Chen Tian also smiled, a skill evolution card was a item that could directly evolve skills. Chen Tian had saved up to five cards. Unlike skill enhancement cards, which improved a skill's level and effects, evolution cards transformed a skill into a brand new one.
When Chen Tian used the five skill evolution cards, there was a minor accident. However, Chen Tian considered it a good accident because his two creation skills surprisingly merged into a completely new skill, which then evolved into a final skill.
Chen Tian appeared satisfied. The shop owner also spoke, "What's wrong? You seem to be in such a good mood."
Chen Tian replied, "It's nothing, just my first time in the fortieth layer world. I'm a little surprised. I didn't expect it to be so beautiful!"
"Indeed! But behind the beauty lies danger!"
The shop owner looked down at the ground, then spoke with a wistful expression. Chen Tian could tell there was a hidden meaning in his words, but the owner didn't say anything further. Then, he stepped forward, and Chen Tian followed closely behind.
The Sky City was immense, a city built in the sky. Chen Tian could barely imagine constructing a city so high up.
Within the city, buildings designed with a modern mechanical aesthetic were complemented by structures with a touch of ancient pavilion style. This combination gave Chen Tian a very pleasant feeling.
Under the shop owner's guidance, Chen Tian and the others arrived before a grand pavilion. Above the entrance, it read: Tian Yuan Trading Firm!
The large doors slowly opened, and the shop owner said, "Let's go, young friend. Everyone is waiting for us inside."
Chen Tian nodded and followed the shop owner into the pavilion. The shop owner nodded approvingly at Chen Tian's calm demeanor, thinking the young man had good manners.
After all, this was the third-largest trading firm in the world, renowned throughout the entire Time Epoch. To be able to enter it was the dream of countless players.
Yet, upon seeing the name of the trading firm, Chen Tian showed no change in expression, which further increased the shop owner's favor towards him.
As Chen Tian entered the pavilion, the doors slowly closed. Lights flickered to life, and a dozen players appeared before Chen Tian. He activated his Divine Eyes, but could barely glean any information. All he knew was that they were all level fifty players of Purple Light grade.
The players then bowed to the shop owner and said sincerely, "Welcome back, Guild Master."
"You all don't need to be so formal. The Tian Yuan Trading Firm is growing better and better under your care, so I am relieved. I just want to relax in the game."
The shop owner smiled. After a brief chat, the group turned their attention to Chen Tian.
The shop owner said, "Young friend, these are the elders of my trading firm. The firm is currently operated by them. I merely hold the title of Guild Master. However, this firm was created by the dozen of us together. There's no need to be restrained here."
Chen Tian replied, "Understood."
"Alright, everyone. I've called you all here today because this young friend needs to trade over ten thousand pieces of equipment, with the lowest being purple grade and the highest being gold grade. While these may not be of much use to us at this level, if our affiliated branches can acquire them, they will undoubtedly become more powerful."
The shop owner spoke with conviction. The dozen players looked at each other, then nodded. The shop owner slowly took out the Infinite Crate, and the dozen players placed their hands upon it.
Then, their expressions shifted to surprise, and they began to speak, "I'll be in charge of counting the defenses."
"I'll handle the weapons. You guys take care of the gold equipment."
"Agreed!"
The dozen players quickly and orderly divided the tasks. In a short while, they withdrew their hands from the Infinite Crate and approached the shop owner, saying, "Guild Master, the count is complete. Here is the list. The estimated value is three hundred million Epoch Coins!"
The shop owner nodded, then looked at Chen Tian and said, "Young friend, the value is three hundred million Epoch Coins, which will be transferred to you shortly. If you have any more equipment, we hope you will bring it to our guild, or find me in the second layer world."
Chen Tian replied, "Alright!"
After all, who could say no to money? Although Chen Tian had a lot of Epoch Coins, expenses were high, and once spent, it was a bottomless pit. Chen Tian wouldn't complain about having more; in fact, accumulating more would be best.
Soon, the notification for the arrival of Epoch Coins came through. Just as Chen Tian was about to leave the trading firm with the shop owner, an arrogant voice echoed from outside the firm: "The Lie Tian Trading Firm is here to pay a visit! Open the doors quickly!"
Upon hearing the name Lie Tian Guild, all the players inside wore distressed expressions. Chen Tian asked, "What's wrong? Is there some trouble?"
One of the players replied, "Not exactly, but whenever members of the Lie Tian Trading Firm appear, they are bound to cause trouble. We are all merchants, and no matter how high our level, we have no combat ability. Our self-created skills have their limits, and aside from the Guild Master, there's practically no one who can fight. The Lie Tian Trading Firm has always been causing trouble for our firm, and we've been managing to evade them. Now they've come knocking."
The shop owner said, "Why fear them? Come with me, let's go meet them."
As the Guild Master, the shop owner naturally possessed his own demeanor. The doors slowly opened, and a group of players dressed in blue robes and crane-patterned robes appeared before the trading firm.
A player from the Tian Yuan Trading Firm jumped out and said, "Lie Guang, what do you want today?"
"Hehehe! Don't be nervous. I'm here today to play a game with you. Do you dare?"
The player named Lie Guang was a young man dressed in merchant robes. His demeanor was refined and amiable, like a gentle scholar.
The shop owner asked, "What kind of game is it?"
"The game is very simple. We will engage in PK battles. Each side will send out three people to fight. If our Lie Tian Trading Firm wins, I want you to hand over your Insulating Ore Vein. If your Tian Yuan Trading Firm wins, I will disband all my branches in the lower worlds. How about it?"
"The Insulating Ore Vein is the foundation of our Tian Yuan Trading Firm. So that's what you're after!"
"What, you don't dare? Oh right! I forgot, your trading firm has no one who can fight. How pathetic."
"You...!"
Faced with Lie Guang's taunts, the dozen people from the Tian Yuan Trading Firm could not retort, as it was the truth. Chen Tian then approached a player and inquired about the situation.
Soon, Chen Tian understood. The Lie Tian Trading Firm was a rival guild to the Tian Yuan Trading Firm. The Lie Tian Trading Firm had always been using underhanded tactics behind the scenes against the Tian Yuan Trading Firm, leading to their consistently poor performance and declining status.
The fundamental reason for this was that the Tian Yuan Trading Firm traded equipment and items at genuine prices, not a single coin more or less, which attracted players for trading, thus affecting the performance of other guilds.
Consequently, they had incurred the hatred of several other trading firms. Merchants were primarily driven by profit, but the Tian Yuan Trading Firm did not use this as their core principle; they simply wanted to be able to act with a clear conscience.
After understanding the situation, Chen Tian grasped the general idea. It was essentially a case of market competition where they were outmaneuvered, and now the other party was coming to cause trouble.
In fact, it was not entirely the fault of the Tian Yuan Trading Firm's people. The main issue was that other trading firms, when trading, would slightly reduce prices when buying and increase them when selling. However, the Tian Yuan Trading Firm bought and sold at the exact same price. Even for equipment they repaired themselves, they sold it at the original acquisition cost.
Their only profit came from selling complete equipment for a small margin. It could be said that the Tian Yuan Trading Firm had been operating at a loss. Yet, they had managed to remain in this city for two and a half years, the reason being their prices that allowed them to act with a clear conscience.
When acquiring items, they paid precisely the fair market value for the item.
Chen Tian continued to observe. At this moment, the shop owner was deep in thought, making a decision.