Grand Transaction

The closing of Heavenly Void marked the official end of this treasure-hunting journey through Heavenly Void.

At that moment, a figure suddenly appeared in the sky, floating there in silence. Wang Ding looked up and saw that it was the overseas cultivator who had intimidated the various sects before Heavenly Void had opened.

An immense pressure now bore down on all the nearby cultivators, instantly drawing everyone's attention to him. They heard him say slowly, "The journey through Heavenly Void is over. The market has already made preparations to purchase goods. You may take the various treasures you have obtained there to trade. Anyone who trades here will receive our protection. Those who kill and steal treasures—die."

After saying this, he vanished into thin air. At once, the Rogue Cultivators below who had obtained treasures from Heavenly Void let out breaths of relief. Though they knew that every time Heavenly Void opened, a trade fair like this would be held afterward, hearing a great figure's guarantee still calmed their hearts considerably.

One had to know that in the cultivation world, killing people to seize treasures was hardly rare; it happened all the time. Disciples of great sects did not care, since they had their masters' sects sheltering them, but Rogue Cultivators could only tread on thin ice, terrified that others would learn what treasure they had obtained and that they would end up with head and body lying in different places.

The countless Rogue Cultivators scattered all around immediately rushed into the market. Most of them had obtained treasures—some were materials for artifact refinement, others were spirit herbs and rare wonders—but basically none of them could be used directly by Innate cultivators. Exchanging them for pills, cultivation methods, and resources that could let them continue cultivating was the proper path.

But it was not only Rogue Cultivators who entered the market. The major sects also sent people in to collect all manner of treasures from the hands of the Rogue Cultivators.

Inside Heavenly Void were many materials and medicinal herbs that no longer existed in the present world. Once sold, they would immediately make one a fortune.

Wang Ding and Huang Tutian did not meet up with Long Lingyu and the others. The two of them followed the flow of people into the market, strolling around while watching the countless attendants at the entrances of the shops on both sides of the street shout at the tops of their lungs.

"Buying Yin Demon Crystals! One crystal for one bottle of Pure Sovereign Pills, or five hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones! Once you pass this village, there won't be another shop like it! If you want it, hurry!"

"Come, come, take a look! Buying Millennium Illusion Fat Flowers! One petal can be exchanged for one Barrier-Breaking Pill, increasing your chances by twenty percent and helping you break through to the Innate Realm! If you want Spirit Stones instead, that works too—one thousand per petal!"

"Buying Dead Demon Crystals! One crystal for one hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones!"

"Buying Red Sun Stones! One stone for one hundred Mid-grade Spirit Stones!"

The cries of countless people made the entire market seem to come alive, brimming with vitality.

After Wang Ding and Huang Tutian made a circuit, Wang Ding came to a decision and said to Huang Tutian, "Junior Brother Huang, how about we go sell some materials, then buy some pills that can help us break through the barrier of the Heavenly Gate more smoothly?"

Huang Tutian was watching the hawking crowds along the street with excitement. Hearing Wang Ding's words out of the blue, he snapped back to himself and said, "Right, right. I almost forgot. Quite a few of the materials in our hands are useless to us right now. We might as well sell them and exchange them for pills."

Wang Ding and Huang Tutian then headed toward the giant merchant association of this market, Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion. The reason Wang Ding chose Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion was that it was a famous major merchant house known throughout the world. There had never been any drama there of killing people to seize treasures, and it accepted anything and everything. It absolutely would not leak the information of buyers or sellers, and its reputation could be called first-rate. Moreover, once you sold a major treasure, you would receive the protection of Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion for one year. Anyone who wanted to kill and seize treasure would be hunted down by Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion. That was why many cultivators sold their treasures to Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion.

As soon as Wang Ding and Huang Tutian entered Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion, a green-capped attendant came up to greet them, his face piled with smiles. "This way, honored guests." As he spoke, he led the two of them into a side room. After they took their seats, he immediately served two cups of spirit tea and said, "Please wait a moment, honored guests. The deacon will arrive shortly." Then he withdrew respectfully.

Wang Ding and Huang Tutian each sat in a sandalwood chair, holding a cup of spirit tea. Wang Ding took a small sip, and at once he felt a cool current surge up from his stomach, pierce through the crown of his head, and leave his entire mind a bit clearer.

Beside Wang Ding, Huang Tutian cried out even more loudly, "Good tea! It gathers the spirit and clears the heart, washing away turbid qi."

"You two are truly fortunate. This is Spirit-Awakening Tea, a rare sacred product. It is only brought out to receive guests during the grand occasion of Heavenly Void that happens once every hundred years."

Wang Ding and Huang Tutian looked toward the source of the voice and saw a thirty-year-old middle-aged man in a black silk robe embroidered with floral patterns, his face fair and beardless.

He walked toward the two of them, cupped his fists, and said, "I am one of the deacons of Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion. You two may call me Deacon Jin. May I ask what needs have brought you here?"

Seeing that he was courteous, Wang Ding and Huang Tutian also set down their teacups, stood, and cupped their fists in greeting. Wang Ding said, "Nothing much. We merely obtained many treasures in Heavenly Void and wish to sell them to Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion. I wonder whether Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion will accept them."

Deacon Jin's expression did not change as he said, "May I ask what treasures they are? If they are fine treasures, Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion will naturally accept them."

Wang Ding did not keep him in suspense. He directly took out a storage pouch and tossed it to Deacon Jin.

Deacon Jin picked up the storage pouch, infused true qi into it, and examined it carefully. He was immediately shocked, his entire body giving a tremble. He looked at Wang Ding as if he were looking at a monster and said, "How did you get so many things? Did you rob the cultivators of some sect?"

"Red Gold Stone, Earth Essence, Jade White Stone, Five-Colored Refined Gold, Yin Spirit Stone, Heavenly Diamond Essence... These are all treasures, superb artifact-refining materials that can no longer be found in the present world. These things are worth at least several thousand Mid-grade Spirit Stones."

Wang Ding was also stunned when he heard this. He had not expected these materials to be so valuable. The Great World he had obtained did not contain these materials either. After a moment of silence, he held his teacup and said to Deacon Jin, "Then help me exchange them all for Spirit Stones."

Deacon Jin immediately stood and said to Wang Ding, "Please wait a moment, both of you. I will go fetch the Spirit Stones." With that, he returned the storage pouch to Wang Ding and walked out.

Seeing Deacon Jin's utterly unconcerned movement, Wang Ding knew in his heart that the man had seen plenty of fine things. He was not especially impressed by the treasures Wang Ding had taken out; he was merely handling business as business. After a while, Deacon Jin returned with a storage pouch.

"Fellow Daoist, here are seven thousand Mid-grade Spirit Stones. Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion has always set clear and honest prices, without the slightest falsehood. This is the total value of the treasures in your possession. Please count and accept them."

Wang Ding took the storage pouch, glanced through it casually, and put it into his robes. Then he said to Deacon Jin, "This junior brother of mine also wishes to sell some things. Please handle them together as well."

Seeing Wang Ding sell his goods for such a high price, Huang Tutian had long since become so excited he could barely control himself. He immediately handed his own storage pouch to Deacon Jin and had him exchange its contents for Spirit Stones.

After the two obtained their Spirit Stones, Deacon Jin saw them out of Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion, and they rushed without stopping to Pill Cauldron Pavilion.