204: Qingyan Immortal City

Lin Feng gave a low shout, his hands shifting through hand seals.

The dark golden liquid suddenly stretched and molded, and under the forging of the Heart Refining Fire, it gradually formed a sword blank about three feet and three inches long.

The sword body was narrow and long, with smooth lines and faint dark golden light flowing; though not yet fully formed, a sharp, peerless, and world-burning intent already emanated from it.

"Hum —"

Immediately after, the sword body vibrated violently, emitting a clear and long Phoenix cry.

Dark golden light shot up into the sky; had it not been for the Formation blocking it, it would surely have pierced the clouds.

Within the light, the sword was completely formed. The sword body was dark gold with faint, flickering star-like points, and a searing white glow circulated along the edge.

At the guard, the phantom of a Phoenix became increasingly clear, circling and dancing.

The first sword of the Southern Vermilion Bird Seven Mansions, the xingxiu sword, was complete!

Lin Feng reached out and grasped the hilt. With a slight movement of his mind, the sword trembled lightly, and a condensed Phoenix phantom flew out from the blade. Although slightly blurry, it already possessed spiritual charm, circling and dancing with the might of burning the heavens, scorching wisps of blue smoke onto the stone walls of the Immortal Cave.

With the sword refined, a trace of exhaustion flashed in Lin Feng's eyes, but there was more joy.

With this sword, his Vermilion Bird Sword Formation now had a Foundation, and his combat power would rise to a new level.

...

Qingyan Immortal City, located at the southern foot of the "Dragon Falling Mountain Range" that spans the continent, is not a place where ordinary Cultivators gather.

It is more like a neutral trading hub jointly maintained by several merchant associations with deep backgrounds; rumor has it that there is even the shadow of a Nascent Soul Old Ancestor behind it.

The city itself is an ancient exotic treasure, said to be able to gather the Spiritual Qi of the Spiritual Veins within tens of thousands of miles, making the Spiritual Qi inside the city far richer than the outside world, which in turn attracts many high-level Cultivators to settle and trade here.

Lin Feng piloted the wine immortal gourd and landed on the huge bluestone plaza outside the city gate.

He had just spent several months of painstaking effort to perfectly refine the crimson phoenix sky burning pearl and the red emperor flowing pearl he had obtained from Liu Mingxuan, integrating them into the xingxiu sword of the Southern Vermilion Bird Seven Mansions.

This trip did not have a clear goal; it was more out of habit after his cultivation improved, wandering in all directions to search for Opportunity, while also wanting to see if he could find news of other Heaven And Earth Treasure needed for refining his natal sword Formation.

After paying the entrance fee of ten Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, Lin Feng stepped into the city.

The streets in the city were paved with huge dark blue stones, wide enough for ten carriages to travel side by side. On both sides, towers stood tall, with the light of Restrictions circulating endlessly.

The auras of the passing Cultivators were generally not weak; Foundation Establishment Cultivators were everywhere, and the Spiritual Pressure of the Core Formation Stage could also be sensed from time to time.

There were few street vendors, and more shops with archaic plaques such as "Treasure Pavilion," "Myriad Phenomena Tower," and "Heavenly Mystery Pavilion." Their entrances were heavily guarded, clearly not meant for low-level Cultivators.

His gaze was drawn to the most magnificent, cauldron-shaped crimson building in the city. That was the Four Seas Pavilion, the headquarters of the Four Seas Association in Qingyan Immortal City.

A huge jade tablet flickering with spiritual light hung at the entrance of the pavilion, with runes scrolling on it: "Four Seas Sixty-Year Auction, held tomorrow at the Starlight Hall on the top floor of this pavilion. Attendees must verify their assets; net worth must be no less than the equivalent of ten thousand High-Grade Spirit Stones, or several exotic treasures."

"Four Seas Association..." Lin Feng's gaze narrowed. This name reminded him of an unpleasant experience in the North Nether Sea many years ago.

At that time, he was still a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. He had gone out to sea to hunt a fourth-order Thunder Flood Dragon to condense his sea condensing gold core pill, and he had almost been schemed against by the Four Seas Association, suffering a significant loss.

These large merchant associations had excellent reputations on the surface, but their methods in the dark were endless.

He felt deeper vigilance in his heart, but the auction held by the Four Seas Association was undoubtedly of the highest standard, and perhaps there really was something he needed.

The next day, Lin Feng used the Form Transformation Art to change his appearance and came to the Four Seas Pavilion again.

The asset verification process was carried out by a stone-faced Late Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator. The other party used an ancient bronze mirror to shine upon several useless Magical Artifacts from his spoils that Lin Feng presented, then handed him a jade tablet.

"Quiet Room C-79."

The so-called quiet room was actually a small space on the top floor of the pavilion, isolated by a soft light curtain. From the inside, one could vaguely see the central auction stage and the general outlines of other quiet rooms, but it was difficult to see the details inside from the outside, so the privacy was decent.

Lin Feng sat down in the quiet room, and under the cover of the light curtain, he quietly observed the surrounding quiet rooms.

Those who could enter this place needed at least a net worth equivalent to ten thousand High-Grade Spirit Stones; they were by no means ordinary Cultivators.

A rough glance showed that behind the light curtains of most quiet rooms, figures were vaguely sitting, most of whose auras were obscure.

About one-third of them had Spiritual Pressure that reached the Core Formation Stage level. Although they tried their best to restrain it, those fluctuations of spiritual power, which were different from Foundation Establishment, were still like lamps in the fog under Lin Feng's keen Divine Sense, vaguely distinguishable.

Most of these people were, like him, Loose Cultivators or Elders of small Sects who had come to seek Opportunity.

There were a few other quiet rooms in better positions, such as the "A" grade rooms facing the auction stage. The light curtains seemed thicker, and the figures inside were more blurred, almost impossible to distinguish their forms.

However, from the "A-3" quiet room, a calm yet bottomless aura emanated; it was definitely Mid-stage Core Formation without a doubt.

There were also a few "B" grade quiet rooms, whose auras were either as sharp as a sword or as heavy as a mountain; clearly, they were not people to be trifled with.

What made Lin Feng even more vigilant was that in at least a dozen quiet rooms, the figures inside seemed to have their faces covered with various masks, or blurry halos transformed by Magical Artifacts; it was clear they did not wish to show their true faces.

Even some Cultivators who appeared to be in the Core Formation Stage had used similar disguises.

This Four Seas Association auction was indeed a mix of dragons and snakes, and the waters ran deep.

He withdrew his gaze and became more cautious. Here, any slight negligence could lead to unnecessary trouble.

Therefore, he collected his thoughts, turned his attention to the central auction stage, and waited patiently.

The auction began. The host was an old man with a vigorous spirit whose cultivation was at the Mid-stage Core Formation level, claiming to be the Third Manager of the Four Seas Association.

He did not indulge in small talk and started the auction directly.

The first few lots were treasures hard to find in the outside world. Bidding voices came from different quiet rooms, mostly calm and waveless, but everything reported was either a rare item or an astronomical number of Spirit Stones.

Lin Feng observed patiently and did not make a move easily. His goal for this trip was clear, mainly to find special spiritual Materials needed for refining other swords in the future.

When a piece of "Deep Sea Secret Silver," the size of a fist and glowing with a faint blue light, was presented on the auction stage, Lin Feng's gaze shifted.

This item was heavy and stable, containing pure water elemental energy, and was one of the top-tier water-type spiritual Materials.

As soon as the Third Manager announced the reserve price, Lin Feng spoke. His voice, passing through the light curtain of the quiet room, sounded calm and waveless: "One top-grade Magical Artifact, the blood cicada saber, in exchange for this item."

This blood cicada saber was what he had obtained years ago when he was still in the Foundation Establishment Stage, after killing Yun Tianhe of the Blood Fiend Sect in the Badou Mountain Range.

The saber was evil and strange, capable of transforming into blood light to injure enemies, but its Evil Qi was too heavy. For him, it had long been a useless item, and he had always left it in a corner of his Storage Pouch.

Using it to exchange for urgently needed Artifact Refining Materials now was truly putting it to good use.

Hearing the name of the blood cicada saber, there seemed to be a subtle murmur in the venue.

As one of the Seven Demonic Sects, the Blood Fiend Sect had somewhat famous unique Magical Artifacts.

The Third Manager was clearly knowledgeable. After a moment of contemplation, he communicated with the seller of the Deep Sea Secret Silver for a while, and then said aloud: "The Fellow Daoist in Quiet Room C-79 offers the blood cicada saber, and the seller agrees to the exchange."

A streak of light flew out from Lin Feng's quiet room and landed on the auction stage, while the piece of Deep Sea Secret Silver was simultaneously transmitted to his hand.

The transaction was completed, and Lin Feng felt slightly relieved; the trip was not in vain.

He did not pay special attention, but in another quiet room, a gaunt old man with his face hidden under a blood-colored cloak saw a flash of blood-red light in his eyes when he heard the words "blood cicada saber."

On that Magical Artifact, there was clearly a unique aura of the Blood Fiend Sect's core Cultivation Technique, and the Artifact Refining technique was unique to Yun Tianhe, who had been missing for many years.

"How could Yun Tianhe's Magic Treasure fall into this person's hands?" A thought flashed through the old man's mind like lightning.

"Could it be that the mysterious disappearance of the group that was ordered to track down the extreme yin essence back then has something to do with this person?"

"But listening to the voice, it is clearly a male Cultivator, not one of those women from the Illusory Moon Sect... Then where exactly did he get this Magic Treasure?"