The next day, at the Drunken Moon Pavilion, Jack Young arrived with his two disciples. The previous day, the two disciples had spent the whole time at the Grand Brothel, digesting and absorbing the insights gained from the previous night's match. Although there wasn't any real fighting, the way they competed—without hurting each other yet truly demonstrating their fundamentals—had a big impact on both of them.
Normally, given the level of Jack Young and the Four Winds Fop, the disciples wouldn't have understood a thing. It's like a newbie watching a pro Warcraft match—not a clue about the subtleties. But since Jack's own cultivation is on the lower side, with just ten years' worth of power, it let the two pick up on a few things. It's like you can't follow a pro match, but you can still learn something from a master showing off with a single hero farming creeps.
Especially Rachel Luo—she stepped up for some real sparring that night, and the benefits she gained are immeasurable.
But after a whole day cooped up, they'd had enough. Today's big event couldn't be missed, so bright and early, they followed Jack Young to the Drunken Moon Pavilion.
That's right—the Herb Maiden's Q&A session would happen at noon, but don't forget: Eight Directions City is packed right now, so if you can come early, you should. Luckily, folks in this world haven't experienced the madness of Spring Festival travel or rush-hour elevator crowds, so the three of them easily snagged a prime spot.
Drunken Moon Pavilion—it sounds like a restaurant, right? Well, it does serve food and drinks, but that's not all. Maybe it's because the authorities here are pretty hands-off, and the whole 'scholar-farmer-craftsman-merchant' thing isn't as big, so merchants are higher status and a bit sharper. Drunken Moon Pavilion is really a one-stop shop: you can eat, drink, pawn, and shop, but it's most famous for its auctions and sales.
This place is a major money pit—one of the top hotspots in all of Eight Directions City.
"Wow, it's packed!" By ten in the morning, the crowd had really started to swell. The trio had come early and scored a great spot—a private room on the fourth floor. Looking down from above, they saw a mob gathering at the entrance, some folks even arguing just to get in. Fiona Fang, not used to this bird's-eye view, curiously looked up and down the street, then excitedly asked, "How many experts do you think are in that crowd?"
"At this time, it's mostly casual visitors," Jack Young glanced at the crowd below and lost interest. "The real experts either come early or show up late. Still, there are a few opponents worth your attention. I heard the Sword Saint is hosting a tournament—you two should keep an eye out."
Fiona Fang was never one to sit still. Before long, she suggested, since they were just killing time, why not wander around and see if there was anything interesting? Rachel Luo, as the senior disciple, volunteered to hold their spot while the other two could roam freely. Jack Young agreed, so he took Fiona Fang for a stroll up and down, checking out the auction area for local specialties.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please take a look—antiques, calligraphy, clever mechanisms, fine jade, and gems! At Drunken Moon Pavilion, we've got it all!" The sales area was bustling, with plenty of staff acting as guides. Each booth was packed with all sorts of oddities, some of which took a moment to figure out what they were even for.
"Hey, shopboy, what's this?" Fiona Fang picked up an item. "Is this jade carving a cucumber or a bitter melon? And what's the handle for?" That's right—what she held was about twenty centimeters long, naturally curved, covered in bumps, and had a handle you could turn. Fiona Fang gave the handle a spin, and the thing whirled around with a rumbling sound.
"Uh..." The shopboy looked a little awkward, dodging the question. "This was made by Master Divine Craftsman in his early years. He named it the Divine... uh, Divine Rod."
"Divine Rod? What's the point of it?" Fiona Fang looked it over and shook her head. "I wouldn't even use it as a rolling pin—it's way too bumpy."
"Alright, this is still a bit too advanced for you," Jack Young stopped Fiona Fang from further inspection. Then again, kids do need a bit of sex education, otherwise they might get the wrong idea from bad sources. This girl's parents are gone, so as her teacher, I'm basically her lifelong dad... cough, cough, not a ghost dad, just a lifelong father, so this kind of education is my responsibility. "If you're really curious, go ask your senior sister."
The master handles the tricky stuff, and the disciple does the legwork. Rachel Luo, you won't dodge this one, will you?
"Shopboy, do you have anything here that's actually useful for martial artists?" Might as well ask directly: "Weapons, herbs, or anything that boosts cultivation—I'm interested."
"Well..." The shopboy gave a wry smile. "You're putting us on the spot. When it comes to weapons, Ouyezi is second to none. For artifacts, Master Divine Craftsman reigns supreme. For spiritual herbs, Herb Boutique is the real deal. We've got some ordinary stuff, but I doubt you'd be interested."
"True enough." Jack Young nodded and took the Divine Rod from Fiona Fang, intending to put it down. But the moment his fingers touched it, he frowned slightly and brought it up for a closer look. He weighed it and squeezed it, then suddenly asked, "How much for this?"
As soon as he spoke, all sorts of contemptuous looks shot his way. In broad daylight, someone was actually buying that kind of thing? The crowd's eyes practically spelled out one word—pervert!
The shopboy gave an awkward smile, but then his merchant spirit kicked in: "Sir, this Divine Rod was crafted by Master Divine Craftsman, made entirely of jade, so of course it's pricey! The curve and bumps are just right, and as a... well, as that kind of item, it's exceptionally effective. It's the pride of Drunken Moon Pavilion—priced at three hundred taels!"
Fiona Fang immediately protested, "Three hundred taels for a jade cucumber? You think I don't know my stuff? This jade is low-quality, and look at the handle—the wood's almost rotten! Who knows how old this thing is, and you still want three hundred taels? How about thirty taels—deal or not?"
"Miss, thirty taels wouldn't even buy a jade coin..." What followed was a fierce haggling session between the shopboy and Fiona Fang over the Divine Rod's price. Many nearby whispered, thinking this was the most shameless deal ever. But Jack Young's face stayed calm, as if he wasn't holding anything embarrassing at all. He even spun the handle a few times, then spoke up: "One hundred taels, not a coin more."
"Alright, one hundred taels it is!" The shopboy clapped his hands, acting like he was taking a loss to make a friend. Then he leaned in and whispered to Jack Young, "Sir, we've got plenty more items in all shapes and sizes—want to take a look?" He had the look of someone selling bootleg DVDs in a shady alley.
Normally, Jack Young had zero interest in these kinds of items, but today, he nodded, "Sure, show me around."
From then on, every item he saw, he picked up, weighed, and felt, but never spent too long on any of them. Soon, he'd handled every item in the shop. In the end, he picked out three more adult curios, paid five hundred taels in total, and left with four in all—a king's ransom for curiosities.
Back in their private room, Fiona Fang excitedly said, "Rachel, we bought some weird stuff, but I have no idea what it's for. Master said to ask you—can you figure it out?" She pushed all three adult curios in front of Rachel Luo at once.
Rachel Luo was stunned at first, then her jaw dropped, and finally her face turned bright red as she stared at Jack Young in disbelief. "This..."
"You're fourteen now, time to learn a few things—so you won't get fooled later and not even know it happened." Jack Young sounded all proper, but his hand never left the Divine Rod.
After he paid and left, the shopboy whispered, "Sold that worthless thing for five hundred taels—what a sucker." Of course Jack Young heard him, but he didn't care. The shopboy thought Jack was a fool, but Jack thought the shopboy didn't know a treasure if it hit him. If Jack were selling, this Divine Rod would go for at least a hundred thousand taels!
Because this jade Divine Rod was soft! It was subtle, but the rod was definitely elastic!
Technically, everything is a little elastic, and jade isn't the hardest material. But this Divine Rod's elasticity was way beyond what jade should have. Plus, when you spun the handle, you could hear faint sounds—the tones varied subtly, following a strange pattern. Out of all the items, only this Divine Rod was so odd. There had to be a secret to it.
"A hundred taels and it's mine—Drunken Moon Pavilion really doesn't know what it's selling." Jack Young decided he would study this Divine Rod carefully.
Just then, Jack Young's ears twitched—he heard someone whisper, "The Herb Maiden is here!" The news spread like wildfire, and in an instant, the whole four-story Drunken Moon Pavilion was in an uproar.