113: Chapter 72 Three Schemes

A night of cultivation.

Chen Xuan opened his eyes.

He had adjusted himself to his best state.

Generally speaking, one only needs to practice the Nine-Turn Sea-Steaming Method to the sixth turn to have the qualifications to attempt the Golden Core in the future.

Chen Xuan was now at the eighth turn; practicing the ninth turn required more Aptitude than he possessed!

Even with painstaking effort, there was no telling how long it would take.

It was time to prepare to begin the Foundation Establishment.

However, according to traditional practices, one must first directly attempt the ordinary Foundation Establishment Realm.

To familiarize oneself with the process and broaden one's Foundation.

With a foundation establishment pill to protect the Meridians, one could experience it in advance.

However, a foundation establishment pill was something that could be obtained for just a few thousand Spirit Stones; given Chen Xuan's current status, he was certainly not lacking in them.

In his previous life, he already had some experience with the Foundation Establishment, but his Pseudo Spiritual Root was inherently deficient, making it impossible to cross that barrier.

Now that he practiced the Canglan Art, which had thick and heavy Qi, combined with numerous secret techniques, Chen Xuan could achieve Foundation Establishment even without relying on a foundation establishment pill.

It was just that the lack of heavenly treasures would affect his Foundation.

Therefore, even if he achieved Foundation Establishment, he would not ascend; he would only strengthen the Foundation Establishment Purple Mansion opened within his Dantian.

When it was nearly ready, he would use the Five Elements Spirit Qi for Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment.

Chen Xuan was now fully prepared.

He only needed this trip to end.

Golden Core Masters were always elusive and mysterious.

Yet this time, they had set up an inescapable net.

It seemed they were fishing.

The Golden Core Cultivators who had gone to the Ten Thousand Demon Mountain Range previously had no clear outcome afterwards.

They must have achieved some results, but not many.

At today's gathering, the Golden Cores of the The Three Sects were all assembled.

Heh.

Outside, there was a Tier 3 city-protecting array, and inside, five Golden Cores were waiting in comfort for the exhausted enemy.

Clearly, this was no ordinary annual auction.

Chen Xuan shook his head and left the room.

Outside, the entire Qingyuan Chamber of Commerce was buzzing with busy Cultivators, rushing about, all wearing the characteristic red uniforms of the auction.

They had made full preparations.

Just as Chen Xuan was looking around, a Foundation Establishment Yao Beast came rubbing over, shaking its head.

Chen Xuan shook his head and smiled: "Golden Roar, long time no see."

He reached out and gently stroked Golden Roar's head.

Now, this Golden Roar already possessed a Earth-grade Bloodline and had the potential to become a Great Golden Core Yao Beast in the future.

"Woo~" Golden Roar looked at Chen Xuan and let out a low growl.

Over these years, after Chen Qiuyu passed away, Golden Roar had shouldered the responsibility of guarding the house.

The entire Wang Family relied on Golden Roar for suppression; it was the Foundation of the Foundation Establishment Family.

However, ever since Maitreya was born and invaded, the Wang Family's Beast Taming Workshop had known no peace.

So Golden Roar had hidden in the Qingyuan Chamber of Commerce, seeking some quiet.

This was naturally the headquarters in the inner city.

"Eh? Where did this big doggy come from?" Liu Lili ran over with a beaming face.

Golden Roar immediately bared its teeth: "Roar!"

Liu Lili stopped in her tracks instantly.

"A Foundation Establishment big dog..." Liu Lili was stunned.

Only then did she perceive that aura.

It was so formidable.

Golden Roar growled twice at Chen Xuan, then turned and walked away, wagging its tail.

Liu Lili stood there watching its back, and only after a long while did she manage to squeeze out a sentence: "Junior Brother, that big dog looks down on me."

Chen Xuan smiled but did not explain.

It would be strange if a Foundation Establishment Yao Beast looked up to a Qi Refining Cultivator.

But he knew Golden Roar's personality; it just didn't like strangers getting close.

Back at the Wang Family, except for Chen Qiuyu and him, Golden Roar ignored everyone else.

Now that Chen Qiuyu was no longer there, Golden Roar remained the same.

Senior Sister Wen Yao walked down the stairs, twin swords hanging at her waist, her long hair tied in a ponytail.

"The auction is about to start; let's go in."

The three of them walked out of the Qingyuan Chamber of Commerce and headed along the central street toward the auction venue.

The auction venue was in the North District of Fusheng Immortal City, a circular three-story building that could accommodate three thousand people bidding at the same time.

The outer walls of the building were inlaid with Spirit Stones, sparkling in the sunlight like a mountain made of gems.

A long line had already formed at the entrance; the Cultivators held invitations and passed through the inspection one by one to enter.

The three of them stopped at the entrance of the VIP passage, and after the guards checked their tokens, they respectfully stepped aside.

The VIP passage led directly to the third-floor boxes, which were covered in Spirit Beast furs and furnished with Spirit Tea and Spirit Fruits, with one-way viewing glass embedded in the windows.

Looking down from the window, the entire auction venue came into view.

Liu Lili leaned back in the soft chair and picked up a Spirit Fruit, taking a bite.

"Junior Brother, do you think someone will come to snatch things today?"

Chen Xuan shook his head.

"No."

He didn't give a reason, but Liu Lili believed him.

The auction began quickly.

The auctioneer on stage was a middle-aged Foundation Establishment Cultivator with a loud, clear voice and articulate speech.

Item after item was brought up, and item after item was auctioned off.

Tier 2 Magical Artifacts, Tier 3 Medicinal Pills, Tier 4 spirit materials.

Each one was valuable, and the bidding was intense.

Chen Xuan leaned against the window, his gaze sweeping over every corner of the venue.

His Dharma Eye operated in secret, distinguishing the cultivation, background, and hidden auras of the Cultivators in the venue one by one.

Most were Loose Cultivators, a small portion were representatives of various great families, and there were also a few fellows with obscure auras mixed in the crowd.

He did not make a scene, simply silently noting the positions of those people.

When the auction was halfway through, the first grand finale item was brought up.

The Tier 2 Spiritual Artifact, the Green Rainbow Sword.

The sword body was cyan, with three blood grooves on the blade, shimmering with a cold light.

The starting price was five thousand Spirit Stones.

The bidding started immediately, and the price climbed all the way, quickly breaking ten thousand.

Chen Xuan did not bid.

He did not lack Spiritual Artifacts; the Three Bright Moon Sword given by his Revered Master was much better than this Green Rainbow Sword.

In the end, the Green Rainbow Sword was auctioned off to a Foundation Establishment Loose Cultivator for eighteen thousand Spirit Stones.

The second grand finale item was the Tier 3 Cultivation Technique, the Cangming Art.

The starting price was ten thousand Spirit Stones; there were few bidders, but every one of them was a representative of a Golden Core Family.

The price rose from ten thousand to thirty thousand, and from thirty thousand to fifty thousand.

Finally, it was purchased by an Elder of the Fusheng Sect for sixty thousand Spirit Stones.

The auctioneer's voice raised a few notches.

"Next is the final item of this auction."

"The ascension spirit liquid."

"It enhances Spiritual Root Aptitude; Low Grade can rise to Medium Grade, and in the future, it might even be possible for Medium Grade to rise to High Grade."

"The starting price is twenty thousand Spirit Stones."

The venue was silent for a moment, then it exploded into an uproar.

Enhancing Spiritual Root Aptitude was something many Cultivators dreamed of.

Spiritual Roots are Innate and almost impossible to change afterwards.

But the ascension spirit liquid could.

The bidding began, and the price rose crazily.

Twenty thousand, thirty thousand, fifty thousand, eighty thousand.

There were more and more bidders, and the price became increasingly outrageous.

Chen Xuan leaned against the window, watching all this expressionlessly.

The ascension spirit liquid was something he had researched with all his heart and blood in his second life, and now it was finally being auctioned.

But at this moment, there was no excitement in his heart, only calmness.

It was like watching his own child grow up and leave home.

The price was still rising.

One hundred thousand, one hundred twenty thousand, one hundred fifty thousand.

The number of bidders decreased, but every one of them was a representative of a Golden Core Family.

Their tone was determined; they were set on winning.

Just as the price broke through one hundred eighty thousand, a sudden change occurred.

The dome of the auction venue exploded.

Amidst the flying debris, a giant claw reached in from the crack.

The claw was covered in cyan scales, its fingertips sharp as knives, reaching directly for the ascension spirit liquid on the auction stage.

The Cultivators in the venue screamed and fled in all directions; the Foundation Establishment Cultivators unleashed their Magical Artifacts, but were swatted away by that claw.

Chen Xuan's pupils constricted slightly.

A Golden Core Yao Beast!

So it was here!