After making arrangements with Chi Xue Child, Jiang Zuo went to their designated location.
It was only then that Jiang Zuo learned the "treasure appraisal event" was really just a trading bazaar. There were very few items that actually needed appraising, and this was an event for Cultivators.
That meant the chances of hitting the jackpot were low—practically nonexistent.
Even so, Jiang Zuo still planned to go and have a look. He needed to get a feel for the market prices.
He had just offended Liuyue Xue, and of all things, she was a medicine seller. Jiang Zuo was worried he'd get ripped off.
Other than medicine, Jiang Zuo didn't care about anything else.
Jiang Zuo soon met up with Chi Xue Child. Demon Cultivator Mo Yan was there as well.
Mo Yan was a girl with long, straight black hair. She'd been very active recently, visiting nearly every fellow Daoist and putting on an air that said, 'Even though I'm a Demon Cultivator, we can still get along just fine.'
"Fellow Daoist Po Xiao, if you find anything good, be sure to let me know. We'll split the profits fifty-fifty," Chi Xue Child said with a laugh.
Demon Cultivator Mo Yan said, "Why not count me in? We came together, after all. But where's Fairy Liuyue Xue? I'm dying to see if Liuyue Xue is really as gorgeous as they say."
They were currently walking through the mountains, gradually entering a Concealing Array. The place was a temporary setup, so there was no fear of being discovered.
Led by Chi Xue Child, Jiang Zuo and the others soon saw other people. Then, a large platform appeared before them, covered with numerous stalls.
There were even more people milling about.
Jiang Zuo suddenly realized there were quite a lot of Cultivators here.
"This is just the regular trading area. Let's go to the back. There's a pile of stuff unearthed from all sorts of places. If you can figure out what any of it is, you'll make a fortune."
With that, Chi Xue Child headed toward the back.
"What about Liuyue Xue? Where is she?" Demon Cultivator Mo Yan was still fixated on finding her.
Just then, a pleasant voice reached their ears. "I'm right here."
Jiang Zuo and the others turned to see a Fairy in a pale blue Immortal Skirt standing behind them. Her presence exuded a cold, stunning beauty.
However, a faint smile played on her lips.
That simple smile was enough to make one feel as pleasant and refreshed as a spring breeze.
As for her looks, they could even rival those of Saintess Yue Lian, though the two had vastly different auras.
It was no wonder she was considered the beauty of the group.
Demon Cultivator Mo Yan stared, stunned. Then she asked, "Fairy, are you... into girls?"
Liuyue Xue frowned. Chi Xue Child was taken aback, and even Jiang Zuo was surprised.
Just then, Demon Cultivator Mo Yan snapped out of it. "Pah! You seductress, did you just use a Charm Art on me? And you're not supposed to talk! Why did you say something?"
Liuyue Xue said coolly, "I may be a woman of few words, but I'm not a mute."
Liuyue Xue put special emphasis on the word "mute."
It seemed she had spoken only to prove she wasn't mute. Jiang Zuo was indifferent to it.
He had just replied subconsciously at the time. 'Maybe my past self had that kind of twisted sense of humor, but I certainly don't now.'
Chi Xue Child laughed to break the tension. "Why don't we go see if there's anything good? Fellow Daoist Po Xiao has an uncannily good eye."
Demon Cultivator Mo Yan said sourly, "For all we know, he's only good with things like Arrays and Feng Shui. When it comes to appraising treasures, he's probably completely clueless."
Liuyue Xue nodded in strong agreement. She suddenly felt that this Demon Cultivator Mo Yan wasn't so bad after all.
Women were such strange creatures.
After all, they now had a common enemy.
Jiang Zuo, however, said nothing. He followed Chi Xue Child toward the back, seeing no point in squabbling with them.
Demon Cultivator Mo Yan walked beside Liuyue Xue and said, "A guy that arrogant is bound to mess up eventually. When he does, we'll be there to cheer it on. I've already contacted Gu Jiansheng, and he's very supportive of the idea.
We are not alone."
Liuyue Xue nodded. She was very supportive, too.
After that, Jiang Zuo and the others arrived at the treasure appraisal area in the back.
"This spear may be old and worn, but it radiates an ancient aura! It could very well be the Lifebound Magical Treasure of some Great Power, perhaps even containing his peerless legacy!"
"Fellow Daoists, who wants to get their hands on one?" a middle-aged Daoist at a stall shouted, hawking his wares with gusto.
It's just that no one was paying him any mind. A peerless legacy you can buy by the piece?
Does he take Cultivators for fools?
"Fellow Daoist, let's look further in," Chi Xue Child said. "I did some research beforehand. A few of the stalls further back are likely to have some real treasures."
He completely ignored the middle-aged man, as did Demon Cultivator Mo Yan and Liuyue Xue.
Only Jiang Zuo watched him, the corners of his lips curling up slightly.
Chi Xue Child asked curiously, "Fellow Daoist, you don't actually believe him, do you?"
Jiang Zuo didn't answer. Instead, he asked, "Did you bring much money? Or, more to the point, did you bring Spirit Stones?"
Chi Xue Child said, "Not much. But Demon Cultivator Mo Yan and Fairy Liuyue Xue have plenty. We can borrow from them."
Demon Cultivator Mo Yan protested, "Why am I not 'Fairy Mo Yan'?"
Chi Xue Child ignored her, and Jiang Zuo paid her even less mind. He said, "I'm about to make you rich. Just remember my cut."
Then Jiang Zuo walked over to the middle-aged man.
Seeing a customer approach, the middle-aged man's face lit up. He greeted them with a wide smile. "Fellow Daoist, you have a good eye! Your arrival means you're one step closer to a fateful encounter! This... er, Fellow Daoist, you look awfully familiar. But never mind that! Fellow Daoists, Fairies, how about picking up a few peerless legacies?"
Jiang Zuo also found the middle-aged man familiar. He seemed to be the one who had "forced" him to swear an oath not to build a harem. But he didn't care; it didn't matter if it was him or not.
"How much for one?"
"One Third-Grade Spirit Stone. An absolute bargain!"
Spirit Stones were divided by grade, from First to Ninth Grade, and sometimes even Tenth. The exchange rate between adjacent grades was ten to one, meaning one Third-Grade Spirit Stone was worth one hundred First-Grade Spirit Stones.
It really was cheap.
"Is that the price for everything?" Not only were there spears, but also swords, daggers, sabers, kitchen cleavers, shields, and staves—practically anything you could imagine.
"That's right. One Third-Grade Spirit Stone per piece."
The most ridiculous part was that all these items looked like they were mass-produced.
Jiang Zuo looked at Chi Xue Child. "How many do you guys have?"
"I only have two," said Chi Xue Child.
"Three," said Demon Cultivator Mo Yan.
Liuyue Xue held up one hand, indicating five.
"Ten in total? That's enough. Give them to me."
After Jiang Zuo took the ten Spirit Stones, Demon Cultivator Mo Yan said, "Chi Xue Child, we're considering this a loan to you. You'd better pay us back."
Liuyue Xue nodded.
Chi Xue Child looked completely helpless. 'Eight Third-Grade Spirit Stones... If he just buys a pile of scrap metal with this, I'm going to get skinned alive, aren't I?'
While eight stones wasn't an astronomical sum, for kids like them, their monthly allowance was only one Third-Grade Spirit Stone.
It would take him almost a year to save up that much.
Still, he was the one who had invited Po Xiao. If he backed out now, it would be a huge show of disrespect.
'Po Xiao might not get social niceties, but my own social awareness is pretty good. It's only eight stones. Only a year's allowance. Just a big gamble. Besides, being in debt to a beautiful Fairy like Liuyue Xue isn't so bad.'
'I could even go around bragging that Fairy Liuyue Xue contacts me privately every day.'
'Even if it's just to collect her debt.'
Having rationalized it, Chi Xue Child said to Jiang Zuo, "Fellow Daoist, feel free to splurge."
Jiang Zuo nodded.