The marketplace of Yellow Maple Valley bore a striking resemblance to the Green Ox Town of Han Li’s hometown—a single main street running north to south. At its southern end stood dozens of buildings of varying heights: some multi-storied, others mere shacks, all quite uneven in appearance. These were the properties of Yellow Maple Valley, though only a fraction were still managed by the sect’s own disciples. The rest had been rented out to cultivation families and independent cultivators who did business here year-round. Most were shops trading raw materials, talismans, and magical artifacts. There was also the Five Elements Bookstore, which specialized in beginner cultivation techniques, and two establishments—a restaurant and an inn—for dining and lodging.
Aside from the low-ranking disciples who served as stewards, a number of Foundation Establishment experts were stationed here year-round to maintain order and prevent trouble. The northern stretch of the street, however, was left empty—a designated area for cultivators who wished to set up temporary stalls. By paying a single low-grade spirit stone to the Yellow Maple Valley disciples in charge, an outsider could set up a stall on either side of the street for an entire day without any interference. Moreover, during that time, they were under the protection of those very disciples, safe from any enemies who might seek revenge.
With these measures encouraging outside cultivators to do business here, combined with the marketplace’s unique geographical advantages, Yellow Maple Valley’s market had grown more prosperous each year. Rare items occasionally surfaced from its stalls, drawing ever more cultivators in search of treasures.
However, to avoid suspicion, Han Li did not enter through the most convenient southern entrance. Instead, he took a long detour and entered from the north. Before stepping onto the street, he pulled a green hooded cloak over his head to conceal his face—just in case someone here actually recognized him.
It was already afternoon. The main street of the marketplace looked sparsely populated at first glance. But this was entirely normal. This was no ordinary secular bazaar bustling with crowds day and night. Those who could come here were one-in-a-million cultivators! Having this many people was already quite good.
Having thought this through, Han Li gave a self-deprecating smile and walked toward the small stalls lining both sides of the street. He planned to check if there was anything worth noticing at these stalls before visiting the larger shops.
After a quick look around, Han Li felt somewhat disappointed. Among all the items on these small stalls, only three or four could be considered passable. The rest of the magical artifacts and talismans were utterly useless to him. Buying them would just waste spirit stones. He didn’t want to waste any more time and turned directly toward the larger shops.
"Seven Marvels Pavilion," "Wind-Guiding Studio," "Celestial Craft Tower"... This time, Han Li didn’t rashly walk into just any shop. Instead, he strolled slowly along the street, carefully noting the names and scales of these establishments before finally selecting a pavilion that looked the most imposing and where other cultivators frequently went in and out—the Myriad Treasures Pavilion. He stepped inside.
Just from the name, it was clear the shopkeeper had great confidence in his goods. Han Li also hoped there might be some truly rare treasures here so he wouldn’t leave empty-handed.
The moment he entered, Han Li was slightly taken aback. A spacious, brightly lit hall large enough to comfortably hold dozens of people. Extra-long counters made of precious red paulownia wood. And seven or eight attendants dressed in uniform blue robes. Everything gave off an overwhelming sense of grandeur. Inside the hall, two of the blue-robed attendants were explaining something to several customers. Behind the counters lay a dazzling array of items—clearly things only cultivators would use, from the most basic raw materials to the most common talismans and magical artifacts, everything was there.
Han Li smiled faintly. It seemed he had indeed come to the right place.
Just then, a blue-robed attendant approached with a beaming smile. "What can I help this honored guest find? Shall I introduce some items? Our shop guarantees complete satisfaction for all customers!"
"I want to see magical artifacts and talismans, but I only want the best. Don’t bother showing me anything second-rate," Han Li said coolly through his hood.
The attendant was momentarily stunned but, after carefully assessing Han Li’s demeanor and confirming he wasn’t joking, his smile grew even more sincere. He knew he had encountered a major customer. He quickly ushered Han Li inside and personally led him to the VIP room on the second floor.
The upstairs was decorated differently from the hall below. Not only was it much smaller, but it was also furnished with antique-style tables, chairs, and furniture, arranged with elegant simplicity—comfortable and serene. Most surprisingly, in one corner of the room stood a precious incense burner, with a stick of incense slowly burning, filling the air with a faint scent of sandalwood. A refined, middle-aged man stood in the center of the room, reading aloud from an ancient scroll. He appeared to have no spiritual energy at all, seemingly just an ordinary person.
Han Li was somewhat speechless. This place didn’t look like a shop at all—it was more like the study of some wealthy nobleman.
Upon seeing Han Li come up, the man calmly closed his scroll. The blue-robed attendant who had accompanied Han Li quickly stepped forward and whispered a few words into the man’s ear. After listening, the middle-aged man stepped forward with cupped fists and said with a smile, "I am Tian Buli, the manager of Myriad Treasures Pavilion. May I have your name, sir?"
"Li Feiyu," Han Li replied, unhesitatingly borrowing his friend’s name.
"So it’s Brother Li! Please, have a seat. Go fetch a pot of our finest Azure Cloud tea!" Tian Buli guided Han Li to a seat, then instructed a young servant.
"Brother Li, this is your first time visiting our pavilion, isn’t it?" Tian Buli began politely after Han Li had settled into his chair.
"Heh heh! Manager Tian has sharp eyes. Indeed, this is my first visit," Han Li said, deliberately altering his voice to sound like a rough-voiced man.
"Whether it’s your first visit or not doesn’t matter! As long as you’re willing to come here, that’s an honor for our Myriad Treasures Pavilion. We will certainly satisfy you!" Tian Buli said with great confidence.
"If I can find what I need at one place, I won’t bother going to two. I hope your goods really are as good as you say," Han Li said, sounding half-doubtful.
"Heh heh! Please rest assured about that, Brother Li. Our reputation on this street is absolutely top-notch. If our shop can’t satisfy you, then there’s no point visiting the others!" the manager said unhurriedly, looking utterly self-assured.
At that moment, a maid dressed in servant’s attire came upstairs carrying a teapot and several teacups. Before she even approached them, a delicate fragrance of tea had already filled the room.
"This is our shop’s specially brewed tea—something you won’t easily find elsewhere. Not only does it smell wonderfully fragrant, but it also invigorates the mind. Brother Li, please have a taste," Tian Buli said after the maid had arranged the tea set and left. He took a small, self-satisfied sip first, then smiled.
Han Li glanced at the fragrant tea before him, shook his head slightly, and said with a touch of impatience, "Manager Tian, we can drink the tea later. Let’s attend to business first."
"I didn’t realize you were so eager! Very well, please wait a moment. I’ll be right back," Tian Buli said with a hint of regret, standing up and giving Han Li a cupped-fist salute before leaving him alone and heading downstairs.
About the time it took to drink a cup of tea later, Tian Buli reappeared before Han Li—only now he carried several brocade boxes of varying sizes.
"I heard from the attendants downstairs that you wanted the finest magical artifacts and talismans. So I went down to our vault and brought up a few treasures that have been stored away for a long time. I hope they meet your standards!" Tian Buli patted the brocade boxes and said with a grin.
Upon hearing this, Han Li’s eyes lit up. His curiosity about the contents of these boxes grew immensely. He wondered what treasures they could possibly contain, and whether they would exceed his expectations.
Tian Buli had placed the brocade boxes on the table one by one and opened them for Han Li to inspect. But Han Li noticed that as each box was opened, two streams of spiritual pressure—far more powerful than his own—seemed to emerge from nowhere, firmly locking onto his every movement.
Han Li was startled at first, but he quickly understood: this was a security measure of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, a precaution taken to protect these treasures. It was meant to prevent him from suddenly grabbing the items and fleeing. Relaxing again, he gained yet another appreciation for the strength of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion.