Chen Luo, seizing the vague thought in his mind, rose and approached the playful women. After a bow, he slowly asked, "Ladies, I am Chen Luo. I overheard you discussing the auction at Chunxiang Tower and find myself quite interested. May I inquire if we could discuss it further?"
The giggling women's hearts stirred in unison upon hearing his voice, finding it incredibly pleasant. When they looked over, their beautiful eyes turned to disappointment. His attire was merely mortal clothing, though his demeanor was somewhat ethereal. They couldn't sense any spiritual energy fluctuations, suspecting he was just a mortal. However, the half-face revealed beneath his mask seemed rather appealing, sparking their curiosity to see what lay beneath.
The junior sister who had spoken first waved dismissively at Chen Luo, "You're just a mortal! Don't pry into matters of us cultivators! Go aside and don't disturb our enjoyment!"
Hearing this, Chen Luo's eyes flickered. Mortal? So, cultivators could indeed discern each other? Yes, the specks of light, which he suspected were some form of spiritual energy, were indeed more concentrated around the girls.
In the next moment, Chen Luo extended his mental power outward, capturing the specks of light invisible to ordinary people, and mimicked the faint fluctuations emanating from the young women. "I, Chen, am also a cultivator, but I am accustomed to being low-key. I did not expect to cause such a misunderstanding, ladies."
Sensing that Chen Luo's aura was only slightly weaker than her own, the leading woman's face immediately broke into a smile. "I never expected you to be a fellow traveler, young master. I am Shi Yushan of the Divine Water Sect from Great Jin. I pay my respects."
The other girls, who had been somewhat regretful that such a man of refined bearing was merely a mortal, instantly brightened. In an instant, the ladies rose, offering him seats and crowding around Chen Luo. Had Chen Luo not intentionally held them back, their hands might have ventured to places they shouldn't have!
Seeing Chen Luo seated, and after signaling her junior sisters with her eyes to maintain decorum, Shi Yushan asked, "I perceive that your spiritual energy fluctuations are also at the third stage of the Dao Path. May I ask where your sect is located?"
Chen Luo replied casually, "I come from outside Great Jin. My sect is named 'Xi Tong.' It's a small sect, perhaps Miss Shi has not heard of it."
Shi Yushan secretly searched her memory but couldn't recall any sect with such a peculiar name. However, she replied verbally, "Not at all! I have long admired the great name of 'Xi Tong'!"
Chen Luo's lips twitched inwardly. Besides their prowess in seduction, these beautiful women were also quite skilled at fabricating stories.
Subsequently, with the added charm of Chen Luo's demeanor, the women of the Divine Water Sect spoke freely and without reservation, greatly enlightening Chen Luo about the cultivation world of Great Jin. As for Chen Luo's questions, did they sometimes seem too abrupt? Ask no further; it was all taught by "Xi Tong" and was different from your ways! It was all because of his handsome appearance and good temperament, and even half his face made the ladies willing to reveal whether or not they wore trousers!
This questioning continued from midday until sunset. Speaking of which, Chen Luo learned one thing: in the eyes of the cultivators on this primeval continent, the sky above was not an inverted continent, but a clear daytime sky with the sun and moon traversing the heavens. The cultivation in this world began with what Chen Luo perceived as the spiritual energy suspended in the air. These specks of spiritual energy were invisible to ordinary people, and only those with aptitude could observe and absorb them after entering a state of deep concentration.
From the introduction of spiritual energy, this world was divided into nine stages of the Dao Path and nine levels of Ascension, from low to high. According to the explanations of the young ladies from the Divine Water Sect, Chen Luo was surprised to find that their so-called cultivation seemed to be the continuous accumulation of spiritual energy within the body. When the spiritual energy reached a certain amount, it would naturally trigger the so-called realm advancement. After every three stages of advancement, a minor tribulation needed to be overcome, and between the Dao Path and Ascension, a heavenly tribulation had to be endured.
However, within Great Jin, even the ninth stage of the Dao Path was an extremely rare existence. As for cultivators at the Ascension level, they likely only existed in the Great Jin's state religion or in foreign countries beyond their domain. The primeval continent was filled with numerous nations, constantly at war with each other. Although Great Jin was not the strongest in its vicinity, due to the existence of the state religion, Taiping Dao, it managed to maintain a degree of stability in its region.
As for the so-called Chunxiang Tower, it was an organization with a mysterious background. Although it outwardly engaged in the business of selling pleasure, according to the young ladies of the Divine Water Sect, even their sect leader, who was at the seventh stage of the Dao Path, was quite wary of this so-called pleasure house. Before their departure, the sect leader had repeatedly emphasized to them that they must absolutely avoid conflict with Chunxiang Tower during the auction. This time, due to the appearance of a cauldron with ninth-grade aptitude, Chunxiang Tower's invitation letters had been sent to cultivation sects in surrounding countries like Great Cang and Great Xu.
The so-called cauldron, as explained by the young ladies, could be understood as a cultivation cheat. Through special cultivation techniques, the spiritual energy absorbed by the cauldron would eventually enter the body of the one who harvested it. As for the harvesting method, it didn't necessarily require any grand pleasures of yin and yang; transmission from a distance or hand-to-hand contact were also possible. Of course, being able to be close would reduce some loss, and cultivators were not entirely averse to it. After all, based on the experience of the cultivation world, those with higher aptitude generally had better appearances.
At this point, Shi Yushan said to Chen Luo with a significant look, "Even though you've covered half your face, young master, you still make my heart flutter from time to time. I truly wonder what kind of beauty your mask hides?"
Chen Luo could only force a laugh and forcibly change the subject. Chen Luo knew he definitely didn't possess the aptitude of this world. After all, considering the world-building description, it was uncertain if the humans in this world had even evolved. However, in terms of appearance, if spiritual energy couldn't enhance looks, and the path to defining beauty was solely based on innate aptitude, Chen Luo felt he could take on ten opponents! Therefore, the mask absolutely couldn't be removed, at least not yet, otherwise, he genuinely feared being forcibly taken away on the street!
Finally, under the reluctant gazes of Shi Yushan and the other women, Chen Luo disappeared into the crowd.
Moonlight cascaded from the sky. Illuminated by the starlight and moonlight, Chen Luo arrived before a floating pavilion. On the pavilion, colorful neon effects had been created using magical techniques. And women with graceful figures, dressed even more revealingly than the young ladies of the Divine Water Sect, leaned against the edges of the pavilion, waving silk handkerchiefs towards the pedestrians below. This was Chunxiang Pavilion, Chen Luo's destination and his first step into integrating into this world. Yes, rest assured, he wasn't there to patronize the business. On the contrary, he decided to make himself the most dazzling individual at the upcoming auction! This was all part of the plan!