The Perks of Status, the Pavilion of Myriad Treasures!

As they passed through the archway-

The two seemed to step into another world, and their eyes suddenly brightened!

Looking out!

The modest-sized marketplace was formed by the intersection of two main vertical and horizontal thoroughfares, then spreading outward in eight directions from the central square...

And situated at the southernmost end was a fairly large cluster of courtyards; that was where the commandery Hundred Arts Directorate branch was located!

The so-called Hundred Arts Office:

It was both a functional department of the Great Zhou State and a hotbed for protecting and cultivating immortal-craft practitioners!

Similarly-

It was also a gateway that could undertake local demands for immortal crafts!

Such as special medicinal pills, or designated pills.

If ordinary shops could not buy them, one could go to the local Hundred Arts Directorate to issue a commission, and the Directorate would deliver them, or refine and consume them on the spot...

Artifact refining, talisman crafting, array formation, and so on were all like this!

Especially artifact refining and array formations, which paid the utmost attention to adaptability, being tailored for users, or setting up arrays in special terrains and landforms...

These meticulous tasks often needed to rely on the Hundred Arts Office.

Of course-

Wanting to take root in the marketplace naturally could not be separated from the documents of the Hundred Arts Office!

As the directorate department wielding national immortal crafts...

The marketplaces of prefectures and commanderies everywhere were all places where the Hundred Arts Office represented the imperial court in dealing with the locals!

Otherwise-

How else could the imperial court use the marketplaces everywhere to dispatch, harvest, and continuously enrich the Great Zhou State Treasury with resources from all over the country!

Whether it was the Yang-Strengthening Pill or the Qi Condensation Pill...

They were all means for the Da Zhou Imperial Family to control the entire country!

"Let's go..."

"Let's go process the goods brought on this trip as soon as possible..."

With that said-

Han Fei nodded, and the two stepped into the crowd one after the other...

Large-scale buying and selling of spirit materials and spirit objects could only be digested by a behemoth like the Myriad Treasures Pavilion...

This Myriad Treasures Pavilion was none other than the Great Zhou State Merchant!

If the Hundred Arts Office gathered wealth for the imperial government, then the Myriad Treasures Pavilion gathered wealth for the Da Zhou Imperial Family and for the Qingxuan Zhou Clan...

It could be considered drawing a clear line between public and private-

Yet if one changed the perspective, that meant repeatedly squeezing the oil and water out of the cultivators at the bottom!

On the surface they peeled off a layer of your skin, and secretly they scraped off another layer of your fat; from the myriad warriors to the immortal clans everywhere, all were without exception its tools for gathering wealth!

The only thing that could be counted as good-

Was that the output of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion was considered quite fine in terms of quality, and flaws would absolutely never appear...

As for the price, the acquisition price had always been considered fair, but the selling price often exceeded the market price by a notch...

Yet with the imperial family backing it, its reputation had always been good.

Just treat it as spending money to buy peace of mind.

Upon reaching the front hall of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion-

Before Qin Lu and his companion could even step into the pavilion, a beautiful female cultivator in palace attire closely greeted them, wrapping her arm around Qin Lu's embrace!

Her pair of plump mounds constantly pressed against him, and the subtle, tingling sensation made one's thoughts run wild and sigh at how treacherous the world was...

This kind of evil was not ordinary evil; it was simply a great evil!

Look, take a good look!

Just see how much situational awareness people have at a glance at that small waist badge.

They knew this was an esteemed guest gracing them with their presence!

Even Han Fei behind him-

Was also led into the hall by a woman, who cared not at all about his mortal status...

"I wonder, Senior~"

"What is it you wish to look at? Or are you buying and selling spirit objects?"

The woman smiled bewitchingly, constantly teasing from time to time with her slender, delicate fingers...

This tormenting little enchantress-

Fortunately Qin Lu had also tasted meat, so he remained unmoved; after all, he was an upright gentleman, how could he be deceived by this bit of feminine beauty?

Just on account of the two taels of rotten flesh on her chest?

What a joke, they were merely pink skeletons and a century of loess...

"Selling goods, merely a hundred or so spirit-imbued objects..."

Hearing this-

The female cultivator widened her eyes, and her expression grew even more reverent!

Even her little waist twisted and turned...

Anyone who didn't know better would have thought Qin Lu had done something to her, making her a veritable Grape Fairy.

Seeing the female cultivator in a posture of fiercely pouncing forward.

Suddenly a cold female voice stopped her, her tone filled with disdain...

"Nalan, step back!"

"This senior will be personally served by this slave; do not ruin the senior's elegant mood."

Upon hearing this-

Only a female cultivator with an even better temperament was seen walking up in front of Qin Lu, looking like someone who could take charge...

Unlike... Ji.

"This concubine is a steward of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion here, and Senior may address this slave as: Liu Ruyan."

"Will this Senior please accompany this concubine to an elegant room on the second floor to converse."

Liu Ruyan raised her hand in gesture.

Immediately the three of them departed together...

Leaving only the person in place-

The female cultivator named Nalan with a look of desolation and resentment!

"Humph!"

"This slut!"

"Relying on her cultivation being just a tiny bit higher, she became a steward. Look at how pleased with herself this cheap woman is!"

"Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river; do not bully a young girl for being poor!"

Nalan let out a dainty snort and departed dispiritedly...

As for other guests, she didn't even spare them a glance. She considered her natural endowments and appearance to be superior, and the guests she entertained had to be people of standing and reputation!

She, Nalan, simply couldn't think much of mere ordinary, overly confident male cultivators!

Only a young master like the one just now, who possessed both status and strength...

Could barely match up to her Nalan!

Second-floor elegant room-

Liu Ruyan smiled gracefully, and her deportment and actions were poised and natural.

That figure was also exceptionally good...

Coupled with a touch of intellectualism, she was a veritable stunner among mortals!

"The servant does not understand etiquette and shame, and is lax in discipline; I hope Master Qin will not take offense."

"However..."

"Having just heard what Senior said, that you have over a hundred spirit-imbued objects to sell, this concubine is quite interested and has the authority to buy this batch of goods from you..."

"I wonder what you think?"

Qin Lu raised an eyebrow, evidently quite surprised.

"Fairy Ruyan knows Qin?"

At these words-

Liu Ruyan merely smiled, took a sip of tea, and remained silent...

"That's true..."

"In the Great Zhou State, if the Myriad Treasures Pavilion wants to know news, it cannot be hidden."

Qin Lu gave a self-deprecating smile and nodded in acknowledgment.

Han Fei, who was at the side, took out the cargo manifest prepared in advance and briefly described it to her:

"Senior Liu, this junior will cut the story short."

"This time, our Black Dragon Chamber of Commerce is trading a total of one hundred and seventy-eight items of various spirit objects, and we only accept spirit stones and various inheritances as payment...

Herb category: First-tier inferior-grade mountain ginseng, all being ten-year ginseng, recorded as twenty-two plants.

First-tier inferior-grade Polygonatum, all being ten-year-old...

First-tier inferior-grade panax notoginseng...

Ten plants of herbs, priced at one spirit stone.

First-tier mid-grade various spirit plants, with ages all above forty years, totaling twelve plants...

Priced at three plants for one spirit stone.

Spirit object category: First-tier superior-grade spirit object: Calm-Spirit Incense, five sticks...

Priced at one spirit stone per stick.

First-tier mid-grade spirit object: tea smoke, two bundles, twenty boxes...

Five spirit stones per bundle.

First-tier spirit object: a pair of deer demon shed antlers, produced from a Forest Peak Giant Deer...

Priced at two spirit stones.

Medicinal pill category: Two pieces of first-tier superior-grade pills, priced at six spirit stones...

Four types of first-tier mid-grade pills, recorded as eight bottles...

One spirit stone per bottle.

Eight types of first-tier inferior-grade pills...

Every three bottles for one spirit stone.

Specialized auxiliary medicinal powder, mainly for strengthening blood and body refinement, named: Deer Blood Powder, recorded as six packets...

One spirit stone per packet.