Book 2 - Fame Spreads - Chapter 34.2

Note:
The second goal of 100$ on my patreon account has been met! My hands are already full this week, so the bonus chapter will be released next week along with seven regular chapters.
After having a casual meal, Yuan Lixuan took a few turns and led them to a spacious street.
On this big street, there weren’t much people. The decorations of the shops at the sides of the street were exceedingly plain and simple. However, there was a baselessly profound atmosphere pervading the street.
“What is this place?” He Yitian astoundedly asked.
“This is the street of county town’s most reputed antique shops,” Yuan Lixuan proudly said, “Every antique here is at least five hundred years old. The good stuff in here is simply too vast to be countable. You can only slowly explore by yourself. If your luck is not good, you can only return with empty hands. However, if your luck is good, striking rich overnight is also not uncommon.”
He Yiming faintly nodded. He wasn’t too fond of such things. However, He Yitian appeared to be somewhat interested.
With the introduction of Yuan Lixuan, they headed towards a store that reportedly had some good commodities.
He Yiming gently tugged and said, “Brother Yuan, does your family have a shop here?”
Yuan Lixuan’s face turned slightly red, “Unfortunately, our Yuan family doesn’t deal in antiques.”
He Yitian took out a gold ingot that was more than ten taels heavy and said, “Yiming, I’m going in to take a look. If you don’t want to come, you might as well roam on your own. We’ll meet here again two hours later.”
He Yiming thought for a bit, then said, “All right.”
However, he didn’t accept the ingot from his elder brother’s hands, and instead took out two himself with a flip of his hand.
Stuffing one into He Yitian hands, he gently laughed and left, heading towards the depths of the street.
Watching his brother’s retreating figure, He Yitian couldn’t help but click his tongue in wonder, wondering how could he have so much wealth despite being so young.
However, he didn’t know that the current wealth He Yiming had displayed was merely what he’d acquired from Hubin’s body. As for the gifts that the four big influential families of Fire Crow country had given to him, the most of them had been left in the Xie Residence. If He Yitian were to see those things, he would be absolutely terrified.
He Yiming indeed didn’t have an ounce of interest in the antiques on this street. He simply couldn’t comprehend why would people chase after these things which could neither be eaten nor drunk. Even his father was quite obsessed over these items.
Perhaps for the current He Yiming, only the road of martial dao was the true target of his pursuit.
Especially after attaining the Xiantian realm, with every breath he took, he could distinctly feel that he’d not attained the peak. It was akin to climbing a mountain only to discover that this small mountain was nothing but an entrance to a big mountain that penetrates the clouds.
This made him recall the mountain behind the He manor. That big mountain with flourishing nature was enough to make the majority of people lose their way. However, the reality was that it was merely a small entrance. Only after entering inside this entrance would one be able to see the gigantic mountain range that stretched across millions of li, running through the entire northwest region.
He Yiming’s footsteps were soundless and nimble. He headed towards the street’s exit. However, as soon as his foot stepped out of the street, he suddenly turned back and walked. But his movements remained graceful and nimble, not attracting anyone’s attention.
A moment ago, he’d caught sight of an individual. If he hadn’t remembered wrong, it was precisely Fan Vastmoon whom he’d encountered while returning from the Fire Crow country. As soon as he saw him, he thought of the Fan family. However, he wasn’t sure if the two were related.
Beside Fan Vastmoon were two attendants. The three individuals rushingly arrived before a shop and entered without the slightest hesitation.
He Yiming immediately swept his vision around, silently circled around, and snuck inside.
With his strength, if he wished to engage in such shady affairs, he wouldn’t be discovered even under broad daylight.
The back of this shop was extended to a several ten meters big courtyard, which further contained more than ten buildings.
With the help of True Qi, He Yiming immediately discovered that this place was heavily guarded. There were actually ten cultivator guards, one among whom was even an eight layer expert.
For such an expert to appear inside a shop indeed felt quite queer. His heart faintly trembled, ‘Don’t tell me this place is concealing some secret?’
Not long after, Fan Vastmoon entered one of the buildings with a middle-aged man. He Yiming immediately focused inside this building.
Although he couldn’t see the interaction of his true Qi with the mysterious external energies with his eyes, in his perception, he could receive a substantial amount of information regarding the movements and sounds made by the individuals inside.
“Second young master… how come it’s not big young master this time?” The middle-aged man’s voice gently echoed. At the same time, a scene of the middle-aged man cautiously asking this question appeared in He Yiming’s mind. Furthermore, he could strangely even comprehend this middle-aged man’s state of mind, seeming as if he didn’t trust Fan Vastmoon but had no way out.
Indistinctly, He Yiming somewhat understood. In this clan, this young master’s reputation was evidently not good. Whereas that big young master’s impression was quite favourable.
Fan Vastmoon coldly snorted and said, “Why? Do you think only elder brother is Fan family’s lord? That I am nothing?”
His voice was gloomy, carrying a chill as if a ferocious dragon had been provoked.
The middle-aged man’s frightened voice immediately sounded, “Second master, with heavens as my witness, I would never dare think as such.”
“Humph, if you don’t think, it’s fine. If you truly think, see if I don’t put you in your place.”
“Yes…yes” The middle-aged man said in a frightened voice. This moment, he wouldn’t dare reveal the slightest bit of distrust even if his brain was chopped apart.
“Fine, so what is the treasure you’ve obtained? Take it out quickly.” Fan Vastmoon impatiently said.
As much unwilling the middle-aged man was inwardly, he didn’t dare be neglectful. Although the second young master before his eyes and the big young master were both born of the same mother, be it skill, or their way of conduct, the difference simply couldn’t be accounted with reason.
However, in any case, he was still a leader of Fan family- not someone that he, a lowly servant, could resist.
After a few moments, the middle aged man gently and cautiously took out a package from a chest. However, subsequently, a furious voice could be heard, “What is this?! A stone? Have you gone insane? You’ve asked me to hurry over for a stone?”
The middle-aged man felt wronged inwardly, ‘I wished for your elder brother, not you- a spoiled brat who only knows his own pleasure and uses his position to bully others.’
Although he was quite resentful inwardly, his voice became even more deferential, “Second young master, this thing was personally delivered by Golden Rat Thief.”
“Golden Rat Thief? Is it some toy?”
The middle-aged man’s face stiffened as he rather awkwardly said, “Golden Rat Thief is a nickname. He is our Gold Forest’s most reputed tomb raider.”
Fan Vastmoon glared, “So you are saying, this thing is stolen from a tomb?” He vigorously waved his hand and threw the stone towards outside, then flung his arm around two times; his whole face wretched.
The middle-aged man immediately leapt and secured the stone before it could hit the ground. However, his face was indistinctly green. Whoever met such a young lord probably would have lost his mind as well.
“Second young master, although Golden Rat Thief is merely a tomb-plunderer, he has his family’s skill that has been passed on for three generations. Moreover, he often scores good stuff.”
Fan Vastmoon coldly snorted and said, “Is that so? In that case, are you saying this is good stuff?”
The middle-aged man bitterly laughed and said, “Second young master, my knowledge is pitiful. I can’t tell. However, this time, Golden Rat Thief himself said that he entered a huge cave. After barely preserving his life there, he finally found this stuff on the coffin. Reportedly, this was the only thing with the coffin.”
Fan Vastmoon faintly creased his brows and said, “So what?”
The middle-aged man helplessly said with a smile, “Usually, this thing ought to be the most precious object in the entire tomb.”
Fan Vastmoon coldly smiled for a few moments before saying, “Most precious? If that Golden Rat Thief was only digging up a country bumpkin’s tomb, this would naturally be the most precious object.”
Although the middle-aged man was quite disapproving, he cautiously said, “Second young master, Golden Rat Thief has been doing this work for more than twenty years and has a golden reputation in this line of work. Unless he wants to tear down this reputation, he would never do such a thing.”
Fan Vastmoon thought for a bit, “Pack this thing up for me. I will take it back to have it properly inspected. If it’s truly some treasure, you will naturally profit. However, if it’s merely a stone, be prepared for your punishment.”
The middle-aged man repeatedly sounded his agreement while wondering inwardly, ‘Both big young master and second master come from the same womb, how could they be so far apart?’
After a few moments, at Fan Vastmoon’s call, the two attendants immediately entered inside.
Fan Vastmoon pointed at one of them, made him hold a small package, and left the store with them.
The three individuals walked out of the store. However, they had a small package in addition.
He Yiming thought for a few moments, faintly shook his head, and was about to leave.
But he suddenly recalled how this Fan Vastmoon wished to rob him of his Red Silk. Although he’d already imparted a suitable punishment, since they had met again, he might as well increase it a little bit.