âI am.â Long Chen was startled, as he himself didnât even recognize this person.
âPerfect. Under the pavilion masterâs orders, I have come to give you this invitation card.â The lean middle-aged man rejoiced. âYoung noble, you might not recognize me, but my lowly self is an attendant of the Huayun Pavilion. I have especially come to invite you to our annual auction.â
Only now did Long Chen understand. He was being pulled into some kind of business work. As for being an âattendantâ, it would be more accurate to just call him a foot runner.
Long Chen had a great understanding of this Huayun Pavilion. It was the most famous auction house in the Phoenix Cry Empire and was an extremely huge existence.
Although it might not be comparable to the alchemist guild, it was definitely powerful. It was the closest partner of the adventurers guild.
The adventurers guild was an alliance formed by countless adventurers, and although it was a loose partnership, it had many members.
Adventurers traveled the wilderness for most of their days, and although it was an extremely dangerous occupation, its rewards were also accordingly great.
All kinds of strange medicinal herbs and Magical Beast cores could be found, and if oneâs luck was really ridiculous, then it was even possible to find an ancient inheritance.
Adventurers were very fond of collaborating with the Huayun Pavilion due to their extremely fair prices. Selling their gains there was the most secure method to sell their spoils.
Some of them didnât go into danger themselves. They would make deals with other people or even kill others for their spoils. Those were extremely common affairs. Sometimes, the city was even more frightful than the wilderness.
So, the Huayun Pavilionâs annual auction would always attract countless people. They would select the rarest treasures that they had gathered over the year for that auction.
Almost every auction would result in them delighting at the high bidding, so the extent of their auction also became greater over the time.
In the past two years, the auctionâs quality had become incredibly great, and they had even set down new rules. It was now impossible to enter without an invitation card.
And the people who could obtain an invitation card were only people with exceedingly high statuses. Long Chen was the first youth to receive such a thing.
âThis is a great thing, brother Long. But if you donât have enough money, then it would just be a waste of time,â said Shou Hou.
The Huayun Pavilionâs auction wares were all the best amongst the best. Every single item was extremely desirable.
Adding on the auction houseâs expert advertising and enticements, the price would soar wildly all the time. Without money, you could only look with envy.
âDo you have a list of things being auctioned?â asked Long Chen.
âThis lowly one only has a list of the first ten things. You can have a look,â the lean man apologetically said.
In order to maintain its mystery, the best things being auctioned off would never be allowed to be leaked.
Long Chen looked over it. His pupils shrank when he saw the Starfusing Grass on the list. It was actually Starfusing Grass that was over a thousand years old.
Normal Starfusing Grass was always within ten to a hundred years old. Over a hundred years old was rare, and over a thousand years old made it an exceptionally precious treasure.
Such a treasure was actually just the first item of the list.
Seeing Long Chenâs shock, the lean man became pleased and said, âAs a Pill Apprentice, any precious medicinal pills you have can be handed over to us. If the quality and rareness of it reach the standards, we can consider adding it to the auction. But we charge 50% commission.â
Fifty percent?! Ha, how vicious. You actually dare ask for fifty percent? Do you dare ask for more?
As if seeing through Long Chenâs thoughts, he laughed, âAs long as what you have is good enough, then after our packaging and advertising, in addition to our chief auctioneerâs embellishment, the price will definitely rise far beyond your imaginations.â
Hearing that, Long Chen became more at ease. At the same time, he felt a bit of admiration at how they ran their business.
What Long Chen didnât know was that this manâs job really wasnât as easy as he thought it was. The people in the lean manâs position would get three quotas for the annual auction, meaning they were only allowed to invite three people.
Whether those people were buying or selling things, the one who had invited him would get a set percentage.
The more they bought or sold, the more money that person would get. So each person invited had to be carefully selected.
But after this many years, more and more wealthy people were being invited earlier, leaving only a few behind. Now they were just picking over the dredges.
This lean man was very astute, so as soon as he had received his quota, he had rushed over to invite Long Chen, afraid that others would get there first.
There was no other way. Long Chen was the most famous person within his generation in the capital, and he was definitely a big fish with potential.
âPlease look over this lowly oneâs calling card.â He handed over a small card to Long Chen.
âFu Gui?â[1]
âHaha, I come from a poor family. My parents wished for me to gain riches, so they came up with such a name.â The lean man explained with embarrassment.
His explanation also caused Long Chen to feel a bit of sympathy. Nodding, he said, âI am definitely very interested in buying things. I also have some things that I want to auction off. How does it work?â
Fu Guiâs eyes brightened. âAny treasures can be brought directly to the Huayun Pavilion. We can also go to your door to get them.â
Long Chen nodded. There was just less than a month until the auction, so he still had time. After setting an appointment with Fu Gui, Long Chen and the others all left the restaurant.
âLong Chen, the Phoenix Cry Lantern Festival is a week from now. You definitely have to come out,â said Shi Feng expectantly.
The Phoenix Cry Lantern Festival was the largest celebration of the empire. The entire capitalâs unmarried population would participate. It was extremely lively, and it was the festival that all the young people looked forward to the most.
Especially those unmarried men; each of them would be like a bull, determinedly waiting for a chance of attracting a womanâs attention.
As for the women, they also wanted to see if they could find an acceptable man.
It was a bit controversial for men and women to be together like this, but during the one day of the Phoenix Cry Lantern Festival, all those taboos were lifted, and both genders could party wildly together as much as they wanted to.
Thus, many of them made preparations beforehand for this festival.
And the most fun part of it was the fight over the number one junior warrior in their generation. There would always be a martial stage during the festival. As long as you were a cultivator and were under twenty years old, anyone could go up.
The first place battle was the highlight. As long as you got that title, it would no longer even be possible for you to be low-key. Countless women would send flowers after you, enough to bury you even. Just thinking about it set the menâs hearts on fire.
Even the calm Shi Feng was burning with passion. And as expected, fatty Yu and the others were all bursting with enthusiasm.
âBrother Long, you definitely have to come. If you donât go, then we wonât want to go either,â begged fatty Yu.
âThen how about none of us go and weâll find somewhere to get a drink instead,â laughed Long Chen.
âNooo, master Long. Weâve been waiting for this for a year!!â Fatty Yu and the others immediately acted sullen. Some of them got on their knees and hugged Long Chenâs legs, not letting go until he agreed.
âLong Chen, if you donât go, then it will be too boring. In the capital, you are the most famous of our generation! Youâre viewed as number one, and if you donât go, then it will disappoint countless people,â persuaded Shi Feng.
âHm? When did I get such a big name?â Long Chen was startled.
âYou didnât know? Even the little kids know about it. Dual martial and pill cultivation that shakes heaven and earth, the Heroic Assembly Houseâs angry god, the one who spread his wings and flew out of the Phoenix Cry Empire, the one who laughs arrogantly at the nine heavens, Long Chen.â Shi Feng looked at Long Chen strangely.
ââŚâ
What kind of situation is this? How did I not know? There are poems about me? Long Chen was struck foolishly silent.
âOkay, brother Long, all your brothers are hoping to enjoy the festivities with you. But whatever you say is what weâll do.â
Shi Feng wasnât the same as the others. He had considered Long Chen as his brother from the start, so he didnât need to have as many misgivings as the others.
âUgh, Iâll go.â Long Chen smiled bitterly; he had originally been planning on training for an extra day.
Fatty Yu and the others all cheered at that. It was as if they were seeing a scene of countless beautiful women before them.
After splitting ways with the others, Long Chen quickly rushed home. He didnât even eat dinner; the time he was wasting was too great. He had to urgently increase his cultivation base.
Although the FengFu Star had already been perfectly condensed, but now that he had gained a Dantian, he wanted to quickly condense more cyclones.
There were currently only three cyclones in his Dantian. He wanted to continue forming them, but there was no clue on how to do so within the Nine Star Hegemon Body Art in his memories.
Back when the FengFu Star had condensed, three of the cyclones had appeared all at once. Even Long Chen didnât know how it had happened.
Now, Long Chen found that when he circulated his Dantian, the three cyclones would also revolve with it. This method was only for continuously sending energy throughout him for battle, and wasnât for cultivating.
Drawing some of the FengFu Starâs spiritual energy out to the cyclones, they immediately grew ten times the size and Long Chenâs breathing became rushed in anticipation. But this was also for battle and not how to cultivate them.
Long Chen took a deep breath, and hesitating for a moment, he slowly circulated his qi to absorb the outside worldâs spiritual qi.
However, this time, he didnât send it throughout his body but gathered it into his FengFu Star.
Following Long Chenâs absorption of heaven and earthâs spiritual qi, the FengFu Star started to quickly circulate.
âThis is the way!â
Long Chen was elated; although he didnât know exactly what was happening, this definitely seemed to be more for cultivating and less for battle.
Doing his best to continue absorbing, the FengFu star gradually became brighter under the continuous absorption. In the end, it appeared like a blazing sun.
BOOM!
The FengFu Star shook, and it immediately became dimmer. At the same time, another cyclone appeared within Long Chenâs Dantian.
âHaha, Iâve finally found the way to continue cultivating.â
Along with the fourth cycloneâs formation, Long Chen found out that the meridians within his body had also expanded slightly, and his whole body was surging with energy.
âGood, letâs continue.â
Long Chen slowly closed his eyes and began to attack the fifth Heavenstage.