Selling a Magical Artifact

The old man stared fixedly at Xu Yan. Once he was certain the boy was not joking, his expression visibly darkened.

He had poured his energy into promoting his formations, only to discover that the boy before him had no Spirit Stones. Daoist San Zui was utterly frustrated.

Had fighting and killing not been forbidden within Separation Valley Market, he would have felt like striking this little brat dead.

As for his earlier behavior, it had all been flattery directed at Xu Yan.

He had cultivated for over sixty years and encountered cultivators of every stripe. The moment this boy walked in, he had recognized him as nothing more than a rogue cultivator.

He had acted that way purely for the Spirit Stones. After all, he was running a business—who did not know how to say a few pleasant words?

Daoist San Zui felt he had performed quite well today. The deal had seemed all but sealed, yet this young rogue cultivator turned out to have no Spirit Stones.

Anger immediately stirred within him. He felt that the young rogue cultivator before him was making a fool of him.

Xu Yan naturally knew nothing of Daoist San Zui's thoughts, but the anger on the old man's face made his heart tighten. He hurriedly cupped his fists and explained, "Senior, you misunderstand. I really do have no Spirit Stones, but how about exchanging this item for your formation?"

With that, Xu Yan quickly took Golden Light Daoist's magical artifact, the Golden Cone, from his Storage Bag and placed it on the jade table.

At his words, Daoist San Zui's expression softened slightly. He extended a hand, and the Golden Cone landed in his grasp.

After sweeping his aged eyes carefully over the Golden Cone, he casually set it back on the jade table.

"This Golden Cone of yours is a second-tier magical artifact. Its value is actually a little higher than that of my formation, but its crafting is far too crude, and its grade too low. It really is of no use to me."

"I only accept Spirit Stones here. If you truly want to buy my formation, exchange this artifact for Spirit Stones and then come back."

Daoist San Zui shook his head as he finished, clearly unimpressed by the Golden Cone before him.

Xu Yan remained quite calm at Daoist San Zui's attitude toward the Golden Cone. He had already anticipated this outcome. A cultivator capable of opening a shop in Separation Valley Market would probably think little of Golden Light Daoist's magical artifact.

However, the suggestion of exchanging the artifact for Spirit Stones stirred something in Xu Yan's mind. He immediately cupped his fists toward Daoist San Zui and said, "Please advise me, Senior."

From the moment he entered, this young rogue cultivator had been unfailingly respectful, which Daoist San Zui found quite gratifying. Moreover, the boy genuinely intended to purchase a formation. The last trace of anger in Daoist San Zui's heart faded.

He replied with a smile, "You are too polite, young friend. If you wish to sell your Golden Cone, there are two ways to do it."

As he spoke, Daoist San Zui held up two fingers toward Xu Yan.

"Glug..."

Xu Yan was waiting for him to continue, but Daoist San Zui instead untied the wine gourd at his waist and helped himself to a mouthful.

Only after letting out a wine-scented belch did he slowly continue.

"First, you can set up a small stall in Blue Brick Square like those rogue cultivators and display your Golden Cone there. If you encounter a suitable cultivator, you might fetch a high price, though there is no telling when that might happen."

"Second, you can take this Golden Cone to the Hundred Treasures House and exchange it directly for some Spirit Stones. As for the price, however, I fear they will press it down a little."

Having finished, Daoist San Zui paid no attention to Xu Yan's reaction. He walked straight to the yellow pearwood chair behind the jade table and dropped into it with a thump, then picked up his wine gourd and continued pouring wine into his mouth.

Xu Yan quickly weighed his options.

Soon, he discarded the idea of setting up a stall in Blue Brick Square.

After all, the Golden Cone was Golden Light Daoist's signature magical artifact. Displaying it openly at a stall in Blue Brick Square would be too risky. The trading gathering held once every five years was currently underway, and with so many people and prying eyes around, he might lose his life if someone marked him.

That left only one option: going straight to the Hundred Treasures House to exchange it for Spirit Stones.

With that thought, Xu Yan cupped his hands toward Daoist San Zui and said, "Please tell me where the Hundred Treasures House is, Senior."

An unusual gleam flashed through Daoist San Zui's eyes when he heard that Xu Yan intended to visit the Hundred Treasures House.

He stood up, led Xu Yan to the doorway, and pointed farther down the street.

Xu Yan followed the direction of Daoist San Zui's finger.

There stood a resplendent golden pavilion, its entire structure fashioned from some unknown material. Even from afar, rays of pearly brilliance and jeweled radiance shone from it, making it look lavish beyond measure.

Compared with that pavilion, Daoist San Zui's Formation Pavilion looked utterly shabby.

Daoist San Zui seemed entirely unconcerned, however. Pointing at the splendid pavilion, he said, "I have sold formations here for thirty years, yet I have never met the owner of the Hundred Treasures House. All I know is that any Spirit Treasure brought there can be exchanged for Spirit Stones. That pavilion is the Hundred Treasures House. Go on."

Xu Yan nodded and headed toward the Hundred Treasures House.

Before long, Xu Yan arrived in front of the pavilion.

Now that he was close, the pavilion stood fully revealed before him. It was a two-story building.

Before he could examine it carefully, however, a clear voice rang out from within.

"Come inside and have a look, young master. Our Hundred Treasures House carries all kinds of Spirit Treasures for those below the Foundation Establishment Realm."

Xu Yan looked toward the voice and saw a graceful young woman dressed in pink court gauze step out of the pavilion, casting him a smiling glance.

The girl appeared to be seventeen or eighteen. She had pretty features, and her perfectly measured smile put others at ease.

Xu Yan was inwardly startled to see her come out to welcome him.

It was not because her beauty had captivated him, but because he could already sense that this girl was also a cultivator—and that her cultivation was higher than his.

Seeing a cultivator working as an attendant caught Xu Yan off guard for a moment.

Fortunately, he soon recovered and said to the girl, "I heard that your establishment exchanges Spirit Treasures for Spirit Stones. I would like to sell a magical artifact."

Xu Yan had barely finished speaking when, before the girl could answer, a woman's voice came from inside the Hundred Treasures House.

"Lan'er, bring our guest inside."

"Yes," the girl replied, then hurriedly led Xu Yan in.

Upon entering the Hundred Treasures House, Xu Yan discovered that the voice had come from a beautiful middle-aged woman seated at a jade table in the southeastern corner of the hall. He guessed that she was probably the person in charge here.

Xu Yan took the Golden Cone from his storage pouch and placed it on the jade table before the beautiful middle-aged woman.

The woman merely picked it up and examined it briefly before setting it down. Looking up at Xu Yan, she said, "Fellow Daoist, I have inspected this artifact. Our Hundred Treasures House can offer sixty low-grade spirit stones for it."

Xu Yan nodded inwardly at her words. This price met his expectations.

Daoist San Zui had said that the Golden Cone was worth a little more than his formation, so its true value was probably seventy or eighty low-grade spirit stones. The Hundred Treasures House's offer of sixty low-grade spirit stones was already quite fair.

Although it met his expectations, Xu Yan still said, "Your offer is a little low."

The beautiful middle-aged woman covered her mouth and laughed. "Young brother, if you want our Hundred Treasures House to buy this Golden Cone outright, we can only give you sixty low-grade Spirit Stones. However, if you are not in a hurry, you can leave it here on consignment. If a suitable cultivator takes a liking to it, it could sell for a somewhat higher price. Our Hundred Treasures House would then take a ten-percent commission, and the remaining Spirit Stones would all be yours."

Xu Yan shook his head. He simply could not wait that long. He immediately told the woman, "I have decided to sell this artifact directly to your establishment."

A hint of delight appeared on the beautiful middle-aged woman's face at his words. This single transaction would earn her nearly twenty low-grade spirit stones.

She promptly said to Xu Yan, "Please wait a moment, honored guest. I will fetch the Spirit Stones now."

With that, the beautiful middle-aged woman rose and headed up to the second floor of the Hundred Treasures House.