Chapter 147: Heaven‑Grade Water Spirit Root!

"A Soul Essence Pill worth 130,000 Low‑grade Spirit Stones…"

Zhu Xiaochuan had already taken several sips of spirit tea, yet still felt inexplicably parched, and couldn't take his eyes off the Jiaolong Soul Essence Pill that Xiao Zhangqing cradled in both hands.

It's not that he feels covetous.

The gap is too huge; a treasure of this grade is something a modest Foundation Establishment Initial Stage cultivator like him wouldn't even dare to imagine.

Not to mention that even with all his treasures and Spirit Stones, he couldn't afford this Soul Essence Pill; even if he sold himself, it wouldn't cover the price of a single pill!

So the price is absurd, which doesn't make him envious; it just makes him think Xiao Zhangqing is too generous.

Without changing expression, he placed his bid.

130,000 Low‑grade Spirit Stones felt even easier than spending 13,000 Low‑grade Spirit Stones! Zixi felt a bit better than Zhu Xiaochuan at this moment, but not by much.

She knew her lord wasn't short of money; he had "earned" several big windfalls back at Nanshan Fang, and on the way to Character: Liyang Zhenren City, after passing through the Cloud Mist Mountain Range, he earned two more.

But she didn't know exactly how much Xiao Zhangqing had earned.

Today, Xiao Zhangqing spent 130,000 Low‑grade Spirit Stones outright to acquire this Soul Essence Pill, which also gave her a startle.

"Miss Lin, the hundred Dao Companions were calm when they called the price for the auction earlier; why are they suddenly excited now?"

Zhu Xiaochuan asked softly.

Because he noticed that after Xiao Zhangqing lifted the Jiaolong Soul Essence Pill with both hands, for some reason his body trembled slightly with excitement.

……

【Jiaolong Soul Essence Pill】

【A complete soul essence of an early‑stage third‑tier Jiaolong; although its grade is not high, it descends from a fifth‑tier true dragon offspring that successfully transformed from Jiaolong to dragon, with a relatively pure bloodline. If cultivated for a thousand years to its peak, it will surely ascend to a fourth‑tier demon king.】

【Equip requirement: Foundation Establishment Realm or above】

【Equip effect: Heaven‑grade Water Spirit Root, Soul Transformation increase by twenty zhang, Body Refinement talent boost】

Xiao Zhangqing looked at the three major skills extracted by the system; even though his mindset was already as steady as an old dog, he couldn't help feeling a bit excited now.

Three divine techniques!

No wonder it's the treasure he bought for a full 130,000 Low‑grade Spirit Stones; its extracted skills are clearly far superior to those of the Imprisoned Dragon Bracelet!

The first skill is the Heaven‑grade Water Spirit Root that Xiao Zhangqing has long dreamed of and most desired at this auction. It should be noted that the Imprisoned Dragon Bracelet only raises a cultivator's spirit root to an Upper‑grade Water Spirit Root. Xiao Zhangqing's current Earth Spirit Root qualification comes from the added effect of the Enlightenment Cushion's "Spirit Root Qualification +1".

But the Enlightenment Cushion has a drawback: it can only raise the spirit root level up to Earth Spirit Root.

In other words, if Xiao Zhangqing already has Earth Spirit Root qualification, the Enlightenment Cushion's skill becomes ineffective.

It cannot elevate to the Heaven Spirit Root level.

"Fortunately… fortunately, this Jiaolong Soul Essence Pill is powerful enough! It directly raised me to the Heaven Spirit Root!"

Xiao Zhangqing couldn't hide his delight.

As for the second skill, a twenty‑zhang increase in Soul Transformation; compared to the Imprisoned Dragon Bracelet's double increase, each has its merits.

At a glance, the Imprisoned Dragon Bracelet's double boost seems more useful, but it has a condition: it only works before the Nascent Soul stage; after Nascent Soul, the boost disappears.

Moreover, that skill of the Imprisoned Dragon Bracelet is now overridden by Jiu Qiu Xiao.

The Jiaolong Soul Essence Pill's twenty‑zhang Soul Transformation increase is permanent.

But when Xiao Zhangqing's cultivation reaches mid Core Formation and even the Core Formation True Lord stage, a twenty‑zhang increase is minor compared to his own Soul Transformation, at most a mere embellishment.

However… Xiao Zhangqing is only at mid Foundation Establishment now!

Without the system skill's boost, his Soul Transformation would only be comparable to a late Foundation Establishment cultivator, with an external Soul length of just 54 zhang.

An increase of twenty zhang directly raises it by nearly forty percent!

"If this twenty‑zhang Soul Transformation can also be enhanced by Jiu Qiu Xiao, that would be quite impressive!"

"It's not just embellishment, it's a leap in power!"

Thinking of that, Xiao Zhangqing couldn't help his eyelids twitch and his body tremble.

Now, with the system's boost, his Soul Transformation has barely reached the mid Core Formation threshold.

If his Soul Transformation surged again, even without using the overdrawn Dragon Roar technique, he could normally sweep away most mid Core Formation cultivators, right?

"As for the third skill, Body Refinement talent boost, it's also decent. Yet comparatively, it's currently the weakest of the three."

Xiao Zhangqing thought to himself.

What a pity.

With Lin Zixi and Zhu Xiaochuan nearby, he couldn't directly equip the Jiaolong Soul Essence Pill into his inventory to test the three skills' concrete effects.

Moreover, even if equipped, at this auction venue there are more than a couple of Core Formation Realists, so he couldn't recklessly spread his consciousness.

"Stay calm, stay steady! We've already got it, no need to rush. After the auction ends, we'll go back and study it properly!"

Xiao Zhangqing took a deep breath.

Under Zhu Xiaochuan's and Lin Zixi's puzzled gazes, he quickly returned to calm from his excitement.

He heard their low murmurs earlier and, nonchalantly, said, "It's nothing. I just found this Jiaolong Soul Essence Pill more helpful than I imagined, I'm very satisfied, spending 130,000 Low‑grade Spirit Stones was well worth it."

Zhu Xiaochuan was speechless, only wanting to say: "As long as you're happy."

"One, two, three times at 195,000 Low‑grade each!"

"Congratulations to the VIP in Box Seven for snapping up this 'Three‑pattern Jade Dew Pill'!"

With the host's gavel, Xiao Zhangqing's record of spending 130,000 to acquire the Jiaolong Soul Essence Pill was broken.

The Three‑pattern Jade Dew Pill is a aid for Golden Core cultivators breaking from early Core Formation to mid Core Formation, offering significant help in breaking the stage.

When cultivation reaches the Foundation Establishment Realm, each minor stage upgrade becomes a huge bottleneck for many cultivators, hard to break through.

Just like Zhu Xiaochuan, after decades of Foundation Establishment, he still remains at the early Foundation Establishment level.

Back then, among the major Foundation Establishment cultivators at Nanshan Fang, aside from Cao Hao and the "Half‑man Half‑demon" Mu Renjie, the others never managed to break past mid Foundation Establishment in their whole lives.

If the Foundation Establishment Realm is already like that, the difficulty of advancing in the Core Formation Realm is evident.

Only after attaining the Heaven Spirit Root in the Core Formation Realm does cultivation growth become relatively smooth. Apart from that, even a talent with Earth Spirit Root essentially exhausts its aptitude by the Core Formation stage, ending up as an unremarkable average.

A large portion of Earth‑spirit‑root cultivators cannot successfully condense a Golden Core, so even if they do, being trapped in the Golden Core Initial Stage for a lifetime is not unusual.

In Character: Liyang Zhenren City there are several Golden Core cultivators, but publicly only Character: Liyang Real Person, a legend of the Da Yu Cultivation World, is beyond that; the rest are all in the Golden Core Initial Stage. Hence the importance of this Three‑pattern Jade Dew Pill is easy to imagine.

There are not many bidders, but each side is either a Golden Core Real Person themselves or backed by one, making their background extraordinary.

At the Golden Core cultivator stage, relying on so‑called threats or using power to intimidate basically no longer works.

Even a powerless Scattered Cultivator who has reached the Golden Core stage will hardly relinquish such a treasure simply because you belong to a top sect.

A Golden Core cultivator has already reached the pinnacle of the Da Yu Cultivation World; even the Seven Star Sword Sect and Xingyue Palace will not easily deal with one.

Provoking a Golden Core cultivator either allows a one‑hit kill or leaves endless trouble behind.

"Did he really manage to take it down?"

Xiao Zhangqing gazed from afar toward Box No. 7.

The cultivator in this box had already been introduced to him by Zhu Xiaochuan; he is the Blood Crow Real Person, whom he has never met in person yet is deeply entangled! "Dao Companion, don't worry too much; although the Three‑pattern Jade Dew Pill is said to greatly aid a Golden Core Real Person in breaking through to the Golden Core Mid Stage, it does not guarantee success. Many who take the Pill still fail to breakthrough; even Senior Blood Crow, after acquiring the Three‑pattern Jade Dew Pill, whether he can… *sob*…" Zhu Xiaochuan subconsciously tried to comfort Xiao Zhangqing.

After all, in Character: Liyang Zhenren City now, the feud and hatred between Xiao Zhangqing, the Song family, and Blood Crow Real Person are known to virtually everyone.

If Blood Crow Real Person breaks through to the Golden Core Mid Stage and becomes the undisputed "Second Person" of Character: Liyang Zhenren City, that would certainly not be good news for Xiao Zhangqing.

Now Blood Crow Real Person is only in the Golden Core Initial Stage; Xiao Zhangqing has a powerful Soul Transformation as a trump card and also the Character: Liyang Guard as a Protection Talisman, so Blood Crow Real Person will have many reservations and will not dare to act rashly.

Once Blood Crow Real Person's cultivation breaks through to the Golden Core Mid Stage, a major upheaval may occur.

Zhu Xiaochuan originally intended to harshly remark that even if Blood Crow Real Person bought the Three‑pattern Jade Dew Pill he still couldn't breakthrough, but before saying it he suddenly realized and prudently shut his mouth.

The "cursed one" behind him, theoretically Blood Crow Real Person cannot hear him.

But if it spreads and Blood Crow Real Person hears it and gets angry and looks for trouble, he would be doomed!

He is just a tiny Foundation Establishment Initial Stage cultivator; the other could lift a finger and crush him.

One must speak cautiously.

Zhu Xiaochuan closed his mouth and gave Xiao Zhangqing a wry smile.

"It's fine. I understand your meaning, Dao Companion Zhu."

Xiao Zhangqing's complexion showed no significant change.

Blood Crow Real Person spent nearly two hundred thousand Low‑grade Spirit Stones to acquire the Three‑pattern Jade Dew Pill, which is not entirely bad news for him.

Viewed from another angle, this is actually good news!

Because this at least shows that Blood Crow Real Person is still not at the Golden Core Mid Stage, remaining in the Golden Core Initial Stage! Previously, Xiao Zhangqing had mentally prepared for the worst and had "elevated" Blood Crow Real Person in his mind, treating him as an old rival, estimating that he might already be at the Golden Core Mid Stage but concealed his cultivation, showing no sign.

After all, Xiao Zhangqing himself practices "hiding the head and revealing the tail", appearing on the surface as an ordinary Foundation Establishment Mid Stage cultivator, while in fact he has already defeated two major Golden Core Real Persons.

Now it seems Xiao Zhangqing is still overly cautious.

"If Blood Crow Real Person is currently only at the Golden Core Initial Stage, then could I find a chance to launch a surprise attack before he takes the Three‑pattern Jade Dew Pill?"

A thought flashed through Xiao Zhangqing's mind.

At the Golden Core Initial Stage, with his current strength, if the surprise attack is executed properly, the chance of beheading him is quite high!

Therefore Xiao Zhangqing believes this is not bad news at all, but perhaps good news.

"I need to investigate Blood Crow Real Person's daily movements to see if there is an opportunity!"

The more Xiao Zhangqing thought about it, the more he felt it was a good opportunity.

Especially since he made a great gain at this auction, obtaining a Jiao Dragon Essence Pill; after returning to adapt a bit, his strength will increase again, reaching a higher level.

A Golden Core Initial Stage cultivator would find it hard to withstand his Soul Transformation killing technique! "But one must not be hasty; a suitable opportunity must be found, and one cannot act recklessly."

Xiao Zhangqing thought to himself.

Even if he is confident he can slay a Golden Core Initial Stage Real Person, causing no major commotion and retreating unscathed afterward is still very difficult.

Especially within Character: Liyang Zhenren City, Blood Crow Real Person and Character: Liyang Real Person have a certain old relationship.

He is not afraid of alarming others or even attracting the Character: Liyang Guard.

But if Character: Liyang Real Person is drawn in, Xiao Zhangqing would be in serious trouble.

This renowned top Scattered Cultivator of the Da Yu Cultivation World, one of the strongest beneath the Nascent Soul True Lords, is still far beyond Xiao Zhangqing's current reach.

Perhaps only after Xiao Zhangqing forms a Golden Core will he be qualified to stand on equal footing with Character: Liyang Real Person.

Therefore it is best not to act within the city. If Blood Crow Real Person goes out, that would be ideal.

……

……

"The next treasure is one of the auction's grand finale items: Postnatal Earth Essence!"

"Although Postnatal Earth Essence is not as legendary as Primordial Earth Essence, it is still extremely rare and scarcely seen in today's Cultivation World. Whether used to forge high‑level Magic Treasures, cultivate high‑level spirit plants, or practice earth‑based divine abilities, it has remarkable effects. Some Nascent Soul True Lords also have a demand for Postnatal Earth Essence…"

"Opening bid: 120,000 Low‑grade Spirit Stones!"

The auction continues.

Postnatal Earth Essence is of a high enough grade to be hard currency among Nascent Soul True Lords, but at auctions below the Nascent Soul level, the fervor for it is far less than for some earlier treasures.

Of course, as long as it is a treasure, there will always be people scrambling for it.

In the end, a Golden Core sect from the western region of the Da Yu Cultivation World took it down.

170,000 Low‑grade Spirit Stones.

The treasure's grade is higher than that of the Three‑pattern Jade Dew Pill, rarer, yet its price is lower.

Mainly due to audience limitation.

Originally Xiao Zhangqing was not interested in this matter, but when Zhu Xiaochuan again took the initiative to introduce it, Xiao Zhangqing and Lin Zixi both couldn't help but show a change in expression.

"Box No. 19 being taken down is not surprising. Because they come from the western region's most powerful sect, the Giant Wood Sect! The Giant Wood Sect is not only a Golden Core sect with a long lineage, but also has multiple Golden Core Real Persons, and the sect possesses a protective mountain spirit tree! Rumor has it that the spirit tree has already grown to the third‑stage limit and may someday break through, weathering tribulation to become a fourth‑stage spirit wood!"

Zhu Xiaochuan talked at length, displaying his know‑everything trait.

"Giant Wood Sect" is not an unfamiliar name to Xiao Zhangqing and Lin Zixi.

Because when Ruan Qingzhu departed from them, he went to the Giant Wood Immortal City where the Giant Wood Sect resides.

(End of chapter)