Mortal Cultivator: Lin Tianzun

Chapter 95: Seeking Treasures in the Treasure Pavilion, Underground Secrets Revealed

Lin Fan hurried through the market, his gaze scanning every stall and every shop eagerly. He pushed through the crowds, not missing a single corner that might hold the spiritual item he needed.

But after several hours, apart from the few items in the Treasure Pavilion, there was still little to be gained. Lin Fan was filled with disappointment, and with a long sigh of relief, he walked towards the city gate, intending to leave this bustling yet depressing place and seek another opportunity.

"Senior, wait a moment!" A clear voice called out from behind. Lin Fan stopped, turned around, and looked at the newcomer with a puzzled look on his face.

He saw a boy of fifteen or sixteen years old running towards him quickly. The boy had a childish face, but there was a cleverness in his eyes and eyebrows. He was wearing a coarse linen shirt that was a little white from washing. There was a hemp rope tied casually around his waist, and a tattered cloth bag was hanging on the rope, which swayed back and forth as he ran.

The young man ran up to Lin Fan, breathing slightly, clasped his hands together, and said respectfully: "My name is Wang Wu, and I am the Feng Xingzi of this market." The so-called Feng Xingzi is someone who is well-informed in the market and earns money by passing valuable information to cultivators from all sides.

Wang Wu looked up at Lin Fan's expression and continued, "I saw you going in and out of shops, looking disappointed. I guess you didn't find what you were looking for. To be honest, I know of a secret underground shop that might have what you need. Would you be interested?"

"Oh?" Lin Fan's face, which had been somewhat dejected, suddenly showed an expression of interest. He hurriedly asked, "Where is it? Is it far?"

Wang Wu raised his lips, revealing a confident smile, and quickly replied, "Not far, right in the market town, but in a corner.

Coincidentally, the annual underground auction will be held in three days. It is said that many rare spiritual objects will appear at that time. If you go there, you may find something you like."

Lin Fan's eyes lit up, and new hope ignited in his heart. He made a quick decision and said, "Okay, you lead the way. You will definitely get the benefits."

"Yes, senior!" Wang Wu's face was full of joy, and he hurriedly stepped aside to lead the way. "Please follow me, senior." After that, he plunged into the bustling crowd, moving flexibly between the stalls and pedestrians.

Lin Fan hurriedly caught up, his eyes fixed on Wang Wu's back, secretly looking forward to what kind of surprises this mysterious underground auction would bring him.

In a short while, in the space of a cup of tea, the two of them passed through the bustling main street of the market town and turned into a series of narrow, winding alleys. As they went deeper, the voices of people around them gradually became sparse, and the prosperity faded, replaced by a desolate scene.

A dilapidated wooden house appeared before my eyes, standing alone in front of a weed-covered clearing. The wooden boards were worn and tattered, and the smell of age lingered through the cracks. The thatch on the roof was sparse and swayed in the wind, as if it would be blown away at any moment.

Wang Wu walked forward familiarly, raised his hand and knocked gently on the door, "Knock, knock, knock!" The sound was particularly clear in this silent place, and every sound seemed to strike at Lin Fan's heartstrings.

With a rasping sound, the door to the wooden house slowly opened, and a middle-aged woman walked out. She looked to be in her forties, dressed simply. Although her face bore some traces of time, she was still well-maintained.

However, what greatly surprised Lin Fan was that he could not detect any spiritual energy fluctuations from this woman. She was actually a mortal. When the woman saw Wang Wu, a smile suddenly broke out on her face and she greeted him warmly, "Oh, it's Wang Wu!"

"Mrs. Zhang, I have brought a senior with me this time, who wants to attend the auction in three days." Wang Wu introduced with a smile, a bit of flattery on his face.

Madam Zhang's gaze was as sharp as a torch, as she stared at Lin Fan intently. Lin Fan's heart trembled, and without a sound, he quietly released a trace of the pressure of a Jindan stage cultivator. In an instant, the air around them seemed to freeze, and an invisible pressure pressed down on Madam Zhang like an overwhelming force. Madam Zhang felt her breath hitch, her legs weaken, and the smile on her face froze, replaced by a look of awe.

She hurriedly lowered her head, her voice trembling slightly as she spoke with the utmost respect, "It turns out that it is a senior in the Jindan stage who has come to visit. I am sorry for not welcoming you in person. I hope you will forgive me. Please come in, please come in!"

Seeing this, Lin Fan put away his pressure with satisfaction and nodded calmly.

Lin Fan knew that Wang Wu's information was worth selling, so he casually took out three low-level spirit stones from his storage bag. With a flip of his wrist, the spirit stones were wrapped in a gust of wind and thrown towards Wang Wu: "This is for you. Thank you for leading the way." Wang Wu was quick to take it and thanked him repeatedly with a smile on his face.

Lin Fan took a deep breath, suppressing his curiosity and wariness. He followed Madam Zhang into the wooden house. The room was dim and cramped, filled with the stench of stale, decaying wood, making one frown. Madam Zhang walked to a corner and pressed hard on the ground. With a muffled "creak," the ground slowly cracked, revealing a deep tunnel. "Follow me," Madam Zhang said succinctly, taking the lead and descending.

Lin Fan secretly channeled his spiritual energy, his entire body tensing quietly as he followed cautiously. They descended the slightly slippery steps. The passage wasn't long, only about twenty or thirty feet. At the end, it suddenly opened up, and the two of them emerged into a spacious underground hall.

Lin Fan's attention was instantly drawn to the two masked Foundation Establishment cultivators in the distance. One, radiating a noticeably more powerful spiritual energy, was a late-stage Foundation Establishment expert; the other, slightly less so, was in the middle stage. Like two silent statues, they stood silently before a large black door, emanating an aura of seclusion, as if guarding some unspeakable secret.

Madam Zhang walked towards the two men with a familiar air, raised her hand, pushed open the mysterious black door, and walked straight in. Strangely, the two Foundation Establishment cultivators seemed oblivious, their eyes blank, and they showed no reaction to Madam Zhang's actions. Lin Fan's doubts grew even more intense, but he didn't stop, striding after her and stepping through the door.

Behind the door was a narrow passage. Lin Fan walked along it, his footsteps echoing in the silence, each step steady and powerful. After a dozen feet, the passage suddenly opened up, revealing a large, bright hall.

The hall stretched a hundred feet across, its luminous pearls inlaid overhead shimmering in a brilliant light, illuminating the entire space as bright as day. The surrounding walls were intricately carved with runes, faintly emitting a mysterious glow that seemed to tell of ancient legends. In the center of the hall, rows of exquisite chairs were arranged in a fan-shaped pattern. Directly in front was a high platform enveloped by a veil of spiritual energy, presumably the auction stage.

Lin Fan stepped into the hall and quickly scanned the surroundings, seeing over twenty cultivators already seated inside. Most wore various robes, their spiritual energy fluctuating at the Foundation Establishment stage. Some chatted in low voices, their words occasionally revealing their anticipation for the auction items; others closed their eyes, their aura calm and composed, as if they were gathering strength. The atmosphere appeared peaceful, but undercurrents surged, each cultivator harboring their own agenda.

What shocked Lin Fan's heart was that three auras in the crowd were particularly powerful. They were three masters in the Jindan stage! A faint layer of spiritual mist lingered around them, and their every move exuded the majesty of superiors. Just by sitting casually, they brought an invisible sense of oppression to those around them.

Lin Fan marveled inwardly. As a cultivator from the Kingdom of Yue, he knew full well that Jindan-stage masters were rare in Yue, revered as their most precious treasures by every sect. Yet, three of them suddenly appeared at this underground auction in the market controlled by the Six Demonic Sects. This stark contrast instantly made him realize that the descriptions in the original novel were true. The Six Demonic Sects were far more powerful than the Kingdom of Yue, and the landscape of the cultivation world was far more complex than he had imagined.

(End of this chapter)