C18 One Hundred Magic Artifacts

"Xiaofan, let's check on Lin Bo first. We can't afford to let that kid get into trouble."

Fanh Yichen wasn't wrong; that guy was missing a few screws. We'd be in a bind if he got into a mess.

Hitting the button on the stall indicated it was all used up. Now, someone else could reactivate it with a Spirit Stone.

They hurried toward the gate, planning to find Lin Bo before heading into the auction to scope out any worthy items.

They hadn't even reached the entrance when the sounds of a brawl reached their ears.

"Ah! It's broken!"

"Twigs..."

"Ah, stop hitting me. I was wrong..."

"Great sir, please stop! We admit our mistake..."

The market guards stood outside the gate, enjoying the spectacle. Stationed in the passageway, they didn't intervene; that was the rule.

If you got beaten to death in the passageway, you had it coming unless you had a powerful backer or a strong champion to defend you.

From a distance, Ning Xiaofan spotted a towering figure swinging his fists, sending the street vendor Fan tumbling across the pavement.

"Lin Bo, stop!"

"Ding! Congratulations, Master, for rescuing someone in peril. Your virtuous deed is immeasurable, earning you 3 points of merit."

It seemed saving someone had its rewards. Lin Bo was turning out to be his good luck charm.

"Mr. Ning, you've arrived."

"What happened here?"

"Big brother, I paid them, but they didn't give me the goods and called me an idiot."

"Oh? Let's hear your side of the story."

Ning Xiaofan gestured to the middle-aged man sprawled on the ground, a practitioner of Energy Refining at Level 1, with a trace of spiritual energy about him.

"Sir, I humbly greet you."

"Explain what happened."

"Sir, this gentleman demanded food from us. We complied and gave him a serving, but he refused to pay with Spirit Stones. When we resisted, he attacked us. We couldn't just watch, so we spoke up, and that's when he started hitting us."

"Lin Bo, what's the story?"

"Mr. Ning, I handed over all the Spirit Stones that Brother Chen gave me to the first vendor. He gave me just one serving of fried Void Spirit Worms, then disappeared. They're all in on it together. When he ran off, they were supposed to feed me."

Ning Xiaofan finally realized what had happened; he had made a mix-up once again. "Lin Bo, you can't just eat things without paying. The first person isn't part of the same group as these folks, so..."

"Oh, is that so? They weren't exactly clear about it."

Lin Bo was a bit sheepish, now understanding that these people weren't affiliated with each other. He had mistakenly assumed they were all together.

"My apologies, everyone. Any losses incurred will be covered by me on behalf of my friend here."

Ning Xiaofan wasn't fussed about the amount. Anyone who had taken a beating received ten Low Grade Spirit Stones from him. Some of the snacks they sold wouldn't bring in that much in an entire year.

The Void Spirit Worm was the priciest of snacks, and its vendor was absent. Nevertheless, the people present respectfully bowed to Ning Xiaofan. A few even felt fortunate for the day's rough treatment, having received ten Low Grade Spirit Stones. In the Mortal Realm, such a sum could be exchanged for a considerable amount of gold, enough to last a lifetime for those not pursuing the path of cultivation.

"Lin Bo, we should get going!"

"Sure thing, Mr. Ning. I'm still hungry, though."

"Hold on a second."

Ning Xiaofan approached the beef vendor. "Hey there, how do you sell this beef?"

"It's one gold leaf per portion."

"Great, I'll take a hundred portions. Pack up ninety-nine of them."

Ning Xiaofan wanted to ensure Lin Bo wouldn't be constantly complaining of hunger, so he decided to stock up.

"You're asking for a hundred portions, sir?"

"Yes, one hundred portions of beef, please."

"Very well, just a moment. Ninety-nine to go, and one to eat now."

Soon, the beef was neatly packed. This was spirit beef, not the ordinary kind, hence the higher price.

Ning Xiaofan handed over ten Spirit Stones and stowed the beef in his storage space, giving the unpacked portion directly to Lin Bo.

A single Spirit Stone could be exchanged for ten gold leaves, and one gold leaf for a hundred taels of silver—that was the going rate in the Mortal Realm.

The beef was quickly prepared and stored in the back warehouse, and in no time at all, one hundred portions were ready.

"Ding! Congratulations, Master, you've earned 1 Charisma Point."

"Young Master, here is your beef."

"Mr. Ning is the best, there's no one like Mr. Ning in this world, having him is like having a treasure."

Lin Bo gnawed on his beef as he hummed the Moon Song.

"Ding! Congratulations, Master, you've earned 1 Charisma Point."

Lin Bo was truly a gem, always managing to gain something in his spare moments. It's worth the worry!

"Big brother, Lin Bo is making quite a commotion. We should make a quick exit!"

"Okay, follow me."

After several twists and turns, the trio arrived at a deserted spot and changed their appearances once more to avoid drawing attention. There's a saying, "It's not the theft that's the worry, but the thief's lingering thought."

In their possession were over 28,000 Spirit Stones—a considerable sum that could even tempt a Foundation Establishment cultivator in the immortal cultivation world. Hence, discretion was key.

Transformed into three middle-aged men, the only difference was the piece of beef in Lin Bo's hand.

Wang Chan's skill in disguise was impressive. Though it was only a superficial change, it was sufficient to deceive the average cultivator.

Approaching the auction hall, they were stopped by a guard at the entrance. "Hold on, do you have tickets?"

"Where can we purchase tickets?"

The guard pointed towards a small door, and Ning Xiaofan led the way inside with his companions.

"Good day, sir. Are you here to purchase tickets?"

Ning Xiaofan nodded, glancing at the young woman behind the desk, whose cheeks flushed slightly.

"Each person needs to pay a deposit of 1,000 Spirit Stones."

"Ah, 1,000!"

Ning Xiaofan shot Fanh Yichen a look, "Stop overreacting, it's unbecoming."

The young woman caught their silent exchange and simply smiled.

"Here you go, 1,500 Spirit Stones."

"Ding! Congratulations, Master. Your Charisma has increased by 1 point."

With the system, he had an inkling of the other's thoughts. Was she taking a fancy to him? No, it was the allure of the Spirit Stones that had captured the young lady's interest.

The girl accepted the Spirit Stone and produced a talisman. With a flash from the talisman, the Spirit Stone vanished. As she took the stone, her fingers brushed Ning Xiaofan's hand, giving it a subtle pinch.

Ning Xiaofan acted as if he hadn't noticed. To him, she was like a courtesan, likely having been through countless patrons.

The girl, unfazed by the disinterested, greasy man before her, passed the talisman to him.

"Uncle, this talisman contains 1,500 Spirit Stones. It's worth that much at the auction. If you don't bid on anything and decide to leave, the talisman transforms into a storage space, allowing you to withdraw the stones whenever you need."

It was a clever system, effectively barring those without Spirit Stones from entry. And 1,000 Spirit Stones was no trifling sum; for cultivators yet to reach the Foundation Establishment stage, amassing that many was a formidable challenge.

"Esteemed sirs, right this way, please."

The sweetness of the girl's voice nearly sent Fanh Yichen, who stood nearby, toppling over.

The trio navigated around the table to a small door, which led them directly into the auction hall.

The auction currently underway was open to the public, not the main event. The items displayed were personal sales, their value left to the discernment of potential buyers. "Yichen, if you see something you like, speak up. I've got the funds."

Fanh Yichen smirked and nodded. "You bet. There's quite a selection on display..."

This was the reality of scarcity—many items had starting bids well over twenty thousand. Despite the supposed difficulty, it seemed everyone suddenly had deep pockets when it came to purchasing. Were all these items truly Immortal Treasures or Holy Artifacts, perhaps even rare wonders of the world?

The two onlookers furrowed their brows at the parade of item names and prices flickering across the auction screen, while Lin Bo continued to eat, unfazed.

Most of the items listed—Magic Artifacts, medicine pills, formations, Spiritual Talismans—were priced in the thousands of Spirit Stones. With only names and no detailed descriptions, direct purchases were impossible. Buyers had to engage in negotiations with the sellers.

Ning Xiaofan surveyed the scene for a while, realizing he'd have to wait for the auction to glimpse the more exceptional items. With that, he led his two companions away from the area.

They soon found themselves in the Magic Artifact section, where Ning Xiaofan bypassed the smaller stalls and headed directly for the largest shop in the marketplace.

Upon entering, they were greeted by a vast array of Magic Artifacts. "Welcome," said a poised young woman in a uniform, her beauty striking in such a setting. "I'm number 96, at your service."

The shop was impressively large, and one couldn't help but wonder how many such attendants they employed.

"Could you show me some Grade One, Rank 5 Magic Artifacts?" Ning Xiaofan requested.

"Certainly, follow me, please," the saleswoman replied with a smile, leading them deeper into the store. They arrived at a section where she gestured to a row of items. "Everything on these shelves is fifty Spirit Stones apiece, regardless of condition. Feel free to choose at your leisure."

"Are these the lowest quality Magic Artifacts you have?" Ning Xiaofan inquired.

The attendant nodded. "Magic Artifacts are typically available from Level 5 of the Energy Refining Stage and up. Naturally, the higher the rank, the steeper the price."

"And what about Rank 6 or Rank 7 Magic Artifacts?"

Her face lit up with a businesslike smile. "The Magic Artifacts start at Rank 5 here, and we go up to Rank 8. We don't stock Ranks 6 or 7."

"And the cost for these?"

"They range from 80 to 120 Low Grade Spirit Stones, depending on the quality."

Doing a quick mental tally, Ning Xiaofan estimated the cost for a hundred pieces would be around ten thousand Spirit Stones.

Turning back to the attendant, he said, "Number 96, could you summon a manager for me? I'm looking to purchase a hundred Rank 8 Spirit Swords."

"You don't need a manager for purchasing Rank 8 Spirit Swords..." she began, but trailed off as Ning Xiaofan's words sank in. Time seemed to freeze as she stood there, momentarily dumbstruck.

"You mean to buy... a hundred?" she stammered.

"Yes."

"One moment, sir. I'll fetch the manager right away."

"Ding! Congratulations, Master, your Charisma has increased by 1 point."

"Ding! Congratulations, Master, your Reputation has increased by 1 point."

Number 96 spun around swiftly, his shoes flying off his feet as if caught by the breeze.

"Manager, where's that distinguished guest?"

"Are you the client interested in purchasing a hundred Immortal Swords?"

Ning Xiaofan nodded, offering a smile, "Could the manager offer a discount?"

"Dear guest, our Smithing Workshop prides itself on integrity and fairness."

"What do you think about this offer? 80 Low Grade Spirit Stones each, amounting to 8,000 for a hundred Rank 1, Grade 8 Immortal Swords."

"Hmm, I'll need a moment to approve this. Waiving 2,000 Spirit Stones is quite significant. I'll need to make a request."

"Sure, I'll wait."

The manager's hand glowed as he sent a sound transmitting talisman that transformed into a small bird and soared away.

Before long, the bird returned. The manager caught the talisman, the light in his hand flickering once more.

"Master, the shopkeeper has approved your offer. Please inspect the merchandise and proceed with payment."

"Ding! Congratulations, Master, your Charisma has increased by 2 points."

"Ding! Congratulations, Master, your Reputation has increased by 2 points."

The group arrived at the section housing the Rank 1, Grade 8 Immortal Swords. Ning Xiaofan's spiritual sense swept over them, noting the identical patterns and similar spiritual energy fluctuations. These swords were likely standardized Magic Artifacts from a particular sect.

"These four racks hold precisely one hundred Rank 1, Grade 8 Immortal Swords. Please verify the count."

With a wave of his hand, Ning Xiaofan made the swords on all four racks vanish, nearly filling his mid-grade storage space.

Another gesture, and he produced a storage space, handing it directly to the Treasure Refining Store's manager.

"Thank you, Master. Here is our shop's discount token. Presenting this will entitle you to a 30% discount on future purchases."

"Great, thank you."

Ning Xiaofan noted the token's resemblance to one he had previously received, distinguished only by the different pattern. It might come in handy on his next visit to the market.

To ensure the success of his quest for ascension, cultivating strong ties with these shops was essential.

He took inventory of the Spirit Stones in his storage space, tallying up to 20,304. While this might fall short for auctioning off premium items, it was certainly ample to acquire quality goods suitable for the Energy Refining Stage.