The sixteenth day of the eighth month brought a heavy snowfall. The temperature on the Duanmu Continent was markedly colder than the lands of Jiuzhou.
In Jiuzhou, the warmest months were May and June. Yet, here on the Duanmu Continent, even in May or June, ordinary folk needed thick robes.
By August, it was common for ice to form and snow to fall heavily. This was precisely why the architecture across the Duanmu Continent almost exclusively featured domed or pointed roofs.
If the roofs were flat, the constant snowfall would pile up, its immense weight potentially crushing structures and causing widespread disaster! ...
The entirety of Divine Axe Mountain seemed to be wearing a white cap, and even the thick ice covering Crescent Lake was blanketed in snow. Outside a dwelling, Teng Qingshan stood clad in a white fur coat, appearing like a refined youth from a grand lineage.
Beside him was Li Jun, also dressed in matching white fur. "In Yangzhou, I rarely ever saw snow this heavy!" Teng Qingshan gazed at the vast, incessantly falling flakes—like goose feathers—and sighed.
"Even in the frigid Great Grasslands, you’d only see snow like this occasionally, deep in the winter." "Brother Teng, this is merely the southern part of the Duanmu Continent," Li Jun said, her face alight with a smile. "And it’s not even the dead of winter!
The 'North Frigid Domain' of this continent is much, much colder." The Gale Canyon, one of the Three Great Perilous Lands, was so cold that even late-stage Houtian Peak masters, struck by the biting wind, could be frozen solid! That spoke volumes about the degree of cold.
"Ah, they're here!" Teng Qingshan turned his gaze toward the forest edge. Leading the way was the Second Elder of the Rising Sun Merchant Guild, bundled up in bulky fox pelts, followed by dozens of experts clad in armor and helmets, weapons strapped to their backs.
These experts were spread out, effectively shielding the Second Elder. They were clearly well-drilled.
"Xiao Jun, let Qingluan know," Teng Qingshan instructed. Li Jun turned, calling softly towards Qingluan, who was lazily crouched on a thick quilt inside the house.
Qingluan responded with a crisp call of its own. "Old Wang, I’m leaving things here in your care for now," Teng Qingshan commanded.
"Master, rest assured," Old Wang replied from his doorway, adjusting his own thick cotton coat. For this journey to South Mountain City, only Teng Qingshan and Li Jun would be going.
As for Old Wang, Xiaoping, the Beast Tamer, the two great demonic beasts 'Gale Eagle' and 'Qingluan,' they would all remain here by Crescent Lake. With Qingluan present, Teng Qingshan had no worries about trouble arising.
"Mr. Teng!" The Second Elder called out with a cheerful voice from a distance.
"Second Elder!" Teng Qingshan smiled back. He and Li Jun walked side-by-side through the snow, which was deep enough to completely swallow their ankles with every step.
Teng Qingshan wore a long, rectangular scabbard on his back, his Samsara Spear disassembled into two sections inside. Li Jun, meanwhile, had her long whip fastened at her waist.
"Mr. Teng, the carriages are waiting just outside the woods, by the official road," the Second Elder said jovially.
"Thank you for the trouble, Second Elder." Teng Qingshan smiled. Immediately, Teng Qingshan, Li Jun, and the Second Elder set off towards the edge of the woods, protected by their solemn escort of armored martial artists.
* South Mountain City, Flowing Cloud Manor. This Flowing Cloud Manor was one of the critical strongholds of the Situ Merchant Guild in South Mountain City.
Today, the area outside the manor was guarded by a massive contingent of elite soldiers. They stood in orderly ranks along the manor walls—soldiers clad in armor, wearing helmets, and sporting heavy boots.
At a glance, they formed a vast, imposing mass, like a dark torrent of steel. Not only that!
Several blocks spanning a hundred Zhang around the Flowing Cloud Manor had been entirely sealed off! Many bewildered citizens on the streets looked on, wondering aloud.
"What massive event is happening today? Why are all the surrounding streets closed?" "Who knows!
Look at those soldiers; they’re all wearing suits of full heavy armor. Where did they muster so many soldiers overnight?" Many people stood roadside, gazing at the densely packed soldiers, muttering amongst themselves.
"What's going on here? Why block the road!" Two young men, riding single-horned War Beasts, watched the scene.
One, wearing opulent robes, shouted loudly. The formation of cold-faced soldiers merely spared the young man a chilling glance.
Among the troops, an elder in a golden-yellow robe coldly barked, "You little whelp, clear out! This place is no arena for you to cause trouble today!" The elder’s voice had barely faded— "Make way!" "Make way!" With a flurry of sharp shouts, two luxurious carriages, one preceding the other, approached under the escort of over a hundred elite soldiers draped in dark-red heavy armor.
The banners flying from the carriages bore the characters 'Murong.' "It’s the Murong Family!" "Those are the Murong Family's elite troops, the 'Dark Blood Guards.' Protected by a hundred Dark Blood Guards—could the Patriarch himself be traveling?" The two youths who had been questioning the blockade instantly shrank back to the roadside, terrified. The Murong Family was one of the Three Great Families of South Mountain City, possessing enough standing to claim a share of the city’s influence—a super-family ranked among the very best across the entire realm.
How dared these two young men provoke them? The elder in the golden robe, acting as the greeter, immediately waved his hand.
Slap! Slap!
Slap! The dense ranks of soldiers who had been blocking the street instantly parted in precise formation, clearing a lane.
The Murong Family’s grand procession swept through grandly. Moments later, the massive formation of heavy-armored soldiers closed ranks again, barring any outsiders.
A short while later— Another luxurious procession arrived. The banner held high proudly displayed the characters 'Shangguan.' "Shangguan?
Could this be the Shangguan Family from the West Tang Domain?" Some of the more knowledgeable onlookers identified the banner immediately, recognizing this Shangguan Family as a major overlord of the West Tang Domain—the Shangguan Clan! ...
One after another, the retinues of great families arrived. The crowds trapped outside the blockade grew excited.
They listened intently as the well-informed individuals loudly discussed the 'Fang Family of the East Hua Domain,' the 'Shangguan Family of the West Tang Domain,' the 'Wang Family of the South Mountain Domain,' and others, each family boasting countless tales. These onlookers marveled— Those who could enter such gatherings were the true upper echelon of the Duanmu Continent!
In contrast, the children of mere generals or wealthy merchants were utterly insignificant before these great clans! "Make way!" "Make way!" Yet another convoy of luxury carriages approached.
The heavy-armored soldiers uniformly rode War Beasts! For the elite personnel of such major powers to ride beasts of burden would be too humiliating.
Their War Beasts, with their single horns held high, snorted plumes of white vapor in the frigid air, their powerful hooves striking sparks from the stone slabs of the street. The banner fluttering high above bore the characters 'Rising Sun.' "It’s the Rising Sun Merchant Guild!" Gasps rippled through the crowd again.
Although the Rising Sun Merchant Guild did not vie for dominion over the world, its influence surpassed that of families like the Wangs or Shangguans by a significant margin. After all, it was a massive merchant guild passed down for thousands of years, with contacts spread across the entire realm.
The soldiers lining the street immediately cleared another path. Inside the carriage, Teng Qingshan, Li Jun, and the Second Elder were seated together.
The carriage was over a Zhang wide and nearly three Zhang long—a luxurious vehicle that could comfortably seat ten people. "We'll be at the Flowing Cloud Manor shortly," the Second Elder said, glancing out the window with a smile.
Teng Qingshan peered through a crack in the curtain and saw the heavy guard formations outside. "Once we arrive, Mr.
Teng, you will meet the First Elder," the Second Elder continued, smiling. "You and the First Elder are both renowned experts in this world.
If not for needing to see you... even if this auction item was for sale, the First Elder might not have bothered to attend!" "Hearing what you said on the road, I am indeed eager to meet your First Elder!" Teng Qingshan remarked with deep interest.
During the journey, the Second Elder had spoken extensively about this First Elder! The First Elder of the Rising Sun Merchant Guild was the person holding the highest status within the organization.
He commanded absolute authority, and furthermore, this First Elder was one of the undisputed experts across the entire realm. He was even rumored to be: "Invincible beneath the War God!" The renown of the 'Rising Sun Martial Saint' had been vast decades ago.
In those past decades, the Rising Sun Martial Saint had roamed the world unchallenged. But over the last few decades, this First Elder, the 'Rising Sun Martial Saint,' had rarely shown himself; no one knew the current extent of his power.
Yet, many across the realm firmly believed that this Martial Saint was the foremost expert below the War God tier. "To govern a merchant guild inherited through millennia—this First Elder...
I am genuinely curious," Teng Qingshan mused internally, a sharp glint flashing briefly in his eyes. "Second Elder, we have arrived at the Flowing Cloud Manor," a respectful voice called from outside the carriage.
The carriage halted. "Let us disembark," the Second Elder, Teng Qingshan, and Li Jun alighted in sequence.
* Under the escort of their guards, Teng Qingshan and his two companions proceeded through the main gate of the Flowing Cloud Manor. The manor featured white walls and black tiles, its every corner exuding the aura of ancient history.
They followed the clean stone path down the center of the front courtyard, then navigated a long corridor, winding their way for some time. They finally arrived outside a garden entrance, where several hundred elite martial artists were gathered.
"The Rising Sun Merchant Guild, Second Elder has arrived!" a welcoming attendant immediately called out loudly. "Second Elder, the escort guards may wait here," a middle-aged attendant said with a smile.
"About twenty-odd families have already arrived." "Very well." The Second Elder glanced at him. "Give me a bidding token!" The middle-aged man looked surprised.
"Second Elder, the First Elder of the Rising Sun Merchant Guild has already claimed a bidding token. You require another?" "What is the token for?" Teng Qingshan asked the Second Elder beside him.
The Elder smiled and explained, "The set of Tungsten Stone slabs up for auction this time holds extremely high value. Most wealthy families cannot afford it...
so the Situ Merchant Guild is issuing tokens! Only those who possess a token are permitted to bid on the Tungsten Stone slabs.
Many families have traveled from extremely distant places; it’s impractical for them to carry hundreds of thousands of gold taels on their journey." "Therefore, only those capable of making the purchase are issued tokens," the Second Elder elaborated. "Second Elder, whose name should be written on the second token your guild requires?" The middle-aged man produced a token.
The Second Elder replied, "This token shall simply bear the character 'Teng.' Record this token in your ledger as belonging under the name of our Rising Sun Merchant Guild." "Understood." Upon hearing the phrase 'belonging under the name of our Rising Sun Merchant Guild,' the middle-aged man’s concerns vanished. The greatest fear during an auction was that someone might declare an exorbitant price and then vanish without payment!
With the backing of the Rising Sun Merchant Guild guaranteeing the transaction, there would be no issue. "Second Elder, please proceed inside with your group," the attendant said, handing over the token with a smile.
Just as Teng Qingshan took possession of the token, a dense formation of people arrived behind them. "The Fang Family of Dan Yang City, has arrived!" a high-pitched announcement rang out from among the welcoming staff of the Situ Merchant Guild.