Fantasy, starting with a treasure bowl

"Oh, really?"

Seeing Li Wenyan still frantically trying to argue, Qiu Haitang raised her eyebrows slightly, then stepped forward and grabbed the other's right ear. "Little Yang, if I remember correctly, you just said that last month, didn't you?"

"Uh, well...!"

Upon hearing this, Li Wenyang's lips twitched slightly, and she was momentarily speechless.

"I won't fall for your tricks this time! Get back to your quarters right now!"

With a cold snort, Qiu Haitang tightened her grip on Li Wenyang's right ear again, then dragged her outside. "Little Yang, I can forgive you for leaving the pavilion without permission this time, but so many treasures have been lost from the Star-Picking Tower. I can't tolerate this anymore!"

"From today onwards, you are forbidden from ever setting foot in the Star-Picking Tower again, and you are strictly prohibited from touching any of the rare and precious herbs inside. Furthermore, you will be confined to your quarters for six months upon your return!"

Qiu Haitang's tone remained cold and indifferent.

"What? We can't enter the Star-Picking Tower anymore?"

"How can I, this young master, improve my weapon-forging skills then?!"

Upon hearing this, Li Wenyang felt a sudden dizziness, as if all the joy in life had vanished.

"No! Sister Haitang, this is worse than death!"

"I'll never lie to you again! I'd rather be locked up for another six months than be kept outside the Star-Picking Tower forever...!"

Li Wenyang's eyes instantly welled up with tears, as if she had suffered a great injustice.

"Alright!"

Faced with Li Wenyang's pitiful pleas for mercy, Qiu Haitang's pretty face flickered, and she seemed to soften a little. Her tone gradually became calm as she said, "Little Yang, it's not that I'm usually strict with you, but Uncle Xuanji entrusted you to me before he went into seclusion, so naturally I have to shoulder the responsibility of teaching you well."

"As the young master of the Hidden Origin Pavilion, you are obsessed with the unorthodox path of weapon forging and neglecting the cultivation of formations within the pavilion. If this continues, how will you inherit the mantle of the Hidden Origin Pavilion?"

"Sister Haitang, I..."

Upon hearing this, Li Wenyang hesitated, seemingly realizing that she had been too unrestrained and willful in the past.

"Alright, let's go back to the pavilion and talk about it first."

Qiu Haitang waved her hand, then turned her gaze to Lu Feng, who was about to leave. "Young man, please wait!"

"Greetings, heroine!"

Startled and frightened by Qiu Haitang's gaze, Lu Feng immediately stopped in his tracks. He then feigned composure and cupped his hands in a gesture of respect. "My name is Lu Feng. I was unaware that you, heroine, are also a disciple of the Extreme Overlord Sect. I will not disturb you any longer and will take my leave!"

"What kind of disciple of the Extreme Overlord Sect?"

Qiu Haitang was taken aback for a moment.

Seeing this, Zhang Hua quickly stepped forward and secretly transmitted her voice, "Senior Sister, this is what happened. In order to keep a low profile and avoid being discovered by you, the young master fabricated the identity of a disciple of the Extreme Overlord Sect..."

"Little Yang...!"

Before the other party could finish speaking, Qiu Haitang felt her blood pressure surge, and anger reappeared on her pretty face.

She wasn't angry that Li Wenyang had lied to her, but that the other party had not only lied to her but also arbitrarily changed the name and signboard of Yinyuan Pavilion. If this matter were to get out, it would undoubtedly damage the reputation of Yinyuan Pavilion.

"Sister Haitang, you just said you'd let bygones be bygones..."

Seeing that Qiu Haitang was about to lash out again, Li Wenyang was so frightened that she trembled and immediately waved her hands to beg for mercy.

"I'll deal with you when we get back!"

She glared at Li Wenyang, then turned back to Lu Feng, cupping her hands in a fist salute. "My name is Qiu Haitang. I am the senior sister of Xiao Yang and Zhang Hua. I apologize for the trouble you caused, Brother Lu."

"Uh, Miss Qiu, you flatter me. I dare not laugh...!"

Lu Feng looked somewhat restrained.

After all, there are not many women as capable and beautiful as Qiu Haitang. Just like Mu Qingxue from Tai Xuan Tian Palace back then, she put immense pressure on him!

"I know Xiao Yang's forging skills very well. These magical treasures made by Xiao Yang are not even worth a fortune, let alone scrap metal!"

"Brother Lu, our Hidden Origin Pavilion would never engage in such a tarnishing business. Please return the Hidden Origin Heavenly Mystery Umbrella that Xiao Yang crafted. As for the spirit stones spent, I will return them all."

Qiu Haitang said solemnly, while Lu Feng's expression turned slightly serious. He then politely declined, saying, "Miss Qiu, I really admire Brother Li's work. As for the Hidden Origin Heavenly Mystery Umbrella, I bought it voluntarily."

Not to mention that the Immortal-Nourishing Stone is extremely rare, he had already dismantled the Hidden Origin Heavenly Mystery Umbrella long ago, leaving only an empty frame, which he couldn't return even if he wanted to.

"This person is actually interested in Xiao Yang's work...?"

Seeing Lu Feng politely decline, Qiu Haitang's pretty face also froze slightly, and she couldn't help but show a hint of surprise in her heart.

After all, she had seen almost everyone in the martial arts world over the years, but this was the first time she had ever met a master like Lu Feng who liked to spend a lot of money to buy junk. He was truly a rare breed among martial artists.

"Since Brother Lu insists, I will not force you. Farewell."

Although she couldn't understand Lu Feng's thoughts, Qiu Haitang didn't ask any further questions. She simply cupped her hands in a respectful gesture, then turned and left with Li Wenyang, Zhang Hua, and the others.

"Brother Lu, if you have time in the future, remember to visit Yin Yuan Pavilion. I will definitely treat you well, haha!"

Before leaving, Li Wenyang also cupped his hands in greeting to Lu Feng, his face full of smiles, seemingly in a very good mood as he had met such a "kindred spirit" as Lu Feng.

"Brother Li, you're too kind. I'll definitely do it next time."

Lu Feng nodded slightly, then returned the greeting with a fist and palm salute.

"Hidden Origin Pavilion, so this is the true origin of Lady Qiu and Brother Li. I'll inquire about them another time..."

Watching Qiu Haitang and the others leave, Lu Feng stroked his chin, a thoughtful expression on his face.

Although he knew almost nothing about the Hidden Origin Pavilion, he could tell from the strength and cultivation of Qiu Haitang and others that the Hidden Origin Pavilion had a powerful foundation that far exceeded Lu Feng's imagination and was something he could not reach at present!

"I wonder to what extent the power of the Treasure Basin will be restored after absorbing this Immortal-Nourishing Stone...!"

Calming his mind, Lu Feng flipped his palm outward and immediately summoned the Treasure Basin. At the same time, he threw in the newly acquired Meridian Opening Profound Origin Pill, the inkstone-sized Immortal Gathering Stone, and the remaining three million low-grade Yuan Stones.

Just as Lu Feng was waiting for feedback from the Treasure Basin, this year's Beijing Auction finally came to an end!

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, a maid in white slowly stepped onto the stage, carefully holding a silver platter covered by a black cloth in her hands, obscuring its contents. It seemed to be the grand finale treasure of this year's capital auction!

"I'm sure you fellow cultivators have been waiting for a long time...!"

On the auction stage, Jin Buhuan glanced around once more, then stroked his long beard and said in a low voice, "Next up is the final item of this year's Beijing auction: the Imperial Seal of the State!"

"The Imperial Seal of the State?!"

"It really is the Imperial Seal of the State...!"

"Did I just hear that right? The Imperial Seal of the State, the founding treasure of the Han Dynasty, has reappeared in the world!"

"Isn't it rumored that this item was lost a thousand years ago? Could it be that the old rumors were false...?!"

As soon as Jin Buhuan said this, the entire arena erupted in chaos. In an instant, everyone was shocked and discussed endlessly, and countless fiery eyes were shot towards the silver plate covered by a black cloth in the hands of the white-clad maid on the auction stage.