"No need to rush. Just keep watching and we'll see for ourselves,"Yi Tianxing said calmly upon hearing those words.
In his heart, a strong interest had already grown toward the young man surnamed Shen standing before him. He even had a strong suspicion—there was a high probability that this was the person he had in mind. Of course, whether or not that was the case still needed to be confirmed.
Around them, the common folk, having witnessed the miracle of the Treasure Basin, were all taking out their most precious possessions and placing them into the basin. When they pulled them out again, each item had doubled. The sight caused an immediate stir throughout the surroundings. The Treasure Basin was fed a steady, unceasing stream of valuables, its interior seemingly bottomless. It was impossible to estimate just how many treasures had already been poured into it.
This scene lasted for more than an hour.
Eventually, the young man surnamed Shen, now pale-faced, put the Treasure Basin away and clasped his hands in all directions, saying respectfully to the people:
"Dear folks, I am but a humble man with shallow cultivation. I cannot continue any longer. This round of repaying the people must end here. Please forgive me. In the future, if there is a chance, I will certainly repay the world's kindness."
"My apologies. Sincere apologies."
The young man bowed repeatedly.
The surrounding people had all benefited and now looked at him with nothing but goodwill. None tried to stop him. In the blink of an eye, he vanished into the crowd.
"What a strange fellow,"remarked the broker Monkey with a tone of amazement.
"Heh, you could say that."Yi Tianxing smiled ambiguously.
"Husband, should we follow and take a look?"Cai Yan asked through voice transmission. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Not to mention, curiosity was gnawing at her—what had just happened was truly beyond belief.
"It's getting late. Let's first find an inn and eat lunch before we do anything else,"Yi Tianxing said with a grin, gesturing to Cai Yan. That kid wouldn't get far. Finding him later would be as simple as a thought. The world was vast, but nothing was more important than food.
Turning to the broker, he asked,"Are there any renowned inns or restaurants in this Half-Rain City? I don't care about anything else—only that the food must be the very best and most delicious in town."
Now that they were in Half-Rain City, how could they not sample the local delicacies? To him, going a day without good food was unthinkable.
"Don't worry, the best restaurant in all of Half-Rain City is definitely the Half-Moon Pavilion,"Monkey replied confidently."The head chef there is Master Qin, once an imperial chef for the Emperor himself. His cooking skills are extraordinary, and rumor has it he can even prepare dishes that glow. Especially his signature dish made with the city's specialty bamboo shoots—Old Duck Soup with Bamboo Shoots—it's a delicacy beyond compare. I promise, once you taste it, you'll want another bowl. You'll never get tired of it."
Monkey's eyes shone with longing and nostalgia as he spoke.
The rain bamboo and the iron-beaked duck, both unique and rare ingredients, were not ordinary. When paired together in cooking, they achieved a match made in heaven—flawless and exquisite.
"Is that so? Then we definitely have to try it. Let's see if this Half-Moon Pavilion truly lives up to its reputation."Yi Tianxing smiled.
"Alright, follow me—this is my job after all,"Monkey replied with a grin.
He then led them toward the city center. Near the central plaza stood a restaurant designed with ancient elegance. Most striking was its shape—built like a half-moon. At night, when the lights came on, it looked like a luminous crescent moon rising over the city. The architecture was so iconic it had become a landmark of Half-Rain City.
"Not bad,"Cai Yan commented as they arrived, clearly impressed by her first impression.
"The Half-Moon Pavilion has nine floors,"Monkey explained proudly."Three are for dining; the other six are high-class guest rooms. The environment inside is top-notch."
As they entered the restaurant, a server came to greet them and ushered them to the third floor.
Without hesitation, they ordered the restaurant's signature dishes. After paying the broker his fee and sending him off, they sat and waited.
"It seems Great Yi has developed quite well these past few years. Even a place like Half-Rain City can host such a distinctive building. The creativity of the common people is more abundant than I imagined,"Cai Yan said with a smile.
"Never underestimate human ingenuity. Our race has a natural gift for invention and innovation. And this kind of building isn't a first. If you travel more, you'll see all sorts of wondrous things."Yi Tianxing chuckled.
As they waited for the food to arrive, a curious glint appeared in Yi Tianxing's eyes.
"What is it, husband?"Cai Yan asked, intrigued.
"I just discovered something interesting. That kid has delivered himself right to our doorstep,"he replied, gesturing subtly.
Sure enough, the young man from earlier had just entered the Half-Moon Pavilion. Upon closer inspection, it was indeed the same young man surnamed Shen. But instead of heading to the dining area, he went straight to the lodging floors, opened a room, and entered immediately.
"Curious, isn't it? Let's see what he's up to."Yi Tianxing smiled and waved his hand.
With a flick, he set up a concealment barrier. From the outside, it appeared as though they were still quietly sitting and waiting for their food. Then, he traced a line in the air. A treasure mirror materialized before them.
Heavenly Emperor's Creation Hand – Spirit-Linked Treasure Mirror!!
Light flickered across the mirror's surface, and a vivid image emerged like flowing water. It showed the young man's room. Even his voice could be clearly heard, as if they were there in person.
A marvelous artifact.
"Perfect! I finally got a large batch of Treasure Qi this time. With this, I can truly activate the Treasure Basin and generate wealth. This will be my first bucket of gold. Once I have this, any future business will come easy—money will make more money, compounding endlessly!"The young man, Shen Wansan, spoke with excitement on his face.
He placed the Treasure Basin on the table, where golden light swirled. A strange golden mist floated in the air inside the basin, constantly shifting into various forms—rare treasures, jewels, artifacts.
"Husband, what is that?"Cai Yan asked curiously.
"That's Treasure Qi,"Yi Tianxing said, looking at the mist with deep interest."All things under heaven contain Qi. Within rare and precious treasures, natural Treasure Qi and Treasure Light are born. That's why, when a powerful artifact emerges, it shines brilliantly. The stronger the glow, the more precious the item. The Treasure Qi in that basin must have been absorbed from the treasures people placed into it earlier. And it's quite a large amount."
"What does he want that for?"Cai Yan pondered aloud.
"Let's keep watching,"Yi Tianxing replied with a smile.
Inside the mirror, Shen Wansan was visibly thrilled. Without hesitation, he began activating the Treasure Basin. A burst of golden light emerged—and then a miraculous sight appeared:
A Treasure Tree grew out of the basin.
The tree shone in all kinds of colors—brilliant and dazzling. As it emerged, the Treasure Qi in the basin began vanishing before their eyes—not dissipating, but being absorbed by the tree.
"A Money Tree!"Cai Yan exclaimed in wonder. It looked too real to be an illusion. The more Treasure Qi it absorbed, the more solid and vivid it became.
Ding ding ding!
A series of crisp sounds followed. Items began to appear on the once-empty branches of the Money Tree—golden Eternal Coins, elixirs, talismans, jewels, pearls, even flying swords and divine weapons. In no time, the tree was full.
With a shake—
Countless treasures fell like rain, clattering into the basin until it was overflowing. The sheer sight could make one's eyes go wide. Afterward, the Money Tree dissipated entirely, leaving only a heap of treasure.
"Excellent! With this first bucket of gold, I, Shen Wansan, will be able to turn one into ten, ten into a hundred—and eventually, into infinite wealth. But this kind of method can't be used often. To truly make money, one must rely on brains."He gathered up all the treasure with a satisfied expression.
Knock knock knock!
Just as he finished collecting everything, a knock came at the door.
"Who is it?"Shen Wansan asked cautiously.
"Honored guest, I'm a staff member from the Half-Moon Pavilion. Someone downstairs on the third floor says he's your friend and would like to invite you for a drink. He says there's a big business deal he wants to discuss with you."
"A big business deal?"
Shen Wansan frowned. He had no friends in Half-Rain City—where would a 'friend' come from, and what kind of deal?
His eyes gleamed as he replied,"Tell him I'll be right down. Ask him to wait a moment."
"Understood,"came the reply from the hallway.