, it might be hard to tell, but with one, the difference would be like heaven and earth.

"By the way, Patriarch, are there really more volumes of *Huangquan*? If so, how can one see them? I'm quite curious myself."

Wei Wuwei smiled.

"Perhaps there are, perhaps there aren't. Perhaps there are, but ordinary people don't know about them. Perhaps ordinary people will know about them, but they won't be easy to see. Don't worry, if they truly exist, our Wei clan members will certainly be able to see them!"

"Thank you, Patriarch, for clarifying!"

The shopkeeper was now reassured. Knowing that there were more volumes of *Huangquan* but being unable to see them would be truly agonizing.