Chapter 11: The Deal Inside the Myriad Treasures Pavilion

Gao Wu and his group of four made for a strange-looking assembly, standing out the moment they appeared. They had not been wandering for long before a clerk from the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion approached them with a welcoming smile.

What began as a routine greeting took a bizarre turn the moment the words "millennial lingzhi" were uttered. Not only did the clerk’s expression turn peculiar, but the two sisters, Qingguo and Qingcheng, also cast astonished glances at Gao Wu.

"So that’s the thing you were looking for!"
"I hear that stuff is incredibly expensive!"

Gao Wu nodded with a smile, confirming that he had not misspoke and they had heard him correctly. The proprietor of the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion had expanded their business across every prefecture of the Great Zhou Dynasty; their wealth and influence surpassed that of any first-rate faction within a single province. The Pavilion never involved itself in the conflicts between various forces, yet no faction dared to make an enemy of them, simply because those who had tried had long since vanished. Such an organization naturally possessed extensive intelligence networks, and they even traded in information, though it was not their primary business.

The clerk, a man who had seen much of the world, did not mock Gao Wu or show disdain for his bold request. Instead, he smiled and said, "Distinguished guests, please come inside. For such a major transaction, we have private rooms available."

In the VIP reception room of the Pavilion, after the clerk had poured tea for the four of them, he asked, "Young Master, do you truly seek the millennial lingzhi?"

"Indeed, I do."

"The millennial lingzhi is a rare treasure of the world capable of repairing and improving one’s martial roots. It is of immense value." The clerk spoke with a mix of caution and probing, eager to gauge Gao Wu’s true strength.

"A complete set of Xiantian-level cultivation techniques," Gao Wu replied without hesitation, stating his offer directly.

"What?" Qingguo and Qingcheng exclaimed in unison. Both were already at the Qi Sea realm and were traveling the world in hopes of finding Xiantian techniques to advance to the next stage.

The clerk’s eyes lit up. While the value of a Xiantian technique was slightly lower than that of a millennial lingzhi, the lingzhi was a one-time item, whereas a technique could be sold many times over. The Pavilion was, after all, a business, not a sect; to them, martial techniques were merely tradable commodities. In the long run, acquiring another Xiantian technique would certainly be profitable. However, this decision was beyond the clerk’s authority. Before long, a charming and alluring woman walked into the room to handle the negotiations.

"Young Master, this is our Manager Tong," the clerk introduced.

"Oh my, what a handsome young man! And, oh? There is a fairy here as well!" Manager Tong noticed Liu Yifei, who had specifically worn a veil to conceal her beauty, at a single glance.

"Hey! Are you blind? Can’t you see us two sisters?"

"My goodness, the two of you possess such remarkable temperaments. How could I overlook you? With your breathtaking beauty, you truly deserve to be on the list of the realm's greatest beauties!" Manager Tong was truly a master of business, her ability to spout flattery with a straight face having reached the Xiantian level itself.

"Wahaha, I didn't think you had such good taste!"
"That's right, sister, she even said our names!"

Gao Wu felt a headache coming on and quickly steered the conversation back on track. "Manager Tong, can this deal be done?"

"Of course!" Manager Tong readily agreed, though her tone shifted slightly. "Young Master, you must be eyeing the millennial fire lingzhi that has surfaced from the Duke of Tang’s estate, aren't you?"

Gao Wu shook his head. "I don’t care where the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion obtained the millennial lingzhi, just as I’m sure the Pavilion doesn't care where I obtained the Xiantian technique."

"Haha, excellent! You are a sensible man, young master. May I ask your name?"

"My name is Gao. When can the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion provide the millennial lingzhi?"

Manager Tong pondered for a moment before replying, "Just have the Xiantian technique ready. We shall conduct the trade here in three days."

"It is a deal."

Gao Wu currently possessed two sets of Xiantian techniques: one was the "Jade Maiden Heart Scripture," rewarded when he summoned Liu Yifei, and the other was the "Dragon Roar Nine Heavens Technique" from the memories of his predecessor. The latter was divided into three parts: beginning, middle, and advanced. Gao Wu had entered the Qi Pulse realm using the beginning part, but he had not yet mastered it. After reviewing the technique, Liu Yifei determined that the beginning part could lead to the perfection of the Martial Motion realm, the middle part to the perfection of the Qi Sea realm, and the advanced part could even allow one to break through the Xiantian barrier and reach the mysterious Qimen realm. Thus, the limit of the "Dragon Roar Nine Heavens Technique" went beyond the Xiantian stage.

Qingguo and Qingcheng, who had only joined Gao Wu and Liu Yifei because they found the latter’s temperament extraordinary, had not expected to witness a transaction involving items of such caliber.

"Young Master Gao, I’ve noticed that even though you’re ugly, for some reason, you seem to be glowing with golden light after coming out of that Pavilion!"

"How about this? We two sisters will suffer a little and marry you as our wives, how about that?"

Gao Wu was startled. Didn't these two only have eyes for handsome men? Had the temptation of Xiantian techniques really broken them?

"No, no, two heroines, please do not suffer on my account. I will take you to your true love right now! He is not only handsome, but he also doesn't lack Xiantian techniques!" Gao Wu could not handle the attention of these two, so he hurried to get them back on track to find Zhang Zifan. *Brother Zhang, my apologies,* he thought to himself. *These two were originally your soulmates; I am merely returning them to their rightful owner.*

However, the world is full of coincidences. When they returned to the inn, Gao Wu was rendered speechless to see Zhang Zifan lying on the bed, beaten into a bruised, pig-like state.

"Oh my? Young Master Gao, you aren't being honest! You introduced this headhunter to us?"
"Yeah, yeah! Look at how ugly he is—even more uniquely hideous than you!"

Gao Wu: "Damn it all..."

Zhang Zifan rolled his eyes, confused. "Pig-headed? Who are these two ugly women talking about?"

"Two heroines, this is Zhang Zifan, the young master of the Tongwen Pavilion and ranked 95th on the Human List. He is merely injured now; once he recovers, he will be as handsome as Pan An!"

"What? You don't know who Pan An is? Anyway, he’s very handsome, very beautiful!"

After soothing the two sisters, Gao Wu turned to Zhang Zifan. "Young Master Zhang, what happened to you?"

"The Xuanming Cult has no sense of martial honor!" Finally finding a chance to speak, Zhang Zifan wailed, "The moment I saw them—the three great Yama Kings and the Black and White Impermanence—they all attacked at once and gave me a brutal beating!"

"While they beat me, they kept saying, 'You dare come looking for our Xuanming Cult? You think you're at the Xiantian level, too?' Brother Gao, tell me, isn't that bullying? Do they look down on us in the Qi Sea realm?"

Gao Wu chuckled inwardly. He understood perfectly—Jiang Renjie was venting the frustration he had suffered from Liu Yifei onto Zhang Zifan. Although Jiang Renjie was also in the Qi Sea realm, he was a veteran expert, while Zhang Zifan had just entered the realm. With the other experts of the Xuanming Cult present, Zhang Zifan’s defeat was inevitable.

Suddenly, Zhang Zifan perked up. "Brother Gao, I have discovered a secret: the Dragon Abyss Map was never lost at all!"