Chapter Twenty-Five: The Auction (Part Two)

The order at the auction site was utterly thrown into chaos. Nearly everyone who knew about these two plants stood up in excitement. The emergence of true treasures of the heavens and earth surpassed the understanding of all present, overturning the cultivators’ traditional beliefs. The appearance of immortal herbs, nearly impossible in this realm, disrupted the carefully laid plans of every sect for this auction.

Liu Junhuai’s mouth hung open in astonishment for a long time. He had believed that only his Library Pavilion knew the origins of the Blazing Lingzhi and the Mysterious Pearl Grass, never expecting to see them in the flesh.

In the cultivation world, it was known that these two herbs could not be used in alchemy; they could only be brewed individually to create an elixir that rendered one immune to all poisons, and the amount was sufficient for only one person. Yet according to the Library Pavilion’s records, not only could Blazing Lingzhi and Mysterious Pearl Grass be used in alchemy, but with sufficient years, these immortal drugs could yield enough pills for ten people. The pill was called the Profound Essence Nine Bundle Pill. In the immortal realm, it was recorded that a single Profound Essence Nine Bundle Pill could annihilate an entire sect—its value immeasurable and not exchangeable.

Furthermore, the appearance of these two herbs signaled in advance that a cultivator with an immunity to all poisons had appeared in the cultivation world. This was because both immortal herbs were twin-born plants: whoever obtained them had surrendered two stalks and consumed the other two themselves.

Once such a cultivator emerged, he would face endless calamities, for his bloodline would become a medicinal primer. With such a primer, one could refine a grade nine antidote pill, and a single pill could be exchanged for a low-grade celestial artifact—priceless beyond measure.

In Liu Junhuai’s mind, the value of Blazing Lingzhi and Mysterious Pearl Grass equaled that of the Nine Transformations Heart Technique, for the Profound Essence Nine Bundle Pill had a little-known effect: when consumed by someone below Foundation Establishment, it could grant a thousand years of lifespan out of thin air.

The chaos at the scene did not halt the auction’s progress. Within a few breaths, the bidding price had reached thirty thousand mid-grade spirit stones. No sooner had one bidder spoken than the next price had already been called.

When the bidding hit forty thousand mid-grade spirit stones, high-grade spirit stones began to appear. Forty thousand mid-grade stones equaled four hundred high-grade stones, at a ratio of one to a hundred.

“Five hundred high-grade spirit stones!”

“Six hundred high-grade spirit stones!”

“Seven hundred high-grade spirit stones!”

At this point, the bidding was utterly frenzied. Do not underestimate these few hundred high-grade spirit stones; in the Western Region, even a modest sect’s entire fortune rarely amounted to a thousand high-grade stones.

When the price reached one thousand high-grade spirit stones, a commotion broke out at the entrance of the auction hall. Soon after, a group of late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators entered the venue; Liu Junhuai even noticed a Golden Core cultivator among them.

Golden Core cultivators were as rare as phoenix feathers in the cultivation world, typically reclusive elders of super sects or patriarchs of great families nearing the end of their lifespan.

Lost in thought, Liu Junhuai watched as a ninth-stage Foundation Establishment elder whispered a few words to Qi Fengtian, who nodded and returned to the auction stage.

“Apologies for the interruption,” Qi Fengtian said loudly, pressing his hands down to calm the crowd. “By order of Elder Mu Linchuan, president of the Shangyu Chamber of Commerce, and the heads of various sects, today’s auction for the Blazing Lingzhi and Mysterious Pearl Grass is suspended. It will resume tomorrow at the same time in the Shangyu Chamber’s Xuanyuan Pavilion, and the transaction method will shift to an exchange of treasures of equal value. The remaining items will be auctioned tomorrow at noon at this location. Thank you once again for attending. Due to the sudden circumstances, we ask for your understanding regarding any inconvenience.”

Qi Fengtian had not finished speaking before curses and protests erupted throughout the hall.

Dozens of late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators unleashed their pressure upon the crowd, gradually calming the chaos.

Thus, the first auction, prepared over three painstaking years, ended abruptly.

Following the crowd, Liu Junhuai walked a great distance from the auction site before his excitement began to subside. The appearance of such treasures had been far too sudden.

As he headed for a secluded spot, a sudden unease crept over Liu Junhuai, causing the hairs on his back to stand upright.

Something was wrong! The entire affair reeked of strangeness, especially when he recalled the incident at Qingyun Ao’s Dragon Sacrifice Pool. A sense of déjà vu intensified.

Since mastering the Heavenly Eye, Liu Junhuai often experienced vague premonitions.

“You have opened the third eye, known as the Heart Eye. The third eye is merely symbolic, invisible to others. Nourish it daily with qi, and in time you will see the qi of others, perceive what others cannot, and, if perfected, foresee future events.” These were the words of the immortal who passed the Heavenly Eye technique to him; it should indeed grant foresight.

No, I must investigate further.

Having made his decision, Liu Junhuai turned back.

The road was still crowded, and blending in, he returned to the Shangyu Chamber of Commerce.

He quietly climbed a nearby ancient tree, over ten yards tall, and entered the Myriad Phenomena Tower. His divine sense extended outside the building, and sitting cross-legged, he activated the Nine Transformations Heart Technique.

Unnoticed, two hours slipped by. His divine sense detected dozens of shadowy figures ten miles away.

Startled, Liu Junhuai focused his divine sense with greater care.

Within moments, these figures appeared around the auction site.

Once inside the courtyard, they no longer concealed themselves and rushed straight for the auction hall.

Most were Golden Core cultivators; the rest included seven or eight late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, and the remainder Liu Junhuai could not discern their realm.

As they drew near, the hidden guards in the shadows were swiftly decapitated, while those in the open shouted and wielded magic treasures in vain defense. Chaos reigned.

Within half a stick of incense, not a single living soul remained outside the auction hall. The black-clad assailants poured into the building.

This was not an ambush, but a one-sided massacre.

Liu Junhuai’s nerves grew taut. The Mixed Gold Vessel in his sea of consciousness and Azhi in his dantian seemed to sense their master’s tension, throbbing uneasily.

Further away, within and outside other buildings, chaos erupted, signaling the massacre had spread to every corner of the Shangyu Chamber of Commerce.

The slaughter continued. In his divine sense, the number of cultivators in colored robes dwindled, while the black-clad figures grew more prominent.

Suddenly, his divine sense detected an anomaly in the courtyard plaza a few dozen yards from his hiding place. The root of a shrub was lifted, and a figure slowly emerged, pausing for a moment before stumbling toward Liu Junhuai.

It was Mu Linchuan, president of the Shangyu Chamber of Commerce! Liu Junhuai exclaimed inwardly.

Mu Linchuan’s right arm was missing, and blood had soaked the front of his white robe.

In a flash, Liu Junhuai realized this was his opportunity. He slipped out of the Myriad Phenomena Tower, masked his aura with divine sense, slid quietly down the tree, and smeared dirt across his face.

Soon, Mu Linchuan reached the ancient tree where Liu Junhuai hid. As his back came into view, Liu Junhuai activated the Primordial Shield Cauldron to protect himself, and simultaneously, the Shadow Blade’s gleam, wrapped in a fragmenting strike, slashed toward Mu Linchuan.

Yet, even heavily wounded, a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator was many times stronger than a ninth-stage Qi Cultivator. Mu Linchuan sensed the blade’s gleam and dodged as the shattered blade approached.

As the blade flashed by, Mu Linchuan’s celestial-grade flying sword appeared before Liu Junhuai.

A chill ran through Liu Junhuai’s heart; knowing evasion was impossible, he closed his eyes.

At that moment, the flying sword struck the golden protective aura, which let out a vibrating hum, slowing the sword’s advance.

As the sword touched the golden light, the cauldron’s handle in his sea of consciousness trembled fiercely, and a piercing golden ray shot from it toward Mu Linchuan. In a flash, half his head was blown away.

Reacting swiftly, Liu Junhuai pulled out the flying sword already embedded half an inch in his chest, tossed it into his storage ring, suppressed his breath, and quickly collected the corpse into the Myriad Phenomena Tower, fleeing without pause.

Only after running several miles from the Shangyu Chamber did Liu Junhuai find a hidden spot and enter the Myriad Phenomena Tower.

He swallowed a handful of healing pills, activated his cultivation technique for recovery, but his divine sense remained fixed on the massacre’s site.

After half an hour, his wounds had improved considerably.

He took Mu Linchuan’s storage ring, erased the spiritual imprint, and probed it with divine sense—sure enough, Blazing Lingzhi and Mysterious Pearl Grass lay quietly in two exquisite jade boxes.

Even more thrilling, the ring contained a mountain of spirit stones and countless rare medicinal herbs in dozens of jade boxes.

The abundance of items in this ring made Liu Junhuai tremble all over; it seemed he could retreat for decades without worry.

The situation outside was dire, so Liu Junhuai did not bother to count his spoils, focusing all his attention on the Shangyu Chamber of Commerce.