Chapter 207
Chapter 207
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 207
Chapter Title: Reunion with Zhou Xiaoxuan, A Beast Egg
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"Six thousand three hundred spirit stones."
Just then, a familiar voice reached Chen Jianghe's ears, causing him to look in its direction.
In the front row sat a familiar figure.
Her dark, silky hair draped over her shoulders, with an ice-blue ornament adorning a tied-up lock.
Although he couldn't see her face, he could tell from her voice that it was a woman he knew.
"It's her!"
An image suddenly flashed through Chen Jianghe's mind—a figure whose alluring charm could not be concealed even by mourning clothes.
It was Zhou Miaoyun's niece, the Tiannan Sect disciple, Zhou Xiaoxuan.
"No wonder her voice was so familiar. It's actually her."
Chen Jianghe had intended to bid, but upon hearing Zhou Xiaoxuan had already entered the bidding and raised the price by five hundred spirit stones, he held back.
She was clearly determined to get the Ice Heart Grass.
It wasn't that he was sentimental about their past connection or wanted to avoid competing with a junior; he simply didn't have enough spirit stones.
He only had eight thousand four hundred and sixty-five spirit stones left.
If he were to compete, he might not win against the others anyway.
Rather than fighting over it and letting the auction house profit, he might as well do her a favor.
He wasn't short on Ice Heart Grass.
What puzzled him, however, was why Zhou Xiaoxuan, as a disciple of the Tiannan Sect, would need Ice Heart Grass.
As long as she had contribution points, she could exchange them for Foundation Establishment cultivation resources within the Tiannan Sect.
Zhou Xiaoxuan had already successfully reached Foundation Establishment.
He wasn't surprised that this descendant of an old acquaintance had succeeded; the last time he saw her, she was already at the ninth level of Qi Refining.
As a sect disciple, her chances of reaching Foundation Establishment were quite high.
Chen Jianghe did not bid, and no one else raised the price. It seemed that six thousand three hundred spirit stones was the limit for the Ice Heart Grass.
The tenth treasure was a spiritual material for artifact refining, the Crimson Flame Stone. It was a second-rank, high-grade spiritual material, a supplementary component for crafting spirit-infused artifacts.
It could imbue a spirit-infused artifact with the fire attribute.
Whether crafting a spirit-infused offensive artifact or a defensive one, as long as it was fire-attributed, the Crimson Flame Stone could be used.
This was a common, yet highly valuable, spiritual material.
It was more valuable than the Azure Nether Stone.
However, Chen Jianghe wasn't interested. He already possessed spirit-infused artifacts, and this was a fire-attribute material, which didn't match the attribute of his cultivation technique.
The Crimson Flame Stone ultimately sold for seven thousand nine hundred spirit stones.
A considerable price.
After all, it was just a supplementary material for crafting spirit-infused artifacts.
Seeing that even a supplementary material commanded such a price, Chen Jianghe couldn't imagine how much the main components would cost.
Suddenly, the three spirit-infused artifacts Luo Xiyue had given him felt exceptionally precious.
The eleventh treasure was a second-rank, high-grade spirit pill.
An Origin Spirit Pill.
This was a second-rank, high-grade spirit pill refined with an absorbable spiritual object of heaven and earth as its main ingredient, containing a massive amount of pure spiritual energy.
The moment the Origin Spirit Pill appeared, the entire auction hall erupted into a frenzy.
Chen Jianghe could feel the greedy gazes of the surrounding cultivators fixed tightly on the Origin Spirit Pill on the stage.
"Spirit pills that enhance cultivation are rare. They usually never appear at auctions and are typically consumed internally."
"How can there be an Origin Spirit Pill at this auction?"
"Is it because those sect disciples and the direct descendants of immortal clans have come to Thousand Mountains Market City?"
As Chen Jianghe pondered,
the female auctioneer had already announced the starting price of the Origin Spirit Pill.
"The main ingredient of this Origin Spirit Pill is the quasi-third-rank spiritual object from the Arctic Snow Forest, the Thousand-Year Ice Jade Ginseng. Its value needs no further explanation."
"There is no reserve price and no limit on bid increments."
"The bidding starts now!"
As the auctioneer's voice fell,
a brief silence descended upon the auction hall, followed by an uproar of discussion.
No one placed a bid immediately.
They were all stunned by the main ingredient of this Origin Spirit Pill.
The Origin Spirit Pill was a spirit pill that could enhance one's Foundation Establishment cultivation, and it had no fixed main ingredient.
Any absorbable spiritual object of heaven and earth could be refined into an Origin Spirit Pill.
Generally, one such spiritual object could be refined into five Origin Spirit Pills.
As for the value of the Origin Spirit Pill, it was determined by the value of its main ingredient.
The Thousand-Year Ice Jade Ginseng was a quasi-third-rank spiritual object of heaven and earth.
It was far superior to the Spirit Spring Pearl in Chen Jianghe's possession.
"Thirty thousand spirit stones."
Suddenly, the first bid rang out, silencing most of the Foundation Establishment cultivators.
It also extinguished their desire to bid for the Origin Spirit Pill.
Starting at thirty thousand spirit stones spoke volumes of its preciousness.
Hearing this, Chen Jianghe closed his eyes to meditate.
This Origin Spirit Pill was not destined for him.
After about a hundred breaths, the price of the Origin Spirit Pill had reached fifty thousand spirit stones, but the bidding was starting to lose momentum.
It seemed the value of such a spirit pill was around fifty thousand spirit stones.
What Chen Jianghe didn't expect was that this Origin Spirit Pill was actually won by Zhou Xiaoxuan.
"Where did that girl get so many spirit stones?"
"Peiyao said that Tiannan Sect disciples would only choose to study one of the Hundred Arts when they have no hope of reaching the late Foundation Establishment stage by the age of eighty. Zhou Xiaoxuan should have just reached Foundation Establishment not long ago, so she still has a chance to reach the late stage by eighty. It's impossible for her to have studied the Hundred Arts."
"Could it be her master?"
Chen Jianghe was puzzled.
Back then, Gao Peiyao's master was unwilling to spend even an extra hundred spirit stones in order to gather resources for Core Formation.
If Zhou Xiaoxuan's master was also planning for Core Formation, he would certainly not give Zhou Xiaoxuan so many spirit stones.
Could it be that Zhou Xiaoxuan's master had already formed his core?
When he met Gao Peiyao this time, they had mentioned Zhou Xiaoxuan, but Gao Peiyao never said that Zhou Xiaoxuan's master had reached Core Formation.
This meant that Zhou Xiaoxuan's master was still at the peak of the Foundation Establishment realm.
Furthermore, from what Gao Peiyao had implied, it seemed that without a great opportunity, Zhou Xiaoxuan's master had almost no hope of forming a core.
Over one hundred and eighty years old, with his vitality declining, he was entering his later years.
How could he form a core?
"A cultivation cauldron?"
Chen Jianghe recalled what Gao Peiyao had said. Zhou Xiaoxuan's master placed great importance on cultivating his disciples.
And he only accepted female disciples.
Zhou Xiaoxuan's senior sister, Liu Zhining, was already in the late Foundation Establishment stage and would participate in this mystic realm trial.
"If Zhou Xiaoxuan's master wants to cultivate cauldrons, then Zhou Xiaoxuan will definitely reach the late Foundation Establishment stage before she's eighty."
"Could he be planning to use two peak Foundation Establishment disciples to achieve Core Formation?"
"Does such a profound technique truly exist?"
Chen Jianghe was doubtful, feeling it was somewhat impossible.
If it was as he imagined, then this technique would be too mystical, capable of seizing another's fortune to enrich oneself.
That would be a true demonic art.
The Tiannan Sect prided itself on being a righteous path and shouldn't possess such a technique.
"Perhaps I'm overthinking it. Zhou Xiaoxuan's master simply wants to cultivate his disciples, placing his hopes of Core Formation on them."
With this thought,
Chen Jianghe stopped dwelling on it and looked toward the auction stage.
As the red silk was unveiled, the twelfth treasure was put up for auction.
It was also an Origin Spirit Pill.
This stunned all the Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Even Cen Linchuan beside Chen Jianghe was taken aback, a look of disbelief on his face.
He had lived in Thousand Mountains Market City since he was a child, and in nearly eighty years, he could count the number of Origin Spirit Pills auctioned here on one hand.
For two Origin Spirit Pills to appear in this auction, both of excellent quality,
was truly baffling.
As the bidding began, Chen Jianghe closed his eyes, unaffected by these worldly distractions.
He waited until the bidding ended.
The second Origin Spirit Pill was sold for fifty thousand nine hundred and fifty spirit stones.
Only then did Chen Jianghe slowly open his eyes and look at the auction stage, waiting for the final treasure to be brought out.
He knew very well that this, too, was likely beyond his reach.
The eleventh and twelfth treasures had both soared to the sky-high price of fifty thousand spirit stones.
The final treasure would certainly be worth more than fifty thousand spirit stones as well.
"Hmm?"
"An egg!"
Chen Jianghe's gaze froze, staring in astonishment at the beast egg on the auction stage. He never expected the final treasure to be a spirit beast egg.
"Friends who wish to raise a spirit beast are in for a treat. This is a spirit beast egg transported from south of the Heaven-Connecting River, from the Beast Taming Zhou Clan."
"As everyone knows, eighteen years ago, a massive beast tide erupted in the Beast Taming Market City. The cause was a Core Formation expert from the Beast Taming Zhou Clan who stole three demon beast eggs."
"This beast egg is one of them."
Listening to the female auctioneer's words, Chen Jianghe couldn't help but scoff.
Who was she trying to fool with that story?
Stealing three demon beast eggs could lead to the destruction of the Beast Taming Market City?
Any discerning person knew that the beast eggs were not the real reason. The Beast Taming Zhou Clan must have obtained something far more precious in the Wandering Immortal Mountain Range.
It was very likely a spiritual object related to Nascent Soul formation.
What beast egg?
What fourth-rank, high-grade bloodline cub?
These were all just smoke screens.
"I'm sure all you fellow Daoists are eager to know the details of this beast egg, so I won't waste any more time and get straight to the point."
"To be frank with you all, this is the egg of an Icy Triangle Python."
As her voice fell,
the auction hall was in an uproar.
"An Icy Triangle Python? That seems to be a fourth-rank, low-grade bloodline demon beast!"
"An Icy Triangle Python egg... if it hatches, that's a spirit beast with a fourth-rank, low-grade bloodline. It has a high chance of becoming a third-rank spirit beast."
"A third-rank spirit beast... even the Beast Taming Zhou Clan doesn't have many of those. How could they be willing to sell one?"
"I'm afraid even a hundred thousand spirit stones would be insufficient to buy this beast egg."
"Wait, something's not right with this egg. There are cracks at the bottom, and some of the egg's fluid is leaking out!"
At that moment,
many cultivators noticed the problem with the beast egg. At its base, fluid was leaking out, and its spiritual energy was dissipating.
This was not a sign of a cub hatching.
Instead, the egg had been damaged by an external attack, causing harm both inside and out. Even the nutritious fluid for the cub was leaking.
If it couldn't be hatched in a short time,
it would become a dead egg.
Even if it were to hatch now, the Icy Triangle Python cub would be congenitally deficient, and its bloodline rank would likely fail to reach the fourth-rank, low-grade.
It might even struggle to reach the third-rank, low-grade.
Most importantly, who could hatch this beast egg in such a short time?
The Beast Taming Zhou Clan was a top-tier immortal clan renowned for nurturing spirit beasts. If even they couldn't hatch this egg,
who else could?
Furthermore, if the Beast Taming Zhou Clan could hatch this egg and prevent the Icy Triangle Python cub's bloodline from degrading,
they would never be willing to put it up for auction.
"It's a trap!"
At this moment, all the Foundation Establishment cultivators looked at the Icy Triangle Python egg with a cold smile.
The female auctioneer glanced at the Foundation Establishment cultivators present and shook her head helplessly. She had anticipated this would happen.
Treasures brought to the auction could not have their true state concealed.
This was a matter of the Myriad Treasures Tower's credibility.
Therefore, they couldn't even use a spiritual object to plug the leak before auctioning off the egg.
No one here was a fool.
If it were a perfectly intact beast egg with a fourth-rank, low-grade bloodline,
it would never have appeared at this auction.
Even the Core Formation elders of the Tiannan Sect would probably want to raise a third-rank spirit beast, let alone those top-tier immortal clans.
"Fellow Daoists, please quiet down."
The female auctioneer raised her hand to gesture for silence, and the auction hall quieted down.
"Our Myriad Treasures Tower auction house prioritizes credibility above all else, so we will not conceal anything. This beast egg is extraordinarily precious, but it is flawed. The shell is cracked, and the fluid is leaking. If it is not hatched within ten years, it will become a dead egg."
"The success rate of hatching this beast egg is less than ten percent."
"However, this was entrusted to us by the Beast Taming Immortal Zhou Clan from south of the Heaven-Connecting River, so our Myriad Treasures Tower auction house had to accept it for consignment."
"Therefore, in the upcoming bidding, I urge all fellow Daoists to bid with caution."
"The reserve price... is not set..."
Suddenly,
the female auctioneer paused for a moment, then continued, "The reserve price is five thousand spirit stones, and each increment must be no less than five hundred spirit stones."
As her voice fell,
the expected atmosphere of enthusiastic bidding did not materialize.
Instead, one cultivator after another looked at the beast egg with a mocking expression.
The Beast Taming Zhou Clan was treating them like fools.
The Myriad Treasures Tower's appraisal stated that this egg had only a ten percent chance of hatching, and after ten years, it would be a dead egg.
Although it wasn't mentioned whether the bloodline would degrade upon successful hatching,
everyone understood that this was the last bit of face the Myriad Treasures Tower was saving for the Zhou Clan.
Cracked, flawed, and with its fluid leaking for eighteen years—how could its bloodline possibly not degrade?
In other words,
even if a cub were to hatch now, its bloodline rank would not exceed that of a third-rank, high-grade.
Most importantly, if the Zhou Clan couldn't hatch it, what made you think you could?
"Five thousand spirit stones."
After thirty breaths of silence,
Chen Jianghe called out the reserve price.
His bid immediately drew many gazes, and even Cen Linchuan beside him looked surprised.
Zhou Xiaoxuan also noticed Chen Jianghe at this moment. Seeing him bid, a flash of astonishment appeared in her beautiful eyes.
But she didn't say anything.
For the Zhou Clan's beast egg to sell for five thousand spirit stones would already be a huge profit.
If she were to intervene, she would be offending the Zhou Clan.
Chen Jianghe felt the gazes converging on him but remained composed, his heart calm.
Fifty breaths passed.
Seeing no other cultivators making a bid, the female auctioneer brought the hammer down, and the beast egg was sold for five thousand spirit stones.
The auction concluded.
The Myriad Treasures Tower thoughtfully prepared a coarse cloth bag for Chen Jianghe, placed the two-foot-long oval beast egg inside, and handed it to him.
Chen Jianghe carried the cloth bag and walked out of the auction hall.
The moment he stepped out of the Myriad Treasures Tower, Cen Linchuan approached him, hesitating to speak.
The beast egg Chen Jianghe had bought would most likely become a dead egg.
There was almost no chance of it hatching.
But it was too late to say anything now.
If he truly had Chen Jianghe's best interests at heart, he should have stopped him during the auction, not offered useless advice after the fact.
Cen Linchuan had considered this.
He wanted to say something, but after a moment's hesitation, he only mentioned that Chen Jianghe could visit the Talisman Master Alliance to verify his skills as a Talisman Master whenever he had time.
To this, Chen Jianghe readily agreed.
"Uncle Chen."
Zhou Xiaoxuan walked over gracefully. After reaching Foundation Establishment, she had become even more charming and alluring. Her enchanting figure approached Chen Jianghe, and her soft call was enough to stir the soul.
"Xiaoxuan, you've come to Thousand Mountains Market City as well."
Chen Jianghe smiled and nodded in greeting.
"Aunt Yao has already arrived at Thousand Mountains Market City and should have mentioned the mystic realm to Uncle Chen. I was ordered by my master to come to the Myriad Treasures Tower in Thousand Mountains Market City to serve as an assistant manager, to broaden my horizons and prepare for entering the mystic realm in the future," Zhou Xiaoxuan said in a lovely voice, looking at Chen Jianghe.
Her eyes were captivating, and her voice trembled the soul.
It was hard to tell if Zhou Xiaoxuan was doing it intentionally or if it was an unconscious act.
It made the passing cultivators stop in their tracks, unable to regain their senses for a long time.
Chen Jianghe focused his mind, calmed his spirit, and dispelled any distracting thoughts, avoiding Zhou Xiaoxuan's soul-snatching eyes.
"I see. Have you found a place to stay?" Chen Jianghe asked out of concern for a junior.
"All Tiannan Sect disciples can reside in the Myriad Treasures Tower," Zhou Xiaoxuan replied with a sweet smile.
"That's good."
Chen Jianghe nodded and said, "I'm staying at Golden Turtle Mountain, and Peiyao is there as well. If you need anything, you can find us there."
"Mhm, I understand."
Chen Jianghe didn't linger. He flew out of the market city on a current of air, then summoned his sword and sped towards Golden Turtle Mountain.
"Thank goodness I cultivate the Soul Sea Fortification Scripture, or I really wouldn't have been able to withstand that girl's charm."
"It seems I was overthinking it. Her master might have placed his hopes of Core Formation on his disciples and has no intention of using them as cultivation cauldrons."
Any disciple of the Tiannan Sect, upon successfully reaching Foundation Establishment, would be sent to a market city to serve as a manager at the Myriad Treasures Tower.
The managers of Thousand Mountains Market City were all Core Formation elders.
Therefore, there were three assistant manager positions below them.
Those newly-established disciples could also come to the Myriad Treasures Tower in Thousand Mountains Market City to serve as assistant managers and earn contribution points.
For Zhou Xiaoxuan to be here, it was likely due to her master's influence behind the scenes; otherwise, this was not a place one could come to easily.
Moreover, he had given Zhou Xiaoxuan so many spirit stones.
If he wasn't vigorously cultivating a cauldron, then he was genuinely looking out for his disciple, entrusting his hopes of Core Formation to her.
Back at the Spirit Spring Abode on Golden Turtle Mountain,
before Chen Jianghe could even take out the Icy Triangle Python egg, he saw Xiao Hei approaching with a glint in his eyes.
"Did you bring me something tasty?"
Xiao Hei pointed a short, stubby claw at the coarse cloth bag and asked.
"?"
Chen Jianghe was taken aback. He glanced at the beast egg in the bag, his mouth twitching. A flawed beast egg bought for five thousand spirit stones, for you to eat?
"Would eating it be useful to you?"
"Yes, it's rich in spiritual energy. It's worth two Water Spirit Pills."
Xiao Hei's large mouth split into a wide grin.
"Two-legs, you're too good to me."
As he spoke, his short claw reached for the cloth bag. While Chen Jianghe was still stunned, he took out the beast egg.
Seeing a drop of leaking fluid,
he tasted it.
"Flavorful. Not bad."
Xiao Hei nodded in satisfaction. His short claw was about to strike the crack at the bottom, ready to savor the delicious egg.
"Wait a minute."
Chen Jianghe leaped up and snatched the beast egg from Xiao Hei's claws, examining it carefully.
"What are you thinking? This cost five thousand spirit stones. Even selling you wouldn't fetch that price."
Seeing that the crack on the egg hadn't worsened, Chen Jianghe breathed a sigh of relief.
He had bought this beast egg for one reason only: to practice the Jade Dew Regeneration Incantation. He didn't know if it would work on a beast egg,
but his Jade Dew spiritual energy was indeed miraculously effective at healing injuries.
This beast egg was cracked and couldn't hatch, which ultimately meant it was injured. As long as it was injured, his Jade Dew Regeneration Incantation had a chance of healing it.
Five thousand spirit stones for a chance at a fourth-rank, low-grade spirit beast.
It was a good deal.
Although the chance was very low.
But at least there was a chance.
Most importantly, the Icy Triangle Python possessed a dragon bloodline. If it hatched, it meant his Dragon Pattern Red Pine had a chance to evolve into a third-rank spiritual wood.
So, the hope bought for five thousand spirit stones was still very valuable.
Even if it didn't hatch,
it could be used as nourishment for the Dragon Pattern Red Pine.
"If Xiao Hei eats this beast egg, it's equivalent to two Water Spirit Pills, which is a thousand spirit stones."
"The cost is reduced by another thousand spirit stones. It's even more worth it."
Chen Jianghe was delighted. He placed the beast egg in the eye of the spirit spring. With the nourishment of the spirit spring's energy,
even if the egg's fluid and spiritual energy were leaking, it could be somewhat replenished.
If possible,
he naturally hoped to hatch this beast egg.
A fourth-rank, low-grade bloodline cub was very tempting.
Xiao Hei, however, was in a daze, still savoring the taste of the egg fluid. A moment later, his beady eyes widened.
"Two-legs, this is a good egg."
"I know it's a good egg. Why else would I have spent five thousand spirit stones on it?" Chen Jianghe rolled his eyes at Xiao Hei.
"No, I mean the bloodline of the beast gestating in this egg is higher than mine."
"I know. It's the egg of a fourth-rank, low-grade bloodline Icy Triangle Python. Of course its bloodline is higher than yours."
"I misspoke just now. If you let me eat this egg, it's worth at least five Water Spirit Pills, and it can even enhance my bloodline a little."
Xiao Hei said in pleasant surprise.
"Enhance your bloodline?"
Chen Jianghe was surprised and quickly asked, "Can it raise you to a fourth-rank, low-grade bloodline?"
"In your dreams. It would only improve it by a tiny bit," Xiao Hei replied, speechless.
"What if Maoqiu eats it? Can he reach a third-rank, high-grade bloodline?"
"It's useless for him. He doesn't cultivate the Three Revolutions Demon Ascension Art, so he can't refine the bloodline power contained in this egg."
Xiao Hei raised his turtle head with an air of arrogance.
"Uh... that white tiger you've been tormenting might have a chance of reaching a second-rank, low-grade bloodline if it eats this egg."
"Even if it can't refine the bloodline power within, this egg can still elevate its bloodline to the second-rank, low-grade."
"What damn use do I have for a second-rank, low-grade spirit beast?"
A second-rank, low-grade spirit beast was only worth a dozen or so spirit stones at the beast market.
A second-rank, high-grade bloodline was only worth about a hundred spirit stones.
He spent five thousand spirit stones on a beast egg just to turn the white tiger into a second-rank, low-grade bloodline?
What a joke!
However, the fact that Xiao Hei could refine the bloodline power in the beast egg was still a good thing, as it further reduced his costs.
Five Water Spirit Pills and a slight increase in bloodline purity.
This should be worth about five thousand spirit stones.
In other words,
even if the beast egg couldn't be hatched, he wouldn't lose out. He could just consider it a dessert for Xiao Hei.
"Don't get any ideas about this egg. I'm planning to hatch it."
"You know how to hatch eggs?"
"Don't I have you?"