Chapter 621: Chapter 252: What Beautiful Escape Techniques

With the former, there were no longer any obstacles to his cultivation of the Blood Granting Infant Secret Technique.

In other words, he had taken another step toward Nascent Soul.

With the latter, he had now collected two of the three great Tier Four Spiritual Objects needed for the Nursery Altar. All that was left was the Nine Orifice Clear Jade.

During this major auction, Xiao Chen had also managed to acquire several other urgently needed Spiritual Objects.

He had now prepared one hundred and twenty-six Spiritual Materials. Besides the Nine Orifice Clear Jade, he was only missing a portion of Rough-ribbed Twisted Leaf.

Oddly enough, it wasn’t supposed to be a particularly rare item.

And yet, he hadn’t been able to find it in the Moshi Market, nor did it appear at the auction.

’Maybe I should go check the nearby Marketplace?’

Xiao Chen remembered that on Tingtao Island, not far from Tinglang Island, there was a Marketplace established by the Cloud Sea Sword Pavilion.

It felt a little strange to make a special trip just for such a common Spirit Grass, but leaving the task unfinished felt wrong. It just bothered him.

’Whatever, I’ll just make the trip.’

Xiao Chen didn’t overthink it. ’I’ll feel better once I’ve gathered all the supplementary materials.’

’Okay, I’ll go get the money first.’

He headed next door to the Treasure House, taking out the Spirit Contract he had signed to exchange for Spirit Stones.

"Please wait a moment, esteemed guest."

The manager carefully inspected the Spirit Contract, then took out a ledger to cross-reference it. "You had a total of six items up for auction, and all of them were sold."

"They are... for a grand total of nine hundred fifty-nine thousand, six hundred Spirit Stones."

He said, handing over a handwritten list, "Please verify the amount. If everything is correct, please sign here."

Xiao Chen had already done the math before he arrived; the number was correct.

So, he decisively picked up the brush and wrote his name.

"Very good. Here are your Spirit Stones."

The manager took a temporary Storage Bag, which had been prepared in advance, from a cabinet. "Please inspect the contents carefully. Once you leave the premises, our Commerce Association is not liable for any discrepancies in the number of Spirit Stones."

Xiao Chen took the bag and swept it with his Divine Sense, only to find that not a single Spirit Stone was missing.

In fact, not only were none missing, but there was also an extra letter inside.

Normally, Feiye Merchant, as the host, would have deducted a five percent commission from the Spirit Stones.

Curious, he took out the letter and looked at it. On it were a few lines of small, forceful yet elegant script.

"I observed you at the auction earlier, young friend, spending a fortune so gallantly. Your spirit is truly admirable."

"As a small token of my appreciation, I have waived your commission fee."

"I have also prepared a pot of Cyan Leaf tea, brewed from the leaves of the Ancient Tea Tree of Cloud Cliff. If you have a moment today, young friend, perhaps you might bring this letter to the third floor for a chat?"

In place of a signature at the bottom was the seal of a withered, yellow leaf.

Xiao Chen blinked. Based on the intelligence he’d purchased earlier, he deduced it must be from True Monarch Can Ye.

He put away the Spirit Stones and, letter in hand, went to the third floor.

Although the note was phrased politely, suggesting he should only come if he was "free," that was merely a courtesy.

According to the customs of the cultivation world, to decline an invitation from a senior who was an entire Major Realm above you was a sign of disrespect.

Encounter a short-tempered Cultivator, and you could make an enemy over something so trivial.

Besides, Xiao Chen was genuinely curious about why the True Monarch wanted to see him.

Thus, with the letter granting him passage, he proceeded unimpeded to a private room on the third floor.

As he pushed the door open, the fragrance of tea wafted out from behind a screen to his right.

He took a small sniff and immediately felt his mind clear slightly.

Xiao Chen’s eyes lit up. ’This is a Tier Four Spirit Tea!’

’But that made sense. When a Nascent Soul True Monarch was hosting, he couldn’t very well serve something of a low grade.’

He closed the door behind him and rounded the screen.

There, he saw a middle-aged Cultivator with thick brows and large eyes sitting upright before a small square table.

On the table sat a clay pot, wisps of steam curling from its spout.

Xiao Chen offered a cupped-fist salute.

True Monarch Can Ye tapped his fingertips twice on the sandalwood table in acknowledgment.

Then he extended a hand in an inviting gesture, a smile on his face. "Please sit, young friend. There’s no need for ceremony."

"The art of tea is best appreciated with a casual heart. I have never been a fan of excessive formalities."

"Today, let’s disregard our respective statuses. Let us speak simply, as friends whose bond transcends age."

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