Appearance-Preserving Pill
Upon arriving at the Returning Geese Tower, a few tables were temporarily set up. Guards from the market, dressed in tight-fitting clothes with weapons at their waists and solemn expressions, were responsible for guarding the entrance and collecting fees. Each cultivator had to pay one Spirit Stone to enter.
Shen Jingchuan led Xiao Mingshu and Huan'er over.
The leading guard clearly recognized him, and when he saw him take out a VIP invitation, he glanced at it, then quickly clasped his hands in a fist salute, nodded to him, and stepped aside to make way, without even mentioning the three Spirit Stones entrance fee.
"Young Master Shen, please."
Shen Jingchuan nodded slightly and stepped inside.
A sharp-eyed waiter from Returning Geese Tower had spotted them and trotted up to greet them. This man was the manager of the front hall, a young cultivator at the Qi Refining First Layer.
"Master! You've arrived! Please come in, please come in!"
He led the way while bowing deeply.
This address of "owner" drew the attention of the cultivators queuing to enter. Upon seeing this young man, they couldn't help but whisper among themselves, wondering whether he was the owner of the restaurant or the owner of this auction.
The waiter led the three upstairs to the private room with the best view, directly opposite the auction platform on the first floor. He quickly wiped the table and arranged the chairs, then personally served them fragrant tea and dried fruit, making sure everything was perfectly arranged.
After finishing his work, he rubbed his hands together, smiled apologetically, and took half a step closer.
"Master, shall I go and fetch Sister Cuicui Cui to serve you? Cuicui Cui is the prettiest girl in our building, quick and efficient, and the most sensible."
Shen Jingchuan waved his hand.
"No need. Let her serve the other guests. We're all family here, no need for this formality, and you don't need to worry about it."
Shen Jingchuan flicked his wrist, and a Spirit Stone landed steadily in his palm.
"Here's your reward, now get out."
The shopkeeper looked down and saw that it was a Spirit Stone; his eyes immediately lit up.
He was just a lowly cultivator at the Qi Refining First Layer, and this one Spirit Stone was equivalent to his monthly allowance. He was overjoyed. The boss was indeed generous.
"Thank you for the reward, sir! Thank you for the reward, sir!"
He held the Spirit Stone, bowed deeply, and left with profuse thanks.
Xiao Mingshu leaned against the railing and looked down into the lobby to watch the commotion, while Huan'er stood by her side serving her.
After sitting for a while, it was 10 a. m., and both the upstairs and downstairs were packed with people.
A loud "dong" of gong sounded downstairs, and the once noisy hall gradually quieted down.
A skilled and articulate emcee, dressed in a long robe, strode up to the platform facing the main entrance, bowed respectfully to all directions, and announced in a loud and clear voice—
The annual grand auction at Spirit Creek Market has officially begun.
Not long after, the lights on stage went out.
A female cultivator swayed her hips as she walked onto the stage. She was about the Qi Refinement Fifth Layer Refining. Her dress was as thin as gauze, with a very low neckline, revealing her alluring figure and captivating charm. When she stood in the center of the stage, the audience fell silent at first, followed by a low murmur of jeers.
It's her.
"Liu Meiniang, what brings her here?"
Listening to the discussions below the stage, Shen Jingchuan knew that this female cultivator was quite famous in the Spirit Creek Market, often hosting such events for others, and it was said that she had an unapproachable figure behind her.
He didn't look at it much, communicating with it through Divine Sense.
"Sister Xian'er, the auction is about to start. Why don't you come and watch the excitement, and give me your opinion while you're at it?"
Xian'er's lazy voice echoed in his mind.
"I'm watching."
At this moment, a slender young female cultivator walked onto the stage carrying a tray. The female cultivator was only at the Qi Refining Second Layer, and she was pretty. She lowered her head and placed the tray on the table in front of the stage in a proper manner. The contents of the tray were covered with a red cloth.
Liu Meiniang reached out and lifted the red cloth, revealing a long sword lying horizontally on the plate. The scabbard was dark and heavy, and the sword was only half an inch out of its sheath, its cold light gleaming.
"The first item up for auction is a top-grade magic sword. I don't need to say more, right? You're all experts here."
Her voice was soft and sticky:
"Starting bid: 500 Spirit Stones; minimum increment: 10 low- Low-Grade Spirit Stones."
A Qi Refining Ninth Layer called out nine hundred and twenty Spirit Stones, and no one responded.
"Nine hundred and twenty Low-Grade Spirit Stones, in one transaction... Sold." Liu Meiniang finalized the deal with a single strike of the gavel.
One item after another was placed on the shelf: Law Artifacts, elixirs, talismans, materials—a motley collection. Shen Jingchuan looked at them for a long time but didn't find anything he liked, while Xian'er remained completely silent inside the Ring.
Another half hour passed, and she finally couldn't help but yawn.
"Tsk, what kind of junk is this? They even brought this kind of thing up to photograph."
Shen Jingchuan was speechless. Actually, there were a few things that, if he bought them, upgraded them through the Heaven and Earth Ring, and then resold them for a profit.
But the place was crowded and noisy, and he didn't want to stand out. He made up his mind not to make a move unless he really needed it, so he sat there calmly and waited for the next opportunity.
And so we waited until noon.
There was a gentle knock on the door, and the assistant who had led the way earlier, who was at the Qi Refining First Layer, pushed the door open and came in, carrying several layers of food boxes. Dishes and wine were laid out on the table like a flowing stream, including chicken, duck, fish, meat, spirit rice, and snacks, filling the entire table.
"Master, please enjoy your meal. Don't hesitate to let me know if you need anything."
Shen Jingchuan nodded, and the three of them continued eating while watching.
And so they looked until the afternoon.
The same old bland stuff was playing on stage, and as it approached two in the afternoon, Shen Jingchuan started yawning.
Just then, Liu Meiniang personally brought up a jade box, her languid expression vanishing, replaced by a rare seriousness.
"The next item is prepared for all of you fairies present."
She opened the jade box, inside which lay a pill the size of a pigeon egg, its color lustrous, and a faint fragrance emanating from the crack in the box.
"Low-Grade Appearance-Preserving Pill."
As soon as those three words were uttered, the female cultivators who had been dozing off in the audience all raised their heads.
"After taking this elixir, one's appearance will be frozen at this very moment, remaining forever young despite the passage of time, with white hair and a youthful face."
Liu Meiniang drew out her words, her gaze sweeping across the audience below:
"What we women cultivate for is nothing more than longevity and an ageless appearance, isn't it? This one is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Starting bid: eight hundred Spirit Stones."
"Eight hundred!"
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a female cultivator on the second floor called out a price.
"One thousand!"
"One thousand and five!"
The scene erupted instantly. Most of the male cultivators watched the spectacle with their arms crossed, while the female cultivators' eyes turned red with greed, and the prices skyrocketed as if they were free, quickly surpassing three thousand, with the bidding becoming increasingly shrill.
Huan'er watched in astonishment.
"Good heavens, just one pill? Are you crazy?"
Xiao Mingshu remained silent, holding her teacup, her gaze fixed on the pill.
Shen Jingchuan leaned forward slightly.
He wants this; he absolutely needs it.