bookrandom Chapter 378 Market Encounters, The Veiled Woman
Chapter 378 Market Encounters, The Veiled Woman
Mixia Island, shrouded in colorful clouds, is like a dream.
The crane puppet flapped its wings and landed on the island, and Senior Sister Zhao and her group entered the market.
Shops line both sides of the bluestone-paved avenue, exuding an antique charm.
The Hundred Herbs Pavilion, the Hundred Refinements Workshop, the Thousand Machines Pavilion, the Talisman Workshop, the Drunken Fragrance Pavilion... are dazzling to behold.
There were also numerous open-air stalls scattered throughout the market, displaying a dazzling array of rare and exotic treasures.
All sorts of cultivators moved about, some haggling, some exchanging treasures, and some stopping to chat, creating quite a lively scene.
The vast majority of these cultivators were independent practitioners.
When their gazes fell upon the black and white disciple robes worn by Senior Sister Zhao and her group, they immediately realized that these five people were disciples of the Hundred Swords Pavilion. They all made way for them and lowered their voices to speak.
Senior Sister Zhao enthusiastically introduced, "Mixia Island Market is the most bustling market near our sect, with all kinds of treasures available in a complete range. Moreover, a Golden Core cultivator is stationed here year-round to maintain order and prevent anyone from causing trouble, so Junior Sister can rest assured."
Chu Lengyu knew that Senior Sister Zhao had told her all this specifically to help her better understand the market, so she adopted a posture of attentive listening and focused her gaze.
"That magnificent pavilion with its carved beams and painted rafters is the Treasure Pavilion." Senior Sister Zhao sighed softly, a complex look flashing in her eyes. "The things inside are good, but they are several times more expensive than elsewhere, which makes people both love and hate it."
You get what you pay for. The reason why Jubaoge has been able to stand firm in the market and have a thriving business is that it has its own unique advantages.
Every item here has been carefully selected and appraised to ensure its superior quality and that there are absolutely no counterfeit or inferior products.
Senior Sister Zhao had previously commissioned Jubaoge to forge a spirit sword, and today she has come to collect it.
She took out the power of attorney and handed it to the maid.
The maid carefully checked the contents, and after confirming that everything was correct, she turned and walked towards the back storeroom.
Chu Lengyu and the others strolled around the building. They saw that the Treasure Pavilion was filled with a dazzling array of goods, including all kinds of rare and precious items, which made them feel overwhelmed.
They would sometimes pause before a treasure to examine it closely, and sometimes they would whisper among themselves, discussing the treasure's origin and purpose.
It's impossible to see the entire first floor of Jubaoge in a short time.
Just then, another guest walked into the entrance of Jubaoge.
The guest wore a white dress without any insignia and covered his face with a white veil, preventing divine sense from probing him and making it impossible to determine his identity and cultivation level.
However, judging from the maid's delighted expression and hurried greeting at the door, it was clear that this person was of considerable cultivation and likely extremely generous.
The guests on the first floor, including Senior Sister Zhao and others, all turned around curiously and took a few glances.
After the guest disappeared around the corner of the stairs, Senior Sister Zhao withdrew her gaze and muttered to herself, "I wonder which family's senior he is, so mysterious and unpredictable. This is the first time I've seen the maids of Jubaoge so enthusiastic."
Upon hearing this, Junior Brother Wang and Junior Brother Zhang nodded in agreement, their eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Chu Lengyu responded casually, her thoughts already wandering elsewhere.
……
Private room upstairs.
Manager Hu, with a warm smile and light steps, personally carried a carved tray as he entered the room.
His eyes were full of flattery and respect as he looked at the woman with a white veil sitting at the table and said with a smile, "Senior Bai, it's been several months since we last met, and you still look as elegant as ever."
"Steward Hu, you're too kind. Let's not waste time with small talk. Is everything ready?" The woman in white said in a cool voice, getting straight to the point.
Upon hearing this, Manager Hu quickly and gently placed the tray on the table.
Instead of the ornate brocade boxes or exquisite jade boxes usually found on the tray, there were two intricately patterned and finely crafted storage bags.
He introduced with utmost respect: "As instructed by you, senior, this storage bag on the left contains carefully selected alchemy materials of superior quality; this one on the right contains the spirit stones obtained from the sale of the last batch of goods, which you have already exchanged for top-grade and high-grade spirit stones as much as possible. The list is all here, please check it carefully to see if anything has been missed."
The veiled woman nodded slightly and checked the items in the storage bags one by one. After confirming that everything was correct, she put the two storage bags into her sleeve.
Then, she took out a brand-new storage bag and handed it to Manager Hu, her voice still cold: "This is a new batch of goods, as well as a list of the items I need. Please take care of it, Manager Hu."
Manager Hu accepted the storage bag with both hands, his face full of joy.
He probed the storage bag with his divine sense, but his expression gradually changed from joy to seriousness, as if he had encountered a difficult situation.
"Is there something wrong?" the woman asked coldly.
Upon hearing this, Manager Hu's heart tightened, and he immediately spoke with even greater caution, saying, "Senior, the Treasure Pavilion will do its utmost to find most of the items on this list for you as soon as possible. However, there are a few items that are truly difficult to collect, and I'm afraid..."
The woman frowned slightly and asked, "Which ones?"
Manager Hu swallowed hard and replied, "For example, this Star Stone. Although I've heard of its great reputation, that it can communicate with the power of the stars and has endless uses, unfortunately, I've never heard of it ever appearing anywhere. And this... and this..."
He listed several things in succession.
With each item mentioned, more beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, as if he were carrying a heavy burden of pressure.
This senior, Bai, is mysterious and unpredictable, yet he is a distinguished guest of their Treasure Pavilion.
Each time she made a move, it involved transactions worth hundreds of thousands or even millions of spirit stones. Manager Hu, in particular, used these rare items in her possession to successfully establish connections with several nearby forces and open up channels, which made the reputation of Jubaoge grow day by day.
In Manager Hu's mind, this senior was like a goddess of wealth, and could not be neglected in the slightest.
However, as the transactions progressed, Manager Hu gradually felt overwhelmed.
The materials this senior was collecting were becoming increasingly sophisticated and challenging.
Rare and unique treasures like Star Stones are probably not even found in the Hundred Swords Pavilion's territory, let alone in a first-rate sect like the Thousand Mist Sect.
Thinking of this, Manager Hu couldn't help but secretly groan.
Upon hearing this, the woman's face showed disappointment.
Seeing this, Manager Hu quickly put on a fawning smile and said anxiously, "However, senior, please don't worry. I have another idea that might be able to solve your problem."
He paused, then continued mysteriously, "Senior, are you aware that the Wanxing Alliance branch is nearing completion? It's just waiting for goods to be shipped in before it opens for business. According to my inside information, they will be distributing auction invitations within five years."
As he spoke, his eyes gleamed with excitement, as if he had already foreseen the grand spectacle of the auction: "The Myriad Star Alliance is a renowned merchant guild that spans multiple star regions! This time, they are building a branch with great fanfare, with even the Sea King Palace providing strong support and ordering the Thousand Mist Sect to fully cooperate. It's quite a grand undertaking."
"This auction is the first battle for the Myriad Star Alliance to make a name for itself. They will definitely bring out countless treasures to attract attention. At that time, even seventh-order magic weapons may appear on the auction stage for people to compete for. What you need, senior, should be easy to find there."