C7 Treasure Pavilion

Shi Luo moved with the swiftness of the wind, his form light and nimble, darting forward with the agility and speed of a startled rabbit. The stone sentinel stationed outside the door caught only a glimpse of the door bursting open with a loud bang, followed by a fleeting figure. Had he not recognized the young master's voice, he might have thought he'd encountered a ghost.

"Young master, where are you headed?" Stone called out, eyeing the vanishing silhouette with urgency.

"I'm off to take a walk. No need to trail me like a pesky shadow," Shi Luo retorted, his figure already vanishing before his words had fully dissipated.

Green City, a modest border town within the Southern Arcana Empire, bustled with life and energy, thanks to its proximity to the Savage Beast Forest and a vital trade route. Despite its size, the town was anything but sleepy. Shi Luo strolled along Green City's cobblestone paths, his gaze alight with curiosity as he observed the throngs of people. A knowing smile played at the corners of his mouth.

In his past life, he had been solely devoted to the pursuit of the Dao, dedicating nearly all his time to cultivation. Now, reborn and wandering through the small town, he found delight in the cacophony of vendors' cries and the array of exotic trinkets adorning the streets. For the first time, he realized the secular world was far from the dullness he had once imagined.

Shi Luo's heart swelled with joy. Since his rebirth, his days had been consumed by contemplation of cultivation techniques or engaging in intricate power plays. Today, he resolved to truly unwind. A monotonous, repetitive existence was ill-suited to his style of cultivation; Shi Luo firmly believed in the harmony of work and leisure as the optimal approach.

His outing today wasn't solely for pleasure, though. With his cultivation progressing, Shi Luo faced a critical decision regarding his choice of technique. In his previous life, his renown as the Battle Emperor was built upon the foundation of the Battle God Spell. If he wished to continue on this path, he needed to find a certain item—a linchpin for his success in mastering the Battle God Spell.

"Green City may be small, but aimless wandering is hardly productive. Better to head straight for the Treasure Pavilion," Shi Luo mused. "If that item isn't there, it's unlikely to be found anywhere else."

Shi Luo glanced eastward, then westward, his mind quietly weighing his destination. Once decided, he strode directly toward the Treasure Pavilion without a second thought.

As Green City's largest marketplace, the Treasure Pavilion boasted the presence of its Pavilion Master, one of the city's three mightiest figures. It was widely acknowledged that no one in Green City would dare to cross it, not even his own father or Xia Qingtian, without considerable deliberation.

Subtly, Green City had come to maintain a delicate balance of power. On the surface, there was harmony, but beneath it, a silent struggle for dominance was ever-present.

Shi Luo arrived at a spacious square where a majestic four-story wooden structure stood at its heart. The plaque bore the bold, ancient characters: "Treasure Pavilion."

"The Treasure Pavilion certainly commands respect," Shi Luo remarked, admiring the building and the bustling crowd around it. In Green City, the pavilion's grandeur made it as conspicuous as a crane among chickens, impossible to overlook.

Green City's proximity to the Savage Beast Forest made it a hub for mercenary bands and adventurers seeking to exchange beast cores for Spirit Stones after hunting Savage Beasts. High rewards came with high risks, as many hunters suffered grave injuries or death. Sensing an opportunity, the Treasure Pavilion had cornered the market on both beast core trading and spirit medicine sales, creating a near-monopoly with a constant stream of patrons.

Without a moment's hesitation, Shi Luo approached the Treasure Pavilion. Two attractive maids greeted him with a bow, "Welcome!" He passed by without a glance, leaving the maids, who were accustomed to being ogled, momentarily taken aback. Why did this man pay them no heed?

Inside the Treasure Pavilion, the expansive hall buzzed with activity. Bargaining voices punctuated the air, though most conversations were hushed, as no one dared to overstep. The pavilion spanned four floors: the first for spiritual weapons, the second for spiritual herbs, the third for cultivation techniques, and the fourth reserved for auctions. Normally, visitors were limited to the first three levels, but to ascend to the fourth, one needed to possess tens of thousands of Spirit Stones—or not bother at all.

In his past life, Spirit Stones might not have meant much to Shi Luo, but in his current existence, he had truly experienced the life of the destitute. As he gazed at the array of spirit weapons on the first floor, a flicker of desire crossed his mind, but with no Spirit Stones to his name, he resigned himself to the role of a silent observer.

Shi Luo meandered through the ground level without anything catching his fancy. He decided to ascend the staircase to explore the second floor. But just as he was about to make his move, a jarring voice erupted, capturing the attention of everyone present. They turned toward the source of the commotion and saw a hulking figure clad in beast hides, brandishing a massive axe, his face flushed with anger as he bore down on the footboy before him.