Chapter 3734 — Hot Commodity

By "buying in," of course, we mean that quite a few people would sell the rare treasures they had obtained through various channels to the merchants of the Outer and Middle Streets at prices slightly below market value. The merchants could then resell them to others during the subsequent market transactions, making a profit on the difference.

As for why these people did not simply set up their own stalls in the market and sell directly to customers at a higher price, they naturally had their own concerns.

For one thing, they were not established merchants. They had neither a following nor any reputation in the market, and even if they went to great lengths to set up a stall, they might not be able to sell their goods within a short time.

For another, the means and channels through which they acquired these rare treasures were often less than respectable. Displaying them openly in broad daylight could easily invite trouble. Once they attracted attention in the market, escaping would be no simple matter.

Thus, for such people, setting up their own stalls was more trouble than it was worth. Selling directly to the merchants here was far more convenient. Although the price was somewhat lower, the exchange was immediate: money changed hands for goods, and they could receive their spirit jade at once, saving themselves a great deal of unnecessary trouble.

As a result, the market gradually developed a rather unique custom. Most merchants set up their stalls very early, but before the sky grew fully light, they did not sell anything. They only bought.

The reason this was scheduled for the dead of night, when foot traffic was at its lowest, was naturally to preserve secrecy. Those bringing goods to sell needed to avoid attracting outside attention as much as possible, while the merchants had no desire to be watched while buying, since that would expose their bottom price and make future business difficult.

Watching everyone bustling about, Wei Zhao was suddenly struck by an idea. If he wanted to buy something, he could simply come at this hour and intercept these people's rare treasures before they sold them to the merchants. The price would certainly be far lower than buying them normally in the market.

But after thinking it over, he realized the idea was not particularly reliable. After all, whether buying or selling, these people each had their own networks. If he suddenly planted himself here, then even with a large amount of spirit jade in hand, they might not be willing to sell their treasures directly to him. Who knew whether he could be trusted?

When it came to selling goods of dubious origin, trust was paramount. People would naturally choose a familiar face first, not a complete stranger.

Still, while this was not a suitable place to buy things, it was an excellent place to sell them. Wei Zhao suddenly remembered that he actually had just such a valuable item stored in his jade pendant space, something he could sell in exchange for spirit jade.

It was the corpse of the Nine-Tailed Cloud-Piercing Leopard he had hunted during his last trial on the outskirts of the rear mountain. Although it could not be considered an especially rare treasure, it had belonged to a rare early Foundation Establishment spirit beast, and its corpse was worth no less than any rare treasure. It ought to fetch a very good price.

The most valuable part of the corpse, however, the inner core, had already been dug out by Wei Zhao. It was not that he intended to use it himself. The damned old thing had asked for it.

As the senior backer residing in his jade pendant space, that damned old thing had only to make a small request, and Wei Zhao naturally did everything in his power to fulfill it. He had promptly taken it out without the slightest stinginess. The damned old thing had not said what use he had for the spirit beast's inner core, merely telling Wei Zhao to take it out and keep it for him in the meantime. That was all.

Seeing that it was still early, Wei Zhao turned and went to a secluded place where no one was around. He released the Nine-Tailed Cloud-Piercing Leopard's corpse from his jade pendant space, then dragged it out from around the corner with one hand.

The corpse of the Nine-Tailed Cloud-Piercing Leopard was dead weight, weighing more than a ton, but for a peak early Foundation Establishment expert like Wei Zhao, it posed no difficulty at all. Even so, the noise it made as he dragged it along was considerable, and it quickly drew the attention of the people in the market.

"Is that a Nine-Tailed Cloud-Piercing Leopard?" Those with a discerning eye recognized it almost at once, followed by a wave of startled gasps and stunned silence.

To be sure, among the cultivators in the market, the Nine-Tailed Cloud-Piercing Leopard was merely an early Foundation Establishment beast, and its strength could not be considered especially formidable. But this was a notoriously cunning and fearsome beast of the jungle.

This spirit beast was famous for both its craftiness and its savagery. To hunt one in the deep, primeval forests of the rear mountain, even an early Foundation Establishment expert of the same level could not do it, let alone a peak early Foundation Establishment expert. One careless move, and the hunter might even be killed in return.

In theory, hunting such a cunning and vicious beast required at least two mid-stage Foundation Establishment experts. They would also have to expend immense patience and energy in the perilous depths of the forest before they had any chance of killing it successfully.

It was no exaggeration to say that among all spirit beasts at the early Foundation Establishment level, the Nine-Tailed Cloud-Piercing Leopard ranked among the strongest. It was also unquestionably one of the most troublesome and difficult beasts to deal with. Many times, even mid-stage Foundation Establishment experts would prefer not to provoke it.

There were quite a few merchants in the market who dealt in spirit beasts. Every day, one could see corpses of all kinds dragged here for sale. The Nine-Tailed Cloud-Piercing Leopard, however, was exceedingly rare. One might not see even a single specimen in the course of an entire year.

In the eyes of the market's merchants, the Nine-Tailed Cloud-Piercing Leopard might not be especially powerful, but in terms of rarity, it could absolutely rank among the top five.

Rarity made value, and on top of that, every part of the Nine-Tailed Cloud-Piercing Leopard was a treasure. Its bones, its organs, every last part was genuinely valuable. This was a highly coveted commodity, rare enough to be encountered only by the luckiest of buyers.

In an instant, Wei Zhao became the focus of every merchant dealing in spirit beasts. Some were already rushing over impatiently, afraid that one of their fellow traders would beat them to it.

After all, a Nine-Tailed Cloud-Piercing Leopard was a scarce resource capable of establishing a merchant's reputation. It was something that could be encountered but never sought out. Miss this opportunity, and there might never be another.

"Brother, how are you planning to sell this Nine-Tailed Cloud-Piercing Leopard? As a whole, or piece by piece?" Seeing the other merchants hurrying over, a middle-aged man with a large beard, the closest merchant to Wei Zhao, quickly called out.

"Oh? What does selling it whole entail? And what does selling it piece by piece mean?" Wei Zhao raised his brows and asked in return, his expression unchanged.

"Selling it whole means naming a single price for the entire corpse and selling it all at once. Selling it piece by piece means separating the corpse into its various parts and selling them individually according to their respective values." The middle-aged bearded man paused, then asked, "You look unfamiliar, brother. You do not come to this market often, do you?"

"That's right." Wei Zhao nodded.

(.) RU