Transmigrated into a Grandpa, Embracing the Laid-Back Life

The old cultivator’s hand holding the teacup paused.

He glanced left and right, confirming that no one was paying attention to them.

”The people of Tianji Pavilion are the most mysterious,” the old cultivator said, his voice pressed so low that even uttering that name seemed to require immense courage. ”They don’t have a fixed hall in the city. But when you’re walking down the street, that blind fortune-teller next to you might very well be an outer sect steward of Tianji Pavilion.”

”They don’t compete for territory, they don’t fight over resources, but even the master of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion has to politely address them as fellow cultivator when they meet.”

The old cultivator drained the tea from his cup.

”One last thing.” He stood up. ”In this city, there’s another group that’s easy to recognize. Wearing cyan Daoist robes, carrying longswords on their backs, walking with a gust of wind, and with eyes as cold as blocks of ice—those are disciples of the Green Nether Sword Sect. If you run into them, it’s best to take a detour. Those sword cultivators are all single-minded, and they’ll draw their swords at the slightest disagreement.”

With that, the old cultivator cupped his hands and smiled.

”I’ve condensed an hour’s worth of talk into the span of a single incense stick. Little friend, if fate brings us together in the future, we’ll meet again.”

Having said that, he leaned on his cane and slowly blended into the flow of people outside the door, soon disappearing from sight.

Qingfeng watched the old man’s retreating figure and muttered discontentedly, ”And that’s it? Ten spirit stones just to hear him say a few sentences.”Su Ming’s fingers lightly tapped the cross he had drawn on the table with water stains.

”Ten spirit stones to buy this information is well worth it.”

Su Ming silently reviewed the information he had just received in his mind. The Myriad Treasures Pavilion’s domineering nature, Tianji Pavilion’s omnipresence, and the Green Nether Sword Sect’s overbearing strength.

This web of interests and karmic ties had already begun to unfold before him.

Lin Yu had been silent in the ring for a long time before finally speaking.

”The Myriad Treasures Pavilion monopolizes formation plates, and Tianji Pavilion is everywhere.” There was a hint of inexplicable excitement in Lin Yu’s voice. ”Apprentice, I smell an atmosphere perfectly suited for fishing in troubled waters.”

The bitter fragrance of tea in the teahouse was gradually drowned out by the noisy voices of the street. Su Ming left a few spirit stones on the table and stood up.

”Su Ming, since we’re already out, how about we go take a look at the Myriad Treasures Pavilion on South Street?” Qingfeng immediately came closer, his eyes shining with unconcealable anticipation. He reached out and tugged at Mingyue’s sleeve. ”Junior sister, what do you think?”

Mingyue also looked tempted, but she still hesitated as she glanced at Su Ming. ”Won’t that cause trouble? Master said we shouldn’t run around.”

Su Ming didn’t answer immediately. His footsteps paused slightly at the wooden threshold of the teahouse.

He thought about it for a moment. Although Master Xuanming wasn’t around, since he had dared to let the three of them move freely, he must have left some kind of hidden divine sense mark on them. As long as they didn’t actively provoke any old monsters above the Golden Core stage, their lives wouldn’t be in danger.

”Alright.” Su Ming tucked his hands into his wide gray sleeves, his voice steady. ”But once we’re there, you’ll listen to everything I say. Stay close behind, and don’t touch anything without permission.”

”Awesome!” Qingfeng cheered and pulled Mingyue along to follow him.

Shadow lay on Su Ming’s right shoulder, her golden eyes rolling around as she let out an extremely faint ”cheep,” seeming very interested in the colorful shop signs outside.

The three of them walked through the dazzlingly prosperous East Street.

On both sides of the street, layer after layer of defensive formations shimmered across the surfaces of towering pavilions, preventing spiritual energy from leaking out. Occasionally, a few pure-blood spirit beasts pulling ornate carriages would pass by with snorts, their heavy hooves striking the bluestone tiles and producing oppressive thuds that resonated in the chest.

After walking for about half an hour, a magnificent three-story building appeared at the end of the street.

The entire structure was made of a dark gold spiritual wood, without excessive carvings, yet it exuded an undeniable sense of weight and pressure.

Above the main entrance, the words ”Myriad Treasures Pavilion” were written in flamboyant calligraphy, emitting a faint spiritual glow.

In front of the jade steps of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, which stretched ten zhang wide, stood a green stone tablet three zhang tall.

Su Ming stopped, his gaze falling on the stone tablet.

On it, engraved with extremely sharp strokes, were several large characters—”Rules for Entering the Pavilion.”

”One: All forms of fighting are absolutely prohibited inside the pavilion. Violators will be killed without mercy.”

”Two: All transaction disputes shall be arbitrated by the Enforcement Hall within the pavilion. Private vengeance is not permitted.”

”Three: Thieves shall have their hands severed, their cultivation abolished, and be expelled from Myriad Manifestations City.”

Qingfeng looked at the faint bloodthirsty aura seeping from the stone tablet and couldn’t help but swallow. ”These rules... they’re really ruthless.”

”The stricter the rules, the greater the interests at stake.” Su Ming’s eyes traced the edges of the characters.

He keenly noticed that the person who engraved these words hadn’t used sword energy, but rather an extremely restrained divine sense fire. At every turn of each character, a faint trace of Nascent Soul stage pressure lingered.

”Let’s go.” Su Ming withdrew his gaze and stepped onto the stairs first.

As soon as he entered the first-floor lobby of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, a wave of hot air mixed with various herbal scents, metallic odors, and the smell of old talisman paper hit him in the face.

This was the wandering cultivator section.

There were no exquisite counters. Countless cultivators in all kinds of attire had simply spread out a piece of cloth on the ground, casually displaying various mud-stained spiritual materials, chipped magical implements, and even the bones of unknown demon beasts.

The sounds of haggling, even curses over spirit stones of insufficient quality, interwove into a sea of noise.

Su Ming frowned slightly, suppressing his late-stage Foundation Establishment aura to the early stage, and led the two of them through the narrow aisles.

They hadn’t gone far when Qingfeng’s footsteps suddenly stopped in front of a stall.

It was a stall run by a withered one-eyed old man. On the tattered cloth were a few withered spirit herbs, along with a broken sword fragment covered in patina, its edges jagged.

Qingfeng’s gaze was locked onto that broken sword fragment.

Su Ming turned his head and followed Qingfeng’s line of sight.

”Little brother has good eyes!” The one-eyed old man, seeing a customer approaching, immediately lit up his turbid single eye. He carefully picked up the broken sword fragment in his hand and lowered his voice. ”This just came from a treasure trove dug out of an ancient ruin up north. Take a look at the patterns on the spine of the sword—these are genuine ancient inscriptions. There’s still a trace of Geng Metal Sword Qi sealed inside!”

Qingfeng’s heartbeat clearly quickened. He had a sword cultivator’s foundation and felt a natural craving for that kind of sharp energy.

”How many spirit stones?” Qingfeng’s voice was a bit tight.

”Seeing that little brother is fated to have it, eight hundred low-grade spirit stones, and it’s yours.” The one-eyed old man stretched out his withered finger and made a gesture.

Qingfeng instinctively reached for the storage pouch at his waist.

A pale yet powerful hand steadily pressed down on Qingfeng’s wrist.

Su Ming stepped forward, his gaze calmly sweeping over the broken sword fragment.

”This sword isn’t worth that price.” Su Ming’s voice wasn’t loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the noisy lobby.

The one-eyed old man’s face instantly darkened.

”This fellow cultivator, you can talk recklessly, but you can’t say things recklessly.” The old man sneered. ”I’ve been setting up a stall here at the Myriad Treasures Pavilion for ten years, and no one has ever dared to say my goods are fake.”