Li Xue at the Auction House

A few hours later, around Noon;

Li Xue and her father, Li Yujin, arrived at the entrance of Beiling City Auction House.

Servants and guards flanked the gates, but parted immediately when they recognized the insignia on Li Yujin's robe.

Just as they were about to enter, as if remembered something, Li Yujin stopped and turned to his daughter.

"I'll leave you here for now," he said, his voice low. "Just be done with the business and return."

Li Xue gave a firm nod, although there was a faint discomfort on her face. "Yeah, I will."

Without another word, Li Yujin turned and departed down the marble steps, leaving her to enter the building.

Inside, the auction house was bustling.

Scribes scurried between podiums, announcing new bids and showcasing rare items.

She was met quickly by a middle-aged woman in dark silk robes. Her demeanor was crisp and professional.

"Lady Xue," she said with a respectful bow, "I am Xi Zhi, the house manager. I was informed of your visit. You're here regarding the Weeping Guanyin, correct?"

"Yes," Li Xue replied, her tone cool but firm. "I want to know if it truly appeared here. If it is, I would like to take it with me."

Xi Zhi nodded. "It did. Please, follow me. I'll show you the holding chamber."

As they began to walk deeper into the auction house, past crowds of minor nobles, mercenaries, and cultivators browsing the wares, curious glances followed Li Xue. Her white robes and delicate phoenix hairpin were enough to draw attention, but it was her poise that held them away from approaching her.

They were just passing a display of spirit-bound weaponry when a voice called out.

"Li Xue?"

Li Xue paused mid-step. Her spine straightened subtly. She turned slowly as the edge of her jaw tightened, gazing at the person who called him. "Hmm? You?"

Standing a few paces away in a striking crimson dress was Su Wan'er, the heiress of the Su Clan and her long-time self-proclaimed rival, although in the eyes of Li Xue, she is like a sour grape, always present at the edge of every gathering, trying to outshine Li Xue with louder laughter and flashier robes.

"Well, well. What a surprise," Su Wan'er said as she sauntered over, her fan tapping against her palm. "You're out so soon? I heard you got married just yesterday and thought you would be at home with sore muscles and all. I guess nothing happened yesterday, huh?"

Li Xue didn't reply immediately. Her eyes narrowed slightly, lips pressing together in a neutral line. She spoke one word, low and flat.

"Su Wan'er."

"So formal," Wan'er chuckled. "Don't tell me you're here to buy something for your charming husband? Considering the stories I've heard, he'll need some protection. Defensive talismans, maybe? A hundred of them? For someone like him, that still might not be enough."

The sarcasm in her voice was sharp, but laced with the sweetness of someone used to speaking in veils and barbs.

Around them, a few nearby onlookers turned to eavesdrop.

Li Xue's fingers curled slightly at her side, nails pressing into her palm, but she didn't rise to it. Her gaze remained calm. "Before you worry about my husband," she said, "you should focus on your own cultivation. It's been two years, and you're still stuck at fifth rank."

Su Wan'er's smirk faltered. Her jaw tightened as if Li Xue rubbed the salt on her wound. "You!"

But Li Xue had already turned her attention away, looking back at Xi Zhi. "Let's go," she said coolly.

Xi Zhi nodded at once and resumed walking, clearly uninterested in becoming part of the rivalry.

Su Wan'er stood still, fists clenched at her side, watching the back of the girl she couldn't quite surpass, no matter how hard she tried. Her lips moved in a quiet murmur, a whisper more bitter than venom. "One of these days, I'll definitely surpass you."

After weaving through the labyrinthine corridors of the auction house, where noise faded and the air grew cooler, Li Xue and Xi Zhi finally arrived before a sealed bronze door.

A pair of elite guards stood on either side, motionless, like statues.

Without needing a word, Xi Zhi produced a token and pressed it to a glowing sigil on the door.

A deep hum echoed through the walls before the barrier dissolved smoothly.

Inside, the room felt more like a sanctum than a vault.

Lit by soft, floating orbs, the walls were lined with rows of artifact cases enclosed in formation barriers.

Each one was labeled in fine calligraphy and surrounded by threads of protective light.

Unlike the public display hall outside, there were no crowds here. Just pure silence.

Xi Zhi gestured with a slight flourish.

"As you know, unlike the main hall, where artifacts are sold at fixed prices like in a merchant's stall, these here are reserved strictly for auction, special items, rare items," she said as they walked. "Exceptions are made, of course… especially for the Li Clan, rulers of Beiling City."

She turned slightly, casting her a cautious glance.

"But are you certain you wish to take Weeping Guanyin's Tear? There are finer treasures in this vault. You only get to choose once per year, under our agreement with your clan. If I may be honest, Lady Li, I think the choice is a bit… of a waste."

Li Xue kept her gaze forward and said calmly. "It's my father's order.- Neither you nor I is allowed to question it."

Xi Zhi gave a small nod. "Of course. Then this way."

She led her toward the center of the room, where a solitary pedestal stood beneath a dome of light.

Upon it rested a statue carved of white jade, its surface so smooth it looked almost wet.

The figure's face was that of a woman in eternal mourning: hollow-eyed, her mouth slightly parted in grief. It was as large as a normal figure, and its posture looked a bit creepy, as though it were real.

From the mouth of the statue, embedded just inside the lips, rested a lemon-sized object. Xi Zhi reached in with gloved hands and gently extracted it.

"Here it is," she said, placing the object onto a small velvet-lined tray. "Inside lies the Weeping Guanyin's Tear. Base price, forty thousand taels."

Li Xue opened the object with a soft click and saw liquid, thick like liquid silver but translucent in color. She could sense the restorative powers within that liquid. She closed it.

Then, she reached into her storage ring and retrieved four small, black objects. They were shaped like smooth saddles, each the size of a baby's palm.

"Oh, Adamantine taels," Xi Zhi's eyes glistened at the sight. Each one weighs roughly one hundred and fifty grams. Ten thousand taels' worth per piece.

Basically, the world's economy revolves around a structured hierarchy of currencies. There are four major types of currency, each with increasing value, rarity, and access:

1. Bronze Coins

The most common form of currency, used in daily transactions by the common folk. Each bronze coin is the baseline and is equivalent to 1 tael.

Often strung together through a hole at the center, used to buy food, daily goods, or low-tier services.

2. Silver ingots

Silver currency comes in two forms and is shaped like small, curved boats, an aesthetic inherited from older dynasties.

Small silver ingot (approx. 150 grams) = 5 taels

Large silver ingot (approx. 300 grams) = 10 taels

Silver is the standard for merchants and middle-class dealings, frequently used in trade caravans, equipment purchases, and even minor cultivation resources.

3. Gold Ingots

Gold serves as high-value currency, typically used for large transactions, political bribes, artifact purchases, and trade between noble houses.

It comes in two prominent shapes: flat bricks and saddle-shaped ingots. And three forms.

Small gold ingot = 100 taels

Large gold ingot = 500 taels

Gold brick = 10,000 taels

Gold is widely accepted but typically held by wealthier clans, auction houses, and higher-ranked officials.

4. Adamantine Taels

The rarest and most strictly controlled form of currency. Forged with adamantium, aka the metal of celestials, adamantine taels are not only next to impossible to counterfeit but also symbolically tied to nobility and the imperial bloodline.

This comes in three sizes.

Small adamantine tael = 10,000 taels

Large adamantine tael = 100,000 taels

Adamantine brick = 5,000,000 taels

Only noble families and high-ranking sects are granted the right to legally possess or trade in adamantine taels. Possession without status is grounds for heavy investigation, or in some regions, immediate arrest.

In general, while silver keeps the markets moving and gold opens doors, adamantine taels command silence, obedience, and respect.

It's rare to see those adamantine taels.

They were as precious as treasures, and Xi Zhi, despite being the house manager for years, rarely got to see them. She couldn't help but stare at the saddle-shaped adamantine taels in her hands.

Meanwhile, Li Xue's gaze was on the lemon-sized object, filled with deep thoughts.

A mini Li Xue was in her head, jumping in excitement. "With this, my hubby will finally become a cultivator. I wonder what his reaction will be when I get this to him." She couldn't help fantasize as she gave it to him and he grabbed her hands, feeling touched, and then, both of them stared into each other's eyes. They embrace and kiss and…

"Lady Li… Lady Li…" Xi Zhi called her a couple of times, bringing her back to reality.

"Eh?"

"Are you alright? You were all red…"

Li Xue blushed even more for a second. She cleared her throat, returning to her usual calm and cold demeanor. "Nothing. Now that my business is done, I shall return."

Meanwhile, back at the Li residence, Alex sat in a lotus position on the floor of his room. His brows were furrowed, sweat glistening at his temples.

Across from him, Roulan sat cross-legged as well, both of her palms placed gently over his. A thin thread of translucent light, her Qi, pulsed between them.

Roulan's face was focused, but not hopeful.