Qiu Junsong looked at Jiang Sisi, smiled, and shook his head, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes deepening.
"We can't hear the surroundings, and perhaps they can't hear us either, but that doesn't mean this room is entirely soundproof or confidential. Notice that the attendant who served us earlier never once mentioned anything about this room being isolated from sound."
Hearing this, Jiang Sisi was confused, but trusting her sect master, she switched to a voice transmission and said, "Master, didn't you just tell me that the attendant was a mortal? It's normal for mortals to overlook such details in matters related to cultivators, right?"
Qiu Junsong smiled at her again and, instead of replying through voice transmission, he spoke aloud, "I've always taught you, never underestimate anyone. Mortal minds may not necessarily be inferior to those of cultivators. Moreover, when you're outside, it's always wise to be cautious, and to regard people and situations with a bit more respect; it can prevent many unforeseen troubles."
"If what we've heard so far is correct, the mortals in Xiushui City are different from others. Their exposure to cultivators is far greater than that of ordinary people. We don't know the extent of their interactions, so it's better not to dismiss their insight or their awareness."
"When dealing with things, never rely solely on preconceived notions. You must consider all the variables..."
The moment Jiang Sisi realized her sect master was about to go into a long lecture, she inwardly groaned. To make matters worse, the one elder who could normally cut him off, Elder Yu, had been left outside to wait!
Fortunately, just then, the auction hall, which had been pitch dark, suddenly lit up. The bright lights streamed into the rooms through the windows, interrupting the various discussions happening in each private booth.
All the lights in the hall focused on the center.
"This auction is the first ever held by Xiushui City's Trading Center. We thank all of you for attending today," Liu Yunan appeared under the gathered lights, raising his hand in a salute to the surrounding private room windows.
Only he knew how many times he had rehearsed this gesture with Sun Yigao in the past few days.
"First, let me inform you all that every item in this auction is guaranteed by the Xiushui City Trading Center. We ensure that the items are exactly as described, and buyers will be provided with verification services at the time of delivery. Any discrepancies will be eligible for returns or exchanges."
"Additionally, auctions will be held regularly moving forward. Depending on the value of the items being auctioned, different auction halls will be opened. Furthermore, any sect wishing to auction valuable items is welcome to do so through the auction house."
"Lastly, I'm sure you all noticed the sign outside the 'Trading Service Center.' Xiushui City will soon establish various commercial districts dedicated to cultivators. These districts will feature numerous shops selling a wide range of items related to cultivation."
"Not only that, but each sect and royal family present today will receive a shop with one year of free rent. If you have anything you wish to sell, feel free to use these shops. If you choose not to renew after the free year, you can simply return the shop."
As soon as Liu Yunan finished speaking, the cultivators in the hall couldn't help but feel surprised.
No one expected that there would be further plans for a commercial district.
It seemed that this auction was going to be a legitimate one after all.
The promise of a free shop for a year piqued many sects' interest. However, many quickly realized that their sects didn't have any resources that could be sold long-term, and their initial excitement faded.
In the mortal realm, while there wasn't a centralized trading market, many small markets did pop up from time to time. However, these markets often fizzled out after a few years, only for another one to rise and then also fade.
These so-called "bustling" markets were nothing more than small gatherings of a few sects and royal families selling limited, surplus goods.
The goods were usually scarce, accumulated over many years, and the sects weren't willing to dedicate manpower and resources to maintain these minor markets. As a result, it was impossible for any of these markets to sustain themselves over the long term.
The most successful one had been a joint effort by over ten sects to organize a market, but even that hadn't lasted more than ten years.
Many factors contributed to these failures, but no one wanted to step up, take the lead, and try again.
Even if someone did, no one else would follow. No one had the resources to spare, and no one wanted to be the one taking orders from others.
In short, after hearing Liu Yunan's speech, the representatives from the sects and royal families present understood what Lingxian Sect was aiming to do.
Some were amused, thinking that after so many years of failure, Lingxian Sect still had the audacity to try building a market.
Others, while not as dismissive, were still doubtful.
However, some, like the head of Qinghe Sect, quickly began connecting the dots.
For example, in recent years, the resources suddenly supplied by the Li royal family had always been ample and delivered promptly.
Then there were the large-scale orders of talismans. Both Qinghe Sect and Yunyin Sect, as well as Shangyang Gate, had been fulfilling monthly orders for talismans. These orders, which had accumulated over time, amounted to a significant quantity.
But these talismans were the type rarely used in the mortal world, almost useless there.
Because the Li royal family had always provided sufficient payment in spirit stones, no one had bothered to question where these talismans were going.
It was now clear that the Li family had long been cooperating with Lingxian Sect, and that the resources and buyers weren't coming from the Li family at all, but from Lingxian Sect.
If Qinghe Sect had realized this, then Yunyin Sect and Shangyang Gate had likely also made the same connections.
Not only them, but other sects who frequently interacted with these three must have realized it as well.
In just a few moments, everyone in the room understood the sudden abundance of resources in recent years.
Li Zhanying sighed quietly to himself.
It seemed that the glory of the Li family holding a monopoly over these resources would come to an end today. With Xiushui City in place, Lingxian Sect would no longer need them.
Beside him, Li Zeyuan, the only Golden Core cultivator of the Li family, was also aware of the dealings between their family and Lingxian Sect. Seeing the patriarch sigh, he felt disheartened.
"Ancestor, does this mean Lingxian Sect will stop trading with the Li family?"
Li Zhanying smiled at his expression and replied, "Not necessarily. We've benefited greatly these past few years. The resources we've accumulated exceed what we've gathered in decades. I sighed only because it's a bit regretful that there may be fewer opportunities to work so closely with Lingxian Sect in the future."