Before I start, here is my disclaimer - I'm not the richest player in 9Dragons, nor am I the best player, I have however bolstered together more than 150,000,000 (yes, 150 MILLION 9 dragons gold) in just over four weeks during my period of being SM6 through to EC5. Here's a short, but clear guide on how to do it:

What you will need:
- Some start-up capital. Every entrepreneur needs some cash to get going. I DO NOT condone taking loans from other players, do so at your own risk. I started with around 500,000 9 dragons gold, but 1,000,000 would be ideal and give you a running start.

- Not only do you need a desire to make a lot of money, but you also need the determination to grind, even when your luck is soul-destroying. Remember, you won't just be making money, you'll also be shooting through the levels too!

- A second character on your account. This character will act as your 'trader' and will reside permanently in Hefei market. Technically this isn't a necessity, but it helps to keep the main grinding character separate from your trading toon.

- An 'always on' broadband/DSL/cable internet connection. You will need to have your PC switched on and connected as often as possible. I leave my PC on 24/7. If you wish to do this, I would recommend you use a PC with a low-watt power supply (300-400W is best, any lower is a benefit) to save you the nightmare of a 300 foot-long electricity bill.

- A 40-slot storage facility with the courier's guild is recommended, but not necessary. It makes organising and keeping track of your stock much easier.

Becoming a successful trader:

Anybody can buy and sell on Hefei market, but you need to be smart in how you market your goods. To date, I have only used a Lion's Roar to sell an item ONCE, but in retrospect I could have made much better uses of Lion's Roars - I will go on to explain how later on. First and foremost, you need to know your market. We are all limited to 9 slots for our stands; this means you should be selling 9 desirable goods simultaneously to get a decent throughput on your stand. It is good to offer a variation of items at varying prices - remember selling 9 items worth 10 million on one stand doesn't mean you'll end up with 90 million by the end of the day. The liklihood is that the more expensive your items, the longer they will take to sell.