"Please wait a moment, Mr. Chen. We will send you a list of our service offerings right away for your perusal. Whatever you require, you may select from it," the gentle female voice spoke once more.
After waiting a brief moment, Chen Chuan heard a chime, followed by a document transmitted to his boundary credential.
He tapped it open and browsed through. The document laid out the two primary stages of cultivation for martial artists, and among them, the cultivation methods leading to the Longevity View realm were prominently displayed. Within this file were several subcategories corresponding respectively to the three aspects—Aberrant, Spiritual, and Human—covering different cultivation directions and specific methods.
His gaze then turned to the payment methods. Evidently, these methods could not be purchased directly with common currency. The payment options consisted primarily of three types: first, using platform currency; second, providing rare materials or resources of equivalent value; and third, platform-guaranteed exchanges and designated project commissions approved by both the platform and the users.
The means of acquiring platform currency were relatively unique, typically requiring one to accept commissions from the platform or from users with high credit ratings, and earning the currency upon completion. Users could then spend this currency on the platform to trade for the cultivation resources or services they needed.
If a user temporarily lacked platform currency or was unwilling to accept it, they could generally opt for bartering goods or providing equivalent services to complete the transaction. The platform itself did not force users into any specific payment method; instead, operating as a neutral escrow platform, it charged only a nominal fee. Furthermore, this fee did not have to be paid in platform currency—currencies from any country in the world were accepted, and the amount was purely nominal.
Then again, it made sense. Resources naturally gravitated toward the martial artist community, and the true value of this platform lay in facilitating the circulation of those resources. Escrow, appraisal, commissions, and credit mechanism services were the platform's core business; it had no reason to care about such petty sums.
For a client like him—who had just begun using the platform, had not yet established an adequate credit rating, and possessed no platform currency—the platform could provide certain convenient accommodations. For example, the platform could advance the payment on his behalf, provided he managed to repay it within a specified timeframe, choosing his method of repayment freely within the framework offered by the platform.
Chen Chuan checked and found that exchanging for the Longevity View cultivation method required a minimum of three platform coins. If he had nothing to offer, he could undertake at least three Tier 3 commissions for the platform. Naturally, he did not necessarily have to do them in person; the platform placed no restriction on how he fulfilled them, so long as the designated commissions were completed.
These did not solely involve acts of violence. They might also encompass political advisory roles and lobbying, as well as providing support to or suppression of certain corporations and commercial groups.
In this way, he could imagine that martial artists holding senior positions in government or corporations might not need to lift a finger personally; simply leveraging governmental or corporate resources would sometimes suffice to see things through.
The waters in this company ran extraordinarily deep.
However, that had nothing to do with him for now. Those above would ponder such matters. At the moment, all he needed was to acquire what he sought—enhancing his own martial strength was the top priority.
After a moment's consideration, he said, "I have some items on hand, mostly mutated tissues and biological materials from creatures of the Melded Lands. I can exchange these, but I need the platform to give me an appraisal."
The gentle female voice replied, "Very well, Mr. Chen. We will send a professional appraiser to you shortly, and we will offer you a satisfactory price."
Chen Chuan said, "Let us do that, then."
Just past noon, the appraisers from the Wansong Commission Company arrived. Entering Weiguang District aboard an airship, they received permission to proceed to Chen Chuan's villa and were granted entry.
From the clearance notification Chen Chuan received, he could see that a twenty-man armed team had arrived this time. Aside from the appraiser, there were two third-limit fighters to ensure that, once the deal concluded successfully, the goods could be carried off without incident.
The appraiser entered the villa with an assistant, greeted Chen Chuan, and followed him to the items laid out for trade.
Chen Chuan had brought back quite a few treasures from the Melded Lands this time: zheng goat horns favored by collectors, ghost-faced vine, membranes and ocular crystals from multi-eyed devil rays, fangs and wing feathers of azure-winged flying serpents, as well as a few rarer ornamental plants and the like.
All of these were of considerable value, but naturally, the most valuable among them was the "Silver Frost." This substance was virtually monopolized by the former imperial house, making it a rarity where money could rarely buy what was simply not for sale.
At first, the appraiser looked quite placid upon seeing the items, clearly accustomed to such sights. Only when seeing the tissues of the azure-winged flying serpent did a slight flicker of curiosity cross his face—evidently something he had never encountered before. Yet the moment his eyes fell upon the Silver Frost, he visibly perked up.
After a careful examination, he took off his glasses and mask, marveling, "Top-grade Silver Frost. I haven't seen quality this fine in years, and it was certainly harvested within the last three months, not to mention in no small quantity..." He offered an apology, turned aside, and tapped his boundary credential, presumably contacting the company to deliberate.
After a short while, he turned back and said respectfully to Chen Chuan, "Section Chief Chen, I have conferred with the company. Do you happen to have other plans for disposing of these items? If not, our company can purchase them outright on your behalf. The payment method is entirely up to you—whether platform currency, cultivation methods, or equivalent services and commissions, anything within the company's permitted scope is acceptable.
"If you are interested but cannot think of suitable exchange items at the moment, we can also provide you with a list of services. Once you have decided, you can contact us at any time."
Then he added with solemn assurance, "Section Chief Chen, regardless of whether this transaction is finalized through our platform, the platform guarantees that the source of these items will never be disclosed."
Chen Chuan had no interest in liquidating these items piecemeal; he only wanted to convert them into the cultivation arts he needed as quickly as possible. The Wansong platform was expansive enough, so he said, "I need to exchange for a set of cultivation arts from your company. Please estimate their exchange value while you are at it." He tapped his boundary credential, transmitting the form with the selected Longevity View cultivation methods to the platform.
The appraiser communicated with the platform for a moment, then said, "Section Chief Chen, this batch of items has been appraised between twelve and fourteen platform coins. Since this is your first transaction with the company, we can grant you the maximum valuation. Of course, you may also choose to exchange them directly for other items, and the company can send you a detailed catalog of past exchanges."
Chen Chuan said, "Let us convert them into platform coins first, then."
He had checked earlier: platform currency enjoyed broad acceptance. Conducting transactions with platform coins often bypassed numerous tedious steps and valuation procedures, and the platform bore the risks since it guaranteed completion of the deal.
The appraiser was clearly delighted to close this deal as well. He said, "Thank you for your trust in our company, Section Chief Chen. Once you confirm on the platform and sign the relevant agreements, the company will deduct the corresponding platform coins and transmit and mail the materials you need. Rest assured, our company serves martial artists and ensures that no martial artist's interests are ever compromised."
Once the agreements were signed and the transaction concluded, fourteen platform coins were deposited into Chen Chuan's independent platform account. The appraiser and his assistant packed and crated the items, then politely took their leave of Chen Chuan and departed on their airship.
After they left, Chen Chuan immediately tapped his boundary credential. The most comprehensive cultivation method required four platform coins. If an instructor was requested, an extra fee had to be paid separately, typically around one to two coins depending on the circumstances.
He had no need for an instructor. If he simply obtained the method itself, outsiders would have no way of knowing his personal cultivation progress and specific conditions. But if he hired someone for instruction, the other party would inevitably have to learn those details.
Despite non-disclosure agreements, leaking details tied intimately to a martial artist's personal secrets was fundamentally disadvantageous in the long run; there was no guarantee someone wouldn't disclose them when tempted by greater benefits.
Of course, some might place greater value on the opportunity to build connections. After all, anyone capable of providing instruction had surely attained the Longevity View realm themselves, and martial artists who could reach such heights were by no means ordinary figures. For many, forming acquaintances with them offered undeniable perks.
Having reviewed the non-disclosure agreement, he tapped to confirm. With the deduction of four platform coins, the cultivation method for the Longevity View was purchased. A document was instantly transmitted to him, along with a notice informing him that certain specialized items associated with the cultivation method would be delivered by courier shortly, and asking him to be on the lookout to receive them.
***
Fengde District, Wansong Company Branch, Lower-tier Outpost.
Clicking along in high heels, a female secretary walked into the office and addressed the man seated in the high-backed chair: "Boss, the individual you asked me to keep an eye on has purchased an advanced martial artist cultivation method from the platform."
The man remained with his back turned to her. He said, "That indicates he has already consolidated the fruits of his cultivation and is preparing to advance higher. Very good. He truly lives up to our expectations. He possesses loftier pursuits and genuine drive, rather than being content to stop here. Have all the materials been provided to him?"
The secretary said, "Everything the platform could gather has been given to him, along with the materials you prepared yourself, Boss. This already exceeds the original value."
The man waved his hand dismissively. "That is unimportant. Things have value only when someone puts them to use; otherwise, sitting there, they are nothing more than scrap paper."
The secretary asked, "Boss, do you need me to arrange contact with him?"
The man said, "No, it is not yet time. Every martial artist is fiercely self-willed, and someone who has only recently become a martial artist won't listen to outside persuasion. Since he has used the platform, we will have opportunities to deal with him in the future."
Looking toward the large map before him, he mused with feeling, "Over the past few years, quite a few formidable young figures have emerged worldwide. As the Great Impact draws ever closer, more and more such talents will surface. And that dispersing pure substance has only added fuel to the flames—Chen Bitong could be said to have done a good deed."
With a hint of regret, he added, "What a pity he did not accept more help from us. Otherwise, becoming a martial artist would not have been difficult for him."
The secretary found it somewhat baffling. "Why was he unwilling?"
The man said, "He could be considered an idealist with his own principles and bottom line. In truth, he never fully trusted us. People like him often end up burning themselves to illuminate others. I admire that, but I do not agree with it. Our objective, after all, still requires more people who share our philosophy to bring to fruition."
Chapter 922