CHAPTER 78: CHAPTER 7: LOTUS AUCTION HOUSE

"You two, quiet down!"

"Young people shouldn’t always talk about fighting and killing, especially when you’re a scholar!"

The voice of the elder guarding the library reached inside, calming the furious Xu Zhizhi.

He gritted his teeth and glared at Lin Jing: "Do you really intend to do this?"

Lin Jing put down the book of pills: "Is there something wrong? Aren’t these things really happening?"

Xu Zhizhi clenched his fist: "Of course, it’s wrong. You’re planning to use our fame to help yourself cultivate the Hidden Dragon Secret Technique!"

"It’s extremely inappropriate!"

"Haven’t you heard the teachings of the library elder? The cultivation realm isn’t just about fighting and killing; it also involves human relationships!"

"How about this!"

"You have no proof, so how can the authenticity of the mechanical artifact battle achievements be confirmed? But if I also step forward to boost your reputation, it will be different. The victim appearing to acknowledge the power of the mechanical artifact will undoubtedly spread widely! And in exchange, you only need to add my glorious image of resisting the Snowfield Cultivators in the Grotto Heaven to the promotion!"

Since he couldn’t change Lin Jing’s mind, Xu Zhizhi decided to join.

"Rather than another adversary, isn’t it better to have another friend? What do you think? The taller my image, doesn’t it highlight your Mechanical Bamboo Spear’s power even more?" he attempted to persuade Lin Jing with his eloquence.

Mutual commercial praise, isn’t it? Lin Jing remained silent.

"That’s right," nodded the library guardian, reminiscing about his own past ventures.

...

Shortly after, Lin Jing left the library.

Though it was a spontaneous idea, he felt his notion was correct.

Not to mention the entire Ancient Country, but even in Hidden Dragon City, countless magical combats occur daily.

No one can be remembered forever; as time passes, names fade away, which is normal.

However... if someone’s name is tied to a festival, a trending item, or a unique symbol, it will undoubtedly be passed down longer than typical combat stories.

"Compared to ordinary magical artifacts, the advantage of the Mechanical Bamboo Spear is that it doesn’t require the activation of True Qi, allowing low-level cultivators to use it."

"Besides, its attack range, power, and frequency are top-tier among treasures available for Qi Cultivation Stage cultivators; few items can possess all these advantages."

"The main thing is, it’s easy to make; if no inscriptions are carved, enough materials mean I can randomly assemble hundreds of them a day without needing skills, just following steps."

"And the materials to make the Mechanical Bamboo Spear aren’t particularly rare either; the raw materials are merely ordinary spirit plants, costing extremely low."

"The most crucial ammunition packs a punch comparable to a serious strike by a ninth-layer Qi Cultivation cultivator, yet it’s just a composite ordinary spirit bean, lying on the ground in Hidden Dragon City, street dogs don’t even care for it, profits in between are vast."

"The supply of ammunition can be entirely completed by the Pineleaf Mouse alone; given its current capability, it’s quite straightforward to manufacture them. Moreover, its stockpiles these days are ample enough to sell."

"By binding the Mechanical Bamboo Spear to my name, whenever there’s an event about me, people will remember the Mechanical Bamboo Spear I advocate; and each time the Mechanical Bamboo Spear is used, viewers will think of me again."

"Besides, if it sells well, it certainly solves the resource problem."

Now Lin Jing’s only concern is whether the Pineleaf Mouse’s production capacity can keep up if the Mechanical Bamboo Spear suddenly becomes popular, sadly composite items can’t be replanted, otherwise he would have leased some spirit fields and let the spear’s body and ammunition grow freely.

Lin Jing glanced at the Pineleaf Mouse still stocking goods inside the floating gourd...

Suddenly, an idea emerged in his mind.

It would be great if he had a lot of Pineleaf Mice that could only synthesize resources.

Clones!

He remembered, there’s a magic that can create many clones to fight, if clones can fight, why can’t they work?

The Pineleaf Mouse itself wouldn’t refuse a magic that could speed up stockpiling.

...

"Elder Shen Song?"

After leaving the academy, Lin Jing called out in secret.

After a moment, Shen Song indeed replied, "What is it now?"

"You’ve created wooden figures in the Great Wilderness before; this method resembles making clones somewhat. Do you know the Clone Technique? I’d like to teach the Pineleaf Mouse."

Divine Pine Dao said: "Clone Technique? Why learn that rubbish magic? Ordinary clones have no use, they waste mana and have weak strength, consider using external avatars after the Nascent Soul stage. Wait till its Cyan Emperor Longevity Technique is perfected, it should be able to create grass and wood clones, use them for now!"

Lin Jing asked: "Can grass and wood clones possess the original’s magic and divine techniques?"

"They can, but the effects will definitely be much poorer!"

"Anything else? If not, I’ll go take care of your lousy fish."

Lin Jing chuckled: "Nothing else, with your words, I feel assured."

He turned and headed straight for the Lotus Pavilion.

Lotus Pavilion.

As the Ancient Country’s largest commerce guild, it naturally has an auction house inside.

Lin Jing planned to first put a bamboo spear up for auction at the Lotus Pavilion to test the waters.

He walked briskly, with the Pineleaf Mouse in the Beast Taming Space, the Dragon Koi kept by Shen Song, making him feel unburdened.

The Dragon Koi... Having just awakened top-tier beast fire, seemed to be struggling to control it. Carrying it around could easily cause a fire.

He... did not want to be fined again!

As for whether Shen Song might get burned, that wasn’t his concern.

Hidden Dragon City is a major city for cultivators, only second to the capital within the ancient domain, the level of its Lotus Pavilion is naturally extremely high, occupying an entire commercial street.

This street, no matter when you step into it, is a lively and bustling scene, attracting cultivators from all directions.

Pills, magical treasures, secret techniques, crystal mines, spirit plants, demon beasts... everything is sold here.

At the center of this street stands an exquisite sculpture—a blooming lotus flower, marking all the properties belong to the Lotus Pavilion here.

On each side of the street, shops lined up. Lin Jing delved into it, swiftly arriving at a spot outside a pavilion, with the words "Lotus Auction House" written above.

Upon entering the auction house, a female cultivator in a lotus-patterned qipao approached him, wearing a professional smile.

"How can I assist you, sir?" The female cultivator asked with a gentle tone and amiable attitude.

"I want to auction an item," Lin Jing spoke directly: "A mechanical artifact!"

"Alright, sir, please follow me to the appraisal room." The qipao-clad female cultivator invited, leading the way with a light footstep.

Before long, Lin Jing arrived in one of the appraisal rooms, led by this qipaol-clad female cultivator.

Inside the appraisal room, a man in a gray robe rose to greet him, smiling as he spoke: "Is this gentleman looking to appraise a spiritual artifact or magical artifact?"

"Master Shi, this gentleman intends to auction a mechanical artifact," the qipao-clad female cultivator informed.

"Oh? A mechanical artifact? That’s rare. I must take a close look." He glanced at the graceful Lin Jing, not overlooking him simply because Lin Jing was at the seventh layer of Qi Cultivation, but instead seriously gesturing for him to present the item.

"I want... to auction this item!"

Upon seeing the appraiser, Lin Jing took out the Mechanical Bamboo Spear from his storage pouch.

"Hmm?" Master Shi lightly scanned it with spiritual sense, furrowing his brow. This mechanical artifact, whether the external blue bamboo material or the internal seemingly spirit beans, although familiar, greatly differed from his impressions, it’s his first time seeing such a thing!

"What is the purpose of this item?"

"It’s an attack-type mechanism, similar to hidden weapons but can also be used openly, called the Mechanical Bamboo Spear." Lin Jing answered: "Even if a mere squirrel wields it, it’s rare to find an opponent among Qi Cultivation Stage."