Ch151 – Sky Peak’s Bai Family
Lin Xuanzhi had almost used up all the materials he had on the way here, but he did have quite a bit of money leftover. After all, before leaving the Lin family, he had already sold off most of the magic treasures he had. There were still some he couldn’t bear to sell that all hung from Yan Tianhen’s body now, though Yan Tianhen knew nothing about them.
There were a total of four families holding the fort in Sky Peak City. Although the main family of Sky Peak City was the Huangfu family, these four families took turns holding power. So in another ten years, the one holding the fort may become the Feng family.
The other three families also enjoyed vast wealth and commanded an immense area of land, and were all equivalent to elite families, and could naturally match up to the Huangfu family.
Although there were other first-cla.s.s families in Middle Continent’s Sky Peak City, there was a strange custom here — all families had to attach themselves to an elite family. Although the attachment of first-cla.s.s families to the elite families wasn’t obvious, their stance and the family they got close to makes it easy for others to see through them at a glance.
However, the Bai family can be considered to be an extremely special case amongst them.
The Bai family was the most famous craftsmen family within the entire Sky Peak City, and was also the most reputable throughout the whole Five Continents’ mainlands. Just pulling out any one of their disciples would net you an incredibly precious craftsman, and it is precisely because of this that the Bai family enjoys a prestigious position in Sky Peak City. Even the three elite families dare not provoke them easily, and are bound to appear respectful whenever they meet someone from the Bai family.
The Bai family is also the only family that does not need other families to take their side. In any case, not one family would be willing to offend them.
The Shen, Feng and Huangfu families appear to maintain a balance on the surface, but in reality, they always find the other two families unpleasant. In order to divide up their territories, Sky Peak City was split into the South, North and West districts. Each district has a family that makes up a higher proportion, so tax and management for those areas falls under the jurisdiction of those families.
The Bai family has its own place in each of these areas. However, most of their presence comes from the magic treasures crafted by the Bai family, or materials related to crafting and so on.
Although the Bai family doesn’t have many businesses, each one them is incredibly renowned, and quality is preferred over quant.i.ty.
Lin Xuanzhi does have some interest in the equipment crafted by the Bai family. Coincidentally, he lacks some crafting materials as well that aren’t easy to find in a small place like Qing City. So he planned to take the chance while they were in Sky Peak City to buy more materials for use.
Each district occupied a very large area, and their paths were wide and s.p.a.cious. Buildings stood tall and lofty, and Sky Peak City’s elegance and luxury manifested itself everywhere.
Yan Tianhen sniffed, “Why can I smell the fragrance of alcohol everywhere here?”
Lin Xuanzhi smiled. “We’re in the West of Sky Peak City right now. The area here is under the jurisdiction of the Feng family. The Feng family’s Heaven and Earth Winery has its headquarters situated in the West, so naturally this place would have the style of the Feng family.”
A sudden realisation dawned upon Yan Tianhen, “So that’s why. Then Dage, why don’t we buy some alcohol on the way later? We can taste it to see how it differs from the alcohol in Qing City.”
Lin Xuanzhi laughed. “Little gluttonous cat.”
Yan Tianhen licked the corners of his mouth and had a longing look on his face. “But I can’t help it, cause the wine drank from the wine cups Dage made is really too delicious.”
Yan Tianhen stared at Lin Xuanzhi with pitiful little eyes and acted all coquettish. “Buy ma, buy ma.”
Lin Xuanzhi pinched Yan Tianhen’s cheeks and smiled. “Ok ok ok, Dage will buy whatever Ah Hen wants.”
Yan Tianhen cheered, “Dage’s the best!”
Lin Xuanzhi’s heart turned soft.
Not long after, the two of them went to the biggest material shop in the West side’s commercial area — Hundred Treasures Pavillion.
After entering, all kinds of materials entered their line of sight and a.s.saulted their senses, such that it was too much for Lin Xuanzhi to take in all at once.
There were quite a few people gathered inside. Upon closer inspection, there were even a few young masters that they had deceived into attacking the city yesterday.
Lin Xuanzhi raised an eyebrow and stood behind the crowd.
A well-dressed middle-aged man stood on the platform right at the front, and there were a lot of materials used for crafting wares behind him. Each and everyone of those materials were excellent, but no one has ever seen them before.
Lin Xuanzhi narrowed his eyes and started planning.
“All my fellow friends that have come from afar, as well as the old friends of Sky Peak City, let me introduce myself. My name is Bai Ying, and I’m the person-in-charge of the Bai Family’s Chamber of Commerce. Everyone can just call me Boss Bai.” Bai Ying grinned as he swept a glance over the crowd below, “I’m sure everyone knows that everything that comes out from the Bai family’s Hundred Treasures Pavilion, whether they are materials for crafting or crafted magic treasures, would be of a guaranteed standard. In order to express the importance our Bai family places on the Hundred Families Gathering, as well as the welcome we would like to extend to everyone, from today onwards, on the Shen hour (3-5pm) every day for the next three days, we will hold Treasure Appraisal Conventions in the West, South, and North respectively.”
Someone asked in a loud voice, “Boss Bai, what kind of treasures will be appraised at the Treasure Appraisal Conventions?”
Boss Bai laughed, “The crafting materials behind me right now.”
Everyone’s gazes s.h.i.+fted towards the materials.
“Why is it that I’ve never seen those materials before?”
“Yeah. I’m a craftsman too, but I’ve never seen those materials before as well, even in books.”
“Boss Bai, where did these treasures come from?”
“I’ve never even seen one of them though I’ve travelled all over the Five Continets.”
“I don’t think they’re anything ordinary.”
The crowd spoke one after another. Boss Bai squinted in satisfaction and looked at the crowd people, “These materials are all rare crafting materials. Many of them are treasures of the Bai family, so it’s normal for everyone to not recognise them.”
The audience immediately sighed with admiration.
Throughout the entire Five Continents, only the Bai family could have such inside information ba.
What does the Bai family want to do by taking out these treasures?
“I’ve never seen any of these items in the Bai family’s Hundred Treasures Pavillion.”
“Looks like the Bai family is really putting out a lot of hard-earned money for this Hundred Families Gathering.”
When a young master heard the hums of discussion around him, he said somewhat discontented, “Stop talking and listen to Boss Bai announce how the Treasure Appraisal Convention will be held first.”
Bai Ying stood with his hands behind his back calmly and raised his voice, “As its name implies, the Treasure Appraisal Convention is for everyone to appraise these materials. However, that is merely the first step.”
“There’s still a second step?”
“Of course.” Bai Ying said, “Although these materials are rare, people from our Bai family have already used these materials to craft magic treasures. There are attacking tools, defensive tools, as well as auxiliary tools. When the compet.i.tion officially begins, we will take out the magic treasures crafted from these materials to let everyone guess what kind of materials the magic treasures were crafted from.”
“Ha— that’s too difficult ba?!”
“Yeah. If we don’t even recognise the materials, how would we be able to guess the magic treasures’ materials!”
“Aren’t the materials used to craft a magic treasure supposed to be a secret?”
“Yeah. Isn’t the sincerity of the Bai family too lacking in that case?”
“No one will be able to guess it right ba.”
Boss Bai didn’t get angry, and just smiled, “That’s not necessarily true. Aside from these materials and magic treasures, we’ll release a lot of common materials as well for everyone to appraise. These treasures would then have to wait for the people they are fated for.”
“Then what would be the prize be if we guessed it right?” That was what everyone was most concerned about.
Boss Bai said, “If you were to guess it right, you can take the material. If you can guess the crafting materials for the magic treasure, then that magic treasure will be given to you for free!”
Everyone sucked in a breath of cold air. Within a moment, voices rose and fell in succession. This was a lot of money!
“No wonder the Bai family is an elite family, it really is extraordinary when it comes to spending money.”
This Bai family was really conceited to the extreme. Giving out these materials that were of the earth-level as a reward so straightforwardly was only because they were absolutely certain that no one in the entire Five Continents’ mainlands would be able to guess even just one of those materials.
After Lin Xuanzhi saw those materials, he had to admit that the words of the Bai family, that had a solid turnover, were not unreasonable.
After all, if it wasn’t because he had spent a whole thousand years in his past life following Soul Plate to travel everywhere and see all sorts of things, and was also a craftsman, then he definitely would not be able to recognise even one of the materials that the Bai family had taken out.
Lin Xuanzhi laughed heartily. When Yan Tianhen saw this, he couldn’t help but start laughing as well.
“Dage, the materials here shouldn’t be a problem for you ba?” Yan Tianhen blinked, his clever self seeing through Lin Xuanzhi’s thoughts.
Lin Xuanzhi looked at the materials and said, “Ah Hen, we can go take a look around other places now. Let’s come to the Bai family in the afternoon to collect some treasures.”
Yan Tianhen grinned from ear to ear and clapped. “Dage’s so amazing! I just knew that these materials would be a piece of cake for Dage!”
Lin Xuanzhi smiled and shook his head, “I’m not that amazing. There are a few items amongst them that I can’t recognise, but–”
“But what?” Yan Tianhen asked.
“But, I can more or less guess them.” Lin Xuanzhi said with a smile.
Yan Tianhen, “…”
He suddenly felt a little sympathy for the Bai family, which was about to suffer a calamity. After listening to Lin Xuanzhi say that, when Yan Tianhen once again looked at Boss Bai, who had a radiant and warm smile on his face as he accepted everyone’s flattery, he couldn’t help but reveal a sympathetic look.
He lit a candle for the Bai family who had been targeted by his Dage. But for Yan Tianhen and Lin Xuanzhi themselves, this was a piece of meat pie that had fallen from the sky!
Lin Xuanzhi wanted to buy some materials from the Hundred Treasures Pavillion at first, but now he thought that he could save that money, so he quickly left the place with Yan Tianhen.
Not long after leaving, Soul Bead, that hadn’t spoken in a long time, suddenly spoke.
“When you said that you could recognise most of the materials, were you just fooling your younger brother, or is that truly the case?”
Lin Xuanzhi said, “I naturally wouldn’t fool my younger brother so casually.”
Soul Bead said in surprise,“But most of those materials don’t even exist within the Five Continents’ mainlands, and there are even two that are ancient plants. How could a kid like you possibly have that kind of knowledge?”
Lin Xuanzhi smiled inwardly and said profoundly, “Even if I don’t recognise them, I know you do.”
Soul Bead, “…”
Lin Xuanzhi said with a smile, “So it’s all up to you for the next few days.”
Soul Bead instantly didn’t know whether to cry or laugh and cursed, “You brat! You’re more scheming than a hornet’s nest, you actually want Benzun to help you cheat?!”
“How could this be considered cheating? At most, it should be just called a collaboration ba.” Lin Xuanzhi was calm as he said unhurriedly, “After all, if I were to obtain those treasures, I’ll be able to get you your forged stones.”
The Soul Bead fell silent.
Lin Xuanzhi raised an eyebrow, “So? Would you like to collaborate?”
Soul Bead snorted coldly. “Benzun hates seeing opportunistic people like you the most.”
“So?”
“So, we’ll stop when it’s more or less enough. Benzun will only tell you the names of three materials at most. Otherwise, if you get targeted, Benzun won’t be able to save you.” After the Soul Bead spoke, he snorted again and disappeared.