Zanxing had originally thought that since she couldn’t draw any magical artifacts from the armory, the matter should end there. But unexpectedly, Shaoyang Zhenren was not only handsome but also considerate in temperament. He had Gu Baiying take her to Huajin Tower in Pingyang Town at the foot of the mountain to choose a new magical artifact, with the spirit stones reimbursed by the sect.

However, this Seventh Martial Uncle looked extremely unwilling.

When Zanxing first arrived in Pingyang Town, she had once looked at Huajin Tower from afar with Lao Niu. She still remembered Lao Niu saying that Jin Feicui, the shopkeeper of Huajin Tower, was a stunningly beautiful woman. However, in “Nine Heaven Summit,” all female characters were beauties, and even female animals were born with delicate features, so it wasn’t surprising. Whether Jin Feicui was a beauty or not, she was undoubtedly a wealthy woman. Setting aside other things, the rewards for the top three in the inner sect examination – Xianyu Lingzhi, Tianji Magical Robe, and Fire Wolf Fang – were all sponsored by Huajin Tower.

This beautiful shopkeeper must have had a good business mind. She both became the financial backer for the entire Taiyan Sect and made the sect invisibly attract a lot of business for their shop. When others arrived in Pingyang Town, they knew that Huajin Tower’s treasures were genuine and fairly priced, since even Taiyan Sect disciples said they were good.

Zanxing and Gu Baiying stopped in front of Huajin Tower.

Huajin Tower was built quite grandly. In a small town like Pingyang Town, the “Good Fortune” River View Inn belonged to those places you could tell at a glance were high-consumption establishments. Huajin Tower did both imports and exports, with very broad business channels. From spiritual fruits and flowers to cultivation techniques and secret manuals, magical artifacts and jewelry – they had everything.

The young assistant at the door saw Gu Baiying and immediately put on a smile to greet him: “Young Immortal Gu, what brings you to our tower today? Please go upstairs to rest and have some tea. I’ll call the shopkeeper.”

A regular customer.

Zanxing followed Gu Baiying upstairs and casually found a window seat to sit down. The first floor here was the main hall, very spacious. It was said that precious magical artifacts were occasionally auctioned here. The second floor could also see the first floor’s scene, but when the pearl curtains were drawn, it became a private tea room.

The pastries on the table were also very cute in appearance, the tea was fragrant, and the long chairs were covered with soft blankets with exquisite embroidery – you could tell at a glance they reeked of spirit stones.

“Seventh Martial Uncle,” Zanxing asked Gu Baiying across from her, “Are the magical artifacts here very expensive?”

“Martial Nephew Yang,” the young man leaned back in his chair, sitting as casually as if he were at home, and said carelessly: “I trouble you, when you come out, don’t look like you’ve never seen the world, lest you lose face for the Taiyan Sect.”

“Face isn’t earned this way.” Zanxing took a sip of tea: “I’ve long discovered that our sect has too strong a culture of comparison and is too vain – it’s not good.”

“Sounds nice,” Gu Baiying glanced at her. “To be vain, you need something worth being vain about. Do you have that?”

Just as Zanxing was about to speak, she suddenly heard a charming laugh from behind the curtain: “Who’s being vain?”

Immediately after, the tea room’s pearl curtain was lifted by someone, and a fragrant figure walked in.

This was a quite beautiful young woman, voluptuous in just the right way, with skin so white it was dazzling, like congealed fat that could be broken by a breath. Her eyebrows were drawn very finely, naturally with a pair of smiling, curved eyes that looked at people with tender gazes, stirring the heart. She wore a light golden gauze dress with red璎珞 patterns embroidered on the hem, her long hair arranged in a high chignon with a phoenix-head golden hairpin inserted at an angle, and a jade-green bracelet on her wrist that made her bright wrist look like snow.

The beauty was graceful and charming, with an alluring manner like the wind. Even dressed so garishly like a nouveau riche, she managed to carry it off with that face and demeanor.

This was the beautiful shopkeeper of Huajin Tower, Jin Feicui.

“Yingying, you’re a rare guest. I haven’t seen you for half a year and thought you had forgotten this sister.” Jin Feicui sat down at the table, her gaze falling on Zanxing. She was first stunned, then smiled: “Who is this lovely girl? Is she your dao companion?”

Gu Baiying was drinking tea and almost choked upon hearing this. He put down his cup and scolded: “Don’t talk nonsense. This is my Sixth Senior Brother’s inner disciple, Yang Zanxing.”

“So she’s Xuan Lingzi’s inner disciple.” Jin Feicui smoothed her hair. “This is the first time you’ve brought a girl to Huajin Tower. I thought she was your dao companion.”

“I’m not blind.” Gu Baiying pressed his forehead: “Bringing her here was the Sect Master’s idea. Hurry up and choose a magical artifact for her.”

“A magical artifact?” Jin Feicui looked puzzled: “Doesn’t your sect have an armory?”

Gu Baiying raised his eyebrows, said nothing, and looked at Zanxing.

Zanxing felt no embarrassment at all and answered frankly: “I couldn’t draw any.”

Jin Feicui looked at her in astonishment: “You’re Xuan Lingzi’s inner disciple, how could you…” But in just a moment, this beauty immediately changed to a smile: “It’s fine. Although the magical artifacts in our Huajin Tower can’t compare to those in the Taiyan Sect’s armory, they’re not bad either. They’re sufficient to take out and bluff people. Little Junior Sister, what do you usually use? Saber or sword? I guess a cute little girl like you should prefer to use silk ribbons?”

Zanxing thought to herself that there was indeed a reason why Huajin Tower’s business could grow so large. Facing this half-disfigured face, she could still say the word “cute” with a sincere expression – Jin Feicui deserved to get rich.

“Staff. I usually use a staff.” Zanxing smiled: “I wonder if Shopkeeper Jin’s Huajin Tower has any staff-type magical artifacts?”

Upon hearing this, Jin Feicui was surprised for a moment, then said: “We do have them, but… It’s quite rare for women to use staff.”

“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it.” Zanxing picked up a pastry from the plate and tasted it: “It suits me very well.”

Fairies using fairy wands – no problem there.

Huajin Tower indeed had everything. In just a moment, Jin Feicui returned carrying a long wooden box and placed it in front of Zanxing.

“We have quite a few staff in our tower, but those who use staffs are mostly male cultivators with ordinary cultivation. I won’t show you ordinary staff – this is the best Panhua Stick in our tower.” Jin Feicui smiled as she opened the box lid: “Little Junior Sister, see if it’s suitable?”

Zanxing looked at the wooden box. On the red soft cloth inside lay an unremarkable black iron staff. At first glance, it looked quite similar to the rusty iron staff that the Taiyan Sect had distributed before. She picked up the iron staff and discovered that the shaft was carved with many fine, dense patterns. Looking carefully, she realized they weren’t patterns but talismans.

“This staff is engraved with Pure Heart Mantras,” Jin Feicui smiled. “It can ward off evil and dispel malevolent energy.”

“Ward off evil and dispel malevolent energy?” Zanxing was surprised: “Doesn’t it increase yuanli and resist attacks?”

“This staff was originally carried by a Buddhist cultivator to exorcise evil for common people.” Jin Feicui answered with a smile: “The Panhua Stick naturally also contains yuanli, and the staff body is light and agile – it couldn’t be more suitable for Little Junior Sister.”