The layout of Green Pill Market wasn't anything out of the ordinary. In fact, it was much the same as every other large-scale marketplace Luo Chen had seen in his travels. He didn't linger at the shops run by the various families. Instead, he held onto the token Tao Yisheng had given him and made his way straight into a tall, ancient-looking building—Gaoyang Tower.0

This place was known as one of the market's more refined and exclusive trading venues. Those who gathered here were all at least early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators; no one beneath that threshold would think of stepping inside.0

By the time Luo Chen arrived, the hall was already crowded with cultivators. Dozens of cultivators milled about, exchanging goods, negotiating deals, some immersed in casual conversation, others in the midst of barter. Luo Chen, having spent the past weeks in seclusion, recognized almost no one. Without acquaintances to approach, he kept to himself and studied the trades with silent interest.0

Is it really this simple? he wondered.0

The scene struck him as surprisingly straightforward. Unlike the elaborate procedures of formal auctions, Gaoyang Tower operated on direct exchange. Transactions relied entirely on individual need and initiative, without unnecessary embellishment. Some went on stage to shout their offers; others left messages on jade plaques within the tower, specifying what they wanted in exchange. There were also cultivators bartering directly with one another during conversation.0

Luo Chen lingered for a while, quietly observing the trades around him. The approaching True Inheritor Sword Duel seemed to shape the market, with most transactions revolving around weapons and talismans. Within a short span, he had...0