Four Pavilions

"Alright, then what about treasures from other eras?"

Shen Yuan asked casually.

"Other eras???"

Zhi's confident smile froze once again. Inwardly, she desperately wanted to question whether this young man knew what the Qi Tide Era of three thousand years ago truly represented.

That had been a flourishing age of cultivation that lasted for centuries. Many reclusive immortal sects had returned to the world, True Persons and True Lords had shaken the land, and countless divine abilities and wondrous arts had evolved to their very peak.

It could be said that any treasure from the Qi Tide Era three thousand years ago would be something worth its weight in gold in the impoverished Great Xia of today.

Yet Shen Yuan was not satisfied with that. He had even asked whether there were treasures from other eras.

Zhi forcibly suppressed the anger in her heart and explained to Shen Yuan:

"Esteemed guest, you may not know this, but treasures are not necessarily better simply because they are older.

"The Profound Yellow Realm has undergone several great eras of spiritual energy depletion. Only the Qi Tide Era could truly be called a flourishing age of cultivation.

"That is why the treasures left behind by the Qi Tide Era are so fervently sought after by countless people."

Shen Yuan raised a brow slightly. "So, you have no even older treasures here?"

Naturally, Shen Yuan knew this already, but his purpose from the very beginning had not been the treasures themselves, but the hidden achievements they might involve.

The previous Qi Tide Era had only been three thousand years ago. That differed somewhat from Shen Yuan's expectation of trading for treasures from ten thousand years ago and triggering a hidden achievement.

It seemed this seemingly bizarre Ghost Market did not possess the extraordinary foundations he had initially imagined.

Shen Yuan's merciless exposure made Zhi's expression stiffen further.

The Ghost Market had existed for so many years, yet this was the first time she had encountered someone so impervious to both reason and persuasion. She could not help wondering whether Shen Yuan had come here to trade, or to conduct archaeology.

After a brief silence, Zhi could only grit her teeth and reply, "No."

The interest on Shen Yuan's face faded somewhat. He glanced over the four Ghost Market buildings and shook his head in disappointment.

"Looks like the Ghost Market is nothing special after all."

Zhi simply ignored Shen Yuan's assessment. Suppressing the turmoil in her emotions, she introduced them to him:

"The Ghost Market is divided into four pavilions: the Divination Pavilion, Treasure Pavilion, Arts Pavilion, and Gambling Pavilion.

"The Divination Pavilion calculates fate and deduces karma. So long as an esteemed guest pays a sufficient price, you can learn any information you wish to know."

Zhi first pointed toward the smallest of the four buildings. It appeared to be nothing more than an ordinary little pavilion. From directly above it extended what seemed to be a fishing rod, its hook a perfectly straight silver needle.

Four large characters were clearly written above the Divination Pavilion's entrance.

Those Willing Take the Bait.

"The Treasure Pavilion stores countless treasures gathered by the Ghost Market over thousands of years: storage artifacts, treasures of inheritance, natal flying swords. So long as you can afford the price, you may even exchange for peerless supreme spirit treasures from the Treasure Pavilion."

The Treasure Pavilion was the largest of the four. Its dragon-carved, phoenix-painted structure resembled a palace, with countless treasures embedded across it, giving it an air of regal extravagance.

Four large characters were also written upon the Treasure Pavilion's doors.

Spend a Thousand Gold.

"The Arts Pavilion stores Dao arts and divine abilities accumulated by the Ghost Market over thousands of years. It even possesses precious cultivator inheritances—inner and outer alchemy methods, techniques for the Primordial Spirit to leave the body. Once one comprehends the formulas within, one may soar to the heavens in a single step."

The Arts Pavilion possessed an ancient elegance, like an enormous old-fashioned library. Within it were displayed numerous jade slips, jade tablets, bamboo scrolls, and books with dim spiritual light, as though they had settled through the passage of countless years.

There were still four large characters above the Arts Pavilion's doors.

Truth and Falsehood Indistinguishable.

"The final Gambling Pavilion is the most special of the four.

"Just as its name suggests, the Gambling Pavilion is itself a special casino. Yet what is wagered within is not merely treasures or spells.

"So long as you can afford the price, you may even wager lifespan, souls, talent—everything beneath heaven can be gambled.

"And the Ghost Market guarantees that anything won from the Gambling Pavilion will carry no hidden dangers whatsoever!"

Compared to the first three buildings, the Gambling Pavilion's appearance was exceedingly strange. It resembled a savage, ugly head opening a pitch-black maw, greedily devouring every living being that entered the Gambling Pavilion.

Directly above that great mouth were four characters as well.

Doomed Beyond Redemption.

The four buildings and the words above them seemed to display their malice and uncanny nature without the slightest concealment.

They had long regarded every living being who entered the Ghost Market as prey. Driven by desire, they would ultimately enter of their own accord.

Just as Shen Yuan paused to examine the four buildings before him, a frenzied voice suddenly rang out from the incomparably luxurious Treasure Pavilion.

"The Ghost Market has not yet truly opened, yet you dared bring an outsider here in advance. Do you still hold the Ghost Market's rules in your eyes?"

As the words fell, accompanied by the trembling ground, an enormous mountain of flesh forcibly squeezed out of the Treasure Pavilion.

The mountain of flesh wore a golden-threaded jade robe, with golden chains looped around its neck. Its index fingers were crammed full of rings, giving it the impression of a walking humanoid treasury.

With every step, the immense weight of its body and ornaments made the earth quake, like a humanoid ferocious beast.

Before this mountain of flesh, Zhi seemed to be under immense pressure. Large amounts of yellow fat continuously seeped from her body, making her originally seductive figure all the more horrifyingly nauseating.

"Greetings, Master of the Treasure Pavilion!"

Her beautiful face began to twist. Zhi hurriedly bowed to the mountain of flesh before her, her words filled with humility.

"Reporting to Pavilion Master, this esteemed guest entered this place upon a personal invitation from the Ghost Market. Moreover, he has seen through the Ghost Market's true nature and has already met the standard to enter the Four Pavilions."

"Enter the Four Pavilions?"

The tiny mung-bean eyes of the mountain of flesh rolled around before its gaze landed on the storage ring on Shen Yuan's right index finger.

"Hmph! He has some value, at least."

With a cold snort from the Master of the Treasure Pavilion, the pressure weighing upon Zhi instantly vanished like smoke.

Its enormous body looked down upon Shen Yuan. Even a Maine Coon as fierce as a tiger appeared like an inconspicuous little kitten before this Master of the Treasure Pavilion.

Its huge mouth opened, revealing a mouthful of gold teeth that reflected a dazzling gleam. Smiling, the Master of the Treasure Pavilion said:

"May I ask whether this esteemed guest is interested in trading with my Treasure Pavilion?"

Shen Yuan did not speak. Instead, he turned his indifferent gaze toward another building.

Before the Arts Pavilion's doors stood a handsome middle-aged man in a pale green robe, holding a bamboo scroll as he quietly stared straight at Shen Yuan.

Whether by his attire or the bamboo scroll in his hand, the middle-aged man resembled an old-school teacher from ancient times, carrying an air of scholarly refinement.

But the moment he opened his mouth, that scholarly air was utterly ruined. A soft, feminine voice emerged from his lips.

"Fat bastard, the first thing this esteemed guest asked about after entering the Ghost Market was divine abilities. He ought to trade with my Arts Pavilion."