Selling at a Reasonable Price

In the world of cultivation, while it may not be overflowing with cultivators, there is still a significant number of them. Within this world, there exist various cultivation sects and numerous cultivation families, big and small.

The young girl had an extraordinary aura about her, a distinct air of elegance that marked her as anything but an ordinary person. It seemed she had embarked on the path of cultivation.

For ordinary people, cultivators often looked down upon them, rarely showing kindness. The girl's polite demeanor surprised Li Jiudao.

"Just now, I played a tune casually. If it disturbed the lady's ears in any way, I apologize," Li Jiudao said courteously.

The girl, Xia Yan, was taken aback, jumping in her seat, startled.

What did he mean by disturbing her ears? Was he joking with her?

A subtle twitch at the corner of Li Jiudao's mouth revealed his amusement. The girl was undeniably beautiful, but there seemed to be something peculiar about her. Why did she suddenly shiver like that?

"Senior?" Li Jiudao was momentarily confused, realizing that the girl had just referred to him as "Senior."

How had he become a senior? Such an appellation was reserved for powerful cultivators, but he was just an ordinary human.

"Is it inappropriate to address you as 'Senior'?" Xia Yan noticed Li Jiudao's expression change and quickly grew anxious, thinking she might have offended the powerful cultivator by using that title.

"I'm just an ordinary human; how could I allow someone to call me 'Senior'? You're too kind, Miss," Li Jiudao replied self-deprecatingly. Cultivation had been his dream, but he lacked the aptitude for it, making it impossible for him to cultivate.

"An ordinary person?" Xia Yan was close to tears. If he considered himself an ordinary person, what did that make her? Perhaps she was a complete failure!

She couldn't afford to mess things up any further.

"I've loved playing the zither since I was young, and when I heard Senior's music, I couldn't help but feel inferior. In the art of playing the zither, you are undoubtedly a senior," Xia Yan explained.

"I see," Li Jiudao suddenly realized. No wonder this young girl, who was clearly a cultivator, had been so polite. It turned out she had a passion for playing the zither.

He smiled and said, "If that's the case, I suppose I can accept the title 'Senior.'"

He was indeed proud of his zither skills. His "Transcendent Zither Mastery" was well-deserved.

Seeing Li Jiudao's smile, Xia Yan also felt relieved. She had managed not to mess things up and had even gained some favor in the powerful cultivator's eyes.

Back at the palace, she had heard stories from the palace's strongmen about how some extraordinary cultivators liked to pretend to be ordinary and wander the mortal realm. It seemed that today, she had encountered one of these extraordinary beings.

"Princess, there you are! I had a hard time finding you!" A young woman in a blue dress rushed in, panting for breath.

She was Xia Yan's handmaid, who had come to Qingshan City with her. She hadn't ventured far from their lodgings and had been captivated by the city's hustle and bustle. By the time she realized it, Xia Yan had disappeared.

"Princess?" Li Jiudao's expression changed slightly. He hadn't expected Xia Yan's status to be so extraordinary—a princess of a nation.

The Taihua Sect was truly powerful if even a princess sought entry for cultivation.

"Xiaolan, please behave and don't forget your manners in front of Senior," Xia Yan whispered, afraid that Xiaolan might ruin everything.

"Senior?" Xiaolan widened her eyes in disbelief, staring at Li Jiudao. He looked just like any other ordinary person, and she couldn't sense any spiritual energy from him. Was he really a senior in cultivation?

"Don't be mistaken. Your princess likes to play the zither, and I have some accomplishments in the realm of music. That's why your princess addresses me as 'Senior,'" Li Jiudao explained with a smile.

"Princess, when did you start enjoying playing the zither? I never knew! Weren't you always disinterested in such things? You even smashed the ancient zither His Majesty gave you, saying you had no patience for playing it," Xiaolan said with a puzzled expression.

Xia Yan's forehead was drenched in cold sweat. She had smashed the ancient zither when she had been arguing with her father, the emperor. She hadn't expected Xiaolan to bring it up.

"Oh, I see. So, when His Majesty and the princess weren't on good terms, it was because of an argument," Xiaolan commented casually, not dwelling on the matter.

Xia Yan was relieved that Xiaolan didn't dig deeper into the issue. She had spoiled Xiaolan and never treated her as just a handmaid; their relationship was more like sisters.

"Do you know how to appreciate these things? They are so beautiful!" Xiaolan exclaimed, noticing the jade pendants on the table. She reached out and picked one up to examine it.

One of the jade pendants featured a carved miniature lion, so lifelike that it seemed to come to life. Each detail was precise and exquisite, a true work of art.

"Please be careful!" Xia Yan exclaimed, alarmed. Xiaolan had taken a priceless treasure of a jade pendant without hesitation. 

She had sensed the tremendous power emanating from these jade pendants. Each one was a priceless artifact, surpassing even their nation's cherished Imperial Jade Seal.

"These... are they for sale?" Xia Yan's voice trembled. She realized that these jade pendants, if sold, could cause a major uproar and attract countless people's attention. What had she gotten herself into?