Chapter 515: Hui Feng Island Auction

Yan Buji leafed through the items in the Storage Accumulation Device, roll by roll, and it didn't take much time.

Then, Yan Buji fell into thought.

After a while, he finally took up two jade slips: "Great Transformation Returning to Origin Manual, Expanding Heaven Technique."

These two methods were carefully selected by Yan Buji; the Great Transformation Returning to Origin Manual belongs to the most tranquil type of pure‑nature arts, embodying the sect's central, unbiased principle, and mastering it would not affect Yan Buji's current cultivation system.

However, the Expanding Heaven Technique is different; despite its impressive name, it is actually a method used by practitioners of the Way of Puppet Cultivation, and its advantage lies in allowing the cultivation of a "Formless Thread Control" formed by the fusion of magical energy and spirit, a relatively advanced control technique.

Control is a basic skill for cultivators, yet few can excel at it; the main reason is that the art of control leans toward delicate manipulation, and whether in battle or daily practice, properly managing one's magical energy and spirit is crucial.

Thus, most cultivators, over years, accumulate control experience. For those adept at employing Spiritual Beasts, Gu Worms, puppets, and other external tools, control is their hallmark skill, and naturally such cultivators are far superior in control than ordinary ones.

Yan Buji's manipulation of magical energy is also highly refined; he does not abandon delicate operation despite his overwhelming power, even though it consumes spirit exponentially, because for him the ability to control all his forces is his pursuit.

"The Formless Thread Control cultivated through this Expanding Heaven Technique can not only command puppets, but should also control living beings; as long as we find a method that can crush the opponent, it shouldn't be a problem," Yan Buji thought.

However, this is merely one application of Formless Thread Control; Yan Buji intends to master this technique during the Golden Core stage mainly because his manipulation of the Rift Staff's shadow spirit is clearly lacking, and guidance by spirit alone is insufficient. If he had such control means, he could better wield the Rift Staff.

Moreover, when he later forges the Accumulated Beast Armament, strengthening his control technique will also better command the armament; he doesn't want to finish forging it only to spend time adjusting later, so he prefers to prepare in advance.

"Let's begin cultivation."

Yan Buji now mainly focuses on comprehending the Great Transformation Returning to Origin Manual; the forging of the Accumulated Beast Armament is still far off, and even if completed, it would be a matter decades away.

If he were to cultivate the Expanding Heaven Technique now, he might not succeed even after several decades, mainly because it must fit his existing system, and his low aptitude, combined with the need to forge armament and adapt the system, would yield little progress.

So Yan Buji plans to first raise his realm; the Great Transformation Returning to Origin Manual is central and tranquil, simply providing a steady increase of magical energy to break through realms. As a transition, it requires no adaptation to the Heaven's Gate Five Elements Method and can be cultivated directly, making it well suited to Yan Buji's current situation.

Nevertheless, despite that, the Great Transformation Returning to Origin Manual is incomprehensible; after a night of contemplation, Yan Buji only memorized its cultivation mantra and gained nothing else.

The next morning, Yuan Shui Zhenjun came to find him.

"Daoist, do you have any business today?"

"Nothing. Zhenjun, is there something? I recall the engagement ceremony starts tomorrow, right?"

Yuan Shui Zhenjun smiled: "There's an auction on the island today; Daoist, would you accompany me?"

An auction?

Yan Buji thought and asked, "Are there any treasures worth noting?"

"Indeed there are," Yuan Shui Zhenjun said, looking at Yan Buji. "A Nascent Soul Pill is up for auction."

Nascent Soul Pill?!

Yan Buji's face showed surprise; although he doesn't necessarily need a Nascent Soul Pill, and he already has a Self‑sacrifice Pill as backup, it wouldn't hurt to take a look.

"Then I really must go and have a look."

Yuan Shui Zhenjun laughed: "However, many people are joining this auction, and there will be Nascent Soul Cultivators present. Even if I were willing to fund it, I probably couldn't outbid them, so I wanted to tell you in advance."

"No problem, seeing the world is also good," Yan Buji smiled.

So, Yan Buji followed Yuan Shui Zhenjun to the island's auction hall.

The auction hall was inside a large building; the two entered a private box following the guards' guidance, not sitting with the crowd below.

This must be a privilege for Nascent Soul Cultivators, and Yan Buji also benefited from Yuan Shui Zhenjun's prestige.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Hui Feng Island auction officially begins!"

Yuan Shui Zhenjun looked at the items on the lower stage; there weren't many bidders, and the Golden Core cultivators present were likely there because they had heard about the Nascent Soul Pill.

"Since you are also an Alchemist, you should know about the Nascent Soul Pill, right?"

"I know, I know. Zhenjun, do you think this humble Daoist could forge one?" Yan Buji said with a puzzled expression.

"The lowest‑grade Nascent Soul Pills are at the Fivefold Transformation level, while the best reach Sixfold or Seventhfold, whose effects are incomparable. If your Alchemy Technique improves further, you could try forging a Nascent Soul Pill yourself."

Yan Buji smiled: "That's far too difficult; everything I've learned is a patchwork. This Nascent Soul Pill also requires a pill formula, and I can't figure it out on my own."

Yuan Shui Zhenjun nodded, recalling: "Back then, I barely survived a perilous secret realm, exerting the strength of nine oxen and two tigers just to snatch a Nascent Soul Pill from an ancient sect's secret realm; otherwise I would have perished long ago."

Nascent Soul…

As the starting point of the immortal path and the coveted end for countless lowly cultivators, the atmosphere was solemn, and more Golden Core cultivators kept arriving for the auction.

"Honestly, if I hadn't been stranded among the Dragon People, I might never have met the head of She Shen Temple, and I wouldn't know whether his words from a hundred years ago still hold weight," Yan Buji thought, planning to prepare after advancing in the Golden Core stage, then, once the situation in Dongxing Sea Region stabilizes, to visit West Sand River Basin and inquire about She Shen Temple.

Occasionally, the auction presents treasures that stir Yan Buji's interest, such as Spiritual Materials and ancient classic texts. However, the bidding is fierce; cultivators seem to be increasing, and many subconsciously think they are unlikely to win the Nascent Soul Pill, so they turn their attention to other items.

At the end, Yan Buji only obtained an ancient classic, which recorded information about a treasure locale called "Xian Ling Spring." Yet this Xian Ling Spring is said to be an ancient treasure site that can no longer be found, or perhaps has been hidden by some faction.

What interests Yan Buji about this Xian Ling Spring is that the site can accelerate the maturation of Spiritual Materials that normally require many years, greatly shortening cultivation time.

However, the text only describes the appearance and environment of Xian Ling Spring, with no other details, so it wasn't expensive—he bought it for a thousand low‑grade Spiritual Stones.

After a long wait, the auction of the Nascent Soul Pill officially began, and the entire hall was swept into a frenzy!