Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 1060

As soon as the burly man and the remaining Thunder Guards departed on their giant wolves, two figures emerged from the palace gate.

One was the blue-armored soldier who had rushed in earlier, and the other was a pale-faced old man in a gray robe. This old man, with his light green eyes, was surprisingly a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator.

“You must be Senior Han! I am Jongmyeon. Please forgive my tardiness in greeting you; I was unaware of your arrival.”

The old man approached Han Li and bowed respectfully.

“Rise, Cultivator Jong. I am weary from my journey and would appreciate it if you could arrange my accommodations quickly.”

Han Li scanned the man and gave a calm order.

“The Immortal Welcoming Palace is always prepared to serve esteemed guests. Please, come right in. The 10th floor is occupied by Senior Mangol, and the 1st floor is a common area, leaving eight floors available. Which floor would you prefer?”

“The 5th floor will suffice. It’s neither too high nor too low, which seems suitable.”

“Very well, I will guide you there immediately. Please, take a look around, and if you are not satisfied, you may move to another floor.”

At the old man’s words, Han Li nodded and entered the main hall on the first floor of the Immortal Welcoming Palace. The hall was bathed in a beautiful light, emanating from fist-sized night-shining pearls embedded in the four walls.

Aside from the white jade tables and chairs, there were no other furnishings. Several silver teleportation arrays were installed in the center, immediately catching the eye.

The old man stepped onto one of the teleportation arrays first, and Han Li followed expressionlessly. Hai Daixiao and Qi Lingzi exchanged glances and closely followed Han Li. It was their first time using a teleportation array, but they showed no signs of fear.

*Woong!*

As the old man cast a magic seal, the teleportation array vibrated, emitting a white light. At that moment, Jongmyeon held a delicately crafted silver spirit tablet in his hand.

Han Li glanced at it and saw complex magic characters and the golden character ‘Five’ engraved on it. Light emanated from the spirit tablet, seeped into the teleportation array, and the four people vanished.

They soon felt a dizzying sensation and reappeared in a courtyard. A small path wound through the courtyard, which was filled with unfamiliar grasses. Colorful fish swam leisurely in a small pond on one side.

A refreshing spiritual energy wafted in with every breeze. Hai Daixiao, who had been staring blankly, seemed to have an idea and looked up at the sky.

The blue sky with white clouds was ordinary, but the multiple suns that existed in the Spirit Realm were not visible. Only a huge light floated high in the sky, casting a warm sunlight.

Hai Daixiao and Qi Lingzi were dumbfounded, their mouths agape.

“The sky here is an illusion, so there’s nothing much to see.”

Han Li’s voice echoed in their ears. Startled, they realized that Han Li had already stepped out of the teleportation array and was looking at them. The old man named Jongmyeon was also watching them with a smile.

Hai Daixiao and Qi Lingzi, their faces slightly flushed, awkwardly stepped out of the teleportation array. Even then, they continued to look around with curious eyes.

Walking a short distance along the path, a light green grand hall came into view. It wasn’t large, but it was exquisitely decorated with elaborate patterns carved into it.

On both sides of the grand hall were mansions with courtyards and small side halls. The surrounding buildings were likely spaces for the disciples of the Fusion Stage cultivators.

The beautiful buildings harmoniously blended with the blue bamboo forest, creating a breathtaking scene. It was hard to believe that such a paradise-like space was just one floor of the palace.

“Are all the floors of the Immortal Welcoming Palace decorated like this?”

Han Li asked the old man, looking around the grand hall.

“Hehe, of course not. Each floor of the Immortal Welcoming Palace has a different design. If you are not satisfied with this place, I will move you to another one.”

“No, it’s quite good. I’ll stay here.”

“Then I will give you the restriction spirit tablet. Each floor has different restrictions, and only one restriction spirit tablet has been crafted for each. Please return it after the competition is over.”

The old man smiled and handed over the silver spirit tablet with both hands. Han Li nodded and received the spirit tablet, and the old man discreetly stepped back. Now, only Han Li, Hai Daixiao, and Qi Lingzi remained there.

“You can stay here until the competition begins. Choose a place you like and unpack your things. I need to rest, so let’s talk again tomorrow.”

“Yes, Senior!”

At Han Li’s words, Hai Daixiao and Qi Lingzi couldn’t hide their excitement and ran off. Their chattering voices could be heard faintly in the distance.

As they disappeared, Han Li entered the grand hall in front of him and found a quiet room to sit cross-legged. The next morning, Han Li, who had been sitting cross-legged, suddenly opened his eyes.

*Whoosh!*

The next moment, a white fireball flew strangely through the wooden door and landed in front of him.

Han Li touched the flame with two fingers, and it exploded with a pop, turning into countless sparks and disappearing. At the same time, a voice echoed in the room.

“I am Mangol, and I greet Cultivator Han. I heard that you arrived at the Immortal Welcoming Palace yesterday. If you are not busy, would you like to come to my residence for a chat?”

The old voice left a few short words and then faded away.

“True Person Mangol!”

Han Li stroked his chin and got up from his seat, leaving the room.

Just as he was about to leave the grand hall, Hai Daixiao and Qi Lingzi were standing there. They had been talking to each other in a corner, not knowing when they had arrived. As soon as they saw Han Li, they immediately bowed deeply.

“Get up. Why are you here instead of resting in your rooms?”

“Senior Han, would you like to take a look around the market outside? We will serve you by your side.”

“We may not be able to do great things, but we are confident in running simple errands.”

Qi Lingzi and Hai Daixiao looked at him with sparkling eyes.

“Haha, who said I was going to the market today?”

“Then today…”

Hai Daixiao and Qi Lingzi murmured, a little disappointed.

“I know what you’re thinking. You want to see the market and broaden your horizons since you’ve come all this way! But I don’t know if there will be anything I need among the things there. I have to go see True Person Mangol of the White Bone Sect now, so I’ll send you out first with the spirit tablet. You can come back around evening after looking around.”

Han Li said with a smile and a calm face. They were a little disappointed, but they couldn’t go against Han Li’s words and agreed.

Han Li took them to the teleportation array, used the spirit tablet to send Hai Daixiao and Qi Lingzi to the first floor, and then stepped onto the teleportation array himself. The light of spiritual energy flashed, and he soon disappeared.

* * *

After a short while, Han Li was talking with an old Taoist, who was embracing a beautiful woman, inside a palace made of red coral.

The old Taoist with a hooked nose and sinister eyes was wearing a gray robe with 18 white bones embroidered on it. The woman in his arms was covering her smooth, voluptuous body with a thin white veil.

The woman was snuggling in the old Taoist’s arms, flirting with him and listening to his conversation with Han Li. That old Taoist was the owner of this place and the founder of the White Bone Sect, True Person Mangol.

Both the woman in his arms and the women waiting on both sides of the grand hall were nominally maids, but the woman’s beauty overwhelmed the other maids, suggesting that she was the old Taoist’s favorite.

Han Li was talking about the Manhuang [a vast, untamed region] while inwardly recalling the rumors related to True Person Mangol.

True Person Mangol cultivated demonic techniques, was very fond of women, and practiced the art of replenishing his energy by taking the essence of others, so he couldn’t sleep without a woman every night. Meeting him in person today, it seemed the rumors were not false.

“Hehe, I never imagined that you would have such broad knowledge at such a young age. When I reached the early Fusion Stage, I was just wandering around the human race and came back. Now that I’m this old, I don’t want to wander far anymore.”

The old Taoist said, as if amazed.

“I’m not much different from Brother Mangol. It just so happened that I wandered around the Manhuang for a long time, not because I wanted to. Fortunately, I was lucky enough to travel half the continent and return alive.”

“Hahaha, you are truly blessed by the heavens. Moreover, you have obtained several fortuitous encounters in the Manhuang world, overcoming obstacles one after another and reaching the Fusion Stage. I don’t think there will be anyone who reaches the Fusion Stage so quickly in tens of thousands of years. I spent at least thousands of years overcoming the Fusion Stage hurdle. With Cultivator Han’s talent and youth, the Great Ascension Stage is not far away.”

The old Taoist smiled broadly, subtly flattering Han Li.

“How can we talk about the Great Ascension Stage already? It would be fortunate if I could overcome a few more Great Heavenly Tribulations [a test of cultivation strength].”

Han Li remained humble even as the old Taoist praised him.

“That’s true. The Great Ascension Stage is as difficult for our human race as reaching for the moon in the sky. Although we have survived in the Spirit Realm for a long time, there are only about a dozen Great Ascension Stage beings. There was even a time when the entire human race was almost annihilated because there were no Great Ascension Stage beings.”

Mangol muttered sadly, recalling the past. This time, Han Li did not answer and only smiled. He had heard about the hardships the human race had gone through.

There were times when various alien races had united and attacked, and there were times when two Great Ascension Stage cultivators were accidentally born in the demon race and tried to swallow the human race.

“Cultivator Han, who has just reached the Fusion Stage, must have participated in the Myriad Treasures Assembly because you are looking for something specific, right?”

Mangol changed his expression and changed the subject.

“I am looking for materials for alchemy. The Myriad Treasures Assembly is a place where you can find materials that are usually hard to obtain.”

Han Li did not deny it and nodded.

“Then, may I make a suggestion?”

“I’ll listen to your suggestion.”

“You all step back.”

Mangol did not answer Han Li immediately and dismissed not only the woman in his arms but also all the other maids around him. When only he and Han Li were left, the old Taoist turned to him with a serious face.

“Since this is your first time attending the Myriad Treasures Assembly as a Fusion Stage cultivator, you probably don’t know much about the Black Market Exchange Assembly.”

“The Black Market Exchange Assembly! I’ve never heard of it. Is it perhaps a place similar to the black market?”

Han Li’s eyes sparkled, but he was not greatly surprised. It would be stranger if there were no unofficial trade fairs at a large-scale event like the Myriad Treasures Assembly.

“Hehe, you understand quickly. It’s not easy to find the things that we Fusion Stage cultivators want! No matter how great the auction at the Myriad Treasures Assembly is, it can’t satisfy everyone, right? There will be cultivators who don’t want to exchange their treasures for spirit stones, and there will be cultivators who have treasures that they can’t officially put up for auction because they don’t know their origins.

Or, there are cases where even Fusion Stage cultivators face great danger if it becomes known that they possess treasures that are too precious. So, since some time ago, the Black Market Exchange Assembly has been held secretly during the Myriad Treasures Assembly. It is hosted by unknown cultivators and is an exchange assembly only for Fusion Stage cultivators, so almost all Fusion Stage cultivators who attend the Myriad Treasures Assembly participate.

The hosting cultivators not only do not reveal their identities but are also very powerful. They once killed a mid-Fusion Stage cultivator who was causing a disturbance at the exchange assembly. After that, the cultivators who caused disturbances at the Black Market Exchange Assembly disappeared. This means that the Black Market Exchange Assembly is very safe.

Everything is exchanged only with items, and it takes place for only one day, and the identities of the participants are not questioned at all. There is no better opportunity for us Fusion Stage cultivators. Among the participants, there are other cultivators besides us Fusion Stage cultivators who possess precious treasures. Of course, ordinary treasures are not traded.

Many cultivators from the demon race also participate, and demon race materials and spirit beast eggs, which are officially prohibited from being traded, often appear. Even demon race women from the Fire Phoenix lineage are auctioned off… Ahem, especially the beautiful Sky Fox Clan women are perfect for dual cultivation [a practice to enhance cultivation], so many human cultivators covet them.

Of course, those who win the bids for such women hide them in the east and never show them off. It would be a disaster if the Seven Demon Kings found out. Of course, human women with outstanding beauty are also traded, and many demon race cultivators want to win the bids.”

Having heard this far, Han Li realized that the Black Market Exchange Assembly was no different from the underground trade fair that took place in the Great Jin of the Human Realm. The only difference was that the participants were Fusion Stage cultivators and the items auctioned were much more precious.