After passing through Spiritfruit Valley and spending two full days climbing along the rugged mountain path, Dustin and his group finally arrived at a new place. It was unlike anything they had encountered before on Mount Aethermoor.
The mountainside suddenly opened into a broad terrace, a relatively flat platform carved into the slope and large enough to cover several football fields. What surprised them most was the sight of a temporary marketplace appearing there. Dozens of crude stalls were scattered across the open ground.
Some vendors spread animal hides across the earth and laid out a handful of faintly glowing spiritual artifacts. Others propped up rough wooden frames and hung cloth canopies from which rows of pill bottles and medicinal flasks were displayed.
Many people threaded between the stalls, stopping to examine goods and haggling in low voices.
“This… This is incredible!” Scarlet exclaimed, staring wide-eyed at the scene. “A marketplace in a place like this?”
“As more survivors gather on Mount Aethermoor, people need a way to trade supplies and information. A market like this was bound to appear sooner or later,” Dustin said, slowly scanning the area. ” Look over there.”
He pointed toward the center of the market, where a stone pillar nearly 40 feet tall stood upright. Its surface was etched with runes, while above its summit hovered a fist-sized orb of milky-white light that emitted a steady, gentle pulse.
“That’s probably the ward’s core meant to maintain order,” Adam said after sensing it carefully. “Anyone capable of setting up a formation like that in a place like this must have serious backing”
Grace nodded. She lowered her voice and reminded them, “Stay alert and don’t cause trouble. Let’s observe the situation first.”
The group advanced cautiously toward the edge of the marketplace. The “residents” here came from all walks of life. Some were ragged rogue cultivators with hollow faces, while others were well-dressed scions from powerful families.
There were also wary wandering martial artists with killing intent in their eyes, mingled with calmer veterans who seemed already accustomed to life on the mountain.
Dustin soon noticed something peculiar. Although everyone in the marketplace had their own agendas, they all seemed to follow an unspoken rule against fighting.
Even when disputes arose, they rarely escalated beyond angry glares and a few heated insults before nearby onlookers stepped in to separate them.
“It seems whoever runs this place has enough authority to keep order,” Grace said quietly. As she spoke, a thin, middle-aged man approached them. His washed-out gray robe had clearly seen years of wear.
Although a friendly smile covered his face, his eyes remained sharp and calculating.
“You look new here,” he said in a low voice. “Need a guide? Just need to pay one low-grade celestial stone. I’ll explain the rules and tell you the background of every stall in the market.”
Adam was about to refuse, but Dustin raised a hand to stop him. He took a celestial stone from his pocket and handed it to the middle-aged man. The man’s eyes lit up instantly. He accepted the stone, and his attitude became noticeably warmer.
“Please follow me,” he said. “I’ll explain as we go.”
He introduced himself as Corvin Hollis, a rogue cultivator who had been transported to Mount Aethermoor when it suddenly appeared out of nowhere. After spending more than two weeks around the marketplace, he had grown familiar with everything there.
“This market first appeared about two weeks ago,” he said while leading them along the path.
“At that time, several major factions arrived first. They realized this place had flat terrain and was easy to defend but difficult to attack, so they joined forces to clear out the surrounding beasts and dangers before setting up this Truce Ward.
“The ward’s core, the Storm-Calming Pearl, was left behind by a Core-Forged expert. As long as someone remains inside the ward’s range, no one is allowed to fight. Anyone who breaks that rule will suffer backlash.”
“Which major factions are we talking about?” Grace asked.
Corvin lowered his voice. “The strongest faction here is the reclusive Quinton family. Ever heard of them? They’re no small force. The ones leading them are the Quinton siblings-Evander and his sister Elowen. Their cultivation levels are impossible to gauge.
“The Mosey family is here as well, led by Anders, who is also a dangerous figure. There are a few smaller families and a loose alliance of rogue cultivators, too, but they all have to follow the Quinton family’s instruction.”
Dustin and Grace exchanged a glance, realizing that the Quinton family was here as well.
