“Are you Long Chen?”

“I am.” Long Chen was startled, as he himself didn’t even recognize this person.

“Perfect. Under the pavilion master’s orders, I have come to give you this invitation card.” The lean middle-aged man rejoiced. “Young noble, you might not recognize me, but my lowly self is an attendant of the Huayun Pavilion. I have especially come to invite you to our annual auction.”

Only now did Long Chen understand. He was being pulled into some kind of business work. As for being an ‘attendant’, it would be more accurate to just call him a runner.

Long Chen had a great understanding of this Huayun Pavilion. It was the most famous auction house in the Phoenix Cry Empire and was an extremely huge existence.

Although it might not be comparable to the alchemist guild, it was definitely powerful. It was the closest partner of the adventurers guild.

The adventurers guild was an alliance formed by countless adventurers, and although it was a loose partnership, it had many members.

Adventurers traveled the wilderness for most of their days, and although it was an extremely dangerous occupation, its rewards were also accordingly great.

All kinds of strange medicinal herbs and Magical Beast cores could be found, and if one’s luck was really ridiculous, then it was even possible to find an ancient inheritance.

Adventurers were very fond of collaborating with the Huayun Pavilion due to their extremely fair prices. Selling their gains there was the most secure method to sell their spoils.

Some of them didn’t go into danger themselves. They would make deals with other people or even kill others for their spoils. Those were extremely common affairs. Sometimes, the city was even more frightful than the wilderness.

So, the Huayun Pavilion’s annual auction would always attract countless people. They would select the rarest treasures that they had gathered over the year for that auction.

Almost every auction would result in them delighting at the high bidding, so the extent of their auction also became greater over the time.

In the past two years, the auction’s quality had become incredibly great, and they had even set down new rules. It was now impossible to enter without an invitation card.

And the people who could obtain an invitation card were only people with exceedingly high statuses. Long Chen was the first youth to receive such a thing.

“This is a great thing, brother Long. But if you don’t have enough money, then it would just be a waste of time,” said Shou Hou.

The Huayun Pavilion’s auction wares were all the best amongst the best. Every single item was extremely desirable.

Adding on the auction house’s expert advertising and enticements, the price would soar wildly all the time. Without money, you could only look with envy.

“Do you have a list of things being auctioned?” asked Long Chen.

“This lowly one only has a list of the first ten things. You can have a look,” the lean man apologetically said.

In order to maintain its mystery, the best things being auctioned off would never be allowed to be leaked.

Long Chen looked over it. His pupils shrank when he saw the Starfusing Grass on the list. It was actually Starfusing Grass that was over a thousand years old.

Normal Starfusing Grass was always within ten to a hundred years old. Over a hundred years old was rare, and over a thousand years old made it an exceptionally precious treasure.

Such a treasure was actually just the first item on the list.

Seeing Long Chen’s shock, the lean man became pleased and said, “As a Pill Apprentice, any precious medicinal pills you have can be handed over to us. If the quality and rareness of it reach the standards, we can consider adding it to the auction. But we charge 50% commission.”

Fifty percent?! Ha, how vicious. You actually dare ask for fifty percent? Do you dare ask for more?

As if seeing through Long Chen’s thoughts, he laughed, “As long as what you have is good enough, then after our packaging and advertising, in addition to our chief auctioneer’s embellishment, the price will definitely rise far beyond your imagination.”

Hearing that, Long Chen became more at ease. At the same time, he felt a bit of admiration at how they ran their business.

What Long Chen didn’t know was that this man’s job really wasn’t as easy as he thought it was. The people in the lean man’s position would get a quota of three the annual auction, meaning they were only allowed to invite three people.

Whether those people were buying or selling things, the one who had invited him would get a set percentage.

The more they bought or sold, the more money that person would get. So each person invited had to be carefully selected.

But after this many years, more and more wealthy people were being invited earlier, leaving only a few behind. Now they were just picking over the dregs.

This lean man was very astute, so as soon as he had received his quota, he had rushed over to invite Long Chen, afraid that others would get there first.

There was no other way. Long Chen was the most famous person within his generation in the capital, and he was definitely a big fish with potential.

“Please look over this lowly one’s calling card.” He handed over a small card to Long Chen.

“Fu Gui?”[1]

“Haha, I come from a poor family. My parents wished for me to gain riches, so they came up with such a name.” The lean man explained with embarrassment.

His explanation also caused Long Chen to feel a bit of sympathy. Nodding, he said, “I am definitely very interested in buying things. I also have some things that I want to auction off. How does it work?”

Fu Gui’s eyes brightened. “Any treasures can be brought directly to the Huayun Pavilion. We can also go to your door to get them.”

Long Chen nodded. There was just less than a month until the auction, so he still had time. After setting an appointment with Fu Gui, Long Chen and the others all left the restaurant.

“Long Chen, the Phoenix Cry Lantern Festival is a week from now. You definitely have to come out,” said Shi Feng expectantly.

The Phoenix Cry Lantern Festival was the largest celebration of the empire. The entire capital’s unmarried population would participate. It was extremely lively, and it was the festival that all the young people looked forward to the most.

Especially those unmarried men; each of them would be like a bull, determinedly waiting for a chance of attracting a woman’s attention.

As for the women, they also wanted to see if they could find an acceptable man.

It was a bit controversial for men and women to be together like this, but during the one day of the Phoenix Cry Lantern Festival, all those taboos were lifted, and both genders could party wildly together as much as they wanted to.

Thus, many of them made preparations beforehand for this festival.

And the most fun part of it was the fight over the number one junior warrior in their generation. There would always be a martial stage during the festival. As long as you were a cultivator and were under twenty years old, anyone could go up.

The first place battle was the highlight. As long as you got that title, it would no longer even be possible for you to be low-key. Countless women would send flowers after you, enough to bury you even. Just thinking about it set the men’s hearts on fire.

Even the calm Shi Feng was burning with passion. And as expected, fatty Yu and the others were all bursting with enthusiasm.

“Brother Long, you definitely have to come. If you don’t go, then we won’t want to go either,” begged fatty Yu.

“Then how about none of us go and we’ll find somewhere to get a drink instead,” laughed Long Chen.

“Nooo, master Long. We’ve been waiting for this for a year!!” Fatty Yu and the others immediately acted sullen. Some of them got on their knees and hugged Long Chen’s legs, not letting go until he agreed.

“Long Chen, if you don’t go, then it will be too boring. In the capital, you are the most famous of our generation! You’re viewed as number one, and if you don’t go, then it will disappoint countless people,” persuaded Shi Feng.

“Hm? When did I get such a big name?” Long Chen was startled.

“You didn’t know? Even the little kids know about it. Dual martial and pill cultivation that shakes heaven and earth, the Heroic Assembly House’s angry god, the one who spread his wings and flew out of the Phoenix Cry Empire, the one who laughs arrogantly at the nine heavens, Long Chen.” Shi Feng looked at Long Chen strangely.

“…”

What kind of situation is this? How did I not know? There are poems about me? Long Chen was struck foolishly silent.

“Okay, brother Long, all your brothers are hoping to enjoy the festivities with you. But whatever you say is what we’ll do.”

Shi Feng wasn’t the same as the others. He had considered Long Chen his brother from the start, so he didn’t need to have as many misgivings as the others.

“Ugh, I’ll go.” Long Chen smiled bitterly; he had originally been planning on training for an extra day.

Fatty Yu and the others all cheered at that. It was as if they were seeing a scene of countless beautiful women before them.

After parting ways with the others, Long Chen quickly rushed home. He didn’t even eat dinner; the time he was wasting was too great. He had to urgently increase his cultivation base.

Although the FengFu Star had already been perfectly condensed, now that he had gained a Dantian, he wanted to quickly condense more cyclones.

There were currently only three cyclones in his Dantian. He wanted to continue forming them, but there was no clue on how to do so within the Nine Star Hegemon Body Art in his memories.

Back when the FengFu Star had condensed, three of the cyclones had appeared all at once. Even Long Chen didn’t know how it had happened.

Now, Long Chen found that when he circulated his Dantian, the three cyclones would also revolve with it. This method was only for continuously sending energy throughout his body for battle, and wasn’t for cultivating.

Drawing some of the FengFu Star’s spiritual energy out to the cyclones, they immediately grew ten times the size and Long Chen’s breathing became rushed in anticipation. But this was also for battle and not how to cultivate them.

Long Chen took a deep breath, and hesitating for a moment, he slowly circulated his qi to absorb the outside world’s spiritual qi.

However, this time, he didn’t send it throughout his body but gathered it into his FengFu Star.

Following Long Chen’s absorption of heaven and earth’s spiritual qi, the FengFu Star started to quickly circulate.

“This is the way!”

Long Chen was elated; although he didn’t know exactly what was happening, this definitely seemed to be more for cultivating and less for battle.

Doing his best to continue absorbing, the FengFu star gradually became brighter under the continuous absorption. In the end, it appeared like a blazing sun.

BOOM!

The FengFu Star shook, and it immediately became dimmer. At the same time, another cyclone appeared within Long Chen’s Dantian.

“Haha, I’ve finally found the way to continue cultivating.”

Along with the fourth cyclone’s formation, Long Chen found out that the meridians within his body had also expanded slightly, and his whole body was surging with energy.

“Good, let’s continue.”

Long Chen slowly closed his eyes and began to attack the fifth Heavenstage.

[1] Fu Gui meaning rich. Like imagine your parents literally named you Rich and that was your businesscard.