Ganzhou City
Ganzhou is located in the northeastern part of the Central Plains, adjacent to the Eastern Sea, but it is not within the sphere of influence of the East Sea Dragon Palace.
It wasn't that Dragon Mother Ao Zhen looked down on this place. In fact, Ganzhou was located on the alluvial plain at the mouth of a major river, with fertile land, convenient transportation, and one of the largest ports in the Central Plains. It was a truly prosperous land. Many years ago, the Dragon Palace had its eye on this place and planned to occupy Ganzhou as a base to gain control of the northern part of the Eastern Sea.
However, Ao Zhen has not succeeded to this day because in Ganzhou, there is someone she also fears, and a force that even the East Sea Dragon Palace has to give way to.
God of Wealth Yuan Guangjin, and his Gathering Treasure Pavilion)!
There are countless legends surrounding this earthly God of Wealth of wealth, and many folk tales and operas have been adapted from his deeds. According to legend, he is the reincarnation of the God of Wealth, possessing the magical ability to conjure Gold Ingot ingots with a flick of his wrist. He often disguises himself as a poor Old Man or a beggar on the street, and if a kind person treats him well, he will reward them with gold and silver. As for those who are stingy and mean, he will use his magical methods to make them lose everything...
As for his birth date, there are many different opinions, but what is certain is that at least three hundred years ago, this God of Wealth was already quite powerful. There are records of him and Gathering Treasure Pavilion in the official history of the previous dynasty.
In conclusion, Yuan Guangjin is no longer simply a Martial Forest Expert in the world of Martial World, but more like a symbol, a personification of wealth. As long as people pursue wealth, countless people will worship him and follow him, and the power of the Gathering Treasure Pavilion will only grow stronger.
"No wonder this is the territory of the God of Wealth; it's far more prosperous and bustling than Yunzhou!"
Walking down the streets of Ganzhou City, Luo Jun held a skewer of grilled squid in his left hand and a seafood pancake in his right, eating with gusto while his eyes were drawn to the shops and buildings on both sides.
Thousands of miles away, the style here is completely different from that of Yunzhou City, where many ethnic groups live together. The streets are lined with at least four or five-story buildings, the shop signs are exaggerated and eye-catching, the shop assistants shout to attract customers at the door, and the goods in the shops are dazzling. It truly deserves to be called the most developed commercial and economically prosperous region in the Central Plains.
What's even more valuable is that, because it has a port, in addition to goods from the Central Plains, you can also see many rare items from overseas.
There are two main shipping routes in the Eastern Sea. One route leads to the Southeastern Islands, where countless small countries are located, famous for their various seafood, timber, gems, and tropical fruits. This route starts from East Province, but due to the occupation of the East Sea Dragon Palace, the route has not been very smooth, and a large amount of wealth has been taken away by Ao Zhen.
The other route was to travel from Ganzhou to Yingzhou in the northeast, the Bailuo Peninsula, and even further north to the Rakshasa Country for trade.
Although these places are not as wealthy and powerful as the Central Plains, they are at least stable countries with a certain industrial capacity. Their products are also more exquisite and are very popular among the people of the Central Plains. In addition, maintaining the shipping route and trade also benefits Gathering Treasure Pavilion. Therefore, the God of Wealth and the imperial court cooperate in this regard. This shipping route is very stable, and the large volume of import and export goods has made this place the most prosperous region in the [Martial World] world.
Strangely enough, despite both having close ties with the government, Heaven's Gate was accused by many of being the court's lackeys, while Gathering Treasure Pavilion was not criticized at all.
You say Heaven's Gate is weak and easy to bully? Their sect leader is Ascension Expert, not someone to be trifled with. You say Heaven's Gate has lost the dignity of the Martial World by bowing and scraping to the imperial court? We've never heard of them pledging allegiance to the court or kneeling before it; in fact, the court has often shown respect to Heaven's Gate.
Ultimately, Luo Jun concluded that it was because everyone couldn't understand Heaven's Gate's purpose. Why would a prestigious Ascension Expert, with neither fame nor fortune, cooperate with the imperial court? This unknown uncertainty made all Martial World practitioners instinctively somewhat worried.
In contrast, Gathering Treasure Pavilion's goal is very clear: to make money by cooperating with the imperial court!
This is purely a gang, and they gave a reason that everyone can understand.
I'll say it again.
Making money is nothing to be ashamed of!
"Sir, you have excellent taste! This is a famous sword imported from Kingdom of Yingzhou! It's the posthumous work of the renowned swordsmith Ding Li. You can take it for two hundred strings of cash!"
Faced with the shopkeeper's ingratiating smile, Luo Jun drew his knife, looked at its gleaming blade, and nodded. "It's a good knife! It's just a bit pricey..."
Upon hearing that there was a chance, the shopkeeper hurriedly said, "Then, sir, name your price, no less, and we can make a deal."
"I like your straightforwardness!" Luo Jun weighed the knife in his hand and said thoughtfully, "How about this, two strings of cash to be friends?"
The shop owner's smile froze on his face, and the next moment, Luo Jun was kicked out of the shop.
"Tch, don't they know the customer is king? How can they run a business with this kind of service!"
Luo Jun, looking indignant, left the shop and continued walking forward, soon arriving at the most magnificent building in the town center.
This is a seven-story building, made of deep blue glazed tiles and adorned with bright, precious jade. Its pillars reach straight to the sky, and its doors open in all directions, resembling a palace standing in the Ganzhou City. At the very center hangs a huge plaque with the three large characters "Gathering Treasure Pavilion) on it.
This is the headquarters of the Gathering Treasure Pavilion. Luo Jun stepped inside, and no one stopped him.
The first floor had a row of counters with iron bars, where the shopkeepers of the Gathering Treasure Pavilion worked. The counters on the east side were mainly for exchanging money and issuing notes, while the counters on the west side were mainly for pawnbroking.
Judging from the large number of people queuing in the hall, Gathering Treasure Pavilion's business is quite good.
He found the shopkeeper on duty and asked where he needed to go to retrieve the items he had stored beforehand.
"Sir, is what you've stored a priceless treasure?"
Luo Jun was taken aback. "Isn't it a priceless treasure?"
The shopkeeper smiled slightly, "Sir, you didn't deposit it yourself, did you? Are you here to collect it on behalf of someone else?"
Luo Jun could only nod honestly. "What's the difference? Does it have to be done in person?"
"No need for that," the shopkeeper smiled. "Our Gathering Treasure Pavilion does offer storage services for treasures, but for ordinary items, you can go to the pawn counter. If there is any loss or damage, we will compensate according to the agreed valuation. However, if it is a priceless treasure, and the consignor pays a sufficient storage fee, we will store it in the Supreme Treasure Pavilion, the most secure place in the world, where you will be absolutely guaranteed to have your treasure safe."
"However, the treasure vault only has 9,999 slots, so each treasure has a number, and both depositing and retrieving require a certificate and a password."
"That's why I asked you, is what you're looking for a priceless treasure?"
Luo Jun nodded upon hearing this, recalling that the information left by Gong Shiyue contained a four-digit number, which meant it must be in the Supreme Treasure Pavilion.
"I have another question. You said that depositing money into the Supreme Treasure Pavilion would guarantee there would be no problems... but what if something goes wrong? How will you compensate me?"
Since it's a priceless treasure, its value is immeasurable, and the person holding it is definitely not an ordinary person. If something goes wrong, it could be a huge problem.
The shopkeeper smiled and said, "I swear on the reputation of the Gathering Treasure Pavilion for hundreds of years that there will never be any problems. And since the establishment of the Gathering Treasure Pavilion, not a single item stored in the Supreme Treasure Pavilion has ever been lost or damaged. This is the foundation of the Gathering Treasure Pavilion's confidence!"
There's no precedent for this; it seems this shopkeeper doesn't know what to do if something goes wrong...
"Then what I've stored is indeed a priceless treasure," Luo Jun said. "Where do I go to retrieve it?"
The innkeeper smiled and said, "Then, sir, please show me your receipt."
"A voucher?" Luo Jun was taken aback. "What voucher? Can't I just know the number and password?"
"A number and password are also required, but to start the treasure retrieval process, you must first present your credentials and have them verified."
"What kind of proof is that?" Luo Jun asked curiously. "A receipt?"
"I don't know either," the shopkeeper shook his head and said, "The credentials for each treasure are different, but as long as you produce them, we can verify them."
" At the Gathering Treasure Pavilion, you can retrieve your treasure without being judged by your identity, only by your voucher and password. As long as you bring your voucher, find the correct compartment, and enter the correct password, you can take the treasure. Otherwise, even if it were the King of Heaven himself, he wouldn't be able to take anything from here."
(End of this chapter)