The Four Associations

Aboard the cloud boat, Shi Yu looked at the Xie Clan Auction House from afar. The imposing, ancient structure featured upturned eaves and carved rafters, resembling a magnificent palace.

In front of the auction house lay a vast plaza paved with Jade Clarity Stone. High atop a central flagpole, a giant banner emblazoned with a family crest fluttered in the wind.

Looking at the flag, Shi Yu felt for some reason that the insignia painted on it looked strangely familiar.

After a moment's hesitation, she retrieved a jade token from the Fate-Tapping Bell—the very gift Xie Cheng had given her as a token of gratitude.

Comparing the two, the pattern on the token matched the one on the banner exactly.

When Xie Cheng had presented her with the token, he mentioned that she would understand its purpose once she reached the main city. Afterward, Shi Yu had been caught up in so many matters that she tossed it into the Fate-Tapping Bell and largely forgot about it.

Xie Cheng, Xie Zhixun... Did the two of them come from the prominent Xie Clan?

That was hardly surprising; from how they carried themselves, their backgrounds were clearly extraordinary.

She held the token out to Wen Wen beside her. “Sister Wen, do you recognize this item?”

Wen Wen took it and froze upon getting a clear look. “Th-this is a Xie Clan guest token, and one of a rather high rank at that.”

Hearing this, the others nearby perked up their ears and turned their gazes toward them.

Master Ji let out a surprised “Hoh?” and raised an eyebrow.

Shi Yu blinked. “Does it serve any purpose?”

“...” Wen Wen choked for a second, then said, “With this token, you can naturally attend the auction as you please.”

Shi Yu frowned slightly. Her immediate thought was: If I'd known, I wouldn't have bothered taking that certification exam.

Hearing this, Master Ji flared up, his beard bristling and eyes widening. “What do you mean, 'wouldn't have bothered'! Is the identity token of our Alchemist Association not far more precious than this piece of junk?”

Realizing she had misspoke, Shi Yu quickly apologized and pleaded for mercy as she watched Master Ji fume.

Wen Wen chuckled softly and added, “With this token in hand, Miss Shi, you can enjoy discounts on purchases at any merchant house under the Xie Clan. If you wish to consign items at the Xie Clan Auction House, the commission fee will also be substantially reduced.”

Saying this, she looked at Shi Yu with a peculiar gaze.

Who knew what kind of fortuitous encounter Miss Shi had experienced to obtain a VIP guest token? Furthermore, among the five ranks of VIP tokens, this was the second-highest tier. That was truly remarkable...

The three members of the Zhou family felt only that Shi Yu was full of hidden depth, constantly exceeding their expectations.

“That does sound quite practical.” Shi Yu tucked the token away, her thoughts returning to Xie Cheng and Xie Zhixun.

Now that she confirmed both belonged to the prominent Xie Clan, Shi Yu had no intention of seeking them out for a visit. They had merely crossed paths by chance; whether their paths crossed again in the future depended entirely on fate.

It was just that the three of them had parted ways that day using Spirit Wandering Talismans, and the three Wu brothers had chased them separately. She wondered how Xie Cheng and Xie Zhixun had fared afterward and whether they had managed to turn danger into safety.

So Shi Yu asked one more question, “Sister Wen, do you happen to know of Xie Cheng and Xie Zhixun?”

Wen Wen smiled. “Of course I do. Xie Zhixun hails from the direct lineage of the Xie family—he is the direct grandson of the current Xie family head. Word has it that he had been recuperating away from home due to poor health and was only brought back recently.”

In that case, the two must have ultimately escaped their pursuers and returned safely.

Shi Yu asked no further questions. “Thank you for clearing that up, Sister Wen.”

As they talked, the cloud boat arrived above the plaza.

Master Ji formed a hand seal, found an open space, and slowly lowered the cloud boat.

Unsurprisingly, the Tier-3 cloud boat drew numerous gazes and exclamations of awe.

Given Master Ji's disposition, he would usually flaunt it to his heart's content on such occasions. But ever since Shi Yu had spotted the flaw in the restrictions at a single glance, his desire to show off had faded considerably. Once everyone stepped off, Master Ji shrank it down to palm size and stowed it directly into his storage bag.

Before they could even steady their footing after landing, four or five figures approached them with familiar expressions, seemingly Master Ji's old acquaintances.

Sensing their aura, Shi Yu was secretly surprised—all of them were Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators.

“Old Ji! I spotted you from way off.”

“Why aren't you showing off your Light Cloud today? That doesn't sound like you at all!”

Faced with their ribbing, Master Ji feigned anger. “Mind your words in front of the youngsters.”

The group noticed the people accompanying Master Ji. Seeing several unfamiliar faces, their eyes swept over them before landing on Shi Yu, who looked the youngest.

“This young lady... could she be that...?”

“Indeed!” Master Ji nodded with pride. “An entire cauldron of high-grade Rejuvenation Pills was crafted by her hands.”

Anyone knew what an entire cauldron of high-grade pills signified, and the elders couldn't help but marvel in amazement.

With that, Master Ji introduced the group to Shi Yu. “Our Lingtai Prefecture's four associations—Refinement, Alchemy, Array, and Talisman—have always maintained close ties. These old fellows are elders from the other associations.”

He then introduced each elder to Shi Yu individually, ensuring she could recognize them all.

Shi Yu displayed impeccable courtesy, which immediately endeared her to all of them.

Wen Wen and the three Zhou family members stood obediently to the side. Witnessing this scene, they couldn't help but feel a swell of shared pride.

Master Ji chuckled merrily. “If you ever need someone to forge magical artifacts, lay array formations, or craft spirit talismans in the future, just go find them.”

When else would one make friends with an alchemist of unlimited potential if not right now?

Though holding distinguished positions, the elders gave ample face and followed Master Ji's lead. “For some reason, I find myself liking this junior immensely. If you ever need anything, feel free to come to the association and find me.”

Though partly politeness, these words were sincere.

They simply found the girl pleasing to the eye and endearingly likable, though they couldn't quite say why.

Shi Yu was proficient in all four arts—artifacts, pills, arrays, and talismans—and was capable of self-sufficiency in most things. However, complacent isolation was never wise, and frequent exchanges with others could yield unique insights. Thus, adopting a junior's humble posture, she graciously accepted each invitation.

The elders let out a sigh, a tinge of envy in their expressions. “Who knows when our Refinement Association will ever welcome such a brilliant young talent?”

“Our Talisman Master Association is no different. We keep hoping someone will turn our plight around!”

“Say no more, our Array Association has it worst. We haven't seen a single promising seedling in recent years.”

Watching them compete in misery, Master Ji shook his head, looking at Shi Yu with ever-growing satisfaction.

He hadn't even mentioned that Shi Yu could do far more than just refine a whole batch of high-grade pills; she might even be capable of refining Tier-2 pills.

If these fellows knew that, their jaws would probably hit the floor!

He turned to Wen Wen nearby. “Lass Wen, take Little Yu and the others for a stroll first. I'm going to catch up with my old friends.”

“Yes, Master Ji.”

Wen Wen bowed to the elders and led Shi Yu and the others toward the plaza.

Before leaving, Shi Yu took an extra look at the elders before quietly walking away.

She pondered: The Alchemist Association has a place like the Legacy of Subtle Wonders filled with pill recipes and ancient manuals. Surely the other associations have something similar?

Her heart itched with curiosity.

Lifting her eyes to scan the expansive plaza, she saw it was already packed with a bustling, noisy crowd, overflowing with excitement. Rows of vendor stalls lined the edges, and the rich scents of fine wine and delicious food wafted from afar—merchants from across the city had sniffed out business opportunities and claimed their spots early.

Apart from them, many cultivators who lacked credentials to enter the auction house simply spread cloth on the ground to display their wares, taking advantage of the crowd to hawk their goods.

Looking across the plaza, fine food and wine, exquisite jewelry, spiritual materials, and spiritual plants... even obscure, unheard-of oddities were on display one after another, creating a dazzling array that overwhelmed the eyes.

Lacking access to the main auction hall, many cultivators contented themselves with strolling among the plaza stalls, admiring and discussing curious objects with relish, occasionally bargaining with vendors over prices.

“Miss Shi, there is still some time before the auction begins. Feel free to look around outside for anything that catches your eye,” Wen Wen said with a light chuckle, before turning to Zhou Yang and his siblings. “You three as well. If there is anything you are unsure about, do not hesitate to ask me. I have a modest eye for such things and can offer some advice.”

The group nodded repeatedly, agreeing to gather back here in half an hour before fanning out to explore on their own.

Stalls in places with such high foot traffic tested one's luck and eye above all else. With both good fortune and sharp perception, finding a hidden gem or two would yield quite a handsome harvest.