Is this it?
The caravan auction, rumored to hold many treasures—just this?
I even thought there might be some elixir capable of reviving the dead from mere bones, or perhaps an immortal treasure that could shatter a Sect's entrance with a single throw. Instead, most of the items presented by the various caravans were raw materials for elixir refinement and artifact forging. Luckily, I managed to acquire some precious ingredients. They can be used to replenish my father's vitality and for my mother's skin-whitening and protective care, making this trip somewhat worthwhile.
On reflection, it would be truly unreasonable if an auction like this could actually produce a 'Cheng Huang auspicious beast' fabled to live for two thousand years.
Wu Wang walked out of the large tent, somewhat disappointed. Lin Suqing followed behind, her arms laden with storage-type magic treasures, her smile as radiant as a blooming peony, though her eyes darted vigilantly from side to side. They didn't linger, immediately boarding the Frost Wolf sled and speeding off towards the prairie under the watchful eyes of the surrounding crowd.
However, after successfully rejoining their main retinue, Wu Wang made a decision that made his guards extremely anxious.
"You go on ahead and wait for me outside the Royal Court," Wu Wang said. "I want to take another stroll through the market we just visited."
"The Young Master is going alone?"
"How can that be acceptable! What if someone harbors ill intentions towards you, Young Master!"
"Young Master, at least take some guards with you. If necessary, we can encircle the entire market from a distance!"
"Keep a low profile. Don't be hasty," Wu Wang said with a smile. "As long as no one can recognize me as the Young Master of the Bear Hug Tribe, there shouldn't be any trouble."
Lin Suqing also chimed in, "If you need to buy anything, Young Master, I can run the errands for you."
"I suddenly feel like walking around a crowded place," Wu Wang said. "Don't worry. Just obey my orders."
The guards dared not try to persuade him further and, following orders, escorted the sled away first. To put their minds at ease, Wu Wang changed into a guard's attire right in front of Lin Suqing. While he was changing, the old auntie covered her eyes with her hands but still peeked sneakily through her fingers, her eyes filled with the satisfaction of one thinking, I practically raised this child.
Wu Wang: ...
Completely unfazed.
He removed the beast-bone mask and thickened the 'Ice Crystal Film' clinging to his skin, making himself appear a good thirty percent more robust. Then, he took out a 'Faux Human Skin Mask' he had purchased years ago and meticulously smoothed it over his face like a facial mask, instantly transforming his features into those of a coarse, burly man. The most crucial part of a disguise, however, was concealing one's aura. Wu Wang drew a few talismans in the air, minimizing the fluctuations of his Praying Star Technique. He didn't forget to sprinkle some liquor on himself, deliberately disrupting the regular circulation of his internal energy. To an outsider, he now appeared to be a genuinely rugged man of the Northern Wilderness.
"Young Master~" Lin Suqing transmitted her voice. "You seem rather eager to go out and play."
Wu Wang shot her a glare and transmitted back, "Speak properly. What do you mean, 'go out and play'? This Young Master is merely acclimating himself to the chaotic environment outside in advance."
Lin Suqing covered her mouth and chuckled softly, her cheeks flushing slightly, her laughter gradually turning into a series of mischievous chuckles.
Everything was ready. Wu Wang mounted a giant wolf and stealthily departed from the convoy. Midway, he found a secluded thicket of trees, changed his attire once more, and took out a few low-quality Spiritual Cores he planned to sell later. Then, he headed back towards the market.
With no guards or attendants around him, he suddenly felt an exhilarating sense of liberation.
Sigh, has it been easy for him? For so many years, wherever he went, a large group of people followed. Even when he was in secluded cultivation in his wooden hut, there were numerous guards stationed within a radius of several miles. Now, galloping on his wolf—ahem, wolf—he felt the sky was high and the air was fresh, his spirits lifted. The wind whistled past his ears, and he felt like a ten-thousand-year-old fierce avian beast, caged for an eternity and now finally freed, letting out a burst of unrestrained laughter.
「An hour later, in the busiest area of the market.」
Wu Wang, holding a bag of freshly exchanged small coins, found a tavern bustling with patrons and, somewhat dejectedly, took a seat in an elegant private room on the third floor. This tavern was considered the tallest building in this market, though it was only three stories high. Looking out from the private room, he had a panoramic view of the distinctive Northern Wilderness tents. He had initially thought the market would have some entertainment venues—places for ring toss, archery, pitch-pot, or to watch singing and dancing performances. But as he wandered around, all he saw were street stalls, and ninety percent of them sold only three types of goods: ores, Beast Cores, and animal pelts.
Not a trace of childlike fun to be had.
Moreover, Wu Wang suddenly realized he had developed a 'bad habit': looking at the eyes of passing women and subconsciously comparing them to the pair of almond-shaped eyes he had seen in his dreams. Once or twice was fine, but with more glances, it was all too easy to meet a woman's gaze, making the situation slightly awkward. A few mature women even gave him some suggestive looks!
Generally speaking, the various peoples of the Northern Wilderness coexisted harmoniously. In this market, one could see representatives from about ninety percent of the Northern Wilderness races. Most of them were humanoid, retaining varying degrees of beastly features. Just then, a group of rabbit-eared young women in leather skirts and boots walked by. Their fluffy ears and small tails were quite adorable. It's just that their crimson pupils were somewhat intimidating to look at.
Almond-shaped eyes... almond-shaped eyes...
Wu Wang tossed the pouch of money he had just acquired to the attendant who brought his tea, instructing him to bring a selection of food. The attendant soon returned with a table laden with meat dishes and several pots of fine wine. Wu Wang ate and drank by himself, thoroughly at ease, his gaze continuing to sweep over the eyes of the women passing by.
He had actually come to terms with the situation.
First of all, it was currently difficult to determine whether the Dream Realm was real or not. If it was indeed real, there was nothing he could do at the moment; he could only wait for the other party to seek him out. Before that, all he could do was become stronger to cope with any potential situations that might arise.
He now had not the slightest affection for the figure in the Dream Realm. Trapping him in this way, preventing him from interacting with the opposite sex, was unreasonable and abnormal! This kind of high-handedness could not be excused by mere good looks; he, Wu Wang, would not yield just because she was as beautiful as a Heavenly Immortal... Huh? Almond eyes?
Wu Wang's senses sharpened instantly. He fixed his gaze on the long street outside the tavern and saw a pair of almond-shaped eyes looking upwards.
Similar, very similar, but upon closer inspection, they weren't the same. The pair of almond-shaped eyes he saw now were too cold, and their irises were a shade lighter.
Before her gaze could reach him, Wu Wang quickly looked away. He had managed to get a general impression: it was a woman from the Human Domain, dressed in a plain white gown, wearing a conical bamboo hat and a veil. She possessed cultivation, and it was not weak. Behind this woman were more than a dozen figures, an even mix of men and women, all youthful in appearance and clad in brocade and fine silks. Only one elderly Taoist in a blue robe lagged at the very end of their group.
His first impression of this entourage was that it was some Immortal Sect from the Human Domain conducting disciple training.
But Wu Wang quickly noticed some discrepancies. The elderly Taoist priest's cultivation was moderate, and the auras of this group of cultivators were entirely different. The strongest among them was the young female cultivator who wore both a bamboo hat and a veil, revealing not an inch of skin.
Of course, she might only appear young. Female cultivators who were strict with themselves could maintain a complexion as radiant as peach blossoms, looking eighteen even as their Lifespan neared its end, without a single crow's foot. A prime example was the old auntie who served as the Young Master's secretary.
This group entered the tavern and also requested a few elegant window seats. They produced some jade coins to order tea but did not ask for food. The serving attendant almost rolled his eyes out of his head.
If Wu Wang's perception was correct, the two cultivators with the lowest cultivation levels in this group had already entered the Golden Core Realm, though their auras were still somewhat unstable. Are there so many young Golden Core cultivators in the Human Domain?
Wu Wang paid them little mind, continuing to feast on meat and drink wine heartily at his table, his eyes still on the bustling street below. Originally, he had no interest in this group, until he heard a familiar form of address.
"Senior Zuo Dong, why are you in such a hurry?" a young man asked. "We've traveled together all this way, spending months in each other's company on the Cloud Boat. Since we'll all be heading to the same place later, why not continue together? It's always good to have each other for support."
Zuo Dong?
Why does that name sound so familiar...
Wu Wang looked up at the elderly Taoist. The man had a gaunt face and graying eyebrows, his aura calm and enduring. He smiled constantly as he spoke and would frequently cup his hands in a modest gesture. He showed no airs of a senior; instead, he was very respectful towards these young cultivators.
The elderly Taoist said, "I am truly worried about my disciple."
"Senior Zuo Dong," a beautiful female cultivator in vibrant attire said earnestly, "your disciple is a Human Domain cultivator. Being trapped by a Northern Wilderness tribe is a matter where we too should lend our aid."
"I dare not trouble all of you, I truly dare not." The elderly Taoist waved his hands repeatedly, his voice gentle. "Being able to travel to the Northern Wilderness with all of you on your Cloud Boat is already a great fortune for me. You young friends are here on official orders to negotiate trade with the Human race clans in the Northern Wilderness. I am going to rescue my disciple, and I fear I may end up in conflict with them."
BANG!
A male cultivator in opulent robes slammed his hand on the table, cursing, "This Northern Wilderness is truly barbaric! Who knows what kind of torture Senior Zuo Dong's disciple has endured!"
"Exactly! If that Young Master of the Bear Hug Tribe truly... truly insulted your disciple, we must teach him a lesson!"
PFFT—
As the cultivators were brimming with righteous indignation, they suddenly heard this strange sound from the side. Turning their heads, they saw a burly man with a wine bowl, wiping his mouth.
"COUGH! COUGH COUGH!" Wu Wang coughed a couple of times. The dozen or so cultivators averted their gazes and resumed their discussion on how to punish a certain Young Master.
At this moment, the expression on that certain Young Master's face was indescribably colorful. On the topic of: what does it feel like when the hot gossip is about yourself? Isn't this Taoist Zuo Dong the very 'Master Zuo Dong the True Immortal' that old auntie used to talk about? This is too much! What are they all spouting? Lust clouding the mind? Despicable and shameless? Have they investigated? Have they gathered evidence? Just spewing nonsense here. Indeed, a vivid imagination and self-righteousness aren't exclusive to the Blue Star's internet.
Wu Wang secretly curled his lip and continued to eat and drink, beginning to observe the group more carefully. Taoist Zuo Dong had been persuaded to stay and was now sitting in the furthest corner, chatting somewhat reservedly with two or three young men beside him.
Wu Wang roughly estimated that if this group actually went to the Bear Hug Tribe to demand justice as they said, they would probably last at the Royal Court's main gate for about... three—no, four breaths.
Among the group, the one who interested Wu Wang the most was, naturally, the woman in the plain dress and bamboo hat. She should have already formed her Nascent Soul, which instinctively put Wu Wang on alert. After observing her covertly a few times, this woman in the plain dress and bamboo hat gave Wu Wang the impression of a pool of clear, tranquil water. She sat with impeccable posture, the long dress accentuating the graceful curve of her back, highlighting her feminine charm. Her legs were quite long; even from the back, her figure was that of a rare beauty. Of the seven or eight male cultivators, four or five of them would frequently glance in her direction. That air of wanting to attract her attention yet not daring to approach reminded Wu Wang of his high school days in his past life. From their behavior, it seemed they were indeed a group of young cultivators.
Especially since Wu Wang didn't need to exert much effort; these people revealed their entire itinerary and their reasons for coming to the Northern Wilderness in the course of their conversation. This left Wu Wang, who had just resolved to gather intelligence on them, with absolutely no sense of accomplishment.
They had arrived via Cloud Boat, a journey that took a little over three months. They hailed from different Immortal Sects in the Human Domain and were in the Northern Wilderness for a trial. The trial consisted of two parts. The first objective was to present gifts to the Big Wave Tribe and the Bear Hug Tribe, Human race tribes of the Northern Wilderness, to build friendships, and preferably to exchange for a batch of valuable artifact-refining materials. The second objective was to venture into the Northern Wilderness's 'Bloody Soil Forest' to hunt a five-thousand-year-old ferocious beast and bring back its Spiritual Core. Completing this trial would allow them to formally join a certain organization.
With the woman in the plain dress and bamboo hat present, they shouldn't have much difficulty hunting the five-thousand-year-old beast; the trial wasn't particularly challenging.
Wu Wang lowered his head, sipped his wine, and pondered for a moment before sighing inwardly. To truly temper these talents of the Human race, to let them experience the hardships of a trial so they could grow, he decided... he would send word back to the Big Wave Tribe to drive this group towards the Bear Hug Tribe as soon as they were spotted! These people, hadn't they thoroughly enjoyed cursing that 'lecherous' Young Master?
HEH. HEH HEH.
On the third floor of the tavern, it was as if a vivid red character signifying 'Danger' had appeared above the heads of these Human Domain elites.
Just then, two soft chuckles came from outside the window. A figure leaped directly in from the street, laughing as he entered. "My dear Daoist friends, why didn't any of you wait for me?"
The dozen or so people, who had been deep in conversation, all frowned in unison. Several female cultivators immediately placed the magic treasures and other items they had been holding onto the empty seats beside them.
Wu Wang glanced at the newcomer, a flicker of confusion in his heart. This was a rather handsome young male cultivator, with sword-like eyebrows and star-bright eyes, a chiseled face, a slender and well-proportioned physique. A faint fragrance emanated from him, and his cultivation was undeniably strong, second only to the woman in the plain dress and bamboo hat. But this fellow seemed to have terrible social connections; the male cultivators acted as if they hadn't seen him, and the female cultivators as if they hadn't heard him. Not a single person invited him to sit.
It was the old Taoist Zuo Dong who stood up and said with a smile, "Daoist Friend Ji, if you don't mind..."
"No need, Senior, please keep your seat!" The male cultivator surnamed Ji clasped his hands in thanks, then, with a hearty laugh, walked straight towards Wu Wang, who was seated behind the woman in the plain dress and bamboo hat.
Six dark spots seemed to pop onto Wu Wang's forehead one after another. The male cultivator had already sat down beside him and said with a cheerful smile, "My friend, I've come from afar. I've heard that the North Wilderness People are the most hospitable. Today, I've already experienced the winds of the Northern Wilderness; might I trouble you for a cup of Northern Wilderness wine?"
"Friend, please!" Wu Wang said in a roughened voice, making a grand gesture of invitation. His response was quite natural.
The group of young cultivators glanced over a few times but said nothing more. Their conversation, however, was no longer as lively as before, and their voices had lowered.
"Friend." A voice suddenly transmitted into Wu Wang's ear, coming from the male cultivator surnamed Ji beside him. "No need to speak aloud. I'm just making some inquiries. If you can confirm, just blink. If you don't know, just smile. There will be a token of gratitude for you later."
Wu Wang nodded slightly, a small smile playing on his lips.
The male cultivator surnamed Ji transmitted his question: "Friend, are you a local?"
Wu Wang blinked.
"I've brought some money with me, but I'm at a loss as to where to spend it. I've heard that the women of the Northern Wilderness have uniquely captivating waists, and I'd like to experience that for myself." The male cultivator surnamed Ji calmly produced a folding fan and waved it gently. On the surface, he perfectly embodied the image of a dashing young gentleman from a sophisticated world. Privately, however, he was asking, "Got any leads?"