108 Maidens of Destiny

Chapter 75: Clear Void Hall, The Dragon Gathering

Su Xing went in an entire circle at the Bian City Market Square, and it deserved to be called the Great Liang Dynasty’s national capital. Due to the first under heaven Emperor Liang Huizong overseeing things, every large school, sword sect and the like, as well as the amount of Scattered Star Cultivators that came to Bian City numbered in the ten thousands. This place’s items were far more complete than the Heavenly River Market Square, and the prices were even more expensive. A single bottle of “Qi Recovery Pills” cost more than a thousand liang of gold. Su Xing settled for a bottle of very good “Return Spirit Liquid” that had a price even higher, at several ten thousands liang of gold. However, if it were swapped over to a Star Cultivator’s necessary artifacts, pills, secret techniques and so one, bartering was actually not that demanding.

Seeing things like this, Su Xing found out he was actually quite poor. The gold in his pockets was approximately fifty thousand liang, and he had only just purchased more than one bottle of Return Spirit Liquid. As for the rest of the tantalizing artifacts, he simply need not look at them any longer.

Su Xing walked all over through more than a hundred shops and did not see Relic Blade Sand. On the other hand, Thunder Fire Sand, Pure Copper Fine Steel [1] and such were innumerable. However, what Su Xing considered about, first of all, was the Relic Blade Sand. This sort of item had to be set aside for the time being.

Finally, Su Xing could only place his hopes upon Bian City Market Square’s “Clear Void Treasure Hall.” [2]

Speaking of the Clear Void Treasure Hall, it was very interesting. The True Immortals Hall [3] increasingly expanded through Liang Huizong’s power, and the benefits distributed made the Clear Void Path’s inner circle somewhat resentful. Liang Huizong also was an enlightened sovereign king, and seeing this, he then established in Bian City an “auction.” The goal was to concentrate some first-rate materials together. Some low rank cultivators that possibly possessed good items did not dare sell, after all, some top-notch treasured materials possibly would attract a deadly disaster. “Treasuring a jade ring becomes a crime,” [4] this logic was a required learning for every Star Cultivator entering the Astral.

Besides seizing the opportunity to grow Bian City’s Star Cultivators, the market square also let the Clear Void Daoists a portion of the profits. This sort of auction style that publicly offered sales actually received doubt when it first started, but along with several valued artifacts, pills and so on being sold, the auction afterwards then rose to fame. It was an even greater enticement, especially towards low level Star Cultivators. Liangshan Continent was so large, and it could not be said for sure what happy encounter could be picked up. Keeping some hot items at the present stage were useless, so it was better off to use them to be sold. Yet, low level cultivation Star Cultivators would not dare take them out, and with things like this, the auction would then give them the best channel.

By only receiving a small intermediaries’ fee, they could attract hundreds of powerful Star Cultivators to fall over each other in their eagerness to buy. Both sides each had something to gain, and for the sake of letting the auction making the other Star Cultivators relax, Liang Huizong then handed it over to Liangshan Continent’s number one school, the “Clear Void Daoists.”

Furthermore, it was dubbed with a good name, “Clear Void Treasure Hall!”

Su Xing’s sole valuable was precisely the corpse of the Ancient Demon Beast Blooming Water Dragon, and exchanging this for Relic Blade Sand would not be a problem. If Su Xing wanted to sell the Dragon, he only needed to do it at the Clear Void Treasure Hall.

Su Xing thought it over. Although this Dragon was an Ancient Demon Beast, it was not at the point it would make the number one school in the land smash their own signboard. Thinking of this, Su Xing ingested an “Change Appearance Pill.” [5] This was a pill that An Suwen specially refined, and this foster sister was quite attentive to know that in Bian City, Su Xing inevitably could not reveal his real face. This pill required many tens upon tens of thousands of liang of gold; pill refiners actually had prospective futures.

And An Suwen had just only three.

Swallowing the Change Appearance Pill, the pill’s power spreading felt just like there were ten thousand ants climbing about on his face and was extremely painful. His bones’ squirming movements were audible, his flesh also incessantly changing. Su Xing felt his face seemingly be melted like a scheduled demolition, finally subsiding only after a long while. Looking at the mirror, Su Xing’s appearance transformed from a determined and dashing soldier’s look to a full beard, the uneven and ugly face of a middle aged man. [6]

How unsightly.

The ugly went with the ugly, and the Change Appearance Pill only had five hours of effect. Su Xing then walked over to the Clear Void Treasure Hall without stopping to rest.

A black-clothed boy received Su Xing. Seeing his purpose of coming was to auction an item, he then led him to see the shopkeeper. If Star Cultivators wanted to sell, they first of all had to let the shopkeeper give the goods an inspection to determine if there were sufficient qualifications, and then they would arrange a date.

The shopkeeper was a slightly putting on weight fatty. His cultivation was at Nebula Late Stage, and when he saw Su Xing, his eyes held some revulsion. Most probably, this appearance actually was too unsightly. However, in any case, he has operated for more than ten years, and he saw many cultivators sell more than a few valuable objects. He said: “My friend, I wonder what you want to auction off?”

“This!” Su Xing’s voice penetrated with an all-out effort. He opened his bag a crack.

The Shopkeeper wrinkled his brow. Sweeping his Divine Intent towards the bag’s opening, his slightly loathing expression immediately turned dumbstruck. “This…This is…”

“Please wait a bit, friend. This item is actually very far from my expectations. This one who is beneath you needs to report to the senior shopkeeper!”

Su Xing nodded.

After a moment passed, an old man with a long beard white as snow lifted the curtain and walked in. The old man’s eyes were full, his face completely rosy, wearing a robe that let off dust, showing a refined and artistic air. A sort of dignity like a tsunami make Su Xing almost drop to his knees in submission. [7] Unexpectedly, it was a Supercluster Stage Cultivator!

“How is this friend addressed?” The old man’s voice was gentle. His cultivation was at least Galaxy Stage, but he did not have the slightest amount of arrogance, making Su Xing have a very favorable impression. Indeed worthy of being called the Clear Void Daoists, Liangshan’s number one great immortals school.

“Your servant is Zou Sihai.” [8] Su Xing randomly put together a name. “May I ask honored senior?”

Zou Sihai? [9]

When Wu Xinjie heard this name Su Xing cooked up, she could not help but want to laugh.

“This old Daoist is the ‘Daoist Cool Breeze.’ I wonder if Fellow Zou could give this old Daoist a look at that item?” Daoist Cool Breeze asked.

After looking at it, the Daoist Cool Breeze did not show astonishment like that shopkeeper. Lightly smiling, and with a little hint of mystery and enigma: “The Ancient Demon Beast Blooming Water Dragon actually is very rarely seen. A pity the Blooming Water Thunder Dragon Pill is no more. A pity, such a pity.”

“Could it be it can’t be auctioned?” Su Xing asked.

“Of course it isn’t. This is indeed the most valuable article the Clear Void Treasure Hall has seen in the past few years. May I ask, this Blooming Water Dragon, where did Fellow Zou obtain it?” The Daoist Cool Breeze slightly smiled.

Su Xing had already thought of an excuse that he blurted out. “I was with a fellow when we happened to see this Dragon on its dying breath which we then rationally cut down. He took away the Blooming Water Dragon Pill and the Dragon’s soul. This Dragon’s corpse was then given to your servant.” Su Xing put on a lamenting expression.

The two Star Cultivators looked at him very sympathetically. This Ancient Demon Beast’s greatest valuables were just that Blooming Water Dragon Pill and Dragon Soul, which were at least a hundred times more valuable than this Dragon Corpse. The Daoist Cool Breeze did not doubt Su Xing’s words; he already saw that this dragon indeed had arrived at old age, like it had been repressed for ages. Already at its dying breath, they had walked into a fortunate meeting.

“Since this issue is the Ancient Demon Beast Blooming Water Dragon, this elder Daoist has a suggestion. I wonder whether or not Fellow Zou would listen?” The Daoist Cool Breeze smiled.

“Please, speak.”

“The Clear Void Treasure Hall shall hold a Dragon Gathering, a special performance to auction off this Dragon. What say you?”

That shopkeeper was afraid the crude Su Xing did not comprehend the elder’s intentions, explaining: “The Daoist’s intent is to use the next few days to promote your Dragon. This way, you can then reap even greater profits.”

How could Su Xing not know. The better the Dragon’s sale, the Clear Void Treasure Hall’s share of benefits was also greater. Of course, this Clear Void Daoist did not care about those gold bullion; what he wanted more was to give the Clear Void Treasure Hall a boost in interest, who let the Clear Void Treasure Hall auction this sort of Ancient Demon Beast Dragon for the very first time, huh.

“That will do, but I have a request!”

“Speak it!”

“For this Dragon, I must exchange it for Relic Blade Sand.”

The Daoist Cool Breeze went blank. The shopkeeper looked at Su Xing, dumbstruck. Could it be that this ugly brute was still dreaming to use Relic Blade Sand to obtain a Star Maiden’s contract. Truly a toad wanting to eat swan meat. Thinking of this, that fatty shopkeeper brimmed with ridicule towards Su Xing.

The Daoist Cool Breeze perhaps also thought as much, nevertheless maintaining his tranquil bearing as he agreed.

Subsequently, they discussed the particulars and signed a contract. The Dragon Gathering’s time was arranged three days from now!

Author’s Note:

The second chapter has been posted

1. 赤銅鐵精 ?

2. 清虛寶殿 ?

3. 真仙殿 ?

4. 懷璧其罪 ?

5. 易容丹 ?

6. Hm, getting Minority Report vibes. ?

7. 膜拜 ?

8. 鄒四海 ?

9. 走四海, meaning “walk the Four Seas,” and is pronounced similarly to the above. The misheard name is lost in translation. ?