After paying, Xiang Ning thanked the lady, took his keys, and went upstairs. 

The promoter watched as he left, then leaned on the counter. “Boss, don’t you think it’s a little strange for a boy only about eighteen or nineteen years old to be alone here at this hour?” 

The lady didn’t reply, focusing on her bookkeeping work. 

He continued, “And he didn’t bring any luggage with him. If I hadn’t seen him leave the station with my own eyes, I would’ve thought he was a local.” 

“Alright, that’s enough speculation. You know the kinds of people that come to this place. That guy didn’t look like he was an ordinary person either. Whatever, mind your own business. Clean up the place, we’re closing soon.” 

“Huh? Closing?” 

“What, do you still want to stand outside? I can’t believe you’re such a hardworking promoter.” 

“No, no, I like that we’re closing. You’re so pretty, it’ll be bad for your health if you stay up too late.” 

The guy quickly cleaned up and turned off the entrance lights while the boss lady leaped off the stool behind the counter. The tall-looking lady was actually only 1.55 meters tall….

On the other side, Xiang Ning had just entered the room. It was built in a traditional style indeed, with a faint fragrance in the air. He liked the designs. After a warm bath, he climbed into bed and lay on his back, staring at the ceiling. He had slept enough on the train. Now, it was time to plan. 

Kunlun City wasn’t small, nor was it big. It mainly traded beast parts and herbs, and even rare beast cores could be found there. However, it was also filled with shady people. Although it was technically under the control of the Federation, the temptation of riches was enough to make anyone drool. One must know that any upper-tier herb from the Kunlun Mountains can be worth a minimum of ten thousand dollars, or sometimes even millions. Beast parts were even more valuable, with high-value trades made every single day. 

There were professional appraisers and trading platforms available in the city. 

In Kunlun City, there were two kinds of trading models. First, private transactions meant one person paid the money while the other person handed over the goods. You could be reprimanded if the customer was not happy with the goods. Counterfeits were illegal, and also very easy to spot. However, if one wanted specific herbs that were aged for many years, or only a specific beast part of a specific tier, then this trading model was more difficult. 

That called for the second model, which were the auctions that came with appraisers who upheld the reputation and security of the platforms. The auction charged fees in the amount of three percent of the total trade, and although it seemed like a low percentage, it was a terrifying amount due to the huge number of trades per day. 

It was a very popular model, too. To people who wanted to buy in bulk or had strict requirements, paying the three percent was still better than risking second-rate goods in a private transaction. 

With much to earn, countless greedy folk wanted it all to themselves. These days, Kunlun City was divided into three sects that looked clean on the surface. Only witnesses knew how dark they were beneath the facade. 

One of Xiang Ning’s objectives was to collect beast cores. During the battle against the Shura leader, the Devourer had chipped from the impact for the first time. Thus, he must improve its durability. 

Next, improving his body also required medicinal herbs. Although he was stronger than his peers, that was with the help of his various skills. In reality, his physical body was weaker. 

Xiang Ning was aware of it. 

In comparison, Wu Rui trained that aspect well. 

Xiang Ning observed that after he activated the Eight Gates, the more his body could endure, the longer the effects would last. His maximum time limit had improved from three to five minutes after leveling up, which also made his body stronger. However, he was still in the early stages of getting to know himself. 

He held up his wrist and looked at the photo on his watch, muttering, “Wait for me, one year.” Then, he put down his hand and closed his eyes, emptying his mind. 

At eight in the morning, he woke up. It was later than his usual wake time. He washed up using the toiletries from the cupboard, then left. He was heading for the Hunters Guild in the city center. Although he could go to the wilderness to hunt alone, he didn’t know the beast distribution in the area. The association had all kinds of information available for hunters. You could get information just by spending money there. Anyone looking for specific herbs and beast parts could also put up prize money for anyone interested in taking the job. 

It was only a bit past eight in the morning. The snow on the pavement had already been swept aside and there were many people out and about. Every person Xiang Ning passed had high vitality and a strong aura, meaning they were martial artists. Many were quite powerful, too. 

Kunlun City’s reputation was well earned. 

Xiang Ning ate some breakfast, then arrived at the Hunters Guild. It was much larger than he imagined at more than a thousand square meters, divided into several wings. He was currently in the main hall, registering himself as a hunter in order to take jobs and buy information. 

“Hello, I’m here to register as a hunter.” 

“Hi, please fill in your basic information on this piece of paper and display your identification card.” 

Xiang Ning nodded and showed his ID, then filled in the paper. 

The young lady was surprised when she glanced at his ID. Only seventeen? He’s so young. 

Hunters must be at least tier three to register. If he was already tier three at seventeen, he would definitely reach tier six in the future. 

Then she swiped the card to look up his details for his Hunter’s Badge when her hand paused after reading the information on the screen. She looked up at him in shock. 

“Hi, I’ve filled this up for you.” 

The young lady nodded, took the form and returned his ID, then finally snapped back to her senses. She stood up hurriedly and informed him, “Uh, please take a seat in the lounge, I’ll call you over when it’s done.” Without elaborating, she scurried away. 

Xiang Ning was a little weirded out but decided to go read the information board. 

The person behind him in the queue was puzzled. What was going on? Where was the counter girl? Why did she leave? Was there a problem with the kid? Was he causing trouble? But based on his clean look, he didn’t look like it….

Hmm. A city filled with martial artists and rich people with auctions? I smell a money-making scheme incoming