The meeting took place inside a four-story restaurant. However, it wasn't on one of the regular floors where people went to enjoy their meals; it was in a basement.
I followed Sun Liang as he approached the attendant of the establishment.
"Octopus head," Sun Liang whispered.
It was a peculiar thing to say, but the attendant immediately understood the meaning.
"For the three of you?" the attendant asked.
Sun Liang simply nodded, patiently waiting as the attendant entered the storage room and returned with three wooden crates.
Unsure of what was inside, I followed Sun Liang's lead without questioning. He handed one of the crates to me and another to Sun Shi.
"These are special robes and masks that will conceal your cultivation and identity," Sun Liang explained.
The cultivation-hiding aspect only worked for those in the Foundation Establishment realm and below. Nevertheless, Sun Liang still obtained a robe for himself, as it came with a mask that effectively concealed his face.
We proceeded to a room at the back and donned the clothing. It consisted of long, dark robes commonly worn by cultivators. The robes had hoods, and the masks covered everything except the eyes. The masks were also black.
After donning the appropriate attire for the meeting, the three of us proceeded to another room where we encountered an individual dressed in the same garments, waiting by the door.
"Token, please," the man said in an indifferent tone.
I had no clue what he meant by "token," and Sun Shi appeared equally perplexed. However, Sun Liang reached into his pocket and retrieved a shiny, golden token. As soon as the person at the door saw it, he immediately bowed.
"This Junior pays respects to Elder. I apologize for my earlier words."
Clearly, power and influence commanded respect, and it became evident that Sun Liang was even more enigmatic than I had initially believed.
Following his display of the token, I worried that I would have to present one of my own. However, the man said nothing and, despite not extending any apologies to us, treated both me and Sun Shi with courtesy.
Undoubtedly, he must have been intimidated by Sun Liang's power and influence. Since he had no knowledge of who we were, it was wiser for him not to provoke us. After all, we were both under Sun Liang's protection.
"Don't shit your pants," I thought, glancing at the person before entering.
An expansive tunnel constructed entirely of stone lay ahead of us. It wasn't narrow enough to induce any feelings of discomfort. In fact, it was quite spacious, likely equipped with multiple alternative exits in case of any unforeseen circumstances.
The lighting was dim, with only a few blue torches affixed to the walls. These torches were special, designed to burn for an extended period.
That was the extent of my knowledge about this place. Everything else remained a mysterious realm to me, and with each step, numerous thoughts raced through my mind. I took solace in the fact that Sun Liang accompanied me, knowing that no one would dare to provoke him.
The tunnel led us to a room with a table in the middle and around twelve chairs. Inside the room, three people already donned the same attire as us.
They briefly glanced at me and Sun Liang, unable to discern our faces or cultivation levels. However, Sun Shi attracted more attention.
As a child, he was naturally shorter in stature. The cultivators there likely assumed he was a small-sized adult, considering it highly improbable for a child to possess Foundation Establishment cultivation.
The gathering was intended solely for individuals of that power realm, yet Sun Liang managed to infiltrate me and Sun Shi, thanks to his influence.
None of us spoke, opting instead to select three adjacent chairs and take our seats. With each passing minute, more cultivators entered the room. After thirty minutes, everyone had arrived.
Although the chairs formed a circle around the table, one chair stood slightly apart from the rest, reserved for the organizer of the gathering.
His face remained hidden, but his voice bore the tone of an elderly individual.
"I appreciate all of you for being here," he said, tapping his fingers on the table. "For the duration of this gathering, disregard my cultivation. I pledge that no one shall bully the weak."
Did they possess knowledge of his cultivation level? Sun Liang had mentioned a friend attending the meeting. Could this be that person? It would make sense for the organizer to be one realm above the attendees, ensuring safety and preserving anonymity for everyone present.
"Well, let the trades commence!"
"I have this three-hundred-year-old White Mushroom I obtained from the highlands of the north. Anyone interested?"
"I found this mysterious pill inside an ancient site..."
"An egg from an unknown creature."
The cultivators began placing their items on the table. Some had specific requests, such as a Foundation Establishment pill, but no one in the room possessed one or was willing to trade for what was offered.
"It seems Foundation pills are rare... I had no idea because the cultivation novels I read had different settings," I mused.
After a while, it was finally my turn. All eyes turned towards me, and I had to endure the weight of their gaze. Truth be told, my hands were sweating, and part of me wanted to flee. It felt like being trapped in a cage with hungry lions.
"I have an ancient scroll. It describes a place, possibly a treasure location, but parts of it are written in a language I don't understand," I explained, retrieving an old scroll from my pocket.
All the cultivators in the room were intrigued by the mention of treasures, but none were willing to trade with me. I understood their hesitation.
It was just a piece of paper that potentially held something valuable, but what if it led to nothing? They would be giving away their goods for a mere fairy tale.
However, the organizer of the event showed interest.
"May I see the scroll?" he asked.
I saw no reason to refuse, so I handed him the scroll.
The cultivator began reading, and I watched intently for his reaction. Judging by his expression, the scroll was even more valuable than I had anticipated.
"I can offer you three thousand low-grade spiritual stones. Would that suffice?" he proposed.
For some reason, my gut feeling told me the man was trying to deceive me.
"But..."
"No 'buts.' This is all I can offer. Take it or leave it. The scroll will remain with me for free."
That struck a nerve! The same man who claimed he wouldn't allow others to abuse their power in the meeting was now doing just that. Anger coursed through my veins, but there was little I could do to stop him.
Just as I was about to reluctantly accept his pitiful offer, a voice echoed, "Old friend, is this how you treat my companions?"
"S-Sun?"
As I had suspected, Sun Liang and the man were friends, and Sun Liang was not going to let him bully me for some unknown reason.
"Fine. What do you want? This scroll is more valuable than I anticipated."
That was my chance to turn the tables on him!
"Five thousand low-grade spiritual stones and the best alchemy cultivation art you possess."
"Damn..." the golden core cultivator winced, feeling his pockets bleed.