Chapter 218: Here Comes the Elder Brother

　　There were all kinds of items with brilliant lights and vibrant colours being displayed in a transparent case.

　　There were talismans placed everywhere around the display counters to prevent people from touching. There were big wooden tablets at the side of the cases with information about the items inside. There was also a small servant girl at the side, looking around and answering questions for the noble guests.

　　Many ladies and gentlemen in fancy clothes crowded around the exhibits, discussing quietly.

　　Lu Mingshu looked over the items one by one. Seeing her carefully checking them out but not asking about the prices, it gave others a feeling that it was a pointless trip for her.

　　“Heh, pitiful poor girl!” A young lady who passed by sneered.

　　“Maybe a disciple from a smaller sect? It’s not easy for her to travel here though,” the young lady’s companion said.

　　“True….”

　　Lu Mingshu turned a deaf ear to the comments.

　　Finally, she stopped by the public exhibition.

　　It was a huge table with no talismans or cases. The items were randomly thrown on the table, and they looked cheap.

　　Most people who were at the Treasure Assembly had big family backgrounds, so these items were garbage to them that they wouldn’t even spare a glance. There were only a few people looking around.

　　Even the servant girl was standing there lazily, looking like she was about to fall asleep.

　　Lu Mingshu stood there for a moment. Most items here were defects or things that nobody could identify.

　　She looked around for a moment before taking three items and passing them to the servant girl. “Excuse me, I want these three items.”

　　The servant girl yawned. She wiped a tear away before taking out a notebook to write down the items. “Please pay at the side.”

　　Just three gold and she got herself three pieces of “garbage.”

　　This “garbage” had the same quality – old, a small amount of mystic force, and hard to refine. It wasn’t suitable to be sold at a high price, but it was a waste to throw it away. In short, they were just chicken ribs.

　　However, Lu Mingshu had seen many treasures in the Heavenly Wheel, and she had carved a collection of treasures from various worlds in her mind. These three pieces of “garbage” were definitely treasures to her.

　　As for the “real” treasures, they were garbage to her. The Treasure Assembly can just keep them.

　　As she walked out of the venue, she saw someone shouting out loud. “The boats are back!”

　　With a loud bang, many took their mustard seed pouches with them and carried a wooden barrier or rattan basket with them. These people were shopkeepers, clerks, or even booth owners.

　　The stream of people sped past Lu Mingshu.

　　She turned to an aunty who was busy closing her shop in a rush. “May I ask what’s going on?”

　　“The boats are back! Go grab the goods!” The aunty rolled everything up and carried it on her back before dashing in the same direction. She’s fat, but her speed is surprising!

　　Lu Mingshu looked at the situation in front of her blankly before following the crowd.

　　In the blink of an eye, the dock was filled with people.

　　From afar, a fleet slowly entered the harbour under the anticipation of many, then slowly parked by the dock.

　　The sailors jumped down the ship and placed a ladder leading up. The people then gushed forward, fighting to go up the ladder first.

　　Those who tended bigger shops went over to the big ships, while the booths and smaller shops chose the smaller boats. There was a boiling cauldron of voices and people pushing each other, yelling for the prices.

　　So, it’s to get goods.

　　The fleets went out to hunt beasts. When they returned, they sold various water beasts, fish, pearls, algae, and ores. There were a lot of places in Beiming that one couldn’t travel as they wished since it was too dangerous, so some goods could only be acquired from these ships.

　　“Wow! Look! Such a huge fish!” someone cried out in surprise.

　　The crowd looked over to where the cry came from.

　　A few ships were coming in late, dragging a net toward the harbour slowly. A huge shadow could be seen amongst the ships.

　　The closer the ships got, the clearer the shadow became.

　　“It’s a Mountain Whale!”

　　“It’s gigantic! Even bigger than a ship!”

　　“Of course, that’s why it’s called a Mountain Whale.”

　　“Eh, why did they stop?”

　　The ships stopped outside the harbour and dropped their anchors.

　　“Idiot! Where are they going to put the Mountain Whale if they come in the harbour? It’s better to sell it alive than dead, so of course, they’re bidding now!”

　　During the conversation, some boats had already made their way to those ships.

　　“Let’s get going, maybe we will get something too!”

　　Lu Mingshu walked back to the Ding family’s boat, and Ah Ling was just coming out. “Miss, you’re just in time! We are planning to go over to have a look.”

　　“Come along!” Captain Ding smiled. “We are just in time, this is a rare event!”

　　“Ladies and gentlemen!” As the crowd got bigger, a steward came out yelling. “We, the Bon Voyage Fleet, have captured a Mountain Whale. Please take a look!”

　　The ropes tightened, and the Mountain Whale came up to the surface. It was uncomfortable because of the bindings, so it shook its tail to struggle.

　　Suddenly, the water moved up and down, causing the boat to jolt and people to shriek.

　　“Ladies and gentlemen, this fully-grown whale has the strength of a Spirit Realm cultivator. We’ve sent out our top-notch elites to bring it under control.”

　　After the endless introduction, the steward announced an auction on the spot.

　　Somebody shouted, “A hundred and ten! We will pay a hundred and ten mystic crystals!”

　　“A hundred and twenty!”

　　“A hundred and thirty!”

　　A hundred mystic crystals was a sky-high price, and those who could still compete were either big chains or aristocratic families. Most people were just here to join the hype.

　　“Two hundred and eighty!”

　　“Three hundred!”

　　“Three hundred and fifty!”

　　“Four hundred!”

　　The auction price went up quickly until there were only two buyers left – the Pure White Grace Pavilion shopkeeper and the Ye Family.

　　“One thousand!”

　　As soon as the Ye Family spoke that number, it caused an uproar from the crowd.

　　A thousand! A thousand mystic crystals! This is the largest trade in the Remainder Island market in recent years!

　　Even a Spirit Realm elder wouldn’t have more than a hundred mystic crystals. The Bon Voyage Fleet really struck it rich.

　　The Pure White Grace Pavilion shopkeeper hesitated for a moment. He then sighed and bowed toward the Ye Family. “The Ye Family is indeed wealthy, we concede defeat.”

　　The Ye Family member managing the Remainder Island smiled like a Cheshire Cat. “You let me win, you let me win.”

　　The fleet’s steward announced. “A thousand mystic crystals. Deal!”

　　The Ye Family member shook hands with the steward and got a ship to collect the Mountain Whale, bringing it to shore.

　　Ah Ling looked green with envy. “The Bon Voyage Fleet is really something, I couldn’t even finish using a thousand mystic crystals in my lifetime. Such a pity that we are too low-class, they wouldn’t even take us in.”

　　“How would a kid like you know how hard it is? The Bon Voyage Fleet is not like how it used to be. You only see them earning a thousand mystic crystals, but have you taken into consideration how much they spend a day to feed the whole fleet? From what I see, the Bon Voyage Fleet will have a hard time after this.”

　　“What does Sir mean?” Lu Mingshu asked.

　　“The Ye Family is getting more and more powerful, haish!” Captain Ding sighed.

　　Lu Mingshu understood what he meant.

　　The Mountain Whale was being dragged up on shore, and there was nothing else for the crowd to see, so everyone left.

　　As the Ding family’s boat made a turn, somebody called out to them.

　　“Lu Mingshu?”

　　She turned back.

　　A young gentleman was not far behind.

　　He had almond-shaped eyes and looked handsome. He was wearing the turquoise shirt that represented the Ye Family, and he was riding a silver leaf.

　　A Ye Family gentleman.

　　Ah Ling gripped Lu Mingshu’s sleeve tightly in panic.

　　“Hello, Sir…?”

　　The other party held his hand and greeted her. “Ye Zhenyan, third in my family.”

　　Lu Mingshu nodded. She had injured the younger ones, so the older one came.

　　“So, it’s the third young master of the Ye Family. How may I help you?”

　　Ye Zhenyan smiled. “Miss’s performance during the Qilin Festival has left me in surprise, but I haven’t yet had the chance to meet you. It’s such a coincidence that I could meet you in Beiming. I was wondering if Miss would be willing to advise me?”