Chapter 184
Chapter 184
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 184
Chapter Title: Dragon Pattern Red Pine and Bandit Fairy Luo
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"Ruan Tieniu!"
Chen Jianghe blurted out.
Chen Jianghe held Ruan Tieniu, a rogue Foundation Establishment cultivator, in high regard and intended to befriend him.
Ruan Tieniu's strength was considerable. He possessed the legacy of the demonic cultivator Lan Tianxiang and had numerous tricks up his sleeve.
Chen Jianghe refused to believe that Ruan Tieniu had only 'inherited' the Blood River Escape Art from Lan Tianxiang.
He must have other demonic secret arts; it was impossible that he had traded the entire demonic legacy to him.
Seeing Luo Xiyue's delicate brows furrow, Chen Jianghe knew she looked down on Ruan Tieniu.
"Fellow Daoist Luo, don't underestimate Fellow Daoist Ruan. He received Lan Tianxiang's entire legacy, which is equivalent to receiving the legacy of that False Core senior. Moreover, he possesses the Profound Heaven Dragon Pattern Rope refined by your master. His combat strength is exceptional, and his character is honest and kind."
To convince Luo Xiyue of his potential, Chen Jianghe sent a solemn voice transmission: "As far as I know, he also has an Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill, so he will definitely be able to break through to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment."
Luo Xiyue's phoenix-like eyes shifted. Seeing Chen Jianghe's serious and earnest expression, she recalled Gao Peiyao's assessment of him.
She believed ninety percent of what Chen Jianghe said.
"I can mention it to Peiyao, but you still need to cultivate diligently. Go ahead and bid for this Second Revolution Spirit-Nourishing Pill. A strong soul essence will also benefit your talisman drawing."
Luo Xiyue said faintly, then turned away.
She spoke no more with Chen Jianghe, seemingly pondering his words, or perhaps considering how to bring this matter up with Gao Peiyao.
But regardless, Chen Jianghe was Gao Peiyao's first choice, so they still had to help him improve his cultivation.
Hearing Luo Xiyue's words, Chen Jianghe didn't dally and immediately placed a bid on the Second Revolution Spirit-Nourishing Pill.
Now that he knew the purpose behind Gao Peiyao's help, he actually felt much more at ease.
Otherwise, if a woman was consistently kind to him with no apparent motive, he would truly need to be cautious.
The Tiannan Sect's secret realm trial sounded dangerous, but with sufficient preparation, it probably wouldn't be too perilous.
Even if Gao Peiyao didn't let Ruan Tieniu go later on.
As long as his trump cards surpassed those of Gao Peiyao and Luo Xiyue, there would be no danger.
On the contrary, he might even obtain an unexpected opportunity.
He still had twenty years. If he did his best to raise Xiao Hei, self-preservation would be achievable.
"Why is this Second Revolution Spirit-Nourishing Pill so expensive?"
Chen Jianghe was startled by the numbers on the gilded crystal screen on the auction stage.
The bidding had just begun, yet the price had already reached three thousand nine hundred spirit stones.
"A Second Revolution Spirit-Nourishing Pill is a second-tier, mid-grade spirit pill. The market price is three thousand five hundred spirit stones, and it usually sells for around five thousand."
Luo Xiyue was resting with her eyes closed, but her cool voice reached Chen Jianghe's ears.
Chen Jianghe was astonished to hear this. The difference between first-tier and second-tier spirit pills was so vast.
First-tier pills for cultivation improvement were relatively cheap.
First-tier healing pills were a bit more expensive in comparison.
But at the second-tier level, healing pills were much cheaper than cultivation-enhancing pills, by almost half.
Since he had decided to buy the Second Revolution Spirit-Nourishing Pill, Chen Jianghe didn't hesitate. With a thought, he submitted a bid of five thousand spirit stones.
In any case, Gao Peiyao would be giving him a spirit cultivation art and a body tempering technique, and her purpose was already clear.
He could no longer refuse the favors he now owed.
So, he would naturally accept the techniques she offered. If Ruan Tieniu didn't go in the end, he would just have to find another way.
He would do his best to give this opportunity to Ruan Tieniu.
However, after Chen Jianghe's bid appeared on the auction stage, it was quickly surpassed by a bid of five thousand one hundred spirit stones.
Chen Jianghe bid again, raising the price to five thousand five hundred spirit stones.
This time, no one competed with him.
Generally, the auction price for a Second Revolution Spirit-Nourishing Pill was around five thousand four hundred spirit stones.
Chen Jianghe's bid of five thousand five hundred was just slightly above the normal auction price.
After the item was sold at this price.
Next was the thirty-second treasure, which turned out to be an Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill.
The starting price for this second-tier, mid-grade breakthrough pill was a staggering three thousand eight hundred spirit stones, which truly shocked Chen Jianghe.
His gratitude towards Alchemist Zhuang deepened.
Originally, he thought that since the main ingredient for refining the pill, the Ice Heart Grass, was worth two thousand spirit stones, the pill itself would be worth three thousand at most.
After all, a successful refinement could yield three pills per cauldron, so it couldn't be that much more expensive than the Ice Heart Grass.
He never expected the starting price to be as high as three thousand eight hundred spirit stones.
In just ten breaths, the number on the gilded crystal screen had risen to five thousand two hundred spirit stones.
And it was still climbing, soon breaking the six-thousand-spirit-stone mark.
The numbers on the gilded crystal screen only began to slow down when the price reached seven thousand spirit stones.
In the end, it was sold for seven thousand three hundred spirit stones.
Seeing the final price, Chen Jianghe was both surprised and felt it was reasonable.
This was a miracle pill used by early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators to break through to the mid-stage. For cultivators with poor spiritual root talent, without this pill, it would be impossible to reach the mid-stage.
This was different from breaking through from the sixth to the seventh level of Qi Refining, where one could succeed by spending a few more years polishing their cultivation.
Take Yun Xiaoniu, for example. Without an Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill or some other breakthrough opportunity, if he relied solely on time, he would likely never break through to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment in his entire life.
Thinking about it this way, a price of over seven thousand spirit stones for an Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill was indeed not high.
"The thirty-third treasure: Fire Cloud Toad Wind, a primary material for refining top-grade Spirit-Nurturing magical artifacts. The starting price is three thousand spirit stones."
Hearing the auctioneer's voice, Chen Jianghe looked at Luo Xiyue. Sure enough, the moment she heard "Fire Cloud Toad Wind," a sharp light flashed in her phoenix-like eyes, and her divine sense activated the bidding formation.
Immediately after, Chen Jianghe saw a number appear on the gilded crystal screen outside.
Six thousand five hundred spirit stones.
A direct increase of three thousand five hundred spirit stones.
If he wasn't mistaken, this must be Luo Xiyue's bid.
After flipping through those three magazines, Chen Jianghe had gained some understanding of top-grade Spirit-Nurturing magical artifacts.
His Silver Moon Flowing Wave Sword was a top-grade Spirit-Nurturing magical artifact.
It could also be called a Spirit-Nurturing magical artifact.
It had stronger spirituality and greater power than a top-grade magical artifact, barely qualifying as a prototype Dharma treasure, but in reality, it was still a world away from a true Dharma treasure.
However, it was much stronger than a top-grade magical artifact.
The auction price for Fire Cloud Toad Wind was typically around six thousand spirit stones. Luo Xiyue directly bid five hundred more.
Unsurprisingly, she won the wisp of Fire Cloud Toad Wind.
The thirty-fourth to the forty-second treasures were all materials for refining top-grade Spirit-Nurturing magical artifacts.
The prices were mostly between five thousand five hundred and seven thousand five hundred spirit stones.
Luo Xiyue bid frequently, winning a total of five refining materials and spending no less than thirty thousand spirit stones.
This made Chen Jianghe mentally exclaim, "What a rich woman!"
For a moment, he felt helpless about the speed at which a Talisman Master could earn spirit stones. After reaching Thousand Mountains Market City, he resolved to try alchemy.
Otherwise, the rate at which he earned spirit stones simply couldn't keep up with his cultivation expenses.
Especially with Xiao Hei, that money-devouring beast. A single second-tier spirit core cost around one thousand three hundred spirit stones.
He didn't know how many second-tier spirit cores it would need to devour to break through to the late-stage of the second tier.
Chen Jianghe was very much looking forward to Xiao Hei breaking through to the late-stage of the second tier.
According to Xiao Hei, when it broke through to the late-stage of the second tier, the spiritual platform imprint would grant it a new opportunity.
Chen Jianghe wondered if the spiritual platform imprint would also grant him some opportunities.
While Chen Jianghe was lost in thought.
The auctioneer had already brought out the forty-third treasure: a second-tier, mid-grade spiritual plant.
"Dragon Pattern Red Pine?"
Chen Jianghe's heart leaped with joy. The bark of the Dragon Pattern Red Pine had a special spirituality and could be used to draw second-tier, low-grade talismans.
Moreover, this was a living second-tier spiritual plant. As long as he didn't strip all the bark off at once.
It would be a continuous source of talisman-drawing materials.
However, cultivating a Dragon Pattern Red Pine required the blood of a demonic beast with a dragon bloodline.
The blood of a demonic beast with a dragon bloodline would have to come from a late-stage first-tier demonic beast at the very least.
Therefore, planting a Dragon Pattern Red Pine came at a cost.
As the auctioneer announced the starting price.
Chen Jianghe fell into deep thought.
He weighed the value of the Dragon Pattern Red Pine to himself.
A piece of second-tier demonic beast hide, suitable for drawing second-tier talismans, was worth about five hundred spirit stones.
After being refined and cut, it could produce at most ten pieces of talisman paper.
But if he bought the Dragon Pattern Red Pine, he could peel off ten pieces of spiritual plant bark every year, though it would require two hundred spirit stones' worth of demonic beast blood for nourishment.
However, the Dragon Pattern Red Pine was very valuable, costing at least six thousand spirit stones to win. He only had four thousand three hundred and twenty-two spirit stones and twenty grains of spirit sand on him.
"It would pay for itself in twenty years, and I wouldn't have to run around buying talisman paper materials. After twenty years, it's all profit."
Having made up his mind.
Chen Jianghe joined the bidding for the Dragon Pattern Red Pine.
He had four thousand three hundred and twenty-two spirit stones, so he directly bid four thousand three hundred.
But the starting price of the Dragon Pattern Red Pine was already a high four thousand spirit stones. His extra three hundred wouldn't intimidate any cultivator.
After ten breaths, the price on the gilded crystal screen changed, rising to six thousand spirit stones.
This exceeded Chen Jianghe's expectations.
But he had a long lifespan. Even if he bought it for ten thousand spirit stones, it would be profitable after thirty-odd years.
Immediately, he looked at Luo Xiyue with a smile and asked softly, "Fellow Daoist, do you have many spirit stones on hand?"
Chen Jianghe asked this casually, not feeling the least bit awkward.
"How much."
"I have four thousand spirit stones, but I don't know how much more I'll need," Chen Jianghe said with a chuckle.
"You bid. I'll cover what you're short," Luo Xiyue said coolly.
"Thank you."
Chen Jianghe clasped his hands in thanks.
He hadn't expected this ice beauty, Luo Xiyue, to actually lend him spirit stones. His confidence surged.
Seeing the number on the gilded crystal screen had already become six thousand four hundred, Chen Jianghe directly raised the bid to eight thousand spirit stones.
When someone else followed his bid, Chen Jianghe raised it directly to nine thousand spirit stones.
This time, no one else followed.
He finally won the Dragon Pattern Red Pine for nine thousand spirit stones.
He borrowed six thousand spirit stones from Luo Xiyue.
This puzzled Luo Xiyue. Borrowing five thousand would have been enough, so why borrow an extra thousand?
But she didn't ask.
To her, a thousand spirit stones more or less made no difference.
When the people from the Hundred Treasures Pavilion delivered the Dragon Pattern Red Pine, Chen Jianghe was still worrying about how to carry this second-tier, mid-grade spiritual plant.
He hadn't expected that by winning the bid for this spiritual plant, the Hundred Treasures Pavilion would also give him a spirit plant bag.
No wonder the Hundred Treasures Pavilion was so successful; they thought of everything.
The forty-fourth treasure was also a second-tier spiritual plant, but neither Chen Jianghe nor Luo Xiyue was interested.
The forty-fifth and forty-sixth treasures were both second-tier spirit pills for body tempering.
Chen Jianghe wanted them, but he was too embarrassed to ask Luo Xiyue for more spirit stones.
Second-tier spirit pills for body tempering were quite expensive.
If he borrowed more, his debt to Luo Xiyue would exceed ten thousand spirit stones.
That was too much.
This was the first time Chen Jianghe had ever possessed over ten thousand spirit stones, and he had spent it all in an instant.
There would be more second-tier body tempering pills at future auctions.
In a few years, when he had more spirit stones, he could buy them then. There was no need to spend beyond his means.
Or fall too deeply into debt.
The appearance of the forty-seventh treasure surprised him. It was a spirit beast with a third-grade, low-class bloodline, a Raging Flame Savage Ox.
It was still in its infancy, with a starting price of two thousand spirit stones.
The final price was three thousand two hundred spirit stones, a thousand more than Maoqiu, which made Chen Jianghe feel the price was a bit inflated.
The final treasure was also an infant spirit beast.
A Crimson Scale Fire Python, a spirit beast with a third-grade, high-class bloodline.
"How could someone put an infant Crimson Scale Fire Python up for sale?"
Chen Jianghe's first thought was that it was unreal. With proper nurturing, this Crimson Scale Fire Python could definitely become a second-tier spirit beast.
It even had a twenty percent chance of becoming a third-tier spirit beast.
Even the Zhou Clan wouldn't be generous enough to sell an infant beast with a third-grade, high-class bloodline.
"It's bait!"
A possibility suddenly struck Chen Jianghe.
Even if one won the bid for a spirit beast with a third-grade, high-class bloodline, they couldn't form a contract immediately because all cultivators had to leave the Hundred Treasures Pavilion after the auction ended.
As for forming a contract outside?
One would need someone to stand guard. Moreover, upon leaving the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, they would be targeted by bandits.
Ferry Market City had no guards and no defensive formation.
Once targeted by bandits, it was very likely they would make a move even within the market city.
So, you wouldn't even have time to form the contract.
Sure enough, after the auctioneer announced the starting price, the gilded crystal screen remained blank. No Foundation Establishment cultivators placed a bid.
Obviously, what Chen Jianghe could figure out, these cultivators who had been in the cultivation world for years could also figure out.
But after a hundred breaths.
A number appeared on the gilded crystal screen.
It was only one hundred spirit stones more than the starting price of four thousand.
But there were no other bids.
After five hundred breaths, the Crimson Scale Fire Python with a third-grade, high-class bloodline was sold for four thousand one hundred spirit stones.
After the auction ended.
Chen Jianghe and Luo Xiyue left the Hundred Treasures Pavilion together. However, instead of leaving the market city directly, they went to the Artifact Pavilion of the Chen Clan of refiners.
The Chen Clan's Artifact Pavilion also sold first-tier magical artifacts. As for second-tier artifacts, they only had second-tier talisman brushes and second-tier spirit beast bags.
Although the Artifact Pavilion was backed by the Chen Clan, it still couldn't hold auctions.
The auction industry had been monopolized by the Tiannan Sect's Hundred Treasures Pavilion, so no other power could get involved.
Therefore, even the top-grade magical artifacts refined by the Chen Clan were sold at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion's auctions.
"Greetings, Seniors. What might you be looking to purchase?"
The person in the Artifact Pavilion saw Chen Jianghe and Luo Xiyue enter and hurried to greet them. However, he couldn't sense any magical power fluctuations from either of them.
He immediately understood that these were two Foundation Establishment seniors.
"A storage pouch," Chen Jianghe said indifferently.
"We have storage pouches ranging from one to ten cubic meters. What size does Senior require?" the chubby, middle-aged man asked with a smile.
Chen Jianghe didn't choose a size right away. Instead, he took out his own storage pouch first.
"What's the buyback price for this one?"
"Buyback?"
The chubby middle-aged cultivator was taken aback. He muttered to himself, having dealt with storage pouches often, he could tell at a glance from the patterns on Chen Jianghe's pouch that it was a one-cubic-meter one.
In the hands of a Foundation Establishment senior, such a pouch was usually something given away as a bonus in a trade.
He had worked at the Artifact Pavilion in Ferry Market City for over fifty years, and this was the first time he had seen a Foundation Establishment senior come to sell a one-cubic-meter storage pouch.
"This storage pouch in Senior's hand seems to have been used for a long time; the outer canvas is a bit faded. How about this, I'll give you eighty spirit stones for it?"
"Alright. Give me a five-cubic-meter storage pouch."
Eighty spirit stones was about right. He estimated he'd get the same buyback price at Mirror Moon Market City.
Standing next to Chen Jianghe, Luo Xiyue saw the faded storage pouch.
She couldn't help but recall Gao Peiyao's assessment of Chen Jianghe.
Prudent in his actions, frugal and thrifty.
Trading in a worn-out storage pouch was truly an eye-opener for her.
Most importantly, the new storage pouch Chen Jianghe was getting was only five cubic meters in size.
Chen Jianghe felt that five cubic meters was enough for his current needs; there was no reason to waste spirit stones.
He paid another nine hundred and twenty spirit stones.
Taking the new five-cubic-meter storage pouch from the chubby middle-aged man, which was embroidered with five golden threads, Chen Jianghe immediately imprinted it with his divine sense and refined it.
With a thought.
He cast a sealing talisman, then moved all the contents from his old storage pouch into the new one.
Then he and Luo Xiyue left.
Just as they were about to summon their spirit boat, they heard the clash of magical artifacts nearby.
Looking towards the sound, their view was blocked by buildings.
Immediately, Chen Jianghe and Luo Xiyue flew into the air. Many other cultivators did the same to watch.
Near the Tongtian River, a battle between Foundation Establishment cultivators was taking place. Four were surrounding one.
"It's the Feng brothers from Serene Valley."
"I knew it. How could a Crimson Scale Fire Python with a third-grade, high-class bloodline appear at an auction? There had to be a catch."
"The four Feng brothers are disciples of the Serene Valley Master. They are all Foundation Establishment cultivators, and the eldest is even in the late stage. The cultivator they've surrounded must be the one who bought the Crimson Scale Fire Python."
"Four thousand one hundred spirit stones? Heh, did he really think he'd found a bargain?"
"How can there be so many bargains to be found in the cultivation world?"
"Judging by this fellow daoist's magical power fluctuations, he should be at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment. What a pity, a hundred years of cultivation down the drain."
Hearing the discussions of the surrounding cultivators, Chen Jianghe also learned the identities of the four bandits.
They were all from Serene Valley.
It seemed that Serene Valley, this black market, was founded by bandits.
The Feng brothers, disciples of the Serene Valley Master.
At this moment, Chen Jianghe felt a pang of fear for Yun Xiaoniu, who had dared to go to Serene Valley and even brought back an Ice Heart Grass.
It had to be said, he was both bold and lucky.
The cultivator surrounded by the Feng brothers was a young man in black. His face wasn't handsome, but his fair, smooth skin could be considered refined.
Suddenly.
The young man in black took out a talisman and transformed into a streak of lightning, escaping into the distance.
The Feng brothers didn't even have time to react.
"A second-tier, high-grade Lightning Escape Talisman," Luo Xiyue said coolly.
She was clearly uninterested in such matters. Immediately after, she summoned her spirit boat in full view of everyone, completely unafraid of being targeted by bandits.
Chen Jianghe rolled his eyes at Luo Xiyue's action but still flew onto the spirit boat, which quickly departed amidst the chatter of the crowd.
However, in the instant they left, Chen Jianghe saw the Feng brothers move, beginning to chase in the direction the streak of lightning had fled.
Apparently, they had left a special mark on the Crimson Scale Fire Python, allowing them to track its aura.
"A second-tier, high-grade Lightning Escape Talisman? To be able to escape from right under the nose of a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, this second-tier talisman must be very valuable!"
Chen Jianghe mused to himself.
Even if he used the Blood River Escape Art, he would struggle to match that instantaneous burst of speed.
Of course, once his cultivation reached the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, if he used the Blood River Escape Art by severing an arm, he could still match that speed.
Luo Xiyue piloted the spirit boat back along the same route from Ferry Market City, once again passing over Serene Valley, flying brazenly through the sky above it.
She seemed to pay Serene Valley no mind.
Half an hour later, they had entered the Heling region, the territory of the Shi Clan.
Just then, a flash of lightning appeared to the rear left of the spirit boat. It was the cultivator who had escaped using the second-tier, high-grade Lightning Escape Talisman.
He actually had another second-tier, high-grade Lightning Escape Talisman.
Ten breaths later, the young man in black overtook the spirit boat and flew towards the deep mountains ahead, disappearing into them shortly after.
Luo Xiyue slowed the spirit boat. After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the Feng brothers caught up. As if sensing the young man in black, they flew directly into the same deep mountains.
"Reverse fishing!"
Chen Jianghe was stunned for a moment, then looked at Luo Xiyue and spoke.
"Mm."
Luo Xiyue nodded, then looked at Chen Jianghe and said, "It's a pity your cultivation is too low. If you were in the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, we could be the fisherman who profits."
Chen Jianghe was dumbfounded.
He looked at Luo Xiyue in astonishment.
He couldn't imagine such words coming from the mouth of an ice beauty.
From what Luo Xiyue was implying, she seemed to want to attack both parties, which Chen Jianghe found incredible.
Do all cultivators in the cultivation world love to take risks?
"You must be joking, Fellow Daoist. I've always been kind and disliked conflict. How could I do what bandits do?" Chen Jianghe said hurriedly.
He was genuinely worried that Luo Xiyue would pilot the spirit boat directly into those deep mountains in the Heling region.
Luo Xiyue glanced at Chen Jianghe.
This confirmed another of Gao Peiyao's assessments of him.
Cautious and meticulous.
Luo Xiyue didn't pilot the spirit boat into the deep mountains, but she didn't continue the journey home either. Instead, she stopped where they were.
Her phoenix-like eyes gazed at the distant mountains, as if she were waiting for something.