Earth-Level experts were so sought after that many top tycoons would willingly pay a hundred million a month just to have one as a bodyguard.

However, these Cultivators didn’t care much for money. They were far more interested in cultivation resources.

If a Cultivator were ever willing to sell such resources, the top tycoons would likely pay any price to obtain them.

This was because even for those who couldn’t cultivate, the benefits of these resources were immense. They could eliminate diseases, rejuvenate the body, and even extend one’s lifespan.

This was precisely why so many top tycoons were desperate to befriend powerful Cultivators. They, too, coveted these resources.

These resources contained Spiritual Power, which was impossible for a non-Cultivator to sense. Even if the items were placed right in front of them, they wouldn’t recognize them. That’s why they couldn’t be bought with money.

Zhao Kun’s anger flared as he remembered that Zheng Qian’s father had recently broken through to the King Level.

That was the King Level, the realm of Land Immortals. There were fewer than ten such experts in all of Hua Country, and even the highest echelons of power treated them with the utmost respect, doing everything they could to stay on their good side.

And the Zheng family had almost been joined to his Zhao family by marriage!

Of course, there was no point in dwelling on "what ifs," but that didn’t stop Zhao Kun’s hatred for Li Guohai.

In the entire Zhao family, aside from Zhao Qianxing, Zhao Kun was the one who loathed Li Guohai the most, wishing he would drop dead on the spot.

He loved watching Li Guohai come begging to him.

’Given up already? We’ll see how long it takes for you to come crawling back to me!’

Zhao Kun scoffed inwardly. To his disappointment, however, two days passed, and Li Guoyang never called again.

"President Zhao, about the Bluefin Tuna at the Xuan City auction house..."

Zhao Kun’s assistant reminded him as his boss’s expression grew dark.

Starting yesterday, the Xuan City auction house had begun aggressively promoting the Bluefin Tuna. The news had caused a huge sensation, even attracting widespread media coverage.

So far this year, not a single Bluefin Tuna weighing over two hundred pounds had been caught anywhere. Now, thirteen had appeared at once, with the largest weighing over five hundred pounds!

This immediately piqued the interest of many people!

Many wealthy people had a taste for such delicacies, which were considered a status symbol.

Upon hearing the news, Zhao Kun was tempted as well.

With Zhao Qianxing’s birthday less than a month away, he needed to prepare a proper gift, and the Bluefin Tuna was obviously an excellent choice.

However, he didn’t head over immediately. He was waiting for a call from Li Guohai, but unfortunately, it never came.

"We’re going to Xuan City!"

Zhao Kun decided not to wait any longer and head there directly. If he delayed further, he might not be able to secure one at the auction.

「...」

In a hotel room in Xuan City, Li Yang sat silently in a meditative posture.

He drew faint wisps of a mysterious energy from the air into his body. Under its influence, his body was gradually growing stronger.

Finally, his body reached a saturation point, unable to absorb any more of the energy.

’My power has increased a little more.’

A smile touched Li Yang’s lips as he assessed his body’s condition.

Now that he knew about the existence of Cultivators, he was undoubtedly training more diligently than ever.

’I’m about a third of the way through the third stage of the Body Refining Chapter. In terms of power, I should be considered average among Earth-Level Cultivators.’

Based on what Li Guoyang had told him, Li Yang now had a clear understanding of his own strength.

The cultivation that Li Guoyang had described as incredibly difficult was astonishingly easy for him. He just had to absorb the energy from the air, and his power would skyrocket.

’Of course, this is definitely a good thing!’

’In a little over two more weeks, I should be able to complete the third stage of the Body Refining Chapter. Then I’ll advance to the fourth stage!’

The fourth stage, Li Yang deduced, corresponded to the Celestial Level of Cultivators. There were only a few dozen such powerhouses in all of Hua Country.

For now, Li Yang chose to continue cultivating in secret. Since his power was increasing so rapidly, why would he choose to reveal himself?

In this day and age, laying low was the way to go.

’The octopus avatar has gotten stronger, too!’ Li Yang thought, sensing its condition.

Another four or five days had passed. As Li Yang cultivated, his octopus avatar continued to grow. It had grown by a full meter in just the last few days. Now, with its tentacles fully spread, its total span reached seven meters.

Its eight tentacles were like long whips. Li Yang felt that even if it encountered a shiver of great white sharks, the octopus avatar could defeat them with ease.

SWISH!

The octopus avatar shot through the ocean with astonishing speed, snatching a two-meter-long fish and beginning to eat it gleefully.

Once it had eaten its fill, the octopus avatar once again darted through the ocean in search of its next target. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Ever since discovering the thirteen Bluefin Tuna, the octopus avatar had spent the last few days searching for more, but to no avail. The most valuable school of fish it had encountered was worth about two million.

Li Yang passed on that one, ordering the octopus avatar to continue its search.

He was in Xuan City and in no particular hurry. Even if the avatar found something now, he would have to wait until after the Bluefin Tuna auction to go and catch it.

BUZZ...

Just then, Li Yang’s phone began to vibrate.

He glanced at his phone and saw it was a call from Qin Shanchuan.

"Xiaoyang, the auction is starting in an hour..."

"Okay, Uncle Qin, I’m on my way," Li Yang replied immediately.

After hanging up, Li Yang left his hotel.

The Xuan City auction house had been aggressively promoting the Bluefin Tuna for the past few days, attracting an untold number of people.

Large Bluefin Tuna were incredibly rare and never lacked a market.

On his way to the auction house, Li Yang received a WeChat message from Zhou Yao.

They had been chatting intermittently since adding each other on WeChat. Zhou Yao had been abroad visiting her maternal grandparents and had told him about her experiences there.

They flirted like a couple, but since neither of them had made their feelings explicit, they continued to chat simply as friends.

"Li Yang, are you going to the Xuan City auction house today?" Zhou Yao messaged.

Li Yang replied, "Yeah, I’m on my way now. I’ll be there soon."

Zhou Yao knew about the Bluefin Tuna and was aware the auction was today.

The two chatted casually until Li Yang soon arrived at his destination.

"Xiaoyang."

Qin Shanchuan was standing by the entrance. He smiled and called out as he saw Li Yang approach.

Next to Qin Shanchuan was Qin Yue. She was also very interested in the auction of the thirteen Bluefin Tuna and had come to check it out.

"Uncle Qin," Li Yang said with a smile, looking at Qin Shanchuan.

The three of them headed inside.

"Hm? Li Yang?"

As Li Yang and Qin Shanchuan walked in, a middle-aged man happened to be approaching from behind.

He had been smiling and chatting with the person beside him, but upon seeing Li Yang, his smile vanished and his eyes filled with displeasure.

A glance at the middle-aged man’s face revealed he was none other than Zhao Kun.