Chapter Ninety-Seven: The Wind and Cloud Guard

The journey was bumpy and uneventful. After a long while, the carriage finally came to a halt.

As Luo Tian climbed down, he glanced at it and saw that the carriage had actually been drawn by a second-tier demonic beast, the Great-Hoofed Horse. By rank alone, it was equivalent to a human cultivator at the Qi Gathering stage.

So extravagant?

A chill ran through Luo Tian, and he suddenly felt a little sour inside.

“This kind of carriage is rather expensive. Only cultivators at the Core Realm can usually afford to ride in one,” Liu Neng said, seeming to be in a good mood. Noticing where Luo Tian’s attention had fallen, he casually tossed out a gold ingot. That was worth fifty gold coins; if one chose the most ordinary carriage, a single gold coin would have been enough.

“Greetings, Elder Liu!”

The place where they disembarked was a shop called the Divine Sun Trading House. The clerk inside had already reported the arrival of a guest to the person in charge. Hearing that the visitor had come in a Great-Hoofed Horse carriage, the manager did not dare be negligent. The moment he reached the door and saw that it was an elder of his own sect, his tone and manner became even more attentive.

“Shen Xing, how has business been lately?”

Liu Neng led Luo Tian into the shop with great decisiveness. Seeing the empty main hall, he did not care in the slightest; after all, the outside trade was handled by the Shen family.

Luo Tian stepped through the door and looked around. The shop was not large, only a few dozen square meters. Several shelves were packed with pills and magical treasures, but without any customers inside, it looked rather desolate.

Aside from Shen Xing, who was speaking with Liu Neng, there was only one outer-sect disciple dressed in ordinary clothes.

Shen Xing looked to be in his thirties. His figure and features were unremarkable. Apart from the faint arrogance common to members of the Shen family, there was also a certain laziness in his expression. However, when he looked at Luo Tian, he unconsciously revealed a trace of contempt and disdain.

“Replying to Elder Liu, you know how it is on Blackstone Road. Not only do our five great sects have shops here, but some other family powers do as well. The competition is fierce.”

Shen Xing was direct enough, producing in just a few words a reason that could not easily be refuted.

“Mm. First have someone take Luo Tian around and familiarize him with the basic situation in the city. I have something to tell you.”

Liu Neng nodded, then gestured to Luo Tian.

“Yang Hui, take Senior Brother Luo out for now. He’ll be taking over Shen Lin’s former duties, so explain things to him properly.”

“Yes.”

Yang Hui answered eagerly, then said in a low voice, “Senior Brother Luo, please follow me!”

“Then I’ll trouble you, Junior Brother Yang.”

Luo Tian answered indifferently and followed Yang Hui out. Since he was already here, he might as well see what Liu Neng was up to, and take the chance to look around Windward City as well.

“Elder Liu, this Luo Tian—”

Shen Xing considered it for a moment. Seeing that only he and Liu Neng remained in the shop, he still decided to ask clearly. “What sort of person is he, to be worthy of Elder Liu personally bringing him here?”

Usually, when the shop was short of staff, disciples were simply urged to hurry over themselves. Yet Luo Tian, for reasons unknown, had managed to have an elder escort him personally.

If nothing unexpected had happened, Liu Neng should still have something to instruct him about.

“Shen Xing, this is an outer-sect disciple the Sect Master values very highly. Although he has not been in the sect long, not even three years, he has already reached the ninth refinement of the Qi Gathering stage. This time he was sent here so he could broaden his horizons. He will stay for half a month, then leave. By then, another Shen family disciple will come to help you.”

Liu Neng had long since prepared a reason on the way, and now he gave it casually, without hesitation.

Even so, he was deeply displeased in his heart. By his own thinking, he ought to have simply sent Luo Tian off to guard mines or watch over medicine fields—anything would have done. Why had he been forced to personally deliver him all the way to Windward City?

But the Sect Master’s concern did make sense. Such guarding assignments were not only far away and harsh in conditions, but once assigned, they often lasted for quite some time. Unless one volunteered, it was difficult to endure them. In the past, there had been no shortage of people who stayed a while and then ran off. If the Seventh Prince asked for him and the man was gone, it would be impossible to account for.

“Then, Elder Liu, as for the usual work...”

Shen Xing blinked a few times. He did not care about the rest. But if Luo Tian were to meddle in the shop’s operations, how would he keep slipping money into his own storage pouch?

“If he has business and goes out, then leave him be. The regular work can be arranged according to circumstances. The main purpose is training. There is no need for him to do too much labor.”

Liu Neng was not sending Luo Tian here to properly buy and sell goods anyway. In his view, this was simply a chance for Luo Tian to enjoy himself for half a month.

In any case, Luo Tian could not be allowed to remain in the sect for these fifteen days. As for what came after that, the Sect Master would naturally arrange it.

The best outcome would be to send this fellow away as soon as possible, and as far as possible.

Shen Xing immediately relaxed. As long as Luo Tian did not compete with him for money, everything was fine. When he spoke, his tone was full of enthusiasm. “Please rest assured, Elder Liu. Leave everything to me!”

“Senior Brother Luo, our shop usually does not have too much to do. Uncle Shen, as the main person in charge, handles the matters we cannot deal with ourselves.”

Yang Hui led the way. Because he could not gauge Luo Tian’s background, and because an elder had personally delivered him here, his tone became increasingly respectful. “I am responsible for the daily buying and selling of ordinary goods. As for you, Senior Brother Luo, you will take over from Uncle Shen Lin. If there are items to be auctioned, they are sent to the Windward Auction House. And when you have time, you can also go out and look around more. If you find any buried treasure neglected like dust, just buy it directly.”

The streets were crowded with pedestrians. This area was considered one of the more prosperous commercial districts. There were not only shops and auction houses, but even small street stalls set up outside. Thus the flow of people never ceased, and the place bustled with lively movement.

Fortunately, the roads were wide. Although there were many people, it did not seem cramped.

Picking up bargains, auctioning items?

Luo Tian quickly came back to himself. These two tasks were not simple, though they were not especially troublesome either. It all depended on how they were evaluated.

As for auctioning items, once something was handed to the auction house, he did not get to decide how much it would sell for. And as for picking up bargains, that was even more uncertain. You could not simply decide to find a bargain and then find one.

“How are these two tasks assessed?” Luo Tian asked. He needed at least some sense of the matter.

“The sect does not have any hard rule for it. Your work in these two areas will not be assessed separately; it will all be counted into the shop’s overall revenue.”

Yang Hui curled his lip, clearly aware that this was an easy position.

Luo Tian was somewhat speechless. Liu Neng was, after all, an elder, and had personally sent him here for a vacation?

“Up ahead on this road is the Windward Auction House. Senior Brother Luo, remember its exact location. If there are any treasures in the future, we’ll have to trouble you to make a trip here!”

Yang Hui pointed it out to Luo Tian.

It was a dome-shaped building more than twenty meters high. The lower half was square and solid, while the upper portion looked as though a hemisphere had been set atop it. The whole structure flowed with violet light, lending it an added air of luxury.

“It does have a grand presence.”

Luo Tian answered half-heartedly.

If one were speaking strictly of aura, this auction house was not especially remarkable. It was simply that this was Luo Tian’s first time in Windward City, and he could not quite determine Liu Neng’s true purpose. If he showed any unusual reaction now, it would be difficult to explain.

“This auction house is truly rich. Just the hall below, where they sell rare materials, earns a fortune every single day. As for the auctions upstairs, most of the items are traded directly for spirit stones!”

Yang Hui said enviously, “Though if you’re talking about true grandeur, the City Lord’s Manor ranks first!”

Traded with spirit stones?

Luo Tian’s heart gave a small jolt. “How much is one spirit stone worth in gold coins?”

“The normal exchange rate is one hundred thousand gold coins. But even with money, you often cannot buy one. Which Core Realm cultivator lacks money?”

Yang Hui seemed quite familiar with the situation. “Oh, right, Senior Brother Luo, there are also some weapon-forging shops here. Some are only average, but some are incredibly skilled and can even make custom pieces to fit you exactly!”

Weapon-forging shops?

Luo Tian’s eyes lit up at once.

That broken jade sword was a good thing, but it was far too conspicuous. He would not dare reveal it before his fellow sect members. If someone could modify it, that would naturally be best.

More than that, from the bottom of his heart, Luo Tian did not particularly like sword weapons. It was only that swords were the most common, and their prices were relatively transparent, which made them convenient.

But now Luo Tian had a chance to leave the sect and see the wider world, and he also had quite a few resources on hand. That meant he now had the conditions and the capital to choose a more suitable weapon.

“Everyone ahead, make way. The Wind and Cloud Guard is training!”

At that moment, a thunderous shout came from not far away, heavy and booming, as though it rang directly beside one’s ear.

The pedestrians nearby who heard it instantly stopped bartering, and those strolling about hurriedly pressed toward the roadside. In no time at all, the widest part of the road had been cleared.

“Senior Brother Luo, move quickly!”

Hearing that voice, Yang Hui also startled and immediately grabbed Luo Tian’s arm, taking several quick steps toward the roadside. “This is your first time in Windward City, Senior Brother Luo, yes? The Wind and Cloud Guard is not to be trifled with. When you see them, be sure to stay out of their way. Otherwise, even if you suffer a loss, the sect will not be able to step in on your behalf!”