Chapter 137: Financial Might

Indeed, in order to add some weight to their status and put on a show of authority, Gu Weiyu and Xu Weizhou had both changed into the elite disciple robes of the Myriad Swords Sect.

The disciple robes of the Myriad Swords Sect were uniformly cyan, with the only differences lying in the subtle details at the cuffs and collars.

The sect robes of ordinary disciples featured only a single auspicious cloud and a flying sword emblem at the cuffs and collar.

For inner disciples, the cuffs and collars were adorned with three auspicious clouds and three flying swords, alongside a blue border along the collar.

The elite disciple robes were the most exquisite of all, featuring five auspicious clouds and five flying swords at the cuffs and collar, which were trimmed with gold thread and classified as first-tier magical garments.

The second-in-command of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, who had been leisurely resting on a couch in the second-floor private suite, quickly swept Gu Weiyu and her companions with his spiritual sense.

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes as he raised a hand to cast a dust-removal spell, tidying himself up before gracefully rising and seating himself properly at the table.

Simultaneously, he transmitted his voice via spiritual sense to the young attendant downstairs, "Xiao Qi, escort the three distinguished guests upstairs."

The attendants of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion were well-traveled and knowledgeable, naturally recognizing the Myriad Swords Sect disciple robes worn by Gu Weiyu and the other two.

Upon hearing the second-in-command's voice transmission, he immediately realized that the three figures before him were Foundation Establishment stage cultivators.

Especially when he caught a glimpse of the five miniature swords at their cuffs and the golden-trimmed patterns at their collars, his entire body couldn't help but bend slightly in a bow, stopping just short of scraping and bowing.

The young attendant deferentially stepped forward to greet them, "Three distinguished guests, please come upstairs!"

The first floor of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion primarily catered to Qi Condensation stage cultivators, while Foundation Establishment cultivators were received in the private suites upstairs.

Gu Weiyu gave a faint nod, feigning a profound and inscrutable demeanor as she walked toward the second floor without casting her gaze aside.

As for Gu Weilan and Xu Weizhou, they naturally radiated an icy aura that kept people a thousand miles away, leaving the attendant too intimidated to even strike up a conversation.

As soon as the three reached the second floor, the door to one of the private rooms swung open without the aid of wind, and a booming, hearty voice rang out.

"Hahaha, what a joy it is to have friends coming from afar! Please this way, three young friends!"

Hearing the voice, Gu Weiyu turned her head to look and saw a middle-aged man clad in a brilliant golden robe sitting in the private room with a beaming smile.

The middle-aged man looked to be around thirty years of age, exuding an air of slick worldly sophistication throughout his entire person. His build, in particular, could be summed up in a single word—round!

His head was perfectly round, the flesh beneath his chin formed at least three folds whenever he smiled, and his plump physique radiated an air of great prosperity.

Gu Weiyu stiffened her face, suppressing any strange expression from showing. The young attendant had already bowed respectfully to the golden-robed man, addressing him as Manager Jin.

It was only then that they realized the person before them was none other than Manager Jin of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion.

True to his surname Jin, which meant gold, both his attire and his physique matched his family name remarkably well!

After Gu Weiyu and her two companions exchanged formal greetings with Manager Jin, the attendant Xiao Qi deftly brought over spiritual tea, spiritual fruits, and spiritual delicacies, arranging them neatly within the private room before quietly withdrawing.

The door to the private suite closed once more. After everyone took their respective seats inside, Manager Jin warmly spoke:

"The arrival of you three young friends brings great splendor to my Myriad Treasures Pavilion. I wonder if there is any way my pavilion might be of service to you?"

"This junior indeed has a favor to ask..." A radiant smile blossomed across Gu Weiyu's face as she earnestly addressed Manager Jin:

"This junior is Gu Weiyu of the Gu clan in Qin County. Many members of my Gu clan have passed through your esteemed pavilion's hands, and this junior has come today, braving shamelessness, to inquire about the whereabouts of my kinsfolk. Might Manager Jin be able to enlighten us?"

The smile on Manager Jin's face gradually faded, replaced by an expression of difficulty:

"Young Friend Gu, it is not that old Jin lacks compassion, but rather that I am merely a humble manager within the Myriad Treasures Pavilion. A matter like this must surely go through the hands of the Pavilion Master..."

Gu Weiyu glanced sideways at Gu Weilan and Xu Weizhou, withdrew a spirit stone pouch from her wide sleeve, and slid it across the table toward Manager Jin. "Manager Jin, I must trouble you to find a way..."

"No—no—" Without even glancing at the spirit stones inside the pouch, Manager Jin waved his hands repeatedly in refusal, his entire body of flesh trembling with the motion:

"This truly is not a matter of old Jin being unwilling to help; the Myriad Treasures Pavilion simply has its own rules, and I do not have the clearance to access such records."

Manager Jin pushed the spirit stone pouch back toward Gu Weiyu, his voice laden with helplessness.

Old Jin loved fine food above all else, and spirit stones second. Of course his mouth would water at the sight of spirit stones placed right before him, but he had to consider whether he even had the capability to accept them.

The buyer information for cultivator transactions constituted encrypted data within the Myriad Treasures Pavilion; it was utterly beyond the reach of a minor manager like him!

Gu Weiyu's brows furrowed slightly. She had originally thought this would be a simple task, never imagining they would suffer an unfavorable start!

The Myriad Treasures Pavilion was an absolute behemoth in the boundless void realm.

The mere fact that it could establish branch pavilions in every county town across the realm was proof enough of its profound background.

When it came to financial resources and the ability to reach across the heavens with both hands, the Myriad Treasures Pavilion was indisputably second to none!

Consequently, Gu Weiyu and her companions could not harbor even the slightest thought of resolving the matter through force.

Initially, they had planned to track down their kinsfolk's whereabouts and then demand their return, but instead...

Since they were mere Foundation Establishment cultivators, provoking the Myriad Treasures Pavilion would be no different from striking a rock with an egg.

As thoughts raced rapidly through her mind, Gu Weiyu put on a smile once more. "Manager Jin, might I ask to borrow your pavilion's sound-transmission array?"

The so-called sound-transmission array was a special formation capable of long-distance communication. If one was willing to expend a sufficient amount of spirit stones, it could even project synchronized long-distance visual projections of the other party.

However, setting up this formation was extremely complex, and every activation consumed a considerable amount of spirit stones, making it somewhat impractical for ordinary use.

Yet the financially affluent Myriad Treasures Pavilion had never cared for such meager spirit stones, which was why every branch pavilion of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion was equipped with a sound-transmission array for convenient communication.

Although neither Gu Weilan nor Xu Weizhou knew what medicine Gu Weiyu was selling in her gourd, both maintained their composure admirably and showed no signs of surprise.

"That is naturally permissible. Xiao Qi—" Relieved, Manager Jin smiled once again like a Maitreya Buddha and called out toward the doorway of the private suite.

To tell the truth, he had no desire to play the villain either, especially toward three young people who appeared exceptionally talented and destined for greatness in the future.

The attendant Xiao Qi, who had just departed, returned promptly and pushed open the door. "Second-in-command—"

"Escort the three distinguished guests to the room equipped with the sound-transmission array," Manager Jin instructed, gesturing toward Gu Weiyu and her companions while simultaneously sending a mental voice transmission telling him to treat them well.

Xiao Qi bowed respectfully to the three of them and invited them warmly, "Three seniors, please follow this lesser one!"

The three of them stood up, bade farewell to Manager Jin, and left the private suite in the company of Xiao Qi.

The room housing the sound-transmission array was located right on the second floor, a mere dozen paces away from the private suite.

A moment later, Xiao Qi led Gu Weiyu and her companions into a spacious chamber.

In the center of the room stood a large circular stone disk, its outer rim dotted with numerous round apertures inscribed with the names of various cities in ancient seal script.

Anyone wishing to communicate with another county town simply needed to insert high-grade spirit stones into the apertures to activate the sound-transmission array.

Yes, to successfully activate the sound-transmission array, high-grade spirit stones were required.

And the wealthy Myriad Treasures Pavilion kept an entire pouch of high-grade spirit stones right there in the room, available for anyone's use.