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"Forget it, if I were to view this from the perspective of those cultivation novels I read in my previous life, this would be the Foundation Establishment stage, the true beginning of cultivation. A single misstep could affect the path of cultivation in the future. There are still many things I haven't figured out, so I'll take it slowly. No more thinking, time to sleep."
Zhao Li suppressed the urge to break through immediately, deciding to play it safe. He lay down on the bed in a large letter T, and before long, he fell asleep.
The moon set in the west, and the sun rose, casting its rays over the land. Life on the earth rejuvenated, and the place gradually became lively.
In the Eastern Region of the Dou Qi Continent, in the Imperial Capital of the Dagan Empire, at the Zhao Family Manor, a handsome young man was practicing cultivation under the morning light.
"Big Brother Zhao Li, the sun is shining on your back, get up, get up. Let's go to the marketplace."
A clear and crisp voice broke the tranquil scene. Outside the courtyard, a group of young people had gathered, and a child around six or seven years old was knocking on the door.
Zhao Li got up and opened the courtyard gate. In front of him were several young men and women, among them a child around seven or eight years old who was about to knock on the door again.
"Brother Ning, Brother Ze, Sister Yu, Little Zhen, what brings you all here? Come in, come in."
"Big Brother Zhao Li, why didn't you say anything when you came to open the door? You scared me!"
"It's my fault, scaring Little Zhen. Big Brother will give you a little gift, will you forgive me?"
Zhao Li rubbed the girl's head and then gave her a small trinket.
She was Zhao Li's cousin, Zhao Zhenzhen, the youngest of Zhao Li's generation. She had always loved following her older brothers and sisters around, earning her the nickname of the Zhao Family's little tagalong.
"Little Li, everyone is free today and it's been a while since we last visited the Imperial Capital. We thought we'd go out for a stroll. Want to join us?"
Seeing Zhao Li take out a spinning bamboo dragonfly to appease Zhao Zhenzhen, Zhao Hongyu invited Zhao Li to join them.
"Sure, Sister Yu, wait for me a moment, I'll change my clothes."
Zhao Li, upon hearing the invitation, realized it had been a long time since he had gone out to play. He didn't refuse. Due to his reincarnation, Zhao Li wasn't very familiar with everyone, but he wasn't distant either. He greeted them and turned back to change his clothes.
Soon, Zhao Li came out again:
"Sister Yu, Brother Ning, Brother Ze, let's go."
The young man walked towards them in a black robe, his face chiseled with sharp features, looking handsome and refined. Under the sunlight, he seemed a bit more carefree and unrestrained. His black eyes were exceptionally bright, and he greeted everyone with a warm smile.
"Little Li, do you know that you're quite a heartthrob when you look like that?"
"Yeah, yeah, you clean up well, you're quite handsome."
The two older brothers teased Zhao Li, who scratched his head:
"Don't tease me, let's go shopping."
Seeing their younger brother's expression, everyone laughed, and the air was filled with a joyful atmosphere.
Danyuan City, as the Imperial Capital of the Dagan Empire, was bustling and lively, even in the early morning, the streets were already crowded with people.
Zhao Li and his group had no specific destination in mind, so they strolled around the streets casually. Zhao Zhenzhen was particularly lively, often pulling everyone to various stalls, and whenever she saw something she liked, she would pout and beg. Everyone enjoyed teasing this little sister.
Children's interests come and go quickly, and perhaps she was tired. At that moment, Zhao Zhenzhen was lying on Zhao Ning's back, listlessly eating a skewer of candied hawthorns.
"Let's go to the marketplace, we might find something good there."
After wandering for quite a while, Zhao Li suggested to everyone that in the novels he read in his past life, the cave Marketplace auctions were always where the protagonist could find good deals and treasures, rising rapidly. Although it wasn't his first time visiting the Marketplace, Zhao Li still thought it might be worth a try. What if he was the protagonist?
Everyone had no objections, and they turned a few corners, heading toward the largest Marketplaces nearby.
"Lord Li, are you here to buy something? I can have it delivered to you."
Just as they reached the entrance of the Marketplace, Zhao Li was recognized by a guard. From the address, it seemed he was a disciple of the Danyuan Sect.
Zhao Li nodded slightly in response and said, "Nothing much, we're just browsing. You go about your business. If we need anything, I'll let you know."
Then, the group walked into the Marketplace. Seeing the crowd almost pressing against each other, Zhao Li couldn't help but doubt whether coming to the Marketplace was a wise decision.
The Marketplace was crowded, bustling, and chaotic. However, due to the joint efforts of the major families and the Danyuan Sect to maintain order, there were rarely any disturbances. Vendors with good items or unusual treasures were more willing to conduct transactions in such an environment.
Zhao Li and his group followed the flow of people, browsing through various stalls. Suddenly, they heard someone cursing loudly from ahead:
"Why don't you just rob people? You're selling a broken jar for fifty thousand gold coins."
Zhao Li and his companions moved closer and inquired from the bystanders, gradually understanding the situation.
It turned out that the stall owner was using a method similar to blind boxes from his past life. He had placed valuable items like cultivation techniques and magic cores, worth tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of gold coins, alongside low-grade herbs worth a few thousand gold coins, all in jars. People could choose a jar, each priced at fifty thousand gold coins, but the value of the items inside was unknown, and whether they would profit or lose money was a gamble. The person who had just spent fifty thousand gold coins and only got a ten-year-old Moon Orchid, worth about a thousand gold coins, naturally started arguing with the stall owner.
"Young man, before we made the transaction, I clearly explained the rules. Whether to buy or not is your decision. What you get is entirely up to your luck. When you want to make a fortune with a small investment, you didn't prepare for the possibility of losing everything. How can you blame me now?"
The stall owner spoke calmly.
"Ha, you say your jars contain mystic cultivation techniques and fourth-grade magic cores? Who has seen them? If you fill them with junk herbs to deceive me, how would I know?"
"You don't need to worry about that. I am Wang Chen, and I can produce these items." Suddenly, a pair of wings condensed behind the stall owner.
"Wang Chen! One of the ten great emperors of the Dagan Empire!"
"Wow, a Dou Huang! I never thought I'd have the honor of meeting a Dou Huang."
Hearing the exclamations around him, Zhao Li also understood the old man's identity. He was one of the ten great Dou Huangs of the Dagan Empire and the only independent Dou Huang, known for his love of wandering and enjoying life. It seemed he had suddenly taken an interest in this.
"Forgive me, Senior. I was wrong to judge you by my own standards. I will leave now."
The man who had been shouting earlier cowered, bowing and apologizing.
Wang Chen retracted his wings and continued slowly, "I'm not using force to pressure you. I genuinely placed some treasures and peculiar items in the jars and sealed them. I don't even know what's inside now. The world is full of the unknown, and it's precisely the unknown that is most captivating. Just like these jars, you won't know what's inside until you open them. Life is like opening a jar; if you don't experience it, how will you know what it's like?"
In the crowd, Zhao Li was stunned.