Chapter 119
Chapter 119
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 119
Chapter Title: Foundation Establishment Pill
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“One thousand seven hundred and thirty-two spirit stones.”
“One thousand seven hundred and thirty-three spirit stones.”
“…”
The bidding for the Beauty Retaining Pill had reached its peak, and the increments from the three female Foundation Establishment cultivators had become trivial.
However, Chen Jianghe knew that the more trivial the bids, the more likely the pill’s value was to climb even higher.
At this stage, each single spirit stone bid would, with every call, intensify the animosity and competitive drive among the three women.
Just then, Chen Jianghe noticed Alchemist Zhuang staring intently at the Beauty Retaining Pill, a sharp glint in his murky eyes.
It was as if he desperately wanted to possess it.
But who would dare interfere in the bidding war of three Foundation Establishment cultivators?
Typically, whenever a Beauty Retaining Pill appeared at an auction, it almost always ended up in the hands of a female cultivator.
No male cultivator would spend over a thousand spirit stones on a Beauty Retaining Pill.
They would be thinking about their own Foundation Establishment, or if they had already achieved it, about their descendants’ breakthroughs. Even without descendants, they would be planning for Core Formation, and thus would prioritize enhancing their own combat strength.
“Why would Alchemist Zhuang be interested in a Beauty Retaining Pill? Could it be for Zhuang Xinyan?”
Chen Jianghe speculated inwardly.
Alchemist Zhuang was already in his twilight years; even if he took the pill, his appearance would not change in the slightest.
That left only one possibility.
He was preparing it for his granddaughter.
But the fierce contention among the Foundation Establishment cultivators made it impossible for him to enter the fray.
Moreover, with his lifespan nearing its end, he certainly wouldn't dare offend Foundation Establishment cultivators. Otherwise, after his death, his granddaughter’s path would become even more difficult.
While Chen Jianghe was lost in thought, the bidding war among the three female cultivators had already reached nineteen hundred spirit stones.
Just as he had predicted, the brief period of calm had, with each one-spirit-stone bid, deepened their conflict and desire to win.
“Two thousand spirit stones!”
As the female cultivator in the middle directly raised the bid by a hundred spirit stones, the eyes of the other two cleared.
Though they coveted the Beauty Retaining Pill, they knew that two thousand spirit stones far exceeded its true value.
After all, the market price for a Beauty Retaining Pill was only about six hundred spirit stones.
The fact that the price had been driven up to two thousand had shocked every cultivator present.
This surpassed the peak prices of all previous auctions.
“Junior Sister, what do you think of the auctioneer I brought? With this auction, your record of contributions to the sect will surely shine even brighter.”
On the fifth floor of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, in Gao Peiyao’s private area, a massive gilded crystal panel, etched with complex formation patterns, projected the scene from the fourth-floor auction hall.
The man, dressed in brocade robes with a jade belt, was handsome and dashing. His eyes, like brilliant stars, gazed at Gao Peiyao as he spoke with a faint, upward-curling smile.
“With the success of this auction under your guidance, it will also be a great help to Deacon Lan’s efforts to secure Core Formation resources.”
“I must thank you, Senior Brother. Without your help, how could I have achieved such a brilliant record?”
Gao Peiyao met the man’s gaze, a gentle smile on her face.
“But Master once said that due to the cultivation art I practice, I must not lose my virginity before Core Formation, or I will never be able to form a core in this lifetime. I hope Senior Brother can grant me some time.”
“Junior Sister, you think too little of me. This concerns your future; how could I possibly force you? Besides, my feelings for you are for an eternity, to be a divine couple.”
“Why would I care about a single day or night?”
“Thank you for your understanding, Senior Brother.” Gao Peiyao let out a charming laugh.
“Good. Then I shall await your return at the sect.”
With that, the man flew directly away from the fifth floor of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, completely disregarding the rules of Qinghe Market City.
Gao Peiyao stood by the window, waving, and watched until the sword light vanished into the distant horizon. Only then did her expression sink.
Her face turned as cold as frost, her eyes burning with anger.
A moment later.
Her expression softened, and she let out a helpless sigh. “I hope Master can succeed in forming his core soon.”
“Otherwise, I’ll have no choice but to leave the South Gate Sect.”
—
“Next up is the thirty-first treasure, and the second-to-last item of this auction.”
“It is not only attractive to Foundation Establishment cultivators but even more so to those in the Qi Refining stage. Now, let us see what this thirty-first treasure truly is!”
The old auctioneer walked to the treasure stand, forcefully whipped off the red silk cloth covering it, and revealed a translucent jade box.
Inside lay a golden pill, its surface marked with a single cyan pattern.
“A Foundation Establishment Pill!”
At that moment, every cultivator in attendance drew a sharp breath, staring in shock at the Foundation Establishment Pill on the auction stage.
The eyes of the late-stage Qi Refining cultivators, in particular, burned with fiery desire.
“To think there would be a Foundation Establishment Pill. But why was there no news of it beforehand? If there had been, far more cultivators would have come to the auction.”
Alchemist Zhuang looked at the Foundation Establishment Pill on the stage with confusion. When he saw the cyan pattern, a look of understanding dawned on his face.
“So it’s an inferior Foundation Establishment Pill.”
Chen Jianghe’s gaze was also fixed on the pill. It held an allure for him as well; of all the items in the auction, this one was the most attractive to him.
He was already at the eighth level of Qi Refining, and a Foundation Establishment Pill was precisely what he yearned for.
At this moment, the old auctioneer raised his hand slightly, signaling for quiet.
“That’s right, the thirty-first treasure is indeed a Foundation Establishment Pill. Of course, I’m sure everyone has noticed the pattern on this pill.”
“It has only one immortal pattern, which means it is an inferior Foundation Establishment Pill. But even so, it can increase the success rate of Foundation Establishment by ten percent. Moreover, even if the attempt fails, it can preserve one’s life and cultivation.”
“Let the bidding begin. The starting price is one thousand spirit stones, with each increment no less than fifty.”
After he finished speaking.
A brief silence fell over the auction hall.
It was followed by a frenzy of excitement, with bids echoing relentlessly.
Chen Jianghe noticed that all the bidders were the ninth-level Qi Refining cultivators sitting behind him.
In the blink of an eye, the starting price of one thousand spirit stones had soared to eighteen hundred, and it was still climbing.
Although it was only an inferior Foundation Establishment Pill, it was a Foundation Establishment Pill nonetheless. Possessing one meant your life was guaranteed.
That was the most important thing.
As for the extra ten percent chance of success, that was purely a matter of luck.
Surviving the attempt was what truly mattered.
“Fellow Daoist Chen, did you know beforehand that a Foundation Establishment Pill would be at this auction?” Alchemist Zhuang sent a voice transmission at this time.
Chen Jianghe smiled wryly in his heart. The man had truly read too much into his relationship with Gao Peiyao.
How could he possibly have known about a Foundation Establishment Pill?
He then shook his head at Alchemist Zhuang, indicating that he had no prior knowledge of it being auctioned.
“That makes sense. It’s only an inferior one, after all.”
Alchemist Zhuang nodded.
“Alchemist Zhuang, what do you think the final price of this inferior Foundation Establishment Pill will be?” Chen Jianghe asked.
“It’s hard to say.”
Alchemist Zhuang pondered for a moment before continuing, “In the last century, Foundation Establishment Pills have appeared at auctions less and less frequently.”
“In the past, Qinghe Market City would have a Foundation Establishment Pill auction every ten years. But for some reason, it’s now become once every decade or more.”
“Under these circumstances, the price will certainly be inflated again. Therefore, this inferior Foundation Establishment Pill might reach around two thousand two hundred spirit stones.”
Chen Jianghe was somewhat stunned by his words.
An inferior Foundation Establishment Pill could fetch such a terrifyingly high price.
A standard Foundation Establishment Pill had a market price of only two thousand spirit stones, yet an inferior one was being bid up to over two thousand at an auction.
At this moment, Chen Jianghe felt as if a hidden hand was manipulating the Foundation Establishment Pill market.
By reducing the frequency of their appearance at auctions, the final sale price was driven up.
Normally, the price of an inferior Foundation Establishment Pill was only about one thousand spirit stones.
“At this rate, the price of Foundation Establishment Pills will only get higher. By the time I’m ready for my breakthrough, won’t they cost a fortune?”
Chen Jianghe shook his head with a sense of helplessness.
He only had a hundred and six spirit stones and ninety grains of spirit sand to his name.
That wasn't even a fraction of the price of an inferior Foundation Establishment Pill.
While he was lost in thought, the price for this inferior pill had already been called up to two thousand three hundred spirit stones.
It had surpassed Alchemist Zhuang’s estimate.
However, the bidding had slowed down. The Qi Refining cultivators in the tiered seats had already withdrawn.
Two thousand three hundred spirit stones was far beyond what they could afford.
Even artisans like alchemists and formation masters couldn’t bear such a price.
In the end, it was won by a Foundation Establishment Ancestor from a Foundation Establishment immortal clan for two thousand five hundred spirit stones. And this particular ancestor was somewhat familiar to Chen Jianghe.
When Yun Bufan had attempted his breakthrough to Foundation Establishment, four ancestors had come to ‘offer their congratulations’.
The White Clan’s ancestor among them had already fallen, and the White Clan itself had been exterminated.
This Foundation Establishment Ancestor was one of the remaining three.
“The premium is so high. If this were a standard Foundation Establishment Pill, wouldn’t the price exceed thirty-five hundred spirit stones?”
“It seems we rogue cultivators won’t be able to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill at auction. Our only hope is to pool our resources for alchemy.”
“Indeed. Two thousand five hundred spirit stones… I’d probably need to concoct pills for thirty years straight to save that much. By then, I’d be long past my prime age for Foundation Establishment.”
Murmurs of discussion arose, but eventually, all eyes fell upon Ji Wujin.
Because he now possessed a Purple Cloud Vermilion Fruit.
He was undoubtedly the best potential partner for collaboration in the future.
Following that, the final treasure was unveiled. It was a top-tier defensive magical tool in the form of battle armor.
The starting bid was a staggering two thousand four hundred spirit stones.
Chen Jianghe was very interested in defensive magical tools.
But without enough spirit stones, his interest remained just that.
The other Qi Refining cultivators were in the same boat, able to do nothing but watch as the Foundation Establishment cultivators engaged in a fierce bidding war.
They were merely spectators to the excitement.
Ultimately, this top-tier defensive magical tool was acquired by the Foundation Establishment cultivator backing Qinghe Market City for a final price of three thousand one hundred spirit stones.
Armor-type defensive magical tools were inherently valuable, typically costing about thirty percent more than conventional ones.
And this was at an auction.
For it to be sold at three thousand one hundred spirit stones, it could be said that the cultivator behind Qinghe Market City had gotten a great bargain.
Logically, for such a magical tool to appear at auction, the Hundred Treasures Pavilion would have surely promoted it heavily.
It would have attracted even more Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Yet, not a whisper of it had been leaked beforehand, which was highly unusual.
There was definitely something fishy going on behind the scenes.
As the auction concluded, cultivators began to leave the Hundred Treasures Pavilion one by one. But as they stood on the river street, taking in the view.
Chen Jianghe noticed that the Yun Clan’s ancestor did not fly away from Qinghe Market City. Instead, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, he swallowed the Life Extension Pill.
Seeing this.
Chen Jianghe couldn’t help but feel a sense of wonder. Even Foundation Establishment cultivators worried about running into robbers or being ambushed by their peers.
The female Foundation Establishment cultivator who had bought the Beauty Retaining Pill did the same, consuming her pill in public.
As for the Foundation Establishment Ancestor who had purchased the inferior Foundation Establishment Pill, he naturally wouldn't consume it himself.
Instead, he had someone by his side return to the clan to notify a promising disciple to come to Qinghe Market City and attempt their breakthrough.
It showed just how cautious he was.
The cultivators who had bought the top-tier magical tools also chose to stay in Qinghe Market City.
They would likely refine their tools before departing.
However, the gazes of most Qi Refining cultivators were now fixed on Ji Wujin.
Several cultivators followed him as he left.
They were probably going to discuss potential cooperation.
Chen Jianghe paid no mind to these matters. After bidding farewell to Alchemist Zhuang, he returned to his small courtyard.
He hung up the ‘In Seclusion’ sign.
He let Xiao Hei and Maoqiu out, allowing them to resume their work.
He, on the other hand, returned to his room.
His mind replayed the events of the auction.
He could put the top-tier magical tool out of his mind, but the Purple Cloud Vermilion Fruit and the Foundation Establishment Pill involuntarily surfaced in his thoughts.
And Alchemist Zhuang’s words.
Crowdfunding alchemy.
It was a viable path, but the crucial part was obtaining a main ingredient for refining the Foundation Establishment Pill. Only then would one be qualified to crowdfund with others.
A single Purple Cloud Vermilion Fruit had sold for two thousand and ten spirit stones at the auction.
Even if the other two main ingredients were cheaper, they wouldn't be less than a thousand spirit stones.
In other words.
To crowdfund alchemy, one not only needed a capital of over a thousand spirit stones but also enough luck to obtain one of the main medicinal ingredients for the pill.
At his current rate of saving spirit stones, that would take a century.
“I still need to focus on improving my talisman skills, and it would be best to master another craft.”
“Is being a puppet master really that profitable?”
Thinking of earning spirit stones, Chen Jianghe’s mind turned to Ji Wujin.
A ninth-level Qi Refining puppet master could actually spend over two thousand spirit stones to buy a Purple Cloud Vermilion Fruit.
This truly broadened his horizons.
Two thousand spirit stones… even if he became a high-grade Talisman Master, he didn't know how many years it would take to save that much.
“For now, I need to focus on improving my talisman skills and successfully draw a mid-grade Five Elements Escape Talisman.”
Only by advancing his talisman skills could he afford to practice body tempering and have surplus spirit stones to venture into other fields.
There was also the matter of the first-tier, high-grade spirit talisman inheritance.
The Dao of Talismans was the pillar supporting his cultivation.
“Foundation Establishment Pill.”
Chen Jianghe took a deep breath.
He had to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill in the future. Even an inferior one would allow him to attempt the breakthrough.
Otherwise, he would face mortal danger.
His mind made up.
He then reined in his thoughts and began drawing spirit talismans, honing his skills. Increasing his annual income was the key.
Time flew by.
A new year arrived.
Chen Jianghe activated the last trace of the True Spirit Pill’s medicinal power in his Divine Gate acupoint, accelerating the purification of the spiritual power in his dantian’s sea of qi.
After circulating the Myriad Waters True Scripture for three major cycles.
The medicinal power of the two True Spirit Pills was completely depleted.
It was time to spend spirit stones again.
“What exactly did Ruan Tieniu want with Alchemist Zhuang? He was so hesitant and even mentioned me?”
“He even left a message in a letter, seeming desperate to meet with me.”