Chapter 15: Fictitious Transactions

"Customer, if the information is accurate, I will now affix my professional seal."

In the shop, after Wu Wan handed the stiff paper certification, which contained the artifact owner's information, to Chen Mobai for confirmation, he solemnly opened a safe. He took out a crimson seal, which didn't require ink, and pressed it directly onto the certification. A large, crimson, oval-shaped First-Grade Appraiser's seal appeared on it.

Inside the seal were Wu Wan's standard script characters. The upper semicircle read "First-Grade Appraiser," while the lower semicircle displayed a series of numerical symbols.

"This string of numbers is the randomly generated anti-counterfeit code produced each time the seal is applied. Once I photograph and register this certification on the Immortal Gate Network, anyone who enters this code will be able to view this certification."

After Chen Mobai received the needle case and the certification, he first checked it with his phone, but found the page that appeared was blank, which made him look confused.

"I haven't uploaded it yet," Wu Wan said, a wry smile on his face. He then immediately logged into the Appraisers' electronic archive on the Immortal Gate Network using his account and uploaded the needle case's certification.

Chen Mobai tried again, and this time, the relevant page appeared.

"Master Wu, thank you for your trouble."

Satisfied, he paid 200 points of merit and took possession of the needle case.

"Young Chen, if you wish to sell this artifact, you could list it in my shop; it would help me accumulate some points. If you agree, I can not only refund your merit points but also provide you with the complete cultivation and usage techniques for this artifact free of charge."

While filling out the artifact owner's information earlier, Wu Wan had learned Chen Mobai's name. Knowing he was still a student, only eighteen, and lacked extensive worldly experience, an idea suddenly sparked in his mind.

Within the Immortal Gate, due to resource scarcity, almost everyone who embarks on the path of cultivation struggles with spiritual energy and material resources. Many of them establish personal online shops on the Immortal Gate Network to earn money.

Although Wu Wan had obtained a First-Grade Appraiser certificate and was quite reputable among Qi Condensation cultivators, he was still striving to acquire resources for Foundation Establishment.

Besides his ancestral shop, he also refined artifacts in his spare time. After all, the appraising profession doesn't lead to great wealth, and every cultivator who studies appraisal knowledge initially aims to become an artifact refiner.

Personal shops on the Immortal Gate Network accumulate points based on merit points spent and earned from transactions. The more points one has, the more official profound arts, spiritual elixirs, and artifacts one can exchange for.

The Immortal Gate governed the Terrestrial Star, inheriting the order of the previous civilization. Although Soul Transformation ancestors suppressed the heavens and earth, economic crises still occurred multiple times.

The main reason was the scarcity of spirit stones. During the Expansion Wars, cultivators would immediately exchange any merit points in their accounts for spirit stones at the bank. Even if they couldn't use all of them, they would save them for future generations.

As a result, no matter how many spirit stone reserves the national bank held, it couldn't withstand the rush of hundreds of millions of cultivators trying to exchange them. An economic crisis ensued.

Although the Immortal Gate subsequently issued decrees, first prohibiting the exchange of spirit stones, then raising exchange rates, and even devising secret arts to re-infuse spiritual energy into depleted spirit stones for recovery, the laws governing a market economy could not be eliminated, even by a Soul Transformation ancestor possessing immense power.

However, over thousands of years, the Immortal Gate's Three Halls and Four Departments had gathered countless geniuses from the Terrestrial Star, individuals of boundless wisdom.

A thousand years ago, someone proposed opening the Immortal Gate National Library's collection of eighty-four thousand Daoist scriptures, allowing all cultivators to exchange for them freely using points. These points, however, could only be obtained by spending merit points in the Immortal Gate's market.

For example, if Chen Mobai bought three Azure Arrow Talismans online for 105 merit points, he would gain 105 points on his personal registry.

As soon as this policy was enacted, the Immortal Gate's previously stagnant and illiquid market economy instantly boomed. In just ten years, ninety percent of the spirit stones stored by the populace flowed back into the national bank, replaced by merit points in everyone's accounts.

Offline transactions could also earn points, but both buyers and sellers had to pay taxes to the Immortal Gate Tax Bureau.

For example, for the 200 merit points Chen Mobai paid Wu Wan as an appraisal fee, if he wanted to convert them into points, he would need to pay a 20% consumption tax to the Immortal Gate. In reality, this 20% tax was split: 10% for the buyer and 10% for the seller. However, the person receiving the money would certainly be reluctant to do this, unless Chen Mobai offered an additional 20 merit points to Wu Wan, only then would the latter agree to go to the Tax Bureau with him.

After all, only spending earns points; receiving money does not.

Therefore, in the Immortal Gate market, before any transaction, it's always confirmed whether the consumer needs points. If so, the tax fee is added to the total price in advance.

Consequently, the Immortal Gate does not enforce tax payment; it is entirely voluntary.

But Chen Mobai was clearly not that kind of person.

He wasn't at a point where he needed points yet.

"Master Wu, what do you mean by that? I don't quite understand." Chen Mobai was a little confused; only consumers earned points. Even if his artifact were sold in Wu Wan's shop, it shouldn't concern Wu Wan, should it?

"I am an appraiser; it's perfectly normal for me to earn money using my skills. If you sell this artifact to me, and then I use my professional knowledge to complete the cultivation and usage techniques for the needle case, then its selling price will naturally double. Am I right?" After Wu Wan finished speaking with a smile, Chen Mobai shivered, feeling a chill run down his spine.

"Master Wu, that's a fictitious transaction; it's illegal."

Fictitious transactions for points were common. Although they required paying tax to the Immortal Gate, they allowed an artifact to generate points from two transactions.

In the Immortal Gate Network's official flagship store, spiritual elixirs that increase the success rate of Foundation Establishment were periodically released for rushed purchase or auction, and these also required points for exchange.

Wu Wan had been planning for this, accumulating points for quite some time.

However, this kind of behavior was similar in nature to tax evasion in the mechanical civilization that preceded the Terrestrial Star. If caught, the Immortal Gate would fine cultivators until they were completely ruined.

"Many people do this. The Immortal Gate, for the sake of economic circulation, turns a blind eye to such matters. If tax revenues are low at the end of the year and the higher-ups are displeased, they will only target the wealthy elites. You can rest assured," Wu Wan said. "If you agree, I guarantee this needle case can sell for over eighty thousand merit points."

Seeing Chen Mobai hesitate, Wu Wan increased his offer. Although he looked young, he was already 45 years old, and if he didn't attempt Foundation Establishment soon, his chances of success would dwindle.

Next month, a batch of Vein-Protecting Pills, Spirit-Ascension Powder, and Qi-Condensing Liquid – all spiritual medicines that increase the chance of Foundation Establishment – would be released on the Immortal Gate flagship store.

Wu Wan still needed 300,000 points to bid for one of them.

Normally, he wouldn't dare to engage in fictitious transactions to defraud points. But with the great Dao right before him and his finances a bit tight, he wanted to try any opportunity to obtain points.

What if he was lucky and successfully established his foundation?

"This artifact is an heirloom. If I were to sell it, I would need to consult my family elders first." Chen Mobai was a good student and politely declined.

Wu Wan didn't say much else, only showing a look of regret. After all, he had merely seen Chen Mobai's youth and tried to see if he could trick him.