← 百炼成仙

第一千七百三十六章 天元阁

Unlike his initial expectations, the market was not as crowded with cultivators as he had imagined. However, it was still significantly busier than he had anticipated, at least several times more so.

Most people were bustling about hurriedly, and Lin Xuan even saw a couple of Separation and Union stage cultivators hawking their wares. The calls for attention never ceased.

"Come take a look! This is a bone spear made from a transformed monster crocodile, with unparalleled power that can match the top-grade ancient treasures. Hurry if you want to buy it; you'll regret missing out."

"And this shield crafted from millennium-old ancient crystal sand," even at Separation and Union stage, one strike could block such treasure items.

These calls drew Lin Xuan's attention as well. He knew that treasures were not like ordinary goods. Even in the Spirit Realm market, only large shops had such valuable items; seeing them sold on stalls was a novelty for him.

His gaze swept over the offerings but he found they weren't spirit artifacts. The quality of these two treasures wasn't worth mentioning and their sellers seemed to be exaggerating.

Nevertheless, it was still rare to find decent-quality treasures here. After wandering around, Lin Xuan did indeed discover several items with good qualities on the stalls—though they were not for his taste as a cultivator.

As the saying goes, "a storm is brewing," and with the looming conflict between humans and sea creatures, people's minds were unsettled. Everyone felt like they were living in a time of constant danger.

In such circumstances, different individuals made different choices. Major sects and families urgently needed supplies, talismans, magic artifacts, medicinal pills, and various materials—basically anything related to cultivation became scarce. Stocking up on these items could enhance their power.

While stalls occasionally yielded treasures, they were rare and unpredictable, much like waiting by a tree for a rabbit. For real quality items, one had to rely on reputable shops. And typically, the stronger the shop, the more prominent its building.

Standing before a towering structure over ten meters high, Lin Xuan saw it was divided into six levels, made of wooden structures reinforced with magic. The three large characters "Tian Yuan Pavilion" were written in flowing script.

Without hesitation, he entered. Inside, many customers were present—some appraising treasures, others carefully selecting items, and the occasional haggling. Despite its grand and ancient appearance, it was as noisy as a bustling market.

Lin Xuan frowned and headed straight to the second floor. The scene there was similar, so he continued climbing...

Eight hundred years of cultivation had made Lin Xuan familiar with markets; no cultivator could achieve enlightenment in isolation. Interacting with others was necessary for progress.

Buying and selling were inevitable for any cultivator, and Lin Xuan's experience was extensive. Generally, the higher the floor, the better the treasures.

Indeed, after ascending to the fifth level, it became quieter. However, on his way up, two cultivators stopped him. Both were at late Condensation Core stage; one male and one female. The man greeted Lin Xuan with a bow: "Excuse me, sir. Goods above the fifth floor are of high value. To avoid unauthorized access, this building has a rule requiring proof of identity for guests with less than eight million crystal stones."

"Oh?" Lin Xuan was slightly surprised by such rules but understood their logic. The silence on the sixth floor made sense now.

Eight million crystal stones might be significant to others, but to Lin Xuan, it was just a drop in the bucket. He wasn't bothered.

Following local customs, he didn't want to disrupt the shop's rules. He nodded and flicked his sleeve, sending out a small storage bag: "Here are eight million crystal stones. Please check if they're sufficient."

The man took the item from Lin Xuan without hesitation, probing it with his divine sense. His eyes nearly popped out of his head.

Inside were countless colorful crystals, dazzling to the eye. They were high-grade weak stones in large quantities.

At a one-to-ten exchange rate, this man was well-traveled but still found such wealth rare. Money could make even ghosts move, and owning such a fortune indicated he wasn't an ordinary cultivator. His expression turned extremely respectful as he handed the bag to Lin Xuan: "That's enough, sir. Please come in. I apologize for any rudeness earlier."

Lin Xuan took the bag and walked inside confidently.

Just then, before his first step on the stairs, a female cultivator on his left whispered: "Brother, it’s just an Incubation Core stage cultivator. We receive many Incubation Core stage visitors; why be so respectful?"

It was understandable that she didn't understand. While her opponent's cultivation level was higher, to the owner of Tian Yuan Pavilion, this wasn't significant. As his subordinates, they shouldn’t have been so deferential.

"Little sister, you don't know," ordinary Incubation Core stage cultivators couldn't casually produce thousands of high-grade crystal stones with a wave of their hand. Even Separation and Union stage veterans who could prove such generosity were few. So if I'm not mistaken, the other party is an advanced Separation and Union stage cultivator with considerable status."

"What?"

The female cultivator was taken aback but then nodded thoughtfully. Her brother's analysis made sense. For them, offending Incubation Core stage cultivators wasn't a big deal, but Separation and Union stage was beyond their reach.

Though it was speculation, showing respect couldn’t hurt. Even if the assessment was incorrect, there was no harm in being polite. As an old saying went, "too much courtesy never hurts."

Their conversation was transmitted telepathically, but Lin Xuan's divine sense was too powerful, so he heard every word clearly.

He didn't mind that his identity had been discovered; a Condensation Core stage cultivator with such depth of character was commendable. He shook his head and continued up the stairs to the sixth floor.

The area here was much smaller than the previous five levels but elegantly decorated, with soft music playing.

"Another senior has arrived, please take a seat."

A pleasant greeting caught Lin Xuan's attention as he saw an elderly man and a scholar sitting at a table, surrounded by various delicacies. The hall was filled with beautiful maids singing and dancing while musicians played in the background.

For a moment, Lin Xuan thought he had gone to the wrong place; this seemed like both a treasure market and a banquet.

However, his gaze on the two cultivators revealed they were both at mid-Separation and Union stage. Interesting.

Seeing more cultivators as he entered, Lin Xuan realized hiding his true strength was pointless. These young ones couldn't be offended, so he ate heartily, enjoying the feast despite being an adept at cultivating without food.

The Separation and Union stage cultivators exchanged glances but showed no interest in him. He was just a lowly Incubation Core stage disciple after all.

However, as guests, they were served with respect. The maids led Lin Xuan to an empty table, each person having their own seat.

"Excuse me, sir," the young servant explained apologetically, "my lady has some urgent matters and will be delayed for a bit. Please wait here while enjoying the performances. You can purchase treasures only after my lady returns."

"Oh, I see."

Lin Xuan waited patiently despite his eagerness to buy a flying magic artifact. He nodded and began eating heartily, as even cultivators could enjoy food.

The two Separation and Union stage cultivators cast sidelong glances but Lin Xuan paid them no mind; he ate his own meal!

Reading Settings

18px
1.8
65ch
Show Pinyin + Chinese + English