168: Selling materials, and your net worth skyrocketed!

After all, if one wanted to secure the final grand treasure at the auction, relying solely on force wouldn't work. This was someone else's territory; acting too aggressively could easily lead to disaster. One still needed sufficient financial resources.

Although he had accumulated quite a bit of wealth in Tianxuan City, this was Zhenyuan City, where prices were extremely high.

To be safe, he had to go "fence the goods" first.

He would exchange the "trash" he had scavenged from the Grotto-Heaven for solid Spirit Stones.

"Xiao Hei, let's go. I'll take you to continue broadening your horizons."

Passing through the bustling crowds, Chen Xu stood before the main gates of Tianbao Pavilion with Xiao Hei.

He had to admit that although the Lin Family held absolute power in Zhenyuan City, the Tianbao Pavilion, as a top-tier merchant guild spanning several Great Domains, truly maintained an impeccable presence.

The entire building seemed to be crafted from some kind of glazed material; under the sunlight, it didn't have that garish, nouveau riche glare.

Instead, it radiated a warm and heavy treasure-light, standing like an immovable mountain of gold.

At the entrance, there were no snobbish Guards like those at the Drunken Immortal Tower earlier. Instead, two rows of graceful and beautiful female Cultivators stood there.

These female Cultivators all had Nascent Soul Stage cultivation and wore decent palace dresses. With professional smiles on their faces, they bowed slightly to every guest entering or leaving.

Chen Xu's worn-out Daoist robe, combined with the mangy dog behind him that looked like it had just finished scavenging in a trash heap, made for a combination that seemed out of place anywhere.

Many glamorous Cultivators nearby instinctively covered their noses and walked around them, their eyes filled with disdain.

However, the welcoming female Cultivators at the entrance of Tianbao Pavilion only let their gaze linger on Chen Xu for a split second before returning to normal. They still bowed respectfully and made a "please" gesture, without the slightest intention of blocking him.

"Interesting."

Chen Xu nodded inwardly.

A great merchant guild is indeed a great merchant guild; this level of sophistication is truly something ordinary small families cannot compare to.

When opening doors for business, the principle is that every visitor is a guest.

Moreover, in this Cultivation World, many old monsters with eccentric habits like to pretend to be a pig to eat the tiger. Tianbao Pavilion had stood firm for so many years, clearly understanding this path and never making the low-level mistake of judging people by their appearance.

Stepping into the hall, a wave of cool Spiritual Qi washed over him, instantly isolating the noise and heat from outside.

The interior of the hall was extremely luxurious. The floor was paved with white spiritual jade, and the ceiling was inlaid with night-luminescent pearls to simulate the starry sky.

Countless counters were arranged in an orderly fashion, each equipped with a sound-isolating barrier to maximize the guests' privacy.

Chen Xu didn't wander over to the counters selling Medicinal Pills or Magic Treasures, but instead walked straight to an inconspicuous corner on the right side of the hall.

An ancient plaque hung there, with three large characters inscribed: "Appraisal Office."

Behind the counter sat a middle-aged appraiser, yawning while holding an unknown piece of Ore, looking somewhat bored.

*Slap.*

A withered palm reached out, casually tossing a dusty-looking jade bottle onto the counter.

"Do you buy items?"

Chen Xu's hoarse and aged voice rang out.

The appraiser lazily lifted his eyelids, scanned the destitute-looking old Daoist before him, and then looked at the ordinary jade bottle, not holding much expectation in his heart.

He had seen many such Loose Cultivators; most of them brought some scrap metal they thought were treasures to try their luck, but in reality, they weren't worth much at all.

"We do."

The appraiser sat up straight nonchalantly and said in a flat tone, "However, Tianbao Pavilion has rules. The appraisal fee is ten Top-Grade Spirit Stones. If the item's value exceeds one hundred Top-Grade Spirit Stones, this fee can be waived."

"If it's fake or worthless, these Spirit Stones will not be refunded."

Chen Xu didn't waste words and directly took out ten Top-Grade Spirit Stones, slapping them on the table.

Seeing this, the appraiser's expression softened slightly; at least this old man wasn't here to cause trouble.

He reached out to pick up the jade bottle and asked casually, "What's inside? A Medicinal Pill? Or spiritual liquid?"

"See for yourself."

Chen Xu said indifferently.

The appraiser shook his head, thinking this old man was quite mysterious.

He didn't take it seriously and casually pulled out the stopper.

The moment the stopper was opened.

There was no world-shaking phenomenon, nor any blinding light.

However, a dense, almost tangible life essence, like a storm compressed to its limit, instantly erupted from that small bottle mouth!

"Cough, cough, cough!"

The appraiser was caught off guard, and that extremely pure Spiritual Qi choked his throat, making him cough violently.

His face instantly turned red!

He felt all the pores on his body burst open at this moment, and the cultivation Bottleneck that had been stagnant within him actually showed a hint of loosening under the impact of this aura!

"This... this is..."

Ignoring his coughing, the appraiser scrambled to put the stopper back in, fearing that even a sliver of the medicinal power would escape.

He stared wide-eyed at the jade bottle in his hand, his hands trembling violently.

Even with just one sniff, he felt as if he had grown ten years younger, and the chronic ailments in his body had improved significantly!

What kind of divine object was this?!

Even legendary fifth-grade Top-Grade Medicinal Pills didn't possess such pure, such domineering vitality!

"This is spiritual liquid extracted from the depths of the earth's meridians. It has miraculous effects on extending life, healing, and breaking through Bottlenecks."

Chen Xu's voice was flat.

The appraiser felt like his heart was about to jump out of his chest.

He snapped his head up, and the way he looked at Chen Xu completely changed.

Where was the destitute old Daoist? This was clearly a walking mountain of gold!

"Se... Senior!"

The appraiser swallowed hard, his voice trembling as his attitude became incomparably respectful, even carrying a hint of fear. "This item is precious and has exceeded this Junior's appraisal authority! Please wait a moment, Senior; I will go and invite the Chief Manager right away!"

After saying that, he carefully returned the jade bottle to Chen Xu with both hands and then pressed an emergency communication rune under the counter.

In just a few moments.

A series of hurried footsteps came from the stairs.

A middle-aged fat man wearing a brocade robe, with a round figure and a warm smile on his face, walked quickly toward them.

Although he had a wealthy physique, his steps were light, and a powerful aura of the Nascent Soul Stage Late Phase faintly radiated from his body.

This person was one of the managers of the Tianbao Pavilion in Zhenyuan City, Qian Tong.

"Which distinguished guest has graced us with their presence? Qian has failed to welcome you properly, please forgive me, forgive me!"

Before Qian Tong even arrived, his hearty laughter had already reached them.

The appraiser hurried forward and whispered a few words into Qian Tong's ear.

The smile on Qian Tong's face froze slightly, and a glint of sharp light flashed in his eyes.

He calmly sized up Chen Xu, after which the smile on his face became even more radiant, and his waist bent slightly lower.

"So it is an old Senior who has arrived!"

Qian Tong cupped his hands in greeting, his attitude sincere yet warm. "This place is crowded and not suitable for business discussions. If Senior doesn't mind, please move to the top-floor VIP room for a chat?"

Chen Xu nodded slightly, put away the jade bottle, and followed Qian Tong upstairs with Xiao Hei, who was still licking his lips.

The Cultivators nearby, who had been waiting to see a joke, were now all dumbfounded.

Qian Tong, the Chief Manager of Tianbao Pavilion, was a prominent figure in Zhenyuan City. Normally, even if a Family head at the Soul Transformation Stage came, he might not personally come downstairs to greet them.

What exactly was the background of this old Daoist?

...Tianbao Pavilion top floor, VIP room.

The luxury here was more than a level higher than the first-floor hall.

The entire room was enveloped in a high-grade Spirit Gathering Array, with Spiritual Qi so dense it formed a mist.

The table was made of ten-thousand-year-old agarwood, the tea set was a complete set of Top-Grade Spiritual Artifacts, and even the incense burning in the corner was the "Spirit-Soothing Soul-Settling Incense," worth a thousand gold.

"Senior, please have some tea."

Qian Tong personally poured a cup of spiritual tea for Chen Xu.

The tea was emerald green, with several tender leaves unfolding in the water like swimming dragons, emitting a refreshing fragrance.

"This is Tianshan Snow Lotus Tea, brought back by our Pavilion Master from the extreme north. It has the effect of clearing the mind and improving vision."

Chen Xu picked up the teacup, took a sip, and nodded slightly.

This tea was indeed not bad, but to him, who was used to drinking water steeped with enlightenment ancient tea tree leaves, it could only be considered "passable."

He set down the teacup and, without beating around the bush with Qian Tong, placed the jade bottle on the table again.

"Give me a price."

Qian Tong didn't hesitate either. He carefully picked up the jade bottle, didn't open it, but took out a specially made silver needle, gently dipped it into the bottle mouth to get a bit of spiritual liquid, and then placed it on his tongue to taste it carefully.

The next moment, his whole body shook, and his eyes snapped wide open.

Two beams of sharp light shot out from his small eyes, which had been narrowed into slits.

"Good stuff! Truly good stuff!"

Qian Tong couldn't help but praise, the fat on his face trembling slightly with excitement. "It contains the essence of Innate Earth, and it's fused with vast vitality... this is simply a supreme holy medicine for Body Refining!"

"Even more so, it's the life-extending divine liquid that those old monsters whose Lifespan is nearly exhausted dream of!"

He took a deep breath, calmed his emotions, and looked at Chen Xu with increasing awe.

Someone who could produce such a thing was definitely not an ordinary Loose Cultivator.

And he could naturally taste that this was "diluted."

That meant the other party surely had a more Advanced original liquid!

"Senior, the quality of this spiritual liquid is extremely high. Although I don't know its specific name, according to the market price, this bottle..." Qian Tong pondered for a moment and held up five fingers, "My Tianbao Pavilion is willing to pay five hundred thousand Top-Grade Spirit Stones to purchase it!"

Hearing this, Chen Xu chuckled softly and shook his head.

"Manager Qian, you are a businessman; you should know the value of this item."

Chen Xu's finger tapped gently on the tabletop. "For those who need it, this is a life-saving thing. Five hundred thousand? You're bullying an old man like me for not knowing the market prices."

Qian Tong gave a dry laugh, not feeling embarrassed.

In business, one asks for the sky and settles on the ground.

"Then what does Senior mean?"

"I don't feel like wasting words with you either."

Chen Xu waved his hand again.

*Whoosh!*

A flash of spiritual light passed, and over a dozen Spiritual Plants, still carrying the fragrance of soil, suddenly appeared on the table.

These Spiritual Plants were of various shapes; some were crimson like fire, some were white as jade, and others emitted a faint starlight.

But without exception, every Spiritual Plant radiated an ancient charm that only a medicinal age of over ten thousand years could possess!

"Ten-thousand-year Dragon Blood Grass!"

"Is that... a Nine-Leaf Star Flower?!"

"My god! Is this the extinct Purple-Gold Ginseng?!"

Qian Tong, who had been relatively calm just a moment ago, could no longer sit still.

Like an old lecher seeing a peerless beauty, he sprang from his chair with a 'thud' and lunged toward the table, his eyes wide and round, his breathing rapid.

His hands trembled as he reached out to touch the Spiritual Plants, yet he pulled back, fearing he might damage them; they remained suspended in mid-air as he muttered incessantly.

"Crazy... this is truly crazy..."

"So many ten-thousand-year Spiritual Plants... you couldn't find these even if you turned the entire Zhenyuan City upside down!"

He looked up at Chen Xu, and in his eyes, besides awe, there was a trace of deep fear.

To be able to produce so many ten-thousand-year Spiritual Plants at once, and looking as if they had just been pulled from the ground... could this old man have ransacked the medicine garden of some ancient Sect?

Or perhaps, he had discovered an ancient grotto-heaven that had never been stepped in before?

Whichever possibility it was, it indicated that this "Old Demon Han" before him was unfathomable!

"Sell all of these."

Chen Xu pointed at the pile of things on the table that, in his view, were merely "roadside weeds" from his grotto-heaven, his tone as casual as if he were selling cabbages. "Including that bottle of spiritual liquid, give me a total price."

Qian Tong wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, struggling to clear his mind.

He calculated rapidly in his head, and the more he calculated, the more his heart pounded.

This was a massive deal!

A deal large enough to double his performance for the entire year.

A super-sized deal that could even get him promoted directly to a headquarters Elder!

"Senior..."

Qian Tong took a deep breath, his tone becoming extremely solemn. "These items are too precious. If we settle the entire amount in Low-Grade Spirit Stones, the quantity would be far too immense and inconvenient to carry."

"How about this: for this bottle of spiritual liquid, I will offer you eight hundred thousand! As for these ten-thousand-year Spiritual Plants... I will price each one at three million for you! There are twelve in total, plus the spiritual liquid..."

"A total of thirty-six million eight hundred thousand Top-Grade Spirit Stones!"

As he announced this figure, Qian Tong's voice was wavering.

This was nearly equivalent to half a year's turnover for the Tianbao Pavilion in Zhenyuan City!

Chen Xu nodded slightly.

Although this price was slightly low, for a bulk purchase like this, it could be considered fair.

His current goal wasn't to make money, but to liquidate assets quickly.

"However, I don't want Top-Grade Spirit Stones."

Chen Xu said indifferently, "Exchange it all for Immortal Jade."

"Immortal Jade?"

Qian Tong showed a look of difficulty. "Senior, this Immortal Jade... however, since it is a major deal, our Tianbao Pavilion will naturally find a way to gather it."

He gritted his teeth. "Fine! We will do as Senior says! However, we need a little time to arrange the distribution."

"Furthermore..."

Qian Tong pulled a purple-gold token from his robe and handed it respectfully to Chen Xu with both hands. "This is our Tianbao Pavilion's Purple-Gold Tianbao Command. Anyone holding this token is our Tianbao Pavilion's most distinguished guest."

"Regardless of which branch you visit, you can enjoy the highest level of treatment, and you can enter auctions directly without the need for a capital verification."

Chen Xu took the token; it felt slightly heavy, and it was carved with complex anti-counterfeiting array patterns.

"Not bad, you know how to conduct yourself."

Chen Xu nodded with satisfaction.

With the deal concluded, the atmosphere relaxed considerably.

The smile on Qian Tong's face became much more sincere as he personally refilled Chen Xu's hot tea.

In his eyes, the man before him was an absolute God of Wealth who had to be served well.

"Since Senior has come to Zhenyuan City, I assume it's for the 'Centennial Grand Ceremony' in three days?"

Qian Tong asked tentatively.

"You could say that."

Chen Xu set down his teacup and looked at Qian Tong with a half-smile. "I heard this auction has quite a few good items, even a tai xu realm stone?"

"Senior is well-informed!"

Qian Tong gave a thumbs up. "Indeed, that tai xu realm stone is the finale item. However, besides that, there are several Top Grade Ancient Treasures. I'm sure with Senior's wealth, you will return fully loaded."

Chen Xu remained noncommittal.

He pondered for a moment and asked as if casually, "Besides the tai xu realm stone, I have recently been searching for another Artifact Refining material called 'void star crystal'. I wonder if your Pavilion has any in stock?"

void star crystal—this was one of the auxiliary Materials for constructing a cross-realm teleportation array.

Though not as core as the tai xu realm stone, it was still indispensable.

To be honest, for constructing the array, he was only missing this one material.

Hearing the words "void star crystal," the smile on Qian Tong's face stiffened slightly.

A look of difficulty appeared on his face.

"This... Senior, to tell you the truth, our Tianbao Pavilion really doesn't have any void star crystals."

"Oh? A Pavilion as large as Tianbao can't even get that?"

Chen Xu's brow furrowed slightly.

Qian Tong gave a bitter smile and lowered his voice to explain, "Senior may not know. This void star crystal is no ordinary mineral; it is only produced near specific void cracks."

"And in our Beiming Wilderness, there is only one place that produces this item."

"Where?"

"The Starfall Secret Realm controlled by the Lin Family."

Qian Tong pointed toward the towering City Lord's Mansion outside the window. "That Starfall Secret Realm is a fragmented Small World attached to the Spirit Realm. The environment inside is harsh, but it is rich in various star-attribute Ores."

"The Lin Family regards it as their private domain and has stationed heavy Guards there; they have monopolized all the void star crystals produced."

"They never sell this item externally, using it only to cultivate their own elite Disciples or to refine their unique star Magic Treasures."

Speaking to this point, Qian Tong sighed. "It is precisely because they control this resource that the Lin Family's strength has grown by leaps and bounds over these last few centuries, suppressing other forces until they can barely breathe."

"So that's how it is."

A cold light flashed in Chen Xu's eyes.

The Lin Family again.

This Lin Family was truly "versatile"—not only were they involved in human trafficking and creating beast tides, but they also practiced resource monopoly.

It seemed his trip to Zhenyuan City was destined for a proper clash with this local tyrant.

Since they won't sell, then don't blame me for "taking it myself."

In any case, the Lin Family rose to power through plunder. He would call this "acting on behalf of heaven," and by the way, a "zero-dollar purchase" was perfectly reasonable.

"Many thanks for informing me, Manager Qian."

Chen Xu stood up and brushed his sleeves. "Since you don't have it, then forget it. Are the Spirit Stones ready?"

"Ready, ready! They are all here!"

Qian Tong hurriedly handed over an exquisite Storage Pouch.

Chen Xu swept his Divine Sense over it; inside were over three hundred pieces of Low Grade Immortal Jade stacked neatly.

Although there was a slight premium when converted.

Considering the scarcity of Immortal Jade, this deal was not a loss.

"Farewell."

Chen Xu put away the Storage Pouch and turned to leave with Xiao Hei.

"Take care, Senior! I, Qian, will be awaiting your grand arrival at the auction in three days!"

Qian Tong escorted Chen Xu all the way to the main entrance of Tianbao Pavilion, his respectful attitude making the two rows of welcoming female Cultivators stare in shock... As he stepped out of Tianbao Pavilion, the sky outside had completely darkened.

The night view of Zhenyuan City was extremely prosperous, with various spiritual lamps hanging on both sides of the streets, illuminating the entire city as if it were day.

.

Although Chen Xu had caused a scene at the Drunken Immortal Tower earlier, it did not affect the city's overall atmosphere of luxury and debauchery.

Carrying a huge sum of money, Chen Xu was in a fairly good mood.

He led Xiao Hei along the street at a leisurely pace, intending to find an inn to stay at while waiting for the auction to begin.

At the same time, he pondered how to take a stroll through the Lin Family's "Starfall Secret Realm."

"Woof! Woof woof!"

Just as they passed a dark street corner, Xiao Hei, who had been following quietly, suddenly stopped.

It barked urgently at a pile of clutter in the corner.

This bark was not like the roar when encountering danger, nor the excitement when finding food, but rather carried a sense of... confusion and curiosity?

"Hmm?"

Chen Xu stopped and followed Xiao Hei's gaze.

He saw that deep in the dark and damp alleyway, quite a lot of waste and junk discarded by shops were piled up.

Beside that pile of trash emitting a smell of mold and rot, a thin and small figure was curled up.

It was a young girl about fifteen or sixteen years old.

She was wrapped in a long linen shirt whose original color could no longer be discerned; the clothes were tattered, and her exposed skin was covered in purple bruises and filth.

She had curled herself into a ball as much as possible, as if trying to merge into the pile of trash.

Although she looked wretched to the extreme, when Chen Xu's Divine Sense swept over her,

He found that the girl was not asleep.

Through the gaps in her messy, straw-like hair, a pair of startlingly bright eyes were revealed. Those eyes did not have the usual numbness and pleading of a beggar, but instead held a vigilance and stubbornness like a wounded wolf cub.

"Whimper..."

Xiao Hei lowered its voice, letting out a whimper from its throat that only Chen Xu could understand.

It didn't show disdain because of the trash pile; instead, it spun in circles anxiously, its tail constantly pointing toward the girl—more accurately, toward something on the girl's person.

Chen Xu's heart stirred slightly.

Although Xiao Hei usually seemed unreliable, this fellow did possess the Heaven-Swallowing Bloodline.

Its perception of treasures was sometimes even more acute than his own as a Void Refining Stage expert.

Something that could make it so interested was definitely no ordinary item.

"Interesting."

Chen Xu narrowed his eyes and did not step forward immediately, instead standing in the shadows to observe quietly.

Just then, a burst of rapid and noisy hoofbeats, accompanied by several arrogant shouts and curses, broke the original order of the street.

"Everyone get the hell out of the way! Are you blind?"

"If you block the Young Master's path, watch out for your dog lives!"

The crowd, like a school of startled fish, scrambled to retreat to both sides.

At the end of the street, several Fire Cloud Beasts, entirely red with smoke rising from their hooves, pulled a lavishly decorated open-top beast carriage, charging through recklessly.

Sitting in the carriage was precisely the one who had suffered a major setback at the Drunken Immortal Tower earlier.

The Lin Family's young master, Lin Tianci, whose belly was full of malicious fire with nowhere to vent.