Strongest Scammer: Scamming The World, One Death At A Time
Chapter 247: An Old Book Shop

Chapter 247: An Old Book Shop

Han Yu stepped inside the pavilion and briefly browsed the pill selections on display. There were exquisite varieties—healing pills that could close gaping wounds, spirit qi pills that restored vast reserves in an instant, and even some rare concoctions rumored to enhance cultivation breakthroughs.

However, his eyes soon caught the price tags. They were sky-high — many times more expensive than what he had just paid at the simpler herb shop. Some pills cost hundreds of spirit stones for just a single dose.

’Compared to the cost of these pills and herbs at the sect, these are at least two times or higher. Guess the markup on alchemical goods is a lot higher for unaffiliated cultivators.’ Han Yu felt a bit pleased about being in a top tier sect.

His lips curled into a knowing smile.

This confirmed the truth he’d suspected: alchemy was a lucrative trade, indeed.

The pavilion also accepted commissions for creating personalized pills, though those services were reserved for the wealthy or powerful.

Feeling that this wasn’t the place for him today, Han Yu quietly exited the pavilion, his mind already considering the possibilities of pursuing alchemy himself one day.

As he continued through the streets, Han Yu entered a small talisman shop tucked between two larger buildings. The elderly shopkeeper greeted him with a warm smile and proudly showed off a collection of talismans—some designed for protection, others for enhancing cultivation or warding off the elements.

Han Yu purchased a few talismans that might come in handy, including a couple designed to suppress detection from minor spirit sensing techniques. The cost was reasonable, and he felt better prepared.

With all the shopping he had done today, he had spent two hundred spirit stones, going over his hundred spirit stone income from Merchant Kuo. But he didn’t mind it much as this was all essential.

Leaving the talisman shop, Han Yu’s attention was caught by a small group of people gathered near an alleyway, whispering intently.

Curious, he moved closer and overheard fragments of their conversation:

"The old shop on Pine Street... it’s barely hanging on now."

"The landlord hasn’t received rent for months. They say he’s sending guards to clear the place out."

"It’s a shame, really. That place used to have some rare skill books and cultivation manuals—ancient stuff, hard to find anywhere else."

Han Yu frowned slightly. The shop they spoke of was rumored among collectors to hold valuable cultivation knowledge—books that could boost a cultivator’s skills or teach rare techniques.

The idea of such a place struggling to survive piqued Han Yu’s interest. Perhaps it was a chance to acquire something unique, or even make a connection with the shop’s owners. He made a mental note to visit the shop soon.

For now, he continued his walk through the city, his mind turning over the pieces of information he had gathered—the sect’s nuanced role, the lucrative business of alchemy, and this small, struggling shop that might hold secrets he could use.

With his supplies gathered and his curiosity ignited, Han Yu felt a renewed sense of purpose. His mission was far from over, and Wujin City, with all its hidden corners and whispered stories, might prove to be a pivotal step on his path.

With that in mind, Han Yu made his way down a narrow street lined with worn storefronts and uneven cobblestones, following the directions whispered among the locals. Soon, he stood in front of a small, weather-beaten shop.

The wooden sign hanging crookedly above the door was faded and cracked, with half the characters missing — all that remained clearly readable was "Hao Wen’s Book Shop."

The air around the shop smelled of dust and old paper. The windows were grimy, and the door creaked loudly as Han Yu pushed it open, stepping inside.

The interior was dim and musty. Rows of shelves, heavy with countless books and scrolls, stretched out before him. The air was thick with the scent of moldy paper and forgotten knowledge. Cobwebs clung to the corners and between the shelves, and the soft creaking of the wooden floor added to the atmosphere of neglect.

Han Yu looked around, but there was no sign of the shopkeeper or any other customer. The silence was almost complete, broken only by the soft rustling of his footsteps and the faint shifting of the piled books.

He began browsing the shelves, pulling out random tomes and flipping through their brittle pages. Most of the books contained common cultivation techniques, mundane skill manuals, or incomplete fragments that looked hastily copied or faded with time. Some were clearly forgeries or useless nonsense, while others might have been helpful to beginners but nothing extraordinary.

Han Yu’s brows furrowed in mild disappointment. He had hoped for rare, valuable manuals or at least something that might give him an edge in his journey.

’Looks like all that I heard was just some inflated gossip.’ He sighed.

Carefully stepping between the shelves, he examined some more books stacked low on the floor. As he shifted his weight, his foot caught on an uneven plank. Before he could react, the floor gave way slightly beneath him and he stumbled, falling forward with a heavy thud.

"Ugh... Shitty shop with its shitty floor." Han Yu winced.

Groaning softly, Han Yu sat up and brushed the dust and grime from his robes. His eyes adjusted to the gloom and caught sight of something wedged at the bottom of the shelf nearby — a single old book, its cover worn but distinctly different from the others.

"What’s this?" He wondered.

Curious, he reached for the book. It was smaller than most, bound in cracked leather with no visible markings on the cover. The pages were yellowed with age, and a faint aura of spiritual energy radiated faintly from it — enough to pique his interest but subtle enough to have gone unnoticed.

Han Yu opened the book cautiously. The first page bore a title written in elegant, flowing characters: "Secrets of the Needle Finger Alchemist."

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