Zhang Yan sat in meditation for three hours. It was only after nightfall that he emerged from his stillness. He first collected the Mountain and River Map, then recited a spell, causing hundreds of talismans to merge into a stream and drift into his sleeve.
Raising his hand to gesture lightly, he opened the windows. Instantly, a warm, intoxicating breeze swept in from outside, carrying clusters of colorful peach blossoms that swirled outside the window. Occasionally, a few petals floated into the room.
Just then, a servant boy outside said, "Immortal Guest, there is presently a Treasure Meeting in the outer courtyard. Might you have interest in attending?"
Zhang Yan asked with mild surprise, "Isn’t the Treasure Meeting scheduled for tomorrow?"
The boy responded, "Tonight’s attendees are mostly nobles of the Wei Dynasty and some Four Seas Practitioners. While the items here are quite unique, they cannot compare to the treasures to be showcased tomorrow. Still, whether tonight or tomorrow, the gathering is equally lively, and the rules remain unchanged."
Zhang Yan pondered briefly, then swept his robe sleeve and stood up. Exiting the room, he said indifferently, "Lead the way."
The servant boy hurried to guide the path, leading them out through a side door from the rear chamber of the West Wing Room. They walked along the corridor to a balcony on the southern side of Qichang Tower.
Before them was a row of low crimson railings, with long tables and chairs placed along its edge. On the tables were lacquer boxes, Jade Porcelain Tea Cups, and an Openwork Purple Copper Stove emitting calming fragrant smoke.
The boy stood respectfully to the side, picking up the crane-beaked jug and pouring Zhang Yan a cup of fragrant tea.
Zhang Yan took his seat at the table. He noticed several other balcony areas, each shrouded in mist, obscuring their visibility. It was surely due to Prohibition spells, likely ensuring mutual privacy. His own area was presumably protected in the same manner, preventing outsiders from peeking.
Looking downward, he saw the crowd beneath the balcony had gathered densely. Many were the nobles he had seen earlier during the day. After glimpsing this, his interest was piqued.
Below, a golden bridge spanned an open space over a hundred feet wide. At its center, an unexpected lotus pond shimmered with jade waters. Floating amidst was a single lotus leaf, bearing treasures coveted by all.
Before each guest was a stone millstone. Should anyone wish to acquire treasures from the pond, they merely needed to cast a sufficient quantity of golden beans into the water. This would summon a golden toad, which hopped forth and swallowed the offering. The toad would then proceed to push the millstone before the guest. Whichever millstone turned more circles, the lotus leaf carrying the treasure would drift in that direction.
At moments of excitement, when a hundred golden toads simultaneously leapt forward to push the millstones, the lotus leaf would sway in the water—sometimes leftward, sometimes rightward. During such intense moments, the servants of these wealthy guests couldn’t help but shout aloud, and the surrounding spectators found the spectacle amusing, collectively cheering with enthusiasm.
After observing briefly, Zhang Yan concluded that these so-called treasures suited the nobles but held little value for a cultivator like himself.
For instance, there was a directional cart to ward off misfortune. Should its wooden figurine point in an opposite direction during travel, it signified looming danger ahead, necessitating a change in course.
Another treasure was luminous moths that could emit light during the night. With dozens of them fluttering together, they could illuminate a hall as brightly as daylight, eliminating the need for oil lamps or candles. Moreover, the moths themselves were exquisitely beautiful, resembling tiny glowing sprites, their graceful flight pleasing to the eye.
Then there was the money tree capable of gathering Essence Qi from the West. Planted into the soil, the tree would allow its owner to shake down a string of copper coins each month. Yet even after a hundred years, it might struggle to reimburse the original investment in purchasing the tree, serving more as a symbolic gesture of good fortune.
Besides these, there were numerous talismanic pen holders and paperweights used to suppress evil and ensure prosperity. However, unexpectedly, one painting had caused a frenzy among the crowd.
The painting, named the "Hundred Beauty Red Makeup Picture," had an unknown creator. Depicted within were one hundred stunningly beautiful women, each of unparalleled charm. Not only could they adopt various enchanting postures at their owner’s behest, but with just a recited mantra, the women in the painting could step out and enter reality, seeking refuge with the owner’s own wives or concubines.
No matter the appearance of one’s spouse beforehand, within an hour, they would transform into the shape and form of the women portrayed in the painting—even matching their figure and skin tone perfectly. Undoubtedly, this was the ultimate treasure for one’s enjoyment in the boudoir.
Zhang Yan sat there sipping his tea leisurely, while the boy beside him brewed and poured more tea. At that moment, a woman’s voice sounded from beyond the partition door: "Is this the Immortal Guest in the West Wing Room? I am Jun Ling’er, and I will be attending to the Immortal Guest tomorrow. If you have interest in purchasing a treasure or two, please feel free to give the order."
Zhang Yan smiled faintly and said, "Why don’t you come in and speak?"
The boy stepped forward to open the partition door, lifting the bead curtain. A young woman dressed in a pale yellow blouse and skirt stepped gracefully inside.
From the faint fragrance lingering in the air, Zhang Yan realized her perfume was of a rare kind, so subtle that even his heightened senses had failed to detect it earlier. He cast a casual glance, noticing that she looked around twenty-five or six years old. Her face was a delicate oval, devoid of makeup, radiating a serene and gentle disposition. Her slender shoulders and graceful figure added an elegant charm. After entering, she delivered a respectful Wan Fu bow to him, saying, "Jun Ling’er greets the Immortal Guest."