Chapter 14: The Attendant on the Second Floor
Li ng strolled out leisurely. After just a few steps, he soared into the air, riding his flying sword into the distance.
Three hours later, at the Market City.
In a narrow alley near the Auction House, Li ng took out a Shapeshifting Talisman and slapped it onto his body. A cloud of white mist suddenly enveloped him. When the mist dissipated, Li ng had transford into a middle-aged man in his thirties. His cyan robe had also changed to black. Li ng released his Divine Sense to examine his new appearance.
"Not bad!" he mused inwardly. The Shapeshifting Talisman was truly a marvelous item. The transford visage bore no resemblance whatsoever to his true self.
Without wasting ti, Li ng exited the alley and walked toward the grand entrance of the Auction House. His original plan had been to visit the Thousand Treasure Pavilion first to purchase so five-hundred-year spirit plants. The Flawless second-grade pills he could refine from them could then be sold at auction. However, his pockets were currently light. He had no choice but to sell so Flawless first-grade pills and Divine Firmant Talismans first to bolster his capital.
Li ng strode through the Auction House doors.
"Greetings, esteed guest. How may we assist you?"
As the public face of the Joyous Union Sect, the Auction House was opulent to the point of being gilded. Even the attendant responsible for reception was an Inner Sect disciple at the Foundation Establishnt stage. She approached Li ng with a peach-blossom smile, dressed in a flowing pink gown.
Li ng swept his gaze across the magnificent reception hall, inwardly marveling at the profound foundation of the Joyous Union Sect. The carpet was actually crafted from the hide of a fifth-rank demonic beast. The murals adorning the walls were no ordinary decorations either; they emanated faint traces of natural intent, clearly the work of a Nascent Soul cultivator.
"Are there any auction gatherings scheduled recently?" he asked.
The five great sects of the State of Zhao held auction gatherings in their respective Market Cities periodically, attracting cultivators from across the land.
"The next auction gathering is scheduled for four months from now," the attendant replied with her ever-present smile.
Four months? Li ng's brow furrowed slightly. He couldn't afford to wait that long.
"Does your esteed establishnt purchase pills and talismans?"
The attendant nodded gracefully. "We only accept Mid-grade or higher quality pills and talismans."
"I have a batch of goods to offload."
A look of understanding flashed in the attendant's eyes. She smiled and stepped aside, gesturing down a corridor. "This way, please."
In the eyes of the Auction House, there was no such thing as goods of questionable origin. Once an item entered its halls, it beca ownerless property.
Li ng followed her to a small reception room.
"Please wait a mont," she said before turning and leaving, closing the door softly behind her.
Li ng sat down at the tea table, taking in the modestly sized room. He had never been inside an Auction House before. In his past life, he couldn't refine high-grade pills; even producing Mid-grade ones was a struggle.
He waited for less than the ti it takes an incense stick to burn before the door opened again.
An elderly man in gray robes entered. His eyes swept over Li ng briefly before he calmly took a seat opposite him at the table. Li ng assessed him in return—a mid-Foundation Establishnt cultivator.
"Fellow Daoist, please present the items you wish to trade," the old man said, his voice neutral. "The rules are understood on my end; I trust they are on yours as well."
Li ng didn't know the rules, but he could pretend he did. With a wave of his hand, thirteen jade vials flew from his storage pouch and arranged themselves on the table.
The old man waved his own hand, and one vial floated into his grasp. As soon as he opened it, a rich dicinal aroma wafted out. His eyes lit up.
"Flawless first-grade Pri Solidifying Pills!"
With another wave, all the vial stoppers flew off simultaneously. The concentrated fragrance of pristine pills instantly filled the entire room.
"Flawless Pri Nurturing Pills... Flawless Revival Pills... Flawless Spirit Gathering Pills..." The old man inhaled deeply, an expression of near-intoxication on his face. Flawless pills were truly the pinnacle of quality. Even though these were only first-grade, they held significant value even for Foundation Establishnt cultivators.
"Fellow Daoist, a flat price: seven thousand spirit stones."
Li ng waved his hand again. Five golden talismans flew from his pouch and landed beside the vials.
"Nine thousand," he countered.
The old man's attention shifted to the talismans. "These are..." He picked one up, sensing a profound natural essence woven into its fabric.
"Earth-Shrinking Divine Firmant Talismans!" The old man couldn't suppress a gasp of astonishnt. Earth-Shrinking Divine Firmant Talismans were life-saving treasures! Even a first-grade one could ensure escape from pursuit by a Golden Core cultivator.
"Fellow Daoist, a flat price: thirty thousand spirit stones."
"Thirty-five thousand."
"Deal!"
The old man didn't even attempt to haggle further.
A subtle glint passed through Li ng's eyes as he inwardly grumbled. Did I ask for too little? Still, thirty-five thousand spirit stones far exceeded his initial expectations.
As for what those 'rules' actually were... Li ng left the Auction House none the wiser.
What are these rules? he pondered while walking through the bustling streets. Is it about not asking for identity or origin? Indeed, from start to finish, the old man had spoken only of business, never probing into Li ng's background or where he obtained such goods.
Not letting his guard down, Li ng turned into another alleyway. He took out a Stealth Talisman and activated it upon himself. In the next mont, he vanished from sight without a trace.
For the next two hours, Li ng wandered aimlessly through various parts of Market City, taking several convoluted routes before finally making his way to the Thousand Treasure Pavilion.
"Well now! If it isn't Immortal Master Li! You've been visiting quite frequently lately!"
It was the sa mortal shop assistant as before, still diligently dusting items on the shelves near the entrance.
Li ng chuckled as he entered and pointed wordlessly toward the second-floor stairs instead of greeting back verbally for the first ti since coming here regularly over the past few weeks.
The shop assistant, who had started to move forward to greet him, stopped mid-step and retreated back behind the counter imdiately upon seeing the gesture.
"Immortal Master Li, please go right ahead, sir! Yes, indeed, please do!" the assistant fawned obsequiously while watching Li ascend the staircase with a mixture of awe and curiosity.
How strange... Has Immortal Master Li co into great fortune recently? the assistant wondered silently because the second floor wasn't a place just anyone could browse casually. One couldn't leave without spending at least a thousand spirit stones minimum, usually much more.
"Immortal Master Li, there are many precious treasures upstairs... hope you can resist the temptations appropriately, haha..."
The layout of the second floor of the Thousand Treasure Pavilion was completely different from the first floor. The space wasn't smaller; instead, it felt even more expansive, exemplifying the concept of 'larger inside than outside.'
The guardian of this floor was a middle-aged man dressed in plain white robes with dark hair loosely cascading over his shoulders. He sat beside a tea table, engrossed in reading an ancient to.
A young attendant wearing simple Daoist robes approached Li ng and bowed respectfully.
"Senior Brother, welco to the Thousand Treasure Pavilion. What may I assist you with today?" A clear, youthful voice rang pleasantly in Li's ears.
Li ng produced a list and handed it over to the attendant. The attendant took the list and scanned the contents quickly, eyes flickering with slight surprise.
"Senior Brother, we have only seven portions of Moonlight Grass, five portions of True Spirit Fruit, and nine portions of Sunfla Blossom... Regarding the millennium-old spirit plants required, Senior Brother, this humble establishnt likely has none in stock currently. The spirit plants required to refine the Dustfall Pill are considered strategic resources. The five great sects of the State of Zhao do not sell them publicly."
Li ng frowned faintly, disappointnt flashing deep within his gaze. He hadn't expected even the Thousand Treasure Pavilion to lack the materials needed to refine the Dustfall Pill. Of course, he knew the ingredients were non-tradable within Zhao, but the master of this pavilion was a Supre Elder of the Joyous Union Sect, after all. He thought maybe a few specins might be available privately.
Looks like I'll have to make a trip to the Scarlet Forbidden Ground then... Li thought contemplatively.
With his trash Five Spirit Roots constitution, the only way to advance his cultivation rapidly was to consu massive quantities of pills. No spirit plants ant no pills. The Scarlet Forbidden Ground was undoubtedly a treasure trove for gathering rare flora. His goal would be to secure all the cultivation resources needed for the entire Foundation Establishnt stage in a single expedition.
Although the Scarlet Forbidden Ground was exceedingly dangerous, having Divine Firmant Talismans ant he could traverse it relatively safely, even arrogantly. Besides, without High-grade pills, how could he attract female cultivators? Without attracting female cultivators, how could he increase Affection?
By the ti he erged from the Scarlet Forbidden Ground, the auction gathering would be approaching—a perfect opportunity to make huge profits.
"In that case, I'll take whatever available stock you have."
"Senior Brother, please wait in the resting area a mont while I gather the items," the attendant said, turning away and departing with light, graceful steps.
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