Precious Medicine

Steward Wu smiled faintly. "You may not know this, honored guest, but Linglong Pavilion has its rules. Anyone holding assets worth more than a thousand gold coins is exempt from deposits under a hundred gold. You have already presented Gold Cakes worth a thousand gold coins, so the thirty-gold deposit we agreed upon earlier for purchasing medicinal herbs has been automatically waived. This is Linglong Pavilion's purchase guarantee. Please keep it safe!" As he spoke, he took a document from his robes and handed it over.

"Then I must thank you, Steward Wu."

Xu Yi wasn't surprised in the least. Hadn't the rich enjoyed all sorts of privileges even in later generations?

Steward Wu bowed slightly. "It's only what we should do, Young Master. There's no need to thank me. May I ask if there's anything else you need?"

Yuan Qinghua said, "Our employer also needs a well-made suit of armor and a heavy weapon."

Everything they had done since entering the city was preparation for Xu Yi's approaching duel to the death in the ring.

Thinking it over, he had already fought several life-or-death battles. He had realized that weapons and martial arts techniques played a crucial role in such fights.

When two opponents were evenly matched, the quality of their weapons and techniques could change the course of the battle.

There wasn't enough time to master a new technique now, so Xu Yi could only make the most of his choice of weapons.

A fight came down to offense and defense. Xu Yi wanted to cover both, so he planned to buy one of each.

The brown-haired woman was about to speak when Steward Wu cut in. "Young Master Yi is an honored guest. Don't bring ordinary goods before him and embarrass yourselves." Then he turned to Xu Yi. "Young Master Yi, better late than never—and in this case, your timing is perfect. Our shop is holding a small auction in half an hour. Everything offered will be exceptional. Would you care to attend?"

"An auction?"

Xu Yi paused briefly, then understood. "Since Steward Wu has so kindly invited me, I'll gladly accept."

He had already encountered a money house, so an auction didn't seem all that hard to accept.

Besides, he really did want to buy fine goods this time. How could anything put up for auction be too poor?

Once they had settled the arrangements for the auction, Steward Wu politely took his leave. Before long, the brown-haired woman brought in a black cloak and a red, double-sided number plate with no writing on it. Smiling, she said, "Young Master, Linglong Pavilion has introduced these special measures to keep transactions confidential and protect our guests' privacy. The black cloak conceals your appearance, and the red plate is your auction number. Once you enter the room through the secret passage, the plate will automatically display a number when the auction begins. The number is randomly assigned, and even our shop won't know which honored guest bought which treasure. This ensures every guest's privacy."

Xu Yi silently applauded the idea. No wonder Linglong Pavilion had grown its business so successfully. If they considered their customers' every need, how could they fail to thrive?

After explaining everything, the brown-haired woman instructed the attendants to bring in fresh tea, then politely withdrew.

Having sampled the treats, Xu Yi had little interest in the snacks on the table. But he thought of Qiu Wa, who was at an age when she was always hungry, so he told the attendant outside to find a gift box and pack up all the fruits and pastries. Then he leaned back in the soft chair and closed his eyes to rest.

While Xu Yi was at ease, Yuan Qinghua was like a mouse trapped in a bellows, scurrying restlessly around the room.

"Enough pacing. Sit down and rest your feet. You won't lose out!"

Xu Yi knew what had him so worried. Once Xu Yi entered the auction, Yuan Qinghua's role would be over. After all, no one had ever heard of haggling at an auction.

Without the chance to haggle, where would Yuan make his commission?

"Here, take this sword to Linglong Pavilion and sell it for me."

A flash of green appeared in Yuan Qinghua's hand: a blade with a gleaming green edge, cold light shimmering across it. It was the very weapon Xu Yi had taken from the Black-robed youth.

Xu Yi had tested the blade. It was incredibly sharp and hard, clearly no ordinary weapon.

Though the green blade was fine, it didn't suit Xu Yi. He knew neither swordsmanship nor saber techniques, and in close combat, he was confident his fists were far more formidable than this blade.

If it was useless to him, he might as well trade it for money.

Yuan Qinghua took the blade and rubbed it for a moment, a smile spreading across his face. His eye was sharp; he could tell it was no ordinary weapon and would fetch a good price.

As for how much he might earn from the deal, he no longer cared. After spending some time together, he had already realized his new employer was a straightforward sort, not one to quibble over every little thing.

"Just you watch. I'll get you a good price for this blade!"

With that, Yuan Qinghua hurried out, the green blade in his hands.

Shortly after Yuan Qinghua left, the brown-haired woman returned. Smiling, she said, "Young Master Yi, it's time for the auction. Please follow me."

Half a stick of incense later, Xu Yi appeared in a simple, elegant room, wrapped from head to toe in a black cloak.

The room was about half a mu in size, with a very simple design. Apart from more than thirty soft chairs spaced far apart and a long table at the front, it was entirely bare.

Perhaps the designer had wanted everyone to focus on the auction items. The room was entirely white, making it difficult for the eye to find a focal point.

By the time Xu Yi settled into a chair near the back, the room was nearly full. The thirty-odd people were dressed much like him, each sitting quietly.

Xu Yi's senses, however, were more alert than ever. He could clearly smell the scent of the strong. It was a feeling of abundant blood and qi, on the verge of surging forth, as though the air itself were filled with heat and vitality.

What surprised Xu Yi even more was that six or seven people in the room gave him the same feeling he got when facing Zhou Shirong.

Just looking at all these powerful people gathered in one place filled Xu Yi with intense anticipation. He could hardly wait to see what kind of treasures would be brought to the table at the front.

He didn't have to wait long. After the last two guests entered, the rear door was shut and the front door opened. An old man in silver robes walked in at a leisurely pace, followed by more than ten shop assistants dressed like the brown-haired woman. Each carried an object covered by a thick, dark cloth. Clearly, they were all items about to go up for auction.

The old man in silver robes had hosted many auctions and was thoroughly at ease. After a few opening remarks, he introduced the first item.

A dark-brown wooden carving rested on the pure white table. It was shaped like a person, complete with limbs and facial features. It had a long beard and long hair, and a round, chubby baby face—adorable beyond words.

As soon as Xu Yi got a clear look at it, cries of surprise rang through the room. "A Ginseng Baby!"