Chapter 10, in the midst of wind and rain, people appear ghostly
The dark and damp narrow alley is very quiet, yet upon entering this large door, it is an entirely different world
This elixir is classified as a prohibited item that cannot be traded even in the Qin Dynasty, yet the room is filled with the clamorous sounds of continuous bidding.
Practitioners who possess this spirit often travel further along the path of cultivation
This voice is simple and calm, devoid of any emotions of ostentation or seeking to win others' favor
Without pawning anything, under the guidance of a hunchbacked old man holding a black bamboo staff, the two outsiders passed through the back gate of the pawnshop, traversed a narrow alley, and entered a large door
The young swordsman suddenly felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave, his flushed face turning an exceptionally pale white
Enough
The young swordsman's face had turned bright red, with beads of sweat continuously sliding down his forehead, while the middle-aged man with a face covered by a black veil remained seated, extremely composed and calm. Each time he placed a bid, he merely added one hundred taels of patterned silver to the young swordsman's previous offer.
Thus, the choice made by the young swordsman at this moment dispelled all the disdain and mockery in the hearts of those around him, transforming it into respect
Huang Yadan possesses a warm and gentle nature, providing great benefits to the true energy. It is one of the best auxiliary elixirs for practitioners of the True Energy realm who are advancing towards the True Essence realm, especially those with congenital deficiencies.
The stooped old man said little, then led the way toward a side door of the house
For some reason, he suddenly understood the meaning of the refined young man
Thus, this place is naturally an illegal auction venue
According to the rules of this black market in the fish market, since he has already made a bid, he can at least use this sword as collateral to exchange for that Huangya Dan. However, his actions at this moment clearly indicate that he is unwilling to part with this sword; instead, he intends to provide an explanation by resorting to the method of cutting his finger.
During the peak of the Nanyang Dan Sect, the number of Huangya Dan that could be refined in a year was only a few hundred. At this time, the Nanyang Dan Sect no longer exists, and naturally, the Huangya Dan has become even scarcer
The eaves and awnings above the hutong are incomplete, with rain streaks cascading down.
In that instant, several black bamboos twisted like live snakes and swiftly transformed into black mist, vanishing without a trace
The wind and rain are dark, and people appear like ghosts
As he calmly and simply uttered these words, the young man with thick eyebrows behind him slightly raised an eyebrow and directly took out a black pearl from the bundle behind him, placing it beside the yellow sprout dan
The fish market is filled with countless shady dealings, as well as numerous unsavory individuals and a cacophony of noises
The young swordsman began to regain his senses, his hands trembling uncontrollably due to excitement, and an unusual flush appeared once again on his pale face, "I am Zhong Jiang..."
Thus, the young swordsman from Guanzhong Zhongjiang took the yellow bud pill handed to him by the auctioneer, then deeply bowed towards the side door through which the handsome young man had disappeared, making a gesture of offering the sword.
The young swordsman turned his head in astonishment
Then he took a deep breath, his expression becoming resolute as he slowly extended his left hand
To the average person, this may appear to be a piece of ordinary yellow jade of poor quality; however, nearly all practitioners would recognize it as the Huangya Dan from the Nanyang Dan Zong of the former Great Han Dynasty.
At this moment, the competition for this Huangyadan has reached a somewhat frenzied level. A few years ago, the Huangyadan, valued at 2,000 silver taels, is now being bid at 1,000 gold taels, and there are still several parties competing for it
The one who emerged was a refined young man dressed as a scholar.
If it were not for the middle-aged practitioner with a face covered by a black veil disputing, this Huangya Dan could probably be acquired for around 1,000 taels of gold
However, he quickly came to his senses, and a trace of anger appeared on his face
The lessons learned and the understanding gained are far greater than the benefits of receiving elixirs.
The handsome young man gave a cold smile and said indifferently
Seeing his actions, the expressions of the many practitioners in this room became more solemn
Shrimp have their own paths, crabs have theirs, and rules exist everywhere; the hidden channels of the fish market are even more stringent
He then followed the old man through the side door, disappearing from the astonished gaze of everyone.
Just by observing his expression, everyone in the room could tell that he was not a scion of a wealthy family. The recent shout of a price of 2,000 taels of gold was merely a result of momentary emotional outburst and an imbalance in his mindset
The young swordsman's emotions finally spiraled out of control; he suddenly stood up and exclaimed, "Two thousand taels of gold!"
The gaze of everyone in the room had originally been focused on the long sword at his waist. At this moment, upon witnessing his actions, the mocking expressions in the eyes of the vast majority began to fade, replaced by a hint of respect on their faces
The young swordsman was certain he had never seen these two individuals before, thinking that if the handsome young man were to speak or take a step slower, his two fingers would have already fallen to the ground at that moment
After mockery comes coldness
I do not require any repayment from you, so there is no need to tell me your name
A wave of intense heat radiated from his body, keeping the stormy winds and dark atmosphere at bay.
In the blink of an eye, one thousand three hundred taels of gold have passed.
The sword of this young swordsman appears very light, and the hilt is made of a rare azure color, which is certainly not an ordinary item, with a value that should be at least above 2,000 taels of gold
Just half a stick of incense ago, Ding Ning's black-sailed boat swayed as it departed from the dark dock. As it navigated among the countless wooden piles supporting the fish market, the previously curious young man with thick eyebrows, along with the young master he mentioned, entered a pawnshop by the riverside.
The handsome young man did not turn back, calmly and even seemingly in a manner devoid of human emotion, simply stated
After calling out several times, only one young swordsman in a gray shirt and a middle-aged man with a face covered by a black veil remained in the contest.
Upon hearing the young swordsman's bid of two thousand taels of gold, the middle-aged practitioner, whose face was veiled in black, clearly paused. However, he remained composed, only responding with a slightly cold tone: "Brother, you have quite the ambition; I cannot compare. But can you truly produce two thousand taels of gold?"
The scenery suddenly changed; many shadowy figures flickered and vanished, and in the place where several black bamboos had disappeared, a slightly ajar wooden door appeared.
It was a piece of jade the size of an adult thumb, with a waxy yellowish color
In the many rooms on both sides, numerous shadows moved like ghosts, and the sounds were chaotic, leaving one to wonder what activities were taking place
His right hand rested on the hilt of the long sword that was slung diagonally at his waist
I will give him this yellow bud dan
A great uproar
In such a scene, even a casually gifted young man with a delicate appearance and a yellow sprout dan in hand has an added depth of contemplation in his calm and resolute eyes
The young swordsman's complexion changed from red to white; this yellow bud pill was extremely important to him and the book. Without this yellow bud pill, given the root of the illness within him, he would likely never have the opportunity to break through from the second realm to the third realm in this lifetime
The middle-aged man caught his gaze, yet merely let out a cold and disdainful chuckle.
A hall that is not particularly large contains more than ten square tables, each surrounded by at least a dozen people crowded closely together. Incense is burning in every corner, yet due to the large number of people and the noise, the atmosphere appears to be thick and oppressive.
He must never again commit such a terrible mistake caused merely by a loss of emotional control
For the handsome young man, this was merely a matter that could be easily resolved; however, for his life, he would never encounter such a person again, nor would he have another opportunity like this.
The young swordsman stood still for several seconds, beads of sweat rolling down from his forehead once again
The guiding elder leaned on a black bamboo staff
Inside the wooden door is a dimly lit room
The young swordsman's clothes were soaked with sweat
All eyes were focused on him
However, for practitioners who specialize in swordsmanship, the sword is a symbol, a spirit
It was not due to the hostility implied in the eyes of the people around or the unique aura of practitioners emanating from them, but rather because of an object currently placed on the central table in the room.
... ...
The young man, known as Thick Eyebrow, was already aware that the fish market contained many scenes unimaginable to outsiders, with numerous transactions of great importance to practitioners. However, upon entering and seeing something of the caliber of Huangya Dan, he felt an inexplicable shock, much like a country child who had just arrived in the city. He couldn't help but think to himself that the Changling Fish Market truly lived up to its reputation
The young man, dressed like a scholar, said nothing to the books, merely glanced at the guiding elder standing beside him, and began to walk.
Even though this young swordsman is a descendant of a clan with astonishing financial resources, for any clan, spending 2,000 taels of gold to purchase a Huangya Dan is still rather extravagant
This black pearl is as large as a pigeon egg, emitting a faint幽光. Any discerning person can tell at a glance that it is worth far more than two thousand taels of gold
Inside the side door, there lies another deep alleyway
The room is completely silent
A lost sword can be sought again, but a severed finger cannot be restored
The slender man in a yellow robe, who had been standing in front of the table where the yellow sprout dan was placed, shook his head and looked at the young swordsman with a sympathetic gaze, sighing softly: "You should understand the rules here"
He first felt fortunate and surprised, but then he was overcome with shame and embarrassment, leaving him momentarily at a loss for words
The scholarly-looking young man in front of him also stopped, gazing at the scene in the arena. The elderly man with the black bamboo staff, who was leading the way, did not urge him on, but merely stood silently, waiting.
At the moment he clearly observed the scene within the room, the young man with thick eyebrows involuntarily narrowed his pupils slightly
He was clearly about to announce his name, but he was interrupted by a refined young man dressed as a scholar after only uttering four words
He turned his head and looked at the middle-aged man with a black veil with a gaze that was almost pleading, even begging.
It is unexpected that the merchant's young lady practices the path of the Yin spirit and ghostly entities
Not far ahead on the left side, there are also several black bamboos planted against the wall of the alley
As the young swordsman was about to exert his strength and, according to the rules here, sever his own two fingers with a single stroke, a clear reprimand suddenly rang out.