8: Chapter 8 Baicaotang

In the eastern market of Qingzhou City sat Baicao Hall. As the largest Medicinal Pill merchant in the Great Yan Dynasty, Baicao Hall's branches were spread across the five great Imperial Dynasties. Although this branch in Qingzhou City could not match the grandeur of the Imperial Capital, it was still one of the top establishments within a thousand-mile radius. The three-story pavilion featured flying eaves and bracket sets, with the three large characters for "Baicao Hall" inlaid in pure gold on the lintel, shimmering under the sunlight. Two lifelike stone lions stood at the entrance, flanked by two guards at the Ningyuan Realm on each side, long sabers hanging at their waists and eyes as sharp as torches.

Today was Baicao Hall's annual spring auction. Since early morning, Martial Artists, merchants, and scions of prominent families had been arriving one after another. Qingzhou City was already a major stronghold in the southeast of Great Yan, and with the powerful figures from dozens of surrounding cities joining in, the front of Baicao Hall was bustling with a constant stream of carriages and people.

Chen Yuanji stood on the second floor of a teahouse opposite Baicao Hall, sitting by the window and slowly sipping tea. Today, he had changed into a clean green robe, his long hair tied up with a wooden hairpin and a black cloth belt fastened around his waist. He looked neat and refreshed, a far cry from the soot-faced, useless concubine-born son of the past. The concealment jade pendant given to him by Elder Xuan hung against his chest. The jade was warm and moist, emitting a faint aura that completely masked the blood-qi fluctuations on Chen Yuanji’s body. To outsiders, he appeared to be an ordinary person without a shred of yuan power, not even reaching the Kaiyuan Realm. "This suits me perfectly." Chen Yuanji touched the jade pendant at his chest, the corners of his mouth curling slightly. In this world where yuan power was revered, being treated as "trash" was actually the best protective coloring.

The teahouse waiter walked over with a teapot, added hot water, and asked with a smile, "Is the guest also here for the Baicao Hall auction? I heard there are good things today; all the prominent figures in Qingzhou City have come."

Chen Yuanji nodded. "What kind of items are there?"

The waiter perked up and lowered his voice. "I heard the finale is a 'realm-breaking pill,' which can help experts at the Peak of the Zhenwu Realm Breakthrough to the Guiyuan Realm. There's also 'Dragon Blood Grass,' 'Mystic Ice Jade,' 'Hundred-Refined Fine Steel'... anyway, they're all good things, each worth tens of thousands of taels of silver."

"A realm-breaking pill?" Chen Yuanji's heart stirred. Elder Xuan had mentioned to him yesterday that Chen Yuanlang was coming to the auction specifically for this realm-breaking pill.

"Indeed." The waiter lowered his voice further. "It's said that the eldest legitimate son of the Marquis of Zhenguos Estate, Chen Yuanlang, is also coming, along with the head of the Wang Family—the richest in Qingzhou City—and the Chief of the Feiyun Escort Agency... In short, today's auction will be quite lively."

Chen Yuanji set down his teacup and tossed a piece of silver to the waiter. "Thank you."

"Oh, thank you for the tip, guest!" The waiter beamed and withdrew.

Chen Yuanji looked out the window just in time to see a group of horses and men turning the corner. Leading them were two date-red steeds, each ridden by a guard at the Ningyuan Realm. Behind them was a luxuriously decorated carriage with the curtains half-rolled, revealing Chen Yuanlang's handsome but somewhat gloomy face. Today, Chen Yuanlang wore a silver brocade robe, a jade pendant at his waist, and a jade crown on his head, exuding an air of nobility. He was followed by four more guards, all of whom were experts at the Peak of the Ningyuan Realm. The carriage stopped at the entrance of Baicao Hall. Chen Yuanlang stepped out, looked up at the Baicao Hall plaque, and a smile of certain victory appeared on his face.

"Young Master Chen, please come in!" The shopkeeper of Baicao Hall personally came out to greet him, his face covered in smiles.

Chen Yuanlang nodded and walked inside with his guards. Chen Yuanji watched his back with a calm expression. After Chen Yuanlang entered, he sat for another half-cup of tea's time before standing up to go downstairs, walking unhurriedly toward Baicao Hall. The first floor of Baicao Hall was a hall that had been converted into an auction house for the day. Over a hundred chairs were arranged neatly, with a three-foot-high auction platform at the very front. There were also several private rooms on the second floor for distinguished guests, shielded by gauze curtains so that the inside could not be seen from the outside. By the time Chen Yuanji entered the hall, it was already seventy to eighty percent full. With a single glance, he could roughly discern the cultivation levels of those present. Most of those sitting in the front rows were prominent figures of Qingzhou City. There were Martial Artists at the Peak of the Ningyuan Realm, richly dressed merchants, and some old men whose depths were hard to gauge, likely being the retainers of various great families. Chen Yuanlang sat in the VIP section of the first row, surrounded by several other young men in fine silk robes, engaged in low-toned conversation.

Chen Yuanji found a seat in a corner and quietly observed his surroundings. Before long, an old man in his fifties stepped onto the auction platform. He was the shopkeeper of Baicao Hall, surnamed Qian, known as Shopkeeper Qian. With a cultivation at the Early Stage of the Guiyuan Realm, he was considered an expert in this small place.

"Everyone, welcome to the Baicao Hall Spring Auction!" Shopkeeper Qian cupped his hands to the crowd, his voice booming. "There are twelve treasures to be auctioned today, each of which is a masterpiece. Please bid with confidence." He paused and raised his voice: "The rules are the same as always: the highest bidder wins. After the auction ends, the exchange will be made on the spot—goods for silver. Now, let the auction begin!"

"The first item—the 'Mystic Iron Sword,' forged from deep-sea mystic iron. It cuts through iron like mud, weighs sixty-four catties, and is suitable for strength-based Martial Artists. The starting price is five hundred taels of silver." A burly man walked onto the stage holding a long sword; the blade was pitch black and emitted a cold, chilling light.

"Five hundred and fifty taels!"

"Six hundred taels!"

"Seven hundred taels!"

Bids rose one after another, and the sword was eventually won by a hulking Martial Artist for nine hundred taels.

Chen Yuanji watched all this, silently calculating. What did five hundred taels of silver mean? The monthly allowance for a concubine-born son of the Marquis's estate was five taels, just enough for food and clothing. Nine hundred taels was equivalent to fifteen years of his allowance. "I'm still poor," he lamented inwardly. However, he had little interest in these weapons and Medicinal Pills. He hadn't come to the auction to buy things, but to "look" for things. Elder Xuan had said that there were many ancient relics in this world, some even related to the Martial Dao Divine Court. He wanted to try his luck and see if he could find anything related to Guoshu. The auction continued, with items being sold one by one at increasingly high prices. The fifth item was a stalk of "Dragon Blood Grass," said to strengthen the Physical Body; the starting price was three thousand taels, and it was eventually taken by the Chief of the Feiyun Escort Agency for five thousand taels. The sixth item was a piece of "Mystic Ice Jade," containing dense ice-attribute yuan power, suitable for Martial Artists Cultivating ice-based techniques; the starting price was five thousand taels, and it was won by a scion of a Qingzhou City Family for eight thousand taels.

The seventh... the eighth... Chen Yuanji never made a move, sitting quietly in the corner like a spectator. That was until the ninth item was brought up. It was a palm-sized wooden box that looked ordinary, even somewhat dilapidated. Shopkeeper Qian opened the box to reveal a dusty gray stone inside, about the size of a fist and irregularly shaped, its surface covered in fine, dense patterns.

"The ninth item—origin unknown." Shopkeeper Qian's expression was a bit subtle. "This stone was discovered three years ago by someone in an ancient ruin outside Qingzhou City. It cannot be damaged by blades or destroyed by fire, and it shows no reaction to yuan power infusion. Baicao Hall's appraisers studied it for three years and couldn't figure out what it is." He paused. "Therefore, there is no starting price for this item. Everyone, feel free to bid."

The hall went quiet for a moment, followed by a wave of whispers. "An item of unknown origin is being auctioned? Is Baicao Hall trying to fool people?" "Even the appraisers don't understand it; it's likely just some scrap material." "Who would waste money on this?"

Shopkeeper Qian looked a bit embarrassed and was about to speak when he suddenly heard a voice from the corner.

"One tael of silver."

Everyone's eyes turned toward the corner, seeing a youth in green robes raising his hand. Chen Yuanlang also turned to look and recognized Chen Yuanji instantly, his face immediately darkening.

"Chen Yuanji? Why is he here?" the young man beside him whispered.

"Who knows," Chen Yuanlang snorted coldly. "A piece of trash, coming to a place like this to make a fool of himself."

Shopkeeper Qian also recognized Chen Yuanji, his face showing surprise. "This... Young Master, you are bidding one tael of silver?"

"Yes," Chen Yuanji said calmly. "For a stone that no one understands, one tael is already quite a lot."

"Are there any other bids?" Shopkeeper Qian looked around. No one responded. "Then... sold!" Shopkeeper Qian struck his gavel. "This stone belongs to this Young Master."

Chen Yuanji stood up, walked to the front, took out a piece of silver from his robe and placed it on the table, then picked up the wooden box and returned to his seat. Throughout the process, his expression remained normal, showing no emotion. But only he knew that when the stone was brought out, the ancient jade at his chest had suddenly become burning hot; the ancient jade was responding to that stone.

The auction continued. The tenth item was a "Spiritual Artifact-grade" long saber with a starting price of ten thousand taels, which was won by the Wang Family of Qingzhou City. The eleventh item was a scroll of an "Earth-Grade Medium Grade" Cultivation Technique with a starting price of twenty thousand taels, won by the Chief of the Feiyun Escort Agency. Finally, the last item, today's finale—the realm-breaking pill.

Shopkeeper Qian carefully brought out a jade box and opened the lid, and a dense medicinal fragrance immediately filled the entire hall. A pill the size of a longan lay in the box, golden all over, with a faint light flowing on its surface.

"The realm-breaking pill, a fourth-grade Medicinal Pill, can help a Martial Artist at the Peak of the Zhenwu Realm Breakthrough to the Guiyuan Realm with a success rate as high as seventy percent!" Shopkeeper Qian's voice carried excitement. "The starting price is fifty thousand taels of silver!" As soon as he finished speaking, the bidding came like a tide.

"Fifty-five thousand taels!"

"Sixty thousand taels!"

"Seventy thousand taels!"

"Eighty thousand taels!"

Chen Yuanlang was the first to stand up: "One hundred thousand taels!" The hall fell silent for a moment. One hundred thousand taels was an astronomical figure for most people. But a member of the Wang Family, the richest in Qingzhou City, followed immediately: "One hundred and ten thousand taels!"

"One hundred and twenty thousand taels!" Chen Yuanlang gritted his teeth.

"One hundred and thirty thousand taels!" The Wang Family member did not back down at all.

Chen Yuanlang's face became very ugly. Although the Marquis's estate was wealthy, the amount of ready cash they could mobilize was limited. This time, his father had given him a limit of one hundred and fifty thousand taels, which he thought would be more than enough, but he hadn't expected the Wang Family to interfere.

"One hundred and forty thousand taels!" He called out his final price.

The Wang Family member hesitated for a moment and finally shook his head.

"One hundred and forty thousand taels, sold!" Shopkeeper Qian struck the gavel. "Congratulations, Young Master Chen!"

Chen Yuanlang breathed a sigh of relief, a smile appearing on his face. Although he had spent forty thousand taels more than expected, it was worth it to get the realm-breaking pill. He subconsciously looked toward the corner, only to find that Chen Yuanji had already left at some point. Chen Yuanji hadn't gone far; he left Baicao Hall and turned into a small alley. After confirming that no one was following him, he opened the wooden box and took out the dusty gray stone. The ancient jade in his chest vibrated violently, as if it wanted to burst through his clothes. He held both the stone and the ancient jade in his hands.

"Buzz—" The ancient jade let out a low hum, and the surface of the stone began to crack. Fissures spread across it, and the gray outer shell peeled off to reveal its true form. It was a bead about the size of a thumb, pearly white and emitting a soft light. The surface of the bead was carved with dense patterns. Chen Yuanji looked closely, and his pupils shrank. Those patterns were not words, nor were they runes. They were a map of the human body's Meridians! Moreover, they were not the yuan pulse maps of this world, but the ones he was all too familiar with from his previous life—the Twelve Primary Meridians and the Eight Extraordinary Vessels!

"This is..." Chen Yuanji took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in his heart. The light from the ancient jade and the light from the bead intertwined, seemingly echoing each other. A wave of information flooded into his mind—not in words, not in sound, but as a direct "realization."

"martial gods remains."

This bead was a "remains" formed by the condensed cultivation of a certain Martial God from the ancient Martial Dao Divine Court after their passing. It contained that Martial God's lifelong martial insights, but it could only be decoded by someone who Cultivated Guoshu. This was because the martial arts of the Martial Dao Divine Court shared the same origin as Guoshu! Chen Yuanji gripped the bead tightly, a burning light flashing in his eyes. He had come to the right place at this auction. For one tael of silver, he had bought the Legacy of a Martial God.

"Chen Yuanji." A cold voice came from the entrance of the alley.

Chen Yuanji looked up to see Chen Yuanlang blocking the alley with four guards, his face so dark it looked like it could drip water.

"A piece of trash like you thinks he's worthy of coming to a place like this?" Chen Yuanlang sneered. "Hand over what you have in your hand."

Chen Yuanji put the bead into his robe and looked at him calmly. "I bought this with one tael of silver. On what grounds should I give it to you?"

"On what grounds?" Chen Yuanlang walked over step by step, yuan power surging within him as the pressure of the third level of the Zhenwu Realm bore down like a mountain. "On the grounds that I am the eldest legitimate son of the Marquis's estate, while you are nothing but a bastard!"

"A bastard?" A cold light flashed in Chen Yuanji's eyes. These words touched his bottom line. No, they touched the bottom line of the original owner. That youth who had been bullied for eighteen years and finally pushed into a pond to drown had one final obsession: he didn't want to be called a "bastard" anymore. Chen Yuanji took a deep breath, suppressing the killing intent in his heart. Now was not yet the time. He turned and walked toward the other end of the alley.

"Trying to run?" Chen Yuanlang sneered. "Stop him!"

The four guards attacked simultaneously, their yuan power fist-force at the Peak of the Ningyuan Realm blasting toward Chen Yuanji from four directions. Chen Yuanji didn't stop; his figure wove through the fist-force like a swimming fish. The Bagua Footwork was exquisite to the extreme, every dodge perfectly timed, missing by a hair's breadth yet remaining completely unharmed. The four guards' attacks all missed, some even colliding with each other and producing muffled thuds.

Chen Yuanji had already reached the other end of the alley. He looked back at Chen Yuanlang once. That gaze was as calm as water, yet it inexplicably made Chen Yuanlang feel a sudden chill. "Chen Yuanlang, I am in a good mood today, so I won't settle scores with you," Chen Yuanji said faintly. "But next time, if you call me a bastard again, I will make you understand the meaning of regret." With that, his figure flashed and disappeared at the end of the alley.

Chen Yuanlang stood in place, his face ashen. He clearly had every advantage just now—four guards at the Peak of the Ningyuan Realm plus himself at the Zhenwu Realm—so how did he let a piece of trash escape?

"Young Master, that kid... his movement technique is very strange," a guard whispered.

"Useless!" Chen Yuanlang slapped him. "You can't even stop a piece of trash; what use is it to keep you around!"

The guard clutched his face, not daring to make a sound.

Chen Yuanlang took a deep breath to suppress his anger. "Let's go, back to the estate," he said coldly. "I'll let him go for today. Once the realm-breaking pill is refined and I Breakthrough to the Guiyuan Realm, I'll deal with him slowly." He turned to leave, but did not notice that on the second floor of the teahouse opposite the alley, a gray-robed old man was stroking his beard, watching everything with a smile.

"Interesting boy," the old man murmured. "Bagua Footwork... I saw that thing in a certain place three hundred years ago. Could it be..." A look of contemplation flashed in his eyes. "It seems I'll have to make a trip to that place."