Chapter 141: Chapter 142: Hidden Motives
As the auction of the Foundation Establishment Pill progressed, the entire auction hall reached a small climax.
Many cultivators were flushed, no different from mortals.
Even those who couldn’t afford the Foundation Establishment Pill were closely watching the nearby cultivators.
Especially those not wearing Spirit-Blocking Robes, who exposed their appearance, seemed to be looking for easy targets, ready to take a risk.
Ye Jingcheng and Ye Haiyi were being scrutinized by many cultivators because they bid too many Spirit Stones.
And soon, the auction for the second Foundation Establishment Pill began.
Qiu Xianyun seemed worried that the crowd’s enthusiasm would wane, so he hardly paused at all.
Ye Haiyi continued bidding, but he also stopped at seventeen thousand Spirit Stones.
His expression became increasingly gloomy and irritable, as if he was inflamed by repeated bidding obstacles.
Ye Jingcheng sat beside him, imitating earnestly.
In the upstairs booth, the Xu Family cultivators watched this scene with a bit of confusion.
In their estimation, the Ye Family shouldn’t have any trouble purchasing the Foundation Establishment Pill.
"They could buy Purple Mansion Jade Liquid, which costs over hundreds of thousands of Spirit Stones!" Xu Haoshui thought this way.
But Xu Wencheng beside him didn’t necessarily agree.
"No need to worry about them, just watch their bidding, and pay attention to their gazes. They love to play tricks, secretly bidding!"
...
All ten Foundation Establishment Pills were auctioned off, without any doubt, Ye Jingcheng and Ye Haiyi failed to acquire even one.
Everyone thought the price of the first Foundation Establishment Pill would be the highest, but they found out the bids were getting higher and went up to twenty thousand Spirit Stones each.
Qiu Xianyun’s face was full of smiles.
This time he took out two Foundation Establishment Pills and began to auction them in packages.
The packaged auction was only affordable for some wealthy loose cultivators; others could only cooperate to purchase them.
And then there were those families!
Among them were the Li Family and Chen Family!
Li Family’s Foundation Establishment cultivators had fallen two, and this time they also came with a purpose.
And Ye Haiyi, he directly got up, taking Ye Jingcheng away from the back of the auction hall.
Leaving together were the loose cultivators who helped with bidding earlier.
Ye Jingcheng discovered this loose cultivator was actually Meng Xuan’s friend, considered of the grandfather generation.
It was Ye Haiyi who transmitted to him to help purchase the Treasure Medicine.
Ye Jingcheng took out Spirit Stones, handed them to the elder, who also handed over a Jade Box. Opening it revealed a Three-leaf Spirit Grass about a foot long.
Ye Jingcheng was extremely satisfied, closed the Jade Box, sealed it with a Spirit Talisman, then carefully placed it into his Storage Bag.
At this point, he had collected all the materials for the Jade Qilin Pill.
He just needed to find time to refine it using the Four-Part Alchemy Method.
The strength of the Red Flame Fox now roughly equaled that of the Ninth Layer of Qi Cultivation, giving him greater assurance.
Once the Jade Qilin Snake breaks through, he could start communicating with beasts, accelerating the speed to break through the Ninth Layer.
When that time comes, even Foundation Establishment won’t be far for Ye Jingcheng.
Upon thinking this, his heart slightly excited.
"Grandpa, shall we now...?"
"Return to the dormitory rooms to rest for half a month, it’s very lively outside right now!" Ye Haiyi spoke with meaningful intent.
Quite a few cultivators left midway just like them.
Their intentions were evident without guessing.
Ye Jingcheng nodded; although they didn’t acquire a Foundation Establishment Pill, with over ten thousand Spirit Stones, even Foundation Establishment Evil Cultivators would covet them.
Of course, they were not afraid of Foundation Establishment Evil Cultivators, nor of others blocking them; what they feared was the many mouths that spoke carelessly.
Should there be a slip-up, it would be detrimental to the Ye Family’s plans.
Otherwise, even if the Li or Chu families pursued them, they wouldn’t be afraid.
Ye Jingcheng also nodded; it was just as well, although the auction was close to ending, the massive crowd allowed him to set up stalls several more times.
Earned quite a few Spirit Stones, the Water Cloud Grass cost him nearly a thousand Spirit Stones, which he needed to replenish quickly.
And having not bought a Foundation Establishment Pill, he naturally had a reason to go to shops to purchase Magical Artifacts or Spirit Medicine Seeds.
He had long been curious about the shops and Magical Artifacts in Taichang Market.
...
In the second-floor booth of the auction hall, Xu Haoshui looked at the empty seats of Ye Jingcheng and Ye Haiyi, his expression somewhat grim.
"Mistakes are mistakes, the Ye Family is not worth fearing. Our clan now needs new Purple Mansion cultivators to open up new territories. Next is the Purple Mansion Jade Liquid auction, we cannot afford to lose it!" Xu Wencheng reprimanded.
Upon hearing this, Xu Haoshui also nodded.
A glint appeared in his eyes.
He thought of that treasured land, and the unlimited possibilities of the future.
"Fourth Uncle, this nephew understands!"
...
Meanwhile, elsewhere, Li Family cultivators finally purchased two Foundation Establishment Pills.
Though they spent nearly forty thousand Spirit Stones,
it was undoubtedly a bargain.
Li Xiangyu and Li Xiangfei were overjoyed, to know Li Yufu had promised they had a chance of getting a Foundation Establishment Pill as long as they could break through to the Ninth Layer of Qi Cultivation before fifty.
"Seventh Master, shall we leave now?"
"Leave, the excitement to come isn’t for us Li Family to witness."
"However, let’s detour, leave the market first, then disguise as loose cultivators to return!"
Li Yufu, experienced, and while the Li Family were indeed famous in Taihang Market, here they were almost nothing; even an early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator like himself dared not act recklessly.
Currently, with two Foundation Establishment Pills on them, equating to nearly forty thousand Spirit Stones,
unknown how many Foundation Establishment cultivators were secretly coveting.
"Chu Family seems not to have bought Foundation Establishment Pills, their target should be the Purple Mansion Jade Liquid!"
"Don’t worry about the Chu Family, they’re not so stupid, Old Man Chu might be waiting in Taihang Market; once news spreads there, those families hoping to rob will eventually be caught."
"So as long as they have enough Spirit Stones, the possibility is high!" Li Yufu said enviously.
The Chu Family indeed married well!
...
While this auction was taking place, another was being held concurrently in Taihang Market.
This time, the six families brought out many good items.
However, it was obvious to those with discerning eyes that all six patriarchs were somewhat preoccupied.
They desired the six Foundation Establishment Pills, negotiating with each other to avoid price hikes.
But negotiations were evidently not going smoothly.
The allocation of six pills was destined to be unequal,
Purple Mansion families couldn’t have Foundation Establishment Pills like Foundation Establishment families.
And the few Foundation Establishment families wouldn’t compromise with each other.
This was the way of the great path.
Beneath their amiable exteriors, fierce storms brewed.
...
In a mysterious valley, inside a cave.
Ye Xingyu looked at Ye Xingqun.
The two seemed to be waiting for something, the next moment they were delighted.
"Patriarch has squashed both my Five Poison Bees and Black Wood Ants."
"We can start the operation!"
"Mm, let’s proceed with the plan, watch for perimeter blocks, first deploy the poisonous mist from the Five Poison Bees, ensuring nothing goes wrong."
"Additionally, this time, they are all Inner Hall Race People, no need to conceal our strength!"