Chapter 12 Tears

Just then, a knock suddenly sounded at the door: “Daoist Ji Ning, may I come in?”

“Hmm?” Yu Qi frowned. The voice was very familiar.

The door opened.

Another short, fat old man in purple robes entered. The purple-robed elder first bowed to Ji Ning: “Ying Hua pays respects to Daoist Ji Ning.” Then he smiled at Yu Qi, “Yu Qi, you arrived quite quickly.”

“Daoist Ying, I’m surprised you discovered Daoist Ji Ning so fast,” Yu Qi said with a cold snort. Both of them were responsible for treasure trading. But treasures? Who didn’t like them? Especially some rare, even unique treasures—when they appeared, the headquarters of Tianbao Mountain would directly collect them and offer them to the Grand Xia royal family, no longer selling them externally. Thus, some major tribes and sects, to prevent precious treasures from being monopolized by the Grand Xia royal family, also acquired various treasures.

For example, the Andong North Mountain clan openly had the ‘Carefree Cave’ and secretly also acquired treasures.

So Tianbao Mountain also had a group of people who specialized in befriending powerful figures from all sides, building good relations, and finding ways to obtain treasures.

“I didn’t discover Daoist Ji Ning; it was Daoist Ji Ning who wished to sell treasures, so I learned of it,” the purple-robed elder said.

Yu Qi was startled.

Ji Ning sat there calmly and said, “My purpose in coming to Tianbao Mountain this time is to sell some treasures. So I instructed the attendant earlier… Daoist Ying Hua should have been notified by the attendant.”

Yu Qi understood. The short, fat old man even took the initiative to say, “Daoist Ji Ning, if you sell the treasures to me, I will definitely give you a satisfactory price.”

“It doesn’t matter to me whether I sell to either of you,” Ji Ning said, looking at the two. Since he had become opposed to the Shaoyan clan, Ji Ning’s Dao heart had also improved considerably. These two could not sway Ji Ning in the slightest. “I am well aware that for the most common treasures, your Tianbao Mountain’s purchase price is always 60% of the listed selling price.”

Yu Qi and the short, fat old man both nodded.

“Come, let’s go to a larger place,” Ji Ning said, rising. “As for who gets the treasures, we can discuss it slowly later.”

“Please.”

“Please.” Yu Qi and the short, fat old man both said eagerly.

After a moment, they arrived at a large mansion garden. In the garden, there were only a few maids and servants.

“All of you, leave.”

Yu Qi and the short, fat old man, both wearing purple robes, entered, and the maids and servants obediently withdrew completely.

“Daoist Ji Ning, how is this garden? Is it large enough?” Yu Qi pointed around. “Usually, even loose immortals and earth immortals conduct transactions with us in places like this.”

Ji Ning swept his gaze around. In the center of the garden was a pavilion, and beside the pavilion was a stone-paved ground nearly a hundred zhang in area, bordered by various rare flowers.

“Not bad,” Ji Ning nodded. With a wave of his hand, a vast pile of treasures appeared on the ground: over a hundred thousand mortal-grade treasures, over ten thousand earth-grade treasures, and over a hundred heaven-grade treasures. “First, calculate the total price for these treasures.”

“Whoosh.”

Yu Qi and the short, fat old man both gasped.

So many treasures?

“This is only part of it,” Ji Ning said calmly. “Whoever offers a higher price gets them. By the way, I recall that if the total transaction amount reaches five hundred thousand catties of liquid elemental essence, I can obtain the ‘Xia’ character token?”

“Yes,” Yu Qi and the short, fat old man said without hesitation. “Daoist Ji Ning, rest assured, the Xia character token will definitely be given to you.”

Just by visual estimation, the treasures before them were definitely worth more than five hundred thousand catties of liquid elemental essence.

Ji Ning, the Whitewater Hound, and Xiaoqing all sat in the pavilion, leisurely drinking and chatting.

“Rustle, rustle, rustle.”

The treasures were quickly sorted.

Yu Qi and the short, fat old man carefully examined each treasure. Being responsible for some treasure trading at Tianbao Mountain headquarters, they were naturally not ordinary Wanxiang Adepts. Each of them had memorized the prices, properties, and various information of treasures numbering in the billions. Their memory was countless times that of mortals.

Yet it took nearly half an hour before they stopped, one after the other.

“Mortal-grade treasures, rounding down the odd bits, total eighty-one thousand two hundred catties of liquid elemental essence. Earth-grade treasures, total roughly five hundred five thousand catties. Heaven-grade treasures, the most valuable, about one million twenty thousand catties,” Yu Qi announced. “Total price: one million six hundred five thousand two hundred catties of liquid elemental essence.”

“I can offer one million six hundred ten thousand catties,” the short, fat old man said.

“I can too,” Yu Qi quickly added.

Ji Ning smiled: “Any higher?”

Yu Qi and the short, fat old man exchanged glances, both secretly resentful. Ji Ning, however, was amused. In fact, many of these treasures were standard-issue, with fixed purchase prices. Only among the hundred-plus heaven-grade treasures were a few that seemed to be personally refined by some immortals, not standard, so their prices had some flexibility.

But the overall difference wouldn’t be too large.

“The treasures are at this price,” Ji Ning said, waving his hand again. “I also have many other treasures here. Calculate them; whoever offers a higher price gets both the treasures and these oddments.”

On the ground appeared a large number of immortal herbs, spirit pills, protective oddments, and the like.

These protective treasures were useful to Shaoyan Nong, but now that Ji Ning had a second true body and his own strength could rival earth immortals and loose immortals, some treasures were no longer useful.

“Hmm?” Yu Qi and the short, fat old man’s eyes lit up.

Immortal herbs, spirit pills, life-saving oddments?

The prices of treasures that could not appear in large quantities fluctuated, so the benefits they could gain from them were substantial. As for the previous treasures, although the total amount was high, the benefits they got were very, very small.

“Good heavens, he really did bring out all of Shaoyan Nong’s treasures,” Yu Qi murmured to himself.

"It's been so long since I've seen so many good things." The short, stout old man's eyes lit up.

The two quickly calculated, constantly deliberating in their hearts.

"With the magic treasures and these treasures all together, I can offer two million six hundred thousand catties of primal liquid!" Yu Qi roared through gritted teeth. "If that old man offers more than me, I'll back out."

The short, stout old man was stunned, looking at Yu Qi in shock: "You're crazy."

Ji Ning was also astonished.

Among these treasures were immortal-grade spirit herbs obtained from the Wu Jiang Immortal Estate, as well as many other treasures. Ji Ning had a rough idea in his mind.

"Can you afford it?" Yu Qi looked at the short, stout old man, madness in his eyes.

"Old, too old." The short, stout old man shook his head with a sigh. "I dare not go crazy with you. Fellow Daoist Ji Ning, I take my leave. Yu Qi, my time is short. Let me give you a word of advice: don't be too reckless. If you gamble too hard, be careful you don't lose yourself." The short, stout old man turned and left.

Ji Ning looked at Yu Qi: "Two million six hundred thousand catties of primal liquid?"

"Yes." Yu Qi nodded.

"Good." Ji Ning smiled.

Ji Ning couldn't be bothered with anything else; getting the primal liquid in hand was what mattered.

...

After a moment, the two conducted the transaction.

The treasures went to Yu Qi, and Ji Ning received two million six hundred thousand catties of primal liquid and a token with the character 'Xia'. It meant that Ji Ning, like many loose immortals and earth immortals, would get a forty percent discount when purchasing treasures here in the future.

"Fellow Daoist Ji Ning." After the transaction, Yu Qi's face was flushed with excitement as he spoke, "It will be dark soon. At midnight, the monthly Treasure Competition will begin."

"Treasure Competition?" Ji Ning nodded but showed little interest.

"This is the Treasure Competition at the headquarters of my Tianbao Mountain. Many major powers of this great world, even some lone loose immortals and earth immortals, send their treasures here for the 'Treasure Competition'," Yu Qi said in a low voice. "Immortal-grade magic treasures might even appear, as well as many things that are hard to buy but sometimes show up at the competition."

Ji Ning's heart stirred. It might be worth a look; perhaps he could find the Five Elements Essence. He immediately asked, "Are there members of the Shaoyin clan attending?"

"Shaoyin clan? That's a major tribe. They always send people to the monthly Treasure Competition," Yu Qi said.

"Good. Since the Shaoyin clan will be there, I'll go take a look tonight," Ji Ning nodded.

...

The Yan Estate, in the capital of the Great Xia.

Those who could be enfeoffed as kings were inevitably those of truly high status among the imperial Xia clan, the Xiamang clan. After all, the Xiamang clan had endured for endless ages. As the rulers of this great world, how numerous were the offspring of the Xiamang clan? Yet those who could become kings were exceedingly few.

"Princess, Princess." A female soldier in armor flew swiftly to the outside of a pavilion.

"Come up."

On the second floor of the pavilion, a woman in green sat leaning against the railing, gazing at the garden. The garden contained some rocks, a sandy beach, and a huge lake, as if it were a seashore.

"Princess." The female soldier knelt on one knee.

The woman in green had a hint of fragility, but her gaze made the soldier tremble with fear. She said calmly, "Speak, what is it?"

"Intelligence from Tianbao Mountain," the soldier said hastily.

"Tianbao Mountain?" The woman in green was startled, then said quickly, "Bring it here."

"Yes." The armored female soldier promptly handed over the intelligence.

The woman in green took it and opened it. Seeing the name and the recorded content on the scroll, she trembled. She murmured to herself, "Ji Ning? He's come to the Grand Xia imperial capital? Right here at Tianbao Mountain in the capital?"

"Slap."

A teardrop suddenly fell onto the scroll.

The woman in green seemed to come to her senses.

"Hahahaha..." The woman in green suddenly laughed. She stood up at once and shouted, "Pass my order: have the Golden Armored Imperial Guard prepare to accompany me to Tianbao Mountain."

"Mobilize the Golden Armored Imperial Guard?" The armored female soldier was taken aback.

"Go quickly," the woman in green ordered.

"Yes." The armored female soldier dared not hesitate and quickly withdrew.

The woman in green paced excitedly within the pavilion, her body trembling faintly. She murmured to herself, "The only bloodline left by Aunt, my little brother, my only little brother, you've finally come. Your sister is coming to see you, coming to see you. I will never let the Shaoyin clan harm a single hair on your head. Never!"

"Princess." A female soldier called from afar.

The woman in green turned her head, and with a flicker of her form, she drifted over lightly.

Soon.

A chariot surrounded by golden flames flew through the air, pulled by two enormous green luan birds. Before and behind it, a group of Golden Armored Imperial Guards followed. Each guard exuded a powerful aura, as if they were one entity. Clouds naturally formed around them, and all the guards trod upon the clouds.

"Green Luan, head to Tianbao Mountain," the woman in green said, seated on the chariot.

"Yes, Princess." One of the green luan birds spoke in human tongue. Then the two luan birds pulled the chariot, escorted by the Golden Armored Imperial Guards, and flew directly toward the headquarters of Tianbao Mountain.