Linyue Pavilion.
Jia Xianren, who had just rushed out of Shuiquan Village, came here immediately.
He was furious. Why had his Sanmei Truefire Red Gourd suddenly failed? It had only been splashed with water.
So he came straight to the High Master who had given him the gourd.
As soon as he reached the entrance, he saw four or five brightly dressed, alluring girls enticing customers.
The scent of wine drifting from inside the building, mingled with the fragrance of the girls’ makeup, made Jia Xianren feel enchanted.
He shook his head sharply, trying to clear his mind.
This was the Starvault Chamber of Commerce, whose fame had skyrocketed in recent years, rising to become one of the top powers on Tianyuan Continent in just a few short years.
“Dear guest~ What would you like to do? Eat, stay the night, or perhaps start with me?”
A woman with silk-like seductive eyes approached Jia Xianren and took his hand.
He swallowed nervously before pulling out a gilded Order Token, engraved with the characters “星瀚” (Starvault).
“Is your Mistress of the Pavilion here? Take me to see her.”
The woman took the token and examined it carefully.
If Jia Xianren had been a few ranks stronger, he would have noticed that the leader among those recruiting at the door was actually a Golden Core Stage cultivator.
“Oh? What a coincidence, esteemed guest. Our Mistress is here today. Please, this way.”
The woman quickly shifted her earlier flirtatious demeanor to one of dignified grace.
Jia Xianren thought to himself that he actually preferred her previous attitude.
But he dared not say it out loud. Trying to appear composed, he tucked his hands into his sleeves and followed her into Linyue Pavilion.
Inside, he immediately saw a small pond in the floor, home to several koi.
There were also several spirit plants growing in the pond, making Jia Xianren, a poor man, extremely envious.
Around him were many private rooms. The higher up the floors, the more distinct the style became.
Nobles, cultivators, and even many scholars gathered here.
Some sang and drank, others discussed poetry and philosophy.
After all, this was the Starvault Chamber of Commerce’s territory.
Rare gongfa, precious spiritual treasures and spirit plants, even countless poems and paintings—everything was here.
Yet those seeking pleasures of the flesh were far fewer.
Jia Xianren straightened his back. He was heading to the top floor and couldn’t afford to lose face.
Even if his looks were sly and cunning, he forced himself to adopt a lofty demeanor and look down on others.
Seeing that Jia Xianren was personally escorted by a Golden Core cultivator at the door, the onlookers began to speculate.
Soon, Jia Xianren was led to the very top floor of the pavilion.
Here, a red curtain blocked his view.
Through it, only a slender figure could be seen.
“Mistress, this person is looking for you, and he brought an Order Token.”
“Oh? Understood. You may leave now.”
“Yes.”
The voice was calm and indifferent, but carried the undeniable aura of authority.
The guide withdrew, and Jia Xianren grew nervous.
How to put it? From the voice alone, he knew this was the very person who had given him the gourd.
But her presence was so overwhelming that he didn’t dare utter a word.
He had planned to make a scene on the way here, to accuse her of the gourd’s poor quality.
But now, not a single word came out.
“Since you brought my Order Token to find me, does that mean you have clues about what I asked?”
Jia Xianren was stunned! He had completely forgotten this point, caught up in thoughts about the treasure.
It wasn’t so much that he forgot, but rather, after obtaining the treasure, he hadn’t considered it at all.
“N-no.”
He cupped his hands respectfully and lowered his head, avoiding her gaze.
“Not? Then what brings you here? Let me be clear—I hate wasting time, especially my own.”
Her words sent a chill crawling up Jia Xianren’s spine, making him shrink his neck.
“I… the treasure you gave me has problems, so I came to ask for advice.”
“Treasure? What treasure?”
Hissing quietly, Jia Xianren wanted to retort—she didn’t even remember, did she?
The figure behind the curtain raised a hand to rub her brow before continuing.
“Been too busy lately and forgot about it. Bring it out so I can have a look.”
With that, she stood and parted the curtain with one jade-like hand.
She wore a low-cut dress in blue and white that trailed long on the floor.
Her appearance immediately captured Jia Xianren’s attention.
Her beauty was stunning, like a celestial fairy descended to earth.
Her skin was fair and translucent, like the finest mutton-fat jade.
Her delicate features were as if painted, with a petite nose and tender pink lips—everything perfectly balanced, exuding a refined elegance as if she stepped right out of an ink painting.
Yet, within that elegance was something strange.
Su Qingyue’s eyes lacked any sparkle, lazy and listless, like dead fish eyes—empty and disinterested in everything before her.
“Let me see it.”
Her cold, emotionless voice snapped Jia Xianren back to reality.
He hurriedly summoned his Sanmei Truefire Red Gourd, then handed it over to Su Qingyue.
“The Red Gourd? Is this what I gave you? I actually gave you this…”
Su Qingyue took it and inspected it carefully, but found nothing wrong.
“There’s no problem with it.”
“Ah?”
“I said there’s no problem.”
“B-but…”
“But what? Did you encounter something?”
Hearing this, Jia Xianren nodded and recounted what had happened back in Shuiquan Village.
He didn’t mention that he had gone there to improve his reputation and earn money; instead, he even tried to help her find people.
Su Qingyue stroked her chin thoughtfully, as if recalling something.
“The treasure itself is fine. You just encountered a treasure of a higher rank that suppressed it.”
“A higher rank treasure? Is there really one stronger than Sanmei Truefire?”
Jia Xianren was incredulous, but he also found it hard to believe that such a beautiful woman would lie to him.
Or maybe this treasure was a natural trap—any beginner village would be able to suppress it.
“Don’t look at me like that. This Red Gourd was crafted by a great master using a Heavenly Spiritual Treasure. There were originally seven of them.
“Although it’s considered high-grade, it’s still not on the level of a Divine Artifact.”
“You mean… what I faced was a Divine Artifact?”
“Hmm. But honestly, I can’t think of anything beyond this treasure’s level, at least not unless it’s also a Heavenly Spiritual Treasure or even something born in the Chaos Primal Era. Then the possibilities narrow down even further.”
“Use it with confidence. This treasure is strong. You’re just too weak to wield it properly.”
Jia Xianren hastily took the Red Gourd back from Su Qingyue. His doubts dispelled, he felt joyful once more.
Looks like he could still rely on the treasure to keep deceiving—no, to continue slaying demons.
“So? Any progress on the task I gave you?”
That question poured cold water over Jia Xianren’s secret delight.
He was done for.
A chill swept through his heart.
He looked up to meet those unchanging eyes, still feeling a shiver.
He immediately knelt down.
“S-s-s-sorry! I still have no leads!”
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