Beneath the old locust tree in Luo Village.
After Song Chengan learned where Mount Luofeng was, he had originally planned to set off at once.
But First Boss Bai told him to come pay respects to the old locust tree once more.
So Song Chengan came.
He still did not understand why First Boss Bai wanted him to worship this old locust tree.
But he thought that an ancient tree that had gained sentience could be called a divine spirit; there was never any harm in paying respects.
So he came.
Song Chengan solemnly bowed three times.
"This junior does not know Senior's exact identity, but Senior Bai repeatedly told this junior to come pay respects. There must be some hidden reason behind it that I do not know."
"Whenever this junior comes to Mount Luo in the future, I will come pay Senior a visit."
After thinking for a moment, he said,
"If this junior gets the chance to find some divine treasure that can replenish vitality, I will certainly bring it back for Senior."
The charred old locust tree remained quietly standing there.
Yet a gentle breeze rose from the flat ground.
Taixuan Commandery.
"So this is a big city!"
Song Chengan looked at the splendid buildings in the distant city with the expression of a country bumpkin.
Along both sides of the Great Dao, shops stood in endless rows, every kind of storefront packed together like comb teeth.
The towering structures in the distance were exquisite as palaces.
The passersby occasionally glanced at Song Chengan, smiles on their faces.
One look at Song Chengan was enough for anyone to know that he was an outsider visiting Taixuan City for the first time.
"I can feel it now."
Song Chengan's youth had returned.
He recalled the first time in his previous life that he had gone to some great metropolis.
Song Chengan shook his head, then walked toward an exquisite building in the distance.
Langya Pavilion.
Along the way, Song Chengan had heard others boasting about it and learned that this was Taixuan City's largest auction house.
More importantly, unlike the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce at the Ghost Market, it did not sell only things Song Chengan could not afford.
Langya Pavilion catered to both the poor and the rich.
Here, one could buy Spirit Essence Pills for eight Talisman Coins each, or a spirit beast worth over a million Talisman Coins.
It could be said that whatever you needed, Langya Pavilion had it for sale.
"Heavenstar Grass?"
"A Peachwood Sword at the level of a Mid-grade Magic Treasure?"
"Damn, a flying spirit beast that possesses Foundation Establishment strength once it reaches adulthood?"
"A Flying Ship?"
Song Chengan's eyes were dazzled.
"The auction is starting!"
"It's starting!"
"Hurry, hurry! There won't be any spots left if we're late!"
At that moment, someone shouted.
Then Song Chengan saw a crowd surging inside.
An auction?
Song Chengan froze.
He remembered that one needed an invitation to attend an auction, did they not?
That was how the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce did things.
For the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce's auctions, invitations were issued only to renowned experts from Lingqiu City, as well as the Five Great Families, Xuanqing Temple, and the like.
This Langya Pavilion was far too down-to-earth.
Anyone could participate?
But the question was, did this crowd have the purchasing power?
Song Chengan looked at a beggar among them leaning on a cane, bewildered.
How strange.
Would he not have been politely "invited" out at the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce?
Song Chengan stopped a fellow nearby.
The fellow wore a green robe, a jade belt at his waist inlaid with gemstones, and jade thumb rings on all ten fingers. He looked exceedingly well-off.
"Brother, what is going on with this auction? Why is everyone heading in?"
The fellow gave Song Chengan a glance. "Judging by your appearance, you're not from Taixuan, are you?"
Song Chengan cupped his fists. "To be honest, this little brother has only just arrived in your treasured land."
"Then that explains it."
"It's only natural that you wouldn't know about this. The reason these people are acting this way..."
"...is because after the auction ends, there will be a Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers segment. Everyone is here for that."
The fellow seemed quite patient.
Song Chengan heard this and said, "Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers?"
"Langya Pavilion's auctions even have stage performances?"
"What stage performance?"
"Inviting beautiful fairy maidens to dance."
The man shook his head. "No. If you want to watch dancing, go to Rouge Tower."
"This Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers thing is when they toss pills down below. Whoever picks them up gets to keep them!"
"Any cultivator can participate."
"Last time, several people even picked up Third-grade Pills!"
"You..."
"Hurry up, brother! We'll lose our spots if we're late!"
Before the man could finish, Song Chengan had already charged inside.
Third-grade Pills.
One pill had to be worth four or five thousand Talisman Coins, right?
Even the most inferior Third-grade Pill would be worth that much.
As expected of an auction house in a major place.
By the skin of his teeth,
Song Chengan squeezed into the auction house.
The moment he entered, he noticed something unusual.
Langya Pavilion was actually a seven-story circular building.
At the center of the building was an auction platform.
The first floor was for people like Song Chengan—those with little purchasing power, who had come to pick up pills and join the excitement.
There were no seats.
A huge crowd was crammed together in a dark mass, craning their necks and peering toward the auction platform.
From the second floor upward, seats had been arranged for people of status.
As for the seventh floor,
there were private rooms one after another, their occupants hidden behind hanging bead curtains.
With a cultivator's eyesight, ordinary bead curtains at such a short distance could never possibly obscure the people behind them.
"They're all magic tools!"
Song Chengan clicked his tongue.
It seemed that behind those bead curtains sat all the great figures of Taixuan City!
"Welcome, everyone, to Langya Pavilion's monthly small auction. The first item up for auction this time is a Storage Magic Tool." An old man slowly appeared upon the auction platform.
At the center of the auction platform seemed to be a platform that could rise and descend freely.
"It is a jade pendant."
"It contains a space of three zhang and is a Storage Magic Tool at the level of a High-grade Magic Treasure."
"The starting bid is three thousand Talisman Coins."
"Three thousand five hundred Talisman Coins!"
A thunderous shout rang out beside Song Chengan.
It startled him.
He turned around.
When the man saw him, a smile immediately spread across his face.
"Brother, we meet again. I am Tang Yun."
Song Chengan cupped his fists. "I am Song Chengan!"
"This guest bids three thousand five hundred Talisman Coins. Any higher bids?"
"Four thousand Talisman Coins." A calm voice came from the third floor.
"Five thousand Talisman Coins."
"Any higher bids?"
"Good brother."
"We'll talk later. Let me cross swords with these fellows first!"
After saying that, Tang Yun shouted, "Eight thousand Talisman Coins!"
"Eight thousand Talisman Coins!"
"Any higher bids?"
"Langya Pavilion accepts barter as well. If you do not have enough Talisman Coins on hand, other Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures may be valued toward the price!"
"Eight thousand one hundred."
Someone on the second floor spoke.
"So expensive?"
Song Chengan clicked his tongue.
"Storage Magic Tools are hard currency. Everyone needs one, so their prices have always remained high."
Tang Yun explained.
Song Chengan nodded in agreement.
That was indeed the logic of it.
A cultivator without a magic tool was like someone running a dungeon with too small a backpack.
Equipment kept dropping, but there was no room to pick it up.
When I get the chance, I need to get myself a Storage Magic Tool too!
"Two thousand seven hundred Talisman Coins!"
"Three thousand five hundred Talisman Coins!"
For the next stretch of time, Tang Yun kept bidding.
"Brother Tang, you want this Women's Magic Robe too?"
Tang Yun smiled. "Sigh, to be honest, I have a sweetheart. I've been worrying lately about what gift to give her. This magic robe looks quite good to me."
Before you continue