14: Selling Rune Basics

The next day, King Qi visited again, but was refused entry.

Xia Xuan leisurely arrived at the Heaven and Earth Merchant Guild's branch in the Imperial Capital.

The buildings here were like a forest, extremely luxurious, with the Heaven and Earth Merchant Guild's property occupying fully seventy percent of the Jin'yu Square's architecture.

At a glance, the Heaven and Earth Merchant Guild's complex resembled a golden city within the city.

Those who came and went were all wealthy gentry.

Mortals rarely set foot here; their clients were mostly the powerful and influential upper class, princes, and nobles of the Imperial Capital.

"Your Highness, King Chu, please!"

A pretty maid recognized Xia Xuan at a glance and respectfully led the way.

"Your Highness hasn't been here for a long time. This time, do you wish to go to the Beast Fighting Arena or the Stone Gambling Area?"

Xia Xuan's predecessor most enjoyed frequenting these two areas of the Heaven and Earth Merchant Guild, bullying the children of the powerful and nobles for fun.

The maid leading the way had some understanding of his disposition, so she enthusiastically asked.

"Have Shang Yingxue come out to see this King. This King wishes to discuss a transaction with her," Xia Xuan stopped and directly stated his purpose.

Shang Yingxue was the branch president of the Heaven and Earth Merchant Guild in the Wu Dynasty's Imperial Capital, and also the daughter of the Heaven and Earth Merchant Guild's general president. Her status was noble, her business acumen was exceptional, and she wielded immense power within the Merchant Guild.

"Your Highness, please forgive me. President Shang left the Imperial Capital a few days ago to inspect market conditions in various regions," the maid apologized.

Xia Xuan had anticipated this. His predecessor had publicly flirted with Shang Yingxue, so it was normal for him to be unwelcome.

The so-called 'inspection' was likely an excuse to avoid him.

"Do you truly think this King is so easily fooled? With the Five Domains Grand Auction imminent, does she still have the leisure to inspect other regions?"

Xia Xuan's expression turned slightly cold. "Go report immediately. If I don't see her today, then you will find a way to have the Shang family's general president come see this King."

"Your Highness, please calm your anger." The maid trembled and knelt, her eyes pleading for help, and someone immediately hurried to the Treasure Pavilion deep inside.

Inside the Treasure Pavilion, on the seventh floor.

Shang Yingxue was counting a batch of goods that had just arrived from outer domains, prepared for the auction.

Upon receiving the news, her delicate brows raised slightly, and a hint of curiosity flickered in her eyes.

Why was King Chu so insistent on seeing her?

She still remembered that King Chu had been reprimanded and punished by Emperor Wanwu for repeatedly speaking disrespectfully at the Heaven and Earth Merchant Guild.

Since then, he had rarely frequented the Heaven and Earth Merchant Guild's business, one could say he had drawn a clear line with her.

Given King Chu's arrogance, he shouldn't be coming to see her.

Shang Yingxue pondered, considering King Chu's recent flamboyant reputation, she felt a headache. Finally, she sighed, "Never mind, I'll go see him."

...On the third floor of the Treasure Pavilion.

Xia Xuan waited for a moment, and a group of travel-worn Merchant Guild personnel hurried over.

The leading woman had a classic oval face, exquisite features, and was remarkably beautiful, yet she was dressed as a man, with a forehead band and a white robe, exuding a heroic spirit.

"It seems Your Highness, King Chu, and I have quite a connection. The inspection caravan just happened to return to the Imperial Capital today."

Xia Xuan couldn't be bothered to argue with her and directly presented the talisman jade with the Legacy of runes that he had kept hidden.

"This item, if sold to the Heaven and Earth Merchant Guild, what is its value?"

Shang Yingxue took the Jade Slip, her expression surprised. "Are special talismans inscribed on it?"

A slight displeasure arose in her heart. King Chu had gone to such great lengths to see her, just to sell an item?

As expected, he was unreasonable.

Although spiritual talismans were rare, for the Heaven and Earth Merchant Guild, they were not priceless items.

Because in today's world, most of the spiritual talismans that talisman masters could create had very limited uses and no market.

"Your Highness, forgive my bluntness, even if the Jade Slip contains new fragments of the rune method, it holds little value..."

Shang Yingxue multitask, exploring the Legacy Jade Slip with her Divine Thought while explaining.

Before she finished speaking, her beautiful eyes widened, her delicate mouth slightly agape, and her expression froze.

In the Legacy Jade Slip she was exploring, although each rune only contained the first half of the content, with the latter half concealed, the comprehensiveness of the types it covered was something she had never seen in her life.

It could even completely overturn the current sacred text of runes, the "Three Thousand Rune Explanations," and was of immeasurable value!

Just the long-lost, single-use offensive spiritual talisman pairing methods that could be used to inscribe weapons, if sold to any Imperial Dynasty, could command any price.

For example, the Flame Burst Talisman, by guiding the power of talisman jade onto an arrow, could transform it into a special arrow imbued with flame bursts and powerful lethality.

Mass production could completely elevate the combat power of an army by an entire level.

"This..."

Shang Yingxue's emotions were complex.

The item was too valuable; she needed to consider carefully whether she could accept it.

"May I be so bold as to ask Your Highness about the origin of this item?"

"Since when did you have a rule about digging into origins?"

Xia Xuan was confident and unafraid that the Heaven and Earth Merchant Guild wouldn't be tempted.

Shang Yingxue quickly tried to appease him, saying, "Your Highness misunderstands. Yingxue is concerned that Your Highness might mistakenly sell a secret treasure of the Wu Dynasty, incurring the displeasure of Emperor Wanwu."

Xia Xuan scoffed, hearing the underlying meaning in her words: "No need to worry, this item has nothing to do with the Wu Dynasty; it belongs solely to this King.

What? Have you gathered information and now wish to silence me?"

"Your Highness jests. The Heaven and Earth Merchant Guild never does anything to destroy its own Foundation. Even if a Mortal brought this Jade Slip today, we would conduct a fair transaction."

Shang Yingxue composed herself, looking at Xia Xuan with piercing eyes. "Your Highness, name your price."

"The Merchant Guild cannot truly estimate the value of such a Legacy. However, we will do our utmost to fulfill Your Highness's needs."

The Heaven and Earth Merchant Guild was not her sole domain; many of her brothers and sisters were eyeing the position of Imperial Capital branch president.

She needed to produce results every year to solidify her position, otherwise, she would be eliminated.

And if she could acquire the rune Legacy in King Chu's possession, her chances of competing for the position of general president of the Merchant Guild would be almost guaranteed.

In fact, Xia Xuan hadn't yet decided what he wanted in exchange.

He lightly tapped his fingers on the zitan table, then suddenly asked, "Do you have any intelligence on the Killing Altar?"

"Yes, we do." Shang Yingxue nodded and instructed her subordinates to retrieve a scroll and present it.

"This intelligence is a gift from Yingxue to Your Highness, King Chu, and is not part of the transaction."

The Killing Altar was a force established three thousand years ago by the Killing Life Hall, one of the ten Immortal Sects of the Central Plains.

Initially, the Killing Altar was merely an intelligence agency, but later, due to the gradual decline of the Killing Life Hall, the Killing Altar took over its operations, specializing in accepting various assassination missions.

As long as the reward was sufficient, they dared to assassinate even the emperor of an Imperial Dynasty.

Although there had been no regicide achievements in recent centuries, no one who knew of it doubted its strength.

The scroll provided by Shang Yingxue mentioned that the Killing Altar had experienced several major upheavals, and during that time, it might have changed hands.

Their strongholds were never fixed, and their people were never seen when missions were issued.

To enlist their help required both wealth and destiny.

Closing the scroll, Xia Xuan sighed softly. Indeed, it was not simple to uncover the person behind the scenes.