Treasure Fair

The Treasure Fair was held on Three-River Street, west of Shengjing City.

It was named for the great river nearby, where three waters met.

Three-River Street appeared ordinary, yet it was a well-known black market district within Shengjing City.

Because it was occupied by gangs, it was usually sparsely populated; even nearby residents rarely passed through.

But every few days, when the black market opened, martial figures hidden throughout Shengjing City, Daoist and Buddhist Rogue Cultivators, even evil demons of the Outer Dao, wanted criminals... people from every walk of life would gradually gather there.

However, the Treasure Fair was a grand event spearheaded by the authorities and jointly organized by several major merchant associations.

Thus, the black market had temporarily ceased operations and yielded everything to the Treasure Fair.

In a sense, the Treasure Fair itself could also be considered an enormous black market. All manner of transactions were hidden within it, and none were prohibited; anyone could enter.

Therefore, to many people, the Treasure Fair was also a grand occasion.

Naturally, this was even more so for the various merchant associations, especially those in pawnbroking, antiques, jade, and similar trades.

The Lin Family Pawnshop had long been preparing for this grand event.

Not only had they taken out many precious items sealed away in their treasury, they had also collected and purchased many treasures from all over, hoping to make a fortune at this Treasure Fair.

As the Treasure Fair approached, the Lin Clan Pawnshop rarely closed its doors and suspended business for a day.

Yet the many apprentices in the pawnshop were not given a day off. Instead, led by the shopkeeper and accompanied by guards specially dispatched by the Lin Family, they hauled all the treasures prepared by the pawnshop to Three-River Street.

There, the Lin Family Pawnshop also had a temporary shop.

However, it dealt in buying and selling pawned goods.

As for Chen Shaojun and the other Appraiser Apprentices, they would not remain in the shop. Instead, they had been recruited by the authorities and the major merchant associations to appraise treasures for people at the center of the Treasure Fair.

It could be said that for any item traded at the Treasure Fair, if one was uneasy, one could go to the Treasure Fair's center and ask an appraiser to inspect it.

Chen Shaojun and the others were doing an appraiser's work as well, except they were no longer serving the Lin Clan Pawnshop.

That afternoon.

A middle-aged man who looked like a steward arrived with two yamen runners.

"Steward Qian, you're here."

Seeing him, the shopkeeper hurried forward, his face full of ingratiating smiles.

"Shopkeeper Liu, are the Certified Appraisers and Appraiser Apprentices from your pawnshop all here?"

"They are, they are.

There are three Certified Appraisers and twenty-six Appraiser Apprentices in total.

This is our Chief Appraiser Qin. These two are Second Appraiser Dai Ming and Third Appraiser Zhang Gao. You should have met them before.

The rest are the Appraiser Apprentices from our Lin Family Pawnshop.

Two of them are fairly capable. Their appraisal methods and Divine Gaze Technique have both reached the proficient level.

Especially this Ayong—he isn't far from becoming a Certified Appraiser."

The shopkeeper hurriedly nodded. After introducing the Certified Appraisers, he pointed at Ayong beside them and spoke.

Ayong had emerged from his closed-door training to break through on the second day after the Third Appraiser returned.

Though he had failed to achieve Minor Mastery of Divine Gaze Technique and become a Certified Appraiser as he had wished, he had displayed spiritual strength and Divine Gaze Technique far surpassing those of ordinary apprentices. Thus, the shopkeeper thought highly of him and believed he could certainly become the pawnshop's fourth Certified Appraiser.

"Oh?

He does seem somewhat steady.

If he can hold on until the Treasure Fair ends, he may indeed become a Certified Appraiser."

Steward Qian swept Ayong a glance, his tone exceedingly flat.

In his eyes, never mind an Appraiser Apprentice—even a Certified Appraiser had to wait until they survived the Treasure Fair first.

Over the years, quite a few Certified Appraisers had died in the Treasure Fair because of Baleful Intent.

There had even been some famous masters among them.

Chen Shaojun was also standing to one side. However, having used the Spirit-Hiding Technique, his spiritual energy and blood qi were concealed, making him inconspicuous.

Still, he was rather curious about this Steward Qian.

A Martial Master of the Qi Sea Realm.

Even without using the Spirit Eye Technique, Chen Shaojun could vaguely sense, through a martial artist's sensitivity, the vigorous life force and terrifying power within Steward Qian.

It was a force far greater than his own.

Thus, he guessed that the man was definitely an expert who had reached the second martial realm, the Qi Sea Realm.

"Even a mere steward is a Martial Master of the Qi Sea Realm.

I wonder what sort of strength Mo Zhu-Xiang, President Mo, the man presiding over this Treasure Fair, possesses?"

Chen Shaojun had heard that though the authorities had a hand in the Treasure Fair, the one truly in charge was Mo Zhu-Xiang, president of the Mo East Merchant Association, ranked third among Shengjing City's eight major merchant associations.

Merchant associations capable of establishing themselves on such a scale in Shengjing City often hid terrifying power behind them. Their presidents could not merely possess intelligence and talent; they also needed formidable martial strength.

Much less the president of the third-ranked Mo East Merchant Association, Mo Zhu-Xiang.

It was said that Mo Zhu-Xiang had made a name for himself in the martial world thirty years ago and was respectfully known as the Ghost-God Swordmaster.

Ghost-God Swordmaster Mo Zhu-Xiang.

Though thirty years had passed, and that title was seldom mentioned now, no one denied the man's formidable strength.

"Alright, since all the appraisers from your pawnshop are here, come with me.

I'll arrange for you to enter the venue and go to the Appraisal Hall at the center of the Treasure Fair to inspect treasures."

Steward Qian did not exchange pleasantries with the shopkeeper. He merely nodded and called out.

Thus, the many Appraiser Apprentices of the pawnshop followed behind Steward Qian.

The pawnshop's three Certified Appraisers were not talkative people, nor were they familiar with Steward Qian, so they remained silent along the way.

Like the other Appraiser Apprentices, Chen Shaojun surveyed everything around him.

Three-River Street actually had shops lining only one side of the road. The other side was a vast open space, beyond which lay the surging Three-River Great River.

At this moment, shop after shop was moving in, while countless goods were being transported back and forth.

Though most were treasures such as jade, jewelry, old goods, and antique curios, there were also herbal medicine shops, rice shops, general stores, and even taverns and restaurants temporarily opening for business.

What was more worth mentioning was that along the way, Chen Shaojun saw opera performers and wandering entertainers setting up small stages in open spaces.

"The Treasure Fair hasn't even begun, and there are already so many people here. It's so lively.

Once it officially begins tomorrow, what kind of sight will that be?"

Zhao Hu stood beside Chen Shaojun and spoke with deep emotion.

The other Appraiser Apprentices beside them were also dazzled.

These Appraiser Apprentices usually stayed inside the pawnshop and rarely had a chance to go out. Such liveliness held immense attraction for them.

"A sea of people, perhaps?"

Chen Shaojun could not help sighing as well.

When he had traveled in his previous life, he had seen plenty of scenes where people packed together shoulder to shoulder. Yet this ancient-style grand gathering—with street performers and small stalls selling sugar figurines, paper offerings, and magic tricks... truly opened his eyes.