As the lingering echoes of the Treasure Appraisal Assembly's bell faded, the venue erupted into a frenzy.
Voices surged like boiling water, while spiritual radiance flashed from magical artifacts everywhere. The vast venue glittered with flowing light, a sight even more breathtaking than what she had seen from the inn.
Jiang Lu's curiosity grew stronger. She really had seen too few grand occasions; now she looked like a country bumpkin.
She discreetly surveyed the people around her. Cultivators passed to and fro, their robes fluttering—rogue cultivators, sect disciples, elders from aristocratic clans... The bustling crowds came in an endless stream.
The first floor covered the largest area and was the liveliest part of the entire assembly. Many rogue cultivators and junior disciples chose to hunt for bargains here.
Rows of staggered wooden stalls stretched across the floor, displaying all manner of spiritual materials, magical artifacts, and demonic beast bones. Quite a few discarded, defective pieces were mixed in among these mid-grade treasures.
Some vendors shouted their wares, while others sat quietly behind their stalls. Without exception, however, their eyes remained fixed on the passing cultivators.
Many cultivators crouched or stood before the stalls, lightly brushing their fingertips over the treasures and concentrating as they probed their authenticity with spiritual energy. They haggled from time to time, and the overlapping sounds of conversation and bargaining never ceased.
Many cultivators had Storage Bags hanging at their waists, walking on before stopping now and then to inspect the wares.
At the appraisal platforms in the surrounding corners, appraisers sat receiving a steady stream of cultivators who had come to verify their treasures. The crisp clinking of spirit stones against spiritual artifacts rang out incessantly.
If a treasure a cultivator fancied was worth the asking price, the exchange would be made on the spot.