Chapter 268

Moreover, at the doorway she saw a female cultivator who seemed to be Tian Zhenren, lingering without entering, and she was no longer in the Foundation Establishment stage but displaying her true Jie Dan cultivation.

"You may go back; the task is complete," Jiang Yu said as she dismissed the youth, quietly slipping a second‑tier Spirit Fruit into his sleeve.

The youth, slightly surprised, quickly stored it in his satchel, but, sensing the cue, did not follow; after taking a few steps, he hesitated, then caught up, "Fairy, could you cast a sound‑proof shield?"

"Hm?" Jiang Yu led him toward the far side alley, then erected a barrier and transmitted her voice, "Can't we enter the auction house? There must be many Jie Dan here; a sound‑proof shield won't stop them from hearing."

"Then lower your head," the youth said as she truly bowed, covering his mouth and whispering close to her ear, "Legend says this auction features a 500‑year Longevity Origin Pill.

This morning, the city gate guards reported that countless Nascent Soul Jie Dan had taken residence in Sweet Dew City."

"Thank you." Jiang Yu hadn't expected that a second‑tier Spirit Fruit would also bring her an inside scoop.

The youth grinned, bowed his hands, and ran off.

Then Jiang Tu's voice rang out, "A Longevity Origin Pill that extends life by five hundred years? No wonder Nan Su came."

"He can't outcompete the Nascent Soul," Jiang Yu replied skeptically; cultivators have always prized longevity, and on Zhui Yuan Island everyone strolls daily without hearing such rumors.

Overthinking was useless, so she walked all over East Street, thoroughly learning the entrances and exits on both sides and the nearby inns.

She also entered several shops, mainly gathering books on pills, artifacts, and talisman arrays, as well as Sweet Dew City's customs and annals.

Only cultivators can fast without hunger for half a day; Jiang Tu wanted food, so he grilled a fish himself.

Before the hour of You, she strode toward the auction house gate, and while presenting her red ticket, she spotted a middle‑aged cultivator handing the same red ticket to the female cultivator who seemed to be Tian Zhenren.

Jiang Yu was a bit surprised, "She won't just stay at the doorway forever, will she?"

"No, she just came from the tea house opposite," Jiang Tu was far more attentive than Jiang Yu.

Jiang Yu entered the gate, was led by an attendant to sit in the main hall, while the female cultivator went upstairs.

"Ha ha, Jiang Yu, do you regret not showing your Jie Dan cultivation?" Jiang Tu teased her somewhat.

Jiang Yu was about to retort when she saw, atop the towering auction platform, cultivators carrying several huge cages covered with red cloth, blocking everyone's spiritual sight.

Those in the know understood it was a beast cage, "Not sure what kind of demon beast it is."

Jiang Tu disliked seeing this: "Someone must have come from Zhui Yuan Island, right? They are friendly with the Yao Race; would they auction it away?"

Jiang Yu disagreed; otherwise, a Dragon Emperor cultivator's captured demon could bankrupt Zhui Yuan Island, "The island probably wouldn't care about the offspring of the great sea demons beyond those waters."

By the way, remember not to project your spiritual perception outward, and don't jump out; there's a Nascent Soul upstairs.

She, aware of Jiang Tu's mood shift, changed the subject: "Long Hun, can you confirm which room Nan Su is in on which floor?"

"Third floor, room 15," Long Hun, who truly possessed power, replied.

That will do, Jiang Yu thought to herself whether to devise a scheme to make Nan Su mistakenly believe she possessed a Longevity Origin Pill.

After long deliberation, many methods proved impractical, so Jiang Yu decisively abandoned futile efforts and began observing the surrounding Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Indeed, among the first‑floor guests there was no refined Qi, and it was unclear whether they lacked the chance to enter or were not permitted to participate.

At that moment, she was watching others, and others were watching her.

Nan Su Zhenren sat in a private box, but his Foundation Establishment cultivator had already fallen unconscious, slumped on the table.

On his other side sat, unmistakably, the female cultivator who seemed to be Tian Zhenren.

If Jiang Yu were there, she would see that the female cultivator had shed her disguise and was indeed a Tian‑surname Jie Dan demonic cultivator.

She said, "Nan Su, aren't you curious who rode the same teleportation array with us?"

"And the post I was looking for from a middleman, she already had it in hand as soon as she arrived."

Nan Su had long ago seen Jiang Yu on the first floor, but he didn't recognize her as Jiang Yu.

It wasn't his poor eyesight; he simply wasn't familiar, and Jiang Yu was using the Yao Race's Method of Suppressing Breath from the spirit realm, which only the old shopkeeper could discern as real or fake.

"Tian Daoyou, why are you insisting on following me? You shouldn't be forming a team with me," Nan Su looked at her with a playful expression.

"You're searching for Fu Ju Zhenjun on the desolate island, probably hoping to team up with Jiang Yu of the Grand Void Sect, right? Unfortunately, that sect is orthodox and doesn't want to walk with a demoness from the Heavenly Demon Sect."

"Hmm, I was on Sweet Dew Island just a few days ago.

and heard rumors of Longevity Origin Pill auctions," Tian Zhenren finished, and Nan Su's eyes flashed as he asked, "Really?"

"I don't know; at the time I indeed wanted to team up with Jiang Yu and a few other Grand Void Sect cultivators."

"I can't trust fellow demonic cultivators," Tian Zhenren seemed blunt, but only she knows how much of it is true.

Nan Su pondered, "Then why are you still looking for me?"

Tian Zhenren added, "I'm not specifically looking for you; I just happened to board the teleportation array heading to the same destination as you."

"And I also want to bid on some items; being unfamiliar with the place, I naturally turned to you, and during the auction it will boost my presence."

Nan Su didn't believe a single word of hers, but if there were Longevity Origin Pills, they needn't be top‑grade; he only needs to acquire a pill that extends life by a few dozen years, and that would satisfy him.

"Tian Daoyou, are you looking to form a temporary team, help each other borrow some spirit stones?"

"Exactly that, would you be willing?"

"Fine." Nan Su, regardless of her true intentions, only wanted her to provide spirit stones when they were insufficient.

Both harbored their own thoughts, awaiting the start of the auction.

Meanwhile, Jiang Tu, growing impatient, saw a beautiful woman with flowing ribbons descend onto the high platform.

After a round of opening thanks, she promptly moved into the first activity segment.

But as she helped lift the cloth off the iron cage, Jiang Yu was stunned on the spot, for inside the cage were not only demons but also living humans—very handsome youths and maidens.

Yet the surrounding crowd seemed unperturbed, with many offering commentary and critiques.

Jiang Yu clenched her teeth; she had only attended one auction in Tian Yuan and didn't know other events featured humans as targets.

Long Hun sensed her suppressed anger, "Don't rush; look closely, part of what's on the stage are demons."

"Another part wear seductive expressions, practicing the very servant‑of‑humans techniques."

"He couldn't speak for all of them, but most were of poor aptitude, hoping to latch onto a high‑level cultivator and take a shortcut."

Jiang Yu grabbed a teacup, then disdainfully set it down.

Just then, after the beautiful woman on stage finished introducing the youths, she approached a strikingly beautiful girl and said, "This one is a half‑demon with an innate phoenix‑blood body."

Not only does it aid cultivators in advancing their cultivation, but if one takes the Longevity Yuan Pill, it can boost the efficacy of medicinal pills by half.

Someone upstairs immediately spoke up: "Cut the chatter, how many spirit stones?"

When the beautiful lady announced the opening bid of ten million low-grade spirit stones, Jiang Yu suddenly heard a clear voice transmission in her ear: "You bear the Thunder Dragon mark; can you send a message to the old man to come save me?"

Jiang Yu froze, her eyes locked on the ten-million spirit stone half-demon on the stage.