The market day was one of the most important days in Vyl. Cultivators came from all over to trade. Hunters came in carrying carcasses of beasts of all types.
Some carried the fur, others brought bones, and some came with spirit fruits.
At the gate, the guards were no longer the academy students but adults who had already set foot into the second realm.
The entrance fee was five silver coins for a person and twenty silver coins for a carriage.
Those who wanted to bring in their horses would pay a total of ten silver for entry and other kinds of beasts were not allowed entry.
Those tamed beasts had to be left outside. These were general accepted rules and those who dared to come to the market obviously were rich because the entrance fee alone was worth more than one wanted to buy.
The roads were usually crowded since morning as people brought in goods and arrange their stalls.
Those who were impatient would just take rounds around the market as they waited for trade to begin. The hotels were usually filled to the brim and the prices of course would get increased.
No one had any problems with that at all. Some people entered the hotels for a morning drink to quench their throats and get over their hungover.
Many hunters went to hotels as they were the ones who would usually buy the meat while those who had other things like fur would sell it to vendors who were setting up their stalls.
It was actually huge that these hunters had woken up this early to go hunting.
Many hunters were from the sixth to the ninth stage and even some students did not hesitate to go hunting.
At the entrances of huge premises, it was easy to spot very decently dressed men who were highly likely the owners of the premises. Dressed in expensive robes that could actually feed a commoner for ages.
The carriages raged from normal carriages to moderate then to lavish ones. Very polished such that they seemed to scream for attention.
Horses neighed as they received whips from the riders and people on the roads would stumble away escaping the carriages.
Those who were riding horses were actually city guards on patrol and they were all in the second realm.
No one crossed the other, each minding their own business. There were no cases of pick pocket because they did not want to risk the guards.
The guards had an aloof air around them as they were mostly the most powerful people around. Even those old merchants, if they were done justice, were in the last sages of the Awakening Realm.
There was an auction house that existed in the center of the city but it was not usually opened on every market day. It was usually opened once a month.
Here many important goods were auctioned as the rich poured their money out trying to compete with each other. It had a huge sign at the entrance saying
VYL'S CITY AUCTION HOUSE.
Next to it was a huge mansion and it had the name MAYOR'S MANOR. A black metal gate guarded by second realm guards stood majestically.
A pavement seemed to stretch far and trees were planted on the side of that pavement which was wide enough to fit a carriage.
This was all one could see from the outside but at a glance, one could see a distant magnificent carriage heading towards the gate.
Next to the mayor's manor were more settlements and they did not lose too much in terms of splendor in terms to the mayor's manor.
There was another road that seemed to not be rarely used and if one followed it, they were going to encounter students dressed in the official academy uniform.
The academy seemed to occupy this entire part of the city. There were stalls and they were being set up by students.
They stretched as far as the road went and it was probably half a kilometer away that one could see signs of the academy.
A few meters later one would be welcomed by a huge gate that stood before the academy.
The guards at the gate were older in age and it was impossible to tell their realm as they felt like they had cultivation which was impossible for the academy to have commoners as guards.
There was a huge sign that instantly caught one's attention. Written in bold, their majesty seemed to say those unworthy did not deserve to even look at it.
VYL ACADEMY: ASPIRE TO BE
The words carried depth and also pride. Not just anyone was worthy of joining the academy.
Even those who got recommended barely made it through only to spend the rest of their lives as outer disciples until they gave up having achieved nothing.
These were the ones who later turned to be hunters after their had reached their climax and their growth seemed to stop to a crawl.
The academy would not waste any more time on them and they were released to go and fend for themselves.
That was the bitter reality of the academy that those hunters experienced and there were few in preparation to take the same path.
Well, there was the fun of being in the academy as they made good memories.
The academy seemed to stretch further and one could see mountains in the academy. It appeared that no one else was allowed to pass through go any further.
The compound of the academy was littered with students and so were the roads. It was still early morning but things were just about to get busier.
Students from the academy were the top of the food chain in the city as it was built on their premises and their protection was what had created it.
This meant they were mostly in control but there was a mayor who also had prestige. These upper echelons were the ones every one was looking forward to seeing.
The upcoming entrance ceremony was going to be a period where all these big shots were going to make an appearance.
The entrance ceremony was also a moment where all people could be allowed to enter the academy.
This market day was also a day for the academy to show off their prestige as the ceremony drew near.
Many high level pills, herbs, weapons and others were going to be sold by these students in their stalls. This meant that the busiest place for the day was going to be here.
One could see adults guiding the students on what to do and also assigning stalls. There were conflicts here and there but it was these adults who helped solve them.
Many people were grown up probably above twenty years old. They were in the ninth stage or eighth stage and they could be classified as talents.
They did not make it into the rankings because of their age but that did not mean that they were weak. Even Sera was not one to easily provoke them.
Fights in the academy were allowed but those who managed to get into the rankings got some sort of protection these older people could not challenge them easily.
They were fighting for that chance to get resources to make it into the second realm but the academy did not favor them. These miscellaneous tasks were what got them a chance at getting resources.
This explained the conflicts. Every now and then, an old man would walk around the stall. He was obviously an elder from the academy because everyone seemed to bow to him.
Even the adults supervising who were most likely the facilitators in the academy had to bow. This old man seemed to have a higher ranking as the old guard at the gate also bowed.
***
Time waits for no one and in no time, stalls all over the city had been set up and people had already started buying the small goods that would not easily tire them. These included cheap jewelry and snacks.
The market was now set up…