Chapter 177: The Primal Shop [2]

System, apply the 80% Discount Ticket to the Heavenly Foundation Pill and finalize the purchase.

[TICKET APPLIED: 80% DISCOUNT]

[PURCHASE SUCCESSFUL]

[Item Acquired: Heavenly Foundation Pill (Tier 2) × 1]

[Deduction: -4,000 Desire Points]

[Current Balance: 1,300 DP]

Instead of manifesting in the open air, the system seamlessly deposited the item directly into his spatial storage ring.

Shen Yu felt the subtle vibration in his ring’s dimensional space, a dark smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. With his foundation secured at a steep bargain, he turned his attention back to the violet marketplace interface.

He still held his crown jewel: the Free Purchase Ticket.

His eyes scanned the remaining items, bypassing the Seven Pleasures Crimson Nirvana Incense and the high-tier techniques.

His gaze locked directly onto the most expensive, strategically overpowered asset left on the board, the Deceptive Void Bracelet, valued at a jaw-dropping 51,000 DP.

To buy this organically would have required a grueling, months-long campaign of relentless manipulation. Now, it was his for the taking.

System, use the Free Purchase Ticket on the Deceptive Void Bracelet.

[PROMOTIONAL TOKEN APPLIED: FREE PURCHASE TICKET]

[PURCHASE SUCCESSFUL]

[Item Acquired: Deceptive Void Bracelet (Heaven-Grade) × 1]

[Deduction: -0 Desire Points]

[Current Balance: 1,300 DP]

Just like the pill, a subtle shimmer of silver light flashed deep within his spatial storage ring as the system seamlessly deposited the newly acquired artifact inside.

Shen Yu’s golden eyes flashed with immense satisfaction.

With his shopping spree concluded, he willed the system interface to dissolve.

He casually slid his hand into his robes, making a mental show of drawing both items from his spatial ring so as not to arouse any suspicion.

With a fluid motion, he pulled out the sleek, dark metallic band forged from Void Stone.

Slipping it onto his wrist, the bracelet automatically adjusted to a perfect fit, pulsing once as it attuned to his soul before blending seamlessly against his skin.

Now, with a mere thought, he could project the aura of a total mortal or a terrifying late-stage Golden Core powerhouse, providing him with unparalleled political leverage for his upcoming operations in Crimson Iron City and the impending storm at the Mist Cloud Forest.

Next, he retrieved the intricately carved jade box containing the pill.

Flipping the latch open slightly, a rich, dense aroma of millennium-grade spiritual herbs instantly flooded the entire Serene Spring Hall.

The air grew heavy with pure, liquid spiritual potential, causing Shen Yu’s stagnant Qi to thrum with intense excitement.

Even Li Qiu, who already stood firmly within the Foundation Establishment Realm, felt her senses jolt as the sheer potency of the pill washed over her.

She couldn’t help but marvel at the pure, unparalleled quality of the medicine her master held, her respect for his hidden depth deepening.

A slow, calculating smile spread across Shen Yu’s face. He snapped the jade box shut with a soft click, securing the flawless catalyst safely inside.

He now held the perfect mechanical anchor for his impending breakthrough, a ticking clock to drive his ambition, and a concealment artifact already resting on his wrist.

Without any further ado, he rose smoothly from his carved mahogany chair. He turned his piercing golden gaze to Li Qiu, his expression completely unreadable.

"I am heading to my private courtyard to cultivate," he stated calmly.

He intentionally kept his words brief, entirely omitting any mention of his impending breakthrough. Keeping the exact timing of his explosive rise a complete secret was a tactical necessity for the overlapping chess games he was going to play.

With a final, lingering glance at his graceful secretary, Shen Yu turned on his heel and walked out of the grand hall, his mind fully focused on the violence of the breakthrough that awaited him.

Stepping into the secluded expanse of his private courtyard, Shen Yu didn’t immediately consume the pill.

Instead, his golden eyes scanned the perimeter with practiced, cold caution.

A breakthrough into the Foundation Establishment Realm was a volatile process, and the sheer spiritual disturbance it caused would act as a beacon to anyone nearby.

Reaching into his storage ring, he retrieved a stack of premium, intricate sealing talismans he had secured beforehand.

With precise flicks of his wrist, he sent the paper charms flying toward the four cardinal corners of the courtyard walls.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

The moment the talismans adhered to the stone, they flared with a faint, iridescent barrier before sinking into the architecture

Instantly, an invisible, airtight dome of isolated space locked over the entire courtyard.

Sound, spiritual fluctuations, and even the dense aroma of his premium pill were completely severed from the outside world. To anyone standing just outside the gates, the courtyard would appear completely empty and utterly serene.

With his absolute privacy secured, Shen Yu walked over to the stone dais at the center of the courtyard and sat down cross-legged.

Before consuming a treasure as volatile and potent as a Tier 2 Heavenly Foundation Pill, rushing straight into a breakthrough was a beginner’s mistake.

His current Qi Condensation base needed to be perfectly refined, compressed, and stabilized to handle the incoming storm.

Closing his golden eyes, Shen Yu drew a deep breath and began circulating his core technique.

With every breath, the rampant spiritual energy within his meridians began to smooth out, flowing in tight, disciplined rivers through his body.

He methodically hunted down every minor fluctuation and chaotic eddy in his Qi, forcing the energy into absolute submission.

Time lost all meaning as he sank deep into the meditative trance.

The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in deep shades of indigo, only to rise again the next morning, casting a warm light over his unmoving, regal frame.

About two days went by in this state of unbroken serenity.

By the afternoon of the second day, a visible, heavy pressure began to ripple outward from his body. The Qi pooling within his dantian had become so dense and perfectly stabilized that it felt like coiled steel, compressed to its absolute limit and waiting for a spark.

Shen Yu snapped his eyes open, a sharp, electric glint cutting through the dimming light of the courtyard.

Reaching into his spatial ring, he retrieved an Extreme Yin Black Frost Flower, a rare Tier 2 spiritual herb radiating a dense, mist-like frost.

The flower was exceptionally rich in pure, unadulterated Yin energy. Without a moment’s hesitation, he shoved the frozen petals into his mouth and consumed it directly.

The moment it went down his throat, a violent, biting wave of Yin energy erupted, instantly spreading through his veins.

A heavy, bone-chilling cold seized his flesh, frosting his eyelashes and slowing his heartbeat as the icy energy threatened to freeze his meridians solid.

’Now,’ he thought.