Chapter 393: Red Heart (A Congratulatory Chapter for Ally Ah Yu)
Chapter 393: Red Heart (A Congratulatory Chapter for Ally Ah Yu)
Months later.
At the center of Heitu City, a grand auction was underway.
"Congratulations to the fellow Daoist in Heavenly Character Seven Private Room! This 'Earth Wheel Flower' now belongs to you. . . Auction house staff will proceed to your private room shortly to complete the transaction."
The master of ceremonies' polite yet enthusiastic voice resounded: "Next is the highlight of this auction — the 'Red Heart Dan Book'! This Dan Book was penned by Chixinzi, a renowned alchemy grandmaster from the Flowing Sand Domain, who once participated in the improvement of the 'Earth Reversion Pill' and boasts a success rate of over fifty percent for refining the 'Earth Element Core Formation Pill'!"
Before he could even finish, a somewhat irritable voice cut in: "Who doesn't know Grandmaster Chixinzi's name? Get on with it!"
"Hehe. . . Since everyone is so eager, let's begin. The starting bid for this 'Red Heart Dan Book' is three hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones."
The Core Formation cultivator acting as master of ceremonies chuckled.
"What? A third-order, superior-grade alchemy inheritance, only three hundred thousand spirit stones? !"
"Everyone. . . I haven't finished speaking yet. " The master of ceremonies looked towards the private rooms: "Whoever bids for this inheritance must also agree to one request from the seller. . . As for what that request is, it requires a private discussion. However, you are free to refuse; in that case, the 'Red Heart Dan Book' will be re-auctioned. . . Given that the seller's request will not be simple, it is recommended that fellow Daoists at Core Formation mid-stage or higher participate in the bidding."
High-tier inheritances of the Four Immortal Arts were often the foundation of major sects and clans, rarely offered for auction.
Attaching stringent conditions, therefore, was only natural.
For a time, the bidding voices still rose and fell in waves.
"Three hundred and fifty thousand!"
"Three hundred and eighty thousand!"
...
Inside one of the private rooms, two Core Formation cultivators sat cross-legged.
"This inheritance will be of great benefit to our Green Pill Sect. Let it be expensive if it must. . ."
The speaker was a young man who had just achieved Core Formation, wearing a jade crown and looking full of vigor: "Even if the seller has some request, with Uncle Zi's Core Formation late-stage strength, you'll be able to handle it."
"The Young Master speaks wisely."
Opposite the Core Formation youth sat an old man with a purple beard. Flattered by the compliment, he stroked his beard, a look of satisfaction on his face.
"Six hundred thousand!"
The Young Master of the Green Pill Sect immediately offered an exorbitant price, frightening off many cultivators.
Just as he thought victory was assured, a lazy voice followed: "Seven hundred thousand!"
"Seven hundred and fifty thousand!"
A flash of green passed over the Young Master of the Green Pill Sect's face, and he announced another price.
"Eight hundred thousand!"
The lazy voice continued, as if its financial resources were boundless, showing no great interest in such a minor affair.
"What's going on? Is this person an accomplice of the auction house?"
The Young Master of the Green Pill Sect asked angrily.
"Unlikely. . . but it could be the auctioneer himself raising the price. " Uncle Zi also opened his eyes, looking towards the Heavenly Character Three Private Room, his expression growing serious: "Young Master, if it exceeds nine hundred thousand spirit stones, and still comes with a condition, it might not be worth it."
"I know."
The Young Master of the Green Pill Sect gritted his teeth: "Nine hundred thousand! I offer nine hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones!"
"One million!"
That lazy voice echoed from within the private room once more.
The Young Master of the Green Pill Sect slumped back fiercely: "Fellow Daoist's wealth is profound, I am impressed. This 'Red Heart Dan Book' is yours."
Inside Heavenly Character Three Private Room.
Fang Xi lay languidly, still munching on a spirit fruit: "The cultivators of the Western Desert are indeed wealthier than those in the Southern Desolate. This is probably due to more mineral fields and spirit stone veins here. . ."
"Too bad. . . even if your family owns a spirit stone mine, how can it compare to robbing a Nascent Soul Old Monster? That's a venture with infinite profit and no capital!"
Not long after, a knock came from outside the private room.
"Come in!"
Fang Xi casually tossed the spirit fruit pit into his Mountain Sea Pearl and opened the private room's restrictions.
The private room door silently opened, and a white-haired old man entered, followed by a female cultivator veiled in gauze.
The female cultivator wore a Western Desert-style bustier, her figure voluptuous, and her two snow-white thighs like ivory. Even with the veil, her eyes shimmered, inadvertently revealing a myriad of charms in every subtle movement.
"Greetings, esteemed guest. . . I am the auction house deacon, and this is the seller of the 'Red Heart Dan Book'."
The white-haired old man's smile deepened as he sensed Fang Xi's Core Formation late-stage cultivation: "This 'Madam Snake' is the seller. She has already paid the required handling fee to the auction house, so please, the two of you may discuss. Regardless of the success of your transaction, the auction house will no longer interfere."
After speaking, the white-haired old man bowed respectfully and exited, closing the private room door behind him.
Fang Xi flicked his sleeve, and a five-colored restriction appeared, instantly isolating the interior from the exterior.
"May I ask for fellow Daoist's esteemed name?"
Madam Snake moved gracefully, taking a seat opposite Fang Xi.
This woman's cultivation was around Core Formation mid-stage, and every gesture carried a seductive allure, likely indicating she cultivated a charming art.
Normally, Fang Xi would have been happy to engage in a thorough discussion of the Dao with her.
But at this moment, he only wanted to obtain the Dan Book, then return to the Southern Desolate, focus on alchemy and cultivation, and strive to form his Nascent Soul as soon as possible.
His alchemy skill was stuck at a bottleneck. If he could acquire this third-order, superior-grade alchemy inheritance, he could likely advance further, preventing excessive waste of the numerous spirit herbs in the Long Evergreen Park mystic realm.
In fact, Fang Xi only planned to refine the younger spirit herbs from the mystic realm into pills.
As for the ten-thousand-year-old spirit herbs, which would be quite useful even for Soul Transformation cultivators, they were naturally kept aside.
And spirit herbs of several thousand years' vintage were already sufficient to refine pills suitable for Nascent Soul cultivators to enhance their magical power; consuming them now would be a profligate waste.
The pills he intended to refine would primarily use the lowest-value spirit herbs from the mystic realm as main ingredients, with supplementary herbs acquired through purchases.
Even so, too much waste would be painful for him.
At this point, if his alchemy skill could advance further, it would save him a significant amount of spirit stones.
Moreover. . . it also pertained to the future refinement of the 'Extinction Crossing Pill'.
Therefore, Fang Xi was quite interested in this Dan Book.
"You may address this venerable one as True Person Mu!"
Fang Xi glanced at Madam Snake: "Fellow Daoist's auction condition includes a request. What might it be?"
Madam Snake carefully observed Fang Xi's appearance, finding that his face was shrouded in a black light, making it impossible to discern his features.
She bit her lip: "Could I trouble fellow Daoist to reveal your true face?"
"Oh?"
Fang Xi grew slightly more serious, sweeping his gaze over Madam Snake, then performed a hand seal.
The black light on his face dispersed, revealing a perfectly ordinary, unremarkable countenance.
"Core Formation late-stage cultivators should be few in the Flowing Sand Domain, and I generally know their faces. . . Fellow Daoist, you must not be from this domain?"
Madam Snake probed.
"Are you asking too many questions, fellow Daoist? " Fang Xi frowned and let out a cold snort.
"Please forgive me, fellow Daoist, but what I seek is of great importance, and it would be best to find a high-level cultivator with little connection to this area to help."
Madam Snake immediately put on a pitiful expression.
"Heh heh. . . " Fang Xi stroked his chin: "This venerable one is indeed not a cultivator of the Flowing Sand Domain. . . What exactly do you seek?"
"This concubine wishes to request fellow Daoist's assistance in helping my family relocate to a safe location."
Madam Snake finally spoke.
"Your. . . family?"
Fang Xi's expression was calm, betraying no emotion: "Tell me more in detail. . ."
"Yes, my family is actually a blood descendant of Chixinzi. . . We have always been known for our alchemy skills, but recently, we received news that the Flowing Sand Domain is not peaceful. . . We wish to relocate. . . Although my family outwardly appears free to move, we are secretly constrained by a Core Formation elder of the Yellow Sand Sect. . . Alas, my family paid a heavy price back then to establish ties with this Core Formation elder, but we are not his subordinate force. . . It's just that now that my family wishes to move, he has spread rumors to obstruct us. . ."
Madam Snake spoke with a bitter smile.
"So you've offended a Core Formation elder from a Nascent Soul sect. " Fang Xi chuckled: "This is quite troublesome. What is that Core Formation elder's cultivation level?"
"Old Monster Huang's cultivation has already reached Core Formation late-stage, but his lifespan is also insufficient, so he probably cannot break through to Core Formation perfected, let alone hope to form a Nascent Soul. . . " Madam Snake quickly replied.
"A Core Formation late-stage cultivator, even? !"
Fang Xi sighed: "Madam, perhaps you and your family should just remain in the Flowing Sand Domain. . ."
If it were Old Monster Huang, he would be quite helpless too.
Clearly, it was the subordinate family that insisted on attaching themselves, relying on his prestige for protection, and offering large amounts of spirit stones and pills as tribute every year.
And now, they suddenly want to flee!
Even if Fang Xi encountered such a situation, he wouldn't be very willing.
Of course, after all, it was a goose that laid golden eggs; he wouldn't bear to kill it, so he could only spread rumors to obstruct them somewhat.
"If there were no troubles, how could our cultivation family be willing to migrate?"
Madam Snake gave a bitter laugh and said: "This concubine can tell fellow Daoist a piece of news. . . Rumor has it that Venerable Qiansha of the Yellow Sand Sect's soul lamp has extinguished, indicating his likely demise. . . And True Monarch Heisha also suffered from qi deviation while cultivating his technique."
"What? !"
Fang Xi 'feigned great shock,' quickly glancing around, checking the restrictions, and then lowered his voice to transmit: "You dare to speak of such things? Aren't you afraid of death?"
"Fellow Daoist is indeed not from the Yellow Sand Sect. . ."
Madam Snake, however, chuckled and threw him a charming wink: "Anyone from the Yellow Sand Sector or a cultivator friendly with them, upon hearing this, would probably turn hostile and seize this concubine. . ."
"Hmph, you are testing this venerable one?"
Fang Xi snorted coldly.
"This matter concerns the rise and fall of my family, this concubine truly dares not to be careless. . ."
Madam Snake said: "But I can guarantee that the news about Venerable Qiansha's demise is absolutely correct."
'Of course, I know that. I was one of the parties involved. . . '
Fang Xi muttered in his heart: "So. . ."
"Currently, the Yellow Sand Sect only has two Nascent Souls: one has passed away, and one is suspected to have suffered qi deviation. . . This concubine has obtained a top-secret intelligence report that the eight Desolations Sector outside the Flowing Sand Domain intends to invade the flowing Sand Domain, initiating a sectarian war."
Madam Snake said pitifully: "Such a sectarian war. . . Will inevitably draw upon allied cultivation forces as cannon fodder, and this concubine does not wish to become cannon fodder, so I can only fly!"
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