. The Space Trade Fair is a fairly unfamiliar term to most people in Zhongzhou. Even across the entire continent, only the top factions and powerful individuals are privy to any information about it.
Initially, this so-called Space Trade Fair was simply a place where Zhongzhou's powerful individuals spontaneously gathered to trade, without a single organizer.
However, as the fair grew in scale, problems naturally arose, necessitating the establishment of rules and regulations.
Against this backdrop, the Earth-Walking Sect, the Profound Void Sect, and the Treasure-Guan Mountain emerged as powerful factions .
While not universally recognized, they were sufficient to intimidate most powerful individuals and significantly reduce conflict.
In fact, in terms of reputation, these three sects weren't even as renowned as the former Sifang Pavilion. However, reputation doesn't guarantee strength. Zhongzhou is a vast land, and hidden sects are neither numerous nor scarce.
The Earth-Walking Sect, the Profound Void Sect, and the Treasure-Guan Mountain are among the most prominent.
The foundations of these three factions rival those of the Two Sects and Three Valleys!
Because of their usual non-competitive and non-distinctive nature, these three sects are considered more trustworthy than most forces in the eyes of Zhongzhou's powerful.
Countless interactions have proven this point. Over
the years, the Space Trade Fair, co-hosted by the three sects, has grown in strength, attracting many hidden masters, sometimes drawn to the rare treasures that appear there.
Excluding the transcendental Eight Ancient Clans, this is undoubtedly the most prestigious trading venue on the Dou Qi Continent!
Undoubtedly!
Even Heaven-level Dou Skills are not uncommon here.
Of course, if you want to acquire a piece, you must offer something that satisfies the other party. Don't even think about robbing someone by force. Doing so would not only draw a joint attack from the three major organizing sects, but also incur the hostility of other powerful masters. Everyone attending the Space Trade Fair swears an oath that any disruptors will be attacked!
Most truly powerful masters are true to their oaths.
Of course, if there truly were someone so shameless as to defy everyone, the organizers would have to consider themselves unlucky. So far, such a situation hasn't occurred. It's
precisely because of these circumstances that the Space Trade Fair has grown so large, attracting an increasing number of top experts.
...
According to information Xuan Kongzi had gathered, this Space Trade Fair will be held in a desolate desert in the northeastern region of Zhongzhou.
This desert, nameless and ten times older, is more vast than the Natagor Desert in the northwest. Raging winds
lash the sky with swirling yellow sand. Because the land is barren and rare treasures are seldom found, it's usually deserted, and no forces are eager to exploit it. Year after year, the desert has become increasingly barren, with only a few special magical beasts surviving.
"Who would have thought that this place, where even ordinary magical beasts refuse to set foot, would be the site of Zhongzhou's most prestigious trade fair?"
Skyfire Venerable sighed, gazing at the desolate landscape from atop a sand dune.
Beside him, Chen Guan, Xiao Yixian, and Qing Lin all shared the same sentiment.
Chen Guan had come to this Space Trade Fair specifically for the fragmented map. In the past few years, he hadn't come into contact with anyone affiliated with the Space Trade Fair, so he wouldn't be able to influence the situation.
If nothing unexpected happened, the final fragment would be right here!
Chen Guan also knew the likely rank of the people who might appear at the Space Trade Fair, and for him, the danger wasn't high.
That's why he had brought Xiao Yixian and the others with him—not to plunder treasures, but to gain some experience.
"Nearly a hundred powerful auras, several of which I feel rival those of our Second Elder."
Xiao Yixian released her mental energy, sensing them briefly, then exclaimed in amazement. Anyone
who could be described as "powerful" must be at least Dou Zun level or higher.
As for those comparable to Xiao Danta's Second Elder, they were undoubtedly Semi-Saints!
The more he saw, the more ridiculous he became about the previous categorization of Zhongzhou's forces as one palace, one tower, two sects, three valleys, and four pavilions.
The power within this desert alone was enough to sweep away any faction in Zhongzhou save for one palace and one tower!
"It's truly astonishing, but there's no need to worry. Peace is best. If anyone truly bullies us, I won't mind eradicating them. These forces are so little known anyway, one more or one less won't make a difference."
Skyfire Venerable and the others chuckled and nodded.
With the power Chen Guan now possessed, he truly had no fear of any force beyond the Eight Ancient Clans!
"Let's go in and take a look."
Chen Guan waved his hand, leading the way deeper into the desert, followed closely by Little Medical Immortal and the others.
The sandstorm, terrifying to ordinary people, offered no resistance to them. In less than twenty minutes, Chen Guan and his companions reached the desert's depths and scaled a sheer sandbank.
From a high vantage point, one could see a vast spatial vortex, a hundred feet across, slowly spinning in the hollow at the center of the desert. Powerful suction forces gradually spread from within. From time to time, figures with powerful auras would flash down from the heights, finally plunging into the spatial vortex and disappearing.
Clearly, this was an independent dimension!
The spatial trade fair, truly worthy of its name!
"That person who just entered, seems to be Yao Zun?"
Skyfire Zun's gaze caught sight of a lone figure wrapped in a black robe. Though the other person's aura had subsided, he still sensed a familiar presence.
Chen Guan also noticed the figure. His mental power was even greater, allowing him to see more clearly than Skyfire Zun. It was undoubtedly Yao Chen.
However, Yao Chen hadn't noticed them.
This wasn't surprising. In such situations, most people would deliberately remain restrained and avoid rashly probing others. Those who dared to do so were likely fearless and confident.
While Xingyun Pavilion was notable, and Yao Chen was once the foremost alchemist in Zhongzhou, his background wasn't top-tier, so a low profile was understandable.
"Never mind, let's go in too."
Chen Guan remained calm. Yao Chen's presence might create another competitor for the incomplete map auction, but he was now confident of surpassing him in both hard and soft power.
After all, he knew in advance that the incomplete map would appear here, and he had made extensive preparations.
Yao Chen, on the other hand, was more likely unaware.
Without hesitation, the four of them restrained their breath, tightened their black robes, and then moved, swooping down the steep sand wall. In a few flashes, they appeared in front of the space vortex.
Arriving here, the powerful suction intensified, and they could feel many eyes scrutinizing them, yet they remained composed.
It was a simple truth: no one who could reach this place was simple. Beyond their own strength, they likely possessed impressive backgrounds. Without sufficient incentive, few would dare to offend.
If they didn't move, they'd be fine. If they moved, it would be a life-or-death struggle!
This was the norm here; no one wanted to create a formidable enemy.
Chen Guan and the other three ignored these glances, taking light steps and plunging directly into the spatial vortex.
The moment they entered the vortex, they all felt a strange force sweeping through them from within. This force was harmless, more like the spatial barrier they had experienced in the Heavenly Tomb. Entering
the black hole, their vision went dark, then light returned, and a sudden bustle of noise filled their ears.
Looking ahead, they saw a small town, modest in size, barely comparable to Qingshan Town.
Of course, despite their similar scale, the power they concealed differed dramatically. The sky over this small town was gray, revealing a violent spatial fluctuation. Any single person in this town could destroy Qingshan Town a thousand times over with a single move.
A mountain isn't famous for its height, but for the presence of immortals; a river isn't famous for its depth, but for the presence of dragons!
"This should be the Space Town. It's not large, but it's large enough for the trade fair. The fair will begin in the stone hall in the town center tonight. Now we can look around. These items are quite rare if they're left out there."
Skyfire Venerable smiled, gazing at the rows of bluestone stalls lining the street. For someone of his stature, he spotted several items that captivated him at first glance, demonstrating their exceptional quality.
Chen Guan, Little Medical Immortal, and Qinglin all nodded.
These stalls held scrolls, medicine bottles, rare treasures, weapons, magic cores, and even some bizarre and inscrutable items, each exuding a sense of extraordinary power.
The vendors behind the stalls also exuded a powerful aura, predominantly fierce.
"Guhua Jue, the Guhua Sect's treasure from a thousand years ago, a high-level Earth-grade technique!"
"Flame Demon Halberd, a high-level Earth-grade fighting technique!"
"Nirvana Formless Art, a high-level Earth-grade..."
"Glass Lily..."
The dazzling array of items was dazzling, and anyone in this situation would likely be filled with excitement.
Chen Guan was also such a vulgar person, he even had the urge to pack up everything and take it away...
"Minghan Piggy Bank Beast cub?! They're even selling such a rare monster cub! This monster will grow up to be as powerful as a Dou Zun!"
Suddenly, Venerable Skyfire exclaimed softly.
"Oh? They're selling this monster too?"
"Haha, you don't know, although this creature has a high upper limit, it takes hundreds of years to grow. The most exquisite thing about the Piggy Bank Beast is its exquisite meat. I was fortunate enough to taste it once, but sadly, I haven't seen it since. It's almost been eaten to extinction."
Venerable Skyfire's throat rolled as he recounted his past.
Following his gaze, a white jade-colored demonic cub came into view. It resembled a piglet, but its ears were enormous, like those of an elephant. Its eyes were pale blue, emitting a faint, icy chill.
Hearing Venerable Skyfire's praise, Chen Guan and the others couldn't help but feel curious.
Was it really that delicious?
Leaning closer, they discovered that it required an Eight-Colored Pill Thunder elixir or an item of comparable value to exchange...
Chen Guan's greed immediately subsided. Honestly, this piggy bank meat couldn't be that delicious!
It was so expensive, whoever tried to exchange it would be a fool!
"It's okay to exchange it. It's worth it. This person probably doesn't know how to cultivate it. The piggy bank is definitely worth a lot. Although the offspring's bloodline might not be pure, it's still very useful and can lay a foundation for those just starting out in cultivation,"
Venerable Skyfire said in a voice transmission.
Chen Guan glanced at him again, then, without further hesitation, a white snake flew out of his ring and swooped towards the vendor.
If what Venerable Skyfire said was true, then this piggy bank beast was indeed of considerable value. Laying the foundations for cultivation in these initial stages is crucial.
Even if Venerable Skyfire was merely greedy, Chen Guan was happy to oblige. His hesitation was simply a reluctance to be pitted against him.
The stall owner, a Seven-Star Dou Zun, seized the captured "white snake" and, after a brief inspection, a smile of delight crossed his face. He nodded slightly to Chen Guan, signaling the deal was done.
Chen Guan looked at Venerable Skyfire, motioning him to put the piggy bank cub away. He didn't know how to raise it; it was beyond his purview.
Venerable Skyfire, however, remained calm, his gaze fixed on the stall owner.
"You should have a magic beast bag, right?"
the stall owner replied. A slate-gray, purse-like bag flew from his storage ring toward Venerable Skyfire. Satisfied, Venerable Skyfire briefly refined it before putting the piggy bank cub away and hanging it around his waist.
Chen Guan knew about the Monster Bag. It was a special item that allowed monsters to survive temporarily, and its value was slightly higher than a storage ring of the same rank. For example, there was a beast-taming sect in the Black Horn Region, which was sure to have such an item.
After completing the transaction, the group continued their stroll.
The street wasn't long, but the four of them wandered for over an hour before reaching its end. They encountered many tempting items along the way, but Chen Guan only made two purchases.
One was for a box of Heart Nourishing Essence.
To others, this was merely a rare item that nourished spiritual power and repaired the soul, but to Chen Guan, it was the main ingredient for refining Soul-Pregnant Dust!
Just this box of Heart Nourishing Essence was enough to make Chen Guan's trip worthwhile.
The third time, he traded for a Nine-Colored Stone for the price of a Seven-Colored Stone.
This item was actually useless to Chen Guan, and even now, it would be of little use to Medusa. He bought it purely for sentimental reasons; it was definitely worth it.
As for the other items, while they were tempting, they wouldn't be of much use to Chen Guan, so they weren't worth his attention.
Time slipped by quietly, and night fell on time.
Many vendors on both sides of the street began to pack up their stalls and gather towards a stone temple in the center of town.
"The trade fair is about to begin!"
(End of this chapter)