Wu Chen tightened his grip on his pouch. The weight was light—far too light. He had barely enough for two nights, And that is if they wanted to eat nothing but stale bread in the meantime.
He sighed inwardly.
Unlike the pampered disciples of noble sects, who never worried about such things. Because They have family vaults, sect allowances, and the luxury of focusing solely on cultivation.
Wu Chen had always walked alone, he clawed his way up from nothing. An orphan, hunted and hardened by desperation, with no one to rely on but himself.
Wealth had never been his to keep.
Now his student Li Wei needed rest, A safe place to recover.
And yet once again, Wu Chen would have to find a way forward—with no gold, no allies, and no room to rest.
Wu Chen exhaled sharply, the weight of their situation pressing down on him. "We need gold. A lot of it."
"Teacher?" Li Wei stood beside him, worry creasing his brow. "Did we not find a place?"
Wu Chen shook his head. "Not yet. But I have an idea."
His eyes drifted to the heart of the marketplace, where a towering golden building dominated the skyline. Its shimmering walls were inscribed with glowing runes, and vibrant banners fluttered in the wind like flames. Laughter and shouts echoed from within, mixing with the clinking of coins and the roll of dice.
Golden Sky Pavilion—the most renowned gambling house in the entire kingdom.
A place where lives were changed in an instant—some lifted to riches, others plunged into ruin.
Wu Chen's expression darkened slightly with nostalgia as Memories flickered through his mind. This place... He had once spent countless hours here, It was here, in these very halls that he had once clawed his way from nothing, his keen eye for appraisal earning him just enough to survive.
Through observing the flow of gold and greed, It was here he had learned the art of appraisal, hidden among the crowds, reading subtle cues and sensing deceit.
And it was also here that he had won the Gold Ring—the artifact that had changed his fate.
His eyes narrowed with purpose. "We're going there."
Li Wei followed his gaze, then blinked uncertain. "Teacher...Isn't that...a place for the wealthy?"
Wu Chen allowed a faint smile to curl his lips. "No. It's a place for those who know what they're doing."
Li Wei swallowed hard. "But if we lose—"
"Don't worry we will win," Wu Chen said flatly. "Only losers think about failure before even trying." He adjusted the brim of his hat, shadows deepening over his eyes. "Stay close. And whatever you do—don't speak unless I tell you to."
So without hesitation, Wu Chen and Li Wei strode into the Golden Sky Pavilion, their footsteps echoing on polished marble floors.
Wu Chen stepped through the ornate doors with Li Wei at his heels, Immediately they entered they were engulfed by an atmosphere of opulence and chaos.
Lavish chandeliers bathed the vast hall in warm golden light. The air hung thick with the scent of aged wine mingling with the faint herbal aroma of wealth-enhancing incense burning in golden braziers.
Before them stretched a sea of crimson-lacquered tables, each displaying rows of unassuming Stone Orbs Beautifully arranged and organized adding more luxury to the already opulent hall.
The stone orbs are rough, weathered spheres that appeared as ordinary river rocks to the untrained eye. Yet these were no simple stones. Sealed within their mundane exteriors could be anything from fragments of ancient divine weapons to cores of extinct spirit beasts... or worthless rubble that would ruin a man in an instant.
The atmosphere is thrummed with frenetic energy.
"Thirty thousand on the jade-veined orb!"
"Double bets on the crimson-striker!"
The air buzzed with excitement. Cultivators in elegant robes and wealthy merchants gathered in groups, their eyes sharp with desire. Cries of wagers filled the space, punctuated by bursts of laughter and groans of regret. Appraisers in uniform moved from table to table, carefully inspecting the orbs and whispering valuations to eager bidders.
Wu Chen's gaze swept past the common tables, locking onto the central Grand Auction Stage. At the very heart of the hall stood a raised platform where the finest and rarest Stone Orbs were displayed on velvet cushions beneath crystal lamps which shines on the stones like spotlight.
And overseeing it all was a dignified elder in flowing purple robes—his every movement watched with reverence. He was one of the pavilion's senior appraisers, known for never misjudging a single orb.
Li Wei's eyes widened at the grandeur. "This… is incredible."
Wu Chen's gaze remained calm, even indifferent, as he swept the room with sharp precision. "It hasn't changed at all," he murmured.
Wu Chen stood silently, eyes scanning the bustling gambling floor as he analyzed subtle rhythms and behavior.
His gaze tracked the flow of gold, the twitches of hopeful gamblers, the barely concealed disdain of veteran appraisers watching novices make fatal mistakes.
A pattern emerged immediately.
The wealthy nobles gravitate toward the largest, shiniest orbs—those polished to perfection, placed under bright light to draw attention. Young masters from prominent clans bet recklessly on stones that pulsed with visible light, convinced brilliance meant value.
'Fools.'
Wu Chen nearly scoffed. If treasures were so easily spotted, there would be no gambling houses—only kings.
But the reality of it all is far more complicated than it seems.
Yes, some treasures could lay in plain sight, but their auras were often sealed—deliberately suppressed by ancient forces. They appeared dull and lifeless, indistinguishable from common rocks. And yet, inside… they could contain relics capable of turning a beggar into a noble overnight.
On the other hand, some orbs radiated celestial energy, etched with markings that seemed divine. But upon breaking them, one might find nothing but a wisp of stale spiritual mist, this are like beautiful illusions that hold worthless content.
And sometimes, an orb looked too perfect. Too balanced. Too textbook. Many would dismiss it as an obvious fake. But in truth, such stones could house genuine artifacts so powerful that their existence defied belief—so much that, only when broken would people realize the truth they had ignored.
That is the nature of Stone Orbs.