The runner's words clearly referred to the formation used to search for fragments of the Fu Xi Qin, which had encircled the entrance to the Odd Market's space.
"In this situation, none of us can leave, so we're forced to stay. This is a good opportunity to visit wherever we please. In the past, we never had such a chance."
"Because the Grand Market Master's opening of the Odd Market never lasts for long, it's never enough time to explore the entire market."
The runner thought carefully and then said to Ye Tiancheng, "How about this, honored guest, I'll find a map for you and point out the places worth visiting. That way, it will be much more convenient for you to go wherever you wish."
Ye Tiancheng's face immediately brightened as he said, "That would be most excellent. I'll trouble you."
The runner waved his hand and said, "This is nothing. Since honored guest, you are so generous with your offerings, how could I not do my best for you? Please wait a moment, I'll go get a map for you. To obtain the most complete map of the Odd Market is truly not easy."
"If it weren't for honored guest, your extraordinary generosity, I might not have been able to get it for you."
Indeed, money makes the world go 'round. Ye Tiancheng smiled with great pleasure and gave the runner a bit more, "Then I'll wait a little longer. Thank you."
The runner was naturally even more diligent. When he returned with the map, it was marked in great detail. Not only the streets, but all the buildings on the streets were marked one by one, incredibly detailed. Ye Tiancheng felt it was even superior to modern navigation maps, as navigation maps could still miss some places.
Ye Tiancheng looked at the still-wet ink on the map and lightly touched it with his finger. Indeed, the ink was not dry. "Was this map just drawn?"
The runner smiled and explained to Ye Tiancheng, "It was indeed just drawn. Our inn's accountant drew it. You've seen him before."
Ye Tiancheng thought for a moment and felt there was no other possibility. He inquired, "Was it the one who handled the check-in registration for me and my brother?"
The runner nodded and replied, "Precisely. You've arrived at a good time, coming to our inn. In this Odd Market, there are still more than enough people with such abilities to count on one hand."
Ye Tiancheng neither confirmed nor denied, merely smiled, "It seems I've found a good place to stay. This place is full of hidden talents."
The runner smiled and gave Ye Tiancheng an introduction, pointing out various places on the map one by one. After Ye Tiancheng understood everything, he left once more.
After looking at the map and combining it with the information he had received from the runner, Ye Tiancheng began to form some ideas in his mind.
However, before putting these ideas into practice, Ye Tiancheng had some things he intended to do first, such as visiting the place called "Qian Tang."
According to the runner's explanation, it was a place that combined the functions of a bank, a pawnshop, and an auction house. It was said that in this Odd Market, truly rare and precious items were generally sent to Qian Tang first.
Having made his decision, Ye Tiancheng, along with the little fox, left the Qing Ju Inn and, recalling his previous path, found the Qian Tang that Zhang Liushun had mentioned.
There were many Qian Tang establishments in the Odd Market, and the one Ye Tiancheng went to was just one among them.
The largest Qian Tang was located near the Grand Market Master's residence in the very center of the Odd Market, which could be considered the main branch. All other Qian Tang were merely branches.
When Ye Tiancheng arrived at Qian Tang, he had just reached the main entrance. Before he could even enter, he saw Zhang Liushun again.
Zhang Liushun was very perceptive and immediately spotted Ye Tiancheng and the little fox. He quickly walked over to greet Ye Tiancheng, "Isn't this... Honored Sir, you've arrived already? Is there something you need? Is there anything I can help you with?"
Ye Tiancheng did not refuse Zhang Liushun's overture, merely nodded slightly and said, "I'm here to exchange some money."
Zhang Liushun said enthusiastically, "Oh, it's for that. Let me lead you in. You must be here for the first time and are not familiar with the procedures. I'll explain how things are done inside."
"Certainly, thank you. I actually came here to find you. There are some things I'd like to ask for your help with. I remember what you said earlier. Let's see if you're available?"
Zhang Liushun's spirits soared upon hearing Ye Tiancheng speak, "Available! Of course, I'm available. It's just a word from you. If there's anything I can do, I will absolutely not refuse!"
Ye Tiancheng's smile remained unchanged, but he thought to himself, *Of course, you won't refuse. After all, I'm generous with my offerings. Money makes the world go 'round. You've already accepted a benefit once, and you've forgotten to be afraid of me. How could you possibly refuse other potential benefits you might receive later?*
Ye Tiancheng, holding the little fox's paw, followed Zhang Liushun to a counter window in Qian Tang. Zhang Liushun explained Ye Tiancheng's intentions to the staff, and then Ye Tiancheng took out the items he intended to exchange for the currency circulating in the Odd Market.
Ye Tiancheng possessed a storage space. The item he was holding was made for him by Nuwa Stone. Since Nuwa Stone could construct such an illusionary space, creating a storage space was not difficult at all, easily accomplished, and it could be made as large as desired.
The storage space Ye Tiancheng was now taking out looked like a cloth bag. He held this palm-sized cloth bag, turned it upside down, and poured its contents onto the counter window. Immediately, a large pile of wooden tokens, broken pottery shards, and other items clattered out.
After pouring out enough to fill a large washbasin, Ye Tiancheng stopped. His action also attracted a lot of attention.
He smiled and said, "For now, just exchange these. If I need more later, I'll let you know."
The employee behind the counter window was stunned and stammered, "This, this honored guest, are you sure? These items can be exchanged for a lot of money..."
Ye Tiancheng was, of course, very sure. He nodded and said, "I'm sure. Exchange all of these. No matter how much is exchanged, I can handle it."
His words were sincere, as he had a storage space, so he could indeed handle any amount he wanted to exchange.
Thus, the employee behind the counter window immediately began to process the exchange for Ye Tiancheng in a flurry.
Ye Tiancheng noticed that Zhang Liushun beside him was looking on with extreme covetousness, clutching his chest and unable to tear his eyes away from the large pile of items. He casually took out a few more items for him.
"Consider this a portion of your payment in advance. I'll need your help later, so please accept it first."
Although he could barely breathe, Zhang Liushun still felt as if he was about to gasp for air and faint. He said, with his body betraying his words, "How can I accept this? Honored Sir, you are too generous. To be so wasteful is too ostentatious. Honored Sir, please be more restrained next time."
Although he spoke with feigned modesty, his hands were honest enough to quickly grab the items Ye Tiancheng gave him and hide them on his person.
"What happened today will likely spread throughout half the Odd Market before long," Zhang Liushun said, his gaze subtly sweeping over everyone present.
Given Qian Tang's important status in the Odd Market, there were naturally many people coming and going. It would indeed not take long to spread the news.
Ye Tiancheng was completely unfazed and smiled playfully, "If I dared to take these items out directly, do you think I would be afraid of others coveting them?"
Zhang Liushun chuckled and admitted his mistake, "It is I, with my own insufficient strength, who underestimated Honored Sir. How could you be like me? Naturally, you don't need to worry about these things."
"However, Honored Sir, where did you get so many of these... I mean no harm, I'm just genuinely curious. Items like these can only be made by living beings, and very few can make them."
Ye Tiancheng said nonchalantly, "It's nothing to tell you. It's just that a cultivator in the mortal world worships me and made them specifically for me. I have many more."
This was pure bragging and nonsense. The little fox practiced Xuanmen arts every day and could produce a large number of these items with her eyes closed. The only true part was that he had many. As for a cultivator worshipping them, Ye Tiancheng and the little fox were both living beings, so how could anyone worship them?
Zhang Liushun immediately gasped, because he could instantly discern the immense information contained within Ye Tiancheng's brief words.
In the eyes of these malevolent spirits, beings in the mortal world who could produce such items must be powerful cultivators, and they often came from good backgrounds to learn and produce them. The ability to produce these items was not the main point.
The method of producing these items was something that one could not access without a certain family background or if one was not absolutely powerful.
And such beings, when facing Ye Tiancheng, still worshipped him, made so many good things to appease him, and from Ye Tiancheng's casual attitude towards these items, it was evident that these things were not very valuable or rare in his eyes.
Therefore, Ye Tiancheng would only possess more truly good things. He was truly a great benefactor from whom even a casual glimpse of something from his fingertips could benefit beings like them for a long time.
Zhang Liushun stared blankly at Ye Tiancheng, feeling as if he had latched onto a very thick and powerful thigh. He couldn't understand what kind of incredible luck he had stumbled upon.
"May I... may I dare to ask Honored Sir's name? No, no, I just want to know how to address Honored Sir in the future. Honored Sir can call me 'Liushun' or 'Shunzi'."
"For someone as formidable as Honored Sir, you must at least be a thousand years old, no, a thousand-year-old great, great figure."
Ye Tiancheng smiled with restraint. He did not respond to Zhang Liushun's latter question, only answering the former. He didn't even give Zhang Liushun a fake full name, saying, "My surname is Chen."
Zhang Liushun immediately bowed his head respectfully and called out, "Greetings, Lord Chen."
However, perhaps because Ye Tiancheng's demeanor was too amiable, Zhang Liushun completely forgot about Ye Tiancheng's earlier display of power over the malevolent spirits near the entrance. When Zhang Liushun's gaze fell upon the little fox, he couldn't suppress his curiosity.
He boldly asked, "Is this little lord Honored Lord Chen's brother? However, I observe that you don't seem like biological brothers, but I imagine that being with you, he must also be very formidable. May I ask how he should be addressed?"
Ye Tiancheng smiled and replied, "Well, we are indeed not biological brothers, but he also takes the surname Chen with me."
Zhang Liushun then understood and bowed his head respectfully, "So that's how it is. Brotherhood, whether biological or not, is not important and doesn't signify anything. I greet Young Lord Chen."