Eternal Immortal Dynasty: Starting as a Petty Official

Chapter 175 Market Encounters, Auction Begins (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

"A century-old family can be destroyed in an instant by a single misstep!"

"The Zhao clan of Yangping Village must remember this matter!"

"We must never repeat this mistake again!"

Looking around at Zhao Xian, Zhao Li, and the others, Uncle Zhao De said with deep emotion.

"We will remember this well!"

Zhao Xian and the others readily agreed.

"Jiulang, leave all the low-grade Yellow Rank cultivation techniques and martial arts skills in the clan!"

"You can keep the rest!"

After a moment's thought, Zhao De looked at Zhao Xian and spoke.

Seeing Zhao Xian's hesitation, Zhao Mu went straight to the point: "Are you worried that we old folks, with one foot in the grave, will be too proud to keep our possessions?"

"If we truly have such promising talents, we will send them to you as well!"

"In that case, let us follow the advice of our elders!"

Zhao Xian immediately waved his hand, summoned Zhao Hong, and instructed him to select the middle and upper grades of Yellow Rank cultivation techniques!

"Now that we have so many martial arts techniques here, shouldn't we also arrange for someone to guard this residence closely?"

Suddenly, Zhao Li scratched his head, looked at Zhao De and the other clan elders, and said with a smile.

"Then naturally we need to arrange for someone to guard this place!"

"Otherwise, this technique would be everywhere in just a few days!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Mu smiled and replied.

"I discussed with several elders and we decided that the three of you would be responsible for opening and closing the house and cleaning it, with each of you taking care of it for one day. How does that sound?"

""

Upon hearing this, Zhao Li, Zhao Ren, and Zhao Zhong exchanged glances and then nodded in agreement.

"Fifth Uncle, how are the young men in the clan practicing their boxing skills these days?"

"Are there still enough money, grain, and rice?"

"My nephew has some talisman money left over this time!"

Zhao Xian suddenly looked at Zhao Zhong and asked with a smile.

"There's plenty of it!"

Zhao Zhong immediately responded with a smile, and continued, "Not only that, the clan also pooled together some money to buy two oxen, preparing for large-scale land reclamation!"

"Raise the money?"

"How could we not know about this?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xian looked at Zhao Zhong with great surprise.

"You've been waiting outside, it must have been very difficult for you, so I didn't tell you about this!"

Zhao Zhong scratched his head and replied with a smile.

"Count the money for Uncle Nineteen and Fourth Brother's talismans to mine too. There are quite a few people in our clan in Yangping Village, and two oxen aren't enough to go around!"

"I won't contribute much; I'll just spend more money to buy another one for the clan!"

After a few moments of contemplation, Zhao Xian took out thirty-five low-grade spirit stones from his storage bag and handed them to Zhao Zhong.

"This~"

Zhao Zhong did not reach out, but looked at Zhao Mu, Zhao De and others.

"Take it! Consider it the money that Ah Cheng, Ah Xian, and the others raised!"

Zhao Mu waved to Zhao Zhong and said with a smile.

Zhao Mu was Zhao Xian's grandfather. When he spoke, Zhao Zhong naturally took the spirit stone from Zhao Xian's hand.

"Ah Xian, there's too much!"

Zhao Zhong counted them and then handed five low-grade spirit stones to Zhao Xian.

"Then let's buy one with a baby!"

"Another year will pass, and there'll be one more head!"

Zhao Xian pushed it back, saying with a smile.

"Uncle, my family's old horse is quite docile. We often let the young men in the clan ride it around to practice their riding skills!"

Looking at Zhao Li again, Zhao Xian spoke with a smile once more.

"Okay! I've got it all written down!"

Zhao Li also responded.

As night fell, Zhao Xian ordered Zhao Hong to buy some wine and meat, and invited several clan elders and some young and strong clan members to enjoy a feast.

After staying at home for seven or eight days, Zhao Xian spent his days, apart from cultivating, teaching boxing and swordsmanship to the young men and some of the older men in the clan!

The news that Zhao Xian was at home also attracted some Taoists from Shanghuting and his childhood playmates to come and visit.

Zhao Xian naturally treated them well, and generously offered financial assistance if they encountered any difficulties!

On the tenth day of the fourth month, Zhao Xian set off for Wohu Township.

After spending another five days at the ranch in Wohu Township, and after a series of persuasive tactics, Zhao Xian bid farewell to his father and set off again!

And this time, the destination is naturally Daqingshan Market!

As the date of the auction at Daqingshan Market drew ever closer, the number of pedestrians on the official road leading to Daqingshan Market naturally increased.

There were martial arts cultivators with a fierce aura and wearing heavy armor, as well as Qi cultivation cultivators in Taoist robes who moved with the speed of the wind. There were also some with profound cultivation who rode tigers and leopards, making them look very majestic!

Zhao Xian and his group appeared quite ordinary among the large groups of cultivators.

Suddenly, a gust of wind swept past them, and the thunderous sound of horses' hooves startled Zhao Xian and the others, who couldn't help but look in the direction of the sound!

"Brother, how come that man's mount is so tall and imposing?"

After those people left, Zhao Hong immediately spurred his horse closer to Zhao Xian and asked with an envious look.

"It must be a warhorse with demonic beast blood!"

At this moment, Zhao Xian also withdrew his gaze and pondered before answering.

"It's a pity that Lord Song wasn't here; otherwise, with his vast knowledge, he would surely have recognized what kind of steed this is!"

Upon hearing Zhao Xian's ambiguous answer, Zhao Hong couldn't help but sigh.

"Am I, your elder brother, truly ignorant and incompetent?"

The more he listened, the more something seemed off. Zhao Xian raised an eyebrow and immediately looked at Zhao Hong, asking with a smile.

"Ha ha!"

Zhao Hong didn't answer, but just chuckled and ran off.

Behind them, Huang Zhong and the others also passed Zhao Xian and chased after Zhao Hong.

Zhao Xian could only shake his head helplessly as he watched this scene.

Before long, the group of five arrived at Daqingshan Market. After delivering their mounts to the market inn and booking a few rooms, the five of them began to stroll around the market.

Although there were quite a few cultivators in the market, very few were willing to spend spirit stones to stay in inns. It wasn't like the rumors said, where there were so many people that inn rooms were hard to find.

While strolling around the market, Zhao Xian unexpectedly encountered a familiar cultivator.

It was Chu Shu, the alchemist from the Chu family of Pinghe Township.

After first attending the Pinghe Small Gathering and getting to know Master Chu, Zhao Xian instructed Zhao Hong to buy a lot of cultivation pills from him.

Some were given to the Daoist followers under his command, while the rest were given to Zhao Hong to be sent to the county.

After all, his younger sister Zhao Yu and Huang Xia, as well as his cousin Zhao Sheng, were all studying at the county school.

Over time, Chu Shu naturally became very attentive to Zhao Xian, his major customer, and even visited Zhao Xian in Xixiang.

The two were old acquaintances.

"Fellow Daoist Chu, how have you been?"

Now that he had seen him, Zhao Xian naturally went over to greet him.

Upon hearing that familiar voice, Chu Shu raised his head, a hint of surprise on his face.

"Oh, what brings Fellow Daoist Zhao here?"

"Are you here to attend that auction?"

"I've been invited to attend the auction!"

Zhao Xian nodded slightly and spoke truthfully, then bent down to examine the elixirs on the stall.

"what?"

Gazing at the exquisite porcelain bottle at the very center of the stall, Zhao Xian let out a soft exclamation and chuckled, "Fellow Daoist Chu, did you craft this yourself?"

Seeing Zhao Xian look at the exquisite porcelain bottle and ask a question, Chu Shu immediately smiled and said, "It wasn't made by me, but by my uncle!"

"Dragon Blood Bone Forging Pill!"

"Is it suitable for martial artists at the bone-strengthening level?"

After a moment's thought, Zhao Xian asked again.

Zhao Xian had a bottle of Tiger Strength Bone Tempering Pills, which he received as a reward from the county.

After Zhao Hong, Huang Zhong, and the other three entered the Bone Refining stage, this bottle of elixirs was naturally shared among them.

Zhao Xian no longer has any elixirs suitable for bone-training martial artists!

Zhao Hong and his three companions had not taken any miraculous medicines for a long time.

For months, Zhao Xian has been stuck before the seventh transformation in his practice of "Nine Transformations of Fish and Dragon," while Zhao Hong and the other three are still at the fifth transformation.

If they had this Dragon Blood Bone Forging Pill, it might have allowed the four of them to enter the seventh transformation sooner!

"Fellow Daoist Zhao is quite right; this Dragon Blood Bone Forging Pill is indeed suitable for martial artists who practice bone cultivation!"

When Chu Shu saw Zhao Xian asking the question, his eyes lit up and he quickly answered with a smile.

He then looked at the four young martial artists behind Zhao Xian and immediately understood. He smiled and said, "Young Master Zhao and the others are truly gifted. They have already reached the level of first-rate martial artists before they even turn twenty!"

"Who knows, we might even get a glimpse of the Innate Realm someday!"

Upon hearing Chu Shu's praise, Zhao Xian also showed a slight smile.

Picking up the exquisite porcelain bottle, Zhao Xian pulled out the cork, poured out a pill, and brought it close to his nose to smell it. Instantly, a refreshing fragrance of elixir wafted over him!

However, amidst this delicate fragrance, there was also a hint of fishy smell!

"How much does this Dragon Blood Bone Forging Pill cost?"

After returning the elixir to the bottle, Zhao Xian immediately asked with a smile.

"One pill costs twenty low-grade spirit stones!"

Chu Shu immediately replied with a smile.

"It's not cheap!"

"Compared to that bottle of Tiger Strength Bone Tempering Pill, this Dragon Blood Bone Forging Pill is indeed quite expensive!"

Zhao Xian pondered to himself.

"Take eight of them first!"

Zhao Xian pondered for a moment, then looked at Chu Shu and said.

"Fellow Daoist Zhao, I can only sell you four!"

Upon hearing Zhao Xian's words, Chu Shu gave an awkward smile and said helplessly.

Seeing Chu Shu's reaction, Zhao Xian immediately understood.

Chu Shu must have brought very few of these spirit pills, which are equivalent to the upper-grade Yellow Rank. He probably relies on these spirit pills to uphold the reputation of the Chu family!

"It's fine, four pills it is!"

"We'll buy some more at the Pinghe meeting!"

Zhao Xian immediately waved his hand and said understandingly.

Seeing Zhao Xian's understanding, Chu Shu was very grateful and immediately waived five low-grade spirit stones.

Zhao Hong, who was standing to the side, happily took out seventy-five low-grade spirit stones to pay the bill.

The five then bid farewell to Chu Shu and continued to stroll around the market.

This time, the Daqingshan market attracted not only small vendors from Rongtai County, but also many caravans from surrounding counties.

There was also a caravan that came all the way from Taizhou, which occupied a large area of ​​the market, set up their stalls, and started hawking their wares.

Taizhou is located north of Yunling, bordering the northern counties of Qingzhou, and is quite far from Rongtai County.

As the saying goes, customs vary from place to place, and sentiments differ from place to place.

The customs and practices of cultivation differ between Qinghai and Taiyuan.

Qingzhou primarily focuses on immortal cultivation, with occasional inheritances of qi and blood martial arts, while Taizhou primarily focuses on qi and blood martial arts cultivation, with immortal cultivation being quite rare.

For this reason, the weapons of Taizhou are quite famous, and can be called the best in the world!

In addition, Qingzhou is ruled by the Yunlan Sect, which governs the entire prefecture, divided into counties and districts. Sect disciples, aristocratic families, and...

Small sects and minor practitioners, as well as scattered Taoist practitioners, are all mixed together.

Taizhou, however, is governed by the Holy Martial Palace, which is the most prestigious of the prefectures. The prefectures are divided into counties, but these counties are controlled by powerful and influential families.

The prefectures had their powerful families, the counties had their wealthy clans, and the villages had their own clans, creating a scene resembling a state within a state!

As for the Holy Martial Palace, its interior is also quite complex.

Before they knew it, Zhao Xian and his group of five had arrived at the location of the Taizhou caravan.

"Mingjing!"

Looking at the flags flying high outside the caravan, Zhao Xian couldn't help but mutter to himself.

"Elder brother, what is the meaning of this 'bright future'?"

Zhao Hong leaned closer and asked in a low voice.

"Keep this in mind, and ask Lord Song when you get back!"

Zhao Xian glared at Zhao Hong and immediately walked into the caravan.

Dozens of large carts formed a circle, displaying local specialties from Taizhou or creations from northern Qingzhou.

The sheer variety is dazzling, making it hard to know where to begin!

Zhao Xian casually walked over to a large cart, picked up a pottery jar, and examined it closely.

"My lord, the celadon pottery jar you've chosen is extremely famous in Taizhou!"

The vendors behind the cart, seeing that Zhao Xian and his entourage were dressed in extraordinary attire, immediately approached them with fawning smiles.

Do you have any swords or knives from Taizhou?

Zhao Xian put down the pottery jar, picked up another vessel to examine it, and then casually asked a question.

"Swords?"

"My lord, all the famous swords and blades are on those large carts inside!"

Upon hearing Zhao Xian's question, the vendor pointed to the large cart further inside.

"Fellow Daoist, what breed is your ox that pulls the cart? How come it's so tall and strong!"

Zhao Hong looked at the ox lying behind the cart and asked in surprise.

"I am unworthy of the title of Fellow Daoist. As for my ox, it is a wild bull unique to Taizhou, standing over ten feet tall at the shoulder, incredibly strong and fierce, with a violent temper!"

"Traveling all the way to Qingzhou, thousands of miles away, only such a wild ox can be relied upon!"

The vendor replied with a smile.

"This wild bull is not far from being a demonic beast!"

Zhao Hong also participated in the battle to kill the White Ox Bandits, whose leader rode a huge white ox!

The white ox didn't look much bigger than the wild bull in front of it!

"Haha! He's nothing like a demon beast! But even ordinary lesser demons can't do much against him!"

Upon hearing this, the vendor immediately responded with a humble remark.

Several young people gathered around the large cart and chatted with the vendor. The vendor didn't seem to find it boring, and the group chatted happily.

After chatting for a while, Zhao Xian didn't buy the earthenware jars, but instead bought ten jars of Taizhou fine wine, each jar weighing only two jin.

It wasn't too expensive. When Zhao Xian asked for ten jars, the vendor naturally gave him a discount, making it seventy talismans per jar!

"Your Qingzhou's talisman money is really generous!"

Weighing the talisman coins in his hand, the small vendor couldn't help but sigh.

"Hmm? What do you mean by that, fellow Daoist?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xian revealed a hint of curiosity.

"The talisman coins from Taizhou are not as reliable as those from Qingzhou!"

"In Taizhou, over sixty Sacred Martial Talisman Coins are only equivalent to fifty Cloud Rippling Talisman Coins in your Qingzhou!"

Seeing Zhao Xian's curiosity, the vendor naturally moved closer to him and whispered something.

"Your Yunlan Talisman Coins from Qingzhou are forged from wind-milled copper; one hundred talisman coins are approximately equal to nine taels of wind-milled copper!"

"And in our Taizhou, one hundred Sacred Martial Talisman coins are only worth seven taels of windmilled copper!"

"I see!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xian and the others all showed expressions of sudden realization.

Wind-milled copper is considered the lowest grade of spiritual material; one pound of wind-milled copper is roughly equivalent to one low-grade spirit stone!

"What about the talisman money from Nanzhou and Huangzhou?"

Zhao Duan, who was standing to the side, suddenly asked again.

"The talisman money from these two families isn't even worth as much as the talisman money from Taizhou!"

Upon hearing this, the vendor spoke with a touch of pride.

Zhao Xian smiled, bid farewell to the vendor, and continued walking inside.

"Judging by his attire and demeanor, he must be from a wealthy family!"

Watching Zhao Xian and his group leave, the vendor muttered something under his breath.

He touched the talisman in his hand, and a smile appeared on his face.

These people are clearly not short of money, otherwise why would they be willing to use Yunlan Sect's talisman money to pay the bill!

"Clang!"

The sun blazes high, the precious sword is drawn, and its cold light shines!

"Ding!"

With a flick of the finger, the blade trembled slightly, producing a crisp echo!

"A fine knife!"

Zhao Xian looked at the ring-pommel sword in front of him and couldn't help but praise it!

"Fellow Daoist, what is the value of this sword?"

Sheathing his sword, Zhao Xian looked at the young martial artist opposite him and asked with a smile.

"Thirty thousand coins, no bargaining!"

Upon hearing this, the young martial artist replied loudly.

"Even the best quality weapons sold by Yunlan Pavilion, crafted with thirty-six refinements, would only cost around fifteen thousand coins!"

"Could this sword be comparable to the treasured swords sold at Yunlan Pavilion?"

Upon hearing the price, Zhao Xianchu immediately raised an eyebrow and jokingly remarked with a smile.

"Taizhou swords are unparalleled in the world!"

"Although the Yunlan Sect is a major sect of immortal cultivation, when it comes to forging swords, my Mingjing Wu Clan has nothing to fear!"

Upon hearing this, the young martial artist immediately retorted without backing down.

"Then take a look at this Taizhou sword of mine, what's its value?"

Seeing that the man's tone was very unfriendly, Zhao Hong unfastened his sword and handed it over!

"The cold light reflects off the snow!"

The man took the ring-pommel sword from Zhao Hong's hand, looked up and recognized the four large Taoist characters engraved on the hilt!

"It's a powerful weapon crafted by the Youquan Han Clan!"

The man showed a hint of surprise, and when he looked at Zhao Xian and the others again, he no longer looked down on them as much!

"This blade was forged by the Youquan Han family, a renowned weapon-making clan in Taizhou!"

"Although it's only a low-grade weapon refined to the 36th level, it should still be worth around 50,000 coins!"

Upon hearing the man's words, Zhao Hong also showed a hint of surprise. He had thought it would only be 30,000 coins!

It seems the Xu family is truly generous!

This knife was a gift from Xu Daocheng, the head of the Xu family, to Zhao Hong.

At that time, Zhao Hong was dueling with Xu Dejing when Xu Dejing broke the ring-pommel sword in his hand. Xu Daocheng then gave the sword to Zhao Hong.

"Judging from your appearance, you're a first-rate martial artist. This sword is sufficient for you until you reach the Innate Realm!"

The man looked at Zhao Hong closely for a few more moments, then handed the knife back, smiling as he spoke.

"Is 'Mingjing' your family's name?"

Suddenly, Zhao Xian looked at the man and pointed to the flag fluttering in the distance.

"Exactly!"

"The Wu family of Mingjing is a prominent clan in Taizhou that has existed for over a thousand years!"

The man immediately replied with a very solemn expression.

"How does it compare to the Youquan Han Clan?"

Zhao Hong fastened his sword and then asked curiously.

"This~"

The man blushed, but still answered truthfully, "The Han clan is a Golden Core cultivation family; my Wu clan is far inferior!"

Seeing that Zhao Xian and the others were quite unfamiliar with Taizhou, the man thought for a moment and then pointed to a large cart not far away: "There are books recording the customs and scenery of Taizhou over there. You can go and take a look!"

"Thank you, fellow Daoist!"

A knife costs 30,000 talismans, which Zhao Xian and his companions were reluctant to part with.

After lingering at the stall for a long time, the group reluctantly left.

They then went to the cart that sold books and bought several copies of "Records of Customs and Anecdotes of Taizhou".

"One day, you will all be equipped with swords and spears from Taizhou!"

Looking around at the people around him, Zhao Xian said with great regret.

"Then thank you, elder brother!"

The others responded with smiles.

As they left the place, it was already late, and Zhao Xian and his group returned to the inn to rest in their rooms.

April 18th will arrive in the blink of an eye.

The auction is being held inside Yunlan Pavilion, but certain conditions are required to enter the auction venue.

As for what the conditions are, it depends on whether your wallet is full!

Zhao Xian and his group, having received invitations from Chen Yuancheng, did not need to have their credentials verified and were allowed to enter the venue directly.

Zhao Xian then handed the gift to a servant, who led him and his entourage to a private room.

Box No. 18 (Di Zi)

Pushing open the door to the private room, Zhao Xian looked inside and a familiar figure immediately came into view!

"Bo Zhang!"

"Motosei!"

The two of them greeted each other.

A quick glance revealed that there were other people in the private room!

A moment later, Zhao Xian and the others took their seats, and Chen Yuancheng began to introduce the others to Zhao Xian.

"Yuanzhang greets Fellow Daoist Zhao!"

The first person, without needing Chen Yuancheng's introduction, took the initiative to stand up and bow to Zhao Xian.

It was Chen Yuanzhang, the Chen family cultivator who had worked alongside Zhao Xian for two months to settle the Taoist people of the Chen and Liu families.

"Fellow Daoist Yuanzhang, it's been a long time! Your cultivation has indeed improved considerably!"

Zhao Xian returned the greeting and said with a smile.

"Chen Yuanqing of the Chen family of Yunwu Mountain greets Fellow Daoist Zhao!"

"Chen Yuanxiu greets Fellow Daoist Zhao!"

The other two female cultivators in green robes also bowed in greeting.

Zhao Xian looked up and saw that both of them were fair-skinned, beautiful, dignified and elegant, but upon closer inspection, they were somewhat different.

The first female cultivator to speak was tall, with gentle features, a delicate nose, and a slight smile on her lips.

She appears gentle and docile, with a spiritual aura flowing around her, exuding a sense of purity and vitality.

The other was petite, with clear and bright eyes. Although she was also dressed in plain blue, she exuded a hint of heroic spirit.

After exchanging greetings, everyone began to chat casually.

After chatting for a while, Zhao Xian looked at Chen Yuancheng and asked with a smile, "Why hasn't the auction started yet?"

"It won't begin until close to noon!"

As Chen Yuancheng was speaking, the door opened again, and two figures strode in.

"Oh! Bozhang is here too?"

The newcomer glanced around, then looked at Zhao Xian and said with considerable surprise.

"Haha, how could I miss such a grand event as an auction!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xian immediately laughed loudly as well.

The visitors were none other than the brothers Xu Dekun and Xu Dejing.

The two men didn't stand on ceremony and immediately sat down, and the group resumed their conversation.

Xu Dejing and Zhao Hong, along with the other three, chatted very enthusiastically!

"Thump! Thump! Thump!"

Three chimes of the ceremonial bell rang, and everyone in the private room fell silent.

A flash of light appeared, and a five-foot-tall water mirror came into view!

"Water Mirror Technique!"

"Yunlan Pavilion has actually set up magic arrays in every private room!"

Upon seeing this, Xu Dekun said with considerable surprise.

Zhao Xian and the others also looked at the water mirror, which slowly revealed the scene outside the private room.

A life-sized auction platform stood in the center of the venue. A figure, riding a flying sword, gracefully landed on the platform. It was none other than a Foundation Establishment cultivator!

Immediately afterwards, several more figures appeared on the stage, and judging from their aura, they were all Foundation Establishment cultivators.

"Fellow Daoists, I am Zhu Hongyu, invited by Yunlan Pavilion to preside over this auction!"

The leading Foundation Establishment cultivator bowed to the cultivators from all directions, his face beaming with a warm smile.

"As for the four fellow Daoists behind me, they are naturally the guards for this auction!"

"Fellow Daoists, there's no need to fear these plague gods!"

"Please, everyone!"

At this point, Zhu Hongyu turned around and, as if shooing people away, drove these Foundation Establishment cultivators off.

"Now, I hereby declare the auction officially open!"

Turning around again, Zhu Hongyu looked around at everyone and shouted loudly.

"The first item up for auction: a hundred-year-old Moon Essence Pearl!"