Chapter 252

Early the next morning.

At Luo Chen's cave dwelling on Mount Tianlan Peak.

Wang Yuan looked at Luo Chen, his forehead almost furrowed into a 'chuan' character.

"You are in an extremely weak state right now; are you sure you want to attend the auction?"

Luo Chen, who was eating breakfast, managed a smile.

"I must go, how can I not? Promises made to others must be kept."

Wang Yuan shook his head, "It's just a third-rank healing elixir; at worst, we just won't do that Golden Jade Liquid business."

Luo Chen smiled and did not argue with Wang Yuan.

His attendance at this auction was not just about keeping a promise.

As the auction proceeded, the remaining items became increasingly precious.

By the third day, those auction items were no longer things that Foundation Establishment cultivators could participate in.

This was a feast exclusive to Foundation Establishment True Persons and even Jin Dan True Persons.

The invitation card that Xuan Yunzi had given him earlier specifically highlighted some precious resources, and among them happened to be exactly what he needed most right now.

Considering the exorbitant prices, he wouldn't feel at ease letting anyone else bid on his behalf.

Therefore.

Even though his current state was very poor, he absolutely had to attend this auction.

"Xiao Ling, wash the bowls, I'm heading out!"

"Alright!"

Wang Yuan glanced at the ghost cultivator darting around the cave dwelling and followed Luo Chen out.

Releasing the Langqi Flying Boat, Luo Chen handed the control techniques to Wang Yuan.

Subsequently, under Wang Yuan's control, the two slowly flew out of Mount Tianlan Peak.

"What do you plan to do about that ghost cultivator?"

"What do you mean, what do I plan to do?"

"Even if the Yuding region doesn't forbid ghost cultivators, their cultivation is far more difficult than that of us normal humans. Keeping her by your side, over time, not only will she struggle to glimpse the Great Dao, but it will even affect you."

Hearing this, Luo Chen couldn't help but smile.

His soul weakness wasn't because of Bai Meiling.

This time, Wang Yuan had guessed wrong.

However, seeing the other party care so much about him, he felt quite warm in his weak heart.

Thinking of Wang Yuan's fate in the long simulation of the Ghost God Mirror of Heart-Questioning, Luo Chen's smile gradually faded.

"I have my own plans for Xiao Ling."

"What about you!"

Wang Yuan was puzzled, "What about me?"

Luo Chen said earnestly: "The Yuding region doesn't forbid ghost cultivators, but it does forbid demonic cultivators. Brother Wang, you must not step onto the path of demonic cultivation!"

"Haha!" Wang Yuan laughed, "Where did you get that idea? I'm not such a short-sighted person. Besides, the distinction between righteous and demonic is extremely ridiculous. My heart and actions are as clear as a mirror, and what I do is based on my original intent; how should righteous and demonic be judged?"

Facing these matter-of-fact words, Luo Chen naturally couldn't refute them.

He just sighed.

"Brother Wang, tell me honestly. To what extent have you perfected your body-refining technique?"

The "Wang Family Secret Manual" that Wang Yuan had given him earlier only recorded the first stage of body-refining and part of the early second stage.

Now that many years had passed, with the other party not worrying about trivial matters, there must have been further progress.

Wang Yuan looked at Luo Chen in surprise, not expecting him to be so interested in body-refining.

But having walked this path together, the two could be considered to have supported each other.

There was nothing that couldn't be said about such general matters.

He said confidently: "I supplemented a small part of it earlier, and after my Foundation Establishment, I gained new understandings of the soul, will, spiritual energy, and blood energy. Therefore, I have recently gradually explored the specific cultivation methods for the mid-stage of body-refining."

"What about the late stage of the second body-refining realm?"

Luo Chen pressed on!

He asked again: "Is the technique you are currently referencing Xiao Wuyan's blood-path technique, or the 'Heavenly Roc Transformation' we bought from the black market?"

Wang Yuan hesitated.

In the end, he chose to tell the truth.

"I mainly reference the blood-path technique. After all, what I used for Foundation Establishment was the Blood Fiend Spirit-Seizing Array."

Hearing this answer, Luo Chen felt a faint sense of dizziness.

No wonder in his simulation, Wang Yuan would embark on the path of a blood-path demonic cultivator.

Sure enough, simulations were all based on real-world logic.

It was just that if things continued like this, that kind of technique would sooner or later affect a person's temperament.

If Wang Yuan acted recklessly in the future, he would sooner or later attract the attention of a Jin Dan True Person.

This was Mount Tianlan Xiancheng, not Dahefang!

Taking a deep breath, Luo Chen steadied his mind.

"Brother Wang, there is a second-rank body-refining technique at today's auction. I'll bid for it for you, and you can switch to it or reference it!"

Wang Yuan was stunned.

He didn't know about this.

Just as he wanted to ask more, the Langqi Flying Boat had already arrived outside the Binglan Palace.

With their arrival, many Foundation Establishment True Persons who were entering subconsciously looked over with curiosity.

This flying boat seemed to be of a much higher grade than those land flying boats recently sold by the Wanbao Pavilion!

I wonder who the owner is?

Among those gazes, Luo Chen discovered several familiar people.

The long-lost Li Yixian and Nangong Jin.

They were gathered next to a group of Foundation Establishment True Persons, among whom was Zhou Qing, an elder of the Lianyun Business Alliance from Dahefang.

Seeing Luo Chen get off the flying boat, Li Yixian opened his mouth, but in the end, he didn't say anything, just nodded bitterly in acknowledgment.

Luo Chen frowned; the other party and Nangong Jin seemed to have joined the Lianyun Business Alliance!

As he looked at them, the people over there naturally saw him too.

Zhou Qing looked at him curiously, then shook his head in surprise.

From the mouths of Li Yixian and others, they all said that Luo Chen was powerful and had a deep foundation.

But at a glance, his eyes were dull and his expression was weary.

No matter how you looked at it, it was the appearance of a shallow foundation.

That's right, he reached Foundation Establishment at only thirty years old, and he wasn't a genius from a major sect.

To have such achievements at this age, he must have taken some crooked paths, so his foundation naturally couldn't be solid.

"Let's go in!"

The Great Elder of the Lianyun Business Alliance entered the Binglan Palace, and Zhou Qing also greeted Li and Nangong to go in together.

Luo Chen had no intention of reminiscing with them, but instead came to the side of the Luotian Society members who had been waiting for a long time.

Saying "everyone," in reality, there were only three people.

Sima Hui Niang, Duan Feng, and Kang Xianqiong.

This was the third day of the auction, and there was no need for the other Qi Refining cultivators of the Luotian Society to participate.

Seeing Luo Chen appear, the heavy stone hanging in the hearts of the three finally fell to the ground.

"Brother Luo, are you alright!" Kang Xianqiong was the first to greet him.

Luo Chen twitched the corner of his mouth, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

He waved his hand, "I'm fine. I will do my best regarding the matter I promised you; just have the spirit stones ready."

Kang Xianqiong nodded gratefully.

In her view, since Luo Chen promised to do his best, it would likely succeed.

"Are you really okay?"

Duan Feng walked to Luo Chen's side, his usually indifferent face also showing concern.

He could be considered someone with a very good relationship with Luo Chen.

Walking this path together, he had rarely seen Luo Chen in this state.

In the past, no matter how difficult things were, the other party was always full of spirit, calculating this and that all day long.

Unlike now!

His expression was weary, and his face was full of fatigue.

When he spoke, he was also listless, looking exactly like someone weak who had just recovered from a serious illness.

Facing his friend's sudden concern, Luo Chen slapped Duan Feng on the shoulder.

"Little Duan, why are you worrying about me!"

"Instead of worrying about me, why don't you consider when you'll work hard with Sister Xia and add a little nephew for me."

Duan Feng rolled his eyes at him speechlessly and walked to the side on his own.

Luo Chen wore a smile and walked to Sima Hui Niang's side.

"Let's go in, we can talk as we walk!"

"Three years are almost up, and the spirit fields that were previously abandoned on Danxia Peak will soon be restored to the first-rank low grade."

"On the first day of the auction, I, along with Yuan Dongsheng and Feng Xia, purchased many spirit medicine and spirit plant seeds."

"After winter passes, our spirit fields can be put into use."

While walking, Sima Hui Niang reported the situation of the auction from the previous two days.

Luo Chen listened while occasionally asking deep questions.

During the auction of the previous two days, Sima Hui Niang had utilized those 100,000 spirit stones to the extreme.

A large number of spirit seeds, various tools needed by spirit planters, fertilizers that could promote rapid growth of spirit plants, and so on.

This was just what the Medicine Hall needed.

She had also purchased many resources needed by the other halls of the Luotian Society.

Such as the quenching spirit liquid, special mineral materials, and molds urgently needed by the Casting Hall when casting weapons...

Or, for example, because the Alchemy Hall's furnaces were insufficient and the old ones were on the verge of being scrapped after years of alchemy, she also spent a large sum of spirit stones to purchase a batch of low-grade, mid-grade, and even high-grade alchemy furnaces!

Besides this, she even negotiated a batch of magic robe business with the cultivators of the Tianyi Pavilion outside the auction.

She ordered one hundred low-grade magic robes in one go, spending a full 20,000 spirit stones.

The requirement was that the style had to be the same, and in addition to the standard formations, they had to carry the Luotian Society's logo.

Su Yinyin, she was already building the Luotian Society according to the standard sect model.

Listening to these trivial matters, Luo Chen showed great patience.

Sima Hui Niang was very capable, and becoming increasingly so.

This was a good thing!

She could share many things for him.

In the heart-questioning simulation, although he didn't succeed in simulating Core Formation in the end, and didn't even taste a little bit of the process.

But this simulation was not without any gains.

He deeply realized that if he continued to conduct himself and cultivate according to his original way, he would live particularly tired!

It wasn't the tiredness caused by cultivation.

It was the tiredness caused by being too distracted.

Therefore.

He must learn to delegate power!

And not just delegate power to Sima Hui Niang's side.

In the future, he would have to delegate more power to people like Qu Lingjun, Duan Feng, and Bian Zhen.

Only in this way could he concentrate his attention on cultivation as much as possible.

"Using the quota of the Li family of Qinhua River, we successfully bid for a Foundation Establishment Pill."

"President, here you go."

Sima Hui Niang respectfully, yet somewhat reluctantly, handed a jade box to Luo Chen.

This scene was also seen by Duan Feng, Wang Yuan, and Kang Xianqiong.

That was a Foundation Establishment Pill!

The most coveted item for Qi Refining cultivators.

Yet unexpectedly, Luo Chen pushed it back.

"You keep it!"

"Hmm... eh?" Sima Hui Niang was stunned.

"This Foundation Establishment Pill belongs to you now; whenever you reach the Great Perfection of Qi Refining, just take it!"

Luo Chen put his hands behind his back and stepped into a VIP box specially reserved for him by the Binglan Palace.

Sima Hui Niang walked in blankly.

"But..."

"There are no 'buts'. We have all seen your contributions over the years, and this is what you deserve. Moreover, you don't need to supplement any extra spirit stones; it belongs to you!"

Seeing Sima Hui Niang still dazed, Luo Chen said lightly: "I will explain it to Min Longyu myself."

"Thank... thank you, President!" Sima Hui Niang's voice was somewhat choked.

Luo Chen waved his hand, not taking it to heart.

The five of them sat down one after another, their gazes falling into the huge palace.

"Speaking of which, in the few days I was away, have you counted approximately how many Foundation Establishment True Persons have appeared in Mount Tianlan Xiancheng? During this time, have any major events occurred?"

Luo Chen asked suddenly.

Duan Feng immediately replied: "I have roughly kept an eye on it; at least two hundred Foundation Establishment True Persons have appeared in this auction one after another."

"So many?" Luo Chen was surprised.

Duan Feng shook his head, "That's not many. I chatted briefly with Li Jinhuang of the Li family of Qinhua River; in the past, at the most prosperous times, the number of Foundation Establishment True Persons participating in the auction reached four or five hundred. This is considered few now."

Luo Chen was somewhat shocked inside.

He had previously secretly estimated that within the scope of Mount Tianlan Xiancheng, there were about nearly a hundred long-term resident Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Those who came and went for short stays were no more than twenty or thirty.

Now, relying on the large-scale trading fair and the auction, it had actually doubled.

At its peak, it could even quadruple or quintuple.

This was just the tip of the iceberg!

From this, one could see what a huge number the Foundation Establishment True Persons in the Yuding region were.

And this was just the number for one immortal city.

In the Yuding region, there were nine major immortal cities not inferior to Mount Tianlan Xiancheng, as well as some small-scale second-rank immortal cities.

Besides this, within the seven major sects of Yuding, there were many Foundation Establishment cultivators.

If calculated as a whole, just in the Yuding region alone, the number of Foundation Establishment True Persons would reach several thousand.

With so many people crowded into one Yuding region, the demand for resources would be massive.

No wonder conflicts were increasing.

It was only natural that a war would break out between the two major Nascent Soul sects.

After Duan Feng finished speaking, Sima Hui Niang mentioned some major events that had happened in Mount Tianlan Xiancheng recently.

It was nothing more than trouble caused by rogue cultivators from outside who didn't follow the rules of Mount Tianlan Xiancheng.

One mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator tried to resist the law enforcement team and fly away on a magic tool.

As a result, he was struck dead by a bolt of lightning from the formation above Mount Tianlan Xiancheng.

The no-fly zone was not just talk!

As they talked, the auction had already begun in an orderly manner.

It had already been held for two days, and the process was already familiar.

The only change was that the host of the auction had been replaced.

A Jin Dan True Person!

"That is the Fairy Jueqing of the Ice Fortress, who is very powerful. She appeared briefly on the first day of the auction."

Duan Feng's introduction came to his ears.

Luo Chen nodded, his gaze somewhat solemn.

He had heard of the name Fairy Jueqing and had even specifically inquired about her intelligence.

For no other reason!

This person was precisely the master of Tantai Jin.

In a sense, she was Luo Chen's true backer in Mount Tianlan Xiancheng.

"I didn't expect that she would personally come to host the auction on the third day."

Although unexpected, it was actually within reason.

For a small auction, a single Foundation Establishment True Person could control the entire scene.

But for a large-scale auction like this in Mount Tianlan Xiancheng, where the number of participants reached ten thousand and the number of Foundation Establishment True Persons reached several hundred, it was simply not something an ordinary Foundation Establishment True Person could hold down.

Especially!

Luo Chen's gaze shifted upward, glancing at several boxes as if by chance.

Several Jin Dan True Persons were participating in this auction.

It seemed that her name suited her.

Fairy Jueqing's personality was also somewhat indifferent, and under her hosting, the immortal city auction, contrary to the fiery excitement of the first two days, had an overall atmosphere that tended to be oppressive.

But this would not excessively affect the transaction prices.

Because the main participants were Foundation Establishment cultivators and Jin Dan cultivators.

They all had a number in their hearts regarding the true value of various resources.

When a piece of tree core was brought out with great solemnity, Luo Chen knew it was time for him to make a move.

"Warm Sun Warm Fragrance, a semi-finished third-rank spirit material."

"Taken from the third-rank spirit tree, Xuyang Wood."

"Used in alchemy, it can increase soul foundation and expand the range of spiritual sense."

"Starting bid is three thousand spirit stones!"