Chapter Seventeen: The Internal Spear Technique, "The Whirlpool Spear"!

"Cough, cough!"
Seeing the fervor below, the grotesque host with the clown mask coughed twice and raised his voice, saying,
"The Sea Market deals fairly with all, but a reminder to everyone..."
"This Vortex Spear is incomplete, lacking the method for cultivating inner energy. If you wish to practice it, you must enter deep water and rely on water pressure to begin; it requires half an hour to achieve mastery."
"Those skilled in swimming will find this spear technique more suitable."
At these words, the hall immediately fell silent.
The crowd exchanged varied glances; some looked particularly strange.
An internal spear technique without inner energy cultivation?
Training requires deep water, relying on water pressure?
Humans are not whales—holding one's breath underwater for an hour would surely result in a cold corpse.
Even with secret diving medicines, it would be difficult.
"Forget it."
Someone shook his head.
If it were truly a formidable top-tier internal spear technique, it would be worth buying for study. The Vortex Spear, though a superior transmission, does not reach the level of the Dragon Chant Iron Shirt.
Without flaws, it would indeed be precious.
But an incomplete version?
"An incomplete manual cannot be called a true transmission; it is worth little. Without inner energy cultivation, it's merely a fierce attacking spear technique."
"To reach the master level in blood and qi martial arts, one must achieve turtle-breath and immortality, able to enter and exit the abyss. Otherwise, who could possess such swimming skill, diving deeper than whales?"
"If I had the master level, why would I bother with the Vortex Spear?"
None present showed interest in the Vortex Spear, except Bai Xuan, whose eyes flashed as he silently straightened up.
For ordinary people, swimming skill is mostly innate and hardly improved; holding one's breath for half an hour is to become a human whale.
But for Bai Xuan...
Among the eight abilities on his Fisherman's Path, one was swimming skill, sufficient to practice this internal spear technique!
Above,
The masked host saw the calm below and felt somewhat awkward.

Most auction items were either consigned or simply taken by force, so their condition could not be guaranteed.
This Vortex Spear manual had only recently been snatched from a swordsman, with some pages torn at the time; later it was discovered the crucial method for cultivating inner energy was missing.
On their pirate ship, some had tried training underwater, but none could withstand the water pressure.
Humans are not whales; perhaps it is too soon to practice the Vortex Spear.
"Vortex Spear, starting price—one hundred taels of silver! Each bid must increase by at least ten taels!"
The masked host had no choice but to announce the bidding.
The price matched that of the previous Dragon Chant Iron Shirt, yet the response was completely different.
The hall was silent; not a single bid was raised.
The man wearing the Dragon King mask glanced coldly, not sparing the Vortex Spear a look.
The Dragon Chant Iron Shirt was a rare horizontal training transmission, hard to come by; even a thousand taels would hardly secure it.
The Vortex Spear was not worth considering.
"Can't even sell it for one hundred taels... If I'd known, I wouldn't have put such an incomplete item up for auction."
The masked host felt helpless.
Such a failed auction would damage their reputation; the Sea Market auction prided itself on rare treasures. If an item failed, it meant the value was too low and their judgment was flawed.
Just then,
"One hundred taels."
A hoarse voice sounded.
The bidder was, of course, Bai Xuan. Wearing a shark mask, he looked comical, deliberately lowering his voice to sound deep and hoarse.
He had come to purchase a horizontal training transmission; other items were not in his plans. But stirred by opportunity, he decided to buy the Vortex Spear.
A true spear technique—even without inner energy cultivation, its inherent power was a deadly weapon. If he could truly master it, combined with his Cold Iron Fish Spear, his strength would leap dramatically, perhaps not inferior to gaining another horizontal training art!
"One hundred taels, first call!"
"One hundred taels, second call!"
"One hundred taels, third call—sold!"
The masked host struck his small hammer and declared the deal.
At this price, even the pirates' shills were too lazy to bid; daily, items in this range saw eight or ten sales, and pushing it would risk a failed auction—better to clear it out.
The auction continued.

Several martial arts manuals were auctioned next, but none were top-tier transmissions—mostly common external arts like Rolling Breeze Blade.
These arts were priced modestly, much like the Vortex Spear, usually concluding around one hundred taels.
Bai Xuan's consigned superior pearl was finally sold for one hundred twenty taels; the buyer was a masked young lady, particularly fond of the pearl, paying on the spot.
The auction concluded; the pirates made a handsome profit, and most guests departed satisfied.
The man with the Dragon King mask vanished into the crowd in a flash, several following—clearly with ill intent.
"Let him be."
Bai Xuan kept out of others’ affairs; for one who spent a thousand taels on a top-tier horizontal transmission, such matters were beyond his concern.
He did not leave the Sea Market at once. His purpose had been to purchase a horizontal transmission; though he unexpectedly acquired the Vortex Spear, he had not yet secured a horizontal training manual.
He wandered the market twice more, finally finding the Iron Sand Palm manual at a stall.
"Is your manual genuine?"
The vendor, also masked, rolled his eyes and flipped his palms; blood and qi surged, and his hands instantly swelled, appearing like iron palms tinged with blue-black heat and power.
"Iron Sand Palm is a common transmission—can’t you tell if it's real? If you’re not buying, move along and don’t waste my time."
"Fifty taels?"
Bai Xuan checked the price. "Thirty taels."
"You’re haggling? A true transmission manual, and you won’t pay fifty taels?"
The vendor’s eyes flashed with irritation. "My Iron Sand Palm comes with the manual and a bottle of secret training solution; the price is already fair and low. Forty taels minimum—if you won’t buy, get lost."
In the end, Bai Xuan bought the horizontal training manual for forty taels.
These common manuals, though genuine, could be copied and reproduced; even at a low price, the vendor never lost money—it was pure profit, perfect for the Sea Market.
"Now that my purpose here is fulfilled, it’s time to return and train."
Bai Xuan returned to the dock, handed his token to the pirate guards, set sail, and entered the vast sea.
"Let’s hope I’m not being followed."
Bai Xuan remained cautious, but soon two small boats pursued him from behind, each carrying two strong men, their muscles bulging—clearly trained in hard skills!