Chapter 6: The Mysterious Treasure

  "Now, please welcome the first treasure - Qingming Sword. Everyone, take a look at this Qingming Sword, which was once the sword of Li Bai, the Poet Immortal, over a thousand years ago. With this sword, Li Bai roamed the Jianghu for decades without ever suffering a single defeat. It was only because Xiang Yu, the Overlord of Western Chu, killed too many people that Li Bai became the second greatest master in the land. Even so, it cannot diminish the glory of Qingming Sword. This sword was originally forged from the North Sea's Nine-You Cold Iron, taking four years and nine months to complete, making it a top-grade treasure sword. The starting price is 500,000 taels of silver." Mr. Wang held up the Qingming Sword and briefly introduced this precious sword to everyone.

  Does it still need to be introduced by Mr. Wang, Li Bai's reputation can be said to be higher than those emperors. He is the master of martial arts, occupying the first place in the world for nearly thirty years, only because he was old and the fall of the Tang Dynasty, the rise of Xiang Yu made him second, people in the martial arts world respectfully called him the Sword Immortal. But in literature, he is absolutely unparalleled, his poetry has reached an unimaginable level, being revered by all later writers as the Poetry Immortal. Later generations called him the Poet and Swordsman Immortal, which also led to the habit of later writers wearing a precious sword at their waist.

  Everyone under the stage looked carefully at this treasure sword, only to see a cold light wandering on the body of the sword, looking very sharp. Because there is now a grading system for martial artists' levels on the Qinglong continent, and the level of martial artists is equivalent to the official rank, which greatly enhances the status of martial artists. Now in everyone's mind, martial artists are no longer those rough people, which makes many people very fond of their weapons, and some rich people even like to give their treasure swords to some masters to increase the other party's favor towards themselves.

  "I'll give sixty thousand taels of silver." A voice came from the VIP room. At this time, such a top-grade treasure was usually quoted by the VIP room, and people below the high platform generally couldn't afford it.

  "I'll give 610,000 taels of silver." Another voice came from another VIP room.

  As the bidding went on, the price of this Qingming sword soared. In fact, a treasure sword like Qingming Sword is usually worth around 200,000 silver coins, but because it was once the companion sword of Li Bai, the Poet Immortal, its price skyrocketed.

  "I'll give one million." A loud voice rang out from a VIP room in the center.

  Everyone was stunned, just now everyone was slowly increasing the price, at most it was only twenty thousand taels, but this guy suddenly increased from seven hundred and ninety thousand taels to one million taels, isn't that too extravagant with money?!

  "Oh, Shen Wansan, Old Master Shen has offered a price of one million taels to buy this treasure sword. Is there anyone who can offer a higher price? If no one bids, then the Qingming Sword will belong to Old Master Shen." Mr. Wang shouted loudly as soon as he finished announcing the bid.

  It wasn't until now that everyone suddenly realized, "So it was actually Shen Wansan, the richest man in the capital!" That explained everything. This Shen Wansan was different from other family-style economies; his wealth was entirely created by himself, and he had even been granted a baronial title. It's easy to imagine how formidable he must be.

  I gaze at the people below, Shen Wan San became a viscount-level tycoon by himself, what I want is to become a duke-level tycoon and establish my own aristocratic family. My heart is filled with excitement, you guys down there watch out, Zhang Xing Feng will create miracles.

  Mr. Wang in front of me started flattering Shen Wansan again, and I smiled in my heart, after all, it's rare for someone to be immune to flattery!

  "Everyone, let's invite Mr. Shen to come and receive the Qingming Sword! Mr. Shen has already arrived, everyone please give a warm welcome!" Mr. Wang immediately walked towards Shen Wansan, and the chief steward also came forward together.

  I gazed at Shen Wansan, the man who had accumulated wealth the fastest in history. He was no longer young, seemingly already sixty years old, yet that air of majesty still lingered, an aura reminiscent of the master of the Zhang family - my father. I felt that my heart was no longer as it was when I first left home, when thinking of my father would bring a kind of twisted pain; now it was just resentment, anger at being discarded. The ache in my heart had faded. I shook my head, calming myself. Then I looked up again at Shen Wansan on the high platform.

  "Ladies and gentlemen, Shen Mou came to buy this precious sword today for my beloved grandson Shen Xiaotian. I plan to find a master of the highest level of swordsmanship, 'Fantasy Sword Saint', to teach him. I heard that the master has long been eager to get this sword, and I believe my grandson will receive the master's guidance if he takes this sword with him. If you don't get the sword, don't be surprised!" Shen Wansan said in an unusually polite tone, which was not necessary for someone of his status at that time, showing the demeanor of a great man.

  I gazed at Shen Wan San, and I was extremely admiring of him. He himself didn't have any extraordinary martial arts skills, but rather relied on his strategic thinking and ability to grasp timing. If I were to lose my own abilities and memories from my past life, I wouldn't have the confidence to reach his level. But as people often say: "Comparing oneself to others is a recipe for frustration." I, Zhang Xingfeng, possess unparalleled martial arts skills that can look down on the world, and with the help of top-grade jade stones, not only can I absorb their spiritual energy, but also create the unrivaled Azure Jade. Moreover, I have access to various secret scriptures from the Tianxin Sect of the Cultivation Realm. Heaven has truly been too kind to me - this is fate! With all these advantages, how far away is my goal?

  In an instant, I inexplicably thought of that Li Tianxiang. He was only ten years old, but he had a maturity that was in no way inferior to that of adults. Behind him stood the powerful Li family, which was even stronger than the Zhang family. Could I compare with him?

  I shook my head, my goal was just to establish the Xingfeng family, not to fight with the Li family, what's the point of thinking about this? I smiled self-deprecatingly and looked back at the high platform.

  "This is the Heaven's Fury Sword I was talking about. This sword was once the companion sword of Xiang Yu, the Overlord of Western Chu and a legendary hero of his time. The sword has drunk countless blood and is extremely sharp and eerie. It is an important treasure of the Demon Sect. Although it had disappeared for nearly a thousand years, it has reappeared now. This peerless evil sword starts at a price of 500,000 taels! Let the bidding begin!" Mr. Wang stood far away from the Heaven's Fury Sword, which was being held by a high-ranking expert from the auction house. Ordinary people couldn't withstand the sword's overwhelming killing intent.

  I stared at the Tian Nu Dao that seemed to be completely dyed red with fresh blood, feeling very strange. I turned to one side and asked my brother Wang:

  "Brother Wang, isn't this knife a deadly weapon? How can the auction house dare to put it up for sale? Aren't they afraid someone will use it for evil purposes?"

  "Master, you're not aware of the current law in our Ming dynasty, are you? This law is based on an alliance agreement between several countries regarding the management of martial artists. In other words, the imperial court does not show bias towards any sect, but all sects are prohibited from gathering to kill members of other sects. If they do, the imperial court will crack down on that sect. That's why the Demon Sect has changed from being a target of universal hatred to just another ordinary sect. So, this Heaven's Fury Sword won't be used for any major evil deeds anymore."

  "Oh, so that's how it is. I really didn't expect the imperial court to resolve the most common large-scale disputes in the Jianghu with this move. Impressive, impressive! In that case, a knife itself won't pose much harm."

  "Now, someone has already bid 800,000 taels. Is there a higher bid? Three, two, one... Alright, this sword belongs to the VIP in room 245. Please come and collect your treasure!" Mr. Wang shouted loudly, really putting a strain on his vocal cords. His martial arts skills weren't great, but he still had to host such a large event with so many participants, what a torture for his throat!

  A scholar in white robes floated up, as if carried by a gentle breeze to the high platform. He turned around slowly and bowed slightly to the participants below with a hint of intention.

  "A wild child with a wild sword" a voice rose up from the crowd.

  I gazed at the young man in white below, and my heart was shaken. He was Yuwen Meng, the "Rogue Swordsman", originally the eldest son of the Yuwen family, who had no interest in the family business, but only liked to indulge in the pleasures of life, and most importantly, he was extremely obsessed with martial arts, especially the study of swordsmanship. At a young age, he was already a high-ranking master of the fourth grade.

  It's also because of this reason that he resolutely refused to take over the Yuwen family, according to the family law, if the eldest son is not dead or mentally disabled, he must give the position of the head of the house to the eldest grandson. In the end, there was no way out, and he could only be expelled from the gate of the Yuwen family. However, in order to make up for him, the Yuwen family still gave him 20 million white silver and announced to the world that if anyone did anything harmful to him, it would be against the Yuwen family, and the Yuwen family would avenge him. Yuwen Meng also accepted all this with pleasure and lived a carefree life, indulging in beautiful women and martial arts.

  He disdains everything about the aristocratic family, and he was also expelled from the aristocratic family, but he is different from me. His departure from home is only a nominal departure, and the Yuwen aristocratic family still regards him as a member of the aristocratic family. Even so, I see in his heart a kind of unspoken closeness and kindness.

  "Ladies and gentlemen, I won't say anything more. My love for swords is well-known to all. Seeing this precious sword, I couldn't bear it anymore. I'll take my leave first, let the meeting continue!" With a gust of wind, the figure in white had already ascended to the building. As they gazed at the white shadow disappearing into the VIP room, many women finally came back to their senses. Indeed, he was the "Girl Killer"!

  "Ladies and gentlemen, the two extraordinary weapons just now are followed by the legendary Golden Silk Armor of Jianghu. Made from the silk of the White Gold Snow Silkworms on Mount Tian, it took ten years to complete. Not only is the craftsmanship exceptional, but the white gold snow silkworm silk itself is extremely rare. Throughout history, there have been only five such armors made, and those who wear this treasure are all renowned figures! The starting price is 500,000 silver coins." Mr. Wang said so much, but in reality, although this armor is rare, it's not particularly special when it comes to protecting the body.

  The protective power of the Xuan Tie armor that is popular in the Jianghu can be compared to it. The only difference is that the Xuan Tie armor is heavier, but Xuan Tie is more abundant on the continent, and a set of Xuan Tie armor costs around 10,000 taels. However, the Jin Si Bao armor is expensive because it's rare, this white gold silkworm is rarely seen, and its silk production is extremely low, making it a precious item. Additionally, its lightness makes it the best choice for some wealthy people who are not skilled in martial arts but want to protect themselves. That's why it costs 500,000 taels, which is equivalent to the value of a large estate.

  Zhang Xingfeng bought the original Wang Fu for only 200,000 taels, because the entire Wang Fu can only accommodate a dozen or so rooms, and you can take a look at that artificial lake. If the entire Wang Fu is not counted as the backyard, it's estimated that someone would buy it for one million taels based on the hundreds of rooms outside and the surrounding environment. Zhang Xingfeng really is lucky!

  This Golden Brocade Armor is really not that great, nowadays the rich are starting to learn martial arts and cherish their money, they'd rather wear a few dozen kilograms of Dark Iron Armor (just the size of a vest, if it were the size of full armor, it wouldn't be just a few hundred kilograms!). In the end, it was sold for 700,000.

  I gazed at the auction proceedings, eagerly anticipating the appearance of my Blood Phoenix. It wouldn't really be treated as the final treasure, would it? This was also possible, for the Blood Phoenix was a token of the previous dynasty's Yuan Mongol Queen, passed down through several generations of queens until the Ming Dynasty, when the queen's token was changed to the equally precious He Shi Bi. Its formation was purely natural, with a red, phoenix-shaped pattern inside. It was only normal that it was so valuable.

  I came back to myself, and the guy who received the Golden Silk Armor had already gone down. A box was sent up by a beautiful woman.

  "Ladies and gentlemen, after viewing various military equipment and precious armor, now let's take a look at this literary treasure - 'Along the River During the Qingming Festival', which was painted by Zhang Zeduan of the Song Dynasty and is considered his magnum opus."

  The picture depicts the Song Dynasty capital city of Bianjing, which was the largest and most prosperous city in the world at that time. The buildings are densely packed, and the scene is as vibrant as brocade. Zhang Zeduan's "Along the River During Qingming Festival" vividly and realistically portrays this historical grandeur. The painting unfolds from the outskirts of the city along the Bian River to the inner city. In the countryside outside the city, there are several thatched cottages, small bridges, streams, and willows, with tender green shoots just beginning to emerge on the branches, giving people a sense of early spring. Farmers are working in the fields, and mules carrying goods are walking along the rural roads, peaceful and serene. As one approaches the inner city, there are more merchants and travelers, and the scene gradually becomes more prosperous and bustling. "This treasure has a base price of 800,000 taels." Mr. Wang's voice became excited and enthusiastic as he gazed at the treasure!

  The scene immediately erupted into a commotion, and the "First Divine Product" in history actually appeared.

  I was also shocked, it's "Along the River During the Qingming Festival"!

  "I'll put up one million taels."

  "I'll give you 11 million taels."