Chapter 93: The Treasure Pavilion!

So he was worried about not being able to afford it. Shen Yan gave a faint smile and said nothing, instead pointing at several rough-looking cultivators ahead.

"I was only asking about Foundation Establishment techniques on a whim. But these few over there still have killing aura on them. I thought fights were forbidden inside Clear Tide City?"

A few people were hurrying along in front. Their faces were fierce, and their bodies were stained with blood; at a glance, they had clearly just come through a bloody struggle.

Cheng Shan followed the direction of Shen Yan's finger, then smiled and explained, "Senior may not know this, but these people are all cultivators who make their living in Clear Tide City. They have no skill in artifact forging or pill refinement, no talent for talisman making or array setting, and they know nothing of the other arts of cultivation. So they can only go out and hunt beasts to exchange for a little sustenance."

"I see."

Shen Yan looked in the direction the group had gone and said thoughtfully, "So Clear Tide City is unlike a cultivation sect. I hear that in sects, these beast-hunting tasks are issued by the sect, and once completed, one can not only sell the beasts obtained but also receive sect rewards. Could it be that Clear Tide City has no such rules?"

Hearing this, Cheng Shan studied Shen Yan a little more closely and asked in surprise, "Is Senior from a cultivation sect?"

His heart sank. If Shen Yan were truly a sect cultivator, then the task his patron had assigned him today might not be completed.

Shen Yan waved a hand and said with feigned regret, "How could I be so fortunate? I merely heard of it."

With that, he shook his head, clearly unwilling to reveal anything about himself.

Cheng Shan let out a breath of relief. So long as he was not from a cultivation sect, things were fine. He went on to explain, "Senior may not know this, but Clear Tide City is where the three great families earn spirit stones. Here, if one wants to make money, then aside from alchemists, artifact refiners, and those with some special skill, it is truly exceedingly difficult for the rest to take advantage of anything."

After a slight pause, he deliberately moved closer to Shen Yan and lowered his voice.

"So some cultivators have taken to crooked ways. Instead of pursuing bitter cultivation, they ambush and kill cultivators outside. Senior must be very careful."

As he spoke, his body seemed to brush against Shen Yan by accident, and he hurriedly stepped back.

"Thank you for telling me."

Shen Yan wore an expression of deep agreement and took out another spirit stone to hand him.

"If you had not told me, I might well have run into such bandits after leaving Clear Tide City. Take this spirit stone as my thanks."

"Many thanks for Senior's generosity."

Cheng Shan accepted the spirit stone with obvious delight, then asked, "May I ask whether Senior has come to Clear Tide City this time to purchase cultivation supplies, or to sell them?"

"Some things to sell."

Shen Yan said without concealment, as though he had already developed some trust in Cheng Shan.

"If Senior wishes to make a little more, I have some black market channels. If you want safety and peace of mind, then go to the Treasure Pavilion jointly run by the three great families."

Shen Yan nodded, feigning thought for a moment before saying, "Then let's go to the Treasure Pavilion. This is my first time here, so I should be cautious."

"With Senior being this careful, you are certain to stride far and fast on the path of cultivation in the future."

Cheng Shan flattered him, then said, "Please follow me, Senior."

Very quickly, he led Shen Yan forward, introducing the shops along the way.

"This is the Divine Armaments Hall, opened by the Chen family of the three great families. Most of the magical tools here are forged from black iron from Heavenly Pillar Mountain. Though their quality is not exceptional, they are extremely durable."

"This is the Returning Spring Pavilion, opened by the Xu family. One can buy all kinds of healing pills here, as well as pills that increase cultivation and restore magical power."

"This is a shop opened by a group of loose cultivators together. They do business in all manner of cultivation arts, including pills, talismans, magical tools, and more. The quality is a little worse, of course, but the prices have their advantages."

"This is Old Hu's shop. It mainly sells food for spirit beasts, and the prices are very fair."

"The owner of this shop never shows his true face, but the spirit-seeking insects he sells are extremely valuable. Many cultivators like to buy one when heading out treasure hunting, to reduce the risk."

Along the way, Cheng Shan talked nonstop, introducing the surrounding shops, and it opened Shen Yan's eyes to the world of cultivation.

The arts of cultivation were indeed not mere empty boasting. Rather, there were simply too many branches of the path, so many that they were impossible to imagine all at once.

Still, Shen Yan understood that although cultivation skills came in abundant varieties, the ones truly worthy of admiration were only array masters, alchemists, and apothecaries.

For these three were the things most closely tied to cultivators. As for the other arts of cultivation, they might aid one's practice, but they were by no means priceless.

"Senior, this is the Treasure Pavilion."

They arrived before a splendid three-story building, where Cheng Shan greeted the guard at the entrance and then said to Shen Yan, "Senior, please."

Shen Yan nodded and stepped into the Treasure Pavilion. Soon, a white-bearded elder in his fifties came forward to welcome him.

"Forgive us for failing to greet such an honored guest properly."

The elder cupped his hands and smiled at Shen Yan.

"This humble one is Qian Muqing, the manager of the Treasure Pavilion. May I ask for the honored guest's name?"

"My name is Shen Yan. Greetings, fellow Daoist."

One should not strike a smiling face, so Shen Yan returned the courtesy with a smile.

"So it is Daoist Shen. May I ask whether the honored guest has come to our Treasure Pavilion to buy cultivation supplies, or to sell them?"

"A few worthless odds and ends. I must trouble you to appraise them and see how many spirit stones they are worth."

Shen Yan took out a storage bag and handed it over. Inside were the things from Xu Daoqing's storage bag that he did not need.

"These..."

Qian Muqing's divine sense probed inside to inspect them, and his expression changed at once.

Flying swords, long blades, robes, a great pile of pills used in cultivation, and some common spirit materials of the cultivation world.

"This pile of damaged magical tools is worth twenty thousand spirit stones to you, fellow Daoist. These ordinary talismans, twelve thousand. These pills, fellow Daoist... all together, fourteen hundred thousand. What does fellow Daoist think?"

Shen Yan gave a slight nod and released a faint trace of the aura of a Foundation Establishment cultivator from his body.

"Then let it be as you say. Fourteen hundred thousand spirit stones will do."

Sensing the pressure of a Foundation Establishment cultivator from Shen Yan, Qian Muqing's expression abruptly changed.

"So you are a Foundation Establishment senior. Qian Muqing has been rude. Greetings, Senior."

"The fourteen hundred thousand spirit stones will be brought over at once. Does Senior still need to buy anything else?"

Shen Yan gently shook his head, then took out a jade bottle and handed it to Qian Muqing.

"Thank you for your trouble, fellow Daoist. These few pills are a small gift for you."

Qian Muqing froze, then declined with cupped hands.

"Many thanks, Senior, but our Treasure Pavilion has its rules..."

"Fellow Daoist might as well take a closer look at the pills in the white jade bottle."

Qian Muqing paused. After opening it and inhaling carefully, his expression changed at once.

"These are Nourishing Qi Pills, the kind that can help mortals swiftly sense spiritual qi? And every one of them is top grade. Senior is truly generous."