Chapter 406: Trading a Head for Human Feelings

Inside an iron cage, two three- or four-year-old girls were fast asleep.

"Everyone, please look. These two girls with Heavenly Spirit Roots have clean origins; their memories have been wiped by sublime methods. They are excellent cauldrons."

"Heavenly Spirit Roots! These are top-tier talents said to guarantee Foundation Establishment and offer over an eighty percent chance of forming a Jin Dan!"

The chubby old man in white introduced with great effort: "Just imagine, over a hundred years from now, having two Jin Dan cultivators belonging to your own family or faction—how magnificent would that be?"

"What heavenly treasures, spiritual pills, or spiritual beasts? Compared to Heavenly Spirit Roots, they are not worth mentioning."

Many showed expressions of longing.

Yet it remained silent; not a single bid was made.

How could a Foundation Establishment cultivator possess a Jin Dan? Even if they did, how could they possibly put it up for sale?

The chubby old man in white was not anxious; he looked at the many figures suspected to be Jin Dan cultivators, especially the two late-stage Jin Dan cultivators, Jin Ta Wang and Lady Thousand Snake.

Two Heavenly Spirit Roots in exchange for one Jin Dan.

It could not be said who lost and who gained; it depended entirely on one's needs.

"May we exchange spirit stones or heavenly treasures instead?"

Jin Ta Wang, with a full beard, spoke up: "If you look down on them, I still have a breakthrough pill here that pushes a Jin Dan Chu Qi cultivator to Jin Dan Zhong Qi."

Upon hearing this, the burning gazes of the surrounding Jin Dan Chu Qi cultivators turned toward him.

Jin Ta Wang paid no mind, simply staring at the stone platform.

"No."

The chubby old man in white shook his head.

"The client who commissioned this only wants a Jin Dan and equivalent Jin Dan spiritual objects."

The others immediately understood, their eyes flickering.

This client was either a Foundation Establishment cultivator or a Jin Dan cultivator with offspring needing support.

If it were the former...

"I'll take them."

Lady Thousand Snake stretched, revealing her beautiful and enchanting curves.

A jade box flew toward the stone platform amidst the greedy gazes of many Foundation Establishment cultivators.

The chubby old man in white showed a look of delight, opened the jade box, examined it carefully for a long while, and then put it away.

"Lady Thousand Snake is straightforward."

He waved his hand; the iron cage containing the girls floated up, shrank, and fell into Lady Thousand Snake's hand.

"The second-to-last featured item: the Blood Kin Spirit Refining Secret Technique. Starting price: ten million low-grade spirit stones. Ke Yi Yong Fa treasures and heavenly treasures at a lower price."

The chubby old man in white produced a gray, unremarkable secret manual.

Silence fell over the surroundings.

Even veteran Jin Dan cultivators like Jin Ta Wang had their pupils dilate, showing expressions of disbelief.

"Is this the divine technique said to be able to improve Spirit Root aptitude postnatally, unique to the twenty-eight families of the Zhengmo Alliance?"

"Didn't they say that anyone outside the twenty-eight families who cultivates it must face relentless pursuit to the death?"

"This must be fake..."

Many Jin Dan cultivators were shaken, their murmuring buzzing incessantly.

"You, the Shang family, have you perhaps betrayed the twenty-eight families of the Zhengmo Alliance?"

Lady Thousand Snake questioned.

"Daoist friend, you jest."

The chubby old man in white smiled slightly: "All Daoist friends only need to know that this Blood Kin Spirit Refining Secret Technique carries no trouble and will not attract any pursuit. I can guarantee it with the Shang family's thousands of years of reputation."

"Of course, one thing must be stated clearly: this secret technique can only raise the Spirit Root of a newborn child to a Two-Spirit Root, and the cost is immense, with many restrictions."

"Even so, it is extraordinary."

Jin Ta Wang took a deep breath.

Why have the twenty-eight families remained prosperous for so long without seeing decline?

Generation after generation, those with excellent Spirit Roots appear!

Compared to other families, they are superior beyond measure.

Bringing this out now must involve deep calculations, but this secret technique is undoubtedly real; the Shang family, founded on commerce, would never joke about such matters.

"Fifty million low-grade spirit stones!"

He spoke, instantly multiplying the bid by five times. The combined wealth of all Foundation Establishment cultivators present, even doubled, could not equal one-eighth of that.

"Sixty million!"

Lady Thousand Snake yielded not an inch.

"Sixty-five million!"

A strange voice joined in; it was a large man wearing a pitch-black mask.

Jiang Ding glanced at him.

"Seventy million!"

Soon it was outbid again; various heavenly treasures were brought out, radiating treasure light, making the many cultivators stare without blinking.

Back and forth, the stalemate lasted a long time before Jin Ta Wang secured it for one hundred and twenty million low-grade spirit stones.

The other Jin Dan cultivators were filled with regret.

Had they prepared in advance, they would not have had only this amount of low-grade spirit stones on their persons.

"The final featured item."

Everyone immediately stretched their necks, wanting to see what featured item could surpass the Jin Dan, the Heavenly Spirit Roots, and the divine technique capable of improving Spirit Root aptitude—what exactly was this earth-shattering object?

A stone tablet.

Ordinary, like a pebble picked up by the roadside; no matter how the spiritual sense scanned, not a trace of spiritual light was found. The character "Yun" was written on it.

"This... could it be a divine object concealing its nature?"

Many cultivators were confused, yet they did not think it was a mundane object, but rather that their own eyes were dull.

Jin Ta Wang, Lady Thousand Serpents, and a few other Jin Dan cultivators revealed expressions of excitement.

"This is not a divine object; it is merely an ordinary stone."

The old man Bai Pang smiled, offered no explanation, and stated directly: "Someone has entrusted our association to auction a favor from the great hero of the Northern Plains, Dong Xue Dong Xue Liuyun. One may ask him to do one thing within his power."

"As for the price, it requires no spirit stones, nor any heavenly treasures or earthly gems. It only requires..."

"... the head of the City Lord of Master Tushan Xiancheng!"

"If any of you are interested, you may place a bid."

The surroundings were utterly silent.

"This is my home. These people are too impolite."

Jiang Ding was somewhat angry.

"If this object is genuine..."

A Jin Dan cultivator's body trembled, staring fixedly at that gray stone token.

Dong Xue Dong Xue Liuyun, the great hero of the Northern Plains!

A cultivator on the verge of Nascent Soul!

Righteousness reaching the clouds, famous throughout the Northern Plains. For anything he promised, even if it was just a mortal or just a Qi Refining cultivator, he would do his utmost to complete it. Such things had occurred countless times over the centuries; no one had ever doubted his character.

Even the Jin Dan cultivators within the Twenty-Eight Families, despite their hatred, had to admit this.

Some believed that

if this person did not die in the pursuit, he would surely become a Nascent Soul cultivator in the future!

"I want this object!"

Voices spoke in unison, coming from Jin Ta Wang and Lady Thousand Serpents.

The two exchanged a glance filled with killing intent, then simultaneously reined it in.

"Everyone!"

Jin Ta Wang spoke, and the surrounding air vibrated with a hum: "I wish to hunt the head of a Master Tushan sword cultivator. I will take nothing else, including the Grade Three Superior Spirit Vein here or the Master Tushan Treasury."

"If any of you are interested, you may follow me to take it. If you are unwilling, you may simply leave."

"However."

His voice was filled with killing intent, cold and chilling: "If anyone is unwilling to participate in the battle but seeks to profit from the chaos afterward, or while we are in the midst of the fight, do not blame us for showing no mercy!"

A heavy Late Stage Jin Dan pressure spread in all directions, the thick warning intent unmistakable.

The Jin Dan cultivators around revealed expressions of apprehension.

After hesitating for a long time,

no one moved.

"Leave on your own" sounded good.

Perhaps these two Late Stage Jin Dan cultivators were waiting for someone to appear, so they could instantly capture them and kill them on some pretext to set an example.

Furthermore, having fled here, they were covetous of the Grade Three Superior Spirit Vein. The fact that the two Late Stage Jin Dan cultivators were unwilling to stay long made people's hearts stir.

Silence reigned on all sides.

"Since no one has any questions,"

Jin Ta Wang nodded in satisfaction: "Then follow me to kill upward. Whoever is capable may take the City Lord of Master Tushan's head; everyone relies on their own abilities!"

"Jin Ta Wang, I have an idea."

Someone stood up.

Jin Ta Wang's expression turned cold.

A man in a cloak stood up, removed his cloak to reveal the appearance of a handsome Young Master, held a folding fan, and said with a touch of flattery: "Why don't we, the Early and Mid Stage Jin Dan cultivators, sign a contract? After the battle, we will jointly govern Master Tushan Xiancheng. This will prevent us from fighting each other and losing the initiative."

"Young Master Peach Blossom speaks wisely!"

"We can indeed join hands..."

The Early and Mid Stage Jin Dan cultivators around brightened their eyes and immediately agreed and supported him.

Although they were weak individually, joined together, they were not too afraid of the two Late Stage Jin Dan cultivators. They were not afraid of the two reneging later; even a verbal agreement would be enough to deter them somewhat.

"In that case... it is acceptable."

The coldness on Jin Ta Wang's face receded, revealing a smile, though he felt some disdain in his heart.

A mere Grade Three Superior Spirit Vein; these Jin Dan cultivators were fighting over it like hyenas, fearing others would snatch it.

Yet they did not know that for him, he would not even glance at it if he passed by. Only in the prosperous Northern Plains was there hope to advance a step further.

Matters concerning the Great Dao; having a bit more power is a good thing.

"Since that is so, let us sign a contract."

Jin Ta Wang tossed out a sheet of spirit paper and said with a smile: "Brothers all, sign your names here. In the future, Master Tushan Xiancheng will be yours..."

Suddenly, pain struck his heart, and his whole body went weak.

Looking down, a tip of a deep blue sword pierced through his chest. The annihilating sword qi destroyed all the meridians and organs within his body, and his body fell backward, soft and limp.

"You are Master Tushan..."

Boundless fear descended. Jin Ta Wang looked at the handsome Young Master before him in terror.

Yet he saw the figure gradually turn translucent, collapsing into a sky full of spiritual light.

(End of this chapter)