Chapter 251: Ye Fan: Shenxian Jiejie once said, when going out, one's identity is self-given

After seeing off her aunt's family, Lin Meng returned to her daily training and occasional relaxation.

Ye Heng's refuge appeared to have begun renovation; for the time being it lacked no supplies, so Lin Meng did not rush to resupply them.

In any case, for her, resupplying was not troublesome; he wanted to have it available at any time.

As for the ten pieces of equipment he mentioned, it seems Luo Song's side was held up by something; the two have not yet completed the handover, and Lin Meng's side was not in a hurry either.

In the Strange World, Lin Meng went there twice more, but this time she did not go to disturb Ye Xiu; instead, she used each five-hour period to explore most of Canaan City, finally gaining some understanding of the situation there, so next time she goes she won't be completely clueless.

Meanwhile, Ye Fan had smoothly arrived at Cloud Heaven City.

This time he came, he wanted to find more elementary technique manuals for Shenxian Jiejie, and also to purchase an alchemy furnace for himself.

He had considerable talent in the art of alchemy, and Shenxian Jiejie also seemed to like elixirs; they were still just elementary elixirs, which suited him as he had just begun and could only refine low-grade elixirs.

If next time he could send the elixirs he refined to Shenxian Jiejie, Shenxian Jiejie would surely praise him, right?

Thinking of this, Ye Fan became especially excited, wishing he could instantly become an alchemy master.

At that moment the city was bustling prosperously; Ye Fan inquired a little and learned that the auction house of the First Chamber of Commerce was about to hold a grand auction of the cultivation world.

Upon hearing this, Ye Fan's thoughts immediately sprang into action.

No wonder he discovered upon arriving this time that many more experts were in the city; although it was merely a mortal city where immortals and mortals coexisted, cultivators walked everywhere, it turned out that a large auction was to be held.

After thinking, Ye Fan rushed to Treasure Gathering Pavilion, spending all his spirit stones on him to buy a disguise mask.

This mask was actually a magic treasure, more precious than a magic artifact; unfortunately it could only be used ten times, yet its price reached as high as five hundred spirit stones—those with low cultivation needed it but could not afford it, while those with high cultivation looked down on it, so no one inquired about it.

Ye Fan had discovered it before; at the time he thought the mask was good, but it had a usage limit, and five hundred spirit stones was too extravagant.

But after Shenxian Jiejie's guidance, he felt that some spirit stones were worth spending, just like now.

The auction was a mix of fish and dragons, most dangerous; with this disguise mask as a cover, he could also be safer.

The boss of Treasure Gathering Pavilion merely took Ye Fan to be a junior from some prominent family out for training, with plenty of spirit stones to spare; seeing him buy the dusty goods without hesitation, the smile on his face could not be contained.

"Young master, your eye is truly not bad; this shop's disguise mask is indeed the store's treasure—you will definitely not lose by buying it."

"It not only conceals aura and prevents others from probing the soul, but even a Golden Core cultivator cannot see through it; some experts who have just entered the Nascent Soul stage, if they do not focus their spirit, may also fail to see through it—you tell me, isn't that amazing?"

Ye Fan heard this and secretly felt startled; even a Nascent Soul cultivator might not be able to see through it, so this magic treasure really was worth five hundred spirit stones, and being usable only ten times was also acceptable.

That day, Ye Fan put on the mask and entered the auction hall of the First Chamber of Commerce.

"Ordinary cultivators entering the hall take ordinary seats; if you have a background, please fellow guests verify your identity before you may take the refined seats."

The guiding attendant shouted at the top of his voice, and the number of cultivators entering kept increasing.

Ye Fan wearing the mask now appeared to outsiders as an unremarkable middle-aged man, his cultivation concealed and made to look like late-stage Golden Core, yet it was a mixture of truth and falsehood, instead giving the impression of fabricated cultivation, the result of deliberately suppressing his cultivation.

Ye Fan wanted exactly this effect; he remembered Shenxian Jiejie once saying, when going out, one's identity is self-given.

He now presented the image of a mysterious expert shrouded in secrecy.

Naturally, an expert cannot take ordinary seats; Ye Fan set his sights on the upstairs private booth, which was more secure and less prone to being spied on.

He intercepted a guiding attendant, spoke up with a hoarse voice.

"How can one enter the upstairs private booth?"

The attendant glanced at Ye Fan, felt he was extraordinary, therefore did not dare to neglect him, and specially paused to explain to Ye Fan.

"Guest, upstairs besides the elders of the various sects who are qualified to enter, only sellers who can produce auction items are eligible; if you have a sect identity token, I will lead the way."

Ye Fan thought for a moment, then said:

"How does consignment for auction work?"

Upon hearing this, the attendant's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly led Ye Fan the way.

"Esteemed guest, follow me; I will immediately take you to the back office to find our steward."

Soon, Ye Fan was brought to a dark room where two people sat—one was the steward, the other an old man lounging; upon seeing Ye Fan, the old man immediately probed with his divine sense, then abruptly sat upright.

The other party seemed to have sensed Ye Fan's illusory-real aura, and did not dare to slight him.

"Fellow Daoist, please take a seat; what do you wish to consign for auction?"

Ye Fan felt somewhat nervous inside; this old man was a Golden Core expert, although he could not see through the mask's disguise, but if the old man truly intended to test him with a move, Ye Fan could not withstand even a single strike and would soon reveal his weakness.

Fortunately, the auction house operates as a business, welcoming all who come as guests.

Ye Fan silently recited in his heart the words Shenxian Jiejie had told him: when going out, one's identity is self-given; yes, he needed to be bolder and put on the guise of an expert.

The next second, Ye Fan spoke in a hoarse voice, slowly:

"Will you accept some food for sale?"

The two were both startled, exchanging a glance.

The steward apologetically smiled, saying, "Fellow Daoist, you're joking; this is a cultivators' auction house, not a mundane tavern—we do not sell food."

Ye Fan said nothing more, flicked out from his storage bag the previously prepared item, and threw it onto the table.

Seeing the small sack that had appeared on the table, the steward and the Golden Core cultivator inspecting the auction items were both stunned in place.

This fellow Daoist seemed not to understand human speech……

But just as the steward's face showed surprise and he was about to speak, the Golden Core cultivator suddenly glared with his old eyes, then snatched up the small sack and brought it to his nose to smell.

He carefully grabbed a handful of rice from the sack, examined it repeatedly, then suddenly widened his eyes and stared at Ye Fan.

"Fellow Daoist, this is impurity-free spirit rice that even a Nascent Soul cultivator could eat to increase cultivation, right?"

"What?!" the steward exclaimed upon hearing it, jumping up immediately to grab the spirit rice, but the Golden Core cultivator stopped him.

"Take your dirty claws away; this spirit rice is exceedingly precious—quickly fetch a scale and bring a black seal over, I wish to have a proper discussion with this fellow Daoist."

Upon hearing this, the steward's eyes flashed; the black seal was the most prestigious identity symbol of our auction house—cultivators without some background and backing were simply not qualified to be given one.

But that makes sense, for spirit rice is precious in the cultivation world; many cultivators, even after a hundred or a thousand years, still crave that mouthful of pre-cultivation mundane rice, yet due to impurities no one would indulge in it.

Although spirit rice occasionally appears in the great clans and sects, each stalk yields only a tiny amount, while nurturing a stalk requires irrigation with spirit water.

Besides those truly ancient families with deep foundations, who would sacrifice so many precious resources for a handful of spirit rice?

Before them stood this unknown divine fellow Daoist, who upon arrival threw out a sack of spirit rice.

Such penmanship, such a prodigal attitude—it's hard to imagine how vast the family power behind him is!