Volume 2 Chapter 34: Treasure Hunting - Martial God

Chapter 34: Treasure Hunting The city of Zhengtong in Jun Province is a bustling metropolis. Though it doesn't quite match the colossal size and grandeur of Huowu Kingdom's Yingfeng City, its vibrancy far surpasses that of the county town of Taicang. Ever since the infamous dinner at the Yuan residence where the brothers Yuan Zeyu and Yuan Zewei completely fell out, their relationship hit rock bottom. Yuan Zeyu wasted no time in ordering the first branch to be expelled from the Yuan manor, reclaiming managerial control over the city shops as well. Initially, it was assumed that, under such circumstances, the Fan family would immediately stand up for Yuan Zewei. Yet, to everyone's surprise, even after five days, the Fan family remained silent. Yuan Zewei and others also vanished from the Yuan manor, their whereabouts unknown, as if they had disappeared completely. Such a mysterious turn of events only heightened Yuan Zeyu’s paranoia. Meanwhile, despite having stayed at the Yuan residence for several days, the He brothers found themselves somewhat bored and suggested a trip to the Jun city. Yuan Zeyu had no objection to this request and even had a clever young family member accompany them. As for He Quanxin, the master at the tenth level of inner strength, he naturally stayed behind to oversee the Yuan household. Accompanied by Yuan Lixuan from the Yuan mansion, He Yiming and party reached the outskirts of the city. Both brothers were no strangers to urban life—both He Yiming and He Yitian had ventured beyond Taicang before and had seen cities similar to this one. Yet, the bustling prosperity of the city still exceeded their expectations. Especially noteworthy were the orderly rows of vendor stalls set up along the streets near the various city gates, with each vendor enthusiastically hawking their goods, their faces adorned with welcoming smiles. Despite their calls to the customers, none of these businesspeople disrupted the flow of traders and pedestrians moving in and out of the gates—a refinement not seen even in the outskirts of Yingfeng City, let alone Taicang County. It was evident that those managing this city did so with a meticulous heart. "Brother Yitian, inside lies the Jun City," Yuan Lixuan said respectfully. "The city is home to many recreational spots and notable landmarks. Wherever you'd like to go, just say the word, and I assure you I'll take you there." In the days leading up to their visit, He Yitian had frequently interacted with the younger members of the Yuan family. With youth inevitably came a measure of rivalry. Nobody dared provoke He Quanxin, who was reputed to possess ten layers of inner strength. However, they were less hesitant about engaging his son. Despite being only twenty-four, He Yitian was an adept who had reached the seventh level of inner strength five years ago. Spurred by the prodigious talent of his brother He Yiming three years prior, his dedication to cultivation had only intensified. Within the Yuan household, none of the sub-thirty family members had reached the seventh level of inner strength. Thus, any challenge to He Yitian had but one conclusion. After He Yitian bested every challenger, the younger generation at the Yuan household came to admire him, their demeanor becoming more courteous. As for He Yiming, he never had to lift a finger; He Yitian reliably drew all the attention. And those few who knew the truth of He Yiming's prowess, such as Yuan Zeyu and his family, chose to keep silent, feigning ignorance. Once inside the city alongside the throngs of people, He Yitian did not specify any destination, allowing Yuan Lixuan to decide instead. Guided by someone who allegedly knew the name of every street in the city, the brothers enjoyed an exceptionally fulfilling day. Especially appealing were the street dedicated to local delicacies and the miscellaneous goods market, where they lingered longer than anticipated. He Yitian even made a few purchases at the market, intending to bring back gifts for their elders and siblings. Prompted by his brother’s actions, He Yiming chided himself secretly for his own oversight on his last visit home, having failed to consider such gifts. He couldn't help feeling a bit ashamed. However, he hadn’t quite realized that during his last homecoming, he had given his family five high-grade golden elixirs. The value of these elixirs far outweighed any trinket—a critical asset ensuring prosperity and fortune for any family, especially one of their stature. After exploring for most of the day, their hands were full of items, though they hadn’t spent much. Taking Yuan Lixuan's advice, they temporarily stored their purchases in one of the Yuan family's shops in the city before venturing out again empty-handed. As they ascended the stairs of a lively tavern, a commotion from not far away caught their attention. Noticing their curiosity, Yuan Lixuan promptly explained, "That way is where the city’s dueling arena stands. Every evening, someone steps up to challenge, though it isn’t always to the death." He Yitian nodded slightly, "Let's go take a look." Naturally, Yuan Lixuan had no objections and eagerly led the way. He Yiming tugged lightly at his elder brother’s sleeve, querying, "Brother, why show interest in something like a dueling arena? Don’t you know that true experts usually avoid public challenges?" From experience, he knew that anyone with eight layers of inner strength rarely showcased their skills in such a setting. He Yitian turned, speaking softly, "Yiming, when exploring a new city, if you wish to gauge the average martial strength, there's no better method than observing a few duels at the arena." He Yiming paused, "Does it really help?" "Absolutely," He Yitian affirmed solemnly. Moments later, the trio arrived at the arena. On the stage, two individuals were engrossed in combat, demonstrating decent skills and approximately six layers of inner strength. Hearing the enthusiastic cheers from below, He Yiming was reminded of his early days on the county dueling stage—a pivotal battle marking his departure from the He family, a memory not easily forgotten. Although the fight was indeed lively, it was replete with flaws in the eyes of the He brothers. Nonetheless, the fact that fighters on stage showcased six layers of inner strength indicated that the quality here far surpassed that of Taicang’s dueling arenas. After observing several matches, He Yiming realized that appearing on this stage required a minimum of five layers of inner strength—these individuals could seek a fairly good position as retainers in prestigious families and, according to Yuan Lixuan, a significant number were dissatisfied retainers from such families. After a while, He Yiming sighed, "Brother, you were right. You can indeed grasp a city’s martial standards through its dueling arena." He Yitian chuckled, then turned to leave. Although Yuan Lixuan appeared somewhat reluctant, as soon as He Yitian voiced his decision, he quickly followed. After a casual meal, Yuan Lixuan skillfully navigated them to a broad avenue. On this avenue, there weren't many people, yet the antique shops lining both sides exuded an aura of timeless grandeur. "What is this place?" He Yitian asked in surprise. "This is the city's most famous antique street," Yuan Lixuan responded proudly. "Every shop here boasts at least a century of history. There are countless treasures waiting to be found, though one needs patience to uncover them. If luck isn't on your side, you might leave empty-handed. But, with a stroke of good fortune, it's not uncommon to go from rags to riches overnight." He Yiming nodded slightly; he wasn’t particularly drawn to such things and thus paid them no mind. However, He Yitian seemed genuinely intrigued. Under Yuan Lixuan's guidance, they moved toward a shop reputed to have exceptional wares. He Yiming gently asked, "Brother Yuan, does your family own a shop here?" With a slight blush, Yuan Lixuan replied, "Unfortunately, our family does not specialize in antiquities." He Yitian fished a gold ingot weighing ten taels from his pouch, "Yiming, I'm going in for a look. If you'd prefer not to follow, feel free to explore on your own. Let's regroup here in an hour." He Yiming thought for a moment, "Alright." However, he declined his brother’s offer and instead pulled out a pair of gold ingots, handing one back to He Yitian with a light laugh before strolling deeper into the street on his own. Watching his younger brother walk away, He Yitian was astonished, wondering how someone so young could be so wealthy. Little did he know, He Yiming had simply brought along what he'd acquired from Hu Bin. Most of the gifts from the four great families of the Huowu Kingdom were left with the Xie family. If He Yitian knew the full extent, he’d likely be stunned on the spot. As for the antique shops dotting this street, He Yiming held no interest. These objects, neither edible nor drinkable, baffled him with their appeal. Even his father had succumbed to such fascinations. Perhaps, at this juncture in He Yiming’s life, only the pursuit of martial excellence truly captivated him. Especially after advancing to the Xiantian realm, every time he absorbed the innate energy from the world, He Yiming had a lingering feeling that he hadn't truly reached the pinnacle. It felt as if he had merely climbed a small hill, only to realize that this hill was just the gateway to a towering mountain that soared into the clouds. This reminded him of the mountain behind the He family estate, a mountain so rich in resources that it would easily mislead most people. Yet, in reality, it was merely a small entrance to an endless, vast range stretching thousands of miles across the entire northwest region. With silent and agile steps, He Yiming leisurely strolled out of the street. But just as he was about to exit, he suddenly pivoted and walked back in, his movement so seamless that it attracted no attention. Moments ago, he had caught sight of someone—a person he vaguely recognized as Fan Haoyue, whom he had encountered upon returning from Huowu Kingdom. Seeing him instantly made He Yiming think of the Fan family, though he wasn't sure if they were indeed connected. Fan Haoyue was accompanied by two attendants, and they hurriedly proceeded to a shop, entering without hesitation. Scanning his surroundings, He Yiming made a silent and unnoticed detour, discreetly infiltrating the shop. With his strength as a Xiantian martial artist, conducting stealthy acts like this—even in broad daylight—would go largely unnoticed by others. Behind the shop extended a courtyard spanning dozens of meters, containing over ten rooms. Harnessing his true qi, He Yiming quickly discerned the tight security of the place, noting ten practitioners standing guard, one of whom was a legitimate expert at the eighth layer of inner strength. Finding such a master in a typical shop was astonishing, causing He Yiming to wonder whether this place held some hidden secret. Before long, Fan Haoyue, along with a middle-aged man, entered one of the rooms. He Yiming concentrated his attention there. Through an exchange between his true qi and the mysterious energy of the outside world, he could sense the actions and voices inside, even though he couldn't see them directly. "Second Young Master, why isn't it the Eldest Young Master visiting this time?" The middle-aged man's voice was cautious, and in He Yiming's mind's eye, an image of this man, cautiously probing, formed. He even strangely sensed the man's feelings—a sense of distrust toward Fan Haoyue, coupled with helpless resignation. Vaguely, He Yiming began to understand that within this family, the reputation of this Second Young Master was evidently not very good, whereas the Eldest Young Master was much more well-regarded. Fan Haoyue snorted, "What, do you think only my brother is a master of the Fan family, and I am not?" His voice held a cold austerity, akin to that of a dragon provoked, carrying a thread of chilling sternness. The middle-aged man's voice immediately turned reverent and frightened, "Second Young Master, heaven forbid, this old servant has never thought such a thing." "Hmph, you'd better not. If you do, wait and see how I deal with you." "Yes, yes." The middle-aged man replied in a panic, swallowing any hint of distrust. "Alright, what treasure have you received? Hurry and show it to me." Fan Haoyue demanded impatiently. Though unwilling, the middle-aged man dared not delay. The Second Young Master and the Eldest Young Master Fan Haori were both birthed from the same mother, yet they differed vastly in skills and conduct. Nevertheless, this was still the Fan family's master whom a steward like him could not oppose. Shortly thereafter, the middle-aged man carefully extracted a parcel from a box. But soon came Fan Haoyue's angry outburst, "What is this? A stone? I think you've lost your mind, calling me urgently for a mere rock." The middle-aged man felt deeply aggrieved, thinking to himself that he had hoped for the Eldest Young Master instead of this spoilt wastrel who only knew how to indulge and bully. Despite his silent resentment, he remained respectfully submissive in his tone, "Second Young Master, this item was personally delivered by Touchstone Rat." "Touchstone Rat? What kind of name is that?" The middle-aged man's face twitched awkwardly, replying, "Touchstone Rat is a nickname. He's the most renowned tomb raider in Jinlin." Fan Haoyue's eyes widened, "Are you saying this thing was stolen from a tomb?" With a forceful toss, he flung the stone aside, shaking off the bad luck with visible disdain. The middle-aged man swiftly caught the stone before it hit the ground, his complexion turning a shade of green. Indeed, anyone dealing with such a master might well feel like going mad. "Second Young Master, although Touchstone Rat is merely a grave robber, his skills have been honed over three generations and he often finds valuable items." Fan Haoyue snorted, "Oh really? Then tell me, what kind of valuable item is this?" The middle-aged man gave a wry smile, "Second Young Master, my knowledge is limited, and I can't identify it. But Touchstone Rat himself claimed he ventured into a significant burial site, surviving by the skin of his teeth to retrieve this item from the coffin top. It's said to be the only burial object inside the coffin." Fan Haoyue frowned, "So what?" The middle-aged man, smiling apologetically, said helplessly, "Normally, something like this should be the most precious item in the entire tomb." Fan Haoyue sneered, "Most precious? If Touchstone Rat only dug up a peasant's grave, of course, it would be the most valuable thing." Though the middle-aged man felt otherwise internally, he carefully responded, "Second Young Master, Touchstone Rat has been in this line for over twenty years and is a reputable name in the trade. He wouldn't ruin his reputation lightly." After a moment's hesitation, Fan Haoyue instructed, "Wrap it up. I'll take it back for someone to examine properly. If it's truly a treasure, you'll be rewarded. But if it's merely a piece of rock, watch yourself." The middle-aged man repeated his assent, sighing internally. Though the Eldest and Second Young Masters were brothers from the same womb, how could there be such a vast disparity between them? Moments later, Fan Haoyue signaled, and the two attendants who accompanied him quickly entered. Fan Haoyue pointed to one of them, asking him to carry the small bundle, and then led them out of the shop. The Second Young Master of the Fan family didn't even want to touch it. The trio exited, now carrying a seemingly inconspicuous small bundle. He Yiming hesitated for a moment, intending to leave. However, a memory surfaced of their first encounter, where Fan Haoyue attempted to seize his red spiritual horse. Though he had meted out a light punishment then, encountering him again presented an opportunity for an extra little lesson.