**Chapter 48: Tianchi Entrance Night Market**
But they didn't enter the Lingxu immediately!
It was already getting late today!
The end-of-term assessment would officially start tomorrow morning!
Before that, they needed to check into the hotel below Tianchi.
Yuwen No.2 High School and Beijiang High School's Spirit Martial students arrived at noon!
Looking at Jiangcheng No.1 High School's group, they were practically hostile!
Sparks of competition had already clashed between them!
Wu Liang had come along too, so the three-person squad was officially reunited.
In the evening, during dinner, the teacher began explaining the rules and precautions from the podium.
The other students had participated more than once before, so they half-listened.
But Jiangnan listened carefully.
"This three-school joint training assessment will last fifteen days!"
"Scoring is based on the total number and grade of Spirit Beads each squad harvests."
"Drones will follow and film throughout. If any cheating is found, eligibility will be revoked immediately."
"Each student will later receive a satellite positioning wristband."
"If the proctor determines you've lost mobility due to injury, staff will take you out of the Lingxu."
"In an emergency, life-threatening situation, or if you want to quit the competition, press the satellite wristband!"
"This means forfeiting the competition. Please think carefully, everyone!"
...
The teacher was still explaining the rules up front.
But Jiangnan grinned. "The rules don't say anything about not being allowed to take from others, do they?"
Tang Qianya felt a wave of helplessness.
What kind of person was Jiangnan anyway?
The competition hadn't even started yet, and he was already thinking about stealing from others?
She couldn't help but worry about her own trip into the Lingxu.
Wu Liang, being a veteran who'd participated several times, explained, "Not only can you take, you can also team up with other squads."
"As long as you don't go too far, no one will say anything."
Jiangnan's eyes flickered.
This rule was very interesting!
Competition! Winning! Collecting Spirit Beads by any means necessary!
With the addition of the other two schools,
Jiangnan could imagine just how chaotic the Lingxu would get.
But Jiangnan liked it.
"Although Tianchi Lingxu is rated a Bronze-grade Lingxu, there are Silver-grade and even Gold-grade spirit beasts deeper inside."
"Be very careful! For your own safety, don't go deep!"
"Alright, free time now. Assemble at six tomorrow morning."
As soon as free time was announced, the students sprang into action.
Some started discussing strategies for inside the Lingxu.
Others began studying spirit beast habits.
Li Xiang, watching the noisy students, let out a sneer.
He led Li Muyan, Liu Quanwu, and the others down toward the base of Tianchi.
A fair number of spirit martial artists from society or people just coming out of the Lingxu had gathered there,
forming a sizable night market.
Ling Feng was a bit confused and asked, "Brother Xiang, what are we going to do?"
Li Xiang: "Of course, we're getting a map of Tianchi Lingxu. Those guys have the goods."
Liu Quanwu chuckled, "Brother Xiang is really Brother Xiang! With a map, our advantage won't be small."
Li Muyan also smiled, "Brother Xiang is really far-sighted."
A smug look appeared on Li Xiang's face. "Follow me, I know the ropes."
...
In the hotel lobby, Tang Qianya said excitedly, "Let's study some strategies too!"
Jiangnan: "Why bother studying that?"
"Just follow your Brother Nan! There'll be bread for sure!"
"I'll take you to show off and take flight!"
"Come on, let's wander around! I wonder if their night market has hand-grabbed pancakes. I want one with salad dressing."
Jiangnan had already set his sights on the Tianchi Entrance Night Market.
As a qualified stall vendor,
wherever there was a night market, there was Jiangnan.
Tang Qianya: ???
Hand-grabbed pancakes?
Hey, hey, hey!
We're going into the Lingxu tomorrow!
Could you show a little bit of tension?
Following Jiangnan, why did she always feel like she was on a sightseeing trip?
She looked to Wu Liang for help.
Wu Liang: "What's wrong? Don't you eat hand-grabbed pancakes?"
Tang Qianya: ...
I do eat them!
***
Tianchi Entrance Night Market!
Jiangnan, Wu Liang, and Tang Qianya wandered around casually.
The night market here was completely different from what Ning Yuan (Tang Qianya? The text says Ning Yuan but likely a typo for her) had imagined.
"Bronze-peak Black Tiger Claws! Two hundred thousand each! Full payment gets you a free tiger tail—soak it in liquor and it'll make your nose bleed!"
"Complete map of the Fallen Pine Forest! Spirit beast activity range map! Safe area recording points! Three hundred thousand per copy! No bargaining!"
"Bronze-grade Red-faced Baboon Spirit Bead! Comes with Fearful Roar Spirit Skill! Three million, no bargaining!"
"Selling attribute Spirit Beads! All five elemental types available! Serious buyers come quick..."
The Tianchi Entrance Night Market was all about this stuff.
The prices were sky-high.
Once you left Tianchi, it was hard to unload these things,
which was why this night market model had formed.
Jiangnan was full of curiosity, just looking without buying.
Not because he didn't want to,
but because...
His pockets were damn empty!
But it was really lively.
So lively he felt like setting up a stall right away to sell Dali!
Meanwhile, on the other side, Li Xiang was haggling with a bald young man, both red-faced.
They were arguing over a roughly hand-drawn map.
"Final offer, three hundred thousand and I'll take it!"
The bald young man: "You're dreaming! Five hundred thousand! Not a cent less!"
Behind him stood two young ladies and a slick-looking young man.
Liu Quanwu and the others chimed in to bargain, but the bald young man wouldn't budge.
Li Xiang: "Give a little. Let's be friends. There'll always be chances to work together."
The bald young man: "You're not very sincere!"
Li Xiang hesitated. Although his family had money, shelling out five hundred thousand for a map was really too expensive.
Just then, the girl with the bun hairstyle behind him said, her eyes lighting up, "Jingjing, look at that short-haired guy!"
Xu Jingrou looked over. "Ah! What's he doing here? Zheng Wei! Look!"
The bald young man, who was haggling with Li Xiang, glanced over and his eyes lit up instantly.
"Holy shit!"
Li Xiang, looking pained, said, "How about... how about three hundred and fifty thousand?"
But Zheng Wei completely ignored him. He called out loudly, "Brother! Over here! Over here!"
Li Xiang gritted his teeth. "Four hundred! I can't go any higher!"
Zheng Wei said impatiently, "Stop wasting my time. I don't have time for you right now."
Li Xiang: ???
Jiangnan was startled. He turned around.
That shiny bald head?
Zheng Wei?
What was this guy doing here setting up a stall?
He smiled and greeted, "What's this? Changed careers?"
Zheng Wei grinned ear to ear. "When it comes to street vending, you're my senior, Nan Shen! Haha!"
Xu Jingrou complained, "I've been messaging you on WeChat, and you never reply. You promised to teach me how to fly bricks!"
Yuan Yuhan laughed, "Jingjing talks about you every day."
Li Xiang heard this and froze.
Nan Shen?
Why did that sound familiar?
He turned around—who else could it be but Jiangnan?
They knew each other?
Jiangnan had never been into a Lingxu before!
And this stall team was obviously a veteran group from Tianchi Lingxu!
How could Jiangnan possibly know them?
Jiangnan glanced at Li Xiang's squad and smiled. "I won't hold you up. Get your business done first."
Zheng Wei waved his hand. "Don't mind him. He's being stingy and annoying."
Li Xiang was furious. He glared at Jiangnan. "Five hundred thousand it is! I'll take it!"