Precious Jade Palace

"I'm getting worried about our children, especially our daughter," Shu Ling told her husband.

It had almost been a week since Qai and Shu Liang left the plateau. And Shu Ling, who always acted more like a mother than a cultivator, knew well about the attitude of her two young children.

By now, Qai would be around twelve years of age while Shu Liang would be around fifteen.

Qai was obviously the one looking like a genius in terms of cultivation level and the more intelligent between the two even with the age disparity. But because of the reckless attitude of Shu Liang, Shu Ling was more worried about the elder child.

"Ha ha," Shu Wei casually replied. "Those two are fish bound to be in the ocean."

In the eyes of Shu Wei, the two were the real future of the Shu family so they should not restrict their progress.

And in a world where the strong prey on the weak, cultivators could not afford to worry. Fights and battles unavoidably occurred here and there so much so that news of deaths or accidents were like a natural thing.

So for Shu Wei, who obviously had a lot of confidence on his children, he could only look forward to their successful return.

Same with the rest of the members of 'The Hunters' Plateau,' they simply worked harder in anticipation of their return.

They started to stock more cores and herbs and concocted loads of cultivation and medicinal pills and diligently strived to advance in their levels because they were aware that Qai and Shu Liang would be back way stronger than them.

***************

Qai and Shu Liang were again accompanied by Mo Shui who took them to walk around Jiang City and had some tea in a famous inn before they went to the auction house.

The auction place was called 'Precious Jade Palace.'

Inside the building, there were plenty of seats allotted to guests but the most noticeable was the handful balconies slightly covered with silk which was obviously reserved for renowned cultivators in the area.

Unfortunately, Mo Shui could not afford to bring them in such spot. It would have been different though had they been accompanied by the Mo Clan patriarch himself.

"We're not here to bid," Qai reminded his big sister. "We're here only to observe unless really favorable and advantageous."

Shu Liang did not need to show her wooden insignia of the Hundred Treasure Pavilion as Mo Shui's presence was enough to get them a fair seat in the place.

The three were just in time to take their seats as the first item for auction was about to be presented.

The entire auction was hosted by a female cultivator who was stunning with her almost-bare furry clothing.

And with one strike of the mallet, the auction officially started.

'Whaaam.'

The first item was a set of inner clothing especially crafted from Earth stage Sage realm demonic beast hide of Earth elemental affinity which undoubtedly made the armor valuable.

Such armors were basically worn inside the robes in order to doubly strengthen the defensive ability of cultivators.

It was obviously Qai and Shu Liang's first time to see such level of armor as shown by their jaws dropped in amazement.

They had been used to fighting in the backwater side of the region wearing the basic armors and robes they normally got from their spoils—and at most, those were probably made of demonic beast hides in the Expert realm.

And even assuming that they had encountered cultivators wearing one such as the emperors, sect or clan disciples they had already met, the two could probably had not known they were actually wearing one.

That was understandable since inner armors were, as the name suggested, hidden from the naked eyes.

'I wonder if Su Yu will be able to craft such item,' Qai thought.

And as agreed, even if the siblings were already salivating at the sight of the set of inner armors, they tried to control their greedy emotions and did not attempt to bid.

"Sold!"

'Whaaam.'

It only took a mere minute and the first item was sold for three thousand gold coins.

"It's an elder from Du Clan," Mo Shui whispered.

The Shu siblings looked into each other and instantly remembered the familiar surname. It was one of the big clans who participated in the bandit extermination event.

"He would probably give it to one of his favored disciples," Mo Shui quickly added.

She came to such conclusion since the armor does not suit the elder's level who was probably at the half-step emperor realm; and that such incident was nothing new within a sect or a clan.

The two simply nodded and quickly understood what Mo Shui meant.

And after few breaths, the second item was thereafter presented.

It was a demonic beast core of an emperor level with Wood element—and it was an item specifically demanded for either concocting a pill or more especially for forging a skill.

'Whaaam.'

It was quickly sold to renowned minor sect.

And after probably after an hour, the moment for the final item had come.

"May I have your attention please," the female host said with a gesture evidently trying to silence the crowd.

'Whaaam.'