Chapter 93: Ownerless Island

Qin Ming and Wu Jiang left Qingxiadao, mounted their spirit-light shuttle, and flew toward the Chu Tianhe market.

Along the way.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, one really cannot guess what Qingxia Xianzi was thinking; it was truly unexpected!" Wu Jiang said to Qin Ming with considerable frustration.

Qin Ming smiled faintly. "It matters not; perhaps Immortal Mo had her own considerations."

"After all, I am a stranger who suddenly arrived; it is only natural for her to be wary."

Having said this.

Qin Ming took a small pouch of spirit stones from his storage bag and handed it to Wu Jiang. "These past few days have troubled Fellow Daoist Wu to introduce me to this place, and you even made a special trip. Please accept this small token of my appreciation."

"Uh, well... the matter wasn't accomplished; how could I bear to accept further benefits from Brother Qin?" Wu Jiang stared at the pouch of spirit stones; he knew his limits and understood clearly what to take and what not to take.

At the same time, his favorable impression of Qin Ming increased considerably.

Qin Ming stuffed the spirit stones into Wu Jiang's hand, saying, "Fellow Daoist Wu, do not be polite; these spirit stones are not given for nothing."

"Although this affair on Qingxiadao did not succeed, that does not mean one cannot find a spirit land within the vast spiritual energy Archipelago."

"Please continue to keep an ear out and inquire for me; if you hear any news, notify me. I plan to stay here for some more time."

Upon hearing this, Wu Jiang finally chuckled, deftly accepted the pouch of spirit stones, opened it, and saw there were fully thirty spirit stones inside.

"In that case, I shall not stand on ceremony. Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Qin; I will definitely inquire further on your behalf."

The two returned to the Chu Tianhe market.

Qin Ming prepared to investigate within the market, after all, this was a place where many cultivators from the spiritual energy Archipelago gathered.

Perhaps there would be an unexpected harvest.

Wu Jiang, however, took his leave to use his own channels to inquire about news from other islands for him.

Another half-month passed.

Qin Ming still had obtained nothing.

He was just holding a copy of the "Geographical Records of the Lingyu Archipelago" and studying it.

Then, good news arrived from Wu Jiang's side.

"Truly a local expert; he secured information on a spirit island so quickly," Qin Ming thought to himself.

Wu Jiang entered the guesthouse room where Qin Ming was staying and said excitedly, "Fellow Daoist Qin, there is good news!"

"Two days ago, the San Alliance of the Seventy-Two Islands of the spiritual energy Archipelago discovered a small ownerless island in the extreme north, which contains a second-grade mid-tier spirit vein."

"Currently, besides the members of the San Alliance, this news has not yet spread."

"The San Alliance of the Seventy-Two Islands plans to publicly auction it in the coming days to decide its ownership."

At these words, Qin Ming's eyes lit up, and he said happily, "Is this true!"

"I have not failed my mission; this matter is indeed real." Wu Jiang chuckled, obviously indicating that this news was absolutely certain.

Qin Ming frowned slightly and asked again, "This San Alliance of the Seventy-Two Islands; what kind of force is it?"

"It is no great power, but rather a temporary alliance spontaneously organized by Qi Refining families and scattered cultivator forces occupying a small portion of the spirit islands within the spiritual energy Archipelago; its structure is loose."

"My Wu family is also within this organization."

"Its main purpose is to form a standoff against the Zhao family among the Seven Great Clans, preventing them from defeating and annexing us one by one."

"Fortunately, for several decades, both sides have coexisted peacefully; no warfare has ever occurred, and the situation remains fairly stable."

"Within the San Alliance of the Seventy-Two Islands, members have even incurred grudges against each other, and mutual attacks are quite common."

"But as long as one does not clash with the Zhao family, everything will be fine."

Qin Ming nodded.

To put it plainly, this San Alliance was merely a makeshift setup constructed by the minor forces of the spiritual energy Archipelago to guard against the Zhao family.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, the auction for the spirit island will begin tomorrow at noon; any scattered cultivator may participate."

"The location for this auction is set upon that very spirit island."

"Tomorrow, I will guide Fellow Daoist Qin there."

Qin Ming smiled, nodded satisfactorily, and said, "Thank you for your trouble, Fellow Daoist Wu."

Although Wu Jiang's cultivation was merely average, his entire being was filled with a spirited energy.

Qin Ming's view of this person had also improved somewhat.

"Hehe! It is only right; after all, I accepted Fellow Daoist Qin's spirit stones, so this small matter is nothing," Wu Jiang replied with a laugh.

The next day.

Under Wu Jiang's guidance, Qin Ming left the Chu Tianhe market and flew toward the northernmost region.

Two hours later.

An earth-yellow island appeared in the sight of the two.

In the surrounding sky, many other cultivators were also maneuvering flying magical artifacts, sweeping past the two.

It seemed they were all heading toward the spirit island.

This spirit island resembled a solitary yellow gemstone, embedded within the blue waves of Wangyue Lake.

The surface of Wangyue Lake stretched with a thousand hectares of blue waves, where sky and water merged into one color; the mountains were green and the waters clear, beautiful as a painting.

Upon the spirit island, strange mountains and unusual rocks possessed a unique splendor.

When Qin Ming and Wu Jiang arrived.

Already, several thousand cultivators had gathered on an open ground on the island, awaiting the start of the auction.

However, most of these cultivators were merely there to watch the excitement.

After all, scattered cultivators who truly possessed the strength to bid for the ownership of a spirit island were few and far between.

After arriving on the spirit island, Qin Ming discovered that the vegetation on this island was much sparser compared to other islands.

Perhaps due to being too close to the northern border, the weather and environment were also relatively cold.

Even on the highest peak to the north, a small glacier had remarkably formed. The Lingdao's total area was a circle smaller than that of Qingxiadao.

All the mountain rocks here displayed an earthy yellow hue, with the mountain ranges rising steeply and ruggedly.

And the so-called second-grade mid-tier spiritual vein was concentrated only within an area of several dozen mu around the main peak.

The rest were merely branches of first-grade spiritual veins and second-grade low-tier spiritual veins.

Furthermore, there were no other islands in the surrounding vicinity.

If attacked directly, the other families of the spiritual energy Archipelago estimated they would be unable to provide rescue in the first instance.

It was essentially a case of being isolated and without aid.

Given such a geographical environment, coupled with the scattered distribution of spiritual veins, it was no wonder the Seventy-Two San Alliance intended to auction it off.

Otherwise, based solely on the criterion of being a second-grade spiritual vein island, it would never have fallen to the loose cultivators below.

Speaking of which, this Lingdao was not as good as advertised; in fact, it was inferior even to some of the first-grade spiritual islands in the central regions of the spiritual energy Archipelago.

Its value was greatly discounted.

Yet the moment Qin Ming stepped onto this island, he first grabbed a handful of spiritual soil to examine it, and instantly, dozens of second-grade spiritual plants suitable for growing in this climate and soil appeared in his mind.

The first quarter of the hour of Wu.

An old man with crane-white hair and a childlike complexion, clad in a golden robe, appeared before everyone, emitting fluctuations of Foundation Establishment magic power.

"Ahem!"

"Fellow Daoists, this old man is Li Yuanqing, the Fu Alliance leader of the Seventy-Two Island San Alliance. Everyone, please be quiet; the auction now officially begins."

"All fellow Daoists intending to participate in this auction may come forward and take seats in the chairs arranged ahead."

As Li Yuanqing spoke, he infused his magic power, and his resonant voice echoed across the entire Lingdao.

Combined with the spiritual pressure of a great Foundation Establishment cultivator, the thousands of Qi Condensation cultivators present instantly fell silent.

None dared to chatter excessively.

Upon hearing this, Qin Ming looked over and saw that in the central open area, slightly toward the front, several hundred chairs had been arranged.

He turned back, nodded to Wu Jiang, then leaped through the air and casually landed on one of the chairs.

Subsequently.

Many other cultivators interested in this island also landed in the chairs one after another.

The auction organized by the Seventy-Two San Alliance did not have many rules.

Li Yuanqing saw that no more cultivators were joining from behind.

He immediately announced, "The Lingdao auction begins!"

"Once bid upon and secured in this auction, ownership of this Lingdao will be conferred."

"The starting price is eight thousand spirit stones; each increase must be no less than one thousand spirit stones!"

As soon as Li Yuanqing spoke, quite a few cultivators hesitated and drew back.

After all, among loose cultivators, those individuals and families possessing such financial resources were exceedingly rare.

Nevertheless, some families began to submit bids.

"I offer eight thousand spirit stones!"

"This old man offers nine thousand!"

"Ten thousand spirit stones!"

"!!!"

"Twelve thousand!"

"???"

"Fifteen thousand spirit stones."

"!!!???"

The auction scene was filled with a gunpowder-like tension.

The atmosphere momentarily reached its peak.

The onlookers eating melon seeds were also secretly clicking their tongues in astonishment; these quoted prices might represent figures they would need to struggle for a very long time to attain.

"Eighteen thousand."

"Eighteen thousand, going once!"

"Eighteen thousand, going twice!"

Just as everyone thought the ownership of this island was about to be settled.

"Twenty thousand!" A lean old man at the scene unhurriedly reported a number.

Boom! The scene erupted in an uproar.

Everyone focused their gazes on this person.

Qin Ming was also helpless; he had not expected the bidding contest for the Lingdao to be so fierce.

He was pondering whether or not to raise the bid.

At this moment.

A mocking voice came from the sky.

"Oh! So lively?"

"Why was my Zhao family not notified?"

(End of Chapter)