Chapter 187: Chapter 143: Serving as an Honored Guest Elder

The auction was still underway. The appearance of the Foundation Establishment Pill had already pushed the atmosphere to a fever pitch.

After this main attraction passed, a variety of ordinary, less desirable items were put up for bid, many of which had failed to sell in several previous auctions. At this point, cultivators began to leave.

The hall gradually grew quiet, leaving only a few cultivators hoping to snag a bargain.

Just then, Lü Zhong’s Vein Protection Pill was finally brought out.

"Next up for auction is a Vein Protection Pill, consigned on short notice by a senior. Our appraisal confirms that its medicinal properties have suffered minimal loss, putting it at a normal quality for such pills. The starting price is ten thousand Spirit Stones, with a minimum bid increment of one hundred. Fellow Daoists who are interested may begin bidding now!"

On the stage, the charming female immortal continued to host with professional diligence.

Some of the cultivators who were already at the exit couldn’t help but stop in their tracks when they heard a Vein Protection Pill was up for auction.

Foundation Establishment Pills were wonderful, but not everyone could afford them.

Generally speaking, most cultivators used Vein Protection Pills when attempting to reach Foundation Establishment. Even so, this was often the one and only attempt they could afford in their entire lives, a gamble made with their life’s savings. If they failed to break through, their cultivation journey would likely end there. Their only remaining path would be to focus on raising a family or repaying the kindness of their clan or master.

"I bid eleven thousand Spirit Stones!"

"Eleven thousand one hundred Spirit Stones!"

The sound of bidding rose and fell as cultivators continuously called out their prices.

Unlike the earlier auctions, the cultivators bidding now were all seated in the main hall. Perhaps many of them had been waiting for this very moment; after all, what they needed was an affordable pill like the Vein Protection Pill.

Soon, the price was pushed higher and higher.

At this point, everyone’s bidding became more cautious.

Lü Zhong, for instance, was watching a master and servant pair who were now conversing in hushed tones.

"Young Clan Leader, this old servant still has five hundred Spirit Stones. In my opinion, if we add this five hundred, we will surely be able to win the Vein Protection Pill!" the white-haired old man said, taking a small pouch from his robes and handing it to the well-dressed youth beside him.

Though the youth wore fine clothes, a closer look revealed they were old and worn, maintaining only a superficial splendor. A discerning eye could tell he hailed from a declining family.

"Uncle Zhong..." The youth’s eyes reddened. He knew how hard it must have been for the old man to save those Spirit Stones.

He said nothing, merely giving a heavy nod as he accepted it. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

His family was now in decline; only by successfully reaching Foundation Establishment could he save it.

The youth’s gaze grew determined, and he shouted toward the stage:

"Fifteen thousand five hundred Spirit Stones!"

Once this price was called, many competitors immediately began to back down.

Many felt they still had plenty of life left and decided to spend a few more years earning Spirit Stones before trying to bid for a Vein Protection Pill again. Thus, they gave up on the auction and left the hall.

Seeing this, the youth couldn’t help but get excited.

In his eyes, it seemed he could see the hope of his family’s rise.

"So there is a Vein Protection Pill! I bid sixteen thousand Spirit Stones!" A voice came from the back of the hall. It was a Foundation Establishment Cultivator who had left and now returned. Her granddaughter was at the right age to attempt Foundation Establishment, so she could buy it for her to use.

Lü Zhong, watching this scene unfold from his private room, could only sigh. Not everything in the world has a perfect ending.

A short while later, a servant girl arrived with the Spirit Stones earned from the auction of the Vein Protection Pill.

According to the rules of the Jingyang Auction House, they were entitled to take five percent of the final sale price as a commission. Therefore, the amount Lü Zhong actually received was fifteen thousand two hundred Spirit Stones.

’Eight hundred Spirit Stones, that’s more than half a year’s income for a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, gone just like that...’ Lü Zhong felt a pang of heartache. However, on second thought, he realized that if he had sold the Vein Protection Pill to a regular shop, he probably wouldn’t have fetched such a high price. With that, his heart felt balanced again.

As he walked out of the auction house, he happened to run into the master and servant pair.

"...Uncle Zhong, don’t try to persuade me anymore. My mind is made up!" the youth said in a resolute tone. "When I return, I will immediately enter seclusion. I won’t come out until I break through to Foundation Establishment!"

"Sigh..." The old man, in his sixties, let out a sigh and said no more.

Listening from the side, Lü Zhong understood that the young man was preparing to emulate the Ancient Cultivators: attempting to break through to Foundation Establishment without the aid of any spiritual objects, a perilous path with an incredibly high risk of death.

Not knowing what to make of it, Lü Zhong took Li Hejun and returned directly to the immortal’s cave they had previously rented.

An hour later, he came out again by himself.

Now that he had reached the Foundation Establishment Stage, it was time to acquire a Flying Magical Artifact.

Lü Zhong remembered that he still had two tree cores of different ages in his Storage Bag. According to the descriptions in some ancient texts, an Artifact Refiner might be able to craft them into a magical artifact like a Flying Ship.

Soon, he found an Artifact Refining Square run by the Jade Flower Sect.

The one who received him was a curvaceous Female Cultivator with Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivation. Her attire was rather revealing and could be described as little more than a few pieces of cloth wrapped around her body, though it was unclear if this was intentional.

Her scent wasn’t that of rouge or powder, but the strong smell of a charcoal fire.

It really made one wonder if she had just been hammering away at a forge.

Averting his gaze from her chest, Lü Zhong cleared his throat and said, "Fellow Daoist Hong, how is the appraisal of the tree cores? Is it possible to refine them into a Flying Ship magical artifact?"

Across from him, the Hong-named Female Cultivator smiled charmingly and replied, "Fellow Daoist, these two tree cores of yours can indeed be refined into a Flying Ship. However, based on my many years of Artifact Refining experience, it is actually more suitable to craft spiritual materials of this size into a Flying Sword. It would be slightly faster, and the Magical Power consumption would be a little lower."

A Flying Sword...

An image of himself riding a skateboard flashed through Lü Zhong’s mind, and he suddenly found the idea a bit comical.

So, he shook his head and said, "Let’s stick with the Flying Ship."