Chapter 32 – The Treasure Body Can Sense the Spiritual

Chapter 32 – The Treasure Body Can Sense the Spiritual

As sixteen chests of jewels and treasure were unloaded from the ship before everyone’s eyes, the entire dock erupted in commotion.

After all, the last time a fleet had brought back such a massive haul was… last time—no wait, it was only a few months ago!

Since when had salvaging treasure from the seabed become so easy?

Or had the waters near Glazed Glass Island become so rich that precious treasures were scattered everywhere?

The islanders found themselves plunged into deep doubt.

Which then gave way to even greater excitement.

Who didn’t dream of getting rich overnight?

Countless people, their hearts racing with excitement, rushed home to share the news from the docks with their families.

They too wanted to set sail! They too wanted to salvage treasure from the seabed!

And so, the news that the Distant Traveler had also brought back an enormous fortune spread like wildfire, quickly reaching every corner of Glazed Glass Island.

Heavenly Treasure House.

The young woman in yellow was deeply absorbed in appraising a batch of newly acquired items when the sound of hurried footsteps suddenly rang out.

“Boss! Boss!”

Sun Zhang barged in without so much as a greeting.

“What is it?” The young woman in yellow looked up in surprise.

“Treasure… over a dozen chests… the Distant Traveler…” Sun Zhang gasped for breath, his words coming out in fragments.

The young woman in yellow was unimpressed. “It’s just a dozen or so chests of treasure. Is that really worth making such a fuss over? If the island wants to liquidate these things, they’ll still have to go through our Heavenly Treasure House’s channels…”

Mid-sentence, her expression suddenly changed. “Wait—did you say the Distant Traveler? The ship that uncle Li Fan is on?”

Sun Zhang nodded repeatedly.

The young woman in yellow was stunned for a long while before finally collecting herself. “No wonder that fellow was so absolutely certain he could convince Steward Zhao. He was completely sure that as long as he went to sea, he’d find treasure…”

“Exactly, exactly! That kind of ability is just like our Heavenly Treasure House’s grand shopkeeper!” Sun Zhang said, his voice full of both envy and admiration. “It’s a good thing you had the foresight, boss, to give him that little courtyard beforehand—that counts as establishing a connection with him. Now that he’s back from sea, his reputation is bound to soar. Trying to win him over after this would probably cost us dearly.”

The young woman in yellow cut Sun Zhang off and simply instructed, “Go arrange things right away—see when we can invite him for a meal. Also, send someone to clean up the Listening Serenity Tower, then have the deed delivered to him.”

Sun Zhang was startled, but this time he said nothing and hurried off to handle things.

Only the young woman in yellow’s soft murmuring remained in the room.

“Spirit-Attuned Treasure Body…”

The legendary Spirit-Attuned Treasure Body—as long as rare treasures existed within a certain range of the bearer, they would instinctively sense their presence.

The grand shopkeeper of Heavenly Treasure House, also the young woman in yellow’s elder sister, Yin Yueting, possessed exactly this special constitution.

It was precisely through this heaven-defying ability that Yin Yueting had, over the past decade or so, built Myriad Treasure House from nothing into a massive trading consortium spanning the entire Layered Cloud Sea.

Li Fan had no idea that the people of Heavenly Treasure House had mistaken him for a Spirit-Attuned Treasure Body. At this moment, he was at Steward Zhao’s residence.

“Your talent is truly extraordinary. Sixteen chests of treasure on your very first voyage—what a wonderful surprise you’ve given me!” Steward Zhao said, his face beaming with praise.

Li Fan smiled but didn’t respond.

He knew Steward Zhao had the ability to discern truth from lies, so he shrewdly changed the subject. “This haul was indeed substantial, but I’m afraid future trips will be hard-pressed to match it.”

Steward Zhao waved it off. “That’s only to be expected. One can’t have such luck every time.”

Then he continued, “But based on this haul alone, it’s more than enough for me to arrange an independent fleet for you.”

Li Fan nodded. “Then I thank you, Steward Zhao!”

“I’ve heard that you’ve been scheming and planning all for the sake of securing a spot in the Body-Purifying Spirit Pool?” Steward Zhao took a sip of tea and suddenly asked.

“That’s correct. I suffered a great upheaval, and only then did I come to understand that all the glory and wealth of this world are as fleeting as passing clouds. Even if one possessed inexhaustible treasure, after a hundred years it would all turn to a handful of dust. Only by seeking the path of immortality and attaining eternal life can one truly make this journey through the world worthwhile!” Li Fan sighed, his voice heavy with emotion.

Steward Zhao stared at Li Fan for a long time before letting out a sigh of his own. “At your age, to still harbor the aspiration of seeking immortality—I am not your equal!”

As if recalling something, a complicated expression crossed Steward Zhao’s face. “Over a decade ago, when I was about your age, I happened by chance to save the life of an immortal master. The immortal master asked if I wished to follow him in cultivation, but I knew I had long since passed the ideal age for cultivation. Even if I practiced, there was no guarantee of achievement. Moreover, the older one gets, the more deeply rooted the miasma becomes within the body, and the more painful its removal.”

“So I only asked for a position instead. Now, as the years pile on, I find myself harboring faint regrets. But alas, what’s done is done—there’s no remedy for regret.” Steward Zhao sighed ruefully.

He looked at Li Fan again with admiration. “Among the hundreds of thousands of mortals on Glazed Glass Island, those like you are truly few and far between.”

“You flatter me. Might I ask, Steward Zhao, regarding the matter of the Body-Purifying Spirit Pool quota…”

“That is something I cannot help you with. Opening the Body-Purifying Spirit Pool requires an immortal master on the island to preside over it, and the quotas are also determined by the immortal master. One year before the pool opens, the immortal master will announce the required materials. Each household collects the items on the list and submits them, and the quotas are allocated based on the level of contribution.” Steward Zhao explained, then shook his head.

“However, you needn’t worry. Heavenly Treasure House has branches on every island throughout the Layered Cloud Sea. When it comes to the ability to gather materials, there aren’t many on Glazed Glass Island who can match them.”

The image of the young woman in yellow surfaced in Li Fan’s mind, and he nodded.

After staying at Steward Zhao’s residence a while longer, Li Fan took his leave.

He had barely returned to his little courtyard when Sun Zhang came knocking at the door—he had clearly been waiting for some time.

“Your boss wants to invite me to dinner?”

What a coincidence.

Li Fan had been wanting to see her again, so he readily agreed.

As for the deed to Listening Serenity Tower that Sun Zhang had brought, Li Fan declined to accept it.

He planned to meet the young woman in yellow tonight first before deciding.

Night fell, and lanterns began to glow.

Li Fan arrived at Heavenly Treasure House.

There was only one person in the room.

She had changed into a purple silk dress, and her face was no longer hidden behind a veil.

“Allow me to formally introduce myself. I am Yin Yuzhen, shopkeeper of the Glazed Glass Island branch of Heavenly Treasure House.”

“Li Fan.”

Yin Yuzhen laughed softly. “You really are a man of few words, uncle.”

“I’m just an ordinary mortal. There’s truly nothing worth saying,” Li Fan replied candidly.

“Is even a Spirit-Attuned Treasure Body not worth mentioning in your eyes?” Yin Yuzhen looked at Li Fan with a half-smile.

“Oh? I don’t know anything about a Spirit-Attuned Treasure Body.” Li Fan’s heart stirred, but his expression remained unchanged.

“Then how did you find the location of treasure in the vast open sea?” Yin Yuzhen was unconvinced.

“I simply felt a sense about it, that’s all.”

“And you still say you’re not a Spirit-Attuned Treasure Body?” Yin Yuzhen furrowed her brows, her teeth clenched in frustration.

But seeing that Li Fan genuinely seemed not to know, she relented and told him about the Spirit-Attuned Treasure Body.

“So you’re saying your sister is also a Spirit-Attuned Treasure Body?” Li Fan narrowed his eyes.

“How old is she? What does she look like? Where was she twenty years ago? And where is she now?”