My dreams can simulate the future.

Chapter 4 Old Zhang the Stingy

Other independent cultivators in the market were not so lucky. There was no prior announcement about the recruitment of independent cultivators. In addition, taxes had just been paid not long ago, and most people did not have many spirit stones.

Many independent cultivators who had long lived in the market were forcibly conscripted by the patrol guards.

The wails were deafening, and many of them were people Jiang Chen knew.

But he still owes Hou Ming a debt, so how could he have the mind to care about others?

Only after the patrol guards who had recruited independent cultivators had gone far away did Jiang Chen climb over the wall and enter Hou Ming's house next door.

Upon seeing him enter the courtyard, Hou Ming immediately cupped his hands in greeting: "Brother Chen, thanks to your reminder this time."

If I had been buying up spiritual items on a large scale yesterday, I probably wouldn't have escaped death today either.

Jiang Chen waved his hand: "Why are we talking about this, we're brothers? I made some more talismans yesterday, and I'm about to put them to use."

During the dream simulation, Jiang Chen was very moved when Hou Ming offered to help with spirit stones.

Although the deal didn't go through, the brotherhood is real. I won't forget this brother when I become successful in the future.

After saying that, he took out sixty-five mid-grade first-rank talismans.

Hou Ming took the talisman and laughed, "It's probably because war is about to break out. Some people in the know have stocked up in advance, and business was very good yesterday. I didn't dare to buy any more goods last night, and I'm short of stock now."

"Brother Chen, your coming to sell talisman paper is a huge help to me."

After saying that, he began to examine the talisman paper again.

"Brother Chen, your talisman-making skills are getting better and better. At least thirty of them are good quality, and there are about ten more exquisite ones."

Now that news of the war has spread, the prices of all kinds of spiritual items will rise.

"Alright, I'll use seven spirit stones to buy these sixty-five talismans from you."

This price is already the normal market price. However, it's still profitable right now.

Jiang Chen is currently short of spirit stones, and there's no need to be coy with his best friend Hou Ming.

"Okay, let's go with this price. You don't need to give me spirit stones, just give me the raw materials to make a mid-grade first-class talisman."

I need to save up some spirit stones to repair the talisman brush. I'll have to pay you back the spirit stones I owe you in a few days.

Hou Ming waved his hand: "I have enough spirit stones to make ends meet, so there's no rush to pay them back."

After selecting the animal hides, Jiang Chen said again, "Monkey, now that the war is about to begin, all sorts of news will surely be flying around."

Any piece of news could bring danger, or it could bring an opportunity to make a lot of money.

You meet a lot of people while running a street stall, including many well-informed individuals; try to gather as much information as possible from them.

Although Jiang Chen possesses the means to simulate the future, the current limitations are significant. He can only simulate the future once every five days, and each simulation lasts only one day, provided it doesn't disrupt his normal life.

Dream simulations have the power to defy fate, so they must be used wisely, which requires intelligence support.

Hou Ming nodded: "Don't worry, Brother Chen, I'll do my best to find out more information."

After chatting for a few minutes, Jiang Chen climbed over the wall again and returned to his own courtyard, where he began to process the three animal hides he had just acquired.

Hou Ming also took extra care of him. The three animal hides were of good quality, and if there were no mistakes, they could be used to make a hundred talismans.

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Four days passed quickly.

News of the war had spread like wildfire, and Jiang Chen had also obtained a lot of intelligence through Hou Ming's channels.

For reasons unknown, some evil cultivators have joined forces with the demon race in the deep mountains and forests of the south to attack Changyuan Mountain, attempting to drive the Jin Ding Sect's forces out of the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range.

Currently, both sides are probing each other in the Changyuan Mountains to the south, resulting in numerous small-scale clashes, but no large-scale war has broken out.

When war breaks out, the prices of various resources also rise sharply, but the supply still cannot meet the demand.

Even with rising raw material prices, Jiang Chen's profits from making talisman paper have nearly doubled.

These past few days, apart from meditating for four hours each day to rest, he has devoted all his time to making talisman paper and ink, and his income is quite considerable.

"I now have eighteen spirit stones, thirty mid-grade first-rank talisman papers, and two ounces of talisman ink."

Once the talisman brush is repaired, you can try to draw a mid-grade first-level talisman again.

The price of talismans has skyrocketed, with the price of a mid-grade first-rank talisman rising from just over one spirit stone to nearly three spirit stones.

Even if my success rate in drawing talismans is only 10%, I can still make a considerable profit.

Having said that, he immediately took the spirit stones and talisman brush and left the courtyard.

Blackstone Mountain Market has two intersecting streets, one vertical and one horizontal, dividing the entire market into four parts, named according to their location. Jiang Chen's courtyard is located in the southwest section.

These two intersecting streets are divided into four markets—east, west, south, and north—by the center of the neighborhood.

The eastern part of the city is adjacent to the Baisha River and has a wharf where merchant ships come and go in a constant stream. Therefore, the East Market is the most bustling area, and most of the decent shops are located there.

The other three markets were quite ordinary, with very few shops and most businesses operating from street stalls.

Jiang Chen headed straight for a dilapidated shop near the center of the West Market.

Upon entering the shop, one sees an elderly man with disheveled hair inside.

He was pressed against the wall, his head against the cabinet, his buttocks sticking out high. His hand was reaching into the gap between the cabinet and the wall, rummaging for something.

He didn't care that his clothes were covered in dust.

Jiang Chen immediately called out, "Grandpa Zhang, we have a customer!"

The old man didn't even look up, continuing to rummage through the gaps in the cabinet. He muttered, "Just a moment, it'll be done soon."

After a long while, he finally withdrew his hand.

He held a grain of rice between his fingers and sneered, "These brats really don't know how precious food is. They've thrown perfectly good spirit rice into some nook and cranny."

After saying that, he blew on it and put it in his mouth.

Jiang Chen was speechless: "Grandpa Zhang, judging from how hard you were taking things out, I thought there was a Foundation Establishment spiritual item inside, but it turns out it's just a grain of spiritual rice."

This old man was Zhang Laokou, a renowned weapon refiner among the rogue cultivators. His skills were superb, especially in repairing magical artifacts.

Because he was so meticulous in his business dealings, completely lacking the demeanor of a master craftsman, he earned the nickname "Old Miser Zhang."

Few people know his real name. But if you mention Zhang Laokou (Old Miser Zhang), every rogue cultivator within a hundred miles knows him.

Old Zhang ate the spirit rice and was still savoring its taste.

"What do you know? Doing business is all about saving money from the smallest things."

He looked up and glanced at Jiang Chen.

"I wondered who it was, but it's you, kid. You came to see me because there's something wrong with the talisman brush?"

Jiang Chen immediately smiled and said, "Grandpa Zhang is wise. A few days ago I wanted to try drawing a mid-grade first-rank talisman."

Unfortunately, the talisman wasn't finished, and the talisman brush was damaged.

After saying that, he took out the talisman pen.

The old man looked at the talisman brush and then said, "Fortunately, the damage is not serious."

The artifact patterns in the talisman brush were completely undamaged, except that a small part of the brush tip was burned off, affecting the infusion of magical power and divine consciousness.

"It can be repaired with just some sable tail hair."

"As usual, let's talk about the price first. It will cost five spirit stones to repair this talisman pen."

This price would normally be considered high, but now it can only be considered normal to slightly high.

Although he knew he couldn't negotiate the price, Jiang Chen still wanted to give it a try.

"Grandpa Zhang, look, the damage to this talisman brush isn't serious. With your skills, this kind of work is a piece of cake..."

Before he could finish speaking, Old Zhang snorted coldly: "If you think it's too expensive, you can go to another store."

Trying to negotiate the price with me? Go ask around.

"This old man has been operating in the Black Stone Mountain market for over sixty years. Who has ever gotten a single grain of rice from me?"