Cultivation Kill

The True Artifact Sect has pawnshops in more than a dozen surrounding cities, but the pawnshop in the Ninety-Nine City is the largest, occupying almost half a street, with more than a dozen open doors.

Shen Zige and Shi Yuan walked in. In front of them was a long reception counter with twenty staff members behind it. At that moment, half of the staff were talking to customers who came in.

Behind the clerk were several elderly men with magnifying glasses. They were the pawnshop's appraisers, sitting in soft chairs, assessing the value of the items customers had come to pawn.

Shi Yuan and Shen Zige walked to the counter, where a young man in the early stage of Spirit Condensation greeted them.

"Are you here for consultation or to pawn your belongings?" The young man sized up the two men, thinking to himself that they were impoverished nobles who had squandered their fortunes and probably didn't have anything of great value on them.

“Of course, it’s pawning.” Shi Yuan slightly released the aura of the late stage of Spirit Condensation.

The young shop assistant's fatigue vanished instantly, and he hurriedly said, "Fellow Daoist, if you have any valuables, you can pawn them here. Our True Artifact Sect's pawnshop has the most accurate price appraisals, the biggest discounts, and the best reputation."

The young shop assistant smiled broadly, thinking that if this fellow Daoist could pawn a magic artifact, the pawnshop might appraise it at five hundred spirit stones, and he would get a one percent commission, which is five spirit stones, equivalent to his basic monthly salary.

"Do you accept spirit artifacts?" Shi Yuan took out the True Meaning Earring and showed it to the shopkeeper.

The young man was startled and fell to the ground. He quickly got up, his voice trembling, "Is it really a magical artifact?"

The man couldn't believe it and hurriedly called over the appraiser behind him.

A group of people rushed over. Without the waiter's prompting, all the appraisers dropped what they were doing and crowded around, observing carefully and discussing animatedly.

"It is indeed a magical artifact."

“I remember these earrings. I think they were called True Meaning Earrings. They were one of the spoils of war obtained by the Bamboo Kingdom in its conquest of neighboring countries.”

"Yes, it's the True Meaning Earring. How did it end up in the hands of a Spirit Condensation cultivator?"

"Could it be stolen?"

"It shouldn't be. This magical artifact must have been bestowed upon a meritorious minister by the monarch. If the True Meaning Earring had been stolen, wanted posters would have been plastered all over the streets and alleys by now."

"Quiet down, everyone!" an elderly man with white hair and glasses called out. "Let me ask."

"Hello, I am the chief appraiser. May I ask how you acquired your earrings?" the white-haired old man asked kindly.

"Does everyone who comes here to pawn their goods have to explain the origin of their goods?" Shi Yuan said with dissatisfaction.

Shen Zige thinks Shi Yuan deserves an Oscar.

"No, it's just that this magical artifact is too valuable, so we have to ask questions as usual," the chief appraiser said. "If it were worth less than 10,000 spirit stones, our True Artifact Sect pawnshop wouldn't need to ask about its origin."

"The prime minister's daughter lost a bet to me. You can ask her if you don't believe me," Shi Yuan had prepared his explanation.

"Who would bet a magical artifact on something?" another appraiser interjected.

"Go ask her if you don't believe me," Shi Yuan said impatiently. "Does your pawnshop want it or not? If not, I'll go somewhere else."

Shen Zige chimed in from the side, "Brother Shen, this pawnshop is too complicated. Don't pawn your goods here!"

"Wait a minute, my friend. How many spirit stones do you want to pawn?" the chief appraiser said. "A mid-grade spirit artifact earring is worth around 300,000 spirit stones. If you only have one, it will be less than 150,000, and its value should be around 120,000. According to the rules of pawning, we cannot give you the full price."

“That’s right. If you go to other pawnshops in the city, they won’t give you more than 10,000 spirit stones!” the young clerk said. “Besides us, it’s hard to get a high price.”

"Ten thousand spirit stones, for ten days. I will come to redeem it after ten days," Shi Yuan said. "My conditions are not excessive."

“So it’s a flexible pawn.” The chief appraiser said, “Our True Artifact Sect charges one-tenth of the monthly pawn fee, and any period less than a month is counted as a full month. If you’re sure you want to pawn it, you can come with me to complete the formalities. Items exceeding 50,000 spirit stones also require the shopkeeper’s personal signature.”

"I'll go upstairs right away and ask the manager to come down!" The young waiter volunteered, his excitement barely concealed. At a 1% commission rate, 100,000 spirit stones would earn him 1,000 spirit stones. He would have to work for more than ten years without eating or drinking to earn that many spirit stones!

The chief appraiser watched the apprentice running upstairs and thought to himself that he would get a 3% commission on this transaction, which was three times that of his partner. This was because all pawns exceeding 10,000 spirit stones were designated to be handled by him. It was truly a case of not making a sale for three years, but making a sale that would feed him for three years.

He figured the guy who pawned the spiritual artifact was gambling with spirit stones. If he didn't redeem it within the agreed time, the pawned item would become a dead pawn, and his commission would be even higher. After all, if the True Meaning Earrings became a dead pawn, he was confident he could sell it for over 180,000. Originally, a pair of True Meaning Earrings was worth over 400,000, but he deliberately understated it to 300,000.

Soon, the young shop assistant and an elderly man in the Foundation Establishment stage came downstairs and walked towards the counter.

This Foundation Establishment elder was not wearing a Taoist robe, but rather a white silk garment, carrying a black box in his hand, and walking with the gait of an official.

"Young friend, what is your name and place of origin?"

The pawnshop owner took out a specially made pawn ticket from his pocket, spread it on the counter, and took out a brush.

“Shen Xiaoming, the third son of the Shen family in Xingguo City 96, is an illegitimate son,” Shi Yuan replied.

Shen Zige scanned Shi Yuan with her divine sense and found no change in Shi Yuan's heart rate or blood pressure. In this way, she could not tell that he was lying.

The shopkeeper wrote "Shen Xiaoming" and "Shen Family of Xingguo Ninety-Six Cities" on both the main and stubs of the pawn ticket.

"We rarely see people from Xingguo come to our Zhuguo," the shopkeeper asked casually as he wrote.

Shen Zige felt a Foundation Establishment level divine sense enveloping Shi Yuan, but Shi Yuan's divine sense had not reached the Foundation Establishment level, so it seemed that he was not aware of it at all.

“The Zheng family has been in business for generations. My father is the head of the family this time, but unfortunately he contracted a strange illness last year that has not been cured. He can only send each of us sons to a different country within five years. Whoever brings home the most money will be the next head of the family.” Shi Yuan’s tone was filled with sadness.

"I bet you'll win this time." The shopkeeper withdrew his divine sense and continued writing the rest of the pawn ticket.

Shen Zige saw on the pawn ticket: Shen Xiaoming pawned a magical earring today, valued at 100,000 spirit stones. She agreed to redeem it in ten days. The pawnshop would charge a handling fee of 10,000 spirit stones. If it is not redeemed within ten days, it will become a dead pawn, and the pawnshop has the right to confiscate the pawned item.

Below are the date, address, and the signatures of the shopkeeper and chief appraiser. The shopkeeper deliberately misspelled some words and wrote a few words very large. Finally, the shopkeeper opened the black box and stamped it.

Shi Yuan received the pawn ticket, handed the magical earring to the shopkeeper, and then took the pawn ticket to the finance window, tore off the original ticket, and handed it over.

The finance department received the check and handed Shi Yuan a spirit stone check from the Star Realm Company, with a face value of 100,000.

“Welcome next time!”

As Shen Zige and Shi Yuan left, several companions called out from behind.

"Xiao Wang, come here." The shopkeeper beckoned to the young shop assistant. "Take my warrant and go to see the accountant of the Prime Minister's residence and inquire about the True Meaning Earrings."

"Okay," the young man assured, patting his chest. "I'll find out, don't worry, shopkeeper!"

"Work hard, and I'll give you priority when it comes to promotions and raises." The shopkeeper patted the young man on the shoulder and then went upstairs.

"You've said 'promotion and raise' so many times you probably don't even remember. Every time, it's the sect elders and their relatives who are in charge who get the job. The pie you're painting is too far off; I've never gotten my turn." The young shopkeeper only dared to say these words in his heart, while outwardly still smiling and respectfully seeing the shopkeeper off.