His Family Owns Mines

"Wasting so much time over a broken horn!" "We want to see the boundless gold!" Even if they couldn't afford to bid, watching the excitement was just as good. Thus, the auction for the boundless gold began immediately. At the Dun Garden auctions, heavyweight lots were brought out at the opening, the intermission, and the finale—either to warm up the crowd, to enliven everyone, or to serve as the grand finale. The heavyweight item chosen to boost the mid-session was the boundless gold that had just been carried up onto the stage. He Lingchuan looked closely and saw that the so-called "boundless gold" was actually half a sword tip. "What is the meaning of this?" The comprehensive catalog of items he had seen in the jade slip contained only a few sentences describing boundless gold, with no accompanying illustrations. Yet the item was immensely popular. More and more guests poured into Hanxiang Hall, seemingly all here to catch a glimpse of it, quickly packing the auction hall until not even water could trickle through. "That half of a sword tip broke off from True Immortal Shou'an's lifebound magic artifact. Its vitality is lost, but it contains boundless gold within," Fu Shanyue explained to him. "Once purchased, Dun Garden can help the buyer extract the boundless gold. If they choose not to extract it, this half of a sword tip can also be kept as a rare collector's piece." He Lingchuan asked in wonder, "Half a sword tip can still be a collectible?" "Yours or mine couldn't, but True Immortal Shou'an's certainly can," Fu Shanyue said matter-of-factly. "He was once the sect master of the Dahuan Sect." "The Dahuan Sect?" He Lingchuan started. "The former master of Mount Xu?" "Exactly!" Fu Shanyue continued. "True Immortal Shou'an once fought against celestial gods and survived all the way into the early Middle Ancient era. He was a figure who spanned two ages. Even as scrap metal, his magic artifact would be worth collecting, let alone with boundless gold contained inside." "Fair enough." He Lingchuan knew as well that collectibles relied heavily on clear provenance and prestigious lineage. As long as the story behind them was told well, the price would soar through the roof. Setting aside the history of the blade itself, boundless gold could induce transformations in magic artifacts and might even grant them an additional attribute. That was truly extraordinary. Such a peculiar metal did not naturally exist in the mortal realm. It was a specialty of the divine realm and in extremely scarce supply; no one even knew which unlucky deity True Immortal Shou'an had plundered his boundless gold from. After the ancient war, the passages between the two realms were sealed, and the celestial gods could no longer bestow it upon the mortal realm, cutting off the source of boundless gold. What boundless gold remained in existence was either hidden in unknown immortal abodes or embedded within the magic artifacts of ancient immortals and fiends. Even Beijia nobles found it extraordinarily difficult to get their hands on. Thus, He Lingchuan immediately witnessed its true value: The starting bid for the boundless gold was set at one hundred thousand taels, with minimum increments of five thousand taels of silver. He Lingchuan calculated carefully. One hundred thousand taels of silver was equivalent to one hundred million copper coins—a heap heavy enough to crush quite a few people to death. An ordinary household wouldn't see that much money across several lifetimes. Yet here, it was merely the opening bid for boundless gold. Soon, he realized that Dun Garden's starting price was actually exceptionally low and conscientious, because the very first bidder shouted out two hundred thousand taels right off the bat! He went completely numb. He Lingchuan knew his own limits; he had never been qualified to enter a price war like this. But this price— Yet the price didn't intimidate anyone else, as a second person shouted, "Two hundred and fifty thousand!" He Lingchuan glanced sideways at Fu Shanyue. "Why aren't you bidding?" "What would I want it for?" Fu Shanyue snorted indifferently. "For a ba, the best weapons are our two hands!" *Damn it, boundless gold is this expensive?* He hadn't brought that much money with him! While the Chiyan Crown Prince could buy on credit, still... Two hundred thousand seemed to be only the beginning. Far too expensive. He Lingchuan cast him a skeptical glance, then peeked over at Hong Chenglüe not far away. The man had his arms locked tightly across his chest, as if terrified that an accidental twitch of his hand might be misinterpreted by the auctioneer. Evidently, General Qingwu, who had only just been restored to his military post, didn't have that kind of wealth either. He Lingchuan also recalled the destitute circumstances Hong Chenglüe had lived in back in Bailu Town. The man seemed born under the star of a prodigal boy, completely unable to amass wealth. After a few rounds, the bid for the boundless gold breached four hundred thousand taels. There were indeed plenty of wealthy people in Lingxu City. Fortunately, the bidding slowed down afterward and the increments shrank, rising by about twenty to thirty thousand taels at a time. Fierce bidding contests like this drew crowds best. In the end, Hanxiang Hall was surrounded three layers deep inside and out. Counting the spectators on the elevated second and third floors, at least a thousand people were watching, with applause breaking out from time to time. By now, the price had reached six hundred and seventy thousand, and only three bidders remained. One of them, a scholar in a long robe, raised his paddle once more and declared in a clear voice, "Eight hundred and seventy thousand!" A collective gasp rippled through the surrounding crowd. What extravagance—a jump of two hundred thousand in a single bid! He Lingchuan murmured, "Who is that?" "Ke Yanming, the eldest son of the current patriarch of the Tianling Ke clan," Fu Shanyue said. "His family owns mines." "..." "I'm serious," Fu Shanyue said solemnly. "His family owns two profound crystal veins." "Profound crystal veins?" And two of them! This time, He Lingchuan couldn't contain his shock. "I thought those were strictly state-owned." Profound crystal veins were scarce within the Yuan Kingdom. Every single one was a monumental discovery and immediately placed under state control. Private mining was a capital crime punishable by the extermination of one's entire clan. Though the monarch of the Yuan Kingdom usually handled affairs in a lukewarm manner, he showed no mercy when executing people under that charge. Profound crystals could be regarded as solidified spiritual energy. In this current era of dwindling spiritual energy, the importance of profound crystal veins went without saying. "Most are," Fu Shanyue explained. "The Ke clan performed meritorious service that greatly pleased the gods, earning them the privilege to mine profound crystals. Those two veins were originally rewards bestowed by the Emperor upon founding heroes of the realm. Because their descendants dwindled, the mines were supposed to revert to state ownership. But then the Ke clan arrived... and the celestial gods transferred the veins to them. That favor has continued for over a century; no one in the entire empire can surpass it." "What service did they perform?" The gods certainly weren't stingy. "They found a legendary treasure for the gods. As for what it was specifically, I don't know either." Fu Shanyue couldn't conceal his envy. Even the Ruler of Chiyan had to work hard to scrape together money; how could he compare to someone sitting atop a mountain of treasure, raking in wealth while lying down? "The Ke clan has close ties to the Heavenly Palace. I hear they regularly visit the Star-Plucking Platform to pay audience to the celestial gods—an honor others wouldn't dare dream of." Fu Shanyue chuckled softly. "In fact, the old, prestigious clans with long histories in Lingxu City look down on the Ke family a bit, calling them bumpkins from the provinces, wealthy yet vulgar. The Ke family spends money without batting an eye, probably just to spite those people." He Lingchuan understood. Beijia had stood for nearly six hundred years, wealthy and powerful, home to many long-lived aristocratic families. They formed an almost rigid circle, reluctant to welcome newcomers into their fold. The Ke clan had arrived late, yet enjoyed divine favor while acting like upstarts, naturally inviting disdain. A thought struck He Lingchuan. "Where did the Ke clan come from?" Fu Shanyue glanced left and right, appearing somewhat wary. Only when the crowd broke into applause for the stage did he whisper two words: "The Yuan Kingdom." He Lingchuan's heart jolted violently. "No way?" Those two words were like a thorn in the Demon Emperor's side—brush against it carelessly, and lives would be taken in wrath. How could he confer honors upon a noble family from the Yuan Kingdom? Besides, hadn't the Yuan Kingdom been destroyed over a century ago? Its descendants were forced to live on the Twilight Plains, serving as male slaves and female prostitutes for generations. How could someone from the Yuan Kingdom serve as an official here? "Back then, the Ke clan abandoned the darkness for the light, reporting and exposing..." Fu Shanyue's lips barely moved. "...exposing the Yuan Kingdom's conspiracy to Lingxu City, thereby rendering great service." Reporting and exposing? He Lingchuan's breath hitched. It seemed that before the former King of Yuan launched his rebellion, the Ke family had already defected. Fu Shanyue added, "The Ke clan's two profound crystal veins even supply ore to Lingxu City year-round." An officially designated exclusive supplier? If they weren't rich, who would be? He Lingchuan and Fu Shanyue sighed in unison. Not far away, Hong Chenglüe turned his head to look at them, utterly baffled. It was clear he had been watching He Lingchuan the entire time. Fu Shanyue glanced at him and asked He Lingchuan, "Do you have history with him?" The question pierced straight to the heart of the matter. He was no fool; how could he miss the undercurrents surging between the two? Hong Chenglüe had looked so grim earlier, as if he might draw his blade at the slightest disagreement. "Yes," He Lingchuan sighed again. "All old, messy business. We exchanged a few words just now and cleared the air over a cup of wine." "Oh, I seem to recall he went to the Fu Kingdom as well." Who didn't have their share of unpleasant little secrets? Fu Shanyue didn't pry further. "If you need help, just say the word." He Lingchuan gave his shoulder a grateful pat. "Not for now, I was just startled. I heard he was exiled far away long ago. How did he suddenly appear in Lingxu City?" "He made a name for himself very early. Over a decade ago, he was a prodigy riding high on his success. But the waters of Lingxu City run deep. He failed to navigate them in his early years and had no choice but to hang up his seal and leave. I hear National Preceptor Shuangye pleaded repeatedly on his behalf before finally fetching him back from abroad and restoring his rank." "National Preceptor Shuangye?" He Lingchuan recalled something, his heart jolting. "In that case, is he close to National Preceptor Shuangye?!" "Close?" Fu Shanyue laughed. "He was categorized into National Preceptor Shuangye's faction long ago." "So that's how it is." He Lingchuan's eyes shifted as a sudden flash of insight connected several thoughts at once. "So that's how it is!" In that single instant, he understood a great many things. He Lingchuan took a sip of wine. "It looks to me as though this General Hong is harboring some resentment, appearing rather out of place in today's atmosphere." "He has only just returned to Lingxu City, so he naturally has to keep a low profile." "Waiting for an opportunity to lead troops and earn military merit?" "Yes. National Preceptor Shuangye brought him back, but he still has to prove himself." Fu Shanyue smiled. "Oddly enough, those who shine brilliantly outside invariably lose their luster once they enter Lingxu City." He Lingchuan silently added in his heart: *That's because the waters of Lingxu City are too deep and too murky.* In an ancient capital of six hundred years, could a newcomer, no matter how talented, truly find the chance to display their abilities? Fu Shanyue pointed at himself. "Of course, I'm the exception." He was currently the talk of the town in Lingxu City, riding the very crest of the wave. Up on the stage, the bidding for the boundless gold finally concluded, and it indeed fell to the Ke clan. Ke Yanming's display of absolute determination had forced all other competitors to back down. Or perhaps the other prestigious families simply didn't care to contest wealth with the Ke family. After all, trying to outbid them was, for most, nothing short of humiliating oneself.